A/N: I've been having a writer's block which is why the chapter with the Team has not been posted. I also didn't want to sound like I was just copying the new episode! However, Jedi Ani Unduli was so wonderful as to leave a review mentioning Alfred's POV and suddenly this popped into my head.
So thank you very much Jedi Ani Unduli for making my mind jump over the roadblock! Please enjoy some Alfred. He is based very much on the Alfred in "Robin Year One".
Enjoy!
Disclaimer: I do not own anything.
I had made it clear to Master Bruce many times that recruiting Master Richard into his business was disastrous. When the eight year old had started I'd hoped it would only last a few days. Days turned into weeks and then into years. Now, at age thirteen, Robin is still the partner of Batman.
Many times this seems like the only way. It is now hard to imagine Batman without Robin. It seems natural for Master Richard to be Robin. And the addition of Dick Grayson into Bruce Wayne's life has made a difference in him. There is now a light in the Master's life. I've even seen him smile and laugh, which for years seemed improbable. So it only seems reasonable that Master Richard to continue being the Robin to Bruce's Batman.
However, there are times when I know this is not true. It is not natural for a young man to be running around the world fighting for "justice" and ignoring his youth in favor of that goal. This is only made all the more clear when the Masters return from an exploit with Master Richard in considerably bad condition.
This is the prime example and in my mind, the last possible straw.
I stand in the dreary cave beneath the manor, staring at the empty spot, and willing the car to pull in. How much longer will it be before they arrive back? How much will have occurred? Will Master Bruce have stopped before going too far? For some reason I doubt this. I fear the broken boy which may return home tonight.
I do not know how I could have let this happen. Indeed, I did not find out all the parts of the operation until just before it started, and by then there was nothing more I could do. Still, this was not right in any sense. A father hunting down his own son? Nothing in the world should have that happen, and yet Master Bruce had planned for such a thing!
It is exactly three hours, forty nine minutes and thirty two seconds from when they left that they arrive home. The Batmobile thunders into the cave and my heart constricts as Master Richard does not immediately leap from the car with a witty joke as so often is the case.
My breath catches as Batman steps out from the car. Master Bruce's movements are slow, lethargic, as if he's in shock.
No.
"Master Richard?" I demand.
"He's asleep." Master Bruce's voice is gentle, almost scared.
My eyes narrow as I see the bundle in his arms. It is very rare that I get truly angry. Seeing the horrors that Gotham has to offer left me with a high tolerance. But the sight before me is one that I cannot help but be outraged by.
Master Richard is wrapped tightly in Batman's cape. His form is white and he is sweating. He's shivering though. I see bruises and cuts across his flesh. Knowing that it was Batman, his mentor, his father that did this infuriates me. To what lengths will Master Bruce go in order for his crusade to win? He will lose sight of what is truly important soon, I fear.
Master Bruce sets the boy gently down on the medical table. I had prepared for the worst, though I had hoped desperately that I would need none of the supplies.
Gently I undress the boy of his armor. Even with the Kevlar, bullet proof vest, and other protective wear, there are new dark bruises marring his flesh. A long cut runs up his side, not very deep or dangerous, but painful none the less. There is a bump forming on his head. Another cut runs along his shoulder. A deep purple spot is forming on his lower leg.
I shove Master Bruce aside and begin to work. Master Richard does not even stir. He is out cold. I don't know if it is from exhaustion or if Master Bruce had done that to him.
"Alfred-" Master Bruce starts and stops as soon as I send a glare his way.
He looks guilty, guiltier than ever before, but this doesn't assuage my guilt. I should have protested more. I should have altered the League of their plans. I should have stopped this.
Twenty minutes later I have treated the outward injuries. I have no idea the extent of his mental injuries.
"You drowned him." I whisper as I run a towel over the boy's damp body.
"I didn't." Batman is speaking, not Master Bruce. "Drowning means he died. He isn't dead." The words are growled out defensively.
"He's terrified of drowning."
"I know."
The test was to take Master Richard and push him past his limits. I fear Master Bruce did this ten times over. He seems to know his errors now, but that no longer will help. Nothing I say will alleviate the problem either.
"Can you take him to his room?" I ask instead. Master Bruce jumps at my words. He meets my eyes and I see my disapproval reflected. He looks away like a child being scolded.
Then, carefully, he lifts the boy into his arms and carries him away.
I don't know what else to do so I go to the kitchen. I make hot chocolate, one of Master Richard's favorite things after patrol. I take it back to the young master's bedroom and wait.
Master Bruce sits beside the bed. His eyes look haunted. He sends worried glances in my direction, but I say nothing. I must stay to see how Master Richard fairs. I don't yet know what to think. I am still thinking that I may need to call in the League to deal with this. As much as the thought pains me, seeing Master Richard so hurt by Master Bruce's hand is worse.
It takes over an hour before Master Richard awakes. He is tired and confused. He doesn't seem to remember arriving home, or even stopping in his chase around town. He stares at the blankets and hot coco in his hands. Hesitantly he raises it to his face to breath in the warm scent.
Finally, Master Dick sees us. There is no fear in his face. Nothing indicates that he is upset over what happened. He simply seems confused and I fear for a moment that he had a concussion that I'd missed.
His eyes land on Master Bruce and that is no longer the case. I can see the understanding in his body. He knows what happened. Instead of fear or anger there is only acceptance. "Daddy." He whispers and holds his arms out to Master Bruce.
He is in his father's arms instantly. Master Bruce crushes him close apologizing over and over, though I doubt he even knows he's saying the words.
"It's not your fault." Master Dick mumbles. He cuddles closer and his eyes meet his father's. "It was needed." He insists. "And it was better you than any of our rogues."
I do not know what to think of this. Master Dick is ok with what happened. He understood and he seems to actually have appreciated the terrible exercise. I fear that he is as embedded in this fight for justice as Master Bruce is.
Master Richard snuggles closer and whispers "Thank you," Master Bruce say nothing, although he presses his lips against the boy's forehead.
Long moments pass before any of us speak again. "It won't happen again." Bruce says suddenly. "Nothing like that will happen again." Bruce looks over his shoulder at me, "I promise." He adds.
"I should hope not." The words are the first I have spoken in hours and I hear a slight tremble in my voice. Master Richard looks up and grins at me.
"It won't." He says proudly. "Next time I'll be able to beat him and anyone else."
Days later the same laughter as usual echoes up through the Batcave and flitters around the manor as if nothing had happened. Already Master Richard is patrolling the streets with both Batman and his new team, Young Justice. Batman and Robin are once again united in their quest for Justice.
As I peak into the rooms at night, however, I do not see the Boy Wonder.
The world sees him as a large than life figure. His team surely does not treat him differently, despite being a young human. The Justice League is used to seeing him around and almost assumes that he's the same as his mentor, if not in personality than in his abilities. The Police put their full trust in him and believe he is more capable than their whole SWAT team. Even Batman regularly seems to forget that his side kick is still only a young boy.
As I step into his room to gently right his sheets and more firmly tuck the stuffed animal he still sleeps with into place, I do not see Robin.
I see Dick Grayson.
A/N: I hope you enjoyed this chapter. If I get enough reviews I may still write some more chapters involving either the team or the League. I haven't gotten too many reviews though so I don't know how many people actually read and enjoy this story.
Please let me know your thoughts and opinions! And jump over to "Of Flying Robins" if you're interested in something happy and cute with little Robin.
Thank you for reading!