The Last Talon

Chapter Four

Bruce was becoming concerned. It had been three days since he had confronted Dick with the truth, after they had got him back into bed the boy had pushed himself into the corner, drawing his knees to his chest. He hadn't moved since. Have hadn't eaten or slept, he hadn't spoken or responded to be spoken too. It was alarming how long and how still he could sit.

He was watching him through the window in the door. He knew he should go in, try once again to communicate with his long-lost son, but it was breaking his heart to see Dick so unresponsive.

'Not moved yet?'

Bruce glanced to the side to see Damian coming down the corridor.

'No, he's still sat there.' Bruce sighed, 'I don't know what else to do. He won't talk to anyone, not me, Jason, Tim. He's even stopped responding to Diana.' He looked at his son and Damian shook his head.

'I can't go in there.' He said slowly, 'You saw how much he freaked out when he saw how much you've aged, imagine having to process the information that the 8-year-old boy you left is now a man. It could break him permanently.'

Bruce nodded, he knew Damian was right. Dick had reacted badly enough to Jason. He looked back through the window, Dick had still not moved.

'Hey B.' Terry was making his way towards them. 'Supes says he wants to discuss something with you.'

Bruce nodded. 'Will you watch him?' He asked Damian who agreed, taking up Bruce's place at the door.

'Still no luck huh?' Asked Terry.

'No he won't respond to anyone. I think Father is becoming very distressed by it, he doesn't know what else we can do.'

They stood for a moment in comfortable silence, both watching the small Talon beyond the glass. Suddenly, Terry straightened up.

'Has he eaten anything yet?'

Damian shook his head. 'No, but Talon's can go a fair while without food or sleep, so it's not too worrying.'

Terry suddenly disappeared, reappearing a few minutes later with a box of Spearos. A half chocolate half cookie candy bar.

'What are you doing?' Asked Dami suspiciously.

'You said when these first hit the shelves that Dick would have loved them because they were his two favourite sweets combined.'

Damian recalled saying something similar, but still didn't see where Terry was going with this.

'Trust me.' Said the new Batman. 'Just stay out here and have my back just in case he flips out.'

Before Dami could say anything else, Terry opened the door and walked into the Med-Bay.

Slowly he made his way over to the bed at the back of the room where the Talon had been for the past few days. Dick didn't react as he approached, his eyes remained downcast to the floor, his arms tightly around his knees which were brought right up to his chest.

Taking a deep breath, Terry sat down on the edge of the bed. This was something none of the others had done, they had all wanted to give Dick his personal space.

Dick still didn't react so Terry started unwrapping one the bars, taking a bite and sitting there for a moment in silence. Then he swallowed and gave a satisfied hum of approval.

'You have got to try these things.' He said, more to the ceiling than to the boy beside him.

For the first time, Dick flinched. His eyes raised to look at the man sat beside him, realising that he was completely unfamiliar and not just an aged reminder of his past.

When his eyes had raised, Terry waved at him.

'Hi, I'm Terry. You must be Dick.'

Dick blinked. Terry went back to eating.

'Seriously,' he said, nodding his head as he chewed, 'whoever thought of combining a chocolate bar and a cookie into one piece of heaven in your mouth is a genius.'

Dick didn't say anything but his grip on his leg loosened slightly.

'I heard you're quite the acrobat.' Terry continued, 'I do a bit myself, but I'm nowhere near your level as your brothers like to remind me. We've advanced the birds nest...' Terry didn't fail to notice the glint in his companion's eyes when he mentioned the aerial gym that had once been the original Robins place to "play". 'You should come have a go when you're feeling up to it.'

Dick's eyes were analysing the man sat before him. He looked around his age and his dark hair and strong build made him look like Bruce. He released his arms and let his legs fall into a cross-legged position. He watched as Terry continued to eat.

'God these are good.' Terry mumbled around the food in his mouth. He looked over to Dick. 'Want one?'

Dick didn't answer, but he didn't flinch away either. Terry got another bar from the box and began to unwrap it, not looking at the kid as he spoke.

'Tell you what, I will give you my last Spearo, if you talk to me.' It was a long shot, Terry knew that. He was literally bargaining with a chocolate bar as his only leverage. But he went with it because for the first time in 3 days Dick didn't look scared or confused or numb. He looked curious, almost intrigued by this new person. Terry peeled back the wrapper and held it so Dick could see it but not reach it. He raised his eyebrow.

Dick continued to stare at him and after a few moments, his head tilted to the side. Terry had to suppress a grin as he was reminded of Ace, Bruce's dog.

'Who are you?'

The voice was quiet, a little unsure but it was clear.

'I told you, my names Terry, Terry McGuinese.'

Dick shook his head.

'No, I didn't ask your name. I asked who you were.'

Terry finally clicked where Dick was coming from. He smiled and shrugged.

'I'm Batman.'

There was a moment of confusion which flashed across Dick's eyes, but it didn't last long and soon he was back to looking curious.

'They said Batman found me. I presumed they meant Bruce.' He titled his head to the other side. 'You found me?'

'You were listening then.' Terry smiled reassuringly. 'Yeh, I did.'

Dick nodded at this information his shoulders relaxing. 'Thank you.' He said after a while.

'You're welcome.'

'Do I deserve that yet?' Dick indicated to the chocolate bar with his eyes.

'I think so.' Terry handed it to him and couldn't help but grin as the boy from the ice took his first bite of food in nearly two decades. He saw his eyes light up.

OoOoOoOoOoOoOoOo

Bruce walked back to the Medway frustrated. Superman and the rest of the league wanted to know what they could tell the other heroes and what his plan was for Dick's future. He hadn't been able to give them any answers on the second point. He didn't know where to go. With Dick not responding to them, there was no way to know how long or how hard it would be to reintroduce him into the world. As he approached, he saw Damian looking through the window.

Damian clocked his father's approach but didn't turn to look at him. Instead, he gestured with his hand for him to come and have a look. Bruce walked to the porthole and looked through, shocked by the sight.

Terry was sat on Dick's bed, facing the teen Talon. But that wasn't what caught Bruce's eye the most. Dick was talking, answering Terry's questions and asking his own. He was having a conversation! He seemed completely relaxed in Terry's presence.

'Turns out he didn't need familiarity. He needed something completely new to bring him back to reality.' Damian smiled. 'Terry got him talking using a cookie bar.'

Bruce chuckled. Something about that seemed very much like the old Dick.