Peroxide

Chapter 10: Rescue. [Thea/Deathstroke/Nightwing]

Thea was still bound to the chair, in the same spotlight. Her face was bruised from the torture Deathstroke had decided to use. Her eyes were still the bright blue and Peroxide was getting more and more irritated.

"Are you going to tell me what I want to know or not?" Deathstroke's voice bounced around the room. "I want to know their identities. Now!"

"Go to hell, Deathstroke. I'm ain't telling you shit." Sometimes Thea surprised herself at how fearless Peroxide was, saying things she wouldn't dare to as her civilian self.

Thwack.

The sound of a whip cracked around her, and her right forearm started stinging. She bit her tongue, to stop herself from taunting him more. The hit-man circled round her and Thea comforted herself by thinking about how she knew Dick was coming to get her. Sure enough, she heard yelling coming from another part of the building. Deathstroke glared at the yelling, cracking the whip above her head.

"I will end him." Then he disappeared.

Thea could feel her hands burning with the blue energy again but this time she didn't feel weird or in pain from it. Instead, it felt like a comfort and soon her arms were free of the ties that had her bound to that damn chair. Quickly, she untied her legs and was out of the seat. Then she heard the click of a gun and slowly turned around. Deathstroke was in front of her, gun pointed at her head. She took a step back and he took safety off.

"Now now now, where do you think you're going, pretty thing?"

Thea became Peroxide entirely in that moment. Although her hands still shook terribly, she was sure she could take him down and get away.

"You're not leaving here alive, my dear."

"Wanna bet?" She replied. Deathstroke pulled the trigger but she was fast, almost as if she had never stopped being Peroxide. She ducked as the room echoed with the bang! of the bullet leaving the barrel. In the same second, she swept his feet from under him, startling him. She grabbed the gun and ran before he could get up. She ran and ran, down dark corridors, with no idea where she was going. She heard more yelling and her instincts said to run towards the sound. So she did, turning a corner and crashing straight into someone. She fell backwards onto the floor and pointed the gun at the figure. Her hands were shaking but she kept it pointed at the figure in front of her until she could see who it was.

"Thea?" The sound of her name in that voice calmed her instantly. She dropped the gun because in front of her was Nightwing, relief written on his exhausted face. "Thea, I'm so sorry I-"

"Not now, Blue Bird. I have an angry man after me and I don't wanna be here when he works out that I could still be in this damn place." Peroxide spoke for her as he pulled her up.

"Bats is occupying our friends. Let's get you out of here." He noticed the change in colour in her eyes. "Are you okay?"

"Fine. I just... We need to get out of here."

With that, he grabbed her hand and the pair ran down the hall, Dick taking her out the window he came through. They swung through the city, Thea holding onto him and squinting against the September sun. Dick held her tightly to him, scared to let her go even when they got to the safety of her apartment. On his way there, he radio'd everyone to let them know that she was safe.  The second they were inside, Dick took off his mask and kissed Thea deeply, his attempt at apologising since she wouldn't listen to his words. She kissed him back and he gently pushed her against the door of her closet, letting his hands get tangled in her hair. They stayed like that for a few minutes until they both pulled away to breathe.

"Thea..."

She shushed him, resting her forehead on his. "Stop. Just stop, Dick." Her voice was soft and her eyes hadn't returned to her usual sapphire blue yet but she seemed to be okay. "I don't blame you. I will never blame you."

"I put you in danger."

"And that's something that comes with loving you."

Dick looked at her properly, she'd never said she loved him back until now. "You love me?"

"I love you."

He kissed her again, keeping it soft and meaningful. He brought his hands to hold hers, easing the shaking in them slightly.

"Are you in pain?"

"A little bit. But I can handle it, Blue Bird. I'm more concerned about you."

He gently cupped her face with one hand. "My sweet girl," he whispered, placing gentle kisses on each bruise he could see. Thea closed her eyes, her adrenaline rush at its end. Now she could feel everything. Dick looked at her, his tired blue eyes worried. "Let's run you a hot bath, soothe some of that pain."

"Will you join me?" Her voice was quiet again, Peroxide disappearing. She didn't want to be away from him, she couldn't bear it. Dick nodded, and gently led her to the bathroom. He turned the hot tap on then sat on the toilet seat, pulling Thea to him. He kissed her neck then her lips.

"I love you, Thea."

"I love you too. Here, let's get you out of that suit of yours, it doesn't look too comfortable anymore."

Dick smiled, and helped her take his suit off. As he reached to turn the water off, he winced from the bruises on his ribs. Thea sighed quietly, her heart hurting at the pain he was in. She wanted to admire his athletic build but the bruises on his waist and rib cage distracted her. She tried to take her top off and also winced as she tried to move her arm. Dick helped her with her clothes, kissing all the bruises and lacerations on her arms and shoulders. He also wanted to look at her body, but he could tell she was insecure at that moment. Instead, he gently brought her into the water and they both sighed at the warmth on their skin. In the light of sunshine through the bathroom window, Dick could see every mark, bruise and cut on Thea's body. He still felt guilty for everything, he still blamed himself for the abuse Deathstroke had inflicted on her. He gently pulled her as close as he could to him without hurting her, her back resting against his chest.

"Thea?"

"Hmm?" She had her eyes shut, the water soothing all her pain away.

"I'm sorry. I know you're saying it's not my fault but it is. I forgot you were staying at mine last night and that in itself is bad. I didn't know Deathstroke had been following me. I put you in danger and you got hurt." He spoke quickly so she couldn't interrupt him. He could feel a lump in his throat, as he tried not to cry. "I'm so sorry, I promised you that you were safe with me and--" He was cut off by Thea shifting to face him and his words stopped by a kiss.

"Stop it," she whispered. "I'm here, I'm with you now." She looked at him with her sapphire irises and he lost himself in the colour. "I'm not angry at you. Things like this happen. It's over now. And now I know how to kick start Peroxide." She smiled softly, cupping his face in her hands. The touch of her hands on his face tipped him over the edge. Tears spilled from his eyes and he hugged her close, not caring about his ribs and how much they hurt. Thea hugged him back, whispering comforts to him. It was a strange thing to have the roles reversed, normally it was her having a breakdown. Dick buried his face in her neck, all his anger and fear slowly dissipating. After a few minutes he looked back at her, his face tear-stained.

"Thea." His voice was quiet, having not had a breakdown like that in a very long time.

"Yes, Dick?"

"I'm in love with you."

"I know. I'm in love with you too."

He buried his face in her neck again and they stayed like that until the water went cold.