Title- Finding the Light
Author- Kim
Summary- What if - Oliver Queen raised Dick Grayson.
DC owns all characters
part 9
Ollie sat back in the chair...his head pounded and his eye's burned..But he wasn't going to leave...He was staying right here, no matter what anyone said...He ran a hand through his hair as he listened to the sound of the machine breathing for his boy.
He hadn't been able to be with Dick when they first brought him in, two day's before...Batman had insisted that he stay with him , whilst Ollie quickly returned home to change...At first Ollie was angry..how dare 'the Bat' tell him what to do...but Batman had spoken in that deep cold voice that he used...A voice that begged no argument..And Ollie knew he was right..Green Arrow sitting beside Dick Grayson, would raise obvious suspicions...So he had raced home to change and return as Oliver Queen.
A nurse came in ..checking equipment, making minor adjustments...and writing things down..She smiled compassionately at Ollie, before leaving...Ollie knew she'd return in a few minutes, to repeat the process.
Ollie hated himself..He felt a sickness inside of him that went deeper..much deeper than his stomach...He had caused this...His self centeredness...his inability to see the impact of his actions on others before it was too late.
He hoped it wasn't too late...It couldn't be...Dick would survive, of that he was certain...he could feel it in his soul...But would the boy ever forgive him for his ignorance...Would he ever have a chance to prove to Dick how much he valued having the boy in his life...Ollie sighed..he hoped so.
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Ollie hadn't realized he had dozed off until he felt the touch of a hand on his shoulder.
He looked up to find Dinah standing there...Her hand on his shoulder...but staring at Dick... eye's shining with unshed tears.
"You should go and get some sleep...I can sit with him untill you get back." she said softly.
Ollie shook his head, "Not going anywhere till he wakes up." he replied.
Dinah sighed, and reached out to gently stroke Dick's black hair...before pulling a chair over close to the bed..next to Ollie.
"I got back this morning...Bruce left a message on the machine...I rang him and he told me what happened." Dinah said...staring intently at the small pale face that lay on the bed.
Ollie sat silent for a moment, before saying despairingly. "I stuffed up Dinah...I really stuffed up."
"Yeah...yeah you did Ollie...I'm not going to sugar coat it..." She stopped as Ollie cut in.
"I'm sorry...you'll never know how sorry I am...I never raised a kid before...I guess I just thought of him as a little buddy...He's a great kid..responsible...quiet...Nothing like me...Sometimes I feel like I'm the kid and he's the adult..." Ollie broke off...his voice cracking as he tried to control his emotions.
Dinah reached up to put a reassuring hand on the Archer's knee...No matter what differences they had between them..she still cared for the man...She felt his pain, but knew she couldn't ease it...This was something Ollie had to face..he had to learn by this experience.
"Ollie...he needs a father...not just a friend..or a buddy...It's a huge responsibility..I know that...But I also know your capable of being there for him...You need to put him first..everything else comes after him...I know you can do it Ollie..I know the man you can be." Dinah said..rising to put her arms around the heartbroken man.
"I don't know...I don't know if I can do it..The kid deserves better than me." Ollie whispered.
"Ollie he wants you...No one else...He needs you..You can be there for him...I've spoken to Bruce..We're going to help where ever we can..It's a huge job raising a child...and doing it alone is...well you won't have to be alone..you just need to think things through and organize help when you need it." said Dinah.
Ollie gave a half hearted chuckle.."I can't believe the Bat would offer to help with my kid...That's gotta be a first." he said.
Dinah smiled."Well it wouldn't exactly be Bruce...It'd be Alfred...Besides your forgetting that Bruce has faced some issues with Roy...he understands how hard it is." she said.
A small moan escaped from the bed...Dick stirred..and began to gag and fight weakly at the tube that was helping him breath...Dinah and Ollie quickly moved to the bedside.. as a nurse appeared next to them.
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Almost a week later Ollie again sat in the chair next to Dicks bed..The boy was recovering well from his injuries, as well as the exposure to the cold he had been subjected to.
They had spoken at length about what had happened...And Ollie felt blessed that the boy was more forgiving of Ollie than Ollie was of himself...Ollie would never forgive himself..He wouldn't allow himself to...He wanted to keep the feelings of anger and fear of what he almost lost..locked inside to remind him of the promise he had made Dick..A promise to always be there for him when he needed him...He had learned a valuable lesson ..one that would forever change the man he was.
"Bruce called...he's gonna be here sometime this morning." Ollie said casually.
Dick looked surprised, He knew Bruce Wayne was Batman from conversations he'd had with Ollie. "Batman's coming to see me?" he asked.
"Yeah Kiddo, and it's Bruce out of costume..not Bats..Don't forget that..He gets real freaky if ya don't keep the two identities separate." Ollie said casually.
"Ok...but way's he coming to see me?" Dick asked.
"Cause he wanted to kid...What you wanted me to tell him no?" asked Ollie.
"No..no I didn't say that but this is..." Dick lowered his voice to a whisper, "This is Batman we're talking about...he's...well he's the coolest hero there is..besides Superman."
Ollie looked wounded. "You just stabbed me in the heart kid...How can a big black bat be cooler than a modern day Robin Hood?" he laughed.
Dick smiled happily, "I didn't say you weren't cool...just...well your you...and yeah..he's cooler."
"Smart ass." Ollie said, pausing a moment before adding. "He's bringing his kid to see ya...Dinah thought it'd be a good idea for you two to get to know each other...he's about your age...good for you to have someone to talk to who's dealing with the same hero crap that you have to face." Ollie said.
"He lives with..."Dick lowered his voice again, "Batman...Wow.. how cool is that."
Ollie rolled his eye's..How could anyone think that pointy eared freak was cooler than he was...He'd never be able to figure this kid out.
end part 9
