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The Ocean Wept (Sequel to	By : Dhvana Category: DC Verse Comics > Batman Views: 2785 -:- Recommendations : 0 -:- Currently Reading : 0
Disclaimer: I do not own the Batman series, nor any of the characters from it. I do not make any money from the writing of this story.

Chapter List
- 5
- 6
Siren’s Song: The Ocean Wept
Chapter 6

Oliver gently shut the door to Will’s guest room hoping to block out the voices from the other side. He tried standing near the window to let traffic dampen the sound. When that failed, he tried scuffling his feet along the carpet, noisily unpacking and repacking his bag, humming to himself.

None of it worked.

The dark murmurs invaded through the cracks and he began to pace across the narrow space between the bed and the wall.

It took all of his willpower to resist his paternal urges, the ones that that were ready and willing after so many years of inactivity, the ones that told him to go out there and pummel the man who was hurting his son. Or at the very least, kidnap Will and force him to move with them to Star City, but he resisted his urges and waited for the two adults to sort it out for themselves.

The discussion--not an argument, but a discussion, because Connor refused to give into any anger he might have felt and raise his voice--had started when they’d returned from the Manor. Connor had informed Will that their job there was finished and it was time for them to return to Star City. Will’s emerald eyes had filled with hurt, but he’d swallowed his emotions and tried to put on a brave smile. The smile faded, however, when Connor had asked him to join them. That was when Ollie had done the decent thing for a change and vacated the premises.

Still, he’d been able to catch the basis of the discussion. Will didn’t want to leave Bludhaven. He may not have had family there, but he had friends, a career, a life, none of which he wanted to give up. He’d worked hard to make the connections he had as a contractor. It would take years to rebuild his contacts, to find people who were reliable and trustworthy, to prove that he, too, was reliable and trustworthy.

Ollie knew it was wrong for him to be secretly thrilled that his son’s boyfriend was turning out to be such a louse, but he couldn’t help it. If Will wasn’t willing to sacrifice his life for Connor, then by god, the man didn’t deserve him. Connor deserved someone who would give everything for him without a second thought.

But of course, Connor didn’t see it that way. He was completely understanding, didn’t try to fight Will at all. He was hurt, yes, but if Will wasn’t ready to move, he wasn’t going to force him.

Damn Buddhists. The boy had too much control over his feelings. He was too rational, too forgiving, too complacent. He needed to let loose once in a while, be an unreasonable prick like his father. If he didn’t, he would lose Will forever.

Which, Ollie reminded himself, was exactly what he wanted to happen. The man wasn’t good enough for his son. Connor deserved better.

True, he probably wouldn’t be able to find better, but that was beside the point.

There was a quiet knock at the door, and Oliver rolled his eyes. The boy even knocked quietly! No wonder he couldn’t hold onto his man.

“Dad, are you ready?”

“Yes, son,” he said, shouldering his bag and grabbing his bow. He noticed the door to Will’s room was closed as they passed through the apartment. “Get everything sorted out?” he couldn’t help asking.

“As much as we can, yes,” Connor said, closing the door to Will’s apartment and they headed up the stairs towards the roof.

“What’s that supposed to mean?”

“It means Will’s staying here and we’re going to Star City.”

“And. . . ?”

“And nothing, Dad,” Connor said, jade eyes distant, though his lower lip trembled a little as he continued. “There’s nothing more to tell.”

Oh, fuck. His son’s heart was breaking, and no matter how much he might have wanted to, he couldn’t just stand by and let it happen. “Connor, you’re being an idiot.”

“Thank you for your enlightened opinion.”

“Oh, sure, now you decide to get snotty on me.”

“It really isn’t any of your concern.”

“The hell it isn’t. You’re my son and the last thing in the world that I want is for anything to happen to you! Even this.”

The young Green Arrow glanced at his older counterpart. “I’m sorry, Dad, but I’m afraid this time you’re just going to have to stand back and let me experience suffering. I am a Buddhist after all, and suffering is to be expected. It’s all part of the package.”
“You’ve suffered more than enough in your short life, Connor. You deserve some happiness.”

“I have happiness. I have you. I have our home. I have Mia and the other kids at the Center. What more do I need?”

“Love, Connor. You need love. Talk to Will. Give him some time to get used to the idea of leaving. Give him a choice.”

“He’s made his choice,” Connor said, and for the first time, Oliver heard a tinge of bitterness to his son’s voice. Time to start with the love pep talk, convince Connor it was worth the trouble.

“The course of true love never did run smooth.”

The young man arched an eyebrow at him. “Since when did you start quoting Shakespeare, Dad?”

“Connor!” he gasped with mock offense. “How can you ask that of me, the greatest wooer of women since Romeo himself?”

