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DISCLAIMER: all characters are owned by DC Comics :D
EDIT: Fixed the problem with the italics. :) for some reason they appeared in the middle of the story instead of the flashback in the starting...oops. :D
BOOM!
At the sound the young boy huddled farther under his covers, clutching them tightly in his little fists, he had only been at the manor for a month now, and had never experienced a thunder storm this violent, the house seemed to shake as lightning struck ,thunder following close behind.
Creak!
Dick's head came out from under his covers and cautiously looked around his room, what was that? wiping the tears from his cheeks, Dick climbed out of bed and crept towards the door.
"Bruce?" he called softly, cautiously making his way into the hallway and towards the balcony overlooking the main entrance.
"Bruce!" he called again, voice quivering as fear began to envelope him.
BOOM!
Thunder vibrated the balcony, frightened Dick whimpered and withdrew into a ball, hugging his legs tightly to his chest, frightened and alone, hot tears began to spill down his cheeks, suddenly a familiar darkness engulfed him, looking up through tear filled eyes, he saw Bruce crouched in front him, still donned in his Batman uniform minus cape and cowl, which were now draped around Dick shoulders, relief overwhelming Dick, he leapt into Bruce's arms, craving the comfort and safety that awaited him, Dick's small arms wrapped tightly around his neck, as one of Bruce's large hands stroked his hair.
"What's wrong?" Bruce asked the sobbing boy in his arms.
"I -I - tho- thought - y- you - were- out- th- there." Dick managed to say in-between heaving sobs, pointing to one of the large windows, the violent storm visible through the velvet curtains.
Tightening his grip around Dick's slim waist, Bruce attempted to console the distraught boy "shhhhh, it's okay I'm fine." rubbing small comforting circles on Dick s back, guilt tugged at Bruce's heart, for scaring the boy, however, at the same time a strange warmth slowly began to fill his being, as he held the now sniffling child, his small arms still wrapped tightly his neck, clearly more terrified for Bruce's safety over his own.
Slowly relinquishing his death grip, Dick sat back in Bruce's arms, still sniffling, with the occasional hiccup.
"Bruce*hic* can I sleep with you, tonight?" his large blue eyes looked sadly up at Bruce, silently pleading.
Bruce smiled warmly down at the small boy, bringing up a hand to wipe the tear stained face clean, picking up the abandoned cape, wrapping it around Dick's small frame and gathering the exhausted boy in his arms, before carrying him to his vacant bedroom.
Gently placing Dick on his large bed, before entering the walk-in closet to change out of his bat-suit and into a loose shirt and sweats, returning to find Dick still sitting in the exact place where he had set him down, staring anxiously at the closet door.
Dick gaze followed Bruce as he pulled the covers down, settling in, Bruce patted the empty space next to him, gesturing at Dick towards him, Dick crawled up to the head of the bed, his body relaxing as he settled into his guardians side, one of Dick's small arms flung across his broad chest, a handful of Bruce's shirt clutched tightly in his tiny hand.
"Good night Dick" Bruce said softly to the already sleeping figure, pressing a gentle kiss to Dick's forehead.
"Robin!"
Batman? Robin tried to move his head towards the voice, causing searing pain to course through his skull.
"You got to wake up, chum."
"Batman?" he finally managed, ignoring the protests from his throbbing head.
"Yeah, it's me chum, you got to open your eyes." His gentle voice reassuring Robin, cautiously he slowly opened his eyes, his head screaming in pain when the single light bulb hanging between him and what he guessed was Batman, shone in his eyes.
"Are you okay" Batman asked worriedly.
Things finally coming into view, Robin looked past the evil light bulb and at the once blurry blob, now clearly a bloody, battered Batman, "Me? Look at yourself, you look as if you've been hit by a semi-trailer truck, multiple times!"
I'll be fine." he grunted through clenched teeth,," Who needs ribs anyway?" he joked, wincing with every breath.
"your making jokes? now I really am worried" Robin grinned, looking across at his bound mentor.
"Enough chit-chat". Batman ordered " We need to escape, before Two Face returns." grunting as a large leather strap fastened across his chest, pressed painfully on his broken ribs
A sudden burst of fear, coursing through Robin's body at the thought of the crazed lunatic returning, Robin began to frantically struggle against the bonds strapping his wrists and ankles to the irritating chair, Robin remembered all to well the first time, he faced off with Two Face, Batman bound, watching, unable to help, Two Face's crazed expression as he hit the small child, again and again the wooden bat cracking down on his skull, whack, whack ,whack, then nothing, darkness, waking up days later broken and battered,, anger quickly replacing fear as Robin remembered his past humiliation, with new determination, Robin's struggles against his bonds intensified, finally managing to slip one gloveless hand out of the heavy duty leather straps, but before he could get to work on the second, a scared hand gripped Robin's newly released one, fastening it back down, tightly.
"Tsk, tsk." Two Face shamed, his disfigured face only inches from Robin's "you've been a very bad boy Robin, hasn't he men?" Two Face looked to his lackeys, the men grunting unenthusiastically, in agreement, "I'll just have to punish him won't I?" the jeers getting louder, excitement rising "teach him a lesson?" cheers filled the room, the surrounding men eager for the impending beating.
Two Face grabbed a metal baton from one of the nearby men, and brought it down hard on one of Robin's exposed fingers, a resounding crack! filled the room, Robin bit down on the inside of his cheek to keep from screaming, determined not to give them the satisfaction, centering all his will on not screaming, Robin drowned everything out, Two Face's taunts, the thugs encouraging jeers, Batman's angry yells of protest, but as the baton slammed down on his already broken wrist, Robin's will shattered, his cry of pain reverberating on the walls.
Two Face looked down at the broken boy" Finally! that's all I wanted," he said patting the panting boy on the head, "It was sooo much easier last time, has my favorite punching bag grown up? He taunted whacking him once more on the knee cap, causing Robin to cry out, the villain snickered at the broken boy "All in a days works, folks." Two Face boasted, bowing to his rambunctious crowd.
"Just wait till my friends get here." Robin sneered, spitting blood out of his mouth onto one of Two Face's pristine shoes.
Two Face leapt forward, and angrily grabbed Robin's jaw," You mean these friends?" sending a signal towards the thugs, they parted to reveal the crumpled body's of Robin teammates. "I hope you have a plan B." he mocked, grabbing a gun and firing it at one of the unsuspecting victims.
BLAM!
BLAM!
BLAM!
To Be Continued….