Chapter 11: All These Years

Summary: Dick spends the night at Wayne Manor after Wally's death, and Bruce realizes that though things are much different from his days as Robin, some things about him would never change. (Bruce POV)

Hurt/Comfort/Family, T

Bruce W./Batman, Richard G./Nightwing, Sadie

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Disclaimer: Oh God…this is post-Wally…I'm scared.

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BirdFlashIsNotAThing: Oh just you wait.

I sighed as I poured the coffee into Dick's mug. I knew it was a dirty trick, but I slipped him decaf instead of the good stuff. I'd contemplated slipping him a sleeping pill, but figured it was probably illegal. He needed sleep. He was too tired to be up, not that he'd admit it. Instead, he was going over every file on the Light that he had in his laptop trying to find the rest who'd escaped. Sadie was lazing by his side, and he would absentmindedly pet her every now and then. I knew he was pretty shaken up after what happened to Wally and all this inside-man business the past year. Kaldur and Artemis seemed to be the only ones who weren't pissed off at him. Just because it was his idea, they'd elected him the one to be mad at. Tim at least acknowledged him as he went upstairs for bed. I couldn't blame them though, I'd been pretty pissed too. But then I saw the look on his face. He looked wiped out, and I could tell that he was feeling guilty as hell for putting them all through that. I walked into the living room and put the coffee down in front of him. He briefly glanced at it, then turned back to his laptop.

"Nice try Bruce," he said. "Now go get me some real coffee."

I frowned. "Dick, you need sleep."

He turned to look at me. "I take it that means you're not going to make me coffee," he deadpanned.

"You know it wasn't your fault, right?" I reminded him. Even now he was so easy to read.

"I never should've dragged them back into this. They were happy," he said quietly, too exhausted to argue.

"And what were you supposed to do, Dick? I spoke with Kaldur. There was no one else you trusted, and I know what you intended to do if she said no," I told him.

He paused and averted his gaze.

"What do you think I would've done if I thought you'd been killed? What about Tim? Or Barbara?" I continued.

"That's why I asked Artemis. Because I couldn't stand to leave any of you!" he barked. His face and voice softened. "It was selfish."

My brow furrowed. "What you did was not selfish Dick. It was selfless, and brave, and smart. Without your plan, the Light and the Reach would've gotten away with it, and most of us probably wouldn't be here right now. I just wish you'd told me," I soothed.

He looked up at me with those sad, kicked-puppy blue eyes and there were tears glistening in them.

"I felt so alone…Wally was pissed at me half the time, and I could only talk to Artemis and Kaldur when they were pretending to try to kill me. And you were off world for so long, I—"

He cut himself off, shook his head, and turned back to his work.

"I'll be fine. I just…I need some space."

"Dick…," I began.

"I said I'll be fine."

I sighed and turned away, leaving him to his busy work. He'd changed so much since he was nine. Ten years was a long time after all. My little Dickie-bird was suddenly all grown up and mature, and it hurt. He'd found his wings, and nothing was stopping him now. I wondered where he'd go next. Back to Blüdhaven, probably. Back to being awake days on end with no one to tell him to get some rest, or to eat. Back to being alone with no one to heal his wounds, both physical and emotional. I wish he'd visit once in a while. Ace missed him. I hoped I could convince him to come on one more patrol with the three of us. Ace liked Tim and all, but he and Dick worked like a well-oiled machine. That, and I was worried I'd need to retire Bathound soon. He was getting on in years, and the two dogs weren't the puppies they used to be. I worried Ace was losing his edge. Both of them had graying fur around their huge snouts and yet they easily rivalled both me and Dick in strength. It was incredible. Though he was still doing fine as Bathound, Alfred had agreed that he should pass the torch. Since Ace had never been fixed, I'd offered to have him bred with a female wolf-dog, this one being part great dane and part german shepherd, as well as timber wolf. She's enormous. I'd recently been informed that I'd soon have my pick of the litter, and Ace would have a son to train.

Ace barked at me, and I smiled.

"Come on boy, we'd better head out," I suggested. The dog was at the entrance to the cave before I finished my sentence. He loved patrol. I let Tim sleep, because at least he had more sense than Dick and passed out the second we got home.

I decided that it would be best if I let Dick have his way and left him alone.

But still, I didn't stop worrying even after the Batmobile tore out of the Batcave and into the streets of Gotham.

After seven straight hours of crime-fighting, Ace and I hopped out of the Batmobile and went upstairs.

When I went into the living room, I sighed when I saw the dim glow of Dick's laptop in the darkness. Then, I realized, he wasn't using it.

He and Sadie were sprawled out on the couch, sound asleep. The nineteen-year-old's head rested on the dog's belly, and her tail wagged in her sleep. Her head was on his upper back, and her front legs had him in a hug.

Ace trotted forward and grabbed the corner of a blanket that was at the end of the couch and pulled it up over Dick, who instinctively curled into its warmth. I grinned. Even after all these years, Dick still found comfort in sleeping against Sadie, though I suspected it went both ways.

I shuffled over and leaned down, kissing his forehead.

"Night Dickie," I murmured. I closed his laptop and set it aside, then turned off the lamp.

I love these dogs.

A/N

Me: Aw!

Disclaimer: I was promised depression!

Me: Well, I didn't want to be that depressing.

-SWGJOC227