The Lost and The Rescued

(Last Chapter. Warning you may cry and hate me, I'm sorry. I love you all!)

Richard's POV

Gotham seemed busy with people, running around like little white, lab mice. I was sat on the edge of Wayne Tower, looking down as the rain washed away my raven soaked hair. I felt like it was trying to cleanse me of my sins, the people I have kilt. I shouldn't even be called a hero much less a side kick.

This was my rondevu to meet Bats with Damien. On top of this big pile of bricks and money, I was always fascinated with this damned thing. The Richest Orphan Bruce Wayne with the girls, money and fame. I used to want to be just like him, but that changed after awhile of being in the Young Justice.

I realized he took more risks, more than I ever could take. Always sacrificing his team, even us 'kids', I couldn't do that. To me its like taking a baby and tossing it off a bridge, they were to valuable to me, they were family. Granted Bruce was that but he didn't act like much of a dad.

I give him my thanks in many ways. If he hadn't taken me in under his wing (ha batwing) than I could have been like Jason, no offense to Jay. I would have been scudding around Gotham, dirty, hungry and homeless. Destined to steal to even get by, a thief.

Slowly raising my head, my eyes closed feeling each individual drop. It felt nice, quiet, like I could forget what I was doing. But I couldn't, reaching in my side pocket and pulling out a flash drive (ha-ha the flash, ok I'm done..), rolling my thumb across it. It was red, yellow, green with a sleek clear polished finish with my signature 'R' on top. Placing it back, I rolled to my feet ready to accept reality.

Running off roofs and swinging of buildings, slowly but surely making my way to the location.

My mind wandered again thinking about it, him, Damien. All this time I left my brothers behind for four plus years, and didn't tell them a damn thing. Pretended that I didn't know them, lied to them, even fought them. All I wanted to do was scream, tell them I'm sorry, tell them everything. Like they did to me, brothers don't lie to brothers.

I sprinted as my vision blurred with my broken tears, I had so much to say and now I can't tell them.

I stopped only three buildings away, trying to calm down, to catch my breath. A sharp pinch had me gasp as I grabbed my aching ribs. I was still sick, and hurt. I coughed, coughed and coughed in to my arm before sitting back on the brick building side, looking at my arm.

The crimson red slowly trickling down the scars and scabs of the past before dropping to the wet ground below. A color I often saw too much of. I hope Diana is okay, and when she sees what I did she can forgive me. I knew before she even told me, that I was sick.

Chemical poisoning, a poisoning that slowly kills the host. If more poisons or incorrect medicines are administered the hosts organs will slowly disintegrate and/or eat themselves up. The only cure to be found was a mixture of herbal medicines, done correctly can cure them. Done wrong and could speed up the process killing the host in the same day as administered. It was a rare thing to get, but most don't survive.

Sitting myself upwards, onto my feet I begin the trek to the warehouse. Underground was where the main base was. From my time with Slade, Scarecrow, Joker and the others, they all jointed up here to discuss upcoming kill plans, ways to take down the Batman, to take his city. They have two science centers, twenty plus cemented rooms for those they capture and torcher. I would know, I practically lived in one for most of my 'stay'. They most likely took Dami to the room on the far East wing, the torcher wing I liked to call it. Or if he's lucky they threw him in my room. Poor kid prolly wouldn't know what happened in there. Blood stains covered on a wall, the wall they tied me too and beat me till an inch of my life before I passed out or their arm ached, which ever came first.

There was a couple weapons rooms more or less located near offices or doors, just in case of a break in.

Slowly walking up to the side of the metal building, I scanned for any of the scouts they had to patrol the place. Luckily none were seen, but luck doesn't happen to often around here. Slipping into the building, I searched for the vent opening. I in success found it, making my way to it. But as I said luck wasn't exactly on my side.

"That brat! AuGH! Go get the men, this boy has me on my last nerve. Just like the first boy blunder a stubborn little as-"

"Joker! Patience, he will break. I know the Batman has been searching for quite some time but we could use this to our advantage. Break the boy, leave him with little to no food or water for a couple days. Batman and League aren't going to find him" A dark chuckle echoed through the metal container of hell.

I slip my head out a little looking at the pair, the two villain's I absolutely despised through my career of being the first Boy Wonder. Joker looked a little disheveled, his green hair spiked out. His signature purple outfit stained and wet. God knows what from, but from the looks of it Damien is putting him through hell. At a boy, just like me but by 10x more stubborn as ever.

Smirking a little I slid down the wooden crate, meeting every plank that had been nailed to make it. Joker and Slade were in the middle of the room and the way the crates are placed, its going to pose as an issue to sneak by without a proper distraction. Suddenly a rush of fast moving foot steps jogged in.

