Hurry Home

He was a lot of things.

Bruce Wayne. Eccentric billionaire.

Batman. Superhero. Bringer of justice.

A complete and total asshole too.

The dark knight sat back in his chair, staring blankly at the computer screen in front of him when realization slapped him in the face.

He'd tried to take Robin away from Dick.

He'd tried to take Robin away from Dick

Bruce pushed the cowl back from his face as he picked up his phone. Well, his person cell phone, that is. He could count on one hand, the number of people that actually had the number.

And Dick was one of them.

You are about to change your pre-set voicemail message. Please begin your personalized message after the tone.

Bruce began sighed deeply and began speaking, "Listen, uh, it doesn't matter what you've done and what happened, I still love you, okay? It doesn't matter where you've been or where you've gone, you can always come home to the Manor. And listen, Brat, if this is you, we've got a lot to make up for and I can't start fixing things without you so…hurry home."

As soon as he saved the message an alarm on the BatComputer sounded. He placed his phone on the armrest as he stood and replaced the cowl over his head with another weary sigh.

Duty calls.

He returned to the BatCave as the sun was rising. Bruce grabbed his phone and made his way upstairs to the Manor. A quick change of clothes, trading his Batman costume for a set of flannel pajamas, he trudged to his room. Bruce rubbed his face tiredly as he held the phone to his ear.

You have one new message.
"Bruce, it's Diana. Cassie just told me about Dick. I'm so sorry about what happened. If I see him, I'll tell him that you're worried, alright? That you just want him to come home so you can work things out. I'll be sure to have Cassie and the rest of the League to do the same. And Bruce?
"Robin and Dick Grayson are one in the same. Getting rid of one would have destroyed the other."

Days passed. Then months. Then weeks. Years too. It seemed like Batman would never fight crime with the Boy Wonder again.

Well, not the boy wonder he was used to at least. Not that Tim hadn't taken to crime fighting like a duck to water. It was just…he was just like Dick at that age. It was a painful reminder that the cape and mask was a dangerous life to live.

"Bruce?"

The billionaire looked up in surprise, "Yeah, Clark?"

"Listen..." Clark began slowly, taking his glasses off, "Don't you think it's time to change your voicemail?"

"Yeah, man." Barry said with a shrug, "You've seen the news. Dick's over in Jump City working with another team. He's doing some real good over there."

Olly grimaced, "Let's just hope that the 'Teen Titans' don't fall through like 'Operation: Young Justice' did."

"I'm not changing the message." Bruce said darkly, "You never know what might happen. All we know is that they don't know what his secret identity is. They might be Gypsy haters for all we know."

"But Bruce-" Clark began with a sigh.

"You never know when he might call. I want him to know he can still count on me even if I can't get to the phone."

Nineteen year old Dick Grayson stood atop Titan Tower and looked out at the ocean. It only took him five years and hundreds of battles, but he'd finally told revealed who he was to the others.

And Holy Hell had it made them angry.

Now they wanted him gone.

He pulled out his phone, unlocked it, and then scrolled through his contacts. Who the hell was he supposed to call? Roy had his own problems with Titans East and the first words out of Wally's mouth would be a big fat 'I Told You So'.

"Of course Jeanne knows who I am. I told her before we started dating! You can't be in a relationship with someone without trust, Dick. Living a double life is hard enough, but having your significant other know who both of you are is the best feeling in the world."

Why the hell Wally wasn't that intuitive about other stuff, Dick would never know. There went his first two, best options.

The young man groaned and pulled at his hair, "The only thing he probably wants is to go back in time and not sign the adoption papers…"

Dick huffed and selected the number. Hopefully, Alfred would pick up the phone. God knows, Bruce never seemed to remember to take the damn thing with him anywhere. Hell, if Dick was lucky, he'd get the voicemail and wouldn't have to deal with Alfred or him.

"Well, here goes nothing…" he muttered as he hit talk and listened to it ring.

"Hey, this is Bruce. Listen, uh, it doesn't matter what you've done and what happened; I still love you, okay? It doesn't matter where you've been or where you've gone, you can always come home to the Manor. And listen, Brat, if this is you, we've got a lot to make up for and I can't start fixing things without you so…hurry home."

Dick's face crumbled as he heard the tone. Well…that was…

"Hey, Alfred! Did the phone ring while I was at that damn meeting?" Bruce called as he hopped up the stairs.

He might not have seen it, but the billionaire could practically see Alfred roll his eyes, "I may have heard it ring earlier, Master Bruce. You should really start taking your phone with you instead of leaving it around the Manor in strange places."

Bruce chuckled softly as he slipped into his office. It was late, Gotham's streets were quiet, and he had a date with his mattress, the only thing he had left to do was go through his mail and sign a few papers, then he'd be home free. As he sat in his chair he noticed his phone sitting on the middle of his desk with a note in Alfred's handwriting.

Check your voicemail.

You have one new message.

"H-hey, uh…it's…ah…Bruce, I'm on my way."