Memories

By AJ

Part 6

Batman and Robin arrived at the Hall of Justice to find Superman, Wonder Woman, and the Flash already present. Wonder Woman and the Flash gave each other a questioning look at seeing Robin, a grown Robin, hiding behind Batman as if he had not been to the Hall of Justice before. His eyes wide like a child's. Wonder Woman found it humorous and she wondered if Batman was playing some kind of prank. Oh well, if he was, she'd play along.

"Where's Green Arrow?" Batman asked.

"He's not available," Superman said, which was true. The original Green Arrow had arrived late with his partner Speedy. Speedy had become Arsenal and later Red Arrow. Dick and Speedy had become friends and it was those two who started the Teen Titans. If one of the triggers involved him and those memories, that was going to be a tricky situation to solve. There was no Speedy any more, and all the original Teen Titans were grown men and women, crime fighters in their own right with new names. He would have to figure out something else to be able to release that trigger.

"What's going on? Superman didn't elaborate," Batman stated.

"Actually, you are in luck. There is an emergency," Flash quipped. "Who's this?"

Flash had been briefed by Superman regarding Nightwing's memories being blocked since he arrived first, but it wasn't Nightwing that stood behind Batman. There wasn't time to brief Wonder Woman. She would just have to pick up on their cues and figure it out on her own.

"This is Robin, my partner," Batman introduced.

"Batman, are you sure it was wise to bring a 'kid' into this . . ." Wonder Woman said then gave Flash a smile and winked.

"I'm not a kid," Robin spoke up for himself with a pout.

Batman couldn't help but nod. At least Flash was playing his part well, even right down to the emergency. Flash had used the same exact words he used when he met Robin the first time. Even Dick was playing his part without realizing it. Wonder Woman though seemed to think this was all humorous.

"What's the nature of the emergency?" Batman asked, remembering that the emergency they handled had been some kind of hostage situation that required a delicate touch.

"There was an earthquake in Chili and several people are trapped," Wonder Woman stated, becoming all business. "Plus, there's been looting and the police can't handle it all."

That was not the emergency that he remembered that happened ten years ago when Robin visited for the first time. There must be a real emergency that required their attention. Regardless, in order for this to work, Robin would have to be left behind like last time. "I'll take the batplane," Batman said. "Robin, you stay here and monitor our efforts."

"Yes, Batman," Robin replied.

"I think Robin should come with us. He might be able to help with keeping any hurt children calm," Wonder Woman suggested, giving Batman a wink.

What was Wonder Woman thinking? Didn't Superman briefed her? Bruce didn't want Dick coming with them with his condition. They needed to follow what happened years ago in order to release the block.

"I know I can help Batman," Robin stated, but then, "No, wait I . . . I . . . I . . ." Robin pressed his left hand to the left side of his head, and his face contorted with the sudden onset of stabbing pain. "No . . . something's . . . not . . . right. This isn't . . . how . . . I remembered . . . " A very adult Robin said fighting whatever it was that gave him extreme pain at that moment. The block had apparently been released, but something was very wrong. Robin started to collapse when Batman caught him before hitting the floor. He picked him up and cradled him close.

"I was afraid this might happen," he said to Superman.

"What happened?" Wonder Woman asked, confused as to what was going on.

"I'm sorry, I didn't get you briefed in time," Superman said. "Nightwing blocked his . . .

"That's not Nightwing, that's Robin, a much older Robin. What is going on Batman? What kind of joke are you playing?" Wonder Woman interrupted Superman.

Batman glared at Wonder Woman than at Clark.

"I apologize, Batman. There wasn't time to brief her."

"Brief me?" Wonder Woman questioned.

Batman gave an audible sigh, "Nightwing's memories are blocked, but it was ROBIN whom you met the FIRST time. And that's what he remembers being right now. And it was the hostage situation we faced, not an earthquake. Without realizing it, you may have confused those memories with this very real emergency, and may have endangered Robin's life."