"Sir SIR! The prisoner is loose in the building." A rough sigh came before orders were barked.

"Well then why the hell are you here! Go find him, NOW!" Slade's deep harsh voice called.

Damien was loose, damn it time to skip a plan. I sat up a little peering over the box. Slade was stabbing his fingers in the air pointing places, from what I was assuming areas to patrol for finding him. As the men followed him down the opposing hallway, leaving me with the Joker. His polished shoes echoing off the floor with each step, came new anxiety and edging panic.

"Here birdy, birdy, birdy. Come to uncle Jay." Only silence answered to the crazed clown. I slowly snuck around to the crate, short of the hallway. But in the process I managed to knock something down, as it came plummeting to the ground. I sat hesitant to even breath, fearing he might find me. A couple seconds of quiet, stirred up more anxiety.

"Found ya!" A flash of green before a hard impact to my chest sent me barreling into a much larger pile of crates. Pain exploded, it could be from a number of things. The poisoning, the just couple seconds of sudden pain from a leather shoe. Just as I had time to even sit up a strip of wood came to view before I saw more stars. Scrambling up I maneuvered past a new weapon of choice. Jokers all to famous customized hand knife. Chilling memories of it on my chest, we were all to acquainted with each other.

Touching my head with a blaring headache and glancing down, bloody. I stood in a defensive but attacktive stance as he skipped around, the quick scuffs of the bottoms of his shoes disturbing the dirt and dust on the ground.

"Ooo lookie who's back. You know Slady said you were gone for good. Looks like he was oh so very wrong." He stopped before turning his head sideways, looking me up and down with a  big chesiere smile.

"Oh but you don't look good there birdy boy." I smirked a little before pain ached in my chest, sending a rattle all threw causing me to cough. It was more painful then last time.

"Poor birdy, you sound bad. Here let me help you." He shot forward, lunging out with the blade in hand. Shifting my head up, smirking I quickly dodged his attack before kicking the back of his legs. Sending him in a couple wooden crates in the process, then depriving him of any air his lungs once held.

"I'm not a poor little birdy anymore. I am you worst nightmare, a weapon that you all made." Harshly saying, my raven hair back in my face. I shuffled over to the fallen blade, picking it up with a shaking hand and the other was placed on my chest. Laughing echoed through the room, the mood darkening.

"Oh, but you can't THAT. That is Batsy's number one rule. You cant kill me-" He was cut abruptly, his eyes widening a little as he chocked. Slowly he looked down seeing a blade deep in his chest, the blade firmly placing in between his rib. Turning a little before, pushing it farther in then ripping it out.

"That's not funny-cua that's not funny at all." His white gloved hands falling to the ground, before the rest of him followed. The blade clanged as it hit the floor, I too with it but to my knees. Coughing again before placing my head to the ground. Everything was spinning, hurting and stinging.

Shuffling to my feet, I began to trek down the hallway on my left, if Damien was smart he would go the way that there was no men. Seeing as they forgot he was trained by all mighty(ALL MIGHT! IS THAT YOU!) Raz Al Ghul and the big bad Batman, they have underestimated him. Leaving us at a advantage.

Still running my vision started blurring again, not of tears but pain. My running came to an abrupt stop as someone ran head on into me, sending the pair of us sprawling to the ground. There was a whine, making me quickly scramble up a bit seeing who it was.

"Dami-" I was cut off when he launched himself to me, giving me a hug from which I gladly returned. There was sniffles, and a small giggle. Slowly releasing, I pulled him back looking at him. He looked in bad shape, but what can I say I'm no better. I smiled. My mind raced, I wanted to tell him so bad. But I couldn't. He too looking over me, a small frown placed on his lips.

 Running and yelling started to make its way to us. I shot up grabbing Damien's hand, racing down the hall. I memorized every single crack and crevice of this building. All those times of relentless beating lessons because I managed to trick the guards, had its pay off. As we took a right some of the men sprinted our way, backing up and turning there was more. So little time and so much to say.

I scrunched up my face, as I thumbed the drive. It was time.

"Damien, I need you to listen to me and listen to me well." He immediately turned around facing me with worry staining his face. Squatting down to his level, I pulled out the drive.

"You need to take this to Batman. Do not open this till you are to the mountain, make sure you have everyone there. It has everything you need to know, it will help the league." Slipping it into his gloved hand as I spoke, he looked down in it.

"Grayson why-" I reached into my jacket pulling out the tracker, clipping it to his back. I won't be able to see his graduation, his wedding, nothing.

