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Dick really, really hated magicians (Sorry Zatanna). He hated magic and all things that caused situations like this.
He was pretty sure this was a case of dimensional travel rather than time travel, considering in this Gotham, Ra’s had an entirely different vessel, not to mention the Court of Owls being intertwined with the League of Assassins.
The first thing Dick did was confirm that everyone existed, and indeed they did. Duke was still dealing with the Riddler’s tests, Steph was with her Mum and Tim was alone and stalking the bats still. Damian was just a baby at this point, not to mention Cassandra being trained under Talia now.
But currently, the most pressing matter was Jason, two days away a blown up warehouse
Meddling with timelines or not, Dick would not be caught in hell letting his brother die.
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Crack-
“HAHAHAHA! Isn't this fun little birdie?!”
Crack-
“Daddy Batsy isn’t coming for you!”
Crack- Crack- Crack-
“I’ll make you a flightless bird!”
Jason was faced with the maniacal grin of the Joker, his own blood soaking the clown's suit. He tried to keep down the screams, but it really was no use.
Bruce would come, Bruce would find him before this psychotic nightmare killed him. Right?
The Joker lifted his crowbar again, this time poised to come straight down on Jason’s head. He flinched, eyes closing and waiting for the possibly lethal blow.
But it didn’t come.
Jason peeked his eyes to see the Joker, but he was frozen.
No… he was seizing up?
He fell to the size, the smell of scorched fabric filling the air. Jason didn’t have time to ponder though, not when there was a man that looked exactly like an older version of his brother in front of him.
He was holding two sticks at the side of him, one crackling still with electricity.
“Hey baby bird, time to get out of here okay?” Dick(?) said with a grin, one far more practiced and natural than his brothers.
But in the grand scheme of things, evil twin or not, there was still Dick in front of him, offering to get him out.
“Please.” He didn’t even realise how raw his throat was until now. “There’s a bomb.”
“I know baby bird.” Dick said soothingly, so different from his version of Dick it made him kind of nervous. “I’m gonna get you out of here.”
He knelt down in front of Jason, undoing the chains quickly, but not fast enough to hurt him. Jason’s eyes were on the clown, just in case he decided to attack Dick while he was helping Jason.
“How did you find me?” Jason coughed weakly, eyes flicking briefly to Dick.
Dick smiled sadly, getting the last chain off him. “It’s a long story, one I’ll tell you when we’re both back into safety, okay?”
Jason hummed, leaning into Dick when he picked him up bridal style. They started walking away and Jason frowned.
“What about the Joker?”
Dick’s eyes darkened, not even pausing in his steps. “I don’t know Jaybird, I thought the Joker already got out. Shame right?”
The teen balked at the clear message, he never knew the golden boy was so… willing to murder. But when Jason looked back, he felt overwhelming relief.
He buried his face into Dick’s chest, muffling the broken sobs that ripped themselves through his throat. He would be okay, his brother had him.
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Could Dick have saved the Joker? Sure. He could have picked him up and just dropped him a little out of the warehouse. Was he going to? Hell no.
Despite the moral code Bruce had ingrained in the Robins to various degrees of success, Dick wasn’t that opposed to murder by inaction, when it came to Joker at least.
No, if Bruce asked, he could just say he was busy getting Jason out of there.
Speaking of, Dick had his arms full of a battered, bruised baby bird. He had kept holding him even during the flight, ever thankful to Bruce’s autopilot mode he installed.
Jason had quickly fallen asleep, and Dick had wasted no time in tending to his wounds, no matter how inconvenient it was to do in his lap. It wasn’t long until the Batplane announced its near arrival.
When Dick managed to finally get out, there in all his glory stood Bruce, looking tense.
Sure, Dick had stolen his plane, big deal!
“Who are you?” Bruce said in his dramatic gravelly voice.
Rolling his eyes, Dick adjusted Jason to be more comfortable. “Dick Grayson, your son.”
Bruce narrowed his eyes, not wanting to give anything away. Sighing, Dick tried again.
“I’m from a different dimension, I saved Jason from being killed by the Joker.” That only made Bruce tense more, so Dick decided he had enough. Jason needed Alfred’s care.
He ignored Bruce, be lining for the medbay. Alfred is already there, nodding to Dick.
“Master Dick, I expect a full report on his injuries.”
Dick smiled at the older man, thanking whatever he did to get such an amazing grandfather. “Crowbar, multiple hits to the head as well as a broken leg and arm.”
“Thank you, might I suggest you talk to Master Bruce about your predicament while you leave the young master in my care?”
Dick nodded, placing Jason gently down in the cot. He paused, taking the time to press a kiss to his forehead before turning around and heading out.
Instead of being faced with just Bruce, there was another figure. Dick was surprised to be facing… himself?
“You’re supposed to be in space.” He said dumbly to his younger counterpart.
Other Dick narrowed his eyes, arms crossed. “No. Is that what happened in your universe?”
“Bruce caught you up huh? Yeah, I was in space.” He huffed, taking a seat on a nearby rock in faux casualty.
Worry flashed across other Dick’s face, mouth pressing into a thin line. “What happened to your Jason?”
Dick just looked away, hoping that would convey what it needed. By the way both men’s shoulders slumped, it did.
Silence stretched for a moment before Bruce spoke up, voice less Batman and more normal. “I need to do a DNA test, just to make sure.”
Dick nodded, but other Dick scowled, turning to Bruce. “Are you serious? He just saved Jason and you think he’s lying?”
Sighing and pinching his nose, Dick cut in before this could turn into a full on fight. “Dick, you don’t have to pick a fight with B every time he does something.”
Bruce seemed caught off guard, but slammed a mask over it. Other Dick frowned, probably expecting him to side with himself. Before that could dissolve into another fight, Dick spoke again.
“Dick, this is very very important for you to know.” They held eye contact, a bit of worry in his alternate’s eyes. “B hasn’t adopted you yet because when we were nine we told him we didn’t want him to replace our Dad.”
Dick’s eyes widened, mouth ajar. His head whipped to Bruce, only to see an unreadable expression from him.
“Is that why you were mad at me about Jason?” Bruce whispered. “Chum…”
Dick smiled at them, but that was quickly washed away as a tingling sensation started in his fingers.
“I think I’m going back.” He said, making both men’s heads snap back to him. “You need to know one last thing before I go.”
“What is it?” His alternate asked, stepping a bit closer.
Dick felt it being harder and harder to keep his eyes opened, feeling as if he was falling asleep. “Tim Drake, the kid next door goes out and takes pictures of you at night and you have a son named Damian with Talia in the LoA.”
Bruce looked truly shocked, but Dick didn’t have time to revel in getting his Dad to make that face before the world went black.
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In his original universe
── ⋆⋅☆⋅⋆ ──
“Hell, Dickhead! Why are you clinging onto me idiot? Where have you been the last few hours?!”
“Hush, take the affection Jay.”