Wonder Woman blanched at Batman's words. "Batman, I'm sorry . . . I . . . "

Batman continued not listening to Wonder Woman's apology for the moment. His thoughts were strictly on his son. "Superman, you take the others to handle the emergency. I better stay with Robin. I need to examine him to know why he's experiencing headaches and why they are getting worse."

"Very well. We'll return as soon as possible."

Wonder Woman and Flash stared at Batman as he carried the unconscious Robin, holding him close.

"I . . . I didn't think he was serious," Wonder Woman said. "I thought it was some kind of Joke."

"When have you known Batman to pull a prank," Flash said. "And you chide me for not being serious enough. He is very serious, apparently dead serious when it comes to Robin."

Batman carried his charge to the infirmary while the rest of the Justice League left to handle the emergency. The infirmary was larger and contained the necessary equipment to assist the crime fighters if someone was injured. Batman laid Robin on one of the examination tables. He moved the x-ray machine in place. He turned Robin's head to the side after placing under him a plate containing the film. He placed a lead apron over Robin and took the image. Within moments, the film was developed and Batman moved Robin to a more comfortable bed. He then looked at the x-ray and confirmed his suspicions. Dick had sustained a hairline fracture above the left ear. It was a fracture that would need time to heal. The memory blocks must be associated with the injury he received. And that meant when each block was removed it would cause him severe pain, perhaps even sending Dick into a coma or worse.

Guilt filled Bruce. He should have pressed Leslie further on the head injury, but she had been concentrating on the injuries to his back and wrists and neither realized just how serious Dick had been hurt. He thought about their last argument and the continued strain their life had been, ever since he brought William Cobb back to the batcave. He had lost something. Faith? Trust? He had always trusted Dick to do the right thing, then finding out about Cobb . . . Suddenly he started to see Dick differently . . . something he had never done before. Dick continued to point out the obvious, that "Talon" was just another bad guy to him. And then Nightwing was being accused of murder. Finding one of Nightwing's eskrima sticks at the scene was very damning evidence, but that was all they had. Even so, Bullock wanted Nightwing taken down despite proving his innocence. Bullock didn't trust anyone who wore a mask regardless whether they were trying to do good. Even so, all of that still didn't let Bruce forget what Dick had said.

'I wanted to talk to Dick about what happened, but as always we end up solving other people's problems, putting Gotham first. I hoped to talk to him after the incident of him being accused of murder. Then the computer components were stolen. I still have William Cobb comatose in the batcave, and I don't even know what I'm going to do to resolve that.' Then Batman's eyes narrowed for a moment. He thought about the batcave and once again the argument that he and Dick had, the argument had also centered around William Cobb, but ever since Dick had been returned he couldn't recall whether Cobb was in the batcave. 'Clark would have asked me about the man. My mind has not been clear ever since . . . I didn't want Dick going undercover, but he had been right. I had to prove to myself that I did trust Dick, that his words meant something. I wanted to tell him that I not only heard what he said, I understood. I had been thinking differently about him, as if he would betray . . . How could I have been so wrong.' Now he didn't know if he would ever get that chance.

"Forgive me," Bruce said, as tears fell down behind his mask then slipped out from under it. He wept like this before years before, for a man who saved his life, a man whom most never paid any mind. His name was Small, but in the end he lived large, and Batman had granted his dying wish to see the man behind the mask. And now his son was facing a fate that could end his life. Dick could still die from the headaches and the stress his mind was undergoing, and Bruce might not ever get the chance to set things right between them.

Superman returned to find Batman holding his son's hand in one and his other resting on Robin's chest.

"Batman?" Superman approached with cautious worry.

"I'm failing him," Batman said.

"No, Batman," Superman replied. "You've never failed him. You've always been there when he needed you. And he's been there when you needed him."

"Not always. There was a time when we said terrible words to each other," Batman admitted. 'The most recent just three months ago, but I did more than just . . .' he thought, brushing his fingers along a scar that Dick now had that Batman had caused.

