When You're Given a Little Robin

Chapter 18: Left in Superman's Care

It was early morning in Gotham and at the moment Bruce was basically lecturing Superman on how to care for Dick.

"Do not forget his favorite blanket and stuffed animal or he'll never get back to sleep. And absolutely no sugar or getting him to calm down takes hours of training and exercise! And don't forget he's allergic to...." Bruce instructed with a mix of worry and absolute seriousness.

"Cucumbers I know, you've only reiterated your rule encyclopedia like five times since I got here this morning. Now go, you have a plan to catch and I'm not flying you there if you miss your flight. Dick will be perfectly fine with me, I have Alfred here too, don't forget." Clark said, putting an end to his friends' endless instructions.

"I know, I'm sorry I'm just worried. It's the longest I've ever left him in over a year, I don't know how I'm gonna make it through this next week." Bruce said, exhausted as he rubbed the bridge of his nose out of stress.

"I can tell, but there's nothing to worry about Dick is with me. I'll make sure to take good care of him while you're gone." Clark assured his stressed out friend.

"I'll try to keep that in mind. Just please...take care of my baby." Bruce said not hopeful he could stop stressing, and heartbroken to be leaving his precious little bird.

Especially after he'd just recovered from the Joker incident, the boy was just getting back on patrol, despite Bruce's protests. It worried the poor father who came so close to losing his son, he didn't know if his heart could take even the thought of another situation like that.

"Like he was my own." Clark said, knowing that despite the fact he said he would earlier, Bruce needed the reassurance his little bow was in good hands.

The two began walking to the front door, as they did so Bruce thought over the events that lead him to that moment. It was just three days ago that he got the memo of an unavoidable convention in London for the latest and upcoming tech. He thought about bringing Dick but knew he'd be bored to death. So he tried to find a babysitter to stay with Dick a week, quite begrudgingly.

He tried Barry, but he, Iris, and Wally were out of town for the week, so he tried Oliver but he was out on a mission from the league. He tried several of the female members of the league including Diana, Dinah, Shiera, and several, but they were all busy as well. His company had chosen the wrong weekend to do this, so he was left with no choice but to ask Clark. It wasn't that he didn't trust or like Clark, it was Dick liked him too much. The boy already read the man's comics, had his merchandise, and talked about how cool he was. So needless to say he was quite jealous of the man of steel, but Bruce knew deep down that no matter what he alone would be daddy so he dealt with it.

Anyways eventually the two made it to the front door where Bruce had his suitcase sitting. The bat picked it up in one hand and was about to leave when the sound of little sniffles and padded feet broke his stride. Both turned to see little Dick standing there, still in his footie pajamas, looking very sad as he clutched his Ollie and blankie for dear life.

"I came to..say goodbye." Dick said, trying his best not to cry.

Bruce initially wanted to leave without saying goodbye, not knowing if he could leave if he saw his baby bird like this. But immediately he felt guilty, now realizing it was a very selfish thing to do. So he put his bag down and crouched down with open arms.

"Come here Dickie." Bruce said with the special gentleness he only used for his son.

Dick immediately bolted into his father's arms, burying himself in his father's thick neck to try and muffle the sounds of his tiny sob's. For a moment Bruce just stood there and gently rocked his sad little baby.