I know it's been a LONG time since I last updated and I'm sorry for that but in my defense I had the absolute worst case of writers block EVER but any way here it is now so..YAY! Thanx SO much to ALL who have revewed or favorited my story or for that matter all who is still reading even with my terrible updating habits. XD luv u!

DISCLAIMER: All characters are owned by DC Comics.

WARNING: The F-Bomb is dropped a few times... if you care XD

It didn't feel real. everything from waking up in Connors arms to getting his arm reset and casted as he fought against the nurses and doctors desperate to get to Bruce's side in the other room, to watching as they wheeled Bruce on a gurney to surgery, to getting briefed on the cover story created by Superman and Wonder Woman to explain away Bruce's grave injuries to the press without arousing any unwanted suspicions, to hearing the news that Wally had come out of surgery and his knee was now healing correctly to now sitting between Superman and Superboy waiting to hear Bruce's fate.

It isn't real, this isn't happening. It's all a dream, Bruce isn't dying; he's alive probably silently fuming because I slept over at mount Justice instead of coming straight home to him, where he's alive, not dying in some damn hospital.

"Dick?"

Dick squeezed his eyes shut pushing back the moisture ready to fall before turning towards Superman, angry to be drawn out of his delusions, wanting nothing more but for them to be true, but as he looked into Clark's calm, compassionate eyes that anger quickly turned to a deep depression.

"What?" he asked quietly, crestfallen he bowed his head down to look at his casted arm and pick at the tightly wound cast.

"I was just wondering if you needed anything." Clark asked eager to help,"Food maybe? You hungry, I'm sure Connor wouldn't mind going down to the cafeteria." he finished, nudging Connors shoulder, causing the napping clone to grunt in protest.

"Not hungry." Dick mumbled still picking at the cast

Come on buddy you got to eat something, you probably haven't eaten in over twelve hours, it'll make you feel better I promise." He said desperate to help Dick, who had been sitting stoically not making a noise ever since he and Diana had explained their plan and the good news about Kid Flash, tentatively he reached over to put a reassuring hand on Dick's shoulder.

Dick felt Superman put his strong warm hand on his shoulder and was instantly taken back to when he had clutched Bruce's cold lifeless hand to his chest as he knelt in the burning ruins of the warehouse, anger flaring he pushed Clarks hand off of him and jumped to his feet "Make me feel better?! You want to make me feel better? That's funny, I have a suggestion for you, how about next time don't let the only person left on this fucking planet who gave a damn about me get blown up!"

Dick he aske-"

"I don't give a fuck what he said, the man is a fucking martyr he sacrifices himself daily. And it's my job to stop him, to save him." All anger and energy suddenly drained from his body as it hit him, it was his job, it's his fault, he collapsed to the ground, back up against the wall, his whole tired body groaning in protest at the sudden drop, tears springing to his eyes "I failed him, I should have been there. It's my job to be there, to help him, I'm sorry Bruce, I'm so sorry." Dick brought his legs to his chest, curing up into a tighter ball and wrapping his one good arm around his legs, longing for the familiar weight of Batman's cape being draped around his shoulders, Bruce holding him tightly in his arms, as he had so many years ago, "I'm so sorry Bruce." Dick choked out, tears now falling unchecked down his face.

Superman watched shocked as the boy normally so happy and confident tore himself apart, unsure he slowly began to crouch beside the sobbing boy about to attempt to awkwardly console the child when he was interrupted by an elderly man.

"I'll take it from here, if you don't mind sir."

Superman gave a relieved nod stepping out of the man's way, sitting back down beside Connor, who was still dosing despite the noise.

"Master Richard, what are you doing on the floor? It's filthy."

Dick head instantly shot up from where it had been resting on his knees "Alfie?" he asked, looking threw tear filled eyes at the butler, he then quickly scrambled off the ground and threw himself into Alfred's open arms in record time and burying his face into Alfred clean very crisp shirt staining it with his tears "I'm so sorry Alfred, it's all my fault." He sobbed, crying openly he clutched tightly to the back of Alfred jacket.

"Now I don't want to hear any of that nonsense, you hear me?" Alfred quipped. Getting no response from the child, he gently grabbed both sides of Dick's face and pulled him from his chest forcing him to meet his eyes. "This is not your fault and I don't want to hear that from you again young man."

Dick nodded sullenly, still not fully convinced; he began to clean his face with the sleeve of his shirt.

