Never Alone

So here's the second one-shot of the collection. Cause I just love the Dick and Damian dynamic. Bruce and Dick are, of course, the best but nothing beats brotherly bonding! When Dick and Alfred are called by their last names its Damian POV. Jason may be tad bit OC + they live in the mansion not the penthouse.
Disclaimer: I don't own Batman nor do I own any of the characters.

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An orange glow illuminated the high rise buildings of Gotham city as the sun rose into the sky. It seemed, to the residents of the city, a morning like any other. But they were unaware of the blood that had been shed on their roof tops last night. In the batcave, however, this morning was different.

Dick Grayson sat on a table in the med bay trying not to flinch as Alfred cleaned the fresh bullet wound in his chest. He'd been shot countless times before; it was really nothing new…except that this bullet had barely missed his heart. Damian stood leaned up against the wall with his arms crossed, his glare deepening with every pained noise Dick made as the bullet was removed.

It had been a simple patrol Batman and Robin had been staking out one of the warehouses after they'd gotten a tip that a drug trade was happening here. Laying low had been Dick's idea, they'd wait until the deal went down, and then get them all. Nothing should have gone wrong. But they'd been waiting for hours and no one had showed; so needless to say, Damian wasn't thrilled.

"This is a waste of our time Batman," Robin hissed as they crouched on the rooftop, "No one is coming. We could have done something worthwhile but you were foolish enough to trust a tip from a felon and now we just wasted a whole patrol for nothing!"

Batman looked down into the warehouse for a few moments more, and then sighed. "You're right…but the tip…I could have sworn he was telling the truth." Batman said as he began to stand.

"Your tip was right."

Both Batman and Robin whipped around at the sound of the voice, hands flying to their utility belts. There standing in front of them was their (former) brother Jason, with his red hood off and domino mask on, holding a gun pointed straight at Batman's head.

Batman and Robin took their hands off their weapons at the sight of the gun although they stayed poised; ready for a fight. Robin glared at Jason through his mask.

"What are you doing here Todd?" Robin snarled, taking a step forward to try and get close enough to take the gun. But Jason quickly pointed the gun at Robin's head as he stepped forward, before smirking at his question.

"What am I doing here?" Jason let out a harsh laugh before his face began to darken, "I was here to meet a few drug dealers and introduce them to my gun when they got wind that somebody tipped off the Bat. So now they don't trust me and I'm forced to let those pieces of scum run back into the gutter."

Jason took a step forward his angry expression changing to a smirk as he looked at Batman. "You know…I think their escape from justice is all your fault Dickie- bird," He said as he pointed the gun at Batman once more, "and I think you should pay for letting them go free." As he spoke the last word he quickly spun the gun towards Robin's head and fired.

Obviously Damian wasn't shot. Dick had jumped out in front of him at the last moment. It was only through sheer luck that the bullet hadn't killed the idiot… and it was only because of him that the bullet didn't kill Damian. The realization that Dick would willingly sacrifice his life for Damian's unsettled the young bird. In the league of assassins you took care of yourself or you died, simple as that. But Batman and Robin watched each other's backs to an extent that Damian hadn't truly understood before. It set him on edge to know that if he messed up Batman could die.

Sensing Dick's eyes on him Damian quickly made his face go blank and, determined to not let his inner conflict show, stalked towards where Alfred had just finished bandaging Dick's torso. Dick gave a weary smile as he spotted the disgruntled Robin coming his way and prepared himself for the inevitable tongue lashing. Damian stopped in front of his mentor and looked up at him glaring.

But as Damian opened his mouth to tell him off for being so clumsy and incompetent the words died in his throat. For once Damian didn't see an unworthy Batman, he saw his older brother with bloody bandages wrapped around a wound that should have been on Damian's head. He stood there, just glaring at Dick with his mouth opened, until he realized he really had nothing degrading to say.

So the 10 year old vigilante turned on his heels, without one criticism and started up the stairs to the mansion. Leaving a very surprised and confused Dick Grayson alone in the Batcave, wondering what was wrong with Damian.

