Chapter 4- Commitment

Attempting to Change

CHAPTER 4. *͊͊COMMITMENT*͊͊

Trusting Alfred would be more difficult now that he had been duplicitous in his actions. For the first time since the death of his parents, Bruce felt a strong sense of loss. The same man that had been his rock and shield, the advisor and surrogate father in the absence of his own, had gone behind his back and tricked him. Even the simple suggestion of getting some food into his empty stomach now left niggling doubts that Alfred in the attempt to make sure he had proper rest may drug him.

Letting loose a long sigh Bruce leaned heavily against the rough grey stone of the hospitals outer wall. He had left the hospital, as even the private rooms he'd paid for his little gem were far to claustrophobic and the presence of Alfred too near. Of course in his mind he knew Alfred had done the right thing, but it didn't remove the lingering pain of betrayal. A silent tear drifted down his cheek from his left eye, the constant worry for the weak child forced to remain in hospital, and now doubts about his most trusted and loved mentor had left him drained.

" Why, Alfred?"

Coming from just around the corner of Bruce, where he had stood guard of the young heir in a perfect reflection of his position leaning against the stone wall causing scuffing to the soft material of his coat, Alfred responded.

" It is my duty to protect you...even from yourself."

A petulant scowl took over his face, " I would have been fine even without the nap, Alfred. It's not me who would have died hurt and alone had I not woken in time to return to the hospital."

" While that may be true, we still know nothing of this child you found, besides the fact he has been grievously injured and abused. In the short time since his discovery you have become extremely attached and should he have died from the injuries... I worried about how you react, when already you stopped eating and sleeping due to worry."

" I understand, it just hurts how you were the one to trick me. In my head I can see how what you choose to do was the right choice in action, but my emotions vehemently disagree with them." Bruce took a deep breath then walked past Alfred and re-entered the building, seeking the silent company of his little gem.

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Back within the confines of the hospital room housing whom had instantaneously captured his interest, Bruce sank into the plush cushions of the chair nearest the bed. Stationed at the bedside Bruce waited for the moment he could try to communicate with the child out from under the mind muddling drugs. Being at the hospital for over a week and sleeping in the foldable cot next to the bed had certainly impacted his response to Alfred, but regardless, as of the moment he'd found the precious gem in the alley he was the most important thing on his mind.

A soft moan broke the silence of his contemplations. Jumping up and kneeling by the bedside Bruce's eyes were focused on the scrunching nose of his little gem. "There we go, a little more. Come on precious, I'd love to meet you. You'll be safe and comfortable very soon."

One emerald green eye slowly opened peering through the wild black fringe at the teen. Bruce almost cooed at the adorableness, but having withheld the sound he found himself speechless after all the time he had thought about all the things he wanted to ask of say to the treasure before him.

Completely stumped the first thing to truly be heard from him was a truly unintelligent sounding introduction, " Uhhhhhhh… Hi, my name is Bruce…this is really awkward- "

Tilting his head to the side Harry stared at the teen, completely wide-eyed. The shadow was a real person. Somebody actually cared enough to sit by him, speak softly- a gentle tenor that would likely one day deepen into a delicious baritone- to him, and promise a pain free life. Nobody, absolutely no one he had ever come into contact with EVER made a promise to him, and now his very own guardian angel had made sure he was left in a dream.

"Do you feel any pain?" grimacing at himself and internally chastising his stupidity, "Of course the child beaten beyond compare feels some pain even with medication."

" I'll just call the doctor over, you seem better than before." Bruce pressed on the call button to summon some help seeing as this was the first time in a month that the child was aware and could possibly give some answers to the dozens of questions that had arisen during his coma like state.

The sound of approaching footsteps were audible to the inhabitants of the room, the click of Alfred's polished black dress shoes and Dr. Goodman's nonslip white and navy Nurse Materunners made a slight squeak against the laminate flooring despite their unhurried nature.

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Two pairs of lungs held their breath anticipating the intrusion into the hospital room, a glance to the left and right made each occupant smile at the awareness of one another. The twist of the handle and opening of the door released the tension entirely, which, alongside both held breaths escaped, provoking a rasping giggle and quiet chuckle.

The adult pair watched the by play closely from the moment they entered the room, glancing at each other at the easy comradery between the patient and Alfred's charge. "Now, I see my favorite patient is awake and in full control of himself," Dr. Goodman caught the emerald eyes with a smile, " I'd like to do a few tests and ask some questions, will that be alright?"

