Chapter Text
I live my life tracing out the Cooper Color Code
Black and I’m coming undone, no one knows
Red, push past the fray to get it done
Orange and I’m halfway to home
Yellow, you stand between me and the gun
“Mr. Grayson, you allege that my client threatened you and your family?”
Dick swallowed. His eyes glanced towards the back of the gallery and swept over Bruce. Bruce’s face hadn’t changed much over the last half an hour, but hearing this his eyebrows creased slightly.
“I grew up in foster care, so not my family per say. He stalked me and in the photos he sent it included a boy that lives in the home I grew up in, yes.” Dick willed his face not to turn red. He refused to look back at Bruce again.
“Yet you have no evidence of this.”
Dick raised his eyebrows at the defense attorney. “Lack of evidence? He admitted it to me before he shot me twice in the chest.”
Bruce shifted in his seat. Even trying not to look at him, Dick was still highly attuned to his presence in the room. It was grounding and nerve wracking at the same time.
“Yet you didn’t have your body camera on?” The defense lawyer, Dick didn’t remember her name, leaned forward and the smell of expired perfume wafted over him. “So all we have is your word that my client, a decorated officer– the man you stayed with following this supposed stalking incident, the man you worked with, who trained you– stole evidence, assisted a serial killer to escape justice, stalked you for investigating the case and then shot you.”
She laughed a little at the end of her speech. Dick didn’t move, didn’t breathe. He could feel Aaron’s eyes on him. Dick looked back at Bruce. Bruce’s jaw was clenched, but his eyes were locked on Dick. They were kind.
Dick’s eyes snapped back to the lawyer as she continued “Forgive me for not taking your word. You have a track record of vendettas against your training officers and accusing them of misconduct, Mr. Grayson.”
“It’s Officer Grayson actually. My camera wasn’t on because I was code 4 at the scene until I wasn’t. Cameras back record two minutes. Should it be needed an officer can turn his camera on after the fact and have recorded the prior two minutes. It’s policy to put safety over camera function. I was at gunpoint and quick movement is inadvisable. I was then shot twice by a man I trusted. He then walked over to me and took my duty belt, and camera. I couldn’t hit record for the backlog. I was lying in a pool of my own blood. I was left there to die.”
Bruce sucked in a breath from where he sat in the gallery. Dick hated that he was here, listening to this. It was almost shameful to have to air the gory details–blood trails, mistakes and all. But he had vowed. He would tell the whole truth, and nothing but.
The room was small and cramped with stacks of chairs. The air vents were broken and the only adjustment it allowed was to fluctuate between blasting full heat or full ice. He had opted for the cold. Dick already felt like sweating. The anticipation of waiting outside the courtroom was killing him. He’d been waiting in this mildew smelling box for over three hours.
Dick had been asked to be there at 9 am to testify. Court never ran on schedule. He knew that. He’d known that for years. But waiting knowing that Leoni was merely on the other side of the wall at his back filled him with dread.
He wished Clark weren’t off world. He wished he were eight years old again, and sitting next to Bruce. Better still he wished he wasn’t here at all. He wished he were at the tower, listening to Roy and Kori fighting about something mundane like yogurt. He wished he were enrolled in classes with Wally at Central University. He wished he had taken Hess up on his offer to back out of this.
Dick squeezed his eyes shut and took two shuddering breaths. He wanted to fight something. He wanted to pull evidence apart, write code to hack a new server. He wanted to do anything but sit here in the victim’s box.
Dick hated it. He hated being shut away where he didn’t know what was happening. Were he here to testify as an officer he would be allowed in the gallery. But as he was the victim and a witness and this was pretrial, he wasn’t allowed to listen to other’s testimony or evidence. So now he was in a room that hadn’t been redecorated since the 80s, with a pack of brochures on victim services. The advocate he had been assigned by the DA was tapping her foot loudly and glancing at him every few minutes.
He kept his eyes off the brochures and fidget toys that had been laid out for him. He instead played with the cap of his long empty disposable plastic water bottle. It felt less childish, though logically he knew it wasn’t childish at all.