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The digital clock by Damian's bedside read 5 am when he finally decided to get up after a sleepless night. Usually when he returned from patrol he would climb into his bed and fall into a deep, dreamless sleep. Tonight, for some unfathomable reason, sleep wouldn't come. Even though Damian had been laying on his back staring at the ceiling for 3 hours now, wanting desperately to sleep his mind was to preoccupied to rest.

Last nights close call with Jason was...troubling Damian, more than he'd care to admit. That situation nearly killed another Batman, something Damian didn't want. Ever since he was little Damian had heard stories about his father, the world's greatest detective, and how he seemed to be invincible. But now Damian had witnessed the death of his father and nearly witnessed the death of the second Batman last night. Suddenly the stories of Batman which Damian had grown up hearing, sounded very far-fetched. Batman wasn't invincible, he could die; that...scared Damian a little.

Letting out a sigh of irritation over his lack of sleep Damian got up off his bed. He stretched and was about to go wake Grayson when something caught his eye. Damian walked over to his bureau to look at the picture of his father Pennyworth had placed there. He knew that his father was dead and that sometimes distressed him but he'd never really got to know Bruce Wayne, nor the Batman that he was. Damian's fingers reached up to touch the picture of his father's smiling face before his eyes flicked to the second picture which Pennyworth had placed on his bureau.

A young Grayson smiled out from the frame, eyes alight with joy as he held a German Shepard puppy on his lap. Damian scoffed, he may not have known his father well but he did know Grayson, and it seemed that the man hadn't changed much over the years. While his father's death had... hurt him, he was beginning to see that being Grayson's Robin and little brother meant he had developed a certain...relationship with him. The thought of Grayson dying made Damian's chest feel tight. He'd come to enjoy Grayson's happy nature, and his touchy- feely attitude was actually enjoyed by Damian at times(He didn't let it show of course).

'A life without Grayson,' Damian thought as his fingers stroked the picture, 'would be an empty life...just like a Gotham without Batman would be a doomed Gotham.'

Damian placed the picture back on his bureau and, suddenly overcome by the need to see Grayson alive and breathing, quickly made his way out of his room and down the dark hallway to his eldest brother's room. He stopped at the big doors and was about to peek in when a voice spoke from behind him.

"You need something Little D?" Dick asked looking down at the small boy. Damian shoulders tensed before he turned from the the door, seeming a bit embarrassed at being caught during a momentary lapse in his usual stoic behavior. But he quickly attempted to cover up his slip.

"I assumed you would sleep in due to your injury so I came to wake you." Damian mumbled, avoiding Dick's eyes. "Obviously your wound kept you up and my actions were unnecessary."

Realizing that his words made his actions sound like those of a worried brother he flushed before turning and walking down the hall without another word. Dick stared at Damian's retreating back with conflicting emotions. He felt love for his little brother fill him as he realized Damian had been worried about him. But at the same time he was worried about Damian's attitude change. He was usually standoffish and free with criticisms but since patrol last night he'd been rather...docile.

'Something is wrong with Damian.' Dick thought with certainty as he walked down the now empty hall towards the kitchen. 'But what?'

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Dick lay in his bed a week later and thought about the probable causes of Damian's strange actions through the week. It could be that he was becoming more mature, or at least attempting to, but that didn't explain his troubled expression. It could also be that he was scared that Dick might make him stop being Robin because of the incident with Jason. That at least made sense although Dick had a feeling that there was more to Damian's problem.

Throughout the week Dick tried to wheedle some answers out of Damian but the stubborn boy refused to acknowledge that anything was wrong, even though it was blatantly obvious. Damian had been stuck to Dick's side like glue ever since he came down to breakfast that first morning and when he spoke a harsh criticism it lacked its usual edge. Even on patrol he'd been quiet and refused to split up although he'd usually jump at the chance to patrol separately. This new clingy, mellow Damian was definitely an improvement from his usual attitude but the change had seemingly occurred overnight;which made Dick suspicious. After all, people don't change overnight. Especially not people like Damian.

