A/N: Thanks for the reviews Carl, Yandere-chan, Dynamic Duo Fan and Phone Guy and mystery guest!
Chapter 11:
Breathing heavily, Batman tore his cape off his back and wrapped it tightly around his midsection, effectively stopping the blood. He couldn't help Robin if he was unconscious and, if he allowed any more blood to leave his body, he probably wouldn't be able to stay awake. He turned toward Robin and carefully started to kneel next to him. The injured joints in his knees protested and he sat down instead. Robin's cape was nearly shredded but the hole from the knife wound would be small and he would be able to stop the bleeding with what was left of it. He would find something to hold it together after he prevented the life from leaving his partner's motionless form. Grateful that he was unconscious, Batman ripped off what was left of Robin's cape, rolled him on his side and pulled the knife out of his shoulder as gently as he could, wincing when the boy quietly moaned and his body shuddered. He remembered the feeling of death that had radiated off of Robin's body two months ago and had to take a moment to control his emotions as he pressed the cloth onto the slightly jagged hole in Robin's shoulder.
Robin felt a painful tugging in his shoulder and then heavy pressure. He moaned as his body shivered and slowly opened his eyes. "Batman?" he whispered, unsure of where he was.
"I'm here Robin. Stay still so I can stop this blood, okay?" Batman kept his hand on the now-bloody cloth, laid Robin on his back to keep the pressure on and took his hand away.
"Okay," Robin whispered again. "Do I still have," he paused and allowed the pain to flow and retreat, "have to, uh, go to Ar…Arkham?"
Batman wasn't surprised by this question. Of course a fifteen-year-old crime-fighter would still remember, and be worried about, being stuck in a prison with violent criminals who wanted revenge. He knew the commissioner would regret what he had done and, after everything that had happened here, also knew that there was no way Robin was going to be re-arrested and sent into isolation at Arkham.
"No, Robin, you don't need to worry about that anymore. I'm going to keep you safe, okay?" Batman didn't receive an answer and he was concerned. "Robin, did you understand what I just said?"
"Wha, oh, uh, safe? You'll check on me…every day, right?" a small tear slid down his bloody cheek; his brain was slow to process Batman's reassurance.
"Hey, kiddo," Batman said gently. "You aren't going to Arkham; Conall O'Reilly is."
"But he, uh, didn't he," he gasped and squeezed his eyes shut as a particularly long wave of agony jolted up his entire body. "Uh, charges? He pressed charges!" Robin's eyes widened and his vision cleared slightly as the memory of his arrest suddenly flew to the front of his mind. His breathing quickened as he tried to sit up but Batman laid a hand on his chest and carefully pushed him back down; mindful of the injuries all over his torso.
"Calm down Robin, listen to me. Commissioner Gordon will not be sending you to Arkham. We are, in fact, going to be sending The Darkling's brother there instead. Are you with me; do you understand?"
Robin looked up at Batman with concern etched onto his young face. Understanding began to dawn in his eyes but fear still lingered around the edges so he asked, "Are you sure? I mean, absolutely sure?"
Batman put his hands on Robin's cheeks and stared straight into his eyes as he replied, "Absolutely, positively sure."
"Okay," Robin was back to whispering. He noticed Batman grimace and remembered a bloody knife. "Are you okay? He, uh, stabbed you and I think I kicked you, too," he mumbled. "Sorry."
Batman decided to be completely honest, "Yes, he stabbed me and yes, you kicked me. But I'm okay with you practicing your kicks on me when you are tackling a bad guy at the same time." Batman grinned as Robin's eyes widened again.
"I tackled him?!" Robin was grinning, too. He lifted one of his hands to wipe away the taste of blood and was shocked at what he saw. "What happened to my hand?!"
Batman frowned, "What's the last thing you remember? Besides the part where he stabbed me."
Robin looked up at the night sky, his forehead creased in thought, as he forced his brain to recall the day's events. "I was arrested."
"Okay," Batman said slowly. "What happened after that?"
There was a short pause and then, "The commissioner made you mad. I think it was about me?"
"Yes," Batman growled lightly at that memory. "What else?"
A longer pause this time and Robin's breathing hitched a few times.
Batman held up a hand, "Don't talk until you can breathe normally again, okay?"
Robin nodded and he took some deeper breaths. "Okay, uh, I was lying on old blood – are we at the circus again?"
Batman nodded, anger passing through his countenance when he learned that his partner had been laid in that circle of death.
"Something about the tightrope," he glanced at his hand again then lifted the other one, also, staring at the blood dribbling down his wrists and trying to focus on the memory. He shook his head and frowned in both pain and frustration. "I don't know!" he said loudly, startling Batman.
"It's okay, it's alright, calm down. You don't have to remember everything," Batman gently grabbed Robin's wrists and pulled his trembling hands out of his sight.
Robin's eyes widened for a third time as a shadow fell over them; Batman had neglected to secure Conall after knocking him out. Conall threw his arms around Batman's neck, his muscles constricting the airflow, and pulled him up. Batman bent forward, trying to flip the man over his head but Conall easily resisted the movement and pushed down until Batman landed on his already injured knees.
Robin watched the man trying to squeeze the life out of his partner and anger began to replace the intense pain. It was his turn to growl as he again pushed himself up – this time to his knees – and grabbed Conall's wrists, digging his fingers deep into the pressure points that forced the man's hands to go limp. Batman choked on the air that rushed back into his lungs and Robin twisted his arms, flipping Conall sideways and causing him to land hard on his back. Robin snapped and he couldn't control himself; his vision was red and he heard Batman gasping for air behind him. He lifted the man's head and wrapped his arms around the thick neck, squeezing tightly.
Batman glanced up when he heard a 'thud' and was shocked to see Robin struggling to hold O'Reilly's neck between his arms. "ROBIN," he croaked, trying to gain his attention and stop him from doing something he would regret. He yelled this time, "ROBIN, STOP, LET GO!"
Robin heard Batman's voice but it was so quiet that he ignored it. His head was pounding, his bones were cracking, his blood was flowing and he was struggling for air; fighting against the intense pain that was wracking his entire body. Conall was tearing at Robin's arms, trying to free his neck so he could breathe, but Robin refused to let go.
