CHAPTER 9:

Batman was on the brink of sleep, holding Dick's hand and silently begging for him to wake up, for his son to return to the world. Dick emitted a quiet gasp and his eyes flickered open. The room was vaguely dark, so he had only small trouble in opening his deep cerulean eyes and looking around the room. His sight settled on Batman, uncowled, holding his hand.

"Hey, dad" Dick croaked, offering a small smile.

"You, you're awake" The shock on Bruce's face was very clear.

"How long was I out? How long have you been here!?" Dick suddenly seemed panicky.

"Two days"

Dick let out a short laugh and winced at the pain it caused "Only two days? I thought I'd missed out on a couple months of my life, with how surprised you looked"

"Dinah said you'd be asleep for at least another week!"

"Well someone needs to go back to medical school"

"She wasn't the only one who miscalculated"

Dick looked slightly sheepish "You too, huh?" He laughed wryly.

"And Red Tornado, how can a robot as advanced and intelligent as him, miscalculate?"

"Guess you all underestimated me" Dick shrugged and winced again, the bitterness in his words was clearly heard.

"You had nine broken ribs 4 on the left and 5 on the right, a broken shoulder, cracked collarbone, numerous cuts, large gash down your left side, a horizontal cut across your right thigh, a deep 'R' carved into the back of your right shoulder, a deep stab on your lower right leg, that leg is also broken, you're completely covered in bruises with a large one covering most of your chest and severe blood loss"

"Is that all?" Dick raised an eyebrow.

Bruce refrained from saying anything.

"How's Wally?" Dick asked reluctantly, looking away, to hide his tears, no doubt.

"He's fine"

"His injuries?" Dick queried, hesitantly.

Bruce took in a deep breath " Cut on back of his head, two broken ribs on the right side, fractured left arm, bruised back and legs, comminuted leg, tissue damage to left hip and a collapsed lung" Bruce looked up to a shocked and saddened boy.

"But he's alright?" Tears started trailing down Dick's face.

"Yeah, he's fine. Been awful worried about you though"

"Haven't let them see me yet, have you?" He smiled.

"Of course not"

Dick almost laughed, but remembered how much it would hurt and refrained "None of them would hurt me"

"I know, but I know you don't want them to see you like that"

"True"

Bruce paused "What was it like?"

Dick looked over, confused "What was what like?"

Bruce didn't want to ask but definitely wanted to know "Death"

A moment of fear passed over Dick's face before he answered, somewhat hesitantly "Cold, dark, kinda like the cave" Dick smirked slightly.

"Yeah. Did you see your parents?" Why Bruce asked, he wasn't sure.

Dick frowned, his deep cerulean eyes met Bruce's icy steel blue ones "Y-yeah, they told me to keep fighting, I wasn't ready to join them and that I would never be alone. They also said how proud they were of all my accomplishments and wanted to thank you for taking me in and letting me be Robin. I mean seriously, can you imagine how horrible the world would be without Robin?"

Bruce chucked "Horrible. Dark, gloomy and absolutely horrible"

Ignoring the massive surge of pain it cost, Dick jumped up and hugged his father "I love you"

"I love you too" Bruce returned the hug, careful not to hurt his little bird.

Whether Dick actually saw his parents, it was a dream or a clever lie, them thanking Bruce for taking their son in and being so proud and accepting of his life choice, warmed Bruce's heart, because even if it didn't come from Mary and John themselves, he knew that it would've been what they said.