A/N: Wow! I didn't know this was going to be so popular! Well... here is some more then for you because of all the amazing reviews I got!

Disclaimer: I don't own anything


Family

July 29th

Wayne Manor

Dick was lonely. Never before had he been so lonely. All the reporters and magazines and even his friends from the circus kept talking about how wonderful it was for him now. They kept saying how happy he should be: he had a huge house, access to billions of dollars, an entire room full of toys, his own butler, and was now the son of Gotham's most prestigious man.

Truthfully, Dick had never felt worse. No one understood. He had a huge house… a huge house that was filled with breakable expensive items. He couldn't do anything there without being reprimanded. There were hundreds of rooms… but no one inside of them. He had toys… but no one to play with. There were billions of dollars… but none that could buy what he wanted most of all.

He wanted his family back. Bruce Wayne might have adopted him, but he never saw the man. After that first day Bruce had barely been around. Whenever he was near Dick he seemed nervous. He never knew what to say. Usually he'd escape as soon as he could. Dick bet he'd never even babysitted someone before.

Alfred, the butler, was better. But he wasn't fun. He was serious and dignified. He couldn't give Dick piggyback rides, or tell him stories, to play with him like that.

Dick was so lonely. His parents were gone. He may have had what every kid dreamed of now, but it didn't matter. The one person who he thought might help didn't help him. He'd hoped Bruce would be able to make him feel better- like an Uncle or a guardian. The man felt safe. When Dick was with him he wasn't scared. And he knew Romanian too. But it hadn't been like Dick had hoped. His guardian was never around.

This was the sixth day in the past two weeks since he'd been adopted that Bruce had simply never returned home. Dick had waited patiently beside the front windows for three hours. He'd been hoping that this time when Bruce came home that they could talk or play or something. But Bruce hadn't even come back.

Dick took one look at the empty manor and fled. He barely had time to grab his jacket and shoes before he'd run out the door. He didn't want to be here. He wanted his family. He wanted his mommy and daddy.

Dick ran for what seemed hours. He didn't know how to get to the cemetery, but he needed desperately to get there. It wasn't until dark had begun to fall that Dick stopped. He didn't know where he was. He didn't care. He sat down at the coroner of a broken down storefront and began to sob. What did it matter if he was lost? Bruce Wayne probably wouldn't care. He didn't have his mother or father anymore, and he didn't even have his circus family, so what did Dick Grayson matter anymore?

Hours later Dick resigned himself to knowing that no one was coming. They didn't care enough to look for him. Heck, Bruce Wayne may even be glad that he was gone. Dick sunk into himself and curled up. He wasn't wanted.

Dick began to drift in and out of sleep, suddenly drained of energy.

"Dick? Dick!" The boy's head shot up as he heard a frantic voice calling his name. "Dick!" This cry was filled with relief. A man rushed up to him and pulled him close.

"B-bruce?" Dick whimpered. His vision was blurred from the many tears. His guardian wiped his tears away with the back of his sleeve.

"What are you doing out here?" Bruce scolded angrily. "You could have been killed! Didn't I tell you never to leave the house? What were you-" He cut off as the tears streaming down Dick's face grew rapidly.

"Îmi pare rău." Dick sobbed. "Am vrut doar să vadă mami şi tati." I'm sorry. I just wanted to see Mommy and Daddy.

"Oh….oh." Bruce's whole demeanor changed. His shoulders fell and he seemed to deflate. "I'll take you." Bruce said softly. He carried Dick to his car, buckling him in. He looked over his shoulder at the crying boy but found nothing to say.

They drove past Wayne Manor to get to the cemetery. Dick flushed when he realized he'd been running in the wrong direction. And now Bruce was angry at him. When he looked over at the older man though he realized that might not be true. Bruce didn't look angry. He looked sad.

"Here we are." Bruce said softly. He opened the door. That was all Dick needed. He took off, running for the graves of his parents. Bruce watched from a distance as the child rushed to the gravestone, sobbing for all his worth and speaking in broken Romanian.

Somehow he felt responsible for the boy's sadness. It wasn't just that he hadn't been able to save his parents though, nor that he still hadn't been able to convict their murderer. He should know how to comfort the boy. He should know. He'd been through all of this himself. He should know how to keep the boy safe, comfort him, and make him feel welcome. He should have a least tried.

