Christmas in Blüdhaven: Presents of Mind
by Smitty
"What is this?"
"I took the liberty of compiling a list of physicians specializing in nerve damage," Alfred answered primly.
"And what do you think I'm going to tell them?" Dick asked, crumpling the paper in his hand. "I get punched full of holes regularly and my body has finally started to notice? That I've been dressing up in a Halloween costume for over half my life and I'm not invincible anymore?"
"You will tell them that you were shot in the line of duty several months ago," Alfred stated, his voice as firm as it had been when Dick was a recalcitrant child. "And you will tell them that your continued workouts reopened the wound -- twice, I might add -- and if there is any chance of reversing such damage, it must be dealt with as soon as possible."
Dick flexed his hand. It moved stiffly and slowly. He stared at the play of muscle under his skin, as if pondering Alfred's words.
"I'll take care of it," he said dismissively.
"I certainly hope so," Alfred said, preparing to deliver his trump card. "It would be a shame to tell Master Bruce that you were unfit for duty."
Author's Note: Using Post-Crisis canon, Dick was shot in the shoulder by the Joker and fell of a roof. He saved himself but the incident caused Batman to "fire" him from his role as Robin. I don't actually know that both injuries were to the same shoulder, but I have a 50/50 chance of being right.
Christmas in Blüdhaven is written in the same general style as Jingle Bells, my attempt to write 24 200-word ficlets--one per day until Christmas, sort of like an Advent calendar--with characters from around the DCU. Christmas in Blüdhaven differs, however, by each of the ficlets being loosely linked and progressing toward a greater conclusion. The title was derived from the Trans-Siberian Orchestra's "Christmas in Sarajevo" because everything and everyone in Blüdhaven is currently something of a wreck.