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Bruce walked over to the cot in the cave sitting down in the seat next to it. “How are you feeling today chum?” he asked gently. No reply, hardly surprising, Dick wasn’t overly fond of him right now, so he was expecting the cold shoulder. Bruce sighed standing back up “Dinah will be dropping by a little later to speak to you okay chum?” he offered. Dick continued looking straight past where Bruce was stood over to the giant penny.
As he walked to the zeta entrance Bruce thought back over the last few weeks replaying the interactions he’d had with Dick and looking back at them with a fresh set of eyes. He thought back to when he went to Bludhaven to check on Dick, seeing the dishes piled up, soggy cereal in them and the two full bowls sat on the counter. He thought back to the time he listened in on comms hearing Nightwing chatting away happily, at the time Bruce had assumed it was Dick speaking with a civilian, now he wasn’t so sure.
Bruce typed his authorisation code and the zeta sparked to life “GA02 Designation: Black Canary, welcome” said the automated voice. Dinah made her way to Bruce placing an arm on his shoulder “any change since yesterday?” she asked. Bruce shook his head “nothing, he won’t look at me, wont acknowledge me. I know he’s angry at me and he has every right to be but I think it’s more than that. His eyes are tracking movement but there’s nothing there, I’ve checked” Bruce said. Dinah smiled weakly “it’s okay Bruce, I’ll speak to him, head on up you must be exhausted” she said softly.
Bruce looked back at Dick once more, shoulders slumping as he walked away. Dinah made her way over to the seat Bruce had vacated sitting down quietly. “Hey Dick, can you look at me for a second?” she asked. Dick did as asked “Hi Dinah, how’s Ollie” he smiled weakly. She smiled back politely “giving me the run around as usual, do you know why I’m here today Dick?” she asked. His eyes shifted toward the giant penny again before darting to the medical restraints on his wrists and back to her. Dick sighed “I’m guessing it’s because you think I’m crazy too?” he offered. Dinah grasped his hand “I don’t think you’re crazy Dick, neither does Bruce, we’re just concerned. Can you tell me what happened yesterday on patrol?”
Dick looked away, then over to the giant penny before looking back down towards his feet. “I messed up Dinah” he said softly. Dinah paused waiting for him to continue. “Look I know what’s real and what’s not, I just got distracted or caught up, honestly I’m fine” he explained looking back to the giant penny. Dinah followed his gaze seeing nothing there “what is it you’re seeing Dick?” she asked. Dick’s eyes darted back to her “nothing, what do you mean?” he asked defensively. Dinah sat back in the chair, posture becoming more open and welcoming. “Well it’s just you keep looking over to the penny and you mentioned that you know what’s real and what’s not, so what exactly are you seeing that isn’t real?” she questioned.
Dick sniffled, a tear falling down. “It’s Jason” he whispered, “I keep seeing Jay” he looked at her like a wounded animal, scared for what was coming next. “I see, and when did you start seeing Jason?” she asked. “Every since I found out” he replied. “Since I came back from space and Bruce told me, I went home in a state and as soon as I shut the door I crumpled to the floor crying. Next thing you know I’m looking up at a pair of pale legs in front of me, a ripped Robin costume and a bloody and broken Jason” he said tears flowing freely. “After that he just wouldn’t leave Dinah, he’s always there no matter where I am” he paused looking up at the giant penny and back to her “he’s better when I acknowledge him. His appearance changes more to the Jay I knew” he explained. Dinah waited for him to continue. “He’s over by the giant penny right now, looking like the scrappy Robin I knew bitching about Bruce tying me up” he finished.
Dinah followed his line of sight and then looked back at Dick “and what happened last night?” she pressed. Dick when to lift his hand only for the restraints to pull tight and stop him. “Jason jumped off the roof with no grapple and I just reacted and threw myself after him, I didn’t think about how it isn’t actually him or how I hadn’t fired my own grapple. I just reacted seeing my brother jump off the roof” he cried. Dinah clasped his shoulder giving him time to come back to himself. “I know it wasn’t real, it was a knee-jerk reaction, after my parents I think I just autopiloted you know?” he said weakly.
“Has Jason ever done anything like that before? Put you in harms way at all?” she prompted. Dick looked away again not meeting her eyes. “Not-not specifically. He, well he makes these comments sometimes about how lonely he is and how he wishes he had someone with him. He-he said it would only take a small step for me to be with him again when I was sat on the roof one day” Dick confessed. Dinah leaned back again “I see and was that the only time?” she questioned. Dick looked up at her, tears flowing freely again “no… I was in the bath one evening and the water had gotten cold, and he was sitting on the side of the bath and he offhandedly said that ‘it only takes two little nicks and we could be the dynamic duo’ before pointing at my razor” Dick murmured eyes training off back to the giant penny.
“Dick” Dinah said gently, pulling his attention back to her “what’s he doing now?” she asked. Dick smiled slightly huffing a cut off laugh “he’s singing ‘ain’t no grave can hold my body down’ out of tune” he said. “Okay Dick, here’s the thing, Jason isn’t there. He’s gone Dick and I’m sorry but if that was Jason he’d never want you to hurt yourself. These visions or hallucinations you’re seeing are a manifestation of your severe depression brought on my grief. You aren’t the first and you wont be the last to experience these. I can prescribe you anti-depressants longterm and anti-psychotics in the short term, but they take a while to kick in” she explained. “In the meantime, I have concerns over your inadvertent suicidal tendencies so in my professional opinion I think you need to stay here with Bruce and Alfred who can look for the signs and you need to take some time off patrol. I would like daily check-ins if that’s okay with you, only a quick phone call say 7pm so we can discuss any visions of the day, and I’d like to see you weekly for the next 6 weeks until the medication kicks in. Is that okay with you?” she asked.
Dick took a deep breathe and nodded “you’re right, Jay wouldn’t want that. I need to get better, I’m sorry” he said weakly. Dinah grasped his hand “oh sweetie you have nothing to apologise for, this is a step in the right direction. I’m going to go and fill Bruce and Alfred in on the situation and then we’ll all come back for you okay” she said calmly. Dick nodded as she stood up, humming ‘ain’t no grave’ quietly to himself.