Rising Robin

Chapter XVIII: Barbara

Dick hurried down the stairs, adjusting the cuffs of the black button up he wore. He looked down at his khaki chino pants & black loafers as he stepped fast onto the hardwood floor of the lobby. Dick sighed, feeling a smile rise over his face. He hadn't felt one of those in a while.

Dick rushed to a nearby mirror hanging on a wall by the stairs. Dick began to fix his hair in the mirror. His dark hair was soft against his fingers from having just taken a shower. Dick nodded in satisfaction. He looked good.

"Dick?" called a voice from the kitchen in the next room over.

Dick stepped back from the mirror & made his way to the kitchen. Bruce Wayne sat at the island in the middle of the kitchen, eating breakfast. He wore another nice suit, & his hair was styled with gel, ready for the work day at Wayne Enterprises.

"Hey, dude," Dick greeted.

Bruce smiled. "Good morning," he said in a welcoming tone. "Do you want breakfast? Alfred made omelets. Do you like omelets? The omelets are great."

Dick shook his head with a faint smile. "Nah, man, I'm good, thanks." Dick paused. "I'm actually, uh, going to take Barbara out for breakfast."

Bruce chuckled. "Hah! That's what you said last time, & a policeman came to my front door that night with my bike damaged from an explosion in Chinatown."

Dick bit his lip. "Right." Dick glanced at the front door, hoping to get out quickly. "But I promise I'll come straight back, man."

Just as Dick turned to walk to the front door, Bruce called Dick's name. "Wait, Dick."

Dick clenched his fist & silently groaned to himself. Dick turned to fast Bruce. "Yeah?"

Bruce stared at Dick. "Who's Barbara?"

Dick blinked, caught off guard. "Uh, Barbara, she's that tutor you brought over the other day."

Bruce continued to stare at Dick. "Oh, right," he slowly said. "Right, I got you a tutor to catch you up on school work."

Dick nodded. "Yeah, dude, is all this coming to you?"

Bruce laughed. "Sorry, I had myself a night." Bruce took a bite from his breakfast & chewed quickly. Then he continued. "Well, I'm really happy that you're giving this school thing a chance. It'll keep you busy. Going to school will let you get out more, surround yourself with bright kids & help provide a great future. When I was your age, I never went out like you. I was usually at home, studying. Whether it was school work or my father's work, or just general studying for my pleasure, I stayed home. I avoided people. I don't know why I did. That was the last thing I should have done. It left me feeling alone. LIke I had no one. And I didn't. I really didn't have anyone because of...you know..."

Your parents were dead, Dick thought to himself. "Yeah."

Bruce stared at Dick for a moment. "I know I'm not your father. I don't want you to think I am trying to be your father. But...I know what it's like to be alone. To feel alone. I don't want you to ever feel that way. I want you to talk to me if you need to. About your time in Old Gotham."

Dick nodded. He did feel alone at times. He was diving into a whole lot he didn't understand. Ever since Old Gotham, nothing was the same to Dick. The entire world was something to be cautious of, to be wary of.

"Or that girl you wanted to find...Cheyenne."

Dick felt his heart grow heavy. He really missed her. He wished things were different. He wanted to take her away from Gotham's madness. He wanted to live the life he always wanted with her. He wanted to be happy with her. He wanted to love her the way she deserved to be loved.