AUTHOR'S NOTE: Sorry it's been so long. Moved to a new place, then I had Christmas, and then got really sick. Hope the chapter was worth the wait!

Chapter 24

"You'll like it" whispers the voice in the darkness.

Spinning around, Dick can only see the inky blackness that surrounds him.

"No!" shouts the boy, running away from where he heard the voice.

"I'm not done yet, Boy."

"NO!" cries out Dick louder, running faster.

"Wayne can't keep you safe. The police can't keep you safe. Even Batman can't keep you from me," comes the voice again, now sounding like the voice is in front of him.

Stopping, Dick glances around, trying to find where the voice is coming from.

"Did you see the video from the school? Did you see how I put my mouth on your…"

"Stop it!!" shouts the boy, trying to drown out the voice.

"Stop? But I've only started," whispers the voice, before the boy is grabbed from behind…

"Dick? Dick?!"

Jerking awake with a scream on his lips, Dick takes a swing at the figure near the bed. His punch is deflected. Getting ready to strike out again, Dick is momentarily blinded when the overhead light is turned on. When his eye sight clears, the boy sees Bruce standing by the bed, with Alfred near the light switch. Glancing between the two men, the boy works at slowing his breathing.

"Are you ok, Dick?" asks Bruce calmly, sitting down on the edge of the bed. "You were dreaming."

"I…I…" starts the boy, but finds that he can't say any more.

"You're safe, Master Dick," says Alfred, as he steps up near the bed.

"I could hear his voice," whispers Dick, as he rocks himself on the bed. "He said he wasn't done."

"It was just a dream," responds Bruce firmly.

Shaking his head, Dick stops rocking and looks at his mentor.

"On the phone…"starts the boy, but finds he can't finish.

"We'll beat him, Dick," states Bruce, placing a hand gently on the boy's shoulder and giving it a quick squeeze. "We'll catch him and he'll never bother you again."

Nodding his head, Dick finds that he is no longer tired. "Bruce, would it be ok if I got up and watched movies? I don't think I can go back to sleep right now."

"Go ahead, son," replies the millionaire, getting up from the bed.

Watching the boy get out of the bed, both men wait until the boy is out of the room and down the hall before saying a word.

"He was screaming, Master Bruce," says Alfred quietly, brushing a tear from his eye. "I don't think just catching this man will help the boy."

"It will take time," responds Wayne. "But, first we need to catch the son of a bitch."

Sadly, Alfred nods his head and turns to leave. Seeing the curtain flutter, Alfred walks over to the window to feel a breeze flow over his feet.

"Master Bruce?" calls the butler, as the millionaire starts to leave the room. "The window is open."

"What?" demands the rich man, striding over to the window and jerking aside the curtain.

"My word," whispers Alfred.

Staring at the window, both men can't help but read the note that has been taped to the inside of the window.

I'm not done yet!

"Master Bruce, he was here!" says the faithful butler, not able to take his eyes off the note. "Master Dick said he could hear the man's voice. Perhaps it wasn't a dream!"

"We don't know when this note was stuck on the window," replies Bruce, firmly.

"But…" starts Alfred, only to cut himself off as he watches his employer shake his head.

"I will not scare Dick," says the millionaire vehemently. "Unless we know for sure when this note got here, I will not jump to conclusions. Let Dick continue to think it was a dream. I'll contact Gordan and have him come quietly for the note."

"But Master Dick will question why the police are here," replies Alfred, finally taking his eyes off the note.

"I'll tell Gordan that Dick had a nightmare and I don't want to scare the boy more than he already is. Gordan can pretend that he decided to stop by to see how we were doing," states Wayne, turning away from the window and striding out of the room.

Taking one last glance at the note, Alfred closes the curtain, covering the note, and leaves the room himself.