“Romeo was a selfish brat. Juliet did all the work.”

“Harsh words, my son, but all right, skip Shakespeare. I am the greatest wooer of women since Don Juan! Do you really think I wouldn’t have at least a dozen phrases at my fingertips to make a woman’s blood quicken? Especially those pertaining to love.”

“And just how many of those women have you actually loved?”

Ollie actually managed to look shamefaced as he pondered this question. “I loved each of them in their own way.”

“But only one was true love, and look what you’ve done to her. So tell me, Dad, why should I take advice on love from you when you’ve pretty much been a complete and total failure at love?” At seeing Oliver’s face darken, he shook his head. “I didn’t say you were a failure at sex, just love.”

Oliver took hold of his son’s arm and made sure Connor could see the honesty in his eyes. “You should listen to me because I am a failure at love, because I’ve fucked up enough to know that what you’re doing is wrong, and if you let Will go now, you’ll regret it for the rest of your life.”

“That’s a little bit cliché, don’t you think?”

“Hey, times like these are the reason why there are clichés.”

Connor sighed. “What if I promised to think about it?”

“What’s there to think about? You love him, he loves you, find a way to work it out.”

He shook his head. “I’ll think about it.”

“Then I’d suggest you think fast.”

“Or I’ll lose him forever?”

“No. We’ll just miss our ride home.”

“We can’t miss our ride home.”

“I have a feeling we will if that blue light is any indication of how bad things are about to get.”

“What blue light?” Connor asked, turning in the direction his father was pointing, and his eyes grew wide at the sudden bursts of blue shooting up into the sky. “Oh. That blue light. Is it just me, or is that light coming from Gotham?”

“Not just you, kid. I’m thinking we should get the hell out of here and see if ol’ Bats needs a hand.”

Shoving his bow in his father’s hand, Connor took off towards the stairs. “Wait here!”

“Connor!” he shouted as if in protest, but the smile on his face belied his anger. Nothing like the threat of imminent danger to make a man realize just how much he cares.

Connor ran down the stairs to Will’s loft and threw open the door. “Will!”

“Connor?” Frowning, Will emerged from the bedroom, but his eyes lit up at seeing Connor standing there. “Connor, I’m glad you came back. The moment you left, I realized—”

He didn’t get a chance to say another word. Connor threw his arms around Will, kissed him thoroughly, then dragged him out of the apartment. “We don’t have time. I need to get you someplace safe.”

“Connor, what’s going on?” he asked while following his lover up the stairs to the roof. All further questions were halted, however, at seeing the blue sparks lighting up the sky. “What the hell is that?”

“Good question,” Oliver said, “one we hope to answer soon.”
“Connor,” Will said, eyes filling with concern, “you’re not going—”

“Don’t worry. We’ll be fine,” he said, speaking into a small pin on his costume. “Kyle, three to transport.”

Will had seen some interesting things in his life--a few of the stunts they’d pulled at MIT were nothing short of miraculous--but to find himself suddenly staring down at the Earth when just seconds ago he was staring at the rooftops of Bludhaven, that took his breath away. And it wasn’t that he was simply staring at the Earth, but at the entire planet from somewhere clearly far above it. Looking down on his seemingly peaceful home world, he was filled with a sense of awe at its beauty--there was nothing he could compare it to. His legs gave out from under him and he sat on the floor, staring out the window onto the planet below.

“Will, are you all right?” Connor asked, jade eyes filled with worry as he knelt down next to his lover.

Somehow managing to tear his gaze away from the blue-green sphere covered in swirling white clouds, Will looked at Connor, then lifted his arm and pointed towards the planet. “Th-that’s. . . H-how? We were. . . we were. . . Earth. Earth!” he exclaimed, jabbing the air towards the planet.

“Yes, Will,” he smiled, placing comforting hands on his lover’s shoulders. “That’s the Earth. We’re in the Justice League headquarters, currently located on the moon.”

Will’s eyes grew even wider. “MOON?”

Standing next to Oliver, Kyle eyed the couple with increasing concern. “Is it just me, or is he a little. . . you know. . . slow?”

Ollie grinned. “Actually, he’s pretty bright, but we didn’t exactly give him any warning. We just sort of abducted him from his home and brought him here.”

“You what?! Damnit, Ollie—”

“Oh relax, squirt. It was for his own protection. Once he adjusts, he’ll be fine. But speaking of protection, Connor! You ready to go?”

“Be right there,” he answered, then gave Will a tender kiss, a sight which made Kyle conjure a chair behind him or else he’d have ended up on the floor. “Stay here and look at the pretty planet. I’ll be back as soon as I can.”