"You need to go, now!" I turned up seeing the ventilation shaft before pulling out my trigger, making the metal cover fall, I picked Dami up tossing him in.

"Grayson!"

"Go now!" I screamed, I wasn't going to lie it hurt. All of it. The men started to close in on me.
"Go to the coordinates I gave you, Dad will be waiting for you. You do exactly as I said." I cried as I pointed to his wrist.

He was crying for me to come but, I ignored the pleas and tossed the cover up snapping the handle so it jammed. I sat back a little sending a small painful smile before I was hit with a high frequency taser, immediately shutting down any movements. Giving one more glance up, I could see him. His face was stained with tears, he slowly and weakly waved before shuffling out.

"I love you Damien. I'm sorry." I whispered as I let my eyes close.

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3rd Person POV

Damien shuffled though the vents slowly but surely eventually meeting a large room of wooden crates. As he squeezed out of the metal container, he made a fast trek to the doors seeing as he didn't want to get caught a second time. He still needed to come back to save Grayson. But something caught his eye. There was Joker, dead, void from all life on the floor. Slowly walking over he examined the body, which was lying in a rather large puddle of blood.

A couple of bruises, a major injury to a lung, prolly the source of the major hemerging. Sitting back, he examined the room. A couple of crates tumbled and broken, a blade not to far away. What happend, who killed the crazed clown? Then it hit him, Grayson didn't look too good. Did he and the Joker battle. But why? Why would he just kill him? 

 He didn't have time to answer when alarms started to blare, it was time for him to go. As he raced out, he watched his wrist band. The coordinates had been placed in by Grayson, and he promised he'd follow the orders given.

After an hour or so, Damien had trekked all the way to Wayne tower. He didn't have time to process anything as he got snatched into someone. Sqirming out of their gasp, he tried to get a look at his 'kidnapper'. It was Batman. He quickly hugged him hard, like he was going to dissipate into dust.(Like the avengers. //-//)

Bruce was estadic to see his son. After the countless times of running around Gotham to look for him, he was finally here. As much as Bruce was happy to see Damien, he became further worried when he didn't see Dick.

"Where is Richard?" Damien looked at him before pulling out his arm, opening his palm to show a flash drive.

"He said that this has all of 'our' answers. But I can't open this without the leagues at the mountain all together." His hair shadowed his eyes. Damien couldn't think as to why his brother would leave himself at that terrible place. With all the people that would hurt him. Then a thought struck Damien's nerve. He did it for him, to save him.

They had gotten to the mountain, everyone placed accordingly around the room.

"Batman what is the meaning of this, why did you call us here?" Canary asked as she crossed her arms. All she received was a nod towards Damien. Damien placed the drive in, the file showing two things. An image and a video. Quickly guiding the mouse over he opened the image. It was the map of Gotham, every so many buildings were stared but nothing written next to them. With nothing there to decifer the map, he hastily clicked out of the image to then click the video.

(Okay guys, this is my warning. Ya gunna need tissues cause this was sad to the author too.)

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"Is this thing on" There was a couple of knocking sounds before the camera displayed a rather tired site. Richard tapped the camera once more before sitting down on a rather old and broken chair. Then glancing up, he began to talk.

"Um hi, this is what you can see a video. I have in hope that the Justice League has this drive and is watching this right now. If it is then I have made my choice, and I'm sorry." He looks down at his hands.

"Im making this at the mountain, its currently...3:25 Am, which means you all are asleep." He smirks but it looked more as a grimace.

"I am currently on a mission, a mission to save my brother. At any cost w/ the Batman. Though Bruce doesn't quite know that. I am saving Damien, but in return I am not coming home." There were a couple of gasps that emerged but otherwise remained silent.

"I don't believe I have a right to. I have been gone for a rather long time and have done some rather bad things. I am and always will be the first Robin, but never a hero or even sidekick after what I did. I just hope this makes up for half of what I've done." He frowned, rubbing his fingers together.

"As you can see there is a image. Something you wouldn't understand without watching the video. The map is of Gotham yes, but it's the stared locations. Each of them are houses and hideouts for the top of the line murder's, robbers, black market buyers, and slave owners. I myself, in this video turn myself in for 12 counts of murder of the innocent, including the deaths of Slade Wilson, Joker and Scarecrow, 3 counts of robbery and working with the biggest villains of Gotham." He looked up. 

The Leaguers looked around, how are the villains dead? They are still alive, right?

"This right now is just for Batman and leaguers. I Richard John Grayson, feel like some truths need to be said. I knew I had chemical poisoning, but proceed to burn the pages. I'm sorry Dianah." He said as he looked at the ground.