He felt all of 8 years old again sitting in this room with the brochures looking up at him. ‘What to do when you’ve experienced trauma?’ and ‘support groups for victims of violence’ starred up mockingly at him from on the table. He knew they were out of date and lacked any comfort. He’d been here before after all, except this time Bruce wasn’t here running a hand up and down between Dick’s shoulder blades. A social worker wasn’t chewing gum loudly and his parent’s killer wasn’t awaiting his testimony.
This time Dick was alone with an assistant from the DA’s office who might sympathize with him, but certainly didn’t care about him beyond the outcome of the case. Hess was here somewhere, but was likely sitting next to Detective Rohrback in the gallery.
Dick glanced at his phone again and sighed. It was nearly 1pm. “Do you know how much longer it will be?”
“I’m sorry, the judge is hearing from a few witnesses before you and then we’ll be called in. It depends how long questioning goes.” She said too quickly and in a single breath. Dick wished she would speak slower. It wasn’t helping his already pounding heart.
“Can I step out? Walk around or something?” Dick was tired of being in this room.
“You can’t talk to anyone about the case.” She said almost at once. “None of the officers, no one.”
Dick nodded. He was well aware of how this worked. Once he testified at trial he would be allowed to talk with anyone else who had already given evidence. As long as they weren’t likely to be called back at least. Dick didn’t know if he would want to talk about it or even sit in afterwards, even if he could.
It was all too confusing. Dick didn’t think he would be able to stomach sitting near Aaron a second longer than was required. His stomach churned thinking about it.
“I just want to stretch my legs.”
She waved and he took it as permission.
Dick nodded at the guards as he slipped past them into the long hallway that led to a dozen different courtrooms.
Dick turned up the hall towards the bathrooms. He was sure they were up here on the right. He would just wash his face. That would help. It would ground him, he decided.
Dick’s steps faltered.
It felt like a water balloon had burst over his head. Nothing could have prepared him to have the person who had been on his mind all morning appear before him like an apparition. As if his mind had conjured the man out of sheer will power.
Bruce was pacing in the hallway with a phone pressed to his ear. His back was too Dick still but there was no mistaking the man. That was him.
Dick couldn’t hear what he was saying but it was heated. Bruce’s body was tense with irritation. He turned, caught sight of Dick and without a word of goodbye lowered the phone and hung up.
“Bruce?” Dick felt like he had just inhaled helium. His head was slightly lighter. A million questions ran through his mind, and died in his mouth. How are you here? Why are you here? Did Clark ask you to come?
“You’ve already testified? I’ve only been out here for a minute. I’m so sorry. I wanted to be in there for you.” Bruce was walking at so quick a pace, it was nearly a jog. Bruce swore and shoved his phone in his pocket. “I only stepped out, because one of the board members called me three times and texted that it was an emergency. I’m so sorry.”
“I’ve not gone yet.” Dick said numbly as Bruce reached him. “I just–I’m just stretching my legs. They have me in a box off the hall.”
Bruce exhaled. “I’m sorry, those always feel claustrophobic. I’ll walk with you.”
Dick too surprised by the man’s appearance, said nothing and just nodded. He couldn’t understand how he was here. Had Bruce been here all day?
Bruce, true to his word, followed Dick into the bathroom and watched as he splashed water over his face. When Dick straightened Bruce was there holding out paper towels for him.
Dick accepted them and ran the rough material over his face. “So–”
“So.” Bruce agreed.
“Clark ask you to come?” Dick let the question out in a rush wanting to get it over with.
“No. I’ve had this on my calendar since it was scheduled.” Bruce tilted his head slightly as if inspecting Dick for a sign of anger or frustration.
“Oh,” was all Dick could think to say in reply.
“You mentioned it at Christmas.” Bruce continued still eyeing him, that odd look on his face. “I should have asked at physio last week if you wanted me to come– but I was worried you’d say no.”
“I wouldn’t have.” Dick admitted. He had been too scared to ask. It meant a lot that Bruce had been coming to his physical therapy appointments to help him work through the quad again. The past few months Dick had begun to feel less discomfort around the man. They weren’t totally comfortable, and perhaps that was why Dick hadn’t asked him to come today. However, Dick found he didn’t second guess calling Batman to ask for a file, and he didn’t bristle at the occasional text asking if he wanted to get lunch during the week.