'I don't think I realized what I was getting myself into when I took in Damian and put on the cowl.' Dick thought wryly as he stared up at his ceiling. 'He's difficult enough just being himself; but now...I don't know if I can deal with a nice Damian.'

Dick sighed and turned over onto his side. Thinking about Damian's new personality was not helping him sleep. If anything it was keeping him up; and two all- nighters in a row wouldn't help his physical condition. He may be Batman but he was only human. So he let his mind wander elsewhere and was about to drift off when he was jolted awake by a piercing scream. Immediately on edge Dick threw off his sheets and attempted to pull on a pair of pants.

'That sounded like kid's scream.' He froze as that thought set in. 'Oh god, Damian!' He frantically made his way towards his door, wondering what could cause Damian to scream. But before he could reach the door it flew open revealing Damian.

Dick's eyes widened as he took in the kid's appearance. Damian was trembling with his fists clenched by his side and fresh tears making tracks down his face; a face which had never before looked so terrified. Dick took a deep breath and opened his mouth to ask what had happened but before he could Damian ran forward and leapt at him. Dick fell to the floor as Damian wrapped his arms around him and buried his wet face against Dick's chest. If Dick had been shocked before he was now flabbergasted. Damian, the little demon as Tim called him, was hugging him and crying. Obviously whatever had been bothering Damian had escalated to a new level.

Still shaken by Damian's obvious display of emotions it took almost a whole minute for Dick's big brother instincts to kick in. Snapping out of his stupor his arms encircled the trembling body while one of his hands lightly stroked his hair and the other rubbed soothing circles on his back. When that failed calm the boy, Dick began to murmur words of comfort in his ear while he gently rocked back and forth.

"Damian what's wrong?" Dick's questioned once his little brother had stopped trembling. "Did you get hurt or did you see something the scared you?" Damian slowly shook his head without even one scoff at the concept of him being scared. Dick racked his brain for other possible issues and only one came to mind. He slowly asked,

"Did you have a nightmare?" There was a long pause before Damian jerked his head yes, clearly embarrassed to admit it. Dick sighed and wrapped his arms tightly around Damian as he went over to lay down on the bed.

"What was your nightmare about Little D?" Dick asked in a hushed voice, laying back while holding his little brother against his chest. The long silence that followed was ended when Damian mumbled something against Dick's tear stained shirt.

Dick rolled his eyes playfully and said, "I couldn't hear that, you're gonna have to speak-" He was cut off as Damian's hand flashed up to cover his mouth.

"Do not make fun of me Grayson!" He hissed although it still lacked its usual bite. There were still a few stray tears rolling down his face but he no longer looked terrified; just a little shaken. Dick's eyes lost their playful glint and softened as he looked down at Damian.

"Sorry Dami...now what was your nightmare about." Dick ran a hand through the boy's hair as he waited for a response. It took a few minutes of waiting but finally Damian shifted pressing his face against Dick's chest as he started to talk.

"We, Batman and Robin, were patrolling the city. It was a dull patrol, everything was quiet so we took off our masks and we stood looking over the city. I should have known it wasn't real then, we would never take off our masks in public. I should have known..." Dick rubbed Damian's back as he felt fresh tears dampen his shirt.

"Shh... it was only a dream." Dick whispered against Damian's head and as the boy's tears began to dry once more he asked, "So what happened next?" Damian sniffed once more before continuing his story.

"While we were standing looking over the city Red Hood came up behind us, I wasn't paying attention and he had a gun. I heard it click behind me but I couldn't move and..." Once again Damian broke off, letting out a small sob. "It...it was just like the other night, with the gun a-and all the blood, except worse because I...I couldn't move and you d-died!" Damian nearly wailed the last word before burying his face against Dick's chest.

