My Kids. (Batfamily fanfiction)

Chapter 3-Falling Apart.

A/N: Things aren't going too well for Dick. He is becoming way overwhelmed and is struggling way too much.
*Contains Self harm*

Two nights.
It has been two nights since Dick got any sleep. He had picked up late night patrolling to try and burn off some of the stress he was under, but it was only adding to it plus the lack of sleep, but Dick tired his best to not allow any of his siblings caught on to the fact that he was struggling.
That he was...drowning.

Dick stumbled inside the small apartment it was now 5 in the morning and it was time to begin the day for himself and all of his siblings. 
Dick sighed and quickly changed out of Nightwing uniform and hopped into the shower to wash off the night's activities from his tired and sore body.

Dick had to cut his shower short because during the shower, Dick's eyes got super heavy and everything was spinning. He had to hold onto the wall, from not falling to the ground. The heat from the shower probably wasn't helping him out much, he had no idea the last time he ate and he hadn't slept in two days, but given the fact that the last time he slept was only for three hours, he was super worn down.
He got dressed and tried his hardest to not fall over and pass out on the bathroom floor. 

He made his way out of the bathroom and tried his best to start his day. He got all their book bags and sat them by the front door, as he now went to prepare the kids lunches, all except Jason's who bought lunch at school.

After soon time, from doing his homework, looking over some bills and doing some of the laundry, Dick closed his eyes for a second before he needed to wake up his siblings.
But the lack of sleep, food and energy caught up with him and Dick's heavy eyes shut and he drifted off into sleep. 

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[Beep. Beep. Beep]

Jason groan and crunched his brows at hearing this awful sound. He rolled over and squinted his sleepy eyes open to see the bright red numbers glaring at him. He just wanted to slam his head under the pillows and hide from the world. He wasn't in the mode to get up and go to school.

The beeping continued and he began to hear Damian begin to wake up. Jason sighed and slammed his fist down upon the alarm clock and that's when it hit him.
The alarm clock was going off, that was odd. It hardly ever went off because Dick always woke him and everyone else up. Jason suddenly looked around the room and saw no sign of his big brother, it wasn't that odd because most nights Dick fell asleep on the cough, if he fell asleep that is.

Jason groaned and moaned as he pushed himself from the bed and over to the now awaken Damian who was sucking on his thumbs. As soon as Damian saw him, he held his arms up to be picked up. A small smile crossed his face, it was Dick who usually took care of all things Damian and Damian knew it too. He always reached for Dick and seemed to like him the best, but even Damian must have been starting to notice how Dick has changed. Becoming way more distant and worn out.
Jason quickly changed him then set him on his hip as he went out in search for their big brother.

He walked out of his room and into the living room to find Dick's head against the kitchen table under a school book or two. Jason sighed and walked Damian over to the rug on the ground and poured a few toys out to keep him busy while he decided what to do next.

He could either wake Dick up or wake Tim and Cass up and try his best to help Dick out. Seeing just how tired he was and has been, Jason decided to let Dick get some rest. He headed off towards Cass and Tim's bedroom to get them up for school.

"Damn" thought Jason after getting those two done and ready for school. He knew it was hard but geez Dick made it look easy. Not wanting to make breakfast this morning, he just poured bowls of cereal. He glanced over at the clock and noticed that it was now 7:50.
School started at 8 and Dick had to be at work at 8:10. He hurried the kids towards the door then went to Dick to sadly wake him up. He didn't want to but knew Dick had to get up and go to work, because without work there was no money and no money meant serious problems for them.

Jason began to slowly shake Dick's shoulders. He didn't respond at first but then began to moan and slowly open up his eyes.
Jason was taken aback when he saw how Dick's blue eyes were both red and glazed over, his pupils slightly dilated. Without much thought he reached out and placed his hand against Dick's forehead and instantly he felt how warm Dick's skin was, he had a fever and it was most likely do to everything he had been going through.

"Dude, you're sick'' said Jason as he sighed as he watched Dick sit up and tried to get himself together.

"I...I'm fine Jay'' said Dick as he slowly walked towards the door to his siblings, he stumbled here and there, causing Jason to worry even more. Jason quickly walked forward and placed his hands upon both of Dick's shoulders, holding him back.

"Dickie, you're not going anywhere. Let me deal with the kids and you get some rest'' Jason said as Dick shook his head 'no'.

"I can't.'' said Dick slowly and tried to push past Jason but could not.

"Just rest! Okay? Come on Dick, you need it'' Jason said all seriousness held within his voice. After staring at one another, Dick finally caved and let his walls down, showing how tired and overwhelmed he was truly to Jason. This both shocked and worried Jason, cause it would usually take so much more work to get Dick to cave that easily.

Jason nodded his head as he lead Dick towards the bedroom. As soon as Dick entered the room, he flopped onto the bed and closed his eyes and was out within seconds. Jason sighed and shook his head.
"Poor Dickie'' thought Jason as he silently shut the bedroom door and headed out for school with his younger siblings.

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Hours pasted and Jason, Tim, Damian and Cass returned home from school. Jason made sure that Tim and Cass sat down and started their homework, while he turned the TV on for Damian. After they were all settled, Jason decided to go and check upon Dick.

But as soon as he entered the bedroom, there was no sign of his big brother. He saw the bathroom light on and walked over towards the bathroom and knocked upon the door.

"Hey Dick, we're back." said Jason as he listened for a response but got no verbal response, just a small wince of pain. "Is everything alright Dickie bird?" questioned Jason but got nothing, so he shoved the bathroom door open slowly.

"Dick..." Jason paused when he saw Dick quickly pull his pants up, "are you okay?"

"Just fine.'' said Dick as he stood up and quickly pushed past Jason, yanking his long sleeve t-shirt down and cover his hands. "I was just cleaning some old wounds. I didn't hear you guys come in. How was school?" said Dick.

"It was okay I guess'' Jason said as he watched Dick before him. He watched Dick nod his head and quickly slid something into one of the bedside table drawls and then turned around to face Jason, shooting him a smile before walking out to see the others.

Dick left the room, leaving Jason alone to think for a moment. He looked back at the bathroom, lost in thought. 
He clearly saw the small cuts on his legs, they were in lines, evenly spaced out in straight lines on his thighs, on the inside. 
He then quickly walked over to the nightstand and opened the drawls and searched for what Dick put in it. His hands then suddenly came across a small silver blade.

Jason's green eyes widen and he inhaled sharply and glanced up at the door towards the direction Dick went.

"No...No it can't be that. It...Dick wouldn't do that. Would he?" thought Jason. He slid the blade back inside as if he didn't find it and went out to the living room to find Dick helping Tim with his homework and Damian on his lap. 

Jason stood in the doorway and kept his eyes glued on Dick. Dick must have sensed Jason's eyes upon him for he quickly glanced up and smiled at Jason then turned back to help Tim. Jason narrowed his eyes and kept watching, and if Jason wasn't watching him at the moment he would have missed it.
Dick then pulled on his long sleeve again as he then reached across the table. He pulled his sleeve down, now it was covering his knuckles so when he reached across the table it wouldn't rise up. 
Jason could faintly see a small stain on red upon the sleeve and closed his eyes.

"Damn it!" thought Jason.