There was a crowd collected around the bottom of the stairs of the hospital. Most were reporters who were being kept at bay by Gordon's finest.

Bruce Wayne leapt from his Jaguar. The men and woman of the press parted as he rocketed through them, the millionaire only barely aware of their flashing cameras and shouted questions.

Dick had been placed on full life-support, a pump now forcing his heart to beat. Alfred stood, tears trailing down his cheeks as he watched his grandson's brain activity on the EEG slow and finally stop.

He was gone.

Barbara's heartfelt sob filled the room. Tim dropped his face. Alfred blinked and as he reached out to brush Dick's hair from his brow, Bruce burst through the door. No one looked up.

"He's gone, Bruce," Leslie whispered. "Only seconds ago. I'm sorry." The life-support machines continued to beep and pump, forcing Dick's body to continue functioning, but his brain was no longer functioning.

Wayne glared at the doctor as he strode forward. He wasn't prepared to believe that. He and Dick had a connection... one he'd never realized was there before. One that explained the reason for Batman and Nighwing's extraordinary understanding. Quite simply, their souls were linked. Common tragedies were only part of it. Love was the rest. Bruce stared down at his son's silent face... his son? Yes, his son... and he could still feel the connection. Dick wasn't gone!

Wayne stepped forward, a lump the size of a fist forming in this throat. "You aren't dying on me, Dick. I'm not giving up on you!"

"Bruce?" Alfred asked. Wayne's breathing had started to become ragged. Clearly, the shock of losing Dick was tearing Bruce apart - yanking the very soul out of him, just as Alfred knew it would. "Bruce?" Alfred reached for his son's shoulder.

Dick Grayson's family had formed a tight chain of defence around their lost member. The atmosphere in the intensive care ward had become thick and passionate.

Shoulders touching, the five tried to draw strength from one another and feed it to Dick.

Bruce's breathing came under control and slowly he reached for Dick's hand.

"He isn't gone," Bruce whispered. "Come back to us, Dick." Bruce's fingers encircled Dick's hand.

The EEG began beeping again after almost twenty seconds of silence. Tim, Alfred, Leslie and Barbara gasped. As they watched stunned, Dick's chest heaved. His eyes fluttered and then opened a quarter of an inch.

Bruce nodded a greeting to the young man who was staring up at him with heavy-lidded eyes. Unlike the others, who had been willing to accept Dick's passing, Bruce had been certain that Dick's life wasn't gone. Why? He'd just known. Felt it - just as he had sensed that there was something wrong earlier. Bruce Wayne did not believe in anything he couldn't see, but he could not deny the connection he and his son shared.

Wayne nodded. "We both did." A lump materialized in Bruce's throat and tears formed, but didn't fall. Dick, I... you mean... you are...

The half smile reappeared. Dick could read the message on Bruce's confused and emotional face. Yeah, I know. The words themselves weren't necessary. Dick understood... he always had.

Around them, Leslie and a team of nurses began to fidget and fiddle. Alfred and the others were ushered out of the room, but Bruce didn't move. Dick's eyes closed, but as they did, Bruce felt his son squeeze his hand.

"I'm right here, Dick. I'm not going anywhere." Dick's headed bobbed ever so slightly and then he slipped back into the world of unconsciousness. Bruce looked across at Leslie, wiping his eyes with the back of his hand. "He's going to be alright. " It wasn't a question. It was a statement of fact.

