This is set almost immediately post-Apprentice. Might technically be a crossover. Un-beta'd, so apologies for any typos.

Repairing What's Broken

The Teen Titans were physically and emotionally wrung out. After reclaiming Robin from Slade's clutches, they thought their day had peaked. Until they got home, and found a tall dark figure waiting for them.

"Robin," Batman said, eyes immediately going to his partner. "Care to explain?"

The other Titans shifted nervously, no doubt wondering exactly what was going on between their leader and his mentor. Robin didn't reply, merely pulling something from his belt and holding it out as his explanation.

Batman felt his eyes grow wide at the sight of the slender chain with two gold bands and a little black lacquer bat pendant. He'd bought the chain when Dick came to live with him, so the boy could wear his parents' wedding rings, and the bat when the adoption came through. But what alarmed him were the broken ends.

It had been forcibly yanked from his neck.

Automatically, he thought back to when he thought Dick would do that himself.

"Stop controlling my life!"

Dick's angry voice rang through the cave, startling the bats from their perches in a rattle of wings. The young acrobat turned vigilante stood glaring at his mentor, bitterly furious that yet another attempt to hang out with his fellow teenage heroes had been interrupted for a dull, routine stakeout and patrol. As Bruce watched, slightly horrified, his hand slipped under his tunic and pulled out the rings and pendant, the chain straining and starting to bite into his neck.

Then he opened his hand, and instead he stared at the collection of trinkets. "You're my father, Bruce, and all children are what their parents make them," he explained. "But now I have to be true to my Mom and Dad. I have to fly free. Why can't you see that?"

Bruce was silent, reading the regret-tinged longing in his son's face. "If that's the way it must be," he murmured. "Then go. Contact me when you're settled. We can sort something out. But just remember that your most valuable commodity is your identity. And that you'll always have a home here in Gotham."

Dick nodded, dropping his necklace back onto his chest. "Thank you, Bruce. I'm sorry. I guess I'll miss you."

Batman absently read the confusion on the other Titans' faces. They didn't know the significance of the necklace. No-one did, except the two Gotham vigilantes and Alfred. And presumably whoever had torn it from Robin's neck. "Let's see if I can fix that," he said, holding out his hand.

Robin glided forward; depositing the chain in Batman's outstretched hand and moving past him to curl up on the couch. Batman sat next to him, examining the broken ends of the chain. "It's not too bad. It'll just take a few minutes." He pulled out his lock-picks, clearly seeing a new use for them.

The Titans gathered in the kitchenette, futilely asking each other if this was normal, if this was what was to be expected. But they had no answers, and so resorted to shooting glances at the motionless Robin sat hugging his knees to his chest, and the feared Batman tenderly repairing a piece of jewellery.

"There," Batman said, lifting the repaired chain and undoing the still-intact clasp. When Robin looked up, he reached out and fastened it around his son's neck. Their hands met as they both touched the trinkets resting on Robin's chest.

"It hardly shows," Bruce murmured, gauging the pain in his boy's eyes and face, reaching out the only way he knew; with simple actions and non-invasive statements. Sure enough, Robin's eyes watered, then he threw his arms round Batman's waist, buried his head on his father's chest and wept. Batman held him close, knowing that he'd have his answers when Robin- Dick- was ready.

"Guess we should leave them to it, huh?" Cyborg muttered, herding his teammates out of the kitchen to let Robin repair his broken heart.