By the time Alfred had gotten back, Bruce had situated himself so that he was lying by Dick's side on the bed. The young Robin was blushing, partially because he was sick and partially because he was embarrassed, as he let his dad rub a hand over his forehead and back through his hair. He wouldn't admit it, but it felt good. His head, and body for that matter, was burning but he still felt cold. The heat from his hand felt beautiful. So, he let the both Bruce and the blush stay, not having enough strength or energy to fight either.

Bruce, seeing that Alfred had medicine, said, "Dick, you need to sit up to take your medicine."

"Dun wanna," Dick mumbled in his feverish daze. He leaned into Bruce's hand as it slowly swept across his forehead.

"I know you don't want to, but if you want to get better you need to." It was then that Bruce slowly snaked an arm under Dick's back and another under his leg, moving him so that he was propped up amongst the many pillows. Alfred carefully poured out one of the famous batman drug cocktails into Dick's mouth. It's hard to say for certain what goes in those, but it always seems to work when they get sick. That doesn't mean that they don't come without side effects, however. The one that weighed down most heavily on the young acrobat was the drowsiness. He yawned and accompanied it with a small coughing session.

"Rest Master Dick. I am certain you will feel better when you wake."

"Sure thing Alf," Richard murmured, becoming more unaware of his surroundings. He tentatively leaned back, snuggling into Bruce's side and hugging his arm close to his body. Before Bruce could protest (not that he was going to), his ward was asleep. He was effectively trapped. Alfred offered no help as he simply smiled and walked out of the room, saying, "Don't hesitate in contacting me when the young sir wakes up. I will prepare soup and tea." The billionaire nodded and took a moment to study his ward. Dick was pale and his face glistened with sweat. His cheeks seemed to be less red than they were when he was awake, but that wasn't saying a whole lot. His hair was plastered down sticking to his forehead, and his clothes did the same to his body. His breathing was fast and raspy,and he looked to be in pain. He whimpered in his sleep and moved closer, subconsciously looking for something to hold on to. They stayed like that for a couple hours, Bruce studying his surroundings and Dick attempting to rest in a fitful sleep.

"Mami, tati, nu mă lăsa, vă rugăm!" Dick yelped, talking in his sleep. It startled Bruce. "Nu poti face acest lucru din nou! Am nevoie de tine cu mine! De ce … de ce mă abandonarea!"* Bruce's eyes widened and his heart broke for his little bird as Richard screamed in his sleep. Dick woke up screeching with tears in his eyes, starting to hyperventilate. This wasn't the first time this had happened, but it was the first time his dad had ever been around to witness it. Usually, Bruce was at the other side of the Wayne Manor when the nightmares occurred, so he could stare into the dark until exhaustion took over and he fell into a dreamless sleep. He was ashamed of himself. Superheroes don't cry! He berated, bracing himself for Bruce's disappointment. He didn't expect him to bring him into a hug, cradling the young boy into his chest. Dick couldn't decide which reaction was worse. He calmed himself as quickly as he could manage, but the tears fell for a good ten minutes. Batman ignored the tears and snot mingling on his shirt. When Bruce was sure Robin was good enough to talk, he asked him if he wanted to tell him what it was about. Not wanting to, but at the same time not wanting to frustrate his dad, the acrobatic teen started talking, doing his best to ignore his burning throat and watery eyes.

"My.. parents were there… alive… and they were… apologizing to me, but they said that they couldn't take it anymore." Dick tried to sit up as he scrubbed furiously at his eyes. Bruce didn't let him. "They...suicided, and you know what the funny part was?" Here, robin laughed bitterly, punctuated with wheezing and coughing and broken dry sobs. "They jumped off of our starting platform at Haly's Circus, only there wasn't anything to catch them. Not even acid-coated wires." The billionaire was attacked by painful flashbacks of the first time he had seen Dick flying on the trapeze, Dick's parents deaths, his parents deaths, to his nightmares, and to the nightmares he experienced sometimes. He still got them, sometimes, the nightmares. He had felt what Dick was feeling. From the little Romani he knew, he was now positive that the two of them had at least one fear in common; abandonment. The two of them had very different ways of showing it though. Bruce prefered to distance himself so that there were less people to abandon him, and Dick prefered to draw people close, knowing that if you had no one you made your fear self-fulfilling.

To be honest, Bruce wasn't really sure of how he was supposed to react, or rather, how his son wanted him to react. He could convince him that it was just the fever talking, but that wouldn't be real unless he could convince himself first. Besides, Dick always seemed to figure out when he was lying to him. He could tell him that he understood, which he did, but no one wants to hear that. So, he simply held the boy until he was asleep again, from his illness coupled with emotional exhaustion. This time Bruce fell asleep too. They never thought Alfred could be wrong.

* When Dick is screaming in his night terror, I used google translate and I know it isn't always the most accurate thing, so, here is what I wanted the english translation to be; "Mommy, Daddy, don't leave me, please! I can't deal with this again! I need you with me! Why… why are you abandoning me again?"

Hey guys! Apparently, I've decided to be angst-fest central today. I almost made myself cry typing this, and that never happens. So, with that being said, I will try to get out another chapter of Baby Justice League out at some point this week. Writers block is a curse, yet a curse that I must live. (Steven Universe)

Your feedback makes me more motivated to keep writing, so comment, follow, favorite, jump on the pudgy rainbow unicorn and ride over to my place to deliver your response, I don't care. Just do something!

Sayonara, reader chan!~

Disclaimer time!: I don't own anyone in this story!