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He hadn’t seen Dr. Leslie in a while. Yet every time he found himself in a hospital or doctors office he couldn’t stop comparing everything. The infographics on the walls didn’t bring up Gotham’s drinking water or the perpetual smog. Dick was reading a rather colorful infographic about PTSD when a knock came and the doctor entered.
“Mr. Grayson?” The doctor asked as he looked at the chart in his hands.
“Yes?” Dick moved to sit up right in the chair, looking away from the infographic at the wall.
The doctor moved to sit in the chair across from Dick. He set his clipboard on the desk and took in a deep breath, “So, the results came back”
Dick’s leg started bouncing as he became increasingly nervous with the tone of the room, “Yes…”
The doctor picked back up the clipboard he’d set down, “Now, we detected a mass in your left lung” as he said the words he handed over the clipboard for Dick to read, “We believe lung cancer is the reason you’ve been having tightness in your-”
“What stage is it?” Dick asked, his tone broken as he thought of Nightwing and his family.
“I- Well, we would need more tests to confirm, but we believe it’s in the early stages because we haven’t seen any other masses” Dick wiped his eyes aggressively as he felt the pin pricks of tears starting, “If you would like, I can give you a moment and then we can start talking about next steps. Okay?” The doctor waited a moment before stepping out of the room.
The moment the doctor left Dick let out a sob. He calmed down his breathing for a minute before picking up his phone and dialing the manor.
“Good evening, this is Wayne Manor. How may I help you?” Alfred’s accented voice came through the phone’s speaker.
“H-hey Alfie” Dick started, hoping his voice didn’t give away his stress.
“Master Richard, it’s nice to hear you call,” Alfred responded, giving a quick pause before continuing, his tone slightly worried, “Is everything alright?”
“Y-yeah, it is Alfred. I just…I know Bruce probably expects me to be out tonight, but I- I think I need a break tonight” Dick replied, giving a half-lie. While it was true he needed a break after talking with the doctor, he didn’t know how to reveal the whole truth to Alfred just yet.
“Of course I can deliver your message to Master Bruce. However glad I am that you’re giving yourself a break Young Master, I’d like you to know that if you’re ever in trouble the manor will always be a home for you”
Dick smiled a bit at Alfred’s statement before a knock came from the door, “Well, Alfred, I’m sorry, but I got to go. I- I promise I’ll call back later”
“Goodbye then Master Richard, please come by soon. I know Master Damian has been missing you”
That got a chuckle out of Dick, “I- I can promise I will. Bye Alfie”
Dick hung up by the time the door opened and the doctor entered with some papers, “Okay, alright, okay, I got you some papers you can read up on as we go over next steps” Dick took the papers and nodded before the doctor continued to go over his options with him.
Well after the doctor’s visit, Dick had curled up on his couch, a bowl of ice cream on the table in front of him, a fluffy superman blanket over his shoulders, and a tv full of channels he could flick through. He finally settled on Glitter Force, an anime he promised Damian he’d watch. About an hour later, the sound of his alarm system being disengaged rang through the apartment.
He assumed it was one of his brothers so he looked over his shoulder to spy which one it’d be. He expected Damian because he’d been the only one to forgive him for Spyral. So he was surprised when Red Hood entered the space.
“Hey Little Wing, everything okay?” Dick asked
“What the hell are you doing here?” Jason asked, his modulator turned off so Dick could hear the growing anger in his question.
“I- I needed a break” Dick shrugged.
“Oh what, your spy trip wasn’t enough of a break?” Jason snapped, “So after several months of vacation I have to cover your city because you need a little break?”
Dick’s mouth was opening and shutting like a fish. He didn’t understand how Jason could ever say that Spyral was a vacation. It was a mission. A mission where he was stranded with no backup. A mission where the only thing he wanted was to return home. A mission where his return was welcomed with fists.
During the moment of Dick trying to find something to say. Jason had turned his back and started to leave, “Typical” he scoffed, “No excuse”
___
Jason’s anger at him didn’t fade. What started with Dick listening to his doctor and calling in his friends so he didn’t have to put extra stress on his body by protecting the city. It ended with him putting on his suit and leaving to fight crime 2 weeks into chemotherapy.
Nightwing was definitely less jovial and all of the crooks took notice. They also happened to notice how off balance the bird was. How he seemed to struggle to throw a punch.
One night, he hadn’t noticed he was being followed. He stood on top of a building when a familiar person left the shadow, “Nightwing…are you okay?” Tim asked.
Dick turned around and faced his younger brother. Tim looked worried. He fidgeted with the wings of his costume, waiting for Dick to respond, “Yeah, sure, I’m fine Red, what’s up?”
“I- it’s nothing. O and B noticed some weird patterns in your patrol routine and we started hearing whispers about you”
A small smile tugged at Dick’s lips as he felt loved by his family, “It’s fine Tim, really, I’m fine”
The magic was broken as Tim reported what he’d actually crossed over into Bludhaven for, “Good. Then you should know that Batman has a whole hands on deck Arkham breakout at the moment he wants you to join”
Dick deflated slightly as he wished he could be sleeping instead. He nodded as his stomach turned, dreading what was about to come next, “Alright, I’ll join yeah then”
Tim nodded as he grappled off into the night and Dick followed.
