Title - And One Fell Out

Series - N/A - One-shot

Characters - Bruce/Dick, Alfred, Jason.

Rating - PG

Warnings - AU (playing fast and loose with canon ), angst

Disclaimer - Batman et all is owned by many various rich and happy people; I - sadly - am not one of them. I write for the love of slash and putting my boys together where they belong!

AND ONE FELL OUT.

He found him curled up under one of the tall hedges that hemmed in the oak trees at the far end of the Wayne estate, hiding the hills and cave entrances from common view. His skin was pale, with an alarming blue tint colouring his nails - his clothes dripping with mud and rainwater.

"Alfie"

The voice that greeted him was so dull, it sent a shock of fear through his system. The young Master - even with all he'd seen and experienced - had never sounded so dead before.

Kneeling down, he placed a gentle hand on the boy's leg, the material slick and sticky to the touch, "Come now Master Dick - you'll catch a chill out here."

"Would it matter if I did?" Dick fidgeted away, drawing his knees up to his chin, "I've gone and ruined everything anyway."

"Whatever do you mean?" Alfred shifted the umbrella he held, and crouched down next to the boy, taking note of the puffy face and red eyes - clear signs that the young man had been crying out alone in the rain.

"Bruce… he… Jason…and…," his young voice broke on the names, and Alfred had an idea where their conversation would be heading.

Since the Batman had picked up young Master Jason, Dick had begun withdrawing from everyone - throwing himself into his work with a fanatical zeal that bordered on suicidal - they had all feared for Robin's safety as he grew further and further away from them.

"He… Bruce, he found out how I … I feel about him," the young hero was a perfect picture of abject misery as he curled up tighter, "and now … now he's so di…disgusted, he's found someone else."

"Master Dick…"

"He must be so ashamed!" the words were anguished, "All he's ever done is treat me with kindness and respect … he rescued me, cared for me … and how do I pay him back? With perversity and deviance."

The boy was openly sobbing, and Alfred was hard pressed not to let go of the umbrella - tug him out into the open and embrace him until he could breathe properly, but the torrent of words and sharp emotions continued,

"I tried - I really tried - I did! I flirted with the girls from school; I dated the ones we took to the events - I even tried to fall in love with Starfire - but it wouldn't go away - and now he knows…"

"Master Dick," Alfred shifted and reached under the low hanging branches, clasping the boy's upper arm, "It's alright."

"It's not!" Dick looked up at him, his eyes as empty and dead as his voice had been, "He doesn't need me - all… all this time… I thought he needed - me… but it can be any…anyone. I'm replaceable Alfie… I'm completely replaceable."

"Come on lad," he stroked across his shoulders, drawing him up and out from under the hedge so he could be dry under the umbrella. He tried to ignore the hitching sobs that wracked the boy's slender frame - knowing it would only humiliate him if he comforted him how he really wanted to - the way he never could for the other young man he'd raised, "Master Bruce may have new people enter his life - but no one could take your place."

"It's already too late," the lifeless tone was back as Dick eased out of his grasp to stand, head bowed, his already clammy skin further soaked by the heavy drizzle, "He's already given Robin to Jason."

Alfred watched as the young man dashed away, back to the house and the packed bags he'd left in the hall - the ones that had caused him to search out the younger man in the first place. He knew by the time he got the cold weather ache out of his knee, the young Master would have slung on a pair of motorcycle pants and disappeared off into the dusk - leaving the manor and everyone in it behind.

Determined to at least try to straighten out the mess his boys had made, he made his way towards the house, ready to confront his charge and determine the real reason for the Dynamic Duo being sundered.