A/N: I passed this school year! Next year will be my last year before I'll go to college :D, so that's why I've been so busy lately. This also means...SUMMER VACATION! (and more time to update this story).

Thanks for all the reviews/favorites/followers!


Batman drove into the Batcave after a quiet night, the criminals kept a low profile. He had only needed to stop two robberies. He quickly showered and changed in a comfortable dark gray sweatpants and a white t-shirt.

Alfred was going out tonight until half past one and it was now a quarter to one. It was a rarity that the faithful butler had some spare time just for himself. When he was asked to go to an opera together with Lucius Fox, Bruce had given Alfred the night off. Before he left Alfred had put Dick in bed and he read him a fairytale from the same storybook that he had also read to Bruce when he was a child. It turned out that it always would calm Dick down and that it helped him to sleep better.

Alfred found it hard to leave Dick behind and he stood hesitating on the doorstep of the front door, Bruce had to push him almost out of the house. He eventually went away after Bruce had promised to stay home tonight and that he wouldn't leave the house. Bruce had still broken his promise, but what could possibly happen? He hadn't been away for too long and he knew Dick would be safe in Wayne Manor, and Alfred would never find out anyway.

Bruce went to the elevator and went upstairs. He whistled while he walked away from the hidden access behind the old cuckoo clock. He walked up the stairs towards his soft bed. On the way to his bedroom, he came across Dick's bedroom, also his old bedroom. His conscience gnawed at him and he decided to quickly take a look if everything was still alright. Slowly he opened the door and looked through the crack. To his horror he saw that no one seemed to lie in bed.

Bruce threw open the door and rushed to the bed. He pulled the sheet back to see if Dick's little body wasn't lying curled up in bed. Bruce began to slightly panic after a thorough search of the sheets because he realized that Dick was no longer in his bed. Bruce looked under the bed and in the attached bathroom. But Dick was nowhere to be found. Bruce swore softly as he walked out of the bedroom, "Damn it, Alfred's going to kill me for this."

Since Dick stayed here Bruce had noticed that his butler's behavior had changed. He smiled more often and he had a certain twinkle in his eye. He also talked more. Two days ago Bruce was in the kitchen and he had been looking out of the window, which had a great view of the garden. Alfred was working to do some weeding in the spring sunshine and Bruce had listened to Alfred for fifteen minutes through the open kitchen window with a cup of coffee in his hand.

Dick sat in the grass while Alfred had his back turned to him. While the butler was working in the garden, Dick had quietly watched from a distance. Nevertheless, Alfred was telling about the flowers that would soon be in bloom, and how beautiful the garden would be. Bruce had even seen Dick nodding from which he deduced that the boy actually listened at what was said.

But now Alfred isn't here anymore, and Dick's gone. Bruce walked with quick steps through the halls; slowly panic took over his thoughts more and more. Could it be that something bad happened?

As he approached the kitchen, he heard a soft sob coming from the there and he saw that the light was on. He took a deep breath of relief and walked into the kitchen. What he found there gave him a very bad feeling and he wanted to kick himself at that moment. Dick looked lost while he was walking around in circles as he rubbed his eyes with one hand and with the other he tightly held a stuffed elephant. Tears slid down his red cheeks and it made Bruce feel terribly guilty. Dick had probably had a nightmare and was now looking for Alfred who could comfort him.

But Alfred wasn't here, how long did the poor child walk around desperate to find the butler? Bruce swallowed and slowly walked over to him. Dick looked at the ground and had stopped to walk in circles and Bruce went down on his knees. "Did you have a bad dream?" he asked in a kindliest tone that he could manage. Dick nodded almost unnoticed and he still sobbed but tears became less. Bruce did not know what to do, he could comfort him. But he thought that he would only make things worse, Dick was so shy and now he was also scared and confused. Even though he doubted, he still opened his arms, he could always try.

Dick took a few steps closer and he leaned against Bruce's chest while he frantically grabbed Bruce's t-shirt with his hands. Bruce hugged him softly and lifted him up and with one hand he rubbed Dick's back. Dick relaxed a bit but he still kept the holding on to the t-shirt like his life depended on it. Bruce began to lull softly to him "Sush Dick, it's okay. You do not need to be afraid." The sobbing stopped and one last tear slid down his cheek. Bruce wiped it softly away with his finger and he looked for the first time since their encounter straight into Dick's eyes. Blue sad eyes stared at him and then quickly looked away again.

"I will bring you back to bed." Bruce said after he had continued to rub Dick's back for a while without words. Once in the bedroom he laid Dick gently down on the bed, but Dick still refused to let go of his shirt. Bruce sighed and looked for a solution. His attention was quickly drawn to the old storybook that was on the nightstand. "Dick? If you let go of my shirt, I'll read you a story." Dick seemed to doubt for a moment but after a couple of seconds he let go, partly out of curiosity. Bruce had never shown much commitment; Alfred always took care of him.

Bruce covered him and sat on the edge of the bed with the storybook in his hands. He had no idea what story he could read to him, and he flipped through the book. Eventually he went for Sleeping Beauty, with the logic that the story was also about sleeping. He spoke the first words uncertainly "Once upon a time ..." and then he looked at Dick who was staring at his stuffed elephants and bear in his arms. He had stopped to fiddle with the elephant's ears waiting for Bruce to continue.

Bruce focused again at the sentences he had to read. Without pausing and after having read the story, he closed the book gently. He turned to look at Dick, and he stopped breathing for a second.

Dick had fallen asleep and now looked very peaceful. Bruce stared at Dick's chest which was slowly going up and down, and then to the small face. His cheeks were still a little red, but in the morning they would turn to their natural color again. His dark black hair that covered his forehead was tousled and he looked adorable.

Bruce suddenly thought to himself how it was possible that he had, together with Mary, created this little creature that was sleeping in the bed in front of him. It was a very strange thought to have but it also fascinated him in a certain way, and he kept staring for a little longer at, which he began slowly to realize, his son. After a while he got up and tiptoed out of the room and before he gently closed the door he whispered quickly, "Sweet dreams, Dick."