"Master Dick!" Alfred reprimanded, taking a handkerchief from his pocket and using it to wipe Dick's face of the mixture of snot and tears.

"Sorry Mom." Dick joked allowing Alfred to fuss over him, glancing over at Connor dozing on the bench seat, thankful that he was asleep and not awake to witness him being pampered. But that was before he glanced to Connor's right and saw Clark sitting there very much awake, a dopey grin on his face as he watched Alfred coddle over him, the events of the past few hours forgotten as he watched Alfred and Dick interact.

"And don't think this excuses you from putting five dollars in the swear jar, the minute we get home."Alfred chastened, returning the kerchief to his pocket before directing Dick towards the seats across from Superboy and Superman and sitting beside him placing an arm around Dick shoulders.

You heard that? Dick asked embarrassed by his earlier outburst, he settled his head down on Alfred's shoulder.

"I think all of Gotham heard that." Alfred teased, placing one wrinkled hand atop Dick's head, smoothing down the tousled hair.

"M'sorry." Dick mumbled, directing a look towards Clark, in return Clark gave him a small smile, apology accepted, knowing that the stress and worry had been the true reason Dick had lashed out so harshly.

"Well I sure am up for a good ol cup of joe, anyone else?" Clark asked cheerfully in attempts to change the somber feel of the room, clapping his hands together loudly, causing Connor to jump up and scowl as he looked around the room trying to find the cause of his sudden and very unwelcome wake up call.

"I could use some tea." Alfred responded.

"Way to be the stereotypical Britt Alfie." Dick teased, looking up from where he was resting on Alfred to grin up at him.

"Well if you're going be that way, I won't get you any treats." Alfred retorted.

"That's fine I'm not hungry anyway." Dick muttered, his entire playful demeanor gone as he slumped back down to his previous position against Alfred.

"Nonsense." Alfred scolded, unfazed by Dick's attitude, he gently maneuvered out from under Dick and stood beside Superman prepared to get and if he had to force food down Dicks throat. "Do you think starving yourself will help Master Bruce? Well it won't. And if Master Bruce were here he would say the same thing."

Dick looked down at his hands once again picking at the cast, swallowing anxiously past the lump in his throat at the thought of having to eat knowing that as soon as he did his nervous unsettled stomach would reject it.

"Very well that settles it; I'm sure young Mr. Kent won't mind watching you while I'm gone."

"yeah..sure." Superboy said staring bewildered at the elderly man now leaving followed closely by Superman.

"Who i-"

"Our Butler." Dick said simply, cutting Connor off before he could even finish his question.

"Butler? Why would your Butler be here? Who are you people?" Connor declared astounded by Dick's life outside the capes and cowls.

A small smile crossed Dicks face at Connor confused expression and was about to make a snippy response dealing with the fact that he was a clone of Superman but was interrupted by the arrival of a man clad in a white coat, blue scrubs and face mask.

"Are you the family of Mr. Bruce Wayne?" he asked slipping the mask off his face.

"I'm his son." Dick said, his stomach knotting in anticipation.

"The doctor looked the small boy over gauging his age and maturity before sitting down beside him. "I'm Dr. Turner, I was the surgeon working on your father, is there someone else here with you?"

"They're in the cafeteria." Superboy responded uncertainly for Robin, untrusting of anyone in a lab coat

"Is he alive?" Dick asked the lump in his throat growing larger by the minute.

"Um... perhaps we should wait for them to come back, before I discuss this further." Dr. Turner said stalling not wanting to give the information to a lone thirteen year old without the proper support system.

"Is he alive?" Dick asked again, voice low, glaring dangerously at the Doctor.

"I really think we should wait." he repeated, slightly unnerved by the ferociousness behind the child's glare.

"Is he-" Dick began asking again prepared to pummel the man if he didn't answer the damn question but was interrupted by a warm hand and the always calm voice of Superman.

"Are you Bruce's doctor?" Clark asked, shaking hands with the man before introducing himself, "I'm Clark Kent and this is Alfred Pennyworth we're family friends."

"Nice to meet you, I'm Doctor Turner, I was the primary surgeon for Mr. Wayne, please take a seat". He suggested motioning at the unoccupied seats beside Dick and Connor.

Connor quickly moved from his seat next to Dick to one alongside Superman to allow Alfred to take his now vacant seat beside Dick.

