Hi guys, short update today, but I'm kind of in a hurry. I'm helping my Aunt move into a new house, and on top of everything else due to a mix up at my college I've been summarily dropped from all my courses! Life is crap, as of now! I'll try to give you a longer update sometime tomorrow, promise!


ENJOY!


"Aah!"

Alfred held Robin close, wishing there was something he could do to comfort him.

The boy was currently sitting upright on the stainless steel table which served whatever purpose the Batman required, including a medical table. Alfred was holding his upper body in place. He'd been careful to make sure Robin's good arm was pinned between his chest and Alfred's own.

Bruce carefully ran his fingers along Robin's shoulder, gently probing here and there around the joint to make sure he had done the job correctly.

The fall down the stack of crates had dislocated Robin's arm at the shoulder, and had left massive amounts of bruising on the boy's ribs and leg. He'd taken x-rays of Robins ribs and leg and there were no broken bones, much to his and Alfred's relief and Dick's astonishment.

The bruising along Dick's leg was deep seated, well into the muscle, and would take some time to heal. It had actually reached down to the bone in a couple places!

But it would heal. And so would the burns he had sustained. With time, rest, and care, Dick would be back on his feet. And Robin would be back on the streets with Batman. He wouldn't be confined to the cave any longer than was medically necessary, no matter what Bruce or Alfred tried.

Bruce nodded. The ball of the joint was once more seated in the cup of the shoulder. He quickly settled Dick's arm in a sling, using a bandage to bind the boys arm and shoulder in place to dissuade any temptations Dick might have of the acrobatic nature.

"Finished." He said aloud. He gently turned Dick and lifted his legs up onto the table. "Lay back. I'm not done with you yet, just your shoulder."

Dick gasped as his wounds protested. "Terrific." He muttered, allowing Bruce and Alfred to lower him to the table. "Just peachy…aah!"

"Easy." Bruce murmured.

Dick grimaced and nodded. "No kidding."

They quickly removed the rest of Dick's costume, as he had been stripped to the waist so Bruce could get at his shoulder. Once Dick was stripped of his uniform, Bruce picked up a steel canister and removed the lid. A pungent odor filled the air.

"This is going to hurt." Bruce said grimly, handing the canister to Alfred. "But it'll kill the pain, and it'll help you heal."

Dick heaved a sigh and closed his eyes. "Just get it over with."

Bruce nodded and calmly pinned him to the table. Not looking up at Alfred, he said calmly. "You heard him." It took some time to work the ointment well into the burned skin and bruised muscles.

Bruce held him through it all.

Once Alfred had finished, he calmly replaced the lid and put the canister back in the first aid kit. It had torn at Alfred's heart to work that ointment into "Master Richard's" injuries, hearing the boy's cries and gasps of pain, and the only thing that had allowed the aged servant to continue was the fact that this would help his young charge.

A part of him wished that he could exchange places with Master Bruce but he knew that, small though Dick Grayson was, Alfred would never have been able to hold him down.

Bruce gently gathered Dick up in his arms. Normally Dick would have protested being cradled like a child, but tonight he couldn't have cared less. He didn't think he could have made it up all those stairs to his room, and he was dog tired to boot!

Bruce smiled as he gently laid his young ward on the bed. He pulled the thick quilts up over him and gently tucked the boy in.

Dick hadn't even made it up out of the Batcave, falling asleep in Bruce's arms on the way up.

He gently smoothed the hair away from the sleeping boy's forehead. "Sleep well, Richard." He whispered softly.


Like I said, short update. I will strive to get another chapter up as soon as I can. Who knows, I might even get another one finished tonight. Might. We'll see about that...

Ok, I'm gonna be a stinker and say the more people who review, the sooner I update. I need the feed back guys, and "best story ever", while flattering does not help me improve as a writer. So...

REVIEW PLEASE! Virtual cookies to those who update!

Until next time...