Shadow Of The Nightshade

Alfred Is The Ultimate Ninja Master.

××

Bruce held onto Dick's hand, waiting for him to wake up. He didn't go on patrol today.

He had stopped going on patrol since three days ago when the antidote was administered.

It had been a week since The Nightshade had infiltrated Mount Justice, and sensing that an attack wasn't coming, the mentors decided to leave the Cave for their partners.

So Bruce was with his son, wanting to be there when he woke up, barely sleeping himself.

'Master Wayne,' Alfred appeared next to him, speaking calming, 'It's best you retire for the night'.

'Alfred—'

'The young master, I believe, would not appreciate you constantly looming over him while depriving yourself of rest. In fact I assume that when Master Dick wakes up, he'll be quite upset.' The butler said sternly, not allowing room for an argument. 'Off to your room sir, get some shut-eye, I'll inform you when he wakes up.'

'You—'

Alfred cut him off, '-are going to your room, not the batcave, not the WatchTower and certainly not on patrol.'

Bruce got up reluctantly, walking to the door, then paused and turned back. 'He normally has nightmares around this time, maybe I should—'

'Master Bruce,' Alfred glared at his with a grim expression, 'I handled you as a child—in fact I still do—I can handle him'

Bruce sighed, closing his door behind him.

The faithful butler listened to the retreating footsteps, then the quiet closing of a door.

'I hope he manages to get some rest.' Alfred sighed, sitting on the couch across the bed.

Then shook his head. In your dreams Alfred, only in your dreams. . .

××

Dick tossed and turned in his bed, rivulets of sweat falling down his face as his hands gripped his sheets tightly.

His face was wan and his eyes squeezed shut.

Alfred walked to the boy in worry, his muffled cries waking the butler rather the streams of new day sunlight peeking through the slits of the curtains.

He placed his hand lightly on the boy's shoulder. 'Master Grayson?'

Dick shot up, his eyes wide with fear. 'W-where am I?'

'Wayne Manor, young master,' The butler soothed, rubbing circles into the bird's back. 'Everything is alright, nothing you saw was real, you're safe.'

Big blue eyes turned to him, the acrobat's fearful expression gone as he closed his eyes leaning on the person he thought of as his grandfather.

'Alfred,'Dick felt choked, like there was no air in his room,
'W-where's Bruce?'

The Englishman sighed, sitting on the bed as the boy used his  chest as pillow. 'Probably the Batcave, only vampires loath daylight more than Batman.'

He hoped to cheer up the usually energetic youngster, but Dick's only response was a small nod.

Alfred stole a glance at the alarm clock—he had shut it off for fear of waking the boy up prematurely.

'I will go to the kitchen to make—' He paused, it was too late for breakfast and too early for lunch, '-brunch. On the way you can tell me about this assassin girl you seem to be affiliated with.'