Disclaimer: I do not own any of the characters portrayed, this fanfiction is based on the universe and characters of DC comics.

Was this how Jason felt?

Dick felt cold. He ran, threw a wing ding at a Batsuit display case across the room.

The room was still dark and huge, but he knew the room well enough as he started to run, he heard the glass shatter and fall to the floor.

He lifted the cowl and cape from his old Batsuit and darted to the elevator, he pried open the doors and jumped in.

There was no elevator to ride up thankfully, just an empty space below with a large stone and metal contraption in the centre, like a terminal for the elevator to rest on.

Dick cradled himself against the door side wall, he threw his old cowl over his head, and wrapped himself in his cape.

He waited.

Flames engulfed the room, a silent noise shook the building, the blast reverberated through the walls and the floor, Dick was trying to un-tense to no avail.

It wasn't fear he felt, he was far too busy to fear. After what felt like an eternity the heat surrounding Dick seemed to lighten, he dared to open his eyes but saw nothing, it was surprisingly dark. Dick struggled to breathe.

The blast had been large but short, devastating but brief. Now the smoke was the largest concern.

The cowl had been adjusted to fit a breather, which was in the display case across the large room. So Dick had to deal with the smoke by breathing through his cape.

He walked fast across the rubble and debris, there was less than expected but more than enough to be a nuisance.

Dick was exhausted. His muscles had tensed in an instinct to protect himself so hard they ached. Debris had fallen on him from above, the cape dispersed most of the damage, but that didn't stop it from hurting.

Dick reached the now demolished display case, he rooted in it to find his old utility belt and he retrieved his breather. He fitted it to his mask and breathed deeply. Not exactly fresh, but better than breathing smoke.

Deet deet.

The communicator in his ear rang,

Deet deet,

'Yeah?' Dick groaned,

'Nightwing! Are you all right?' A stern voice grumbled in his ear,

'Batman…? Yeah, I'm fine' Dick coughed,

'What happened?' Bruce said, his tone meant business. Could have been around people, but probably not. Who the hell knew.

'Deathstroke,' Dick replied, 'he got into the bunker, he broke it' Dick winced at a pain in his shoulder, everything hurt.

Silence filled the air. Dick always expected Bruce to offer his help, Bruce only ever meant to help and take over but Dick found it nothing more than offensive. Bruce had learnt.

'Where is Slade now?'

Dick looked around. He sighed, 'Not here.'

Bruce waited. Whenever one of the rogues bodies weren't found it usually meant they were still around.

Dick swore.

'That's a dollar,' Bruce mumbled,

'Fuck your swear jar Bruce! How the hell could he get away he was unconscious, like, I just knocked him out I checked! His plan was to die here!'

Dick breathed, Bruce waited.

'The bunker is compromised, the blast was too big, the building wouldn't have collapsed but people upstairs and around us would have felt it. The smoke is also gonna bring people down here.'

'Follow the plan, Dick. You have five minutes.' Bruce said as he disconnected.

The plan was simple. Take what you can, and get out. There was of course clever storage throughout the bunker. The bunker was underneath gas mains, which would have always exploded in any kind of blast, and of course they did blow. There were vents which let the smoke travel up to the surface and through the building.

Dick left through the driveway, he got on a bat bike and rode off, cape and cowl still on. He used the computer on the bike to suck all air out of the bunker, killing the flames. And he locked it down. No one would be getting in without Bat family access.

Dick drove fast, but the ride lasted ages, he went the long way, wasting fuel. He needed to think, speed and agility was when he thought best. He arguably had the best reactions of the family, he felt it made him think quicker, no point thinking of one thing too much.

He reached Wayne Manor, he drove into a false wall, leading to the cave. He dismounted and walked to the bat computer. Sat in front of it, shedding his clothes. He sat with only his legs covered. Used the computer to disallow access to the cave. Only Alfred would get in, but he would read the message.

Something's wrong. With all of this, it's too neat.

Dick left for the shower in silence. The water burning over his dusty skin. Blood rinsed onto the floor, diluted in the water. He stood looking down at the grey and red water. He crouched down on one knee, a fist on the tiles. His legs couldn't take his weight for the moment.

He left the shower, wrapped in a towel. Still dripping, still bleeding a little.