"He has done something that no other should have had to do," Superman said. "He didn't have to do it. You could have refused on that very first day. Why didn't you?"

Both knew what they were talking about without having to mention it. It was something that he had shared with his closest friend knowing that he could trust him with that knowledge. "Because he wanted it so much," Batman replied.

"And since then, he has shown nothing but trust and he's kept your secret all these years," Superman said.

"My secret . . ." Batman scoffed at first. "My secret." Batman suddenly sat up straighter as a revelation hit him. "That's it."

"What's it?"

"Why didn't I see it before now. We've been doing this piece meal. There has to be ONE trigger that will release all of the blocks. It would have a cascading effect and I should have realized it."

"I don't understand, what should you have realized?" Superman asked.

"The answer," Batman replied, but did he dare even admit it to himself. It was the only way. Batman removed his cowl, knowing that the words he was about to utter had to come from Bruce Wayne.

"See that we're not disturbed."

Not all of the other Justice League knew his secret, even to this day. Superman was the exception. Each found out the others' identity and swore to keep the secret. Just as Dick swore to keep Bruce Wayne's secret without any prompting from Bruce. And that wasn't all. Dick knew a secret that went far deeper than any of his other sons knew. It was a truth that even Bruce could not escape from no matter how much he tried. Dick knew how vital it was to protect even that. For behind the facade that was the Batman was a man who loved too deeply and feared loss above all else. Also, if he ever dared show any emotion toward the people he cared about, his enemies might use them against him. Keeping secrets, Bruce knew how to keep secrets, not only from those he cared about, but from himself as well. Dick knew the truth. He confronted him with it and Bruce nearly took Dick's head off with a backhand that sent him flying across the room. Only Dick would dare to do so and risk such a blow. Bruce spied the scar that graced the handsome face one more time. It was small and unassuming, and he wondered what excuse Dick was saying about that particular scar, a scar that Batman and Bruce had inflicted on his eldest son, a strike where he drew blood. It tore a hole in him more than the physical pain he inflicted. Dick never said anything about it. He didn't even wipe the blood from his face when he left to continue on his own case, the case where he would be accused of murder. Dick had been right, he hit the mark with his words just as his body hit the mark every time he flew.

'I have been defining my role from the past, not because I chose to be what I am. I also tried to define, Dick's role from a destiny that never happened. He was supposed to be a Talon. Why isn't he? The Court Owls live by secrets, subterfuge, and lies. Dick has always spoken the truth to me,' he thought. 'He has always been honest while I've been the one to keep secrets from him, trying to protect him from harm, but have I been doing more harm than good? He has kept very few secrets of his own and yet he always seems to know my deepest and darkest ones. Perhaps it is time to reveal the one secret that has always been safe with him. That takes total trust. Jason didn't put his trust in me. Tim worshiped Batman and Robin, but he didn't always trust that I wouldn't go too far. And Damian, he doesn't trust any of us, not fully. His Mother saw to that.' Bruce stared into the face of his comatose son as what he was thinking would reach him. 'You Dick, you trusted me from the very beginning. And even when we have our differences, you continue to trust me to do what is right and to tell me when when I'm being . . . You took an oath and turned it into a sacred vow. You kept on fighting when I turned my back. I'd forgotten what that means.'

Bruce leaned down and whispered into Robin's ear. "It's Bruce, my son. I hope you can hear me and forgive my foolishness. I know the answer." Eight little words that Dick had shown with his actions that proved his worthiness. Eight little words that were as much an oath as the oath that Dick Grayson had sworn those many years ago in a darkened cavern with nothing but a lighted candle on a table between them. Eight little words for him that were so sacred Dick would die first than reveal what it was that he knew. Eight little words that Dick has uttered on several occasions, and meaning every word. Eight little words, "Trust me, your secret is safe with me."

Continues with Part 7