Peroxide

Chapter 14: Powers. [Thea/Dick/Deathstroke/Rachel]

Thea woke up at in a hospital bed, a tube under her nose. She groaned, her eyes adjusting to the light. This wasn't the meta hospital and that scared her. Anxiously, she looked for Dick.

"Thea? Hey sweetheart. It's okay. I'm here. I'm here."

Immediately, Thea relaxed, Dick's voice soothing her nerves. He gently took her hand and ran his thumb across it. He was still in his suit from the gala and his blue eyes looked exhausted.

"Where are we?"

"Gotham General. I couldn't get you to the meta hospital, I'm sorry."

She winced as she tried to sit up and Dick moved to help her. Luckily, the bullet wound wasn't deep and hadn't hit anything major.

"Is everyone okay?"

"They're fine, baby. Alfred, Tim and Caity weren't even at the Manor and Jay, Macy and Damian weren't hurt at all. And Bruce is Bruce. Still don't know why he disappeared in the first place."

Thea closed her eyes for a moment. "Damian actually likes me."

"Of course he does, why wouldn't he?"

"Because he's Damian Wayne and inherited his lack of emotional range from his father."

Dick laughed, leaning forward to kiss her forehead. She wasn't wrong.

"When can I leave here? I'm not a fan."

"Soon, baby. I promise."

There was a knock at the door and before Dick could get up, Rachel - a teen meta from the centre - came in. "Thea! You're okay!"

"Hey, Rach. What are you doing here? Why are you not with Leo?" Dick stood up from his chair, confused.

"He dropped me off, he said it would be okay. I was really worried - I saw what happened on the news and I heard Jenny on the phone to Macy and she mentioned Thea got hurt and I begged him to let me see you."

"Rachel, you can't just come into a hospital like that, the least you should've done was gotten Leo or Jenny to call me first."

Before Rachel could reply, the power went out. Thea groaned.

"I really hate the power grid in this city."

"Rachel, stay here with Thea. I'm going to see what's going on."

"No Dick, don't lea-"

Smash.

The glass of the windows shattered and Rachel and Thea screamed. Dick was fast, detaching Thea from her wires and getting her behind him. He was briefly relieved she was given a t-shirt and leggings, rather than a hospital gown but the initial protective instinct he had when it came to Thea returned almost instantly.  Thea grabbed his shoulder and held her hand out to Rachel as Deathstroke appeared in the window-frame in front of them.

"Well well well, I found two of the three people I've been looking for all in one place. How convenient.. Now I just need Nightwing and the party will be complete."

Thea's eyes turned their icy colour and slowly let go of Dick's shoulder to try and reach behind her for the door handle. Rachel was trembling but managed to subtly open the door for Thea, seeing her wince in pain.