Bruce walked silently to Dick's side. He knelt beside him and drew the boy into his arms, letting the child cry his heart out against his chest.

He may have no idea what he was doing in being a parent, but now…now he was going to try.


Language

July 31st

Wayne Manor Study

"Bruce, atunci când vei fi făcut de lucru?" Dick asked, peering over Bruce's desk. Bruce, when will you be done working?

"Not for awhile."

Dick's face scrunched up. "a-wh-ile." He repeated slowly. "Cât timp este că?" How long is that?

"English, Richard." Bruce corrected lightly, still not looking up from his paperwork.

"How long?" Dick questioned again.

"Another couple hours."

The boy's face fell. Hopefully he asked, "Dar după aceea ne vom juca, nu?" But afterwards we'll play, right?

Bruce frowned. "English." He said again.

Although he knew Romanian he needed the boy to learn to speak English. It was only a matter of time before the press would demand to see him. Soon the child would be thrust into a different type of spotlight than he was used to. He'd need to know English. If he didn't… well, Bruce already knew that the socialites wouldn't think well of him. They didn't need another reason to not like him. Or worse- think of him as some exotic toy.

"Play?" Dick questioned.

Bruce sighed. It was slow going. "Why don't you go practice your English with Alfred again? Then we can have dinner."

"Then play?"

"If there is time."

Dick frowned more, obviously not content with this answer. But he understood. If his guardian said no, the answer was no. Glumly he left the study to go find Alfred. The butler had been kind to him. He was teaching him all these songs and little tricks.

"Alfred!" The boy called as he saw the man in the kitchen. "English?"

The butler smiled and nodded. Alfred spoke only a little Romanian and was working on learning, so Dick knew he couldn't say too much that the man would understand. He never needed to though. Alfred always seemed to know what he wanted.

"Alright then. Let's sit down. Do you remember what I taught you last time?"

Dick nodded happily. It was his favorite rhyme. He thought it was so funny because Alfred always had a teapot. He began singing for Alfred. "I'm a little teapot, short and spout. Here is my handle here is my spout. When I get all steamed up hear me shout. Tip me over and pour me out!"

Alfred clapped. "Very good, Master Richard. How about your ABCs?"

Those were easy too. His mother had taught him that song. He knew it by heart. He'd always liked that Twinkle Tinkle Little Star had the same melody. It made it really easy to learn.

"Now, there is a new one." Alfred said. He started singing the itsy bitsy spider to Richard.

"It-see? Bit-see?" Dick questioned the words, frowning. Those weren't words he was familiar with.

"It means tiny."

"Itsy Bitsy!" Dick repeated again, smiling.

The old butler smiled back and continued singing rhymes with him until Bruce came in for dinner. Throughout the meal Dick tried to remember to speak in English. Whenever he'd forget Bruce would remind him. He was working on his language constantly, but it still never seemed like enough. English was so hard!

After they'd finished eating Dick demanded Bruce play with him. "Alight." Bruce conceded with a sigh. "Go to the study. I'll be there in a moment."

Dick nodded and jogged off.

"He is getting much better in his English." Alfred said.

"They rhymes are… an odd way to learn."

Alfred gave him a look. "Perhaps if you'd work with him…."

Bruce said nothing and just quickly hurried to the playroom. There he found Dick singing the songs again.

"The itsy bitsy spider went up the water spout. Down came the rain and washed the spider out. Out came the sun and…" Dick frowned. "And… and…"

"Dried up all the rain." Bruce supplied.

Dick beamed. "And dried up all the rain so the itsy bitsy spider…"

"Went up the spout again." Bruce finished dryly. Dick giggled though and clapped his hands. He rushed to Bruce's side and climbed up into his arms.

"Sing me a song." He asked. "Rhyme!"

"Alright. What-"

"Ring Rose!"

Bruce had to smile. "You mean Ring Around the Rosie." Dick nodded. "Sing me what you know."

"Right 'round the rosie, pocket full of…"

"Posies."

"Posies! Ashes, ashes…."

"We all-"

"We all fall down!" Dick finished with a grin. Bruce managed to smile back, forcing away his thoughts about how odd it was to sing a children's song about death.

"What else do you know?" Bruce asked.

