Dick crashed on his bed. It had been a long night in Bloodhaven. He was exhausted, but had little interest in going to sleep. Sleep brought dreams, and dreams . . . well, dreams became nightmares.

"You've been burning the candle from both ends." Dick would have jumped at the sound of the voice, but was too tired. Instead, he just turned his head to see his adopted father, Bruce Wayne, more like his mentor. They never did a normal father/son activity his whole life. He sat encased in the shadows. Typical.

"What do you care." Dick forced himself to get up and began taking his uniform off.

"I care." Bruce replied coolly.

"Oh?" Dick was down to his underwear by now and just stared Bruce down. "What are you doing here, then?"

"To check up on you." Bruce replied simply.

"And?" Dick put on a pair of pajama bottoms.

"And . . ." Bruce drew out the word, "to invite you to a party."

"What party?" Dick waited for the other shoe to drop.

"A party I'm hosting." Bruce was being evasive. He hated partys.

"And what do you want me to do at this party?" Dick lay back on his bed.

"Nothing."

"Nothing?" Dick questioned.

"It's a charity event to raise money to rebuild areas that were destroyed during the last battle."

"And you want me to show up and do what, exactly?" Dick pressed. He had never been able to do what he wanted at a party. It was always some cat and mouse game, filled with deceit.

"We're . . ." Bruce cleared his throat, "dressing in our disguises and signing autographs, taking pictures, that sort of stuff."

Dick sat up at that. "You're selling us? That's a new one."

"It wasn't my first choice, but I eventually saw all the good it could do."

Diane talked you into it, didn't she." Dick grinned at his mentor as he shifted uncomfortably.

"Please, come. You're one of the most requested heroes."

Dick thought about it for a moment. "Is there an open bar?"

"Yes." Bruce said in a displeased voice.

"Then I'll be there." Dick got up to go to the bathroom.

"You shouldn't be drinking so much, especially while working."

"Then it's a good thing I don't drink while I'm working."

"What about school?"

"What about school?" Dick said irriatably.

"Aren't you going to Gotham U?"

"Kind of. They really don't have much to offer."

"You need to learn the business side of things."

"I'm not you." Dick glared at Bruce.

"I'm not trying to make you into me. I just want to make sure you don't do something you'll regret."

"I already have regrets, and none of it has to do with collage." Dick lashed out.

Bruce's eyes narrowed. "Everyone made their own choices."

"He was my only friend!" Dick yelled. The anger he had been carrying around for so long came lashing out at the mention of Wally.

"That's not true, you have lots of friends."

"Coworkers." Dick corrected. He held the mask in his hands. "It's hard to make friends when you keep secrets. Wally knew everything about me, and I him. You wouldn't understand. You've never let anyone in, not completely." Dick turned to face him. "Just text me the date, time, and place and I'll show up. Now if you'll excuse me, I need to take a shower." Dick closed the bathroom door and turned on the shower, making it clear to Bruce that the conversation was over. He stared at his reflection in the mirror. His hair was due for a haircut that he just didn't want to bother with and his eyes had bags under them, a testement to his lack of sleep. He probably should listen to Bruce, but he liked the feeling of going against his advice too much.

He took his shower, letting the hot water run over the knots in his shoulders and back. By the time he got out, Bruce was gone. He made his way to bed as he dried himself off. He went to watch TV to help keep him awake, unfortunately, it had an opposite effect and he fell fast asleep to a national news cast about a rise in children kidnappings.