Disclaimer: D.C. owns them, I don't. All hail D.C. comics for letting us play with their toys.

"Hiya Al, whatz up?"

Dick had just managed to grab the phone before the machine picked up. He was glad to hear from his old friend.

"Master Dick, I do wish you would refrain from calling me that." How Alfred could express extreme irritation and still be unfailing polite, was beyond Dick. Dick had to smile, he could almost see the look on the older man's face.

"Ya, ya, so whatz up? Or is this just a social call?"

"Well, Master Bruce needs you to return home."

Dick was floored for a moment. Was Bruce actually asking for his help?

"So why isn't he calling?" Funny, he hadn't meant for that to come out bitter, but it was just like the man. He throws his friends away to save himself and then expects them to jump when he twitched his little finger.

Alfred cleared his throat delicately and pointedly ignored Dick's question.

"He needs you to return to take over the "family" duties."

"He doesn't know you called me, does he?"

Alfred clucked disapprovingly, "Master Dick, please try not to be difficult."

"Alfred" Dick warned.

A heavy sigh and then "No, Master Bruce is unaware of this call," was heard over the phone. Dick wasn't happy about his victory, it just meant that nothing about his two-year absence had done anything to change Bruce's behavior.

"So, again, why are you calling?"

"Master Dick, Master Bruce has been injured." Dick's heart jumped into his throat. It must have been pretty bad for Bruce to be unable to go out as Batman.

"How bad?"

"Severe, but Master Bruce has made a full recovery. Unfortunately he has been out of the game too long, as he put it and is in need of training. Barbara has become unable to handle this kind of responsibility alone."

Hurt replaced the worrying. "How long did he take to recover?"

"Several months."

"When did you need me there?"

"As soon as possible," Alfred told him in obvious relief.

"Alright, I should be in Gotham in a few days. Warn Bruce before I get there."

"Thank you, Master Dick. I will endeavor to make your return as painless as possible." Alfred paused. "He will be glad to see you, again."

The laugh that followed held very little humor in it. "You know him better than me, Al. I'll see you soon. Say hi to Barbara for me."

"I will do so. Goodbye Master Dick." Click.

Dick returned the phone to its cradle with a clenched white-knuckled hand and turned swiftly towards the bedroom. He needed to shower, and pack. Thought wasn't necessary. He could do that on the road. Shoulders tight and hands fisted at his sides, he got to work.

"So did it work?" an eager voice wanted to know.

"Impatient, girl." The words were softened with a smile. Alfred finished hanging up the phone, then turned on his niece. "Yes, it worked. Master Dick is on his way. He should arrive within days."

Barbara's smile brightened. "If this doesn't work on those two mules, nothing will."

"Are you sure about what you heard the other night?"

"Yes! Would you quite asking me that?"

"We need to make entirely sure that the feelings are real and mutual, otherwise the muddle our messing could cause, I wouldn't want to deal with."

"Yes, Uncle Alfred, I am completely sure."

"Excellent. It will be good for all to have Master Dick back."

Dick turned his key in the lock, and surprisingly the door swung open. He was oddly touched that Bruce hadn't had the locks changed since he had left. Then again, he thought wryly, Al could have had something to do with that.

"Hallo! Anybody home?" The way his voice echoed and reechoed in the huge hall was oddly satisfying. Ignore that, Bruce, he thought wickedly. For long moments, he waited, sure that at least Al would come to greet him. Finally he picked up his pack and headed for the kitchen grumbling. "Well, if this is the kind of reception that a guy gets, I should have come home more often."

He didn't see the note on the table until after he had managed to scrounge together a decent sandwich. "Ah," he said as he picked up the note. "The plot thickens."

"Master Dick,

I trust your trip was an uneventful one. I have prepared a real meal (Dick had to smile at that) for you. It is in the refrigerator. I am sorry that I was unable to be here when you arrived, however Master Bruce should be returning shortly. I trust you can find your way to your old room. Rest assured nothing has been changed during your absence. Also, clean towels have been placed in the adjacent bathroom. (Subtle, Al, Dick thought, real subtle) I hope that everything is to your liking. I will see you upon my return.

Alfred Pennyworth"

Dick rubbed his chin, grimacing at the stubble he found there. Maybe I should follow Al's suggestion. Reluctantly, he grabbed his bags and headed upstairs. He didn't want Bruce to walk in while he was still in the shower. That would be giving the enemy an advanced warning and knowing Bruce, it would give him time to plan how to avoid discussing what Dick really wanted to. Before Dick knew it, Bruce would have his entire stay planned out so that there was never a moment when the two of them were alone. Dick grinned tightly, the fight was on, and he didn't intend to lose this time. Swinging away from the bed, he went into the bathroom to get cleaned up.

Dick wandered out of the bathroom, rubbing his hair with his towel and wearing an old pair of sweats. A gravely voice from the shadows almost scared a few years off his life span.

"You look tired."