He moved below to the medic station. He wrapped himself in bandages. Tight and uncomfortable.

He returned to the computer and found Slade Wilson sitting there, with all of the Bat family's faces on the screen.

'Slade…' Dick whined. 'I'm in a towel how is this fair?' It was the only thing going through his mind.

'War does not wait for you to be ready to die.' Slade answered,

'There's just no need to be an asshole.'

'I was paid to kill all of the Bats, it's much easier to kill you in person, without the costumes on.'

'Armour, they're not costumes. And says you! Your armour is orange how helpful is that to be stealthy and scary?!'

Slade was silent. Fine.

Slade pounced, he was faster than before, Dick through a leg up to Slade's face, it made contact hard. Slade's body kept moving forwards, his legs still moved although his head was stopped. He tripped Dick hard. Dick clutched his towel. Not letting Cyclops see my junk.

They wrestled, falling down the stairs and parted next to the medics station. Slade drew a sword, Dick stepped back towards the armoury.

Slade lunged, Dick kept his distance, he grabbed the tip and spun it out of Slade's grip and stepped around behind Slade, he kicked the back of Slade's leg hard and spun his right leg round and hard into the assassins head.

Slade was down for a moment so Dick ran to the armoury. He dropped the sword and found some underwear as he heard the air split behind him, he dodged left out of the way of a sword. The sword followed Dick left, he threw his body back, hands on the ground and through his legs back and over. Slade slashed low, aiming for Dick's knees. Dick jumped high, lowering his underwear and landed in them.

Dick smiled, he unhooked his towel and wrapped it around the sword as Slade swiped once more. He pulled it away and used his shoulder to barge into Slade's chest hard. He spun again and kicked Slade in the chest. Sending him back to his other sword.

Dick unwrapped the towel from the sword in his hands and clutched its hilt. Slade picked up the sword on the ground.

They lunged at each other, each exchanging blows and cuts, Dick took less but they were worse, he had no protection. Slade disarmed Dick and saw his opportunity. He landed a vicious slice along Dick's torso.

Dick screamed in agony and recoiled. Slade didn't let up, Dick dodged back and to the side. Slade landed another slash across Dick's thigh. Dick snarled and moved back. He picked up two batarangs. Bruce's most recent design. They had a bats wings but the centre could be held firmly.

Dick held them, his fists clenched with two blades coming out of either end. He attacked, sending Slade back step by step, Dick was relentless. If he lost, the rest of the bat family would be in immense danger.

Dick slashed across Slade's face, the blade cut Slade's eye patch, revealing a hideous scar. Dick continued, he slashed against a buckle on Slade's armour. One after the other until Slade was in tatters.

Slade had slowed. He had taken too many hits. Dick was fuelled by rage. He kicked Slade hard in the ribs, he grabbed Slade's head and pushed it down into Dick's thrusted knee. He punched Slade hard in the throat. Slade panicked, everyone always panics at that. Sudden lack of oxygen is terrifying. And it lasts a while.

Slade dropped his sword, he fell to his knees and cowered.

Dick relaxed a little, he breathed heavily.

He took a step and Slade drew his gun, he shot Dick straight in the chest.

Dick had blacked out. He was on the floor, on his back. Thankfully.

He thought back. Move your arm.

Not sticky, no blood. Bullet is in me, no noise behind me after the shot. Would I have heard it?

Whatever, still gonna hurt in a second.

The pain was manageable now, but not for long.

Is he gonna talk? Probably not he's not the Joker. I'm just a job.

Slade's blurry figure came over Dick. He lifted his gun slightly.

Not yet.

His figure stopped moving as much. Slade's centre of gravity found a good base. Dick clutched the batarang under his hand. He stabbed it hard into Slade's right ankle, through the boot, deep.

Slade shot, and missed by two inches. Dick's ears were ringing.

Slade dropped the gun and fell back. He was screaming.

Blurred eyes, lots of blood loss, light 't hear a thing. How am I alive…

Dick's body reluctantly moved. Slade had dropped the gun to Dick's elbow. Dick picked it up, forced himself to stay awake. He lifted the gun, squinted hard and fired the gun into Slade's elbow. Fired again into his left knee. Slade would not be standing for a long time. Slade continued to scream.