Dick's mind was racing as he tightened his arms around a sobbing Damian. He could hardly believe it. All week he'd been wondering what was wrong with Damian and now that he knew it seemed extremely obvious. Dick's near death experience at the hands of Red Hood had scared Damian. That would explain why Damian hadn't left his side and why he'd been so quiet. He was worried for him, worried to lose him, to the point that he'd actually had a nightmare about it. To say that Dick was touched would be an understatement; he was practically glowing with the love and concern he felt for Damian right now.

"Hey...it was only a dream." Dick murmured in his little brother's ear. "It was just a bad dream. Plus we won't let Red Hood get the drop on us again." Dick joked trying to calm the ex-assassin. Unfortunately it seemed to have the opposite effect. At the mention of Red Hood Damian's arms tightened around his injured middle causing him to gasp in pain. At the sound of Dick's pain Damian shot up and for the first time since the boy had latched onto him Dick got a good look at Damian's face.

Putting it bluntly, Damian looked horrible. His face was red from sobbing and wet from tears. His eyes were red and puffy and once again were filled with fear. Hell, Damian looked worse than he had when he'd burst into Dick's room for comfort. Some big brother he was, he couldn't even stop his ten year old brother's tears. Dick prepared himself to dish out some brotherly comfort but Damian broke into Dick's concentration by exclaiming,

"See! It wasn't just a dream! Red Hood shot you!" Damian gestured to Dick chest as he spoke through receding sobs, "If that g-gun had been aimed an inch h-higher when Red Hood fired you would have died just like in my dream! You would have bled out on that rooftop and left me alone!" Damian's voice gradually became stronger and by the last few words he was screaming and shaking with anger and fear.

Dick felt his own eyes well up as Damian spoke. He'd always known Damian preferred him to other people but Damian had never indicated that he truly cared about Dick; at least not openly. At the moment Damian looked extremely conflicted. He desperately yearned to be held for the reassurance that Dick was really alive. Yet he was attempting to reclaim his former independence. Dick smiled at the expression on Damian's face. Reaching up Dick gently wiped the stray tears from his little brother's cheek and Damian, swayed by the gentle touch, settled back into Dick's embrace.

"I'm not going anywhere Dami." Dick said while settling back onto the bed with his brother in his arms.

"We may have had a close call with Hood but I'm fine and even if something did happen to me you would never be alone. You'd have Alfred and Tim to look after you, and Babs too. Plus-" Damian cut him off with a tight squeeze of Dick's abdomen. Then looked up at Dick with angry eyes.

"You think Pennyworth or the former Batgirl could replace you? You think Drake could replace you? None of them understand me and none of them are competent enough to protect Gotham! Don't you dare suggest any one of them could replace you!" Damian's voice was quite but filled with angry contempt. Dick shook his head sadly and sighed,

"That's not what I meant Damian. I just wanted you to understand that you wouldn't be alone if I...died. I wanted you to know that even if I went away you'd never be alone."

These words seemed to calm Damian and he relaxed in his big brother's embrace. Suddenly feeling extremely tired his eyelids lowered and his breathing began to slow. Struggling against sleep Damian raised his face from Dick's chest and asked quietly,

"You won't leave me...will you?"

Dick smiled reassuringly but his eyes were sad as he answered, "I don't plan on leaving you anytime soon Dami," He paused to run a hand through Damian's hair, "but sometimes in our line of work...things happen. I promise though that while I'm here I'll make sure that you're never alone."

He looked down to see Damian's reaction to his words and wasn't surprised to see that the boy was fast asleep. Chuckling softly to himself Dick pulled the blanket up to cover him and Damian and let his exhaustion take over.

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The next morning would be hectic. Dick would be woken up by a kick to his side. Damian would get up and storm out of the room yelling that last night never happened and he would return to his normal stoic self. But for that night things had been calm. That had been the first night Damian had climbed in Dick's bed but it wouldn't be the last. And unknown to them Alfred had heard their whole conversation and had now taken a perfect picture for the Christmas card.

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Second one-shot in this little collection. This is only my second Batman story so it's not the best and constructive criticism is appreciated. Oh and for the record I like Jason Todd and I love stories where he rejoins the family but he just worked out for this story. Please review.