The Familiar Darkness: Chapter xi


By Corbin


Disclaimer: I don't own any of the characters, just trying to kill some spare time and watch Robin squirm.


Alfred watched Bruce's young ward with a concerned expression. The boy appeared to be on the verge of regaining consciousness. The butler hesitated to administer the sedative he'd been ordered to give to Dick if he woke up. Alfred didn't want to risk causing the boy to overdose, it was risky to allow him to wake up but Alfred saw it as the only safe way to go. The proper man clutched the small gun and frowned, he really didn't want to have to use it.

* * * *

Robin could feel the sedative from the hot chocolate wearing off, its tight grip over his senses had begun to steadily relax. He tried not to react, to tell his imaginary companion that his body was coming to. Robin wasn't sure how in tune Bats was with the senses of his body, he hoped that he would have enough time to get through to whoever was with him.

* * * *

He could smell the dampness of the cave, he prayed it was real. Dick opened his eyes, he didn't allow his head anytime to clear. Feeling both dizzy and panicked he searched for Bruce or Alfred. Alfred was there, standing over him soothing him as he tried to get up from the table.

"Alfred, you've got to listen to me! Something's wrong with me! There's someone else in my head. He's trying to take over. Look for a change in tone, body language, anything that's not right. I'm not sure what he'll do if he has control of me," Dick paused as a forceful wave of dizziness bombarded his senses, his vision went dark for a moment. He forced the urge to vomit back down and swallowed hard. The boy caught Alfred's wrist and struggled to find clarity.

"Master Dick, you must calm yourself. Everything will be all right. There's no reason to get upset."

Dick won the battle for control over his senses and for the moment his head was clear. "No! You've got to watch for the signals! Don't listen to me if I change, no matter what I say to you."

Another warmer, gentler more controlled wave of dizziness flooded through him. Bat's voice crooned into his mind, "Come on kid, it's not time for you to be up yet." There was no fighting it this time and he returned to his dreams.

* * * *

"I need to know what you did to the boy," Batman stated gruffly as he glared at Doc. The detective searched for tells of dishonesty as he awaited a reply with his arms folded across his chest.

"You analyzed a blood sample?" Doc's tone was totally cool as he answered Batman's question with a question of his own. Dark Knight or not he wasn't going to sweat this interrogation one bit. In fact Doc seemed a bit annoyed at Batman's presence, it was difficult to fill in paperwork and humor The Batman at the same time.

Batman didn't answer.

"What did you find?" Doc looked up from the clipboard he was jotting down information on and raised an eyebrow at the Bat.

"Nothing."

"And you say that he has been acting strangely lately?"

Batman answered Doc with a threatening look.

"All I can say is that perhaps you shouldn't have taken him from the asylum-" Doc gulped as strong hands gripped his lab coat and pulled him close.

"Enough!" Batman narrowed his eyes. "Now, my question was what did you do to him?"

"I'm sorry, but I can't tell you that," Doc felt the grip on his coat loosen. "All I can say is that if you value your life stay away from the boy."

"What?" Batman's grip tensed on the lab coat.

"If you want to live . . . you stay away from the boy. He is not the person you once knew anymore. That's all I can safely tell you."

Doc felt himself free from the detective's vice grip. He reached to rub his throat and looked up, but Batman had already gone from his sight.

* * * *

"Hey, welcome back, kid." Bats teased Robin with a grin. "You think ranting like that will help you? Personally, I'd think you were nuts if you woke up screaming about a voice in your head. Oh well, whatever makes you feel better I guess."

Robin didn't say anything in reply.

"Well, I'd like to stay and chat, but I've got some things planned for when your body wakes up." Bats reached into his utility belt and retrieved a injections gun.

"What are you gonna do with that? It's not real, just like you. It won't do anything," Robin growled.

"There you go thinking again, kid," Bats stated with a chuckle. "In your thoughts I'm just as real as you are and so is this drug. It's gonna kick you out of the driver's seat for a while, let you get the brain rest you need. Anywho, you're wasting time."

Before he could protest the deed was done. Robin was filled with a drowsy sensation and he went black even to his dreams.

TBC . . .