Was that enough to put him down?

A figure had entered the room, big and dark. Body language looked hostile. Who…?

The blurred black figure moved to the side, and threw something from a table. Whatever it was, it struck the gun out of Dick's hand. Dick passed out.

Bruce Wayne had bypassed the lock on the cave, he heard a gunshot from the cave and had ran fast.

He smelled sweat and gunpowder. He ran to the computer and found a puddle of water. He found some water dispersed by boot prints and a trail of water down the stairs and continued over to the armoury. He entered and saw Dick shoot Deathstroke twice.

Dick turned the gun to Bruce, he dodged left, grabbed a batarang and threw it at the gun in Dick's hand.

He had never seen Dick so focussed, with a fear in his eyes like an animal in a cage.

Dick's head fell to the floor. 'BARBARA!' Bruce screamed. 'DAMIAN! CAVE NOW!'

Bruce stepped over to Slade and stomped on his jaw, hard. It cracked and Slade passed out.

He lifted Dick, blood pooled over Dick's body onto Bruce's t shirt.

Bruce gently laid Dick onto the medics table. Alfred had just reached it and had started preparing an IV and plugged it into Dick's arms. Bruce stepped around the table.

Barbara and Damian were detaining Slade. They brought a gurney and tied him into complicated knots on the table. Not even Slade would be moving. To be sure, they stripped Slade down, and even checked his skin for any metal objects under the skin.

They joined Bruce and Alfred at the medics, standing just outside the small room. Alfred was removing the bullet. Dick's heart was still going, the bullet had entered Dick's right pectoral muscle. He had a collapsed lung, Bruce was blowing air into Dick's through a medics breather.

Alfred removed the bullet and after a while Dick stabilised.

A few hours later Dick woke up. His eyes blurred as he took in his surroundings.

He saw Bruce sitting high next to the bed. He smiled softly. He was waiting for Dick to speak.

Dick just grumbled. He had been in this position before. Waking up to his best friend. His brother.

'Where's Slade?'

'Blackgate by now. Barbara and Damian will be back soon. You did well.'

'I shot him.'

'You kept him alive. Which is more than he would have done to you. I saw the bullet hole.'

Dick nodded. His left ear was still ringing slightly. 'Heard anything with the bunker?'

'We'll cross that bridge later.'

'Anyone hurt? He found out all of our identities.'

'I know. I've alerted the family. He may sell the information, but first I'll visit him in Blackgate soon.'

Dick nodded again.

'Sleep.' Bruce said. Dick was already drifting.

Later.

Slade woke up in a cell. He was hooked into machines, pumping blood and fluids. His hands were handcuffed tight into a bed.

He sighed.

A huge figure passed his right side. It made him jump. His body hurt at the sudden motion.

Batman walked to the foot of the bed.

He stared at Slade, 'Wondered if you'd show up.' Slade scoffed.

'You came into my house. You attacked my family. Tell me why I shouldn't break each and every bone you have.'

'Knowledge is power, Bruce.'

Batman didn't reply.

'Heh. No matter how you see it. I've won. And none of you will ever be safe.'

'What is your opinion on global warming?' Batman asked.

'What?' Slade answered, surprised.

What is your opinion on global warming?' Batman repeated.

Slade just looked confused.

'I will give you five million dollars to tell me your opinion on global warming.' Batman said.

Slade's eyes lit up slightly. 'Really?' He said cautiously.

Batman's mouth smiled. 'That is why I have nothing to fear from you, Slade. If the price is right you will tell, but there will be no right price for you. And even if there was, there's no one interested enough to actually pay it. And even if there are, there's no one who can do any damage to me with that information. Some already know it, and they are far more powerful than you, and they have never hurt me.'

Slade forced a laugh, 'Sure.'

Batman smiled broader, 'Just ask my son'

Slade thought about Damian, he had read the file. He realised Batman was right.

He looked up at Batman. But he was gone.

Thank you everyone for your patience. I got a new job and a busy life. Took a while to get this chapter done. Wanted to make it good enough for myself before I released it.

Little homage to Batman: Hush at the end. Anyone who's read that book can probably see the similarities. It just seemed to fit.

Anyway. Thank you again for your patience! Really hope you enjoy.