Dick though for a moment before starting to sing again. "He floats through the air with the greatest of ease. The daring young man on the flying trapeze. His actions are graceful, the girls he does please, my love he as stolen away."

"Very good." Bruce praised, surprised the boy knew all the words.

The child didn't seem proud though. "The lion tamer taught me that." Dick said softly. "I was going to sing it for mami and tata once I learned it."

Bruce quieted. Gently he ran a hand through the boy's hair. "I'm sure they'd be proud." He whispered.


Comfort

September 30th

Wayne Manor

Bruce was working hard at his desk at home. He barely noticed when the door to his study opened and tiny feet padded into the room. He didn't even look up until a small voice called his name.

Bruce's head jerked up. In front of him stood Richard Grayson. The little boy had been at Wayne Manor for three months now. Bruce still hadn't gotten used to the boy. He felt bad. Sometimes the child wanted to be left alone. Other times he wanted to be with Bruce. Bruce never knew what to do for the boy. He'd adopted him, but since then Bruce had no idea what to do. He only felt awkward around the child.

"Bruce." The boy repeated. He was clutching his stuffed elephant, Peanut, close. He walked slowly up to Bruce's big chair. His blue eyes stared at him, terror flickering behind them.

"Nightmare?" He asked softly. The boy nodded quickly. Bruce sighed. He scooped the child up into his arms and tucked him into his embrace. This at least was one thing Bruce knew how to deal with. Whenever the boy would have a nightmare- or daymare in this case- the only thing Dick wanted was comfort.

Dick pressed his face into the crook of Bruce's neck. His tiny hands clutched at Bruce's shirt. "It's so scary." Dick whimpered.

"I know." Bruce said softly. There wasn't much else he could say right now. He knew how awful the nightmares could be. There was nothing you could say to make them go away. Nothing could make the pain better.

But he could try. He pressed the child closer and rested his head atop of the tinier one.

Dick's hand reached up and touched his guardian's face. Bruce had found that this was the boy's way of reassuring himself. He liked to make sure that Bruce was really there. Bruce smiled down at him. "Este în regulă." He murmured gently. It's ok. The other thing that seemed to comfort the boy was Romanian, his first language.

The child let out a sob. "Dar ei au plecat." He whimpered. But they're gone.

"Ştiu ... dar eu sunt aici acum." I know… but I'm here now

After that Bruce just sat there for the longest time. He said nothing to the boy. He honestly didn't know what to say. He had felt so helpless since Dick had come to live with him.

Many times Bruce had wondered just what he was doing. Why had he adopted this boy on a whim? Surely there were other people who could take better care of him. So many times Bruce had no idea what to do for the child. He didn't know how to take care of him. He certainly wasn't a father. But he was trying and learning in more ways than one.

There was a new feeling taking over Bruce. He was always trying to make sure now that the boy was alright. When Dick was upset, Bruce felt an ache in his chest. When the boy was happy, Bruce found himself smiling. When he'd asked Alfred about it the old Butler had simply smiled.


Lonely

October 3rd

Wayne Manor

"Mami, tati, nu cad!" Dick screamed. He sprang up in bed. His breath came out in short huffs. He was sweating all over. His limbs trembled. "Mami... tati..." He whimpered.

He'd had the dream again. Bruce assured him that although the dreams were terrifying, they were normal. Dick didn't like them though. He shivered and clutched Peanut to his chest. Tears stung at the child's eyes. He didn't want to be here anymore.

He darshed out of bed and down the hall. "Bruce?" He called. In the dead of night he forgotten where Bruce's room was again. "Bruce!" He shouted. Nothing. "Bruce! Alfred!"

The house was so big he often forgot his way. But, when he yelled, one of the two men always heard him. They'd always find him. "Bruce!" Dick cried again. He came to a familiar hall and rushed to the end where Bruce's room was. But when he threw open the door it was empty.

Dick whimpered. Bruce was probably at work. Almost every night he'd disipear to work. Dick hated that. He squared his shoulders. Well, he'd just have to find Alfred then. Alfred was almost always in the kitchen. Sometimes he'd already be there with some hot coco when Dick had a nightmare.

But when Dick went there it too was empty. The entire house seemed deserted. "Bruce? Alfred?" Dick whispered this time, suddenly scared.

The six year old shook his head as he wondered through the halls. Alfred had probably just gone with Bruce. Sometimes he'd disappear too...

