"I'm sorry did I just stop your plans to escape?" The joker asked while holding Robin's wrist that held the kryptonite rock.
The mad man grabbed the rock and put it back in Superboy's pocket. He kicked Robin hard in the ribs, the bird let out a soft chirp.
"Now, now Honey that's no good. Why would you try to escape from me?" The Joker asked a slight edge in his voice.
He walked over to the table when he had left the knife, picked it up admiring the amount of blood already on it.
"We'll have to make it so you never escape." The mad man growled, walking over to the little boy.
Robin's eyes widened in fear as the Joker lifted the knife above his head. The Joker swung it down and just as it was about to be plunged into Robin's tired beating heart, Robin jolted awake.
The flustered boy looked around; he seemed to be in a pure white hospital room that was lit up with bright light. How the little bird hated bright light. His eyes caught the sight of a big black blob out of the corner of his eye. It was Bruce.
"B-br-bruce?" The little bird choked out.
Bruce's eyes snapped to the attention of the boy wonder.
"Dick." Bruce said gently, grabbing the boy's hand.
"Where am I Bruce?" Robin asked, tilting his head a little.
"A medical room at the Wayne manner." The dark dressed man answered.
Robin was silent, he just looked around, and he felt like he was in a daze.
"What happened to the Joker?" The boy asked innocently.
The giant hand holding the boy wonder's tiny hand tightened greatly. The boy winced as his hand felt as if it were being crushed. Seeing the boy's discomfort Bruce quickly loosed his grip.
"Sorry. I just…" Bruce muttered, looking away.
Robin gave his hand a squeeze.
"Bruce?" The bird chirped.
"He's dead. Superboy broke his neck. That stupid clown's lucky I didn't get to him first. He wouldn't have gotten that quick of a death." Bruce answered a great amount of malice in his voice.
"Superboy! Is superboy okay?" Robin asked, his heart monitor beeping faster.
"He's fine. We had to sedate him when we found him, so he might still be asleep, but he's fine." The man said rubbing the side of Dick's hand with his thumb.
Suddenly Bruce's face went hard, his hand stopping his movement.
"Bruce are you okay?" Robin asked leaning to look into Bruce's eyes, the many tubes in Robin's arms making it quite difficult.
"Yeah it's just…." The man looked down.
"Just what?" The bird asked.
"Well Dick, the team has decided not to tell Superboy the truth about what happened." Bruce explained looking back into the blue eyes that belonged to Robin.
"That' probably a good idea he was pretty freaked out when he was holding me." Robin said chuckling lightly, "So why are you looking like that. Don't you think it's a good idea?"
"I do. I just… I think that we should be lying to you as well." Bruce said looking Robin hard in the eyes.
Dick was stunned, his face frozen between a smile and a gapped open mouth, his eyes wide.
"What?" The boy asked confused.
"You don't remember, but until two days ago you would just lie here in this bed and cry for someone to save you. Obviously you're still having nightmares about what happened and I don't want you having nightmares while you're still awake." Bruce explained giving Robin' hand a little squeeze.
"I'm fine! I'm supposed to be the future leader; I can't let something like this get to me!" Dick exclaimed, removing his hand from under Bruce's.
"You're only thirteen. You can't just carry something like this." Bruce said sternly.
"I can! I'm mature enough, who cares if I'm thirteen! I can do this!" Robin yelled, his heart monitor going crazy.
Bruce pulled the fighting child into a tight, but gentle hug, making sure to be careful with the boy's arm. Robin tried to push him away but the dark dressed man would not let go.
"Richard Grayson." Bruce whispered into the boy's ear.
Robin ceased his fighting immediately.
"You don't have to do this alone." The man whispered, rubbing the boy's shoulders, "its okay to lean on me, If you ever feel like crying just run into my arms just like this. I'll hold you until all the tears have stopped."
There was no verbal response, just a small hand reaching up and grabbing the man's shirt.
The broken boy then cried, his head buried into his father's shoulder.