[IN THE END] - DICK GRAYSON - YOUNG JUSTICE

CHAPTER 3

        Dick proceeded to look down the opening, to find a boy that looked much older than himself.  He had cuffs on his wrists that were attached to chains that were attached to the wall.  "Max this is Dick.  He's my adoptive son.  But he hasn't been behaving lately, so he will join you down here!  Funny right?  It's like you guys are brothers now!  I might not have legitimate custody of you Max, but you're here... So enjoy the company."  James pulled Dick down into the room, which was about the size of the attic.  Small, but more than enough room for two.  He grabbed more chains and locked Dick across from Max.  Dick propped himself up a wall to get comfortable seeing as he would be here for a while.  James then climbed out of the underground portion and shut the panel leaving the two boys alone in darkness.

                It was silent for a couple minutes until Max spoke up.  "So how old are you?"  "Well I'm six now but in a couple weeks I'll be seven... if I even make it that long."  His response was shaky.  It took Max a couple minutes to find an appropriate answer.  "I know being down here seems bad, but at least you're untouchable at the moment.  He probably won't come back for days."  After saying it aloud, it didn't sound that reassuring.  "You mean you're not going to hurt me?"  Dick was confused.  "Why would I hurt you?  I'm locked up in chains too as I am sure your well aware."  Max had a point.  Dick accepted his response.  "Sorry... I just don't even know anymore, ya know?  My parents die, I end up in a delinquent center rather an orphanage.  I get adopted, but I end up with someone that wants me to suffer, rather than succeed."  "Are you sure your only six?  You sound a little bit more mature than that?"  Max was truly impressed with what he had to say.  "Staying in juvie for eight months has taught me more that you can imagine.  And being locked down here, I'm sure I will learn much more.  And I said I was almost seven."  He started to laugh at his last statement.  It was the first time he had done so in practically a year.  "So how old are you?"  He continued .  "I just turned thirteen a few months ago."  He replied.

                The two were still socializing when the police came back with their warrant.  "May we search the house now?"  Gordon said sarcastically while holding up the paper.  "Sure, welcome to our home."  James took a step back from the door and signaled them in. "What a lovely place you have."  Gordon was trying to be nice.  His men followed, scanning the living room, looking in every corner just to make sure.  When there was no luck, Gordon asked to see the upstairs.  "I insist."  Madison mimicked the commissioners tone.  Gordon grabbed the rail and began climbing the stairs, when the door to the attic caught his eye.  "Perfect."  He whispered.  "What was that?"  James noted.  "I was wondering if I could check up there."  He was positive he would find the young boy up there.  "Well it's not like your searching every other square inch of our house..."  James' only made the commissioner mad.  Gordon pulled the string that allowed the ladder down.  He climbed the first few stairs and peeked through the opening.  Surprised not to see anyone up there he did more than one double take.  Once he told himself that he wasn't there he stepped down.  "Find anything interesting commissioner?"  Gordon responded the question by giving James the death stare.  James chuckled under his breath.  The police searched every other room in the house and there was no sign of Dick.  Gordon apologized to the Smiths and left as the door shut.     

                The room may have been dark, but having someone to talk to made Dick feel like he was in a much brighter place.  Truthfully, minus the fact that he was chained to a wall, he was enjoying his time with Max.  It was the first time he could honestly say he made a friend.  Dick told him about his past, but didn't fully open up to Max, because he hated showing his emotions.  He once learned that doing so could put you in a bad position.  So Dick was general about everything.  He knew if he got into all the details he would snap.  So he respectively told his stories as an outside person looking in, trying to understand the situation though not fully aware.  Because that's what people on the outside did.