Peace?

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Beep... Beep... Beep... Beep... Beep

Robin was laying in his bed, an IV stand beside him to provide pain medication and a small heart monitor on his nightstand.

He was asleep and all things considered it could have been a lot worse.

"How is he Leslie?"

Leslie dims Robin's bedside lamp and peels off her gloves.

"He got lucky Bruce. The bullet didn't penetrate anything vitally important and I don't forsee any long term effects. He'll just need to rest for a few days. Now those drugs..."

She nodded to the portable IV stand.

"Should keep him drowsy during that time. He'll wake up long enough to eat and use the bathroom. But after that it is back to bed. Now... he should be waking up soon but it will only be for a minute or two."

Bruce nodded and thanked her as she left the room and Alfred saw her out.

Bruce dragged Dick's desk chair over to his bed and sat down heavily.

He looked peaceful in his sleep... but Bruce knew it was only the medicine that was keeping him from agony.

And that was enough to make the Dark Knight distraught.

Alfred came back into the room and for a moment the only sound was the steady beeping of the heart monitor and Dick's steady breathing.

Bruce was watching the gentle rise and fall of his ward's chest and didn't even acknowledge the arrival of his faithful butler.

"He's done Alfred."

To say Alfred was surprised was an understatement. He was horrified.

"Master Bruce you cannot mean that! Master Dick loves what he does. Now as much as I hate to admit it... these things are expected. Master Dick knew very well the risks he was taking when he became Robin. The important thing is that he is fine and will recover well."

Bruce looked away from his son and instead turned his attention towards the heart monitor, as if he didn't watch it constantly it would suddenly flat line.

"That's just this time Alfred. He's fifteen! He's been training since he was nine and he's never gotten shot until now..."

Alfred raised an eyebrow. He really hoped he didn't mean...

"Are you meaning to say... Master Dick is losing his skill?"

Bruce finally looked over at Alfred, almost as if he was just noticing he was there.

"No. I'm saying I am."

Now Alfred was really surprised. Bruce was not one to admit his own shortcomings.

Geez, where's the tape recorder when you need it?

"I let him get hurt Alfred. He was shot and I wasn't able to do anything about it because I was distracted."

Bruce sighed and rubbed a hand over his face.

"If I can't trust myself out on the field to take care of my own protegé... then I can't have Dick out there."

Alfred's eye twitched.

I can see that causing more problems than solving them...

"Master Bruce... I believe it is too early to make such rash decisions. That choice is Master Dick's. The whole point of a mentor is to teach and protect one's protegé... but that type of relationship goes both ways."

Bruce snorted.

"And look where it got him..."

Alfred sighed tiredly.

This has got to be one of Master Bruce's most hindering traits...

"But I understand what you mean Alfred..."

Oh thank the good Lord.

"We'll see what happens..."

Alfred nodded at Bruce, quite relieved.

"Nnn..."

A small groan made both men turn their attention back towards the bed.

Dick slowly moved his head back and forth as if he was trying to wake up. He let out another small groan and his head finally settled on tilting towards Bruce.

He seemed to struggle opening his eyes for a moment but soon enough two tiny slits of blue were looking up at his adoptive family.

Bruce gently touched his son's arm.

"Dick? Can you hear me? You've been shot son but you're back home."

Dick blinked wearily.

"N-no duh Bruce..."

Dick winced slightly when he breathed but other than that he seemed... ok.

"Leslie said you have to stay in bed for awhile..."

Dick groaned, this time out of annoyance.

Bruce ignored him, used to that reaction whenever he is told to stay still somewhere.

He instead looked at Dick's alarm clock.

8:00am... Dick is supposed to be at the Mountain for training in half an hour.

Yeah, that's so not happening.

Looks like he's got a call to make...

If his team, or Wally for that matter, found out about this all hell would break loose.

In other words, the phone would be spamming with calls from Wally.

Maybe whoever answers his call won't tell the team. Or not, he doesn't have that type of luck.

"Ngh... can I just go back to sleep now?"

Somehow he had enough strength to lift his head up a little.

Alfred shakes his head no and Dick looks like he was just shot again.

"You need to eat something small first Master Dick."

Alfred promptly left the room and Dick let his head fall back on his pillow with another irritated groan.

Maybe... maybe things will work out.

Me: Pft yeah right.

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