EDIT: TW BLOOD

Dick was running. Running on an endless track. There was no end and he didn't remember starting it. He was just running. He knew to run because his brain was screaming at him that he needed to. What was chasing him he didn't know. He just knew one thing. Run. The track continued as his chest heaved until it suddenly stopped. The ground beneath his feet was loose now. Almost like dirt. Like sawdust. Like the material, the circus put down for the animals. He whipped around. He saw the stands of people. Children. Adults. Teenagers looking at their phones, the screen lighting up their faces. He began to shake. He tried to find the exit but the tent flaps fastened shut and an invisible force pushed him to the ring. He squeezed his eyes shut. One night. Just one night he wanted where he didn't see it again. When he opened his eyes, he was on the platform. He was wearing his performing suit. He looked around and found his parents. Every time he saw them he couldn't help but feel happy. Even when he knew what was going to happen next. It was just seeing his mother's face. Her bright eyes. Her wonderful smile always made him smile. How could he not feel happy? How could the world not melt away? His mum reached out and he subconsciously went to grab her hand. Then her expression turned. She knew something wasn't right when she started to feel herself lose momentum. Maybe his dad had lost a tight grip on her when he realized what was going on. Dick dropped to his knees and reached down in one last attempt but failed as he had done over and over again. He screamed. He cried. He wished he could just close his eyes but they stayed open, taking in every detail of their gory death. Bones were where they shouldn't be. Blood was pooling beneath them. Their skin was being poked at and pierced from inside. A sick feeling swirled in his stomach as he stared at the bodies. 

Normally the dream ended there. Tonight it didn't. The platform he was kneeling on suddenly dropped. His stomach jumped to his throat as he was freefalling into the darkness. He screamed harder until the fall finally stopped. He shakily got off the platform and set his feet on firm ground. He'd never seen a place like this before. The interior was red with yellow glass here and there. The room was filled with a golden glow. "This is your fault," a voice stated. He turned around and was faced with a ginger teenager with emerald eyes. He wore a yellow suit that had a remarkable similarity to Flash's. This person definitely wasn't Flash. 

"What?" Dick asked shakily. He'd never been to this place. Why did his nightmare bring him here? 

"You got us all killed!" the older yelled. He shoved him so hard that he fell to the floor. He became increasingly aware that there was a long drop behind him. He gulped. 

"I don't know who you are!" he shouted back.

"You'll never be Batman!" The ground beneath him gave way and he was suddenly in another freefall. He could feel his breath leaving faster than he could take it in. Who was that? Where were they? Why were they saying that? His thoughts were broken when he hit the ground with a loud thud. He scrambled to his feet and felt a chill go through his body. He searched his surroundings only to find a grave in front of him. 

"Selfish." He whipped around but there was nobody to the voice. He looked back at the grave and read the name. Jason. No. Jason was the guy who first found him how could he be dead? "Your fault." How was it his fault if the guy was still alive? "Selfish." Dick slammed his hands over his ears as the voices got louder and louder. He didn't understand what was going on. He didn't have these memories. "Idiot." He shook his head as though that would shut up the voice but it didn't. "Your fault."

Everything fell silent. He lifted his hands away from his ears. Someone was calling his name in the distance but it was a voice he yet again found unfamiliar. A face came into view. Well, it was more of a mask rather than a face. An orange and black mask with a white eye shone through the dark. "Robin," it sang menacingly. Dick whimpered and tried to back away only to bump into the person again. He whipped around as the man gripped his wrist. "Join me, Robin. Don't you want to save your friends?" He tried to shake off his hand. Who was this man? His face then melted into another. It was a tall ginger girl. She looked like Barbara but much older. She glared at him and threw him to the floor. 

"You're a failure Dick. I can't even look at you." She turned around and disappeared into the dark. 

"Come back! Please! I don't know what's going on!" he sobbed. He'd never met these people. Why were they in his nightmare? He wanted them out. In some sick way, he'd rather just watch the replay of his parent's death. 

"Dick," a voice called. He didn't look. He didn't want to hear it. "Dick save me!"

"Dick please!"

"Dick!"

"Dick!" 

"Dick!"

"Stop!"

Dick shot up with a scream and clutched at the bedsheets. His nails practically ripped through the fabric. He breathed heavily as his eyes darted around the room. It was his room. He was in the manor. Was everything a bad dream? He glanced down. He was wearing borrowed clothes. Not all of this was a bad dream. He hiccuped quietly and put his head on his knees as he cried. What was that? Who was that? Why was he seeing that? All the bad things they said rushed through his head and make the tears fall faster. He became faintly aware of footsteps outside his door. He wanted to yell for them to come in but he wanted to be sure they were actually for him. He didn't want to be a nuisance. He didn't need to call for someone because that someone came in. "Dick, what's wrong?" Tim asked, rushing to his bedside.

"I-I had a night-nightmare but I saw someone I-I don't know," he replied through the tears. He did his best not to sob but it wasn't working out very well. Tim moved so he was sitting beside him and rubbed small circles on his back. Another figure showed up in the doorway. Damian. 

"I heard a scream," the teenager stated. "Should I alert father?"

"Do you want Bruce?" Tim asked the sobbing child. He nodded. "Tell him he's really upset. It's urgent." Damian hummed and ran off to the cave. "What do you need from me?" Dick glanced up timidly and held out his arms, making grabby hands since he couldn't find the breath to vocalize it. Luckily that was enough for the older to go off. He picked him up and placed him on his lap. He let the boy lean against him and cuddle him like a teddy bear. "I've got you, Dickie. Try and breathe a little slower for me okay? You'll feel much better if you do." Dick nodded and tried to copy his breathing. He managed to get it after a few minutes and relaxed a little in his brother's arms. "Do you want to try explaining what you saw again?"

"People I didn't know. Maybe the older version of me does. Our memories might be bleeding together," he explained, trying to keep his voice normal. Tim frowned and held him a little closer. He didn't want to think about what was going on in his mind. 

"Whatever they said or did, they didn't mean it."

"How can you be so sure?" 

"I know your head. You get worried about people not liking you when they really do care for you," he explained. Dick shrugged and felt himself get tired again. He got himself more comfortable and relaxed in the arms of the other. "Tired?" Tim asked, almost laughing at him. He nodded and yawned. "How 'bout you sleep and I'll wake you up when Bruce comes up. Sound good?"

"Yeah. Night Tim."

"Night Dick."

Damian came up alone. He leaned against the doorframe and shook his head when Tim gave him a questioning look. "What? Where is he?" he asked, keeping his voice low so the boy in his arms didn't stir. 

"Said you've got it handled. He's busy." 

"Fine. Shut the door so I can get some sleep. Looks like I'm in for the long haul." Damian nodded and shut the door. They both silently seethed at the behaviour of their dad. Sure he was stressed but Dick was feeling that ten times worse. They both wished Alfred was awake to force their mentor to step up but neither felt like waking the elderly butler up. They'd just have to deal with it for now.