He was so angry he could barely keep still, wanting to lash out with everything he had but holding himself back.

The two men walked down into the Batcave silently, bypassing Terry on the stairs. Dick didn't even look at him, but he could see the boy out of the corner of his eye. When they got to the computer Dick stopped, letting out the breath he'd been holding.

"Dick."

Dick stared at the dead computer screen, not turning to look at Bruce.

"I want to hit you so badly right now, but I know I can't. I know if I try, you'll beat me. You always have and always will. I know that."

"You have every right to be. But I had my reasons."

Dick turned to face him, his entire body still on alert. "What reasons were those, Bruce? Are you so angry with me that you wanted to torment me? When Terry was hurt last year you were in such a horrible panic that I was here to comfort you, I talked you down and told you he was all right. Jason gets hurt and you make me think he's DEAD!"

Bruce's face fell and his eyes filled with tears. "Jason?"

Dick laughed. "Yes, Bruce. My Robin is a Jason too. You remember yours? Remember carrying his body out of that warehouse? Do you? I was conjuring up all of these horrible scenarios where he was beaten to death, just like Jason was twenty-six years ago. I," Dick covered his mouth to stop himself from crying out, but tears still fell from his eyes, "I care about this kid, Bruce. I find myself thinking about him when he's on patrol, worrying, and when he comes back I just hold him for hours to be sure he's still there. He sleeps in my bed and no," he looked up at Bruce, "We haven't had sex yet."

"Dick, I just wanted to help you."

Dick laughed. "Help me? You….you did, you really did. Because right now all I want is to take him home and tell him how much I love him, but I won't. It'll hurt too much when he decides that he's thirty and I'm seventy five and he can do better."

Bruce walked up to him and tried to touch his shoulder but Dick pushed him off, trying to hit his arm away. Bruce grabbed his arm mid hit and they stared at each other, both old men in tears over young men who had no idea.

Dick tried to hit him again and Bruce kicked out, which Dick dodged and flipped backward, landing gracefully a few feet from where Bruce was. Dick was breathing hard and so was Bruce, but both men smiled.

Dick wiped his mouth and he declared, "I'm gonna knock you down."

Bruce smiled. "You can try."

Bruce sidestepped his oncoming attack, reaching out and grazing Dick's cheek with his fist. As they moved and he dodged, Bruce became aware that they were moving around the cave and closer to familiar things he hadn't used in years.

Batarangs.

Dick seemed to realize as well because he quickly stopped Bruce from grabbing one of the weapons off the wall behind them, causing the batarang to get stuck in a wall somewhere while they continued.

They fought for what seemed like hours, but only lasted several minutes. After twenty Bruce raised his hand up, catching his breath and reached out to steady himself against the wall.

Dick, worried, came over to him. "Bruce, are you…?"

That's when Bruce kicked his feet out from under him and he was flat on his back, staring up at the older man.

Bruce smiled. "Never trust your opponent, Robin. Remember that."

Dick put his arm over his face and laughed, "I'm so stupid."

"Not stupid, Nightwing. Just too caring for your own good."

Dick moved his arm and winced. "God, we're idiots. I feel like I was thrown into a brick wall. You must feel worse."

Bruce made a fist with his left hand and rolled his shoulders. "There's an ache, but not as bad as I would have assumed."

"God, I hate you."

"No, you don't."

Bruce held out his hand and Dick stood, sighing. "No, I don't."

Bruce gestured to the stairs. "I believe you have someone to talk to."

Dick looked at the stairs and swallowed. "Yeah, I do."