Harry was slightly overwhelmed by the kindness both men radiated through their behavior, the crows feet around the doctor's eyes told a story of smiles and joy, reducing Harry's anxiety of experiencing more pain at the hand of a male adult. Bruce, as his shadow was now known forever more to be called, had retreated back into the chair he had first claimed and was watching his every response to interacting with the doctor. His mind was a flurry of thoughts but he caught the question, a miniscule nod to answer was all the indication of having heard the man.

"Alright, just let me check your monitor and then I'll get down to the more nitty gritty."

Personally Harry liked the doctor, so far his hands although cold were gentle when poking or prodding different areas on his body that were extremely tender due to extensive bruising, but he had absolutely no clue to the colloquial language he was using "nitty gritty" what did that even mean?

The doctor's every motion was precise and on task, from what Harry could tell, but when he suddenly turned from the monitor Harry was startled from his ponderings. " Now young man, you will be telling me exactly how this happened to you and by whom it was done,, please do not try to lie. I'll catch it." In his most stern tone Dr. Goodman spoke looking expectantly at the child swaddled in the hospital blankets.

Harry once more nodded.

"To start, can you tell me your name?"

Around the room at least one other was wondering the same thing and couldn't wait to hear the answer fall from the cherub lips. Every pair of eyes were rapt upon Harry waiting for his answer.

"-ssssss…kkuh," turned into raspy coughs as Harry once more fell silent. Teary eyes looked pleadingly at Dr. Goodman. His own eyes going wide and immediately hiding his worry.

Bursting from his seat hands still against the armrests and knees slightly bent Bruce interjected, " What's wrong why can't he speak!"

Harry's head swiveled from his pleading stare to the teen, he was quickly coming to view as his protector, before turning back to the man examining him.

"Young Master Bruce, you need to calm down so Dr. Goodman can find the problem and see if it can be rectified. The child is in the best care we could find, and we know the good doctor to be exactly that- a good doctor whom we can trust." Alfred circled behind the chair pushing Bruce gently back into a sitting position.

"Child, I'd like for you to open your mouth as wide as you can." Dr. Goodman began instructing as he pulled out a pen light to get a better look. The entire throat was inflamed, and he would bet that the vocal chords had been over worked from the crying out during whatever nightmarish experience the boy had been through. "As I'm sure all of us can tell, this young man is unable to speak and this may have some far reaching effects. Now because you can't verbally answer the questions we'll do a simple yes or no during the examination and after I'll go see if I can find a whiteboard for you to write on, how does that sound?"

"Oops, already I don't stay on a yes or no answer form, is this an okay plan of action?" Dr. Goodman grinned at his own silliness. The child's answering nod made his smile stretch wider.

"A lot of this examination will be to inform you of the damages inflicted upon you, though I'm sure you can feel it - at least to some extent beneath the painkillers, and to make sure you understand what will be happening over the next couple of months."

"Until we can uncover your name do you mind me calling you child?"

A quick shake of the head moved them further along.

"I'll start with your head and end down by your feet, sound good?"

A little nod, but hesitant due to fear.

"I can see you're worried, it's bad but perhaps not as bad as it could be… or you fear. So you were definitely hit on your head and suffered a concussion- rattled your brain around, can you show me with your fingers the number of time you were struck?"

Harrys eyes were blown wide in shock, in less than a minute the man had figured out it wasn't a one time thing, him being hit. Jerkily shaking his head Harry shrunk in on himself. The other men within the room watched the struggle the child made to answer the question.

Swallowing the dry lodge in his throat Dr. Goodman continued, "- is that because it happened to many times to count?"

Having to ask that question made the caveman inside want to come roaring out, and tear the monster that was so cruel as to harm a child into a billion little pieces that not even God with a microscope could put back together. Glancing at Bruce and Alfred made him feel justified in his internal violent intention, they were visibly fuming and near to the point of exploding.

Harry couldn't look at anyone within the room, instead he fiddled with the soft sheets of the bed as much as he could through without jostling his arm that was trapped within a cast. No sooner than Dr. Goodman opening his mouth did Harry respond jarring his head in a semblance of a nod. That motion set his head spinning and teary eyed.

A quick beat of silence passed before they continued. "Are you okay to keep going?"

Harry didn't know how to answer, he felt nauseated from all the motions he was making with his head, but he truly wanted to know everything and finish talking about the past. To all other occupants of his room the confusion was apparent in his glassy eyes.

" Are you feeling sick?" worry was clear in the tone Dr. Goodman used.

A short nod. Bruce stood quickly and grabbed the basin used to measure the fluids leaving the body. Every bit of waste or fluid leaving the child was measured in order to prevent dehydration and check levels within the body. No sooner than releasing the basin and positioning it slightly to the side of his precious gem, was it used to capture the bitter yellow bile. Heaving and panting against the plastic Harry felt the same gentle hand card fingers through the birds nest he called hair. A small upturn at the corner of his lips voiced his appreciation for the action. Salty tears made tracks down his cheeks.

