3. The Case

He looked so fragile that Terry had to look down. He couldn't stand looking at Bruce, when he was like this. Bruce had always been the strongest of them, but now he was so weak. Terry had to sit down, so he sat down on the chair beside the bed. Behind him the machines were bleeping like a watch counting the last life of Bruce. The doctor had said that he was going to be all right, but in his heart Terry knew that it was the beginning to the end.

"McGinnis?"

Bruce's voice sounded so weak.

"Yes, it's me."

Terry tried to look at everything but Bruce, but still he could feel, that the old man was staring at him.

"Did you find Whiz Kid?"

First he didn't know what Bruce was talking about, but then he recalled the case. The case he had been working on last night. Yes, it was only a half day ago, but it felt like years had passed since then.

"Yes"

"Did you shadow him?"

"No"

Bruce raised his head from the pillows, so he better could see Terry.

"Why not?"

Some of the strength was back in Bruce's voice, and Terry knew the reason. He had failed. They had been working so hard on the case without any openings, but then they had heard about this man. He was the key to the case.

"Someone came before me."

He told Bruce very shortly what had happened last night.

"Did you see "Midnight"?"

Terry shook his head.

"No, not really."

Bruce fell back on the pillow. For a brief moment their eyes met and Terry could see the pain in Bruce's eyes. Was it because of him? Was it the illness?

"McGinnis, I don't know how to say this, but…"

The door opened and the doctor came in.

"Sorry, Mr. McGinnis, but you have to go now. You can come back later today in the visiting hours, but Mr. Wayne needs to rest know."

Terry stood up and was about to go, when he hear Bruce's voice.

"Thanks…"

Anything seemed to stop around him.

"… for saving me."

Quickly Terry turned around and looked Bruce straight into the eyes. For the first time in hours he felt like everything was going to be all right.

"I still need you, old man."

With a little smile he turned around and walked out of the door.

Back in the bed felt Bruce a little better. The new batman was good, but he was still needed. Terry needed him. He had seen the fear in Terry's eyes. Terry cared about him. No only like a worker cared for his employer – no, Terry really cared about him. He regretted that he had been so hard on the kid. There had been a good reason why Terry hadn't succeeded with the plan, but still Bruce had to play hard, because he didn't knew how to be soft.

o-

Out in the corridor Terry almost run towards the exit. He had had enough to do with hospitals for years to come. Now he just wanted to get out.

"Terry!"

The voice stopped him and he turned around to face it owner. The Commissioner was standing by the counter. She dropped the paper that she had had in her hand and almost ran over to him.

"Are you all right?"

He nodded.

Her eyes search his body for injuries, but as she didn't find any she took him by the arm and sat him down on a chair. She sat down beside him.

"Where have you been?"

Her voice was hard. She was angry – very angry.

"Your mom is very worry. Why didn't you answer your phone?"

Terry was looking down on his knees. The Commissioner saw it as a sign of defiance and pulled his head up with her hand, but then she saw his eyes. He was crying. She pulled her hand back like she had burnt it.

"It's Bruce. His heart …"

Terry voice was so weak. She could almost not understand him, but she understood the connection. She felt sick. Why where she always so quick to judge him? She putted her arms around him and comforted him. He was maybe Batman, but he was still just a kid!

o-

"Mom, it's me!"

He could hear his mother take a deep breath in the other end of the phone.

"Terry, are you all right? Where are you?"

He could almost feel her apprehension through the phone. It all was too much for him. He felt like he was going to throw up, so he dropped the phone and ran out to the bathroom, where he threw up. Behind him he could hear The Commissioner explaining everything to his mother on the phone, and the doctor footsteps as he came in to the bathroom.

"Terry, what do you say to, that I give you something, which will make you relax?"

Terry wiped his mouth with the back of his hand and then looked up at the doctor. What would he say if he knew that he was Batman? What a Batman he was! He couldn't stand… NO. He was Terry and then Batman.

He nodded to the doctor, who took him into a room with a bed and gave him an injection. Terry could immediately feel the drug working. Could Gotham be without Batman for a night?