A Twist of Fate

Chapter 31

Trigger Warning! Not sure if it needs it but here because everyone is different.

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Being the son of one of the most wanted mercenaries in the world made you pretty famous in the underground. It also made you a good source of information for good guys. So Joey had learned early on to fight, distrust strangers, and that family was always there no matter what. Sure his dad was strict at times and could be intimidating but he was always there.

When he heard that his brother was given to Batman for protection, Joey got instantly in his big brother mode asking anything he could think of. When everything got answered and that he was the emergency contact he felt like it was a reasonable solution. Grant, on the other hand, was probably grumbling about his new orders.

Joey had full confidence that Dick would be fine with Batman until he got the call on new years day at 12:05 in the morning.

"Hello?" Joey asked. His voice box, a bit crackly.

"Jericho."

Joey went from only an ear listening to sitting up abruptly in bed, "Bats? What's happening? Where's Ren?"

"He's currently having a mix of a panic attack and maybe flashbacks or PTSD. Possibly everything above. Either way, Klarian got a hold of him and he's injured but is in this state and we can't do anything. Think you can help."

"How bad?"

"If you can't help we'll have to sedate him and get him to the medical room."

Joey jumped out of bed, "I can be there in three minutes. Will he make it until then?"

"Don't know. There's a deep gashes over his left eye but the blood looks to be clotting."

"Got it. Give me three minutes. You're at the mountain?"

"Watch Tower."

Joey told him he got it and hung up. He didn't bother getting fully dressed, only grabbing his pj pants and the backpack he had of all the stuff Dick had at his apartment. The bag also had a few things from his room back at the current Haunt. The zata tube in Jump City was only a block from his apartment. The real time consumer was hacking the tube to let him up to the Watch Tower.

In reality it only took him a minute to make all the way up into space. But also by then all of the Justice League and Jr. Justice teens were in a large semicircle around a control panel. All the heroes turned to look at him. They looked battered and bloody, some even holding arms or staying off of a leg. They all parted to give him a path to what looked to be Batman and Superman crouched down, looking under the control panel.

Joey took in a slow breath before marching over to the two older heroes. Superman gave him a strained smile before backing away to give him room. Batman didn't say anything as the older teen crouched down to peer into the shadowed area. He could see Dick in an instant. The boy was sitting in a pool of blood that looked far too big for Joey's comfort.

Joey slowly let the bag slide off his bare shoulder to the floor with a soft think but it was enough to have the boy whimpering. Joey felt a pang in his heart. It had been a few years since Dick had this bad of a PTSD attack. His Father had been the one to deal with the boy during them.

"Hey D." Joey called out softly and the boy flinched back, "Hey, you're ok little bro."

Dick shivered, pulling himself deeper into a ball. Joey frowned, turning his attention to the bag. He opened it slowly, rustling around before pulling out a small music player and noise canceling headphones. Dick had used them when his anxiety would get the best of him, when he was younger. He hoped that Dick wasn't that far into his past that he wouldn't recognize the headphones or the music.

Joey set up the music before carefully ducking under the counter to place the headphones on the boy's ears. Dick's hands shot up grabbing both of his wrists with the headphones only a few inches from his ears. Just enough for the music to reach Dick. His hands slowly receded and Joey took the opportunity to slowly put the headphones over the boy's ears.

Dick slowly relaxed into the music before closing his eyes in a sleepy state. Joey reached over and tapped Dick's knee and the boy flinched back. Joey didn't make a big deal out of the flinch only smiled with a wave.

'Can I pull you out?' Joey signed to the boy.

Dick took a deep breath in before nodding.

Joey smiled as he reached in and softly started to pull the boy out from under the panel. Dick was shaking by the end of the slow movement and soft touch but he was out. Batman had ordered most of the League and the team away. The only one remaining that dared Batman's wrath was Superman.

Dick didn't care anymore. He felt exhausted and Joey was there. He was safe. He leaned over curling himself into his big brother, listening to the soft melody of the orchestra through his old headphones. Joey shifted himself into a better position to pick Dick up. Dick didn't care when the floor disappeared. His legs were wrapped around Joey's waist and face bearded into the crook of his neck.

Batman led Joey silently to the medical room. Half of the League was already there bandaging up gashes or broken bones. They all looked up at the same time when Batman walked into the room. Superman was at a far bed with the supplies he thought Batman and Joey would need to patch Dick back up.

Joey gently sat Dick on the bed as Batman pulled a curtain around them. Dick let go reluctantly, wincing as his wounds opened that much more. Joey reached slowly to unclasp the suit so he could fully look at the scratches going across his brother's chest. Dick cringed looking away trying to regulate his breathing.

After a few deep breaths Dick started to help, tugging the sleeves off. With a shrug of his shoulders, the suit came off fully from his torso. His chest and abdomen were covered in blood. Some of it crusted on already, as other areas looked fresh and leaking. Superman handed Joey a rag with a small smile.

Joey nodded his thanks, before starting to wipe away the blood. Dick hissed a few times when Joey went over one of the claw marks. When all the extra blood he got away, Joey assessed if Dick needed the stitches that Superman had prepped for. Joey poked at them and Dick hissed again with a glare. Joey smirked softly in a teasing gesture before sighing. The cuts were deep enough to need stitches.

"Superman can you hand me the needle and thread?" Joey asked the hero.

Superman hurried to give the teen the needle and thread, "I don't know if it's my place but how old are you Jericho?"

Joey threaded the needle, "First, my name is Joey. Second, I'm nineteen."

Superman nodded.

Joey stitched up Dick's chest before looking into the boy's torn masked eyes. This one would be a bit more difficult.