" I also have every recoglection of all of you. I never had memory loss, just chose to get closer to the enemy. A spy for the justice league per say. But I am also a innocent. My mind was broken, so much so that I actually believe in the my actions were good. And I'm sorry." Gental tears welled in his eyes as he swiftly whipped them away.

He sat up, clearing his voice. He looked up smiling rather gently.

"Dami. I have seen you grow from brat vigilante to Batman's Protégé, but above all my little brother. I'm sorry that I wasn't there for you. Family is to come first, but I still went anyway. I promised to be your big brother no matter what, and yet I am doing this. Not only for you but our other brothers.  I'm sorry I won't be there for you now. Just promise be nice to pennyworth and take care of my teams. I give you my room in the mansion along with everything in it. Take care of it for me champ." Dick looked at the camera, tears streaking his face.

"What?!" Damien shuffled closer to the screen almost placing his hand on it. What was he doing that he can't come home? Damien looked at the Batman only to see a worried face.

"Tim, you are by far the smartest kid but please dial it down." He chuckled a little.

"And whilst I'm gone, try to get along with Dami, I know he's a pain in the ass but you two would be a killer duo if you put your brains together. My wish is for you two to take care of each other, okay?" Richard rubbed his hands again, sniffling, jerking his head back up. 

 Tim not to far behind Damien, nodded, tears brimming through his eyes. He knew what this video was now. It was his will. Thats why he wasn't coming home, he was making a sacrifice that no one else could make.

"Jason. Oh Jay bird." Grayson smiled, nodding to the ground before looking at the camera. A tear slide down his face.

"Jason, you are now responsible for both those two knuckle heads. Take care of them, try not to kill them okay." He coughed before chuckling lightly.

"They are all I have left to you. I also give you my apartment, so don't trash it."

Jason's arms were crossed but he too was filled with tears, but only one silently fell as the rest stayed put.

"O-okay Dick." He said voice cracked.

"I am not coming back, not because I don't want to. But because I won't be able to." He looked to the ground again. 

"Eherm at this moment I am at the warehouse, and in five seconds it wont be much of a warehouse. It will kill all who are inside, including me." He smiled as he looked at the camera, a river a tears fell.

5

"I just wanted to tell you guys that I love you."

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"That you are all family regardless of blood."

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"Batman, please take care of them."

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"I love all three of them, don't be hard on them."

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"Be the dad I always wanted you to be, show them the love and compassion you showed me Bruce."

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"I love you dad." He smiled so wide as the video stopped.

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*BOOOOOOOOOOMMMMMMMMMM*

----------2 Months Later-----------

The sky cried from the gray puffs that floated on by. A little girl walks with her mom, a beautiful tamerainan. 

"Momma, Momma lookie we are almost there." The little girls screeched happily as she raced by the different headstones.

A mother

A child

A Uncle

A Grandma

But eventually getting to the one she wanted. She waited patiently for her mother as she hugged the stone. Her mother smiling at the scene as she sat on her knees in front of the stone.

"Mari, would you like to show daddy what you made for him?" The clouds slowly floated away, revealing the small beads of joy hit the stones, but making his the brightest of all.

"YAAAA!" She raced over to her mom, who pulled out a piece of paper. Mari quickly took it and raced back over to her dad. 

"Lookie daddy, I made a picture. This one is you-" She pointed to the right. In sloppy crayon was a man with raven black hair, blue eyes in a police officer uniform.

"And that's mommy-" She pointed to the left. The woman had wild, firery, orange hair. She rocked a purple top and bottoms, with knee high purple boots.

"And thats me." She pointed to the little girl in the middle. Mari had sleek black hair like her dad, but emerald green eyes like her tameranian mother. She wore a yellow top with a darker purple skirt and black flats.

"I miss you daddy." Mari says as she places the drawing next to the flowers, before placing a kiss on the stone.

"Richard, if you could see her now. She is defiantly like you." Starfire said as she smiled into the clear blue sky. 

The stone reading

Richard John Grayson

A bright and young man that could do anything he put his mind too. 

A father, brother, son, friend

xxxx-2019

Richard sat right next to his daughter with the biggest grin as he watched her run around and talk about her adventures. She was defiantly his. Walking over to Star and sitting down. He wrapped his faded arm around her, placing a kiss on her head. He was a lucky man, even for a bird with a faded memory.

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The End

Word Count: 4,022

Guys! I ended it, and I am in more tears that anyone. I loved making this book so much, and it was sad to end it. I thank all who have supported me through this book, it had a couple of rough patches, but it was well worked on  and made me proud as a author to make. I love all of you and hope to see you in one of my other works. But I will see you soon

Sincerely,

            Meghan