Nights of Tomorrow

Visiting hours were long over when Ibn al Xu'ffasch crouched at the ledge of his brother's window like a gargoyle. He was not about to leave him open for another attack. The night breeze kissed his cape as it fluttered around him.

"Xu'ffasch." A familiar voice called to him from above, it was Dick.

"I'm not going home." He replied bluntly.

The dark knight grinned. "I know." He said and held up a bag. "Brought you dinner. Take a little break."

"You know I can do without food until morning." Xu'ffasch retorted, but he took the offered bag nonetheless. "Why are you here?"

"I just wanted to check on you if you're fine." His smile wavered.

Xu'ffash's eyes narrowed, he paused in mid-bite there was soot on the other's boot. "Why? What happened?"

"Nothing, nothing! Just thought you could use a break."

"I don't need one. Go home."

"You sure? I could—"

"Go!"

"Fine." Dick sighed and turned to leave.

"Wait."

"Yes?" Dick turned back with a grin.

"You have a kick me sign in the back… I don't recall Red Robin being this childish."

"A what?" The cape crusader said in surprise.

Damian peeled the paper from his back and showed it to him. On the paper written hastily was "Kick me, I'm a Dick."

Chapter Ten: The Doctor and the Hood

Dr. Kevin Conroy checked over the medical log of his dear friend Terry. Among the group of Ivys, he was the only one who decided to go through medical training. Some of them had gone into legit small businesses like Rose with her grocery shop and others like Michael had chosen a shadier path such as a male escort.

"How is he?" The elderly man named Alfred asked worriedly.

Kevin recalled Terry calling him his grandfather once. The man was the first to arrive after the reporters made a fiasco at the front door. It must be heart breaking for his old age. "I really don't want to excite you too much sir, Terry's situation is not exactly pretty."

"Is he in danger of… leaving us?" Alfred asked quietly his head shaking a little as he gripped his cane with both hands.

"No, he's stable at the moment." Kevin answered.

"You can tell me what's wrong with him. I'll be able to take it." The elderly man replied.

The doctor resisted chewing on his lower lip as he turned back to the papers again. "… Broken ribs, punctured lungs and multiple fractures… We've placed him under a temporary healing coma to spare him the pain. He didn't have any concussions or head trauma, so aside from the bodily injuries, he should not be in mortal danger."

The elderly man sighed in relief as he stared at Terry's unmoving body sadly. "I really wished our reunion was a happy one… not like this."

"Reunion?" Kevin questioned. "Terry hadn't spoken to you?"

The man shook his head. "There was a disagreement in the family and he left… It's a family issue. I'm sure you understand."

No he didn't understand. In fact, in the last ten years, Terry rarely spoke about his family. Not that he had before then, but Terry hasn't even mentioned the least bit about them. "I'll leave you alone with Terry, Mr. Alfred."

"Thank you." Alfred said quietly as he patted his wrinkle hand over Terry's.

Kevin placed the clipboard down as he turned to leave the room. There was something in the man's words that didn't feel right, but now was not the time for him to pry. Terry was injured and bedridden. He needed to inform the others.

Beep, Beep!

"Speak of the devil." He muttered as he pulled out his beeper. There were multiple numbers, all from the other Ivys. Best if he just contacted the chattiest one in the group. He pulled out his cell and hit the speed dial.

Before the first ring even finished, someone answered. "Yo! What the heck is going on? I turn on to Casey's channel and he's reporting Ter's in the hospital! Who the heck did this? Do I need to go mess someone up? Come on Kev! Talk!"

"Michael shut up and let me talk." Kevin replied calmly. "Terry's fine and no I think we should keep a low profile. He wouldn't want us hurt. Whoever did this is out of our league."

"But it's Ter!" Michael protested. "We have to do something!"

"We will." Kevin said soothingly. "We'll keep ourselves safe and Terry safe until he's better. If any of us got hurt, he would never forgive himself. Now pass on the message to everyone to keep a low profile."

"What about visits? We can't visit?" He could almost see the other pout.

"Not with all these reporters here." The doctor sighed.

"Aw! But everyone would want to visit! That's not fair!" Michael complained and continued to do so until Kevin cut him off.

