Disclaimer: It still hasn't changed… this would be an episode if it had, really.

There is a poll on my profile and if you want Dick to have an awesome b-day, I'd vote on it.

September 2nd, 2004 Five months and a day since the incident…

Weeping may endure for a night, but joy cometh in the morning.- Bible

Chapter 5:

Dick looked around his room.

It was night time right now and it was dark. Not even the pearly moon was out tonight, shining with all it's wondrous glory on Gotham City. He sat up in his bed, looking down at the empty space to his right; the space Peanut would normally fill right up. He sighed and looked around the room.

Why did it have to be so big? He tried to make it feel homey by filling it up but the space was just to large. He always felt uncomfortable in the manor. He only felt… safe; in that one room with the grandfather clock, the one where he had stared up at the moon because it reminded him of his mother… and it was the only place really to get the best look.

Bruce had told him about a charity event that he and himself had to go to. Honestly, Dick didn't want to go. He didn't want to be near people, he had gotten so used to the quiet life of the manor that being surrounded by people didn't appeal to him. Sure, at the circus he had been around people, but they had been at bay and not asking him a billion questions, as Alfred said the people at the event would. Those people at the circus would take pictures too, but not close up like he saw from TV, when the reporters asked these people questions and got all up in their face.

He sighed, no he didn't want to go to the event. Not that he had much of a choice anyway. Alfred had already bought him a fancy suit that was laid nicely across his desk chair. Dick's eyes wandered over to it and he glared at it disgustfully. When the butler made him try it one, he felt so restrained like his freedom had been taken from him. He wanted to fly again, to be free and glide through the air like his mother's little robin.

He whimpered and wiped the forming tears from his eyes. He didn't want to wake Bruce or Alfred by crying. He didn't want to upset them. Sure, he didn't trust them; he was still wary with them, pulling away when he got to close. He felt like he was replacing his parent's when he did get closer with Bruce, not so much Alfred, but he didn't want to fit here. Dick wanted to return to the circus, to go back to his happy life full of love, joy, peace, kindness, goodness, the faithfulness of family… he wanted that back. Bruce was to quiet, he was never around, he didn't really show that he cared much and his eyes were dark and silent… not what Dick was used to too. Dick wasn't used to quietness, or, at least he hadn't been used to it. He was now, even welcome it now. He didn't mind it now. It made things easier. He didn't want to talk to Bruce, honestly, he really didn't even like the man. He never talked, never laughed and only ever rarely smiled. He wanted to smile.

Laughter too.

He wanted to laugh out, to smile, to experience joy but he couldn't. He seemed to have lost his ability.

Like the robin's wings were clipped. And his joy was gone.

][][][

Batman leaned out just a bit further.

He was perched on top of Wayne Tech, looking down at the quiet, dark city. The dark knight shook his head and turned toward the west, where Wayne Manor was situated. He pulled up his binoculars to his eyes and zoomed in farther, in the direction of Dick's room. He didn't mean to spy on the boy but he was curious and honestly, he had nothing better to do. Gotham's villans and thugs had apparently decided to take a break tonight, leaving the Batman to do nothing but jump from roof to roof and sit on top of a building and stare down at the city and leave him to his thoughts. Honestly, he was almost hoping for someone to rob a bank.

"Bruce? You can call me Dick. It's my nickname. I'll call you Bruce." Dick had said to him, his voice had been quiet and soft, but firm. Batman smiled a bit, they were getting, only slightly, closer but it had been a small start.

Dick was sitting up in his bed, staring out the window, almost seeming that he was looking straight at the dark knight. The boy his hand up to his eyes and rubbed there, brushing away the tears from them. He looked around his room and let out a deep sigh; Batman felt as if he could almost here it. He sighed himself and turned away, feeling guilty that he couldn't be there to comfort the boy. He put the binoculars back in his utility belt and grabbed his grappling hook, sending one last glance in the direction of Wayne Manor before shooting the hook out and swinging from the building.

][][][

"Hello, Alfred." Dick whispered, rubbing his eyes as he came into the kitchen.

