SPOILER ALERT! Don't read any further if you haven't read the story "Derailment" and you plan to.

Here is the first version of "Ch. 18 - A Turn For The Worse". A rewrite was in order. The first little bit should sound familiar, however, as I chose to keep that part. But those of you who have read the story will see a HUGE difference in the scene.

Derailment - "Where There Is Smoke"

No Warnings (I think) . . . Rating "T" (just in case I missed something)


Lunch had been . . . interesting. Robin had to admit, beaver wasn't half bad, and entertained himself by wondering what Alfred's culinary skills could do with it, and imagining the man's face if, when he got home, he asked for it.

Conner's fever was the lowest it have been over the past two days, but the wound in his thigh was still red, swollen, and hot to the touch. He had a smaller gouge in his shoulder that he had gotten when the baggage car had derailed, but it appeared to be doing well enough. Healing, but too slowly.

His fever would be back only too soon. Robin's antibiotic could only do so much. He bought his friend time, but not nearly enough; maybe a day or two at most. How long before the League would begin searching for them? The train had been scheduled to arrive today by two in the afternoon. Batman would know by now that they were in trouble, but the weather wasn't cooperating. It was still too dangerous out there to fly the Bioship, and Robin doubted that even the Batwing could brave the storm safely.

The idea that Batman might still try it was worrisome. He kind of hoped that Alfred might be able to talk Bruce from doing anything stupid, but the trusted butler was a continent away; his influence weakened by the distance. Maybe someone from the League . . .? Robin knew that Green Lantern and Superman were both off-world at the moment on missions of their own. Neither were scheduled back for another day or two.

Even if they could expect a rescue right away, Robin was sure that nothing remained of the baggage car derailment at the bridge. The car had been washed away by the river and any scars that remained were covered by the snow. Ramón confirmed that they were two miles downriver from where they began. There were no clues visible for any search party to find; at least, not until the spring.

Robin fiddled with his belt buckle, trying to repair the damage circuitry while light remained, but it didn't take long for him to realize there wasn't anything he could do to fix it. The battery, however, was still in good shape.

He thought he could use another tracking device from his belt; one that he would normally use to track criminals. Those were linked to Robin's computer, but Batman should be able to recognize the signal as one of his own. If Robin could manage it, he might be able to use his battery to boost the signal, but that wouldn't help until someone was out there looking for them.

At least they had accomplished the task of moving the cot nearer to the window. Ramón had looked at them funny over the request, stating that it also put the cot nearer to any drafts coming from the window and door, but he had complied easily enough. Even so, the window didn't get direct light from the sun for more than a couple of hours during the winter months, and that was when there wasn't a wall of clouds blocking it.

Better than nothing . . .

Ramón had worried about their friends as well once he and Conner told him about them. He shook his head, but assured the boys that there wasn't anything he could have done for them had they remembered earlier.

"If the weather's permitting, and Conner is feeling as sprightly as he did today, I might take a looksee tomorrow," he had promised them. Nobody mentioned that he would likely be searching for bodies.

It was the best he could do, and Robin felt a little guilty asking him to do more when he had already been playing nurse, maid, and cook for the two of them since he rescued them from the river. They had discussed the option of Ramón making a trip to the cabin, and biologist had laid out of map of the surrounding mountains.

"It's a fair distance, even in good weather," their biologist host had told them. "Would take Cecil and me near on six hours normally. Could probably cut that time down by a good hour and a half if I didn't have to hike around to this trail, but there's a cliff right along here," he had pointed out. "Climbing equipment is just too heavy and takes up too much space, what with my other supplies. There's just no help for it."

At the moment, Ramón was out collecting enough wood to get them through the night while there was light left. Robin glanced over at Conner who was feeling up to playing with Cecil. He grinned at the sight of the other boy running his hand under the blankets as Cecil bounced, dodged, and pounced on the moving lump.

Every now and then, the fox would become so excited that he would race around the shack; leaping on the table and sending Robin's tools scattering; knocking the traps and cages over; bumping into baskets and boots; then hopping on top of the cabinet and rattling the water pitcher and bowl kept there.

Robin had to lunge to keep the items from tumbling from their perches whenever the fox went crazy, and Conner laughed at their antics from the cot. Robin collapsed into the rocking chair after the last go round, coughing and wheezing a bit, but enjoying the activity nonetheless.

"Are you alright," Conner asked.

Despite being sick, the older boy had smiled and laughed more this day than Robin could ever remember seeing him do while healthy. Apparently, the combination of fatigue and not having to live up to an impossible standard had eased the young clone's anger to a manageable level for once. Conner actually appeared to be relaxed for the first time since Robin had met him.

Robin waved the question away as he caught his breath. "I think you are doing that on purpose just to rile him up," Robin accused.

"He's cute," Conner shrugged, but the crooked smile he wore remained.

"Yeah, he is," Robin admitted. "Too bad I couldn't talk Batman into letting me get one."

"You mean for the Batcave?" Conner remarked dryly. "When are you going to finally admit that he's your dad?"

"I'm not admitting anything," Robin retorted. He allowed Cecil to snatch his attention when the fox jumped up into his lap, demanding a belly rub.

"He likes you."