"No group visits!" He said sternly. Another barrage of complaints followed. Kevin pinched the bridge of his nose as he took a deep breath. "Fine, you can come after visiting hours." A cheer came from the other. "Try not to come in your work clothes."

Michael laughed and answered lewdly. "But that's what I do."

"Real mature." Kevin droned dully before a loud uproar caught his attention.

"Hey Kev! Go turn on the TV, you gotta see this, some guy is calling himself Ter's brother!"

"Talk to you later." He snapped his phone shut and hurried to the closest doctor's lounge and flipped to the news channel.

"This is Casey Rowen reporting outside of Gotham General. The Wayne heir, Damian Wayne is claiming the currently hospitalize Terry McGinnis CEO of Wayne Enterprise is actually his brother Terrance Wayne. Reports from the past showed that Terrance Wayne was reported as deceased years ago, but never was a body found. So could this be? Is the new CEO of Wayne Enterprise actually the long deceased Terrance Wayne?"

"His brother?" Kevin stared in disbelief as Damian Wayne pushed through the crowd of reporters shouting and cursing in his pajama bottoms and wife beater top.

Terry was a Wayne? The family who practically owns Gotham? THE Wayne? He knew a wealthy family took in his friend after No Man's Land, but never did he think he was a Wayne. Terry was practically Gotham's prince in a pauper's disguise. He had his family to thank for his medical degree. If not for the Thomas Wayne Foundation for budding doctors, he could never have paid for his college tuition.

He spotted Damian Wayne drop-kicking the security breaking through the line and heading into the hospital. The video feed managed to spot him running towards stairwell H before the security lines reformed and pushed the reporters back. Kevin watched only a moment longer before he turned his heel and walked out of the lounge. He pulled off his nametag and pocketed it as he head for the stairwell.

No doubt the remaining security was searching for Wayne—no, Terry's brother. But if he was anything like Terry, they won't be able to find him even if they had enough manpower to come in at every floor. He had opened the door when he heard footsteps. The security made it up first.

"Doctor, did you see someone go through here? He was in sleepwear."

"Yeah." Kevin lied. "He pushed me on the way out. I saw him head towards the elevators."

The group moved swiftly down the hall, while Kevin walked quietly down the stairs. He knew something they didn't. When you look for shady people, you never look forward you always look up. Unfortunately, when he did, he found himself in a headlock with strong arms pulling him into a chokehold.

"Why did you lie?" Terry's brother hissed.

Kevin forced himself to relax at the tightness around his neck. "You're Terry's brother right?"

"Who the hell are you?" He growled out violently.

"House." He choked out the first name that came to mind. If Terry taught him anything, it was to never tell someone dangerous your real name. House was actually the name of the doctor he interned with while in Princeton. "I'm your brother's doctor. I thought you wanted to see him."

The grip loosened slightly. "And why are you helping me?"

"You're worried about him right? Your grandfather said he and your family had a little dispute, but I could see—" The grip tightened again.

"Say that again! Why the fuck is Ras with my brother? Where is he?"

Who is Ras? "I-It's Mr. Alfred!" He choked out starting to struggle against his hold. Terry's brother was frightfully strong. "I know you're worried, but if you don't calm down, I can't take you to him."

It was a moment before his grip loosened and he was released.

Kevin coughed as he gasped for air and rubbed his throat. He didn't dare speak again until man settled. "Are you calm?"

Damian Wayne looked nothing like Terry, but he did resemble the missing Bruce Wayne. His eyes were closed while he took deep even breaths trying to calm himself. It wasn't until he was greeted with the familiar calculated blue eyes that he saw the resemblance between the brothers.

"I'm calm, show me where my brother is." Damian said calmly. His tone was controlled, but the tension could still be seen.

Once he was sure the other was calm, they ventured quickly up the stairs and down the hall. It hadn't taken him long to lead him to Terry's room, but once he opened the door, the other rushed to Terry's bedside with Mr. Alfred trying to console him. He looked murderous at the mention of his brother's injuries, but he refrained himself from doing anything else as he took the remaining seat by the bedside. He looked worried.