Back at the Batcave, Dick took a breather before getting off his motorcycle. He’d stopped using it after realizing how nauseous it made him now. He tried taking a moment to breathe when his phone rang. He got a few unhappy noises as he picked up.
“Hello, this is Dick”
“Dick, this is Nurse Rachel from Doctor Pershen’s office. Is now a good time?”
“Oh, oh yeah” Dick put a hand up, indicating one minute, getting a few scoffs.
“Let me transfer you to him now Richard. I hope you have a great rest of your day”
“You too, Rachel” Dick took a deep breath as he waited for the call to transfer.
“Hello, Richard Grayson?”
“Y- Yeah, it’s me” he turned away from his family as he coughed slightly.
“Okay, so I just got your recent labs back and I wanted to talk them over with you”
Dick took in a shaky breath and tried to not let his family see his fear in how he stood, “Alright, I- I got time for that”
“That’s good” Dick could hear papers shift from the other side of the phone, “Well, I think we need to revisit our treatment plans. The chemotherapy doesn’t appear to be effective and I know you were unsure about surgery, but I’d like to put the offer back on the table because we caught it spreading into the surrounding tissue”
Dick nearly dropped his phone at the news, but caught himself in time, “I- I…can we schedule another time to talk about this? It’s kind of a lot”
“Sure, sure. I can pencil you in for next week Tuesday at the earliest”
Shit, Dick would prefer not to wait that long, but that’s all he can do at this point, “Th-that sounds good”
He said his goodbyes before hanging up and turning back to his family. They had already started discussing the plans for getting all the rogues back into Arkham. Dick stood in the shadows, away from everyone else as his brain racked through plans on how to breach this topic. It already felt like it was too late to ask for help and wouldn’t Bruce just get mad at him for needing help again?
Dick was the first to leave the cave, heading towards the docks where he’d been stationed. He grappled onto the roof and had to lean against a wall to catch his breath. Except, his breath wasn’t coming back.
Then, as if the world was against him he heard footsteps behind him, but they weren’t light like his family’s. Then a bat hit his shoulder. Dick hit his emergency beacon as another swing hit his ribs, a crack echoed the walls. All the breath he had in him left and he crumpled to the floor.
___
A hospital room. This one is familiar, with its infographics on Gotham smog and drinking water. Reminding him of his early years as Robin, two voices could be heard screaming over his health.
“Bruce! The mission is not more important than their health!”
“He’s a grown man Les, he knows how to handle himself out there”
“You’re unbelievable”
Dick tried straining his ears. Wondering what had gone so wrong for Leslie to yell at Bruce like this again. It wasn’t like he was Damian. He wasn’t a child again.
“Unbelievable, Les. I- I don’t know what’s so wrong this time. It’s just some broken ribs”
“Just some broken ribs?! You have him fighting with sta-” a pause as Leslie turned towards Dick’s body on the bed, “Did he not tell you?”
“Tell me wh-”
Then Leslie noticed Dick was awake, “Dick, sorry, we didn’t realize you were awake” Leslie then ushered Bruce out, despite his protests, “I- Dick, it’s your health. So, I won’t tell them without your permission”
Dick let out a pitiful sound, “I- I don’t- don’t know how” the words were hard to form.
Leslie sighed and brought a hand to brush Dick’s tear away like she used to when he was Robin, “Don’t worry honey, I- you can say know, but if you want. I can tell your family”
Dick let himself sob for a bit before replying, “Leslie…please let me tell Dami, but- but I don’t know how to tell the others”
She stood and nodded, “I’ll bring him in after I check you over and while you’re talking with him I will tell your family”
They agreed on it and minutes later, Damian was curled up into Dick’s side as he let Dick hold him. Dick brushed Damian’s hair for a minute longer before breaking the silence, “Baby bat?”
“Yes Richard?”
Dick chuckled a little before continuing, “I- Leslie is currently telling the family something”
Damian shuffled a bit, “Richard, tell me you don’t find me too incompetent to handle whatever Doctor Leslie has to say. I don’t require protection”
“Dami, no. I’m not trying to protect you I…I wanted to tell you myself”
Damian moved from against Dick’s side to face him. Dick could detect a trace of worry in Damian’s face, “Yes?”
“Dami…I- are you familiar with cancer?” His baby bat’s eyes knitted together in confusion and Dick felt a punch to the gut. Of course his brother wouldn’t be familiar with cancer with Ra’s and the lazarus pit. So, when Damian shook his head he continued, “Well, Damian, it’s when the body has cells that start attacking each other”
Damian stiffened and his eyes traced Dick’s body, “Is it treatable?”
“I- yes…I’ve been receiving treatment for a while” he took a pause as he saw Damian calm down, sad it wouldn’t last forever, “However…it hasn’t been effective”
Dick saw the moment Damian heard those words. His expression faltered before rage filled it, “Baba, you- Father can help find a treatment. You’re going to be fine. You-”
Dick pulled him closer, “I- I know baby bat. I’m going to be fine. I’ve got you. I’ve got you” he hushed as Dick started crying harder, “I promise. I’m not going to stop fighting to be with you and our other brothers”
“I- Grandfather will probably let you use the pit” as if knowing this wouldn’t be a real solution that Dick would accept, Damian continued, “I need you Baba”
“And I need you too, my Robin,” Dick responded before closing his eyes and letting the feeling of Damian holding him tight lead him into darkness.