Alfred jump into action mere seconds after Bruce, going into the ensuite and filling a glass with water before returning to the bedside with the glass and a straw.

" Child, drink some of this and swirl it around so you can rid yourself of that nasty taste." Alfred gently pressed the straw between chapped lips holding the glass easily in front of the boy.

Harry didn't care he was so tired, suckled at the straw and spat out as much of the acrid remnants as he could before falling limp against the pillows. In his noodle state Harry looked so weak and vulnerable. Even Alfred, the man most distanced from this child leaned against the bed to allow Harry to drink the much needed life giving fluid.

"Child, do you need to take a rest?" Dr. Goodman smiled as he had no need for a nurse when Bruce or Alfred was there to be his wingman.

Once more Harry peered up the men in the room, glazed eyes going distant before shutting completely. Soft even breaths were expelled with occasional snuffles or rasps.

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Once unconscious Harry found his mind in a fury of motion, had it been a room it would be cluttered and near the point of exploding due to too much going on. Despite the chaos in his head only two things really bothered Harry at this point.

First Issue: Not with the Dursley's, does that mean no more chores or beatings?

Possible solution: There is a teen, Bruce, that seems willing to keep me? Maybe. Nobody seems to want to hurt me, in fact I'm in a hospital. The Dursley's never would have paid for treatment from their actions. I could work for Bruce in his home to repay him… I should ask…later.

Second Issue: Everywhere hurts, and I can't talk.

Only solution: Wait until I heal, it shouldn't take to long. I'm a freak after all.

Drowsy but feeling better than the previous day without nausea or the intense pain shooting outwards from every injury Harry shifted in his bed cuddling his teddy bear closer to his face.

Bruce heard the rustle of sheets and jolted awake to a most adorable vision. Harry was burying his face in the soft fur of the teddy bear he'd brought, it's golden brown fuzz helping make Harry's paleness stand out alongside the barely cracked open emeralds. It was heartwarming to see the love Harry had for his old toy after only a single day spent with it whilst awake. If only it weren't under these circumstances and Harry had been well provided for and unhurt.

"Good Morning little gem, how are you feeling today, thumbs up for good, down for bad and sideways for same as before?"

Harry's eyes widened, Bruce had stayed… he hadn't even left the chair he'd been in when Harry fell asleep. It took a moment for Bruce's question to get through his amazement, Harry's entire right arm was covered by the stark white of a cast, so with the left hand that was gripping the golden brown teddy bear Harry gave a sideways jiggle of his thumb before changing it with an up wards twist of his wrist.

Bruce was watching the child intent on the answer. The response was a little confusing but the small smile tacked onto the end directed at him was more than enough to encourage his questions further. "How are your injuries feeling, I'm very sad they happened to you?"

Harry was so happy, his heart was feeling full to bursting, Bruce cared about him and was doing his best to make questions that he could answer. The pain was about the same as before but being distracted has helped, so the previous answer had been meant about physical self-examination but the change to a thumbs up was to imply his happiness about Bruce staying with him. Not being able to talk sucked. Harry didn't mind repeating himself so it wasn't difficult to give another little sideways jiggle of his thumb. At the Dursley's he didn't really talk, but that was because they had zero interest in Harry, unless it was to order him around.

"Ahhhh~ so just now when I got two reply so that was about the injuries, I'm glad they aren't painting you too much." Harry gave a rapid head bob to agree with Bruce's guess.

" Don't move your head too much! Sorry I didn't mean to snap at you but you could make yourself feel really sick because of the concussion." Harry's eyes were very expressive, at Bruce's outburst they widened before his entire body seemed to sink deeper into the bedsheets. If Bruce was high on making Harry smile, to make him scared or apprehensive about communicating with him made him feel truly like scum of the earth.

"Should I get Dr. Goodman?" When the words left his lips he turned unable to look at the child swaddled in the pastel yellow sleep wear. What he didn't see was the hand reaching for his back as he left the room. Harrys arm was outstretched but he was too slow to have gripped Bruce's shirt, and like so much in his life, Bruce was out of his reach.

Harry couldn't believe how quickly he was trusting Bruce, the teen exuded his own fair share of tragedy but he was so attentive to every little thing about Harry. Up to this point nobody, not teachers, neighbors, other children or his own family even pretended to care about him.

AN. Thanks people that have waited for updates of this story. I still will be really irregular with updates but this is the chapter before Harry is released into Alfred's care. I hope you guys will stick with me until the end.