Kevin left Terry to his family; he was in good hands now. He still had rounds to do and couldn't keep a constant eye on him on such short notice. He heard from the nurses that Mr. Alfred left shortly after the wards of Bruce Wayne came with food and a change of clothes for Damian. The man has been there since seven in the morning after the first report of Terry's accident was broadcasted. Damian remained after they left; he refused to leave his brother's bedside.

Halfway through the day, he got another buzz from his beeper; it wasn't the hospital buzzing him for a patient. It was Max and it seemed urgent.

"Max, I told Michael to pass along the message that Terry is fine." He said after she answered.

"It's not that." Max replied. "You were there at the fiasco when that Wayne guy crashed in and said Ter was his brother right?"

"Yeah, is there something wrong?" he asked.

"No… but I did some checking over after I heard the news. You know how Ter is always so secretive about himself right?"

"…Right… where are you going with this Max?"

"Just hear me out okay?" She started. "After hearing the news about him being a Wayne, I did some checking. The most Ter ever told us was that a rich family adopted him, but in actuality he was a biological son of Bruce Wayne. The illegitimacy of his birth probably made him step off and avoid the fight for the right to be the heir, but that didn't add up."

"What didn't add up?" Kevin frowned.

"Bruce Wayne is a complete air-headed idiot. Yet, he has two sons that seem to contradict that. Terry is practically a genius with a potential to be a business tycoon. And his brother the one who caused all the ruckus this morning is no slouch either. I went to school with that man. He's intelligent. I've seen him argue with the professor about the accuracy of history and how the victor writes history."

"You can add that he's a good fighter too, nearly broke my neck when I tried to calm him down." Kevin rubbed his neck absently. "I would say that they saw their father's idiocy and decided to act otherwise, but I'm sure you have information to refute it?"

"Yeah, while I was checking the numbers in Wayne Enterprise, there's a large budget disappearing into the R&D department along with a number of other departments. The amount is more than enough to run a small country. But it gets better."

"Better?"

"There's been a lot of Robins in Gotham right? Just as Bruce Wayne has a lot of wards and illegitimate sons?"

"… So you're saying…" Kevin trailed off with widened eyes.

"I'm not a hundred percent sure, but it does seem that way. Remember what Rose and Michael said when Terry was gone? He was actually kidnapped that time and they went to look for Batman for help... Didn't they say he resembled him? Also, Terry's not the only one's that's been reported dead. Bruce Wayne was reported missing and presumed dead for the period of time before he returned and Batman followed. It fits doesn't it?"

"It would make sense… remember that Halloween when we all stopped by Wayne Manor to tell ghost stories? It sounded like Ter knew a lot about the family…" He shook his head. "Look we shouldn't get carried away. I think it's best if you just keep a low profile, as should the rest of us. If you want to help them, do your best, but remember, we don't know for sure if that's the case. Don't let anyone else find out."

"I won't." Max said exasperatedly, but he could hear the excitement in her tone. This was a breakthrough in understanding their friend and them venturing into the secret of an urban legend. "Take care of Ter okay?"

"I will and you take care of yourself."

"Yeah, yeah. Quit worrying or else we have to call you Rose number two. Later Kevin." She said before hanging up.

Kevin closed his phone quietly and tapped it against his chin. Batman and Robins… Bruce Wayne and his wards… If that were true, it would fit. The air-headed playboy could be an act and all his wards could've been Robin at some point. He breathed deeply through his nose, this wasn't the time for this he needed to return to work.

When time came for the end of visiting hours, all the nurses were terrified to venture close to tell him. Instead, they had him do it instead. So again, he was given the opportunity to grace himself with the other Gotham Prince. Hopefully, his neck will fair better with his second meeting than his first. The room was empty when he entered. The angry Wayne was nowhere in sight.

The only suspicious thing in the room was the open window. Kevin crept through the room searching. To his luck, he found a small bug placed near Terry's pillow in the shape of a bat. He and the other Ivys have suspected that Terry was hiding something from them, this only confirmed it. Terry was part of something big; he was part of an urban legend.