Bruce swallowed. “Well, should we go back to the box?”
Dick shrugged and turned to throw the paper towels in the bin.
Dick walked back to the horrible room, Bruce at his elbow the whole way. He was hovering. A year ago Dick would have snapped at it, and told Bruce to back off. Now he wanted to melt into it–let Bruce take over, even if it was just for a bit. If he had to rank his tension prior to running into Bruce in the hallway he would have said he was at an even level orange. But faced with Bruce’s presence, Dick was forced to realize he had been well into the black. With Bruce there he could feel his body and mind returning to something more akin to yellow. He was aware, but no longer overcome by impending doom.
The assistant started when Dick opened the door and Bruce at his heals. Dick waved Bruce in and crossed back to his chair.
“Sir, you can’t–” The assistant said, stuttering.
“It’s fine, he’s with me.” Dick spoke quickly before Bruce had a chance to justify his presence.
“All the same, I’m not sure.”
Dick swallowed. “I was told family was allowed to wait with me.”
Bruce’s eyes glanced over to him in a flicker of motion. Dick tried not to read into it. Clark wasn’t really family and Hess had said he could come with Dick. Bruce as his former guardian surely qualified.
“Oh yes. Yes, of course.” She looked at Bruce appraisingly. “I’m Anne Smith. I work for the DA’s office.”
Bruce nodded. “I’m Bruce.”
Bruce glanced around and pulled a chair from a stack by the wall and put it next to Dick’s.
Dick slumped back in his chair. He hated waiting.
“Dick?” Bruce’s voice was low as if he were trying not to be overheard. Anne was unfortunately in too close a quarter for that to be a realistic expectation.
Dick hummed, his eyes closed and head tipped back against the top of his chair’s back.
“Can I get you anything?” Bruce’s low rumble lacked hesitation. Perhaps it was the weekly contact they’d had over the last two months at Dick’s physical therapy appointments, but Bruce had begun to lose some of his uncertainty in much the same way Dick had been regaining his comfort.
“I’m fine. Just sick of waiting.” Dick sank down further in his chair, but tilted his head to look at Bruce.
“Okay.” Bruce reached out and plucked a small fidget cube off the table.
Dick chuckled.
“What?” Bruce shot him a smile. “You want it?”
Dick shook his head at the cube Bruce reached out in offering to him. “Just thinking that they didn’t have these 11 years ago.”
Bruce’s smile melted. “No, they didn’t.”
“So what did the board want?” Dick asked, hoping Bruce would accept the change in topic.
“Oh, apparently Luthorcorp offered a deal to a company we were in the process of acquiring.” Bruce rolled his eyes. “It’s fine. I’ll call the CEO tomorrow and we’ll sort it out.”
Dick called Lex a few choice names and Bruce fought to keep from smiling. Anne excused herself after a few minutes to check on the progress of the proceedings and Dick and Bruce fell into a comfortable silence.
Much of the anxiety that Dick had felt seemed to have receded. It wasn’t gone but the presence of it seemed less overwhelming.
Bruce turned the cube over in his hands absently his eyes locked on Dick. Dick made no move to correct his slumped posture though he was sure it was creasing his shirt.
“Thanks for coming.” Dick kept his eyes on the wall opposite him.
Bruce hummed.
“Really. It–I know how busy you are.” Dick didn’t quite know how to state how much it meant.
“Well, I can’t promise I’ll behave in there.” Bruce said after a long moment. “How long do you think it would take to bail me out if I deck him?”
Dick chuckled under his breath. He knew Bruce was trying for levity. The man had already seen Leoni and clearly not lept the barrier to punch him. “Probably six hours. You don’t want to deck him.”
Bruce pursed his lips. “I think it would be worth it.”
“If he gets off by some miracle after trial, you have my permission to get him–at night .”
Bruce, understanding that Dick meant as Batman, frowned. “Not as satisfying.”
There was a sharp knock on the door and Dick sat up, all the worry and fear surging up in his gut again. Anne stuck her head through the door and gave him a small rather tight smile. “We’re ready for you Mr. Grayson.”
Dick swallowed and stood. Bruce gave him a tight smile. Yellow, Dick thought, meeting his gaze. Just keep at yellow.