"Don't you dare say that!" Alfred boomed.
The butler's gaze fell down upon the boy who's shoulder's were beginning to tremble. Alfred began to shush the boy as he wrapped his arms around him. The boys cries where silent but powerful, as he gave in to the sorrow. Alfred could feel Bruce's arms tremble as he grabbed a fistful of his shirt and held fast.
"Easy mate..." Alfred soothed.
Alfred soon began to worry as it seemed that the tremors wouldn't subside on their own. Glancing down he saw that Bruce had closed his eyes. The cries had quieted, but the boy continued to shake ardently.
"You know you can tell me..." Alfred encouraged. "If there's anything bothering you...Anything at-"
"Cold." Bruce stammered.
As if on cue, Bruce in-hailed forcefully and wrapped his arms around himself. The butler chided himself as he had yet again missed the fact that the boys temperature was dropping again. Alfred quickly got up and turned towards the boy. With out a word he wrapped his arm around Bruce and scooted him back against the bed board.
"No!" Bruce yelped, grabbing the butler's arms.
"You gotta get-" Alfred boomed.
"I don't want to get more rest." Bruce interrupted.
Alfred winced when he saw Bruce's entire frame tremor as he spoke. It became obvious that the nightmare was still clinging to the recesses of the boys mind. Alfred sat down next to the boy and gently clasped his shoulder's.
"Master Bruce, if I don't get you warmed up..."Alfred uttered.
The butler stopped speaking the moment he saw the boy's chin quiver. He shook Bruce's shoulder's gently as he tried to phrase his concern another way.
"There will be no rest Master Bruce..." Alfred spoke gently.
The boy's eyes shot up and honed in as the butler spoke. Alfred gasped when he saw the silent cries resume their previous course. Immediately, Alfred pulled Bruce close and held him for a moment. As he did so he gasped when he realized the boy's tremors from the cold had reached a new level of intensity.
"Tell ya what." Alfred spoke. "How 'bout we make our way to the sitting room."
Bruce pulled away, and looked up towards Alfred when he heard the suggestion. Alfred met the boy's gaze. He barely saw it when the boy nodded in agreement.
"We'll get a fire up n' going, set you on the couch with a few throw blankets..."
Bruce nodded again as the butler spoke. But it didn't escape the butler's notice when a soft yawn made it's way across Bruce's face.
"You do realize that exhaustion will eventually win-" Alfred stated, smiling kindly.
The words barely made it out of the butler's mouth before Alfred saw Bruce reach up and rub his eyes. The boy nodded as he ex-hailed loudly.
"I know...I just..." Bruce rasped.
"You are fighting it Master Bruce, and-" Alfred answered.
"Don't you understand Alfred?!" Bruce yelled, glaring at the butler. "I fall asleep, and I'm back at that alley again, with my parents, and then that man shows up...With his gun...an-"
Before the boy could finish his sentence, the butler pulled him close. He began to shush the boy as he heard the dry sobs emanating forth.
"It's a battle Master Bruce. That's for ruddy sure." Alfred stated, his voice trembling. "But some battles are worth loosing."
Bruce began to wail when he heard Alfred's words. He knew Alfred was right, but he didn't want to face the macabre nightmares again. He clasped a fistful of the butler's vest in his hands and held tightly as the truth of what had been said began to sink in. Alfred gasped when Bruce's cries burst forward and began to rub the boy's back gingerly.
"I'm not going anywhere Master Bruce." Alfred soothed. "I'll wake you at the first sign of duress."
Bruce pulled away and looked Alfred square in the eye. The butler gasped as he saw the dark circles under the boy's eyes had darkened even more. He saw more tears threatening to fall as the boy stared at him.
"What about yuh?" Bruce stammered, sniffing loudly.
"Me?" Alfred asked.
"Even...butlers...need their rest." Bruce quipped.
All though the boy's voice was trembling and the tears were falling continuously, Alfred breathed a sigh of relief when he saw a slight smile work it's way across the boy's face.
"If you lay down on the couch, I could sit with ya." Alfred suggested. "Who knows...Maybe I'll catch a few winks."
