Bruce sighed as he put the last form down into the tray on his desk. He glanced at his clock to read, 8:12 PM

"That's 23 down and 107 more to go." He grumbled.

Bruce looked up as a short scruffy attendant walked into the room with another batch of papers, the paper slapped against the desk as he dropped them.

"Would you like me to get you anything sir?"

"Um...no John, i'll be fine. But i'm thinking of doing this at home, i mean i haven't seen Richard all day."

"Ok sir, would you like me to pull the car up?"

"That would be great."

Just as the man left a scream and sirens came from the window. Bruce ran over and looked down to see a fire by the bank and police cars racing towards it.

"You know what," Bruce whispered to himself, "I think i'll get my own car." He said as he pulled out his utility belt.

Bruce pushed open the mansion's door with a huff, his hand on his elbow trying to block out the pain from that nasty burn he got.

"Daddy! Daddy! Your home!"

Bruce chuckled while he watched little Dick tumble down the hallway with Alfred at a steady pace behind him.

"Daddy!" Dick gave one last squeal as he snuggled into Bruce's suit.

"Dicky!" He knelt down to hug the boy.

"I- *Yawn* drew this for you!" Dick proudly held up a fully painted sheet of paper that looked like the Bat mobile.

"Thanks Little Bird! Wow..." Bruce took a closer look a Dick to see paint smothered all over his face and clothes, two dark lines under his eyes stood out.

"Were you playing war while painting?"

Dick hands went to his eyes, "Maybe,"

Bruce looked behind him to see a pile of toy guns and pillows everywhere.

"Well after we clean you up i think we need to clean this room up."

"Um sir,"Alfred piped up.

"Yes Alfred?"

"I think he should do that in the morning, it's well past his bedtime,"

Bruce looked down at his watch, 10:43PM

Wow, that fire took longer than i thought.

"I'm sorry i was late, traffic." Bruce didn't say anything else about he was late so that Dick wouldn't worry about him.

"I also *Yawn* made this,"

Dick held up a long beaded, macaroni, string neckalace.

"I made it myself!" Dick smiled.

"You don't say?" Bruce held it in his hands.

"Alfred *Yawn* told me Mommy and Daddy are in heaven and in my heart, and when you put me in the orphanage Alfred said since *Yawn* you still loved me you were in my heart there too. He also *Yawn* told me that i was in your heart too, and that i still am but sometimes when your *Yawn* gone you forget that i'm there. So i made you this! So you won't forget!"

Bruce turned it over to see a big bead at the bottom in the shape of a heart, and scratched into it were the words I am always in your heart, even though always and heart were spelled wrong it was one of the best things Bruce has ever been given.

Dick lifted it up out of his hands and placed it around Bruce's neck.

"There you go!" Dick grinned.

Bruce hugged Dick, "Thank you,"

He quickly let go fearing for his very expensive suit,

"Ok, time to get you cleaned up Little Bird!" Bruce stood up and smiled, "Race you to the top!" Bruce ran to the stairs.

"No fair! You got a head start!" Dick laughed as he dashed after his father.

Bruce slumped onto his bed. He flinched when his elbow hit the mattress. Alfred had put some burn relief spray and told him to keep off of it. Bruce pulled his laptop and papers out of his bag. He had a some many problems with his company that it would probably take hours to fix it. Suddenly Bruce heard a car pull up, normally Bruce would ignore it thinking it was to the houses next door but with super sonic bat ears it's easy to tell when someone pulls up next to you.

Bruce opened the blinds slightly to see a dark van sitting in front of they're drive way. Two men in long dark coats stumbled out of the crowded car. One picked up a camera out of his coat and started taking pictures of the house. Another walked up the stairs, Bruce thought for sure it was a robbery. He kept watching when he saw the man turn away from the door and towards a window near by, Dick's room, Bruce was just about to go yelling down the halls when the man quickly left the window with nothing in his hands, both men ran straight back into the van and drove off. Bruce jumped up at some knocking at his door, had there been a third man? He grabbed the pole he always kept under his pillow and walked to the door. He swung open the door and just stopped himself from hitting the little pile of blankets and animals.

"Daddy," Dick said in a scarred voice, "There were some strange people out side my window. i'm scarred Daddy."