Will shook the shock from his head, deciding to worry about how he’d ended up on the moon later, and grabbed onto Connor’s hands. “Don’t go.”

“We’ll be fine. I promise. Green Lantern over there will be watching us, and the moment he senses we’re in any trouble, he’ll pull us out. Right?” he asked, glancing back at Kyle, who gave a shaky nod, wishing he had the slightest clue about what was going on.

Connor gave him one more kiss and he and Ollie headed back to Earth. Kyle and Will stared at each other for a minute, then Kyle walked over and held out his hand, pulling the young man up from the floor.

“Hi. Green Lantern.”

“Will Wyatt.”

“Spiffy name.”

“You, too.” They grinned at each other.

“I don’t suppose you have any idea what’s going on?”

“Your guess is as good as mine, but if you really can keep an eye on them, I think they’ll be in Gotham City.”

“Batman’s territory?” Kyle asked, arching an eyebrow, and Will nodded.

“They’ve been having trouble with the Siren.”

“Then come on over and let’s take a peek.” Kyle led Connor over to a console where several screens flipped from place to place, showing scenes of people in need of help, and of the heroes sent to rescue them. He focused the large screen in the center on Gotham and both men threw an arm over their eyes as they were momentarily blinded by a glaring blue light. “What the hell is going on down there?”

“I don’t know,” Will said softly, trying to make out any shapes on the screen, but the light was too bright and Kyle quickly shut it down.

“Damnit. Batman would pick the busiest day of the year to invite company over. Everyone’s out answering calls.”

“Can’t you go down there?”

“I’ve already tried,” he answered, scowling at the blank screen. “I’m being blocked. Whoever is down there doesn’t want anyone else dropping in.”

“But Connor. . .”

“Can take care of himself,” he said with a reassuring smile at the young man, one that failed to reach his eyes which remained filled with worry. “I’ve known Connor for years. He’s smart, level-headed, and good to have around in tough situations. I promise you, he’ll be fine, and he’ll have Ollie watching his back.”

“How can you be so sure?”

Kyle sighed, shaking his head. “To be honest? I’m not. We can only hope. If it helps, I’ve sent all the Leaguers a message asking them to stop by Gotham when they’re through.”

“If you can’t get down there, how do you expect things to be any different for them?”

“You clearly haven’t met them yet. They’re a determined lot,” he said, then glanced at Will out of the corners of his eyes. “So, you and Connor, huh? Good for you. He’s one of my best friends, and one of the greatest guys you’ll ever know. Of course, if you hurt him—”

“You’ll just have to get in line behind all the other costumed freaks who’ve promised to have my balls if I so much as bring a single tear to Connor’s eyes.”

“Did they say whether the tear could be one of happiness?”

“They didn’t specify. They seem to be more of the act first, ask questions later kind of crowd, so I don’t think it’ll matter.”

“I see.” Kyle eyed him speculatively. “And how long’s that line?”

“You’re number five.”

“You’re not going to have a lot of balls left by the time I get to you.”

“I’ll try and save you some.”

“Thanks,” he grinned, sliding a friendly arm around Connor’s shoulders. “You know, Ollie was right. You can be pretty bright.”

“Yeah, well, considering your source is Ollie, that’s not saying a whole helluva lot about me. If there was a fight featuring Oliver Queen versus a tree, my money would be on the tree.”

Kyle threw back his head and laughed. “An ally against Ollie! You’re just what I needed. Come on, Will, why don’t I give you a tour to keep our minds off of what’s happening down there.”

Will glanced apprehensively around their surroundings. “Is it allowed?”

“Eh,” he shrugged, “what the others don’t know won’t kill them. And you can return the favor by telling me all about how you met Connor and how ticked off the dinosaur was when he found out.”

“Unbelievably ticked off,” Will said as they started down the hall, “especially since he walked in on us.”

Once he managed to shake off the surprise, Kyle had to jog a couple steps in order to catch up to Will, immediately demanding details.

It had been easy, so very easy.

He’d just walked forward, reached out his fingers, and there it was--smooth, cold, hard, indifferent--not unlike some people he could name. Well, one person. But it was there, and it was his. He was holding the fifth diamond, the fifth Tear in his hand.

Batman had left the room for only a minute, but that had been enough. If the Bat had taken the diamond with him, if he’d been able to defy that innate detective’s curiosity and had removed the diamond from the Manor immediately after retrieving it from the Watchtower, Tim might never have had the chance. But no, Batman couldn’t resist the opportunity to examine this powerful jewel, and Tim couldn’t resist the opportunity to take it. He’d snuck in, plucked the diamond from the machine where his partner had been running experiments on it, and it was his.

