Lost Hope
Chapter 10
This work is short and unbeta, sorry
It would have been nice to say things went well after that, but a body mending over night is something straight out of comic books and primetime TV. Nightwing's injuries had been so extensive that he required many surgeries including one to release the pressure in his head. Starlabs had done the best they could for him, they stopped the infection and the bones and muscle in his arm and ribs where repaired using a state of the art laser and a bone cast that actually slipped over the bone and supported them while they mended. As soon as he was able Bruce had Dick moved to a Private Hospital in Europe. It was unnecessary for a look-alike Nightwing to have an exterior cast on his arm, and worked out pretty good for the cover story they used.
News reports read like this; Dick Grayson was injured in a skiing accident in Switzerland his arm broken and a severe head injury has kept the heir of playboy Bruce Wayne in the hospital. Doctors say that the head injury was their greatest concern. Still his physical recovery has been amazing. Friends who have visited say that the young man is doing great and even though Grayson's arm while still in a cast is getting stronger every day and has even challenged one of them to a tennis match when they get home."
The story, of course was untrue, but was convenient in more ways than one. With Dick already in Europe's best research hospital, Bruce was able to seek help from the world's best doctors. Despite their best efforts when Dick awoke in the hospital his memory was gone and he didn't even recognizes his friends or family. Nothing, not even the events on the island remained. The doctors announced that there was very little hope that the young man would be the same ever again. For nearly a month he was confined to his room. Alfred was worried enough about the situation that he returned to the mansion to prepare for there return from Europe.
Still out of the country, and seen by all the best doctors in world, Bruce had his son moved to a small apartment near Paris. He Hired a full time nurse and therapist to be on hand. Dick at first seemed to be unaffected by the things that were going on around him. Doctors said that it was a blessing that he could eat on his own. Many people with that kind of head injury would. Have to be retrained to do even the basic things including talk and feed themselves. But more often than not if he did not eat it was because he chose not to. His talking was a different story he never made any attempt to talk to anyone. His word came out in slow one-word increments. He seem to struggle for every slurred word unless he was asleep then when the nightmares came he words all though chopped up his speech was clear.
His nurse and therapists were stumped He wouldn't even speak to them to get something he wanted. If they would not give it to him unless he asked for it he would simply curl up where he was and stare out into nothingness. Bruce had Alfred and Leslie brought to them as soon as it became apparent that these doctors were not going to break thru. At first he wanted to just take Dick home but Barbara and Leslie both rejected that idea.
Then came the day some of the members of the titans came by to visit. He was sitting alone in his room when Donna and Garth entered the room at first Dick didn't acknowledge them then as they got closer he seem to shy away holding his head as if it where going to explode. Worried for her friend Donna rushed to his side but instead of coiling away he tossed her across the room. Bruce pulled him away from them and he collapsed into a fetal position on the floor. From that day on he had not spoken to anyone.
Leslie put him in the hospital one more time, to run a series of tests. Doctors told Bruce that he was regressing, and requested that he place him under psychiatric care. He also announced that it maybe a permanent situation so he might consider finding a hospital closer to home that deals with this kind of patient. Soon after this Dick began to sleepwalk again. The hospital strapped him to his bed as a precaution and Dick nearly broke his wrist trying to escape the bonds.
That night Bruce took him home. Leslie didn't think it was a good idea, but neither was trying to restrain the boy. Such stress on a man with his history would only make things worse. Bruce was right if he is going to wander around in the night at least it should be someplace where there were others to who could keep him safe.
Chapter 10
This work is short and unbeta, sorry
It would have been nice to say things went well after that, but a body mending over night is something straight out of comic books and primetime TV. Nightwing's injuries had been so extensive that he required many surgeries including one to release the pressure in his head. Starlabs had done the best they could for him, they stopped the infection and the bones and muscle in his arm and ribs where repaired using a state of the art laser and a bone cast that actually slipped over the bone and supported them while they mended. As soon as he was able Bruce had Dick moved to a Private Hospital in Europe. It was unnecessary for a look-alike Nightwing to have an exterior cast on his arm, and worked out pretty good for the cover story they used.
News reports read like this; Dick Grayson was injured in a skiing accident in Switzerland his arm broken and a severe head injury has kept the heir of playboy Bruce Wayne in the hospital. Doctors say that the head injury was their greatest concern. Still his physical recovery has been amazing. Friends who have visited say that the young man is doing great and even though Grayson's arm while still in a cast is getting stronger every day and has even challenged one of them to a tennis match when they get home."
The story, of course was untrue, but was convenient in more ways than one. With Dick already in Europe's best research hospital, Bruce was able to seek help from the world's best doctors. Despite their best efforts when Dick awoke in the hospital his memory was gone and he didn't even recognizes his friends or family. Nothing, not even the events on the island remained. The doctors announced that there was very little hope that the young man would be the same ever again. For nearly a month he was confined to his room. Alfred was worried enough about the situation that he returned to the mansion to prepare for there return from Europe.
Still out of the country, and seen by all the best doctors in world, Bruce had his son moved to a small apartment near Paris. He Hired a full time nurse and therapist to be on hand. Dick at first seemed to be unaffected by the things that were going on around him. Doctors said that it was a blessing that he could eat on his own. Many people with that kind of head injury would. Have to be retrained to do even the basic things including talk and feed themselves. But more often than not if he did not eat it was because he chose not to. His talking was a different story he never made any attempt to talk to anyone. His word came out in slow one-word increments. He seem to struggle for every slurred word unless he was asleep then when the nightmares came he words all though chopped up his speech was clear.
His nurse and therapists were stumped He wouldn't even speak to them to get something he wanted. If they would not give it to him unless he asked for it he would simply curl up where he was and stare out into nothingness. Bruce had Alfred and Leslie brought to them as soon as it became apparent that these doctors were not going to break thru. At first he wanted to just take Dick home but Barbara and Leslie both rejected that idea.
Then came the day some of the members of the titans came by to visit. He was sitting alone in his room when Donna and Garth entered the room at first Dick didn't acknowledge them then as they got closer he seem to shy away holding his head as if it where going to explode. Worried for her friend Donna rushed to his side but instead of coiling away he tossed her across the room. Bruce pulled him away from them and he collapsed into a fetal position on the floor. From that day on he had not spoken to anyone.
Leslie put him in the hospital one more time, to run a series of tests. Doctors told Bruce that he was regressing, and requested that he place him under psychiatric care. He also announced that it maybe a permanent situation so he might consider finding a hospital closer to home that deals with this kind of patient. Soon after this Dick began to sleepwalk again. The hospital strapped him to his bed as a precaution and Dick nearly broke his wrist trying to escape the bonds.
That night Bruce took him home. Leslie didn't think it was a good idea, but neither was trying to restrain the boy. Such stress on a man with his history would only make things worse. Bruce was right if he is going to wander around in the night at least it should be someplace where there were others to who could keep him safe.