Alfred looked down from the beacon and French toast and smiled warmly. "Hello, Master Dick. How did you sleep?" he asked cheerfully, flipping the toast in the skillet. Dick made his way to the counter and stared down at the plate left out for him. He glanced sideways to the right, hoping but yet not, to see a plate for Bruce there. He always felt weird when Bruce did end up sitting there because they never talked. It was awkward and generally Bruce would just read the paper while Dick ate his food as fast as he could to get out.

"Fine, Alfred, thanks. You?"

"Well, Sir."

"That's good. Thanks for making the food, Alfred," Dick muttered and stared down at the French toast in front of him with a side of beacon. He reached out for the syrup and when his small hands found it he gripped it tightly, as he always did now; almost as to make up for not gripping his mothers hand. He froze there for a moment, thinking this, and then poured it on top. Alfred was cleaning the kitchen when Bruce did, however, walk in. He nodded toward Dick and then turned away, toward the butler.

Dick sunk even lower into his chair.

Bruce whispered silently to the butler and then walked off, Alfred trailing behind him. Dick looked down at his food, which was half-eaten, and then looked up to where the two men had disappeared. He sighed. Left alone again.

He suddenly hoped down from his chair and ran in a random direction and soon enough, he heard voices. Bruce and Alfred were talking, more loudly now, and were in the grandfather clock room. He ran up the stairs and ran in the direction of the room, his footsteps much to light for them to echo.

"-don't know. There's no lead." Bruce was saying, shaking his head. Dick stared at the two men from the hiding spot he so conveniently found. He was behind a tapestry of a man in a suit of armor, not that Dick cared, and he just put his head out enough to only show his blue eyes. Bruce was facing away from him, sitting in the velvet red chair and Alfred was standing so that if he looked up, he would see only the young boy's eyes. Dick smiled to himself, just a small smile.

He would hide like Batman.

Dick smirked to himself, the type of mischievous smirk that made you stop and carefully watch the boy for trouble. He and Alfred often watched the news when they caught Batman fighting someone. Two-Face, the horrible villain, had escaped not but a few nights ago and Batman was fighting him at a warehouse. The police showed up and surrounded the building and Gotham's news teams and reporters had shown up. Dick had watched, silently routing for Batman to overcome the insane villain.

Not that he doubted him.

Alfred always seemed a little more than worried but Dick would brush it off as just him being an old man.

And sure, Batman was cool but so was Superman. Superman had powers but Batman didn't; so, couldn't that mean anyone could be a hero like Batman? If he, whoever the man was, was one; couldn't anyone else? Dick could very much easily flip over buildings with hardly a sweat, he could do what Batman could do. Maybe he could become Batman's partner!

Dick shook his head at the thought, not realizing that Alfred caught the movement and looked up, that could never happen. He would never become Batman's partner. Besides, the man was problem just on of Gotham's average, if anything.

"Master Richard, what do you think you are doing?"

Dick's head snapped up and his eyes widened. Both Bruce and Alfred were staring at him. Bruce's arm's were crossed over his chest disapprovingly and his eyes looked tired. His face was constructed seriously and seemed to be hoping that Dick didn't hear anything he said. He stood now, straight and tall; the air to him one of impatience and tiredness and a simple disapproving glare settled in his brown eyes. Alfred looked no less disappointed and he shook his head slightly, showing he also disapproved. Dick couldn't help it! Maybe, had they not been so secretive, he wouldn't have followed them!

Dick shrunk back and turned suddenly, running out the opposite end of the tapestry. He dashed back to the kitchen, knowing perfectly well that running would only make the situation worse. He dashed down, doing a tuck jump down the staircase, landing lightly on his feet with a muted thump and then dashing back into the kitchen.

Once he had returned to his respectful place in the kitchen, in his chair, he began to gobble down food as if he had never left. A few moments later, Alfred and Bruce's footsteps echoed back down in the hall. Alfred appeared first and stopped once had came to the door, one eyebrow raised as he looked at Dick. Bruce came up behind him but now the disapproving looked was gone and a humorous one in it's place. He had a small smile on his face, obviously amused and his arms were still crossed, but were more relaxed.

Dick looked up at them nodded and then back down at his food, which was practically gone now.

From his mission he hadn't found anything but Bruce was looking for something. No leads, he'd said. Whatever that meant, it greatly upset him.

"Master Richard, would you care to tell us why you were eavesdropping?" Alfred voiced, coming into the kitchen fully and standing a few feet away from the small ebony haired boy. Dick took a moment to think and then shook his head.