Actually, it was hers.

The instant he touched it, he knew. He could feel it throughout his entire body, a thrumming of energy that spread from his hand down to his toes, filling his veins with its connection to her. The ocean had wept five tears, one for each of her daughters, and this Tear belonged to her, to the Siren who’d made his life a living hell since the day she’d arrived in Gotham.

He hated her. He hated that she’d stolen his memories, his mind, his personality, his existence. He hated that she was able to control him so easily and that he’d been unable to fight her. But even now, when he was finally thinking clearly, a small part of his heart continued to betray him by refusing to give up his feelings for Lorelei. The times when they had been together, just the two of them with no trace of the Siren, those he remembered as being some of the best in his life.

Lorelei was so innocent, so sweet, so caring. She would hold his hand while walking down the halls of the school, give him massages when his muscles were feeling particularly sore, let him choose the movie when they went on a date. And the boardwalk--it had quickly become her favorite place in Gotham, and his. He’d loved watching her face light up as the car made the slow circle around the Ferris wheel, seeing the wonder in her eyes even as she’d clutched his arm in fear. And then there was her fascination with cotton candy, the way it dissolved on her tongue--not just dissolved, but evaporated. She’d eaten it until it made her sick and then they’d stretched out on the sand to let her nausea pass. He’d soothingly rubbed her stomach, whispering promises in her ear, until she’d moved his hand someplace else and he’d known she was feeling better.

Tim would have hated for the Siren to have ruined those happy times with the memories of how she was manipulating him, turning him into a thief, a traitor, a monster like her. In Tim’s mind, he’d separated Lorelei and the Siren into two different people. When he was with Lorelei, he preferred remaining ignorant, because when he was with the Siren, he was homicidal.

But now that he had the diamond, he had her in the palm of his hand. He just had to figure out how to use it before she found him.

Securing the diamond in his pocket, Tim slipped out of the cave before Batman could return. He ran up the stairs and through the Manor to the garage where his car was parked. He backed the Redbird through the doors, then peeled down the driveway, thinking he’d made his escape. As he neared the gates, however, he slammed on the brakes, barely managing to slide to a stop to prevent from hitting the Siren and the zombified men blocking the drive.

The expression on her face as she spotted Tim was positively murderous and she quickly ordered the men to attack.

Putting the car in reverse, Tim backed up and swung the car in a quarter circle. Uttering a fast apology to Alfred, he hit the accelerator and tore across the lawn towards the edge of the cliff upon which Wayne Manor rested. He pulled to a halt a foot away from the edge and stepped out of the car. Shoving his hand into his pocket, he held tight to the diamond and waited.

He didn’t have to wait long.

The Siren and her goons came running from the direction of the gate while Batman and Nightwing approached from the house. Upon seeing the superheroes, the Siren ordered her minions towards the two men while she stopped in front of Tim. Clutching the bag containing the four diamonds of her sisters against her body, she started to sing. The bag began to emit a soft blue light that surrounded her, enveloping her in her mother’s sorrow. She sung a few sharp notes and the light became a blue flame rearing up into the sky and reaching out to Tim, to the jewel in his pocket.

“Give me the Tear!” she commanded.

“No.”

She held out her hand and sung a few notes, the blue flame grasping at the young man, but he refused to budge.

“Give me the Tear!” she repeated.

“No.”

“Give it to me!” she shouted, quickly growing frustrated with his refusal.

He just shrugged. “No.”

She started to sing again, the blue light surrounding them growing brighter, but Tim just gave a scornful laugh, the sound stunning her into silence.

“You can stand there and twitter like a bird for all I care. You have no power over me, not so long as I have this.”

He held up the fifth Tear, the diamond glowing with its own light, and the Siren’s eyes narrowed.

“That’s mine!”

“Yes, it is yours,” Tim said, juggling the diamond from one hand to the other. “This is the tear your mother cried over you, you selfish whoring bitch, when she begged for your life. And now it’s mine.”

The Siren’s eyes widened, then her lips parted in a musical laugh. “My darling Tim, if only you’d shown this much spirit while we were together.”

“I AM NOT YOUR TIM!” he shouted, the diamond in his hand flaring with a blue light so bright the men around them turned their heads to protect their eyes. Tim didn’t even flinch. “I was never yours! You may have controlled me, but that didn’t make me yours. They are who I am!”

He pointed to where Nightwing and Batman had been subdued and were being held back by several of the Siren’s minions. He suspected Nightwing was more injured than he let on, and that the bones in Batman’s left wrist were possibly broken, or at the very least, cracked. Both Green Arrows had also arrived and were holding their own against the goons, waiting for Batman’s signal before attacking with full force. He knew all four would have tried to fight their way free, but that Batman was waiting to see what he did first, to see how far he would be able to carry his defiance before the Siren took control again.

