As the weekend drew near, Dick grew more and more excited everyday. Finally, Friday came. With his helmet under one arm, he told his team he was going to visit family over the weekend and asked not to be disturbed. They all gave their well-wishes as Robin prepared to board his R-Cycle. With a screeching of tires, he headed off to Gotham City.
Just before he crossed the city line, he hit a small button under one of the handles of his motorcycle. It transformed into a plain, black cycle- perfectly ordinary in every way. He pushed a button on the chin strap of his helmet, and it too transformed, only enough to cover the "R" insignia on the front of his helmet. In jump City, there was only Robin. In Gotham City, there was only Dick Grayson.
At least, that's what the people knew.
As Dick maneuvered the streets he'd grown up on as a child, and looked up at the buildings he'd perched himself on as Robin, a sense of nostalgia came over him. It was a warm feeling, a reminder that some things were forever, that everything didn't always change. The thought was comforting as he got closer and closer to his childhood home. He had no idea what Bruce was planning- but he was super excited to find out!
At last, he finally arrived.
The gates of Wayne Manor opened to him, as if welcoming him home. Alfred stood just outside the front doors, giving the young master a small smile as he pulled up into the drive. Removing his helmet and placing it on the left handlebar of the bike, he turned to see Bruce's most trusted friend looking at him.
"Welcome home, master Dick." He said, formally. Dick, smiling, hugged the butler, remembering dozens of moments with him in the space of a heartbeat.
"I missed you, Alfred." He murmured into the old man's shoulder. Alfred's smile grew a tiny bit bigger.
"Master Bruce is waiting for you in his study. He requested I tell you to leave your shoes in the foyer, and any technological devices on the table next to the door." Dick nodded.
"Thank you, Alfred."
"Of course, sir."
Dick did as he was told, stripping himself of his shoes and socks in the entrance hall, and leaving his communicator (which he had turned off in jump so that it didn't show him at Wayne Manor), cell phone, and iPod on the table. Going up the mahogany staircase, he turned right into the east wing of the house, before stopping at the second door on the left. Pausing for just a moment, he opened the door to see his father at his desk. The second the door opened, Bruce whirled around in his chair to see his son.
"Daddy!" Came the joyful cry. Dick leapt into his father's waiting lap, and wrapped his arms around his father's neck.
"Hi, Dickie." He said, planting a kiss on his son's forehead. He ran his hands through Dick's hair and felt him relax.
"I miss shu." He said in a high pitched voice.
"I missed you too, son." He said, quietly. "Now, before we do anything else, this weekend has a few rules."
Dick pulled back from his father and looked at him questioningly.
"The first rule is that you are not allowed to walk unless you're going up or down the stairs." Dick nodded. He could do that.
"The second rule is that you are not allowed to go into the bathrooms unless it's bath time." Dick nodded, slipping his thumb into his mouth.
"The third rule is no big boy television. You can watch Disney movies or little kid shows, but nothing else." Dick nodded again.
"Fourth, you may not feed yourself, and may not use full sentences."
"Finally, you need to either cry or come to me or Alfred when you need a change, okay?" Dick nodded. Bruce smiled.
"Good boy. Let's go to your new room, then." He said softly. Dick was confused. New room? When did he get a new room. Bruce led him down the hall to a door right next to his own room. Fishing a key from his pocket, he unlocked the door and turned the handle.
Nothing could have prepared Dick for what was on the other side of that door.
It was a nursery, a full blown nursery with a crib, changing table, rocking chair, dresser, and tons of stuffed animals and blankets. Dick's eyes were wide with wonder, and Bruce smiled. It was just the reaction he'd been hoping for.
"Do you want to look around?" He asked. Dick nodded, so Bruce set Dick down to crawl around the room as he pleased. Bruce sat in the rocking chair, which had a tiny bookshelf next to it with some of Dick's favorite childhood stories. His son had wanted this, so by George he was going to have it.
Dick was in heaven. That was the only way to explain it. He plopped down on his diapered butt to stare in awe of everything. After five minutes, Bruce knelt down to him.
"Do you want to get dressed into something more comfortable?" He asked. Dick nodded. Bruce picked up his son and laid him down on the changing table.
"do you need a change?" Bruce asked. Dick shook his head no. Bruce, accordingly, picked out two outfits.
"Which do you want, the overalls or blanket sleeper?" Dick paused, then pointed to the sleeper. Bruce smiled, and began putting the sleeper on his son, before Dick started wriggling, reaching for something across from them. Bruce turned to see the pacifiers on the dresser.
"Okay little one, I'll get it." He brought Dick the red one he usually had and popped it into his mouth. Once the pacifier was in, Dick was still. Bruce zipped up the sleeper and lifted his son into his arms.
"How does that feel?" He asked. Dick giggled, so Bruce assumed he enjoyed it.
"Good. Now you have a choice, you can have playtime or a snack."
Dick thought about it carefully. "Ba ba?" He asked, taking out his pacifier.
"You can have a ba ba if you want."
"Ba ba."
"Okay then." Bruce said. "Do you want to take a friend with you?"
Dick reached backward. "Blankie." He said. Bruce looked at the red blanket he draped over one side of his son's crib, grabbed it, and handed it to him. Dick smiled and nuzzled it against his cheek.
"Pwetty." He said, quietly.
"Yes, it's very pretty, Dickie." With one arm supporting his son, he took a bottle out of their newly acquired bottle warmer. Bruce took his son back to his nursery, and sat in the rocking chair, rocking back and forth while his son drank the bottle in an eager rush. Soon, Dick found it hard to keep his eyes open. Bruce could see that, and acted accordingly, humming softly. Soon, Dick was asleep. Bruce removed the bottle from his mouth and replaced it with his pacifier. He picked his son up and laid him in his crib. He put a blanket over his son and smiled.
It was a good time for a nap.