Hey Brother

Chapter Thirty Eight

DRAAAAMAAAAAA!!!!!!!!!!

How many of y'all think Roy is really working for Ra's?

Who thinks Damian is just letting his imagination run a little bit wild?

We shall find out soon.

Ever since their conversation in Damian's room, Dick and Damian had been slightly avoiding each other, unsure of how to act around the other until this all came to pass. It was tense between the two of them, whether they meant it to be or not. The other's had begun to notice.

Barbara pulled Damian aside a week before their gala, asking him what was up between him and Dick.

Damian sighed, debating telling her what his theory was. "Can you keep a secret?"

Barbara scoffed. "Of course I can."

"I mean it. This is life or death." Barbara nodded and Damian looked to make sure they were alone before he whispered his theory to her. Barbara listened intently, nodding every so often. When Damian was finished, she was quiet. He bounced nervously on his feet. "Well?"

"Damian, it didn't occur to you that maybe it was Jason calling the two of you minutes apart?" Barbara spoke gently.

Damian snorted. "And it didn't occur to you that I would have his number saved in my phone and so would Roy?"

Barbara nodded. "Okay, well, how do you know it wasn't a telemarketer?"

Damian rolled his eyes, pulling his phone out. He pulled up his call logs and showed Barbara the number. "This is the same number that was calling Roy and has been for who knows how long. Watch what happens when I call it."

"Damian, wait-" She was too late as Damian dialed the number and put it on speaker phone. He gave Barbara a look to be silent.

The phone rang once before someone answered. "Ah, Damian, what a pleasant surprise that you would call me first. To what do I owe this pleasure?"

"Grandfather, I was just calling to check in and see how the preparations on your end are going?"

Barbara listened with wide eyes as the two conversed for a minute before hanging up. She looked at Damian with sad eyes. "This is...this is going to destroy him."

"Which is exactly why he can't find out until after Ra's is taken down."

Barbara narrowed her eyes at the youngest. "You know, when he finds out that you knew and didn't tell him, that will further break his heart."

Damian sighed again, rubbing his temples. "I know."

"He deserves to know, Damian. Keeping this from him is not right."

"Damnit, I know!" Damian snapped, looking up at Barbara with tears rimming his eyes. "Don't you think I realize that? I'm just trying to protect him, like he always protects me."

Barbara put a hand on Damian's shoulder. "Damian, letting him continue to believe this lie about who Roy is isn't protecting him. I know you have the right intentions, but he deserves to know."

Damian deflated. "You're right. I just...he's going to be so hurt."

"And that's where we come in. We'll be there for him, every step of the healing process." Barbara smiled at her little brother. "Now, come on, we have that meeting to finalize the plans for the gala."

Damian gasped. "Roy's here, isn't he?"

Barbara saw the glint in Damian's eye. "Damian, no-!"

But it was too late, Damian was off and running to the living room where the family and significant others were all gathered to discuss the plan, Barbara hot on his heels. They burst into the living room and all eyes turned to them.

Jason saw the look on Damian's face and instantly went on alert. "Damian, what's wrong?"

Damian glared past him at Roy, who was standing by the fire place. He raised an accusatory finger and pointed it at the red head. "He's what's wrong."

Barbara and Dick bristled. "Not here, Damian. Not like this." They hissed, eyeing the other when they heard them speak. "You know too?"

Damian ignored them, walking further into the room with everyone's attention on him. He stopped in front of Jason and Roy. Roy stared down at Damian, a look of complete innocence on his face. Damian wanted to hit him. "When were you going to tell him, Harper?"

Roy blinked as Jason stepped back to look between the two of them. "Tell me what? What's going on?"

Damian held out his hand. "Give me your phone, Harper, or I will take it from you."

"Woah, woah, woah, what is happening? Why do you need Roy's phone?" Jason looked as Roy handed it over with out a fight, avoiding Jason's eyes. "Roy? Tell me what is going on."

Roy looked up from the ground into Jason's eyes. "I'm sorry, Jaybird. I truly am."

Damian growled. "Save it, traitor."

Jason felt his world slow down as Damian scrolled through Roy's call logs to a certain number, showing it to Jason. "Look familiar? This number has been calling Roy for the past six months, probably more."

Jason took the phone with shaky hands, looking at the number he would know anywhere. He felt his world spinning around him, the only steady thing was the spear of betrayal that struck his heart. He looked up from the phone to Roy, his heart hammering in his chest. "Roy...what is this?"

Roy couldn't take his eyes off the ground. "Jason, I can ex-"

"At least look at me when you rip my heart out, you bastard!"

Roy flinched, forcing his eyes to look up into the tear soaked ones of his (ex?)boyfriend. "I'm an orphan, right? I was just a child when Ra's al Ghul found me and took me in, training and grooming me to be the perfect best friend for you. He sent me out to an orphanage when I was eleven to create a backstory. All of my perspective adoptive parents fell through, all except for Ollie, of course, because that was who would get me within the Wayne's social circle. Not too close though, not yet, not until you showed up. That was the plan. I was supposed to befriend you, lull you into a false sense of security before betraying you horribly, ruining your image of humanity. It just worked out better that you hated Talia and I was working for Ra's, a better betrayal and catalyst to your grandfather's side. The only problem was that I...that I made a mistake. I fell for you. I was never supposed to fall for you, Jaybird. It was supposed to be a simple, no strings attached mission, but damnit, now I'm all tangled in you."

Jason stared coldly at Roy. "Well, let me untangle you. We're through, Roy Harper. Get out of my house and out of my life."

"Jaybird-"

"No. You don't get to call me that anymore. Get out, Harper, before I let Damian do the unspeakable things he is planning in his head."

Roy nodded. He walked silently to the door, pausing at the exit. "I may have lied about who I am, but I never lied about how I feel."

Jason laughed humorlessly. "How can you expect me to believe you?"

Roy didn't respond, he just closed the door and continued to exit the manor. He walked to his car, getting inside and driving away to Oliver's house in silence. Once inside, he knew what he had to do to set things right.

He pulled out his phone and dialed Ra's.

"Hello, Harper. A new update for me?"

"Yeah, I quit. I can't - won't do this anymore. I'm through."

Ra's tsked on the other side of the line. "Well, that's too bad, Harper. I'm sure Jason would've killed you much swifter than I am going to kill you."

"I'm not afraid of you, al Ghul."

"No? Well, little word of advice. Run."