[ immediately pales and jumps back hearing that. ]

He -- he tried to do that to her? [ a pause, letting that sink in. ]

But if he's a criminal from your world, why wouldn't he be sent there?

You have to try to convince them and help them.

Good. [ she hesitates before putting her hand on his head, like she always does. ] They're not perfect, but they need help.

I'm glad you caught him, too.

[ surprised! it takes her a couple of seconds to register he's being emotional and she pats his back. ]

Hey, it's okay. What's wrong now?

[ she pauses. he must be really upset by this creeper who posed as bruce. :( on one hand, she's relieved it's not him because... really. what kind of father forgets his son's birthday? and the whole thing when he was on his baby loss. ]

Well... [ she takes a deep breath. part of the reason she wanted steph to give them some space for a while. ] I've also been part of your bad year but I want you to remember that if there's something on your mind, you can say it. Shindou-san told me all the time to just say what I wanted.

So, if you're sad or angry, it's alright to say that.

[ her expression is a little more firm, but evidently concerned. damian admitting that means he's fully aware of what he's done. she takes a seat on the floor, looking up at him now. ]

What happened, Damian?

[ freezing up for a second. ]

That man pretending to be your dad? Why -- what happened?

[ okay, deep breath uru. so that's why they showed up here. ]

What were you thinking when you tried to ... to do that to him?

[ not angry, or accusing. genuinely wants to know what he was feeling to drive him into a murderous rage. ]

[ somehow, until now she had forgotten how messed up damian's life was, and how there wasn't anything they can do to fix what's already been done in the past. dick said being robin was going to help him, even when she didn't believe him.

maybe... in some ways it makes sense damian would react like that. as terrifying an idea it is. he's been angry this year and been through people coming and going. people like her treating him like shit. now she feels guilty, wondering how much she might have played a part in damian's breakdown. ]

It's okay. You love him so much, don't you? That's why it makes you angry.

[ now here's something that doesn't makes sense to her. ]

Why did you stop from... from killing him?

So you stopped because you know it's wrong.