Sorry it's been a while since I updated but I've been busy with school, this chapter is a little longer as requested with a bit of Dick/Babs fluff. Please read and review it's much appreciated J

- Graysongirl1

Chapter 3 – Awake

Dick woke up slowly, his head was swimming and his vision was blurred, he blinked a few times to clear away the fog. He looked around, he was in the cave's med bay.

"Hey sleepy head" said a familiar voice. Dick turned his head slowly to the side, sitting in a chair situated next to his bed was a beautiful girl with fiery red hair. Since the day they had first met as kids, Dick had always thought she was attractive, he just never mentioned it.

"Hey Babs" he returned, noticing how much it hurt to talk, the words had scratched at his raw throat and he began to cough violently. Alarmed Barbara grabbed the glass of water from his bedside table and handed it to him. He drank the whole glass mentally sighing as the water extinguished the fire in his throat.

"Are you alright?" Barbara asked, placing a hand on his shoulder. He nodded but didn't talk again. Why does my throat hurt? And why am I in the med bay? He questioned himself. Just then the memories of the previous night's events all flooded back to him. The images ripped through his mind once again, wearing down his defenses. He fought back tears that threatened to make themselves known.

"Babs they were there" he said hoarsely. She instantly wrapped her arms around him, she knew exactly what he was talking about. When Bruce had called her and explained that Dick had been infected by the Scarecrow's fear gas, she had no doubt about what his hallucinations would be about.

"It's ok Dick, it wasn't real" she said as she held him, he was really fighting the tears now, he didn't want Barbara to see him cry, he didn't want her to think less of him or see him this way, he cared for her too much.

He moved over and made room for her on the bed, sensing his intentions she kicked off her boots and tucked her legs under the blankets. They both snuggled into each other, she placed an arm around him and held him tight, they sat there for a while until he was able to talk.

"They were there Babs, my parents, they blamed me for their deaths, it was so real" Dick said, almost choking on the words.

"You know the effects of the Scarecrow's gas Dick, it wasn't real, you're not responsible" she said, stoking the hair out of his eyes, and tracing his cheekbones with her figures.

"But…. I didn't get to them in time Babs, I could have saved them….. I could have warned them" his words were shaky and his bottom lip began to quiver.

"You did everything you could Dick" she reasoned.

He bit his bottom lip, annoyed at his body for betraying his emotions.

Barbara couldn't stand to see Dick like this, he was so beaten and broken in spirit, she was used to him being her rock. It was strange to have the roles reversed, he was usually so strong and barely showed his true feelings.

They were both interrupted from their somber thoughts by a quiet tap at the door. The door opened silently and Bruce's head popped through. He was slightly taken back by the sight of the two in bed together, but was happy to see Dick conscious. Dick had been out for quite a while and Bruce had been worried about him, the results of the fear gas had showed different mixtures of the chemical compounds in the gas. The gas had been altered and enhanced, he didn't know what the effects would be, or how long they would last.

He smiled, though it didn't reach his eyes, "How are you feeling?" he asked.

Dick smiled half-heartedly at his adopted father, "ok" was all he could manage without his voice shaking. Barbara sensed that Bruce wanted to speak to Dick alone, she gave Dick a gentle kiss on the cheek and untangled herself from the blankets and his embrace. Dick looked at her pouting childishly, implying that he didn't want her to leave. She smirked at him as she slipped her boots back on and walked out the door, getting a subtle nod of thanks from Bruce as she walked out.

"So the Scarecrow's back huh?" Dick asked eyeing is father expectantly.

"I'm not sure, it could be a copycat" said Bruce.

"Could he have escaped from Arkham?" Dick asked.

"It's possible" Bruce said bluntly.

Dick looked away deep in thought, it was scary to think that any villain Bruce and he had locked up may be able to escape from Arkham.

"Dick" Bruce began, "If you want to talk about it…"

"No" Dick cut him off, "I'm fine" he lied, he didn't want to talk, he just wanted to move on. Bruce doubted Dick's words very much, but let it slide for the time being.

Dick studied the ordinary white wall of the med bay with great interest, waiting for the topic of conversation to change. Bruce sensed his son's discomfort and thought it best if he left for the time being.

"You're free to leave whenever you wish, Alfred believes the toxin has been cleared from your system" Bruce said as he opened the door.

"But it would be nice if you stuck around for a while" he added, with a smile, making eye contact with Dick before he turned and left closing the door behind him.

Dick thought about returning to Bludhaven, but he liked it at the manor with his family, maybe he would stick around. For a while anyway.