Archive of Our Own ^beta

Alfred steps out of the elevator expecting to hear more of the plan to catch Shame. He didn’t expect to find one of them injured, muchless shot.

“Alfred, we need blankets and a temporary bed for him rest on. The batcillen losanges and the normal first aid kit.”

“Right away, sir.” He didn’t have time to check on the young crime fighter in the passenger seat. He knew time was of the essence.

“B-Batman, really I’m ok.. Shame a-and the three hundred horses he’s stealing…” He stopped himself confused, that didn’t sound right. “I-I mean… “

“You’re delirious, Robin. Just rest long enough to get the medication inside you.” The other explained trying to remain calm. It would do no good to cause the young teen to panic.

Carefully, he opened the passenger door and knelt down trying to see how bad it was. The green pixiboot had taken most of the damage from the bullet. He gently removed it and saw his ward’s foot was already swelling from the injury.

He looked up and saw Robin was starting to doze off, his head slipping down his shoulder. “Alfred? Is it ready?”

“Yes, back here.” Alfred showed back up hurrying over. “Where was he shot?”

“In the heel.” Was the curt worried response.

“The nerve of Shame to shoot at you… that’s just…low even for them.” Alfred commented as he watched Batman lift the teenager out of the car. He saw the injury before leading them back to the makeshift bed. “I already brought out all I could. I wasn’t sure how bad it was.”

“It seems the almost bullet proof lining I designed for our boots came in handy. It didn’t go straight through and I was able to remove it before we got here.” Batman explained getting a moan of pain from the one he was carrying. “Easy chum, I’m going to lay you down. Alfred, steady his right leg. We need to prop it up.”

Robin tried to stay awake and not give into the pained sleep that was calling his name. The shock was starting to hit and it was taking over his other thoughts.

“It’s safe to sleep, go on and rest.” The other tried to reassure. He held the teens hand tight watching as Alfred kept the injured foot in the air before resting it on a few pillows.

He glanced down and saw how scared Robin was. “It’s the shock, Robin. This is why I wanted to come back. Once you work the fever off, I’ll give you one of the bat cillen losanges.” He brought the blanket up to his partner’s chin tucking him in. “I’ll be right here.”

*~*

“Dick Grayson!! Why are you limping like that?!” Aunt Harriet runs over to her nephew reaching out. “A-And a pair of crutches?!”

“It was just an accident Aunt Harriet, I’ll be ok. Just need to stay off it for a few days.”

“What in heaven’s name happened?” She looked like she was going to faint.

“Bruce and I were out hunting-“ Dick started trying to come up with a plausible explanation.

“One of the spare blanks went off and got him in the foot.” Bruce finished walking up to steady his ward as he rocked unsteadily.

“He was shot?”

“With a blank! It’s not that big of a deal and-“ He regretted saying that at her look of anger and worry. “I-I mean-“

“He has strict orders to keep the foot propped up and to stay off it for three days.” Bruce reassured the older lady. “Come now, deep breaths. I can’t have two of you going down on me. I took him to the hospital as soon as it happened.”

“I told you both that I don’t like the idea of you hunting and now this..” She shakes her head taking a deep breath. She held the door open that led to the living room so her nephew could limp in.

“Holy one foot… this is harder than it looks.” Dick grumbled as he was forced to let Bruce help him limp to the couch. He winced as his foot hit his mentor’s leg with one lop sided hop.

“Easy, chum. I’ve got you. We’re almost there.” Bruce looked over his ward’s head to see Alfred. Their eyes met, Dick needed another one of the BatCillen Lozenges.

Carefully he helped the teen sit down then lay back. Dick’s aunt hovered nervously handing pillows over so they could make something for him to prop it up with.

“Aunt Harriet, why don’t you go make Dick some Milk and Cookies. I’m sure it would help him feel better.”

“Cookies!? At a time like this?” She asked almost insulted.

Dick winced as he leaned back getting comfortable as he could, “…maybe some tea and cookies?”

“Oh alright…” She hurried off leaving them behind.

“Here, suck on this.” He pushed the lozenge into the teen’s mouth. “It’s another one of the medicated bat lozenges. It was time for another one.”

“I kind of figured when it hurt earlier…they taste awful.”

“Better than being stuck in the hospital, chum.”

“As always you’re right… but what about Shame?”

Bruce stood to his full height checking on the offended injured foot. He gently felt around it, “I’m keeping an eye on him… I doubt he will make himself known. After all, he injured Robin. Of all the people out there, he would not want Batman to see him… possible revenge and all that.”

“But Bruce, you don’t believe in revenge.”

He gave a half smile half smirk looking down at his ward, “That depends on what sort of revenge one is speaking about.”

Dick couldn’t tell if his mentor was joking or not. He wasn’t able to focus on it too much when a hand squeezed his foot a little too hard, he cried out in pain.

He should know better than to bring it up. Bruce was always a bit over protective when he got hurt on patrol, this time was no different.

“You always said revenge doesn’t do anything… once you get revenge on one person, it just continues to grow and you can’t stop it…”

“Shame doesn’t know this and it will keep him in hiding. I just need you to sit, relax and heal so you can join me in taking him down.” The other reassured. He pulled the ahgan off the back of the couch and tucked the teen in with it before sitting down on the ground pulling out one of the books Dick had been reading. He starts to read it out loud hoping it would help keep his Ward’s spirits high.