Disclaimer: Don't make me hurt you.

Enjoy, Kiddies. SisAngel and Nightlover2 are two AMAmazing authors that are the reason I'm back after unexpected hiatus. This one is just Daddy!Bats and our favorite bird pulling crap. Sorry, I know I was supposed to do my Roy and Wally bonding fic, but, eh.

"It wasn't your fault, you know." Batman assured him, his voice calm and indifferent after the whole car ride of silence. The Batmobile's glistening outer shell reflected the low glows of late night-opened bars and stagnant gray buildings that emanated a honey radiance coming from cubicles that were yet to be closed for the night. Robin just shifted in his seat, switching which appendage would support his injured hand. When he moved the wound in the wrong direction, a shock of pain shot through his bones and he let out a low grunt, that cracked somewhere in the middle. After the sudden noise and movement, he gave the atmosphere in the car a chance to settle down a bit before speaking.

"It was my fault. If I hadn't been more concerned with getting the data out of that computer, I would've noticed him. You warned me that I only had a short time, I should've stayed on my guard."

"You performed admirably. And we got more than enough incriminating evidence. That was what the mission was about."

Robin inhaled sharply, earning a questioning glare from the Caped Crusader. He pointed to his arm explanatorily. Batman nodded.

"Listen, it's okay. I'm not going to beat myself up over it or anything. From failing you learn, keep moving forward, all that other good stuff Walt Disney's taught us." He waved his hand facetiously.

"I see." Batman muttered, unconvinced.

"What, you want to make a big deal out of this?" Robin asked with an edge in his voice.

"No. I'm just making sure you've realized what went wrong."

"Then maybe you would've realized that telling me it's not my fault isn't helping our case here."

"Are you trying to turn this back on me? Need I remind you, I'm not the one who got knocked out by some neophyte in a lab coat!"

He honestly didn't mean to yell, and even if he did, it was just because of the echo in the car. Or that's what the two had assured themselves. The resonance of his booming voice reverberated for a short time before silence ensued. They snuck side-glances at each other when they thought the other wasn't looking, but other than there was no interaction and the drive was ghostly silent. The Boy Wonder didn't even grunt when his arm was prodded with the arm-rest that scuffed against it every now and then. Finally, the Dark Knight sputtered,

"Dick, I…"

"Save it. I think I've heard enough."

"But–"

"I get it! I screwed up! Can we just leave that be?"

"I didn't mean it like that–"

"Of course you didn't!" he huffed, "It's just a silly little mistake! Why are you elongating this? You know it was my fault!"

He put a strong, reassuring hand on his adopted son's shoulder and gave it a comforting squeeze,

"I wasn't talking about this mission."

Robin shook off the hand and stared outside the window to his right. He crossed his hands against his chest.

"You should probably be clearer, then. And stop wasting my time." The older vigilante's eyes widened for a split second, then narrowed into slits.

"I didn't realize my advice was a waste of your time." He scowled, his sarcasm still coming off stoic, oppose to Robin's flimsy nature.

"Yeah, well just add that to the long list of things you haven't realized." He sighed angrily as he stared harder out the window, "Sometimes you really are as blind as a bat."

"So my years of crime-fighting experience doesn't warrant me my entitlement to mentor?"

"Yeah, because of you've done such a great job with me..."

"What is that supposed to mean?"

"Exactly what I said."

"Robin, you are just taking it too far today, I understand that–"

"No. You don't understand. You'll never understand." He grunted once more. The Batmobile swiftly glided into the cave and slid into its parking spot. He slammed the door of the expensive car and stomped off in the opposite direction.

"This conversation is not over, son!"

"I'm not your son!" were the painful words that sliced like a knife at Bruce's heart.

~*~YEAH~*~I~*~KINDA~*~FORGOT~*~WHAT~*~INDIAN~*~I~*~WAS~*~ON~*~OH~*~WELL~*~THEY~*~ALL~*~DIE~*~IN~*~THE~*~END~*~

He woke up at 3:00 in the morning with a sweat-drenched forehead and his hands clamped desperately to his sheets. Of course, it was the dream again. It came back annually this time of year. Never did it miss or make a mistake. Normally he would rough it alone, except for that one time when he was over Roy's. So that's what he planned to do tonight. He would sneak down stairs, get some milk, and sit on the porch swing outside until the sun came up. It was always soothing to watch the sun rise, the pungent, varying colors of the sun would splash across the sky, painting a picture no artist could capture as the gingers and pinks and reds and purples and blues would all reach athwart the celestial entity of stars to claim dominance, clawing out to conquer the great blue. A peaceful smile grazed his lips at the thought. But then he heard the screaming again, the terrible, terrible screams and as it would seem only blood red claimed dominance in his mind. He staggered down the stairs, half in his malevolent stupor, half with the reality of the world he was currently residing in. When he finally made it to the kitchen, he was surprised to see Bruce there, making hot chocolate.

"What are you doing up so early?" he inquired groggily.

"You couldn't sleep either, huh?"

"Uh-huh." He nodded, wiping at his eyes a little.

"Nightmares?"

"Why else?" the gears in his mind picked up speed a little as soberness set in, "Why are you up?"

"Why else?"

"Wait." He stepped closer to the man with the scolding mug of frothy bistre beverage, "Are you telling me that Batman, the Dark Knight, Caped Crusader, Savior of Gotham…has nightmares…? That's a hard story to buy, Bruce."

"You ever wonder what happened to my parents?"

"Um…"

"They were shot. Some thug did it. We have that in common, Dick."

"Y-you too…?" he questioned unsteadily.

"Every night I see it happen over and over again. And there's always nothing I can do about it. I couldn't save them then. And despite my new-found strength, there's no way to do it now. I know yesterday was the anniversary of when…well, you know…and that's what I meant. When they fell – it wasn't your fault. Fate had it in the cards. And as the saying goes, you deal with the cards you get. I know it's tough. But you don't have to go through it alone. I do understand."

"Thanks. I'm sorry about what I said."

"Already forgotten." Dick gave him a hug and buried his head in his broad chest.

"I love you, Dad."

AN:

Aww, sweet fluff. I know, that chapter was extremely lame, short, and just plain ole unsatisfying. Sorry about my absence. I've been working on my other fics and balancing other things right now. And, yeah, sorry for pulling a RAPE FIC. But it couldn't be helped, my humanity was just screaming THE PEOPLE MUST KNOW! So, no hard feelings? I'm actually kind of thinking of dropping this story, though I had a good thing planned out for my Roy and Wally fic. Eh. I don't know. Depends on my mood whether this will stay alive or not. Review, cause you know it makes me happy.