Can I?

Chapter 4

Bruce and Dick walked into Alfred's hospital room. "Alfred!" Dick yelled and ran to the bed and pretty much jumped on the man for a hug.

Alfred's eyes went wide with surprise. "Master Dick?" He then smiled when Dick looked up to him. "It is good to see you."

"I've missed you, Alfred."

"But it's only been a day," Alfred replied chuckling a bit.

Dick had a wide smile on his face. "I know, but I still missed you."

"I missed you too." He then looked up to Bruce. "I'm just surprised to see you."

Dick didn't catch the look Alfred was giving Bruce. "Yeah, well, since Bruce wouldn't let me come with him the other day, I talked him in to taking me today."

Bruce didn't look at Alfred after that comment. He knew what Alfred was asking, but he didn't want to voice it yet, so he just let Dick's answer be enough.

"I see," Alfred replied looking back at Dick. "Well, I'm glad you're here, and you weren't hurt that bad."

They spent a good hour just taking, Bruce mostly stayed quiet, but he said a few things here and there.

Alfred looked over at Bruce and saw that he was distracted. 'Probably still thinking about sending Master Dick away.' He then turned to Dick. "Master Dick, would you mind finding a nurse for me? I seem to have run out of water."

Bruce looked up to Alfred. 'Great, here it comes again.' "Sure, Al, be right back." Dick then jumped off the bed and walked to the door.

"Thank you," Alfred said with a smile as he watched the boy leave. Once Dick was out the door, Alfred lost the smile and turned toward Bruce. "You're not still considering sending him back are you?"

Again Bruce couldn't look up at the man. He sat there silently for a few more seconds. "I've been thinking about it, yes, but I still haven't made up my mind."

Bruce heard what sounded like a growl from the man which caused him to look up only to find a glare greeting him. "How can you still be considering it after what we've talked about in here this past hour?" he asked voice rising a little.

"Alfred, I've weighed the options."

"Options?" he asked still mad.

"Yes. I thought of plenty of reasons to do this, but when it came to the reasons not to, I couldn't think of very many."

"You don't need very many, Sir. Isn't the fact that none of our lives would be the same without him enough? You've told me many times, and I've seen it, that if Dick never came into your life, you probably would've become the one thing that you try to protect this city from."

Bruce looked away. "I know, but his happiness is more important than mine."

Alfred just stared at him shocked. "His happiness? You really think he'd be happy if you send him away from a home that he feels safe in, friends that love him, and a father that he always expects to be there for him no matter what?"

Bruce looked up at him again, only this time it was his turn to be shocked, but before he could say another word, Dick came back into the room with a nurse right behind him. "We got your water, Alfred."

Alfred smiled again. "Thank you, Master Dick."

"Next time you need anything, Mr. Pennyworth, please use the call button," the nurse said as she handed him the glass.

"Yes, of course, Miss," Alfred said then took a few drinks of the water before he sat it back down on the side table.

The nurse walked out then Bruce stood up. "Come on, Dick, I think we should be going."

"Awww, but can't we stay for a few more minutes?" Dick pleaded, folding his hands under his chin.

"No, Alfred needs his rest," Bruce replied then walked to the door, stopped, turned to look back at Dick, and waited.

Dick turned back to Alfred sadly. "Bye, Alfred." He then gave the man a hug goodbye.

"Don't worry, Master Dick, I will see you again," he said more to Bruce than Dick, giving Bruce a slight glare as he said it.

Dick pulled away, smiled, and then got off the bed and walked over to Bruce. Before he went out the door, Dick turned back around and waved at Alfred. Alfred smiled and waved back then watched as the two left, closing the door behind them.

Alfred sighed, leaned back into his pillow, and closed his eyes. "He better be there when I get home."

YJYJYJYJYJYJYJYJYJYJYJ

Three more days passed before the hospital finally let Alfred come home, and Dick and Wally were running around the house getting ready. Dick had called Wally over to help him decorate. They made a big banner that said, "Welcome Home Alfred," and had balloons all over the place.

They were almost finished hanging the banner when they heard a car door shut. "Hurry, he's home!" Dick shouted.

They quickly finished taping the banner then Wally ran the two ladders into the study for now.

Alfred walked in, with the help of Bruce, and his eyes went wide when he saw the living room. "My word."

"Surprise!" Dick and Wally yelled as they jumped out from there hiding spots. "Welcome home, Alfred," Dick said as he came up and gave Alfred a hug.

Alfred smiled, returned the hug, and then scanned the room. He saw the big banner first, then all the balloons, and finally his eyes landed on the coffee table with all the food. There were cups with red liquid in them, Kool-Aid he guessed, ham and cheese sandwiches, Oreos, and the soft Chips Ahoy! cookies. 'Well, it's the thought that counts,' he thought chuckling to himself knowing that neither Bruce nor Dick knew how to cook that well, although Dick had helped him on more than one occasion in making cookies. He finally looked back down to Dick who was smiling from ear to ear.

Dick looked to Bruce, who in turn just smiled and nodded, which made Dick smile wider, but he lost that smile when he saw a tear fall from Alfred's eye. "What's wrong, Alfred? Don't you like it?"

Alfred knelt down in front of Dick. Bruce took a step closer, worried that he fell, but stopped and smiled again when Alfred pulled Dick into a hug. "I love it. Thank you, Master Dick."

Dick's smile returned instantly as he wrapped his arms around Alfred. "I'm glad you like it."

Alfred just hugged him tighter and cried, but not because he was happy. No, Alfred was crying because he knew that Bruce would follow through with his plans. Bruce was the stubborn Batman after all. He didn't know when it would happen, but he knew it would be soon, and he was going to miss all this.

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Yay! Another chapter done. Leave a comment and let me know what you think of the chapter itself and of the story as a whole.

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