The drive home was silent except for Robin's occasional moans of pain. Sparrow sat in the front seat, since Robin was so injured, and Robin laid in the back, trying the best he could to fight back the pain.
Batman had already called Dr. Leslie, she'd be waiting in the Batcave. He cast a worried glance over his shoulder at Dick as the boy made a pitiful noise.
Sparrow was staring straight ahead, not looking fazed, but not looking at anything in general, either... she was zoning out. He realized with brief concern she might be in shock.
And he was angry. So incredibly angry about what'd happened out there that night, that maybe he could've prevented this entire incident, stopped Dick from being in so much pain, maybe Sparrow wouldn't have had to risk herself out there if he'd just been better, moved faster, fought harder...
He bit his tongue. He knew better than to speak to anyone, let alone his own children, while his anger was still fresh.
Besides, Sparrow probably wouldn't hear him, anyways. She had that far off look in her eyes.
Dick made another noise when they turned, the motion jarred him, and Batman glanced a him. "Almost there, Dick, I promise..."
Dick bit his lip and nodded, eyes still screwed shut in pain. A few minutes later they were in the Batcave, Batman was carrying Robin into the medbay, and Alfred and Dr. Leslie were already waiting. She sighed, tracing her fingers over the hood of the batmobile before finding her seat on the rotating chair before the computer, wrapping herself in her cape and wondering. She really hoped Dick would be alright, planned on staying awake until Batman and and Alfred came out to tell her how er was doing, but being little and exhausted finally won out over willpower.
"You're sure he'll be alright?" Bruce asked Dr. Leslie nervously.
She nodded. "I set his ribs, Bruce, he'll be fine- just in some pain for a few days, but it's nothing aspirin and Tylenol can't handle. And I stitched the cuts- they must've clubbed him down on a pile of twisted metal."
Bruce, since he did have the cowl down, now, nodded. "Yes, we were at a construction site..."
"Whoever it was, did you get them?" Leslie asked, raising an eyebrow. She really hoped Robin's sacrifice had been worth it. The boy would be out of training for a week or two, he'd need lots of rest...
"We caught a good portion of he gang. They'll talk, and that's enough..."
Leslie nodded, packing up. "Any other injuries you need me to tend, Bruce?"
"No. Thanks again, Leslie..."
"Not a problem, Bruce. I'd recommend you get some rest yourself- you look exhausted."
Bruce gave her a wane smile and shrugged. "Crime never sleeps, now does it, Leslie?"
She rolled her eyes at the boy she knew like a grandson- he was just like his father had been- and somethings never changed.
She left them alone, and Bruce sighed, sitting down beside Dick's bed, taking the boy's hand. Leslie had said he'd come around in a few hours, but he still felt guilty...
Alfred cleared his throat.
"Alfred, I'm really not in the mood to receive another lecture..." Bruce said simply.
"Really? I suppose that's very well, Master Bruce, since you clearly promised a lecture to Scarlet."
Bruce sighed. "I'll speak to her about it tomorrow..."
"You best do it tonight, Master Bruce. I you don't, she'll think whatever it is she's done isn't very serious and brush it off."
Bruce sighed, standing. "I hate it when you're right." he muttered. He'd go out to see her in a few minutes...
"Shall I put on some coffee, Master Bruce?" Alfred asked. It was one in the morning, after all.
"Yes, Alfred, that would be nice." he clearly wasn't going to get much sleep tonight.
She was burning, burning alive. The crate had fallen on top of her, pinning her to the ground...
"No! Batman! Batman, help!"
She felt something grab her and gaped, shocked. It was an awful hand, a hand that slapped her across the face... She was staring at Two-Face, then, totally shocked, staring into his demented face.
Bruce ran in when he heard the screaming, stopping dead and simply staring.
"No! No! Lemme go, lemme go! ROBIN!"
She thrashed from where she'd been sleeping, and Bruce stared. "Scarlet. Scarlet, wake up." he shook her slightly and she started awake, gasping. Slowly, she caught her breath.
"You alright?" Batman asked, trying not to look too concerned.
She nodded, pulling her cape around her again and pulling her knees to her chest, waiting for him to start yelling.
She was slightly surprised when he didn't. Instead, he asked her one simple word. "Nightmare?"
She nodded, not wanting to admit it to him but doing so anyways.
"About Two-Face?"
She looked up, shocked he'd known. He nodded. "He's one of the worse ones. Now listen- you disobeyed orders. On any other night than this, I'd have you grounded for a MONTH for doing that. No patrol, no going places, just being here."
She nodded, looking at him.
"But due to what happened tonight... You've been punished enough. The next time this happens, though, their WILL be consequences. Understand?"
She nodded. "How's Dick?" she asked quietly, almost afraid of the answer.
"He'll be alright. Sore for awhile, no patrol for two weeks, but he'll live."
She nodded. She would've gotten to her feet now and headed back upstairs, but she was exhausted...
"I'm not finished talking about this yet." Bruce said, and she looked up at him, surprised.
"There's people out their worse than Two-Face. Not many, but even one is enough... After what you did tonight, what you went through- I wouldn't blame you if you decided to never don a cape again."
She studied him, blue eyes never faltering.
"And that's okay if you don't want to- we can adjust to that. Your costume will go into a showcase in the Batcave, you can just stay upstairs, go to school, join sports. I won't love you any less because of it. I'll still be your father."
She was still looking at him, face expressionless. Bruce realized what he was hoping for. He was hoping she'd say yes- hoping she'd put the costume away, hoping she'd be a normal kid, not face off with Gotham's worst on a nightly basis, not constantly be in danger. He already worried about her, she was so small, so young...
He realized she wasn't going to say anything and took a breath. He should've known, She'd never willingly give it up, he'd given her a chance, a chance to help people, to DO something that other kids only dreamed of. A change to make a difference. And there was no way she'd give that up.
She was a hero- she was hope. She and Dick Gotham's future generation of heroes, whether they knew it or not. But he knew that, regardless, these kids would die, if it came down to it, to save others. That devotion was what made him proud of his kids, though he'd be proud even if they were normal. And it was that same devotion to Justice, that same willingness to die, that made him terrified for their futures.
"Or you can stay. You can keep at it- but I promise you, there are more men out their like Two-Face. They're devoted to killing, to getting what THEY want accomplished, whether it's legal or not. You'll be risking your neck on a daily basis- but I promise you this. If you choose to stay, there will be a lot more nightmares. A lot more bruises. Maybe even death. What do you want to do? I'll love you regardless, Scarlet, I'm your father no matter WHO you are..."
He looked at her, and she cracked a weak, exhausted smile. "Bring it on."