“They are the ones who made me who I am,” Tim shouted. “They are the ones I owe my life to, not you!”

“I don’t want your life, Tim,” she said, stepping towards him. “I just want the Tear.”

“Don’t say my name,” he snarled. “You have no right to say my name.”

“No?” she asked, arching an eyebrow and her body began to shift until she’d taken on the form of Lorelei once more. “Are you saying that all those times you told me how you loved the way I say your name, all the times you told me you loved me, you were lying?”

Tim shook his head, forcing himself to look away. The Siren he could handle, but Lorelei. . . he had cared about Lorelei. Long before he knew she was the Siren, long before she’d started controlling him, he’d begun to lose his heart to her. He could look at the Siren with nothing but contempt, but Lorelei still had a hold over him.

“Stay away from me,” he said as she took another step towards him. “Stay away or I’ll destroy it!”

“You don’t want to destroy that,” she said, smiling sweetly at him. “You can’t destroy it.”

“I can, and I will.” He rushed to the edge of the cliff that dropped several hundred feet down to the water below. “If I let go, it’ll never land in one piece. It’ll bounce against the rocks until it reaches the water. Will diamond shards set you free? Will a chipped jewel bring you power?”

Her eyes narrowed, blue irises blazing with annoyance. “Tim, please, just give me the diamond! Give me the diamond and then we’ll both be free.”

“Never,” he spat. “I’ll never give it to you.” He looked at Lorelei, then at the Tear in his hand, his eyes reflecting the glow of the Tear’s unnatural blue light. Burning brightly, the diamond he held started to absorb the light that illuminated himself and Lorelei, and looking up at the Siren, Tim smiled. Clutching his hand around the Tear, he took the light into himself.

“What are you doing?!” Lorelei demanded, fearful eyes on the diamond. “Put it down!”

Tim raised his eyes to meet hers, a slow, dark smile spreading across his face as his veins were filled with a blue glow.

“Tim?”

A man possessed, he walked towards her, and she held her ground for a moment, then began stumbling backwards.

“Tim? What are you doing?”

He rushed forward, knocking her to the earth and grabbing the bag holding the other four diamonds as he did so.

“Give those back!” she yelled, reaching for the Tears of her sisters.

Holding the bag beyond her grasp, he took the Tear that belonged to her and pressed it to her heart. Lorelei gasped, and then screamed, clawing at his arm, trying to break free, but his body on top of hers was as immovable as a mountain.

Lorelei began shouting at him in a language so old it had been forgotten as she struggled beneath him, her movements growing more frantic as Tim began shouting back in the same language. His entire body shining with blue, the diamond responded to his words and absorbed the light from Lorelei. He continued shouting as the light that filled her body softened and grew pale. The fingers that clawed at him began to lose their strength, her body beneath him growing less resistant. Finally the young woman ceased her struggles until she lay on the cold ground of the earth, unmoving as a corpse.

Tim fell away from her, the diamond still in his hand, and sat there, staring at her.

He’d killed her. He’d stolen her life just as easily as she’d stolen his, and even after all she’d put him through, he couldn’t help feeling guilty that it had come to this. He wished she didn’t have to die. He wished there’d been a way for him to save her.

Slowly, Tim reached forward and took her cold hand in his. He then jumped back with a startled shout when Lorelei’s body suddenly took a deep breath.

Her blue eyes, which weren’t quite as blue as they used to be, began to blink. The young woman sat up and looked around her, frowning in her confusion as she tried to recognize something, anything. Her fear grew at the sight of the strange men who appeared to be equally confused, and at the two battered superheroes. Finally, her eyes rested on Tim, and she frowned.

“I know you, don’t I?” she asked, and he nodded. She immediately moved closer to him where she felt safer. “What’s going on? Where are we? Who are those men? Are they going to hurt us?”

His face cold, Tim stared down at the confused girl, softening only when tears began to form in her eyes.

“What’s going on? Why are you looking at me like that? I. . . I don’t understand,” she said, shaking her head. “Why can’t I remember?”

She began to cry in earnest, burying her face in her hands. With a sigh, Tim wrapped his arms around her, kissing the top of her head. “It’s going to be all right, Lorelei. Everything’s going to be fine.”

Seeing that the danger had passed, Ollie herded the befuddled men back towards Gotham while their memories were still jumbled, filling in the blanks with what he hoped would be a feasible story. Connor joined their friends as Batman and Nightwing helped each other to where Tim and Lorelei were sitting.

