A/N: Yo! Just got over being sick, this was something I hammered out while stuck in bed. (I may or may not be feeling the lack of a certain Red Head in my AU, but there was a reason I put off her introduction. Guess I'm just getting impatient with myself.) Either way, Still on Haitus, just wanted to check in with you guys and let you know I'm still alive. ;)

My Robin Reversal AU:

Barbara- 11 Damian- 27

Chapter 21: Bab's Day Off

Alt Title: Beyond Blood and Legality

Being sick sucked. It was a fact of life. It doubled when you lived with your Police Commissioner Grandfather who was far from a medic. It didn't help that apparently something went down in Gotham Central that required Jim Gordon's immediate presence, leaving the older man to flounder at who he could call to watch over his sickly granddaughter. Barbara went ahead and tried calling in Stephanie, who then tried to recruit Cass, who tried to tag Jason for the task, who actually gave Tim a call. Tim being the smart one of the family, and the biggest nark of all time, called Alfred.

It wasn't anything against Alfred, really, he made being sick a lot more tolerable and in a greedy little way, almost enjoyable. Who doesn't like having a friend willing to do all sorts of little favors in the soul effort to make you feel better? Barbara had her pillows professionally plumped, the tastest soup for lunch, and a sympathetic ear when Barbara couldn't help but complain about the pains in her chest.

No, the real reason no one wanted to have to be under the care of Alfred Pennyworth when sick, was because while it was nice to have someone willing to take care of them so thoroughly, Alfred tended to go a little bit overboard with it without out the least bit of shame. Babs wasn't bed-ridden sick, it was just a cold that kept her from going to school in fear of her giving it to a classmate. She could easily handle going out tonight as Batgirl, but she wasn't as dumb as the boys and decided that if she was too sick for school, then she was too sick for crime-fighting.

Alfred seemed to decide that 'too sick for school' was also 'too sick for anything'. Babs was allowed to read a book between naps, and momentary stretches whenever she started to cramp up from being in bed all day. These were usually timed for less than a minute as she was 'convalescing' and therefore needed to be in bed as much as possible.

Thankfully, about halfway through the day, Alfred received a call from the grocers that usually dropped off the butler's order on Fridays. Turns out, they were having to go a day early so that they could take Friday off for personal reasons. While Alfred understood, this left him in the same dilemma as Commissioner Gordon. Someone needed to be with Barbara while he had to go to the manor and meet with the grocer in person.

This left Alfred to call in possibly the worst person when it came to taking care of a sick person he could; Bruce.

While many (and that is to say MANY) of those in the superhero community thought of Batman as perfect at everything and anything, everyone (and that is to say EVERYONE) who knew Bruce Wayne knew full well that he really wasn't good at anything. Or perhaps, the best way to put is, while Bruce was the perfect detective and nearly perfect fighter - guy really didn't know the first thing about being a civilian. Downside of having a full-time butler to take care of that part of your life, Barbara supposed.

Considering the long list of favors Bruce really owed Alfred, and the fact that he apparently was one of the only other family members that didn't have anything going on that day, part of being a playboy billionaire, he was the next to take care of Babs. Thus has lead to Barbara overhearing Alfred giving Bruce 'fool-proof' instructions, read 'stupid-proof', on how to care for an invalid.

So for the next couple of agonizing hours, Bruce kept slowly opening Barbara's door to check on her, unsure what to do with himself. At first, Barbara took advantage of, what she thought at the time, was a humorous situation to order The Batman around by disguising her commands as pleading requests; said with big eyes and pouty lips. But pretty soon Barbara was out of ideas on what else she could get Bruce to do, she already was set up with juice, freshly plumped pillows that really didn't actually need it, having gotten Bruce to read her a bit of one of the random books on her shelf awkwardly before Babs pretended to pass out to get him to stop.

All in all, Barbara was torn between feeling awkward and a warm feeling in her chest at the realization that Bruce thought of her just as much part of his family as any of his actual kids. Ultimately, however, it was driving her a bit insane at how hard Bruce was trying to be helpful and the second-hand embarrassment she was starting to get from it all. It was really making her miss her granddad's method of just giving her some cold medicine and Campbell's canned soup and leaving her alone. Finally, she cracked and called Damian.

Damian had been in San Fransico last Barbara heard, but he had been on his way back that morning, meaning he was almost to Gotham by the time she called. He listened to her day with little sympathy but was otherwise understanding. He knew full-well how his father can get around sick kids. Sooner than Barbara thought he could (Damian probably kicked up the speed after her call) Damian showed up to relieve Bruce of babysitting duty.

The best thing about Damian when it came to his method of 'babysitting' was that he really didn't. He was the type to make sure the child in his charge was watered, fed, and not about to get themselves killed (this last one was usually the challenge when it came to his younger siblings. Even Cass had some questionable hobbies.) Since Barbara already had a bottle of Gatorade (courtesy of Bruce), and there was leftover soup in the fridge (courtesy of Alfred), Damian pretty much just kicked Bruce out of the Gordon household and settled himself in the living room with his laptop. Barbara finally was permitted to creep out of her bedroom, no longer coughing with deep breaths, and curled up next to him with her own laptop. The two worked on separate cases wordlessly before Barbara broke the silence.

"You're a really good Big Brother, Damian, thank you." She kept her eyes on her screen, but smiled as she spoke. Damian shifted next to her and draped an arm around her shoulders.

"Whatever you do, don't mention it again," he muttered. She knew he was only half-joking, but the half of him that wasn't was only because he was as easily flustered by emotions as his dad. Even if he would refuse to admit it.

She wasn't sure when she fell asleep after that, but since she woke up in her bed to the sounds of her dad coming home and Damian explaining that he took over babysitting, she realized that meant Damian had moved her to her bed and tucked her in. She smirked. He would probably turn a nice beat red if she ever mentioned this part especially, . . . maybe she could just let it slide this time. She was feeling merciful, after all, her family really came through for her today.

A/N: So Babs is the baby sister that doesn't live with them. (Sorta like how Steph is the big sister that doesn't live with them. lol) Also, sorry this was rushed. Sick brain is not great for writing.

See you guys again in a couple of months! February is almost here!

R&R if you liked. (need a default response? just say: 'Yay! Surprise update!'. I'll accept it.)