AUTHOR'S NOTE: I know it's been a long time since I've done anything with the story. I haven't dropped it; my life has just been really busy. Here's another chapter. Sorry it's so short.

Chapter 28

Sitting in his room, Dick takes out the note that had been left in his shoe. Holding it tight in his hands, the boy stares out the window.

I should tell Bruce about the note, thinks Dick, glancing down once more at the note. But what good will it do?

Hearing a knock on his door, the boy slides the note back into his pocket.

"Come in."

Watching the door open slowly, the boy already knows who's on the other side. Seeing the dark hair millionaire step into the room, Dick can't help but compare the man to his father, who died not all that long ago.

My world at the circus was safe, until the night Mom and Pa died. I got safety again when I came here. Now what do I have to do to get it back? "What's up, Bruce?" asks the boy aloud.

"Alfred said you seemed upset when he picked you up at the rink," mentions the older man, sitting down on the edge of the bed next to Dick. "Did anything happen?"

"No," replies Dick. "Ashley Graham was at the rink. She's in my English class in school. We spent the time together…"

"And you were able to forget with her?" asks Bruce.

"Yeah," nods Dick, glancing over at the older man. I'm not telling him about the note.

"And coming back reminded you of it?" asks the millionaire, with a raised brow.

Nodding his head, Dick doesn't say anything.

The boy is lying, thinks Wayne, staring down at his ward. Why?

A moment passes and neither man nor child speaks. Finally, Bruce gets to his feet and walks toward the door.

"If you want to talk with me, you can," says the older man, before turning around the look at the boy again. "Don't feel like you have to hold something back."

He knows I'm lying, thinks Dick, nodding his head in response to Bruce's comment.

Not knowing what else to say to get the boy to tell him the truth, Bruce walks out of the bedroom.