Dick found his way to the entertainment room and turned on the TV. When he used to have trouble sleeping his tata would always put on the news. It would bore dick to sleep. Maybe it would work today too. So Dick switched on the Gotham News.

Suddenly he shot up straight, his eyes going wide. "Batman!" He cried.

On the television was some footage. Batman was on top of the Wayne Enterprises building, all the way at the top! He was fighting some man with only half a face. "Two Face." Dick whispered. Even only living here for a short while Dick had learned about all the different villains. Bruce liked to talk and grumble about them.

Dick's eyes widened as he watched the screen. The footage was too far away to hear anything but he could see it all. Batman was throwing something at Two Face- Batarangs!- and Two Face was shooting off guns. One of Batman's batarangs hit Two Face's hand and he dropped his guns. Suddenly Batman lunged at the villain and tackled him to the ground.

"Go Batman!" Dick cheered.

The two men wresteled back and forth on the roof, struggling. One would get in a punch, then the other a kick. Dick held his breath.

"No!" Dick shouted. Batman had reeled back, stumbling blindly.

"Zoom in! What happened?" The newslady said. The camera zoomed in and Dick gasped as he saw a knife sticking out of Batman's side. Even in the dark you could see blood.

Now Batman's moves were slow. He looked pained. Two Face was laughing now, screaming something into the wind. Then, Batman lunged forward, tackling the man to the roof once more. He seemed furious and began punching the man in the face.

"Woo!" Dick cheered, jumping up and down.

It was only a few short moments until Two Face passed out. Smiling, Dick clapped his hands. "Go Batman!" He said again. He watched as a police helicopter landed on the roof. The men rushed towards Batman and Two Face. Batman spun around, running from them. Now Dick could see that he was limping as well.

"Batman!" Dick screamed as he saw the figure disappear, jump off the roof. Dick's breath caught in his throat.

"Did you get that? Where is he? Is he alright?" The newslady yelled. The camera searched the areas wildly but there was no more sign of the Batman.

"No!" Dick cried. He grabbed the controller and started flipping through the channels. Somewhere there had to be more footage! Batman had to be alright!


"There we are, Master Bruce." Alfred said gently as he finished the stitches. "Careful now or you'll pull them out again." Bruce just grunted. "Now up to bed with you, sir. You'll need quite a good rest I think."

Bruce nodded weakly. He climbed into the elevator that would take him back upstairs. He got out in the study and made his way through the halls, half asleep.

"Nu! Nu! Este el bine?"

Bruce blinked. What in the world?

"Este El bine?" The voice called again. Richard's voice. Is he alright?

"Dick?" Bruce called. He sleepily made his way towards the entertainment room. Dick must have had a bad dream. He winced. He and Alfred had been gone with Batman stuff. The poor boy must have been terrified.

But, when he opened the door, instead he was greeted by the child flipping through the channels frantically. "în cazul în care este el?" Where is he?

"Dick?" Bruce questioned.

"Bruce!" Dick cried. He spun around to face him. "L-ai văzut? Este el bine?" Did you see him? Is he alright?

"English." Bruce corrected automatically. Then he shook his head. "See who?"

"Batman!"

"What?" Bruce froze.

Dick pointed at the telivision. "Batman was on TV! They were fighting on the roof. Did you see him? Is he ok?"

"What do you mean?" Bruce carefully edged himself down next to the boy.

"He got hurt." Dick said sadly. "Then he disipeared."

"I'm sure he is fine."

"I can't find anything though."

The child sounded so upset. Bruce smirked and leaned in close. "I saw him leave." Bruce whispered. The boy's eyes lit up so Bruce continued. "He was hurt but I'm sure he'll be just fine."

Dick grinned. "I'm glad." He yawned and suddenly the adrenaline seemed to leave him. The child colapsed back onto the couch, his head head on Bruce's lap. "I don't want Batman to go."

"I doubt Batman is leaving Gotham any time soon." Bruce said. He felt a smile creeping up over his face.

Dick yawned again. "I wish there was someone to help him."

Bruce chuckled. "I hear he likes to work alone."

"I bet he is lonely then." The boy mumbled. "He shouldn't have to do it alone."


A/N: Thanks for reading! I hope you enjoyed. :)