Christmas in Blüdhaven: I'll Be Home for Christmas
by Smitty
The suit was as good as new. Alfred made sure of that. The Kevlar patch was nearly invisible, the bullet might never have rent the material. He didn't remember Alfred fixing it, but then he was unconscious for a substantial amount of his convalescence.
The compartments were empty, as they were whenever the suit was in storage. He filled them methodically, double-checking each clasp. He paused before helping himself to a few of Bruce's new toys. It was always better to ask first, but that wasn't an option right now.
As he finished his task, he heard the clock mechanism activate and the hidden door swing open. Bruce? No, Alfred, with his measured footsteps and cautious approach.
"I saw the doctor," Dick called as Alfred approached the uniform alcove. "I saw three of them."
"Would it be improper of me," Alfred ventured, "to inquire as to their diagnoses?"
"Crap shoot," Dick replied, zipping closed the false-bottomed bag. "Trauma-induced. Might be temporary. Might not."
He hefted the bag with his good hand. He was sorry for the distress in Alfred's eyes, but that did not weaken his resolve.
"I have to go," he said. "I've been away from Blüdhaven too long."
Author's Note: 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.