This chapter was inspired by 'Welcome to Happy Harbor' which was on last night. I saw how Rob looked so uncomfortable when the seat's automatic seatbelts sort of grabbed him and it sort of inspired this… (:

He managed a staggered breath, despite the tight boundings around his chest. He could feel no more then those boundings and the needle that punctured the back of his hand. He couldn't think straighter then a bent elbow, but he could think straight enough to get that something was wrong. He forced his blue eyes open and looked around, his heart hammering in his chest. Everything was blurred, but he could tell that something was wrapped tight around him. Even his hands were bound tight to his sides. He ripped them from the boundings and yanked the long tube from the back of his hand and clawed at the boundings furiously.

They were strong, but paranoia prevailed once again. He watched as his hands tore the boundings right down the middle. The second he could worm out, he did. A gasp escaped his lips as pain attacked his midsection. He felt as if something was inside of him, clawing at his body. He clutched at his chest angrily and stumbled from the bed, only to drop to the ground. His legs groaned in anger at him, but Richard refused to listen. He was far too stubborn. He struggled to his feet and leaned on the wall for support.

Where… where am I? Why is my head…? I can't think… got to escape he thought, the effect of the medicine getting to his head.

He stumbled down the room, leaning on to bed rails and the wall to keep him supported, all the while clutching his chest.

Must… find… KF… Batman… Need… help…he thought.

He winced as the roaring in his chest intensified. A whimper escaped his lips, but he ignored it. It wasn't that important to him. He pushed past doctors in their white coats and staggered through the door out to the hall. He felt a hand close down on his arm. True, he may have overreacted when he ninja kicked the innocent doctor in the jaw, but he was delusional, what did they expect? He brushed back the doctors that came towards him, reaching for his utility belt. Richard's heart nearly stopped when he realized that it wasn't in its regular spot.

Disarmed… and injured… this isn't good…

He quickened his step, ducking his head down to hide the tears of pain in his eyes. He didn't surrender to pain. No, pain surrendered to him. Just when he had the elevator in his sight, he felt two hands close down on both of his arms, forcing him to his knees. He tried to struggle, but he didn't have enough strength.

"So… is it Richard Wayne now?" a familiar voice asked Richard.

The boy blinked slowly, but his blurry vision only worsened. He swallowed hard and tried to stay upright.

"Not… Wayne… just… Grayson," he slurred, his dizziness increasing.

"Oh, glad to see that you kept Mummy and Daddy's last name. I'm sure if they were still alive, they'd be glad to hear that. Now, would you like to come with me?"

Richard recognized the man, but he knew that he didn't have the strength to fight off the fat tub of lard that was Tony Zucco.

I have to… get help… but how?

He shook his head slowly, slowing his breath the best he could.

"Oh come on, it won't be that bad… I have candy in my car, would you like some?"

Richard shook his head hard. The hands tightened on his arms and he knew that he couldn't fight them off.

Fighting… can't do that… have to resort… to… Plan B…

"Oh hon, try again. We don't like that answer," Amanda snarled, behind her fake black rimmed glasses.

Richard took a deep breath.

Someone has to… hear this… please…

He threw back his head and pictured the worst images he could remember. He saw his parents hitting the circus floor. He remembered their graves. He remembered seeing Zucco throwing those knives at Batman who was strapped to the rotating wheel. He just pictured his parents smiling down at him. And with that, he managed to do something that he never thought he'd ever have to do in his life. With his head back and his eyes closed tight, Richard John Grayson screamed.

XxXxX

Wally sat up straight in his hospital bed. That scream he heard… he leapt to his feet and out of the bed, racing down the hall. He wasn't the only curious patient at the hospital. Several people's heads were poled out of their rooms, looking around. The red head raced down the white hallways until he found, to his surprise, Robin lying on the ground. The black haired boy's eyes were closed tight and his mouth was open in an ear splitting scream that didn't sound like it could come from a boy his size. He was clutching his stomach as the people around him tried with no success to quiet him. Wally charged forward and knocked the woman and the two men back away from his friend.

