Sorry about the delay. I had writers block and drama at work.

CHAPTER FIVE

The batmobile was quick and silent as it wound its way back to the Batcave. Robin was buckled in the passenger's seat, his ears bleeding from the explosion and whimpering in his uncounsciness from the pain his body felt. Batman gripped the wheel hard and let out another angry growl as he heard Robin shift uncomfortably in the seat. Pressing his foot down he coaxed more speed out of the vehicle.

Batman was thinking about all the things he would do to the man who captured Robin. This wasn't supposed to happen. Never to you. I can never forgive myself. He let a hand trail over the boy's unkempt hair and noted how dirty it seemed. How Dick's already thin body seemed even thinner. And how he shivered despite the heater being put on full blast.

Batman had contacted Alfred as soon as he strapped Robin in and was behind the wheel driving home. He told him to get the med bay ready and gave a brief rundown of what happened. The relief in the butler's voice could be heard even through the radio.

The batmobile pulled into the cave and the top opened immediately. Alfred stood right next to the vehicle with a gurney ready. Batman jumped out and both quickly rushed over to the curled up form of the still shivering Robin. Batman slowly picked him, being as gently with Robin as he would a newborn, and carried him over to the gurney. As soon as he set Robin down Alfred wheeled it into the med bay while Batman pulled off his cowl and took off his gloves. He wanted to be able to reassure Dick without inference from his armor.

"What happen, Master Bruce?" Alfred spoke softly, his hands busy getting paramedic scissors to cut off Robin's uniform.

"I found him chained like a dog in that abandoned lot near where the heist was happening, and I barely got him in time, before that bastard set off a bomb," the worry and anger evident in the words. Alfred put the cold metal scissors against Robin to start the processing of dismantling the uniform when he saw Dick's eye's snap open.

Dick immediately bared his teeth and rolled off the gurney. All he could think was he was cold, and something painful touched him, something he needed to get away from. He couldn't hear anything but his own thumping heart and a dull ringing in his ears that made it very hard to focus. He leapt up and ran toward what looked like an alcove when he felt himself be grabbed around the waste by big hands and picked up. Still not really seeing what was happening he struggled to get away. He could hear someone's voice, a deep familiar tone. He started to calm down, but his muscles were still tensed for flight. His body got shifted into a cradle position and his head was being held against an armor chest. One that felt and smelled familiar. Like warmth and love and safety. Dick finally started to relax and calm down. He finally could comprehend what he was seeing.

He was home! I am finally home, I AM HOME! He looked up and saw Bruce looking down at him with his cowl removed. He could see the exhaustion and worry in his face but also the relief. "Bruce? I'm so sorry," and suddenly Dick was crying. Crying and grasping at his surrogate father like a lifeline.

"Shhh, shhhh, its okay," Bruce crooned in Dicks ear. "It's okay, I got you now. You're safe." Bruce kept murmuring comforting words as Dick's crying slowly started to subside. After a few more minutes all that could be heard was Dick hiccup and he even breathing of one that fell asleep. The two adults looked in puzzlement and worry at the boy in their care. Five minutes after the last of the post crying hiccups had subsided, Alfred, who just stayed by the gurney in shock and then in respect as the scene unfolded, finally came up to Bruce and laid a hand on his shoulder.

"Sir, we need to get him treated." The butler didn't want to cause the small boy any more harm, but his health was more important right now than whether the process was upsetting again or not.

Bruce nodded and followed him back to the med bay area with the dozing boy. He gently shook Dick to wake him up and explained what they needed to have happen. Dick's eyes got big in fear and his breath hitched but he relaxed as soon as he saw Alfred look over Bruce's shoulder, the old man's face smiling at seeing him.

Dick forgot how much he missed Alfred. Missed his cookies and his caring voice and the hands that always made his illnesses and injuries go away. "Hi Alfred, sorry about that," Dick spoke softly with his eyes turning down.

"There my boy, it's quite all right. I didn't realize you were awake or I would have asked before I ever attempted such a thing. Let us get you out of those old garments and into something more comfortable. And maybe make some of the injuries feel better while we are at it."

Dick nodded his head, his eyes looking up at Bruce the entire time he lowered him down. Once settled Alfred got to work quickly and with Dick's help had his garments and mask off and a pair of fleece pajama pants on in their place. The butler saw the boy shivering but he needed to look him over before he could cover the rest of his body.

Alfred saw the bruises on the thighs, chest, arms, and back of his master's ward and grimaced in anger at the trauma inflicted. He just finished checking for concussion, which thankfully there was no residual damage but a slight ringing that was dissipating quickly, when he looked down and saw Dick's hands. They were bloodied, scratched, dirty, and the nails were broken. Alfred knew what caused that, he had seen those same injuries and marks on prisoners during his days in the British army when they rescued POW's. The marks of someone trying to dig themselves out of a prison.

Alfred reached down and made to gently grab Dick's right hand to examine and clean it, but as soon as he touched it he felt it tense. Dick howled in pain. He had broken his pinky finger trying to punch out the window to his prison. It didn't bother him as long as he didn't touch, so he promptly ignored and forgot it, lumping it will all his other injuries acquired throughout the course of his stay.

As soon as the sharp pain was felt, Dick's eyes dilated, his rational brain shut off, his primal one took over…and he attacked Alfred. Quickly snatching his hand away he tensed, crouched, and jumped at the old man in a fit of rage. Alfred, caught off guard by the sudden turn, could do no more than take a step back as the body of the 11 year old slammed into him, knocking the air out of his lungs and making him lose balance.

A howl came out of the throat of the now feral child, and Dick still sitting atop Alfred chest, grabbed the nearest weapon he could find. As soon as he felt the scalpel in this hand, he was quickly yanked up in the air and the impromptu weapon torn away and thrown across the cave. He felt himself being drawn into a close hug, his arms pinned at his sides while he kicked frantically in the air. The only thought Dick had was escape. With quick thinking he bit down on the ungloved hand, heard a grunt of pain and felt the arms slightly loosen. But it wasn't enough to get free before they retightened with renewed strength. Struggling to be unrestricted he wailed in fear and frustration. And then the exhaustion set in. Little food and water combined with lack of sleep and constant tense state finally took its toll on the small body of the eleven year boy. Dick gave one last struggle and passed out.