Little Richard came home after one of his first days at Gotham High confused. The other kids had called him many mean things the whole day long. Of course he understood that they wanted to tease him but fortunately the young boy couldn´t understand everything properly because of his slim English knowledge.
Dick wanted to be prepared for the next day at school and think of some good responds but first he had to figure out what the insults meant. He wanted to ask Alfred first, but the Butler had left the manor to buy some groceries after he had dropped Richard at the manor.
His only other option was Bruce. Richard was still not comfortable around his rich patron. Every time both of them were alone in the same room it felt awkward and constricting.
That is why Dick waited 15 minutes more before he got past his fear and searched for Bruce. Another 15 minutes later he found the older man inside his study at the desk between two high stacks of paperwork. The businessman looked tired and concentrated. Richard knocked softly at the door without any responds from Bruce. He knocked again a little bit louder. There was still no respond recognizable. Unsure if he should better leave the room or try it again, Dick remained at the doorframe.
A few minutes later Bruce still hadn´t looked up from his work and the young boy decided to leave the study again and wait for Alfred in the kitchen. At the moment he turned around to leave, there came a rough voice from the desk: "What do you need!"
The young boy turned back and answered shyly: "Can you explain to me what charity is, Mr. Wayne?"
The older man didn´t look away from his paperwork while he answered in a casual tone: "Charity is a generous actions or donations to aid the poor, ill, or helpless."
"And what is a charity case exactly?"
"A charity case is someone or something who/that is in need of help and gets support from rich people, who try to calm their bad conscience by spending a little bit of their money."
Dick was absolutely shocked by the explanation. The adult hadn´t noticed anything and read already his next report of Wayne Industries. Dick turned immediately around and left Bruce study. He was confused, upset and stunned. Was he only Mr. Waynes ward to calm the man´s bad conscience? Was he just taken in to show to the world Mr. Waynes helpfulness, his social sense of responsibility?
When that was the true reason of his "luck" he didn´t want to stay here any longer. He deserved more than that, or not? He wanted people around him that loved him and supported him just like his parents used to do!
Dick didn´t recognize the tears that streamed down his face. The whole world seemed to be so unfair! He missed his parents so much and now he missed them even more! The poor boy had thought that he could find a new home at the manor but suddenly the huge building felt pretty much the same as the terrible orphanage where he had to stay after his parent´s death.
Richard put his few personal belongings within five minutes in a backpack and wrote a short note for Mr. Wayne before he left the manor.
Three hours later Alfred called his masters in the dining-room. After he did the shopping, he prepared Dicks favorite dinner at the kitchen. The good old butler had recognized that his new master was very quiet and thoughtful after school and wanted to lift his spirits.
Only Bruce appeared in the dining-room and so Alfred left again to search for the young master. He went straight to Dick´s room and knocked patiently on the door: "Master Richard, you must have missed my dinner call, please come down, the dinner is ready."
The butler waited for a moment. After he didn´t get any respond from the young master, he opened the door slowly and searched for the young boy. Of course he couldn´t find Dick inside but instead he found a small note on the floor. Alfred picked it up, read it twice before he stormed back to the dining-room and handed the note to Bruce: "Master Bruce, read this! I really hope you can explain it to me!"
Bruce looked at the piece of paper and read: "Thank you for taking me in, Mr. Wayne. I´m sorry, but I don´t want to be your charity case! I am sure you find someone else to calm your bad conscience."
Before Bruce could say anything, Alfred asked worried: "What does that mean? Do you know why Master Richard writes such nonsense?"
Without answering Bruce ordered: "Oh my god! We have to find him!"
Two hours later Bruce and Alfred were still on the streets of Gotham to search for Dick. Bruce has explained his mistake to Alfred in the meantime. It doesn´t need to be said, that the butler was very upset with his Master and informed the millionaire in his own way how wrong his words had been.
In the meantime heavy clouds hung at the sky and it was raining heavily. Bruce could only hope that Dick had found a dry and save hideout. How could he be so careless in front of the boy. He had to find him and explain this misconception. Where could they search for Dick yet? They had been looking at many playgrounds, the shopping mall and the way to the zoo, because of the boys love for animals. "Where would I go, if I would be in his position?"
Then it hit him! Bruce ordered Alfred to turn the car straightaway and head back to the outskirts, where the Gotham cemetery was placed. Fortunately his intuition was right. He found the small boy sleeping in the rain between the gravestones of Mary and John Grayson. His clothes were soaked from the rain and he was shivering in his unsettled sleep. Bruce could see that the boy had cried despite the rain, because of his puffy red eyes. How could he let that happen to him?
Carefully he took the small boy in his arms and brought him into the warm and dry car. The fact that Dick didn´t wake up made Bruce nervous and so he requested Alfred to drive as fast as possible back to the manor.
Both men cared immediately for little Richard and so the boy was soon placed in dry clothes and under thick blankets in front of the fireplace. Alfred brought also some medical equipment to find the reason why Dick was still sleeping.
"He has a high fever, sir! We need to bring it down. Otherwise we will need Dr Tomkins soon! I will prepare cold compresses. Stay with him in the meantime! "
The old butler didn´t need to express his opinion about the reason for the boys sickness. Bruce could detect it in every single word. His already immense guilt increased immediately even more.
For the next hours he sat silently next to his young ward and changed regularly the cold compresses until he could hear faint coughs under the blankets. Dick finally awoke and Bruce was a little bit relieved, although he had still the complicate task to explain the young boy his inconsiderate statement.
Dick needed some time till he finally recognized his surroundings but then he tried to get rid of the blankets and escape again. Bruce immediately put his hands on the boys shoulders and pushed him gently back.
"Please, Dick, keep calm. You caught a very nasty cold. You still need to rest."
"Leave me alone! I don´t want to stay and you can´t lock me up here!" The boy would have tried to run away again but a heavy coughing fit and Bruce´s strong arms prevented him.
"Please, stay calm and let me rectify something! You totally misunderstood my explanation about a charity case. I sounded so derogatory because I hate all the rich people here in Gotham who think that they can buy a good conscience without any effort or good deeds. A charity case in this city is nothing to be proud of or to show off with."
A soft whisper interrupted Bruce explanation suddenly: "I don´t want to be a charity case!"
Bruce intensified his look and answered serious and firmly: "You are not a charity case, Richard Grayson!" He made a short pause to let the words reach the small boys mind. "That is the point where you were totally wrong! I didn´t take you in to proof my good intentions to anybody. I took you in because it was for me like when I looked in a mirror and saw my own childhood again. I had to witness my parents death too. The only difference was that I had a strong friend by my side, a friend who protected and guided me through the darkness back then. You also deserved such a valuable friend in your life. That is the reason you came here and it is the reason why you should never believe anybody who charge that you are a charity case!"
Then Richard hugged the older man for the first time. He was so relieved and also exhausted. He couldn´t explain to Bruce how blessed he was in that moment and so he just hold the elder man in a tight embrace while a few tears poured down his cheeks: "Thanks, Bruce!"
The whole time Alfred stood hidden near the doorframe and listened tense to the conversation. At the end he was very relieved and also proud of his charge, who seemed to have finally found a way to Master Richards shattered heart.