bradygirl_12 | Fic: Sacrifice (4/4)

Title: Sacrifice (4/4)
Author: BradyGirl_12
Pairings/Characters (this chapter): Bruce/Dick, Hal Jordan, Roy Harper, Clark Kent, J’onn J’onzz, Ollie/Dinah, various other JLA’ers and Teen Titans, Vale
Genres: Angst, Challenge, Drama, Hurt/Comfort
Rating (this chapter): PG-13
Warnings: None
Spoilers: None
General Summary: A JLA and Teen Titans’ mission goes horribly awry on a primitive planet.
Chapter Summary: No more hiding.
Date Of Completion: July 28, 2009
Date Of Posting: August 17, 2009
Disclaimer: I don’t own ‘em, DC does, more’s the pity.
Word Count: 901
Feedback welcome and appreciated.
Author’s Notes: Written for

silvertales for my Hurt/Comfort Fic Prompt Request. Pairing: Bruce/Dick. Prompt: Self-Sacrifice. :) :) and for my 2009 DCU Fic/Art Cast Of Thousands!!! Challenge.

IV

NO MORE HIDING

Two hours ago

Dick shivered as he was stripped and placed in a large sunken tub, yellow candlelight shimmering on the water as he was bathed in a darkened room of rose stone walls.

He was taken out of the tub, toweled dry, and placed on a bed of silk, his body covered in aromatic oil from head-to-toe, the masseuses’ touches intimate yet professional. Kohl was added around his eyes.

The Korlons were stronger and not afraid to use that strength on Dick, who despite knowing all the techniques taught to him by Bruce, couldn’t get away and even if he did, he was worried that his friends would be killed.

He began to feel panic.

What if he couldn’t get out of this one?

They snapped bands of copper metal around his arms and legs, and the Chief Priest arrived with a necklace of sparkling multi-colored jewels and slipped it around Dick’s neck. He snapped his fingers and Dick was surrounded by an escort of red-robed Korlons.

He decided to try for an escape, banking on the Korlons being so busy trying to catch him that they wouldn’t think of the prisoners, giving his friends more time. He didn’t want to go like a lamb to slaughter, though if he had to do so to save Bruce and his friends, he would.

Out in the corridor, he finally saw an opening and took it, pushing two of the escort and running with all the speed he possessed.

A sharp pain in his thigh caused him to stumble, his hand brushing against a dart wedged in his leg. As he fell to his knees, already losing consciousness, he thought of Bruce, who would blame himself.

I’m sorry, Bruce, and then darkness closed in as rough hands seized him.

& & & & & &

The Present

And so it was that the ceremony pulsed and smoked and wailed as the chants grew louder as the dagger came down, glinting in the torchlight. A well-aimed decorative stone knocked the dagger out of the chief priest’s hand. He yelped in surprise and Hal and Roy rushed forward, using well-honed fighting skills to keep the Korlons off-balance. Bruce raced up the steps of the platform and quickly unchained Dick, gathering him in his arms.

Roy knocked over a huge pot of incense, the billowing black smoke covering their escape as the Korlons shouted and coughed.

The heroes hurried out into the gardens, navigating by the light of the twin moons, finding a small area surrounded by neat boxwood hedges. They were hidden from view, at least for the moment.

“How’s Dick?” Roy asked anxiously.

Bruce checked his pulse. “Seems okay. They must have given him knock-out drugs.” He gently patted the younger man’s cheek. “Wake up, Dick.”

“We’d better see if there’s a way out of here. C’mon, Roy.”

Roy followed Hal out of the hedge enclosure.

Bruce detached his cape and wrapped it around Dick’s nude body, smelling the lemon-scented oil and brushing shaggy locks out of kohl-rimmed eyes.

“It was a close thing,” he whispered.

“C’mon, Bruce!” Hal said urgently as he came back.

Suddenly the Korlon guards appeared and Hal turned to face them as Bruce gently lowered Dick to the ground and leapt up with a snarl.

One of the guards was not a Korlon.

Vale smiled, dressed in his traditional armor. He drew his sword. “I don’t need a gun to take down Humans,” he said with a smirk, tossing his long, white hair as he ordered the guards to find Ollie and Dinah. He fought both Bruce and Hal, his skill keeping both busy, Bruce grimly matching move-for-move, Hal keeping up admirably.

Vale struck Hal on the side of the head and he went down staggering as the Varian turned to Bruce. “Your precious sparkler will be dead before the coming of the dawn!”

Bruce snarled and lunged forward with a kick, knocking Vale back into a statue, both crashing down to the ground.

Before Vale could get up, Clark and J’onn flew down and knocked over the band of approaching guards like bowling pins. Clark tossed Hal his ring.

“Let’s go, Bruce!” Clark scooped up Dick while J’onn grabbed Bruce.

The flight back to the Javelin was wild, the Leaguers and Titans who could fly helping the others. They dashed into their ship and Dinah slammed the hatch shut, Diana and Shayera piloting the controls, while Hal, J’onn, and Clark held off the airborne Korlon soldiers who had just launched. Kory and Raven joined them and the Javelin rocked from energy bolts, but Diana and Shayera managed to wrestle them back on course.

Heart pounding, Bruce wrapped his arms around Dick as he sat in the lounge on the couch, his cape still wrapped around his lover.

For once, let someone else strategize. His hand trembled as he touched Dick’s face.

“We’re clear!” Ollie shouted. “Good job finding that control box, Pretty Bird.”

“Thanks, Archer.”

The superhumans came on board, and Dick’s eyes fluttered open.

“Br…Bruce?”

Bruce felt a surge of relief so great that his vision blurred, and he leaned down and kissed Dick with all the love in his trembling heart.

Neither man saw the shock and smiles surrounding them.

Dick had almost made the ultimate sacrifice.

No more hiding.

Dick’s arms went around Bruce as he passionately returned the kiss.