Bruce put the pole up against the wall. He looked up and down the hallway then pulled Dick inside.

"It's ok," Bruce smiled. "they're gone now, you can sleep in my room if you like?"

"Ok!" Dick squealed. Blankets and all flew past Bruce as the boy climbed into his large king sized bed.

"What's dis?" Dick picked up a pile of papers.

"Just something for work, i'll do it tomorrow." Bruce pulled all the papers and things off his bed and onto the nightstand.

Once Dick had settled down he asked,

"Who were they?"

"Who?"

"Those men."

"I don't know, but i'll find out in the morning."

Dick shrugged as if satisfied by the answer and then snuggled into Bruce's chest. Bruce frowned wondering if he could find out on the moniters, as long as they didn't take out the cameras. The Dark Night looked down at his son to see him smiling with good dreams knowing his father will protect him.

Bruce remembered when he felt like that with his own father, always knowing that Daddy was going to fix it, and not one doubt would cross his mind.

Dick woke up and looked around the room. It took him a minute to read the clock but he guessed it was 7:20 ish and judging by the sun just beginning to come up he was sure it was AM. Dick looked around the room again trying to figure out what had woke him up this early. Then he heard the doorbell ring loudly throughout the house, I guess Alfred is still asleep. Dick slowly unwinded Bruce's arm from his waist then tumbled along the hallways still having blankets around him. Once he opened the door he saw a package outside.

"Hello?" He called wondering if it was for them.

When no one answered he picked it up. He shook it softly, just in case it was glass. He shut the door and raced to Bruce's room.

"Daddy! Daddy!"

Bruce yawned then slowly sat up,

"What is it Dick?" He said rubbing his eyes.

"Look! Their was a package outside." The raven haired boy held up the mysterious box. "See?"

"Aw Dicky," Bruce tried to remember what his dad said about opening the door without permission, he's probably never had a real door before, Bruce knew he should say something but his attention was focused on the box,

"I don't remember ordering anything,"

Bruce shook the box, suddenly he heard a ticking noise. He held it up to his ear and then opened it.

"What is it?" Dick leaned over to see.

Bruce went pail, he jumped out of bed and raced down the stairs, Dick slowly following saying, "What's wrong? What's wrong?" Bruce quickly made it to the Bat Cave where he found the zeta beam. He ran over, flipped a couple of switches, then threw it into the teleporter. Right when he threw it in the box exploded. Bruce sighed in relief. Bruce turned around when he heard a small sniffling sound. Dick was half-way up the stairs crying.

"It's ok little bird!" Bruce cooed, "Everything's ok!"

Bruce tried to smile as pulled Dick closer to him.

"Everything's fine!" He wasn't sure who he was trying to convince, Dick or himself.

"No it's not," Dick whispered trying to whip his eyes. "what happened? Why did it blow up?" Dick was going histarical, Bruce knew he had to calm him down some how.

"It just...uh...oh! Because it was a special type of bat-rang that was accidentally activated then it blew up!" Bruce started whipping the tears from Dick's eyes. "Why are you crying?"

"I...*sniff*..I thought i did something wrong...or..." Dick went back to balling,

"What's going on here!" Alfred cried as he raced down the stairs.

"A hit," Bruce whispered.

"A HIT!" Alfred repeated, "Are you ok Master Richards?" He knelt down and pulled out his handkerchief to whip up the boy's face.

"I don't *sniff* know..."

This is one of the first times Bruce has ever asked Alfred a question, "Is he ok?"

"HE'S 6! HE'S TRYING TO RECOVER FROM SHOCK!" Guilt pieced Bruce like a knife.

Alfred's hash tone changed to a sweet cooing when he turned to the boy, "Let's go get you clean up and have breakfast," he kissed the boy's forehead as he carried him up the stairs.

Once Alfred shut the door Bruce raced to his suit then to his communicator.

"Hello? Is anyone there?"

"Hello!" Flash called.

"Barry? I thought you shift in the Monitor room ended 2 hours ago."

"Yeah, Clark's got me on extra. So what's up?"

Bruce looked down on the floor to see a pice of paper that fell out of the box,

"We've got a Code 9"

On the paper was a picture of the Haley's Circus.

"Call an emergency meeting, pronto."

TO BE CONTINUED...