Rob snorted. "Yeah, well, he likes you, too." Robin scratched the little fox's ears and it made a blissful, growly noise at him. "My life is too complicated for a pet right now, anyway." And would likely always be so . . .

"How so?" Conner watched him curiously. Despite rooming together and seeing Robin without his mask, he still knew next to nothing about the younger boy. He certainly didn't recognize him.

Robin shrugged. "It just is," unwilling to explain. How to explain living with the Batman?


They were interrupted as Ramón entered the cabin abruptly. He tromped over to the fireplace, and practically dumped his load of wood next to it. He turned immediately to shut the door, and began bustling around collecting things.

Conner sat up a little more. Their host was serious and intent on something.

"What's going on," Robin asked tentatively.

Ramón shoved several of the cages out of his way and picked up a rope. He pulled a couple of furs from the chest; emptying it.

"I spotted smoke in the distance," he told them. "Smoke means people. Ain't no natural lightning strikes this time of year. Has to be people!"

"People?" Conner exchanged glances with Robin. "You mean . . ."

"I ain't promising nothing, mind you," Ramón declared. "Don't be getting your hopes up, but the only other people known to be out here would be your friends."

The boys grinned. Roy and Artemis were alive?

Ramón noticed and stopped. He rapped his knuckles on the tabletop. "Hey! You two best be hearing me now. There could be another reason behind it . . ."

"But that would be unlikely, wouldn't it? You just said . . ." Robin argued.

"I know what I just said, son, but I also just told you not to be pinning all your hopes on my finding them all safe and sound." The man told them almost harshly. "This could be nothing!"

Robin opened his mouth, but Ramón cut him off. "A train car derailed! We don't know what all happened in the wreckage. Some machine could have spontaneously combusted or some such whatnot. The key words here being that we just don't know! Not without my going and checking it out first."

The woodsman stomped over to the cabinet and pulled out a thermometer. He stuck it under Robin's tongue. "Be quiet and let it work." He warned. "I need to know you boys aren't going to up and expire on me while I'm gone."

Robin watched wide eyed as he reached up into the rafters and began pulling equipment down that neither had noticed before. A couple of pairs of snowshoes tumbled down. Ramón picked a pair and shoved the other back between the boards. He shoved his partially-depleted first aid kit into a satchel along with his last roll of bandages.

"It ain't much, but I may need to do a bit of doctoring along the way," he muttered to himself.

Cecil was getting worked up at his master's activities. Did this mean they were going home? If foxes could talk . . .

Ramón stopped and tugged the thermometer out of Robin's mouth, and read it.

"Ninety-nine," he announced. "Damn, boy, we just can't get you any lower, can we?"

"It's barely anything," Robin complained. "You can't even call that a fever."

"I can call it what I want," he said. "You had an aspirin with your beaver tail. That means that you still have one."

He washed the thermometer off and shook it as he approached Conner. "You next, young'un. Let's see how you're doing."

Conner turned his head away. "Will how I'm doing make a difference in whether or not you go out to find our friends?"

Ramón cocked a bushy eyebrow. "Could . . . Depends."

"I'm fine," the older boy declared mulishly.

Ramón stared at his obstinate expression. Then he shook his head and narrowed his eyes. He might make a lousy nurse and a worse father, but Ramón knew how to get things done. He kneeled on the cot and grabbed Conner's nose; holding it closed until the stubborn boy had to open his mouth. He stuck the thermometer in.

"Before you yank that out," he warned, "be aware that I can just wrestle you down and take your temperature from the other end. I will be getting a reading on you or I won't step out of this shack." He waved a hand at the door. "The chances that your friends made it are slim to none. But you two have a good shot of getting out here alive if we can just get a handle on your infection and keep that damned fever under control."

Conner looked at him confused; his eyes wide. He had never been manhandled in his short life, and it put where he was in perspective. And what did Old Oily mean by taking his temperature from the other end? Conner glance past the burly woodsman to Robin. His eyebrows rose in surprise as Robin shook his head at him rapidly.

Apparently, the other end was to be avoided at all costs . . . Conner leaned back and sulked, but he left the thermometer in place obediently. A couple of minutes later, he was reading it.

"One hundred and one," Ramón frowned. "This is up a degree from an hour ago."

Robin stood up and moved closer. "Are you staying here then?"

He moved over to the cabinet and pulled out the large bottle of pills. There weren't a whole lot left. It was time to use other methods to prevent his fever from spiking. He looked at the younger boy.

"It might be better if I make the trip to the cabin instead," Ramón mused. "He's improved some, but this might be the lull before the storm. I can't keep dosing him with aspirin. It barely keep a handle on things and his temperature won't stay down for long."

"B-But our friends . . ." Robin stammered.

"Son, I have to make the right decision here. I could spend the rest of the day and all night searching for your friends and come up empty. But I have your brother right here and in need."

Conner was shaking his head. "Don't use me as an excuse," he said. "Roy and Artemis could be out there! Please, I'd rather you go after them . . . Even if you come back 'empty'."


As you can see, if Ramon left to search out Artemis and Roy, then Robin couldn't leave to go after the much needed antibiotics for Conner. He wasn't so bad here, but not enough to leave him alone. So, Ramon couldn't notice the smoke; and Conner needed to be bad enough that Ramon couldn't leave him; setting the stage for Robin to hike there himself.