Brothers Forgive

By

AJ

Part 4

"Bruce?" Dick and Damian approached the distraught father. "How's Tim?"

"He's in ICU. He's in critical condition. He's got a broken arm, a broken leg, broken ribs, a collapsed lung, and a severe concussion. He's got bruising to the chest as well. They put him in ICU to keep him sedated and to watch him due to the concussion. He's been put on life support to help with breathing."

"We saw the accident scene driving into Gotham," Dick stated. "I don't think it was an accident."

"You mean to tell me . . ."

"Yes."

"Why?" Bruce asked.

"I don't know."

"I want you to find out who did this," Bruce said, his eyes narrowing and his face becoming a hard mask.

"You're not going to check into this yourself?"

"You had the foresight to stop at the accident scene. I wish I had, but I don't think I can keep a level head right now."

Dick was surprised at the confession. This really shook Bruce up. He hadn't seen him this shaken up in a long time, not since Jason . . . "Okay, Bruce. Though they might not let me take the case," Dick said.

"You're on Gordon's special task force. If you tell them this wasn't an ordinary accident . . ."

"Bruce, they know Tim's my brother," Dick stated. "They may question my objectivity."

"Then do it another way," Bruce said.

Dick knew without questioning further what Bruce meant, and he quickly left to do his father's bidding, despite wanting to see his younger brother. Damian stayed by his father's side until the older man could no longer keep his head up. Bruce had fallen asleep in his chair. It was an opportunity for him to really know if his father was exaggerating Drake's condition. Maybe all Drake had were scrapes and bruises, but why should his father look so worried? And why put Drake in ICU?

Damian entered Tim Drake's hospital room. It was dark and there were sounds of machines that Damian didn't recognize. He moved closer to the bed and his eyes became wider. Father had not exaggerated. Tim Drake . . . no Tim Wayne was indeed hooked up to life support. His left arm was in a sling and his right leg was also in a cast with pins. His father had not said that Tim's right leg had been broken in more than one place. Damian drew closer to see that Tim's face was also bruised. He had two black eyes and there was swelling on one cheek. The scrapes on his face and arms gave evidence that Tim must have tumbled on the ground. Hadn't Drake worn any protective clothing? What was his brother thinking?

What disturbed Damian the most was hearing the sound the respirator helping Tim to breath. It was unnatural. Tim was so still. Though Tim wasn't a tall person, barely five feet ten inches, he was muscular. Seeing him lying in a hospital bed, pale and wrapped in bandages, caused Damian to think about what Dick had said.

'Did I cause this?' Damian thought. 'Surely I did not, but . . .'

Damian could not help but think of Tim's frame of mind when he left the Manor.

'He had been angry because of me. He might not have seen the driver of the car. I caused this just as surely as if I had driven that car.'

Damian was suddenly brought out of his thoughts as an alarm went off. He watched as Tim started to convulse. He was suddenly shoved aside as doctors and nurses rushed into the room followed by his father.

"What's happening?"

"He's gone into some kind of arrest," the Doctor stated. "Please, Mr. Wayne, get your son out of here. We need room to work."

"No!" Damian suddenly shouted out. 'I'm not leaving."

"Damian," Bruce stated. "We're only in the way."

"But . . . Tim . . ." Damian started to say, using Tim's first name, which he rarely done.

"It will be okay. They will let us know."

Let us know? Damian hoped for the first time that it wouldn't be the worst. He kept his eyes focused on Tim as his father dragged him from the room. Once the door was shut, Damian wriggled from his father's grasp and ran.

"Damian!"

Continues with Part 5