"Wow, you really know how to flatter a guy Bruce." Dick searched the darkened room and found Bruce standing by the bedpost. "Sorry, Al told me it was an emergency. I figured sleep was an unnecessary time delay."

Shrugging, Dick threw the towel back into the bathroom and strode towards the dresser. He was not going to have a discussion with Bruce in only a pair of sweats. Opening a drawer, he reached for an old faded Gotham Knights t-shirt.

"You were wrong, you know."

Dick yanked the t-shirt over his head and whirled to face Bruce. "Say that again."

Bruce stepped into the light illuminating the area between the two men. "I said you were wrong about what you said, about me, about why I feel the need to protect you."

Dick swallowed hard, and stood a little straighter. "Enlighten me. How was I wrong?"

"You were right, I was trying to protect myself, but not for the reason you think." Bruce glanced down at the carpet before continuing. "You had already been through so much. I wanted to…"

Dick waited for the rest of Bruce's answer. He doubted this was just an outpouring of Bruce's maternal instinct.

"…..I was afraid if something else happened, you would just fold up. You would quit." Bruce looked Dick full in the eyes. "I would probably follow you if you did."

"Did Al put you up to this?"

Bruce blinked owlishly. "I should have known you wouldn't be able to deal with this maturely." He then spun on his heel and walked towards the door.

Dick was fed up. "Bruce, damnit, stop! You are not pinning this on me. You owe me an answer and if you can't own up to the fact that Al put you up to this conversation then I'm leaving. Find someone else to take over the "sacred" duty." Dick was so upset he was shaking, literally. "Now try telling me the truth, without someone behind you prompting every scripted word."

Bruce strode once more into the lamplight, anger tightening his features. Dick crossed his arms in defiance. "Alfred did not put me up to this. He did however strongly suggest that you and I needed to have a conversation. And what do you mean take over the sacred duties?"

"Al called me, at home, to ask me to come back. He said you needed me to watch the city while you were gone." Dick ran a hand through his hair before continuing. "He said you had been hurt, bad."

"Rest assured I am fine and have been since you left. Why would I ask you back to the lifestyle I was trying to push you away from? I would have found someone else to do it."

"Thanks Bruce, I feel so much more charitable towards you now." Dick looked up at the dark knight. "I can't believe you would trust someone more than you would your own partner, even after the fight."

"It wasn't an issue of trust, Dick. How can I convince you of that?" Bruce sighed heavily and his voice dropped into a shadow of his Batman voice. "I trust you with my life. That's the problem."

"Why Bruce? Why do you make it a problem?"

"You were becoming a liability. I was watching out for you instead of doing my job and taking risks I couldn't afford to."

Dick raised his hand up almost as if to hit him. "No, that's not it. Tell me the truth damnit."

At that, Bruce's stance collapsed. His shoulders slumped and his head dropped. "I told you, I was afraid that I would follow you if anything happened to you."

"Why Bruce? Because I'm like a son to you? Because you feel responsible for me? You would have survived. You always do." Dick turned away. This conversation was getting just a bit claustrophobic.

"I don't think I would have survived the death of my partner. You were, are everything." Bruce reached out and grabbed Dick's shoulder to turn him around. "Please" he asked, "try to understand. It would have been like losing my family again."

Dick reached his hand up to clasp Bruce's. "Yeh, I do understand that. What I don't get is why you were trying to get rid of the little family you have left for a maybe. You could have told me all this then."

"Would you have stopped going out as Robin?" Bruce shook his head in dismissal. "It would have changed nothing. My way did and it was better knowing that you were alive there, then worrying about you here."

It was Dick's turn to hang his head. "No, I wouldn't have let it stop me. But Bruce, you have to stop making decisions for me." Dick stared hard at Bruce. "Do you know how much that hurt, being cut off. You made me leave the only family I have left to save yourself. Talk about selfish."

Bruce squeezed Dick's shoulder in response. "I'm sorry. I could have handled things better."

Dick laughed tiredly. "Damn straight." He turned back to face Bruce and stuck out his hand. "Apology accepted. But if you do this again…." He left the threat open.

"Once is all I need to learn my lesson. I hope you will be staying for a few days, as a civilian."

"Bruce" Dick warned.

"Master Bruce, I do hope you are not attempting to undo all of Barbara and I's hard work." Alfred scolded gently from the doorway.

"Al, I should have known." Dick crossed the room to the butler. "Thank you for defending my honor, but it was just a joke." Dick looked back at Bruce skeptically. "Or at least it better be."

Bruce joined them at the door. "I know when I'm outnumbered. I promise never to do something like this again. Batman's honor."

"Good enough for me." Dick turned and left the room. Calling back to the group, "Hey Al, where did you hide all the junk food? I think this calls for a celebration," he headed towards the kitchen.

"Sir, did you tell him?"

"I couldn't Alfred. It would have been too much on top of everything else. I will tell him eventually."

"Sooner would be wiser than later."

"I will Alfred. Should we go see what he's up to?"

"As you wish sir."