What family means

healing

Lian never knew why it was always Dickie that got hurt, as Nightwing or Dick Grayson. Currently, he had a gunshot wound from an attempted mugging. Her Momma and Daddy were driving their small car, Dick laid out in the back. His head rested in her lap as he held his injured shoulder, trying to keep the blood in. He was breathing hard.

"It'll be ok, Dickie. We're almost there, ok? Just stay with me." Lian whispered as she started to run her fingers through his sweaty Raven locks. " 'M ere, Lian." His words were starting to slur. Jade sped up, the hospital in sight. She pulled up and ran in while Roy picked up Dick, who groaned at being moved. "Lian, when Jade comes back, stay with her, ok? They're going to put him in surgery to get the bullet out." Lian nodded.

A few people with a stretcher came running out. Roy placed the injured Ebony on the stretcher, hearing him suck a giant breath in. They rushed him inside while Roy picked Lian up and walked. She watched as her Dickie disappeared inside the giant white walls.

She didn't like coming here. Whenever she did, it was because Dickie or one of her parents were trapped in their mind. They never spoke, never responded to anything she said until they broke free. And it never seemed to be the same time, even for the same injuries. She would always count the days until they wake up. The last time he was here, it took Dickie a week to wake up.

She and daddy made it to her momma, who looked worried. Who wouldn't be? There was always a chance Dickie would die when he got hurt. There was just a bigger chance now. Her daddy handed her to her momma, who held onto her.

She sat there for what felt like hours while they took the bullet out. Her Daddy had gone to explain how get Dickie has gotten hurt. "Momma? Do you think Dickie will be ok?" She whispered. Jade kissed get forehead before whispering, "I don't know, Lian. I just don't know."

Her Daddy eventually came back. He sat down next to them and put his arm around them. They waited for what felt like another few hours before the nurse said he was rest for visitors. The three stood up and followed the nurse to a room. Dick's still body laid in the bed, the only sign he was alive the heart monitor. The nurse sighed. "We get people like him every day. People who are going about their day, and someone decides to either rob them, kidnap them or kill them. I hate it when that happens, but there's not a lot we can do. I'll leave you alone."

Lian sat down and watched Dickie's chest rise and fall. In, out. In, out. His face was etched in pain, an occasional sounds of pain coming out. That was good…right? That meant he was awake enough to know he was in pain. Lian grabbed onto his hand, as that always seemed to help. It certainly did when she'd had that disastrous birthday party.

After a few hours, according to the clock, Dick finally woke up. He groaned as he opened his eyes before reaching for his shoulder. Lian grabbed the hand before he could touch it, however, out of fear that it would become worse. When he locked eyes with her, he grinned. Well, if you could call it a grin. Pain leaked through his already cracked mask off 'being ok.'

"Hey, Lian. Where's your parents?" Dick whispered. "They left the room to talk to the doctor, I think. Dickie, why is it always you that gets hurt?" Dick shrugged, but regretted doing that. "The way I see it, if you get hurt, I have your mom and dad to worry about. When it's just me getting hurt, I'm keeping others from getting hurt." Lian gripped his hand.

"Hey, Lian?" "Hm?" "Is your momma still teaching you to fight?" Confused, she nodded. "She's doing that so that one day, you can help keep others from pain. It may not be today, may not be tomorrow, but one day, you'll be doing what I do. But you'll be doing it better." "Why are you talking like that, Dickie? It's just a shot to the shoulder, you're not dying, are you?" Dick chuckled. "No, I'm not dying. I just don't want you to blame yourself. I learned my vague answers from my father."

Lian let out a breath she didn't know she was holding. Dickie was going to be fine. One day, they would both protect people. "Before I can get back out there, however, I need to heal. To do that, I need to sleep. I'm going to take a small nap. Tell Roy or Jade, whoever comes in first, that I woke up. Can you do that for me?" Lian nodded. "Thanks. G'night, Lian." "Goodnight, Dickie."

What the duo didn't know was that Roy and Jade didn't go talk to the doctor. They went out to find the punk with the gun who had shot Dick. They found him in his apartment, the gun laying on the table. He looked happy as he read a book. He didn't feel guilty that he'd put a man in the hospital.

Jade and Roy broke in and took the guy down quickly. They called the police to come pick him up, but not before they taught him a lesson. He didn't die, but Jade made sure he regretted the day he started mugging.