Robin's POV

Despite how hot and heavy things started out the night before, Starfire and I exercised restraint and I gallantly let her have my bed while I slept on the couch. Not that I had it rough or anything. There's not a furnishing in the Manor that isn't of the highest quality and comfort. Still, it was strange knowing she was right there, that we'd been that close to... How was a guy supposed to get any sleep at all? And then there was that bombshell she'd hung over my head. It was going to be bad. I had a guess. I hoped it was wrong. But why else would she have been in handcuffs and fighting for her life when the Gordanians chased her to Earth. She dropped more hints than she realized. Either that or I was just good at solving a mystery.

To get my mind off of Starfire and the potential game changer she was harboring, I wondered how Babs was. Had she woken up yet? Had her father? Had she found out what Joker had done? She'd be devastated. Not only that, she'd be angry-at everyone. Not that I could blame her. After everything I'd been through she was the one permanently damaged. Icouldn't remember her ever being seriously injured before and now this? Her bitterness toward the Titans would just get worse. Not only had I chosen them over the Bat Family, but now she couldn't even fight to try and bring me back. God, and add Starfire on top of that... I was almost afraid to face her in the morning. But I would. Of course I would. That's what family is for. A light tap sounded on the door before the knob turned and a sliver of gold light from the hallway sliced across the floor.

"Master Richard? Pardon the intrusion, but I wish to have a word before you turn in

for the night." I groaned and glanced across to where Starfire lay. She hadn't moved. Her curtain of red hair trailed over the end of the bed forming a scarlet river across my floor.

"Sure Alfred. I'm coming." He stood back to let me pass before pulling my door closed behind him.

"Forgive me if I interrupted anything..."

"We were just sleeping-Separately!" I threw in quickly. A fierce blush flamed out of nowhere across my cheeks.

"Master Richard, you are a man now, and Miss Starfire is an exceptional beauty. I would think no less of you."

"So what did you want to talk to me about?" I changed the topic quickly. Talking with Alfred about sex with Starfire was like having that conversation with my grandfather.

"I have spoken to Master Bruce and he says he will not visit Ms. Gordon in the hospital. While I can appreciate his need to distance himself I simply cannot agree with his decision. As I am certain you will visit in your civilian identity it would be no stretch for him to accompany you as Ms. Gordon was a frequent guest of Bruce Wayne's. I tried to suggest that his absence would be more noticeable than his presence but he refused to listen. Perhaps you could persuade him?" Alfred didn't look at me. He knew by bringing it to me he was inciting a riot.

"He's not going to visit?"

"Oh the proper floral arrangements and professional care have been called in, but he does not wish to make an appearance."

"Where is he?"

He was in his study. The door bounced off the wall I hit it so hard, and either he hadn't been expecting me, which was a novelty in and of itself, or he was expecting me and was braced for a fight because I saw him give a rare flinch as the door hit the wall. His shoulders seized as he fought the instinct to defend himself. When he saw it was only me, his kids lowered with condescension and he raised his glass of brandy in a mocking salute.

"And to think, only days ago you were completely bedridden," he said dryly.

"You have to see her," I said, slamming my hands down in his desk so that we looked each other square in the eye.

"That hardly seems appropriate. What would the media make of Bruce Wayne visiting a young college student in the hospital?"

"That our families are close considering four years ago the papers had all but arranged a marriage for us. If I go with you why would anyone think twice about seeing you there? While you're so busy worrying about what the press will think why don't you take a second to wonder what Babs will think if you don't go."

"Contrary to your rather low opinion of me, I have been considering her feelings. You think having me stand next to the bed while the doctors and nurses tell her sthat she has no options will somehow make it easier for her? You think she doesn't blame herself for letting Joker sneak up behind her? You kids make me out like I'm the devil himself holding you to impossible standards that I wouldn't expect even of myself. She thinks she's disappointed me, and she'll resent me for being there pretending for the nurses when she thinks I'm terminating her as a team member."

"My god, Bruce. At least show her that she matters to you and that the moment she's not useful you're not going to just replace her and give her suit to someone else."

"I would never do that," he snapped irritably. I snorted. He sat back in his chair, swirling the drink in his hands.

"I find it interesting that you haven't suggested that your healer should be smuggled in to see Babs. She would be far more useful in a hospital setting than I am."

I stepped back from the desk. He had set a trap for me and I'd blundered my way right into it.

"Not if there's nothing she can do."

"I watched her bring you back from the dead, Dick. I wouldn't call that nothing."

"She could only speed up the healing process, even lessen the scars a little bit, but a spinal cord injury doesn't repair itself and that means Raven can't do anything about it."

His eyes were cold for a moment, as though he thought less of Raven for this lapse in awesomeness. I glared.

"I'm leaving in half an hour and you're coming with me."

"Oh?" His brow quirked in a subtle 'or what?' I balled my fingers into fists as I searched blindly for something to threaten him with.

"Or I'll tell the press that the reason I left Gotham was because you were trying to separate Babs and I because you thought things were getting too serious. That'll have the press crawling all over your doorstep trying to figure out whether it's true or not. You won't be able to leave the driveway without some reporter or tabloid reader criticizing you or badgering you with questions." Now there was a threat. There was nothing Bruce loved more than his privacy, and the fib worked perfectly into the timeline of my disappearance from Gotham. It would also explain my rapid reappearance at her bedside. Bruce grimaced at the thought of the public hounding he would receive. It would do nothing to tarnish his image, but it would be an inconvenience he'd absolutely hate and was almost worth the effort if it wouldn't have cause both Babs and Starfire unnecessary stress in the process.

"Fine," he grumbled. "I suppose I can check in on the Comissioner while I'm there."

"Don't put yourself out or anything," I said dryly. His head snapped up.

"You think I don't hold myself responsible for this? Or you for that matter."

It was more than I expected from him, but I should have known better. Nothing happened in Gotham that Bruce didn't feel personally responsible for. And if I was honest with myself, Bruce would hold even more guilt over this considering his parents' murders. It was his unwavering calm that was grating. From the way he was acting it was as if nothing more unfortunate had happened than the Wayne stock dropped a few points in the stock market.

Without another word I left.