"I have no idea what you're talking about," he said and then stuffed a piece of beacon in his mouth, finishing the plate and cleaning it nicely.

Alfred's brows shot up and Bruce's smile became a bit more pronounced. Obviously, all anger about the fact that Dick had in fact been eavesdropping on him had washed away. Alfred sighed and looked at Bruce for help, but Bruce didn't seem to want to help. Dick smile a small smile and jumped down from his chair, plate and hand, and put it by the sink.

"I'm going to go out. Bye."

And he ran from the room.

Alfred looked at Bruce, who was watching the boys retreating figure. "You know who he reminds me off, Master Bruce?" The butler voice, waling over to the sink with a sigh and taking the plate and turning on the water. Bruce looked over, surprised that he had been spoken too. "Is that a rhetorical question?" Alfred chuckled and turned toward the younger man, a twinkle in his eyes.

"He reminds me of you, Master Bruce."

][][][

Dick walked through the more abandoned part of the manor. A lot of the furniture was covered up with white sheets. It was dark and the grey sunlight from before didn't help create the effect of a nice house or manor. It seemed dark and scary, like a haunted mansion and Dick certainly didn't like it at all. When he had left from the kitchen he had just wandered a bit, not really paying attention to where he was walking and apparently end up going down two flights of stairs, down a few hallways and in an out of a few rooms that had more than one door.

And now he was lost, trying to find his way back.

At first he tried to retrace his steps but after spinning around a few times he couldn't remember which way he came. And then after deciding that he should just go to his right he became even more confused and lost. He whimpered as he came to another room filled with the covered furniture and closed curtains.

He was scared. He wanted his mother, his father, Peanut (he would remember where they had come from!), he wanted to be home. Not in this big house where he didn't know where everything was. He wanted the trailer, where he could always find what he wanted. He wanted to be home. This wasn't home, this wasn't his.

This was just a temporary stop that he didn't need or want. A stop that might just take a while. Dick knew he'd be here long. He had figured that out once he came here. Once he realized that life decided he needed a change that he didn't want to have, a change that effected his whole world.

A change that taxed him of his greatest things. They bled him dry, taking everything from. Everything that mattered to him.

Thinking of this, Dick bit back tears. Yeah, it had been five months but the thought, the picture, the nightmares of his parents haunted him. He could still remember his mother's laugh or his fathers voice, but barely. Was it high pitched? Was it low? The small things he couldn't remember, what has his father's hand felt like when he rubbed his head? What had his mother's laugh sounded like? Honestly, he couldn't remember. He felt that Bruce was pushing his way in. Dick didn't want that. He didn't want someone to replace his parents. No one could. No one else could protect him, could replace them, could work their way into him. He wouldn't let them.

Dick froze at this new revelation, closing his eyes for a second before regaining himself and surging forward. He would find his way out of here.

How hard could it be? Dick stopped and looked at the oak desk he just passed. Half of it was mostly covered by a white sheet but it seemed familiar. Dick smirked a bit, knowing that he had seen it before. He walked forward and took a right, walking down a hall and then a left. He had seen that picture before.

He turned left. Then walked down, his face set and determined. Then he found the second staircase. Dick smiled and dashed up the stairs, knowing immediately where to go. He dashed up the first staircase and down another hall, turning left and then came to the foyer. Dick breathed heavily and looked around and smiled.

][][][

Bruce looked around the private study and sighed, laying his head in his hands.

He hadn't been helping the boy. He had soon realized that Dick was pushing him away because he was pulling to hard. He was trying to get Dick to recover to fast for him to handle. He was trying to do something that wasn't welcome; Bruce hadn't realized this, but he had been trying to replace them. He had been trying to replace Dick's parents. Alfred had known just what to do, but even then Bruce pushed him away. He wanted to be alone, wanted to catch the killer; who had never been caught. He pushed everyone and everything away, coming to the decision that he needed to help the god forsaken city.

And so he did.

By becoming Batman.

He was bitter and often felt uncomfortable displaying any other emotion other than… nothing, actually. Bruce didn't want that for Dick, didn't want him to become bitter. But Dick was pushing him away, just like Bruce himself had pushed Alfred away. He was becoming more like Bruce probably than he wanted.