Then he scooped up Robin and back pedaled as fast as he could to get his best friend away from them. Richard's eyes opened and when he saw Wally, he closed them again and shut his mouth gently, taking a deep breath. His now weakened frame shook gently in his best friend's arms, but he knew that he was safe for now. Wally wouldn't hurt him. Wally would protect him from the nasty murderers.

"Call… Batman…" he begged softly.

The red head's green eyes were confused as ever, but he nodded.

"Yeah… where's your room?"

Richard was silent though, his lips set in a permanent neutral expression. Wally sighed.

"Batman is so going to kill me for this," Wally thought aloud, racing down the hall back to his own room.

He placed his best friend on his own bed, pulling the sheets up over Robin's chest and leaving them there. He ran a hand weakly through Robin's black hair.

"Don't worry, I'll call Batman… but what do I tell him?"

He didn't really expect an answer when he picked up his own communicator. Before he dialed the number that contacted Batman, he got a soft reply from Robin.

"Say… 'Zucco's… back'…" Robin requested, one arm once again folded over his sore stomach.

Probably just a Dynamic Duo thing… I won't ask Wally decided.

He called and pressed the communicator into his ear, taking a seat next to the bed Robin was resting in.

"Batman speaking."

"This is Kid Flash. A few seconds ago, Robin was… er, attacked and-," he began.

"Is he alright?" Batman cut him off.

"Still stubborn as ever, but he doesn't seem any more hurt then he was before," Wally assured him. "He wanted me to tell you that… 'Zucco's back'… whatever that means."

Wally heard Batman inhale sharply.

"Can I speak to him?"

Wally removed the communicator from his ear and gently shook Robin.

"Hey, Hey Rob… Batman wants to talk to you," Wally said, his voice gentle and soft.

Robin's eyes opened weakly and he frowned.

"Great," he whispered, taking the communicator from his best friend's hand.

He put it in his ear. He nodded and made mumbling 'Uh huh's and 'Nuh uh's, but he never said any definite words.

"L… love you… too," he mumbled, pulling the communicator from his ear.

His arm fell weakly to his side, his hand landing on the red head's. Wally nearly jumped out of his skin.

"Take… it," Robin ordered gently.

Wally nodded and grabbed the ear piece from his best friend's pale hand. Wally held it in his own hand for a while, watching Richard.

You really are something else Rob… maybe it's just the medicine he's on… Hmm…

He then pressed the button next to his bed that got the attention of nurses. He wanted to keep Robin healthy or he was sure he wouldn't hear the end of it. He just wished that he had called the team. He would have preferred to be back at Happy Harbor rather then Gotham's hospital, but it couldn't be helped yet. He'd just have to wait a while longer.

XxXxX

Batman set a hand to his aching head.

Zucco's back and this is the second attempt he's made at Robin's life. I wouldn't have left. I shouldn't have left…

He replayed the hospital's security tapes, going over the one time stamp he wanted. He saw Amanda and Thomas force Richard to his knees while Zucco stood in front of him, saying that he planned on kidnapping him basically. He then watched as Richard tossed back his head and screamed. That broke his heart. He had never once heard Richard scream. He had heard him cry out, whimper, groan, moan and sob, but never a scream. He frowned and stopped the tape, closing his eyes with a sigh.

Why do you try so hard Dick? No one is asking you to pretend that life is amazing. No one is asking you not to be yourself… Why pretend to smile and hide behind a mask? Oh yes, because I ask you to. You're just obeying me… I wish I could tell you why I'm making you hide, but I doubt that you'd understand…

He traced the deep cut down the center of his desk from a few years back. It cut deep into the beautifully carved wood, splintering along the edges.

Now, time to figure out where this bastard is off to. Where do Italian murdering gang bosses go in their free time…?

A lot of you said that Dick wasn't Richard Wayne because he was a… 'ward'. The only ward I know of is a mental ward where the nutsos go to get some help. Does that mean that Bruce was kind of like his doctor? What does ward mean? Please note that just because I've read the dictionary out of boredom doesn't mean that I've retained half of the words in it!

~Welcome to my funeral~

-KSS (FrankandJoe3)