Looking up to see Batman’s puzzled glance, Tim’s face grew even sadder. “She’s like us now,” he said softly as he stroked the blue hair. Lorelei had calmed a bit, but appeared to be in shock. She didn’t register his touch, or even his voice. She just sat there holding onto him for dear life. “No memory, no song, no immortality. She’s human, and she’s harmless, so long as she doesn’t have this.”

He placed the fifth diamond into the bag and handed it to Batman. “Put it someplace safe where no one can find it.

Batman nodded, taking the bag, and gave his partner an odd look. “Tim, what did you do to her?”

“I put her in the prison her mother intended her to have, one made of flesh instead of stone. This is what she wanted for her daughters, a chance to start over, but no one would listen.”

“Until you.”

“Yes.”

“So what do you suggest we do about her?”

“Find her a home where someone can look after her. A good home. The Siren may not deserve it, but Lorelei does.”

Connor knelt down next to the girl and gently pried her hands away from Tim before lifting her into his arms. She seemed to understand that he wasn’t going to hurt her and wrapped her arms around the archer’s neck.

“I know just the place for her in Star City with a good family. They take in foster children all the time who’ve been through a lot.” The green eyes looked from Tim to Batman. “I think it’ll be for the best.”

“Thank you,” Tim said, Batman giving a slight nod in agreement as Connor carried her towards his father. Within seconds, the three disappeared as they were transported to the Watchtower, and then, presumably, home.

Batman placed a gloved hand on his partner’s shoulder. “That was a very mature decision. In fact, you’ve handled this entire situation quite well. I’m proud of you.”

Tim’s eyes widened as he looked up at Batman. The corners of Batman’s mouth curled ever so slightly as he squeezed Tim’s shoulder, then he turned to help Nightwing to the Manor.

Tim remained sitting on the ground, watching as they entered the mansion, then lowered his eyes and stared down at his hands. He couldn’t believe it was over. He couldn’t believe she’d come and gone so quickly, that the Siren was no longer a threat. It was hard for him to believe it had even happened.

Except, of course, for the memories embedded in his mind, in his skin. He could just close his eyes and almost be able to hear her song, but it wasn’t the Siren who haunted him. It was Lorelei, her blue eyes, electric blue hair, her smile, her laugh, the touch of her skin against his. It was all there every time he closed his eyes.

Sighing, Tim raised his head and looked out over the ocean. Focusing his gaze, he frowned. He could have sworn. . . it was almost as if. . . there seemed to be a woman watching him from the water.

And then the woman began to speak.

The sea air carried ancient words to his ears and, smiling, he whispered a response into the wind.

“Careful,” Bruce admonished as he helped Dick onto the bed.

“Careful yourself,” he growled through teeth clenched against the pain pulsing through his body. “You’re the one with a cast on your wrist.”

Bruce frowned at the plaster-covered limb, a frown Dick had seen aimed at himself during his days as Robin when he’d done something to disappoint the Batman. He still saw it occasionally as Nightwing, but not quite so often.

“Don’t blame your wrist. It’s your own fault.”

The frown deepened into a scowl as Bruce’s gaze was transferred over to his lover. “You want to say that again?”

“Hey, it’s what you told me every time I got hurt.”

“Not every time,” Bruce said, pulling the blankets over Dick’s bruised and battered body. “Sometimes it wasn’t your fault.”

“You could have told me that then,” he sighed, squirming on the mattress as he made himself comfortable.

“But then you wouldn’t have learned anything,” Bruce smirked, crawling into bed next to him, a sigh of his own escaping his lips as his bruised and battered body was given a chance to relax. “I shouldn’t feel this old,” he groaned, and Dick looked at him.

“There aren’t a dozen men out there who could do what you do every night, and I’m not just talking about fighting criminals,” he said, wriggling his eyebrows suggestively, “so keep your complaints to yourself. You’re not old.”

“I’m not young, either.”

“Young enough,” Dick shrugged. “Odds are, we won’t live long to see retirement anyway, so comfort yourself knowing you can look forward to being young for as long as you’re alive.”

“Dick,” he sighed, rubbing his face with his uninjured hand, “I’m too damn tired to even begin breaking that statement down. Can we go to sleep?”

“Sure,” Dick smiled, then with an unexpected burst of energy, leaned over and grabbed a kiss. “Thank you for surviving another day.”

At hearing the complete lack of sarcasm in Dick’s thanks, Bruce looked down at him in surprise and nodded. “You’re welcome.”

They settled into bed, Dick curling up at his side and wrapping an arm around his lover’s waist. Bruce closed his eyes and let the quiet wash over him, biting back a swear when Dick started speaking again.

“Do you think Tim will be okay?”