Whatever placed him here was likely something bat-related. He pulled out a notepad from his jacket and scribbled a quick note before he tossed it out the window in a crumpled ball with a precise aim. It was eight; Michael was coming soon to visit. He didn't need the over protective big brother killing Michael because he thought the male escort was sent by some guy named Ras.

He left with his mind set on aspirin. Michael gave him the worst migraines even when they were in the orphanage. Two pills and a nap later, his beeper went off and it was time for him to get his friend.

When he found him, he noted the big smile and dishevel look. "What happened to you?" He asked bluntly.

Michael's grin only widened. "You wouldn't believe who I ran into tonight."

One quick story and an elevator ride up, he found out his friend was accosted by the mysterious Ibn al Xu'ffasch. He wasn't the least bit worried when the other went off on how flustered Xu'ffasch became after Michael foolishly tried to hit on him. He wondered how his friend survives in Gotham with his foolish stunts. Yet, this encounter opened his eyes furthered to the resemblance between the two brothers. Their shared naivety was a rarity among Gothamites, but it was refreshing despite of the dark persona they have gathered around themselves.

"So how's Ter?" Michael asked as he placed down a basket of gifts from the other Ivys and a stack of get-well cards. "Need any of us to keep a look out? Though, I must say the one outside is pretty cute."

Kevin resisted a laugh as he glanced to the window. "I'm sure he'll be glad to hear that. I think Terry will be just fine."

o.o.o.o.o

Jason was furious; it was one thing to annoy the kid, but a whole different story to toss him out the window. When he finds the assholes that did this he's make them regret living. No one beats the kid to an inch of his life and toss him out the window.

Gear to the teeth, he prepared himself to scour Gotham for Talia and her men. He knew it wasn't Grayson and Drake's handiwork in the kid's injuries; after all the kid warned him that he would be blamed if he stayed. With the last blade strapped to his leg, a silent alarm warned of approaching company. He had his men on a look out for the two caped idiots and it seems like the kid was right, they were coming to blame him.

He straightened his jacket and walked off towards his storage, purposely leaving his back open for attack. There was only one way to get into his loft from the roof and he's using this to his advantage. They're going by his pace not he to theirs. Five paces and ten counts, he pulled out red, crescent bladed boomerangs and let loose at their lines. They dodged the decoys, but its black counterpart remained unseen and sliced their cables clean.

He watched for a moment as the two began to fall, but knowing them, they'll recover in seconds. Pulling out two blades, he dashed towards their landing point, slashing at the first to land.

"Red Hood!" Drake growled as he blocked the blade with his gauntlet, the blade gashed the armor nearly cutting into his flesh. "It isn't enough the you killed him once!"

"You think I was the one that put the kid in the hospital?" Jason barked out a harsh laugh. "You're losing your touch Drake. I bet you haven't even bother investigating the kid's place thoroughly before coming to punish me." He shoved him away and chucked more of the crescent blades at Grayson.

The former circus performer dodged the decoy and threw a batarang at the hidden blade behind the first. "Who else could've done it Todd? You have a fixation in wanting him dead!" He landed and charged.

"Me?" Jason snapped and caught the flying fist. "The brat you've been mothering has a murderous fixation on the kid more than me!"

Drake came at him from behind and swung a high kick. "He changed! And you were at the scene! There's nothing in his apartment!"

Jason ducked and pulled Grayson face into the kick. "Neither of you know anything about the kid." He grunted and tossed the cape crusader into Red Robin and swept them both off their feet. "And even less of me. I bet you were the idiots that led Talia to him! Your frantic search to please the brat caught her interest. When are you idiots going to open your eyes and learn that the world doesn't revolve around you?" Jason scowled. "You guys are pathetic."

Enough time wasted, he had real culprits to go after while they continue their wild goose chase. Chucking a smoke bomb at their feet, he hurriedly slapped plastique onto the gas tanks and left his loft. Jason hid in a nearby rooftop to watch the fireworks. Neither Grayson nor Drake was injured; he knew they were better than that. This was merely a ruse for him to get away.

A smirk touched his lips as he saw his handiwork tagged onto the back of Grayson's cape. They had no clue that he placed it there during the toss. Who said he couldn't have a sense of humor?