Bruce sighed and spun around in his chair.

He hadn't seen Dick since breakfast. No, he wasn't worried. He would be, however, in one hour. He knew Dick had explored, having nothing else to do, but he hadn't gone down to the lowest levels. And hopefully not the lowest lowest level. But, he trusted Dick to be smart enough to find his way out. And it wasn't like it was a labyrinth. Well, not really anyway.

He sighed and shook his head.

No, he wasn't helping Dick. He thought he was, but in all honesty; he wasn't. It seemed he was making it worse by trying to pull him out of his sad, almost depressed state. Dick must have felt like Bruce was trying to replace his parents. But, Bruce wasn't… or, he wasn't trying to.

He sighed and looked over at the door. Alfred had entered, a silver tray in hand with a cup of tea stationed on it. "Master Bruce, the even is in three hours. I believe you should begin to prepare and find Master Richard."

Bruce looked up and nodded. "Yes, uh, of course," he stood up and stepped out from behind his desk. "Do you, eh, even know he is?" Bruce asked the butler, frowning. This was Dick's first event and certainly not his last. Bruce hated these events, he had to act like some rich, spineless fool. He had to act like a hungry animal. Honestly, it was most likely not the life that his parents had wanted for him. Certainly not the life had had wanted for himself. But, it kept him off suspicion of being Batman.

"No, I have not seen him. Do you-"

"Alfred! I got lost!" Dick's voice rang through the study as his head popped up from behind the door. His blue eyes seemed tinted red and he looked slightly afraid but glad off something. Completely ignoring Bruce, he went on.

"But I found my way out," He grinned slightly, certainly nothing like the day Bruce had first met him but a grin none-the-less. He looked at Alfred who nodded and then at Bruce… his grin faded and his eyes hardened. Bruce winced inwardly. Alfred, noticing the tension, stepped forward and cleared his throat. "Master Richard, you must prepare for the event tonight-"

Dick's nose scrunched up in distaste.

Bruce now chuckled inwardly and Alfred sighed.

"-it would be most fitting."

"Fine," voiced Dick and he slipped away. Alfred looked back at Bruce and then disappeared out the door with the boy. Bruce followed out, heading toward his room.

Dick began to change into his suit with the help of Alfred. His hair was gelled back, much to his dislike, and the bow was far to tight for his liking. His blue eyes were no longer red and puffy with tears and had returned to their light, carefree azure-icy blue. Swirls of navy were mixed him, causing a paradox of thought from them. He wore a nice suit and a black bow tie and, overall, he looked quite handsome. Alfred was sure that if his mother could see him, she would be proud.

Bruce came to the door and smiled shyly when he saw Dick. Dick looked away, embarrassed and tugged at the cuff of his sleeves and shirt collar. Alfred chuckled.

"Come on Dick, everyone is waiting," Bruce said and gestured for Dick to follow him. Dick nodded and walked over, staring down at the ground. He followed the older man out of the room and down two flights of stairs. On the last one Bruce gave him one last look and smiled nervously.

Dick didn't look up.

And then they descended down unto the crowd of donators, reporters, and Gotham's finest.

Sneak Peek of Chapter 6:

The five reporters and photographers surrounded Dick, firing off questions that no one person could possibly understand. The ballroom was so full of people's voice, music, shoes, waiters and waitresses that no one paid attention to the small group of people that seemed to be surrounding the small boy. Bruce had long since disappeared and Dick felt slightly betrayed when this happened. Sure, he didn't really like or trust Bruce but he did live with the man. He did occasionally talk to him.

But, as these people surrounded him, he didn't think of Alfred. Or, actually, of his mother. The first person to come to mind was:

Bruce.

End of sneak peek.

End of part I...

Well then.

I had this amazing idea to write… but I have three stories and a fourth just won't work.

There is a poll on my profile and if Dick should have a good b-day, then vote. If any suggestions for a present, PM. If no account, put it in your review. This chapter was shorter, but Part II should be good and longer!

Review!

Question: What has been your favorite scene in this fic? Why? And could you possibly draw it? :)

You have enemies? Good. That means you've stood up for something, sometime in your life
- Winston Churchill

Everyday is a gift, that's why they call it the present.