“Don’t you ever shut up?” Bruce growled, then yelped as his nipple was giving an admonishing pinch.

“I will, just as soon as I can get my mind to rest.”

“Tim will be fine. He’s a good kid with a good head on his shoulders. He’ll manage.”

“But the things she did to him, the things she made him do, do you think he’ll be all right?”

“He seems to be keeping the two separated in his mind, the Siren and Lorelei. He doesn’t hold anything that happened against Lorelei. He seems to be placing all the blame on the Siren. He’s able to see his girlfriend as an innocent pawn, just like he was.”

“And is that healthy?”

“We all have our own ways of coping. This is his.”

“You know we owe him big time for this.”

Bruce’s eyes darkened with guilt that he’d been too distracted to realize his partner was being manipulated by the Siren. “I know.”

“I mean, to not even see the connection between the Siren and Lorelei. Her name alone should have been enough since Lorelei means ‘Siren’ and Lamar ‘of the sea’.”

“I’m aware,” he said, the scowl returning. How could he have been so careless? If something had happened to Tim, it would have been his fault. What had made him think he could have Dick and still remain Batman? He never should have given in. He never should have--

“If you even consider rethinking our relationship because of this,” Dick snarled, interrupting his thoughts, “I will chain you to this bed and never let you free.”

Damn. Dick knew him far too well. “Tim could have gotten killed because of our negligence.”

“He could have, but he didn’t, and you know why? Because of your training. Because you’ve guided him to become a responsible young man who is capable of handling tough situations. I admit, this is a situation he never should have gotten in. I also admit that we should have been more diligent, but it all worked out in the end.”

“This time.”

“And next time, it may not,” Dick shrugged. “You can’t predict the outcome every time. You just have to adapt quickly and hope for the best.”

Bruce couldn’t help feel a surge of pride for the young man in his arms. His lover really had come a long way since the horrible circumstances that had brought Dick into his life. “When did you get to be so wise?” he asked gruffly, kissing the dark hair.

“Didn’t you know?” Dick grinned. “I’ve always been like this. I just don’t want you to feel inferior around me, so I try to hide it, but sometimes I forget and it slips out.”

He arched an eyebrow. “Oh, really?”

“Yeah, it’s a burden I’ve had to live with, but if it’s helped to build your self-esteem, then—”

Dick’s words came to a sudden halt as his mouth was covered by Bruce’s and he grinned through the kiss, pulling Bruce closer.

“This mean you’re keeping me around?” he asked when they finally came up for air.

“Looks like,” Bruce smiled, brushing his fingers over Dick’s forehead and down his cheek.

“You love me,” he said smugly, rolling onto his side with his back to Bruce’s chest. He then reached behind him, grabbed Bruce’s arm, and wrapped it around his waist.

Taking the hint, Bruce spooned up against him, broken wrist resting on the pillow above Dick’s head. “Yeah, I guess I do.”

Connor taped up the last box in Will’s apartment and sighed with relief, lying back on the floor and stretching his stiff limbs.

“Connor?” Will smiled, crouching down next to him. “You all right?”

“Exhausted. You should really considering becoming a Buddhist. A lot less baggage.”

“You never know just how much clutter you’ve collected until you have to move,” he nodded, glancing around the near-empty apartment, and sighed. “I can’t believe I’m actually moving.”

“I can’t believe you made me wait six months,” Connor said, grabbing Will by the waist and pulling him down on top of him.

“I wrapped everything up as soon as I could,” Will chuckled, nuzzling his boyfriend’s neck. “It wasn’t easy. I had a lot of people begging me to stay.”

“And you were tempted?” Connor asked, looking up at him with concern.

“Not even once,” he grinned, lowering his mouth to Connor’s.

“Now this is one thing I won’t miss,” a voice said from the door. “Being around you two is like being stuck in a soft-core porn movie.”

Will and Connor broke apart and looked up to find Dick and Tim watching them, Dick with amusement, Tim with the annoyed embarrassment only a teen can perfect.

“And we look forward to being able to kiss without interruption,” Connor said, glaring at them.

“Among other things,” Will added with a wink, and Dick rolled his eyes.

“A little control, please. At least until after we’re done treating you to dinner.”

At that, both their stomachs growled and they laughed, getting up off the floor.

“Dinner sounds great,” Connor said. They quickly washed up and followed the brothers out of the apartment.

“I’ve got to admire your timing,” Will said, catching up with Dick and gently slamming him into the wall. “Thanks for all the help with the packing.”

“Yeah, we did time that perfectly, didn’t we?” Dick grinned, shoving Will into the opposite wall. The two played this game as they walked down the hall, and even more dangerously, down the stairs, Tim and Connor keeping a safe distance behind.