"As you know the injuries Bruce sustained were serious," the Doctor began, locking eyes with Dick before continuing, "we managed to remove the bullet and repair all the damage caused by said bullet, but during his operation his heart stopped beating, we managed to jumpstart it and he's stable now but he was down for thirty minutes before we were able to revive him not to mention the time before he got to the hospital.

"So will he'll be okay now?" Dick asked hopefully.

Sympathy shown through the doctors eyes as he placed a hand on Dick's shoulder, "I'm sorry to say, we don't know…he is currently comatose and due to the fact that his brain was without oxygen for at the least thirty minutes we have reasons to believe he may have sustained severe brain damage we'll to a CT scan to gage the severity but we won't know for sure until he wakes up, if he wakes up.

"You mean when he wakes up." Dick corrected angrily shrugging the hand off his shoulder, wanting to punch the man who dare challenge Bruce's strength of will.

"I just don't want to get your ho-"

"When can we see him?" Alfred interrupted, having recognized the signs of a very upset and angry Dick, he quickly placed an arm around the boy shoulders in hopes of not only defusing the anger but to also keep him from attacking the unsuspecting doctor.

"You can see him now, he'll be in the ICU for a few days and unfortunately only immediate family will be allowed to see him." He answered standing up and motioning a nurse over. "Nurse Farrow will gladly take you now."

A few minutes of exchanging pleasantries with both the Doctor and the newly approached nurse later and both Alfred and Dick were following Nurse Farrow to the ICU, Dick was trying and failing to control his anxiety, his stomach doing what felt like back flips as he continued to follow Nurse Farrow to Bruce, even with Alfred's supportive hand on his shoulder, he still felt like hurling all over the clean floor of the hospital.

"We're here." Nurse Farrow suddenly confirmed, jolting Dick out of worries.

"I have to warn you he had first and second degree burns over about thirty percent of his body so he's pretty heavily bandaged." The nurse said giving Dick a small sympathetic smile before she slowly opened the wooden door to reveal Bruce sleeping in the middle of a very clean very white hospital room.

Dick stared in horror at the state of his father, tubes and beeping monitors were inserted everywhere over his body, his skin looked unnaturally pale against the stark white of the bed covers and the crisp white bandages that seemed to cover all but his face and hand, his left eye slightly swollen and sporting a nice purple bruise, the right narrowly missing the large gash running down his forehead and ending right above the eye.

But with each passing step closer to Bruce the horror melted away to despair and the tears once again sprang to the edges of Dick's eyes, close to falling down his cheeks, reaching Bruce's bedside Dick sat down in the seat besides his bed and reached out for one of Bruce's much larger hands holding it to his chest as he had in the ruins of the burning warehouse.

After about an hour or two of sitting there doing nothing but clutch Bruce's hand to his front and ignore Alfred's many attempts to get him to eat and drink various foods and beverages, Dick was at last alone; The room completely silent, he finally managed to speak "Bruce?" he asked his voice small and choked with unshed tears. "Can you hear me?"

Bruce remained unmoving, the heart monitor above him steadily beeping.

Dick looked down at the hand he was clutching to his rib cage, counting the many scars and feeling the familiar callous, the tears finally breached the wall Dick had held up for the past few hours ,rolling freely down his cheeks and landing on Bruce's hand.

The silent tears quickly turning into harsh, broken sobs that ripped through his body and shook his entire body, the agonizing sobs not relenting Dick continued to cry the iron grip he had on Bruce's hand no longer enough, the need to be closer to Bruce growing, the need for assurance that Bruce was in fact alive now a necessity; Dick maneuvered himself around the numerous tubes connecting Bruce to the machines keeping one hand in contact with Bruce the whole time as he climbed onto the bed.

Lifting the blankets covering his father and slipping beneath them Dick cuddled into Bruce's chest and wrapped Bruce's heavy arm around his much smaller body before resting his head above his heart, listening to the strong and steady heart beat sending a wave of relief flooding throughout Dick's body as he fully relaxed into Bruce's body, his un-casted arm slung over Bruce's large torso, clutching the collar of Bruce's shirt, head still resting above Bruce's heart to feel as well as hear Bruce's heart beating, the tears finally subsiding as he sniffled into Bruce's white v-necked shirt, he closed his eyes, finally peaceful; The familiar weight and warmth of Bruce's strong arm wrapped around him, he slept for the first time in what felt like weeks.

To be continued…in the epilogue