“Hard to believe we’re the youngest here, isn’t it?” Connor asked, glancing down at Tim, who grinned.

“I’m just happy not to be on the receiving end of Dick’s abuse for a change. I’m going to miss Will for that. Actually, I’m going to miss you both.”

Connor smiled, giving Tim a hug. “You’re welcome to visit us any time.”

“I may take you up on that,” he said, though from the look in his eyes, Connor knew it wouldn’t be just to see them.

“She’s doing fine,” the young Green Arrow said softly. “She’s adjusting to her new home, her foster family. She’s getting excellent grades in school and is the star of the school choir. While the Siren may have lost her song, it seems she still has her voice.”

“Good,” Tim said, nodding slowly. “She had a beautiful voice.”

“Oh, and her hair’s orange now.”

“What?!” he exclaimed trying to picture Lorelei with orange hair.

Connor shrugged. “I know. I rather liked the blue myself, but I guess she felt the need for a change.”

“Orange,” Tim repeated, then smiled. “I’ll bet it looks good on her.”

“It does. She comes by the Center every once in a while to lend a hand with the kids. Dad calls her his little firebrand, and they get along really well, which I guess isn’t surprising, all things considered.”

“Sounds a little creepy to me,” he said, his voice skeptical, and Connor grinned.

“It was, at first, but once Ollie adjusted to thinking of her as just another one of the kids, he was fine, and she accepted him as a father figure right from the beginning.” Connor paused, giving the young man a sidelong glance before continuing. “I don’t know if you want to know this, but she’s asked about you.”

Tim’s blue eyes lit up as he looked at Connor. “She has?”

He nodded. “She doesn’t know who you are, but she remembers a boy being there on the day we found her, and that she felt safe with him. She just wanted to make sure you were okay.”

“What did you tell her?”

“I told her you were fine. But, if you do come to visit, you could tell her that yourself.”

The young man was quiet for a moment, then nodded. “I’ll think about it. Though, maybe it’s better for us both if I don’t see her.”

“It’s your decision,” Connor said. “Just remember, the option is always there.”

“Thanks, Connor,” Tim said, wrapping an arm around the archer’s waist and giving him a quick hug.

“Hey, stop hitting on my boyfriend,” Will said, sliding an arm around Connor from the other side and kissing his cheek. Tim just rolled his eyes.

“You done getting beat up by my brother?”

“Yeah,” Will said, scowling at a grinning Dick. “He plays too rough.”

“Don’t worry,” Connor said, nuzzling Will’s neck, “I’ll kiss your bruises better.”

“Get a room,” Tim groaned, releasing Connor and running to catch up with Dick, who placed an arm around his shoulders.

“Where to, little brother?”

“Pizza sounds good.”

“That all right with you?” Dick asked, glancing behind him at the couple.

“Works for us,” Connor nodded after checking with Will.

His boyfriend yawned. “Too tired for anything else.”

“Cheap dates. I like that in my men,” Dick winked and Tim sighed.

“I’ve either got to start making straight friends my own age or stop hanging out with you.”

“It’s our farewell dinner,” Connor said, tightening his arm around Will. “You have to be here.”

Tim suddenly yelped and reached into his pocket, pulling out a pager. “Looks like I’m saved with my built-in escape route.”

“Trouble?” Dick asks as both his and Connor’s eyes grow serious.

“Nothing we can’t handle,” he grinned, looking up. They followed his gaze to see a giant black shadow in the shape of a bat hovering over them. They slipped into an alley and a line was lowered from the Batplane to the ground. “Think he’ll let me drive?”

Dick snorted. “Wouldn’t bet on it.”

“You two have a safe trip,” Tim said, giving both Will and Connor a quick hug. “Call me when you get to Star City. We still need to work on your self defense lessons and, Connor, I may take you up on your offer.”

“You’re welcome any time,” the archer smiled, the three men watching as Tim attached the line to his belt and was lifted into the air.

The three watched until the plane was just a speck in the sky then continued on down the street. Connor and Dick exchanged glances every few seconds until Will sighed, shaking his head.

“They’ll be fine. If they need your help, they’ll call.” He then narrowed his eyes at Connor. “Is it always going to be like this?”

“Always,” Dick answered with a chuckle. “But you’ll get used to it.”

“Don’t have much of a choice, do I?” Will said, looking at Connor, who smiled and kissed his lips.

“No choice at all,” Dick answered, his gaze following the path in the sky the Batplane had taken as he offered a quick prayer to whoever might be listening that it would be a quiet night in Bludhaven. It had been a long day, and he wanted nothing more than to go home and fall into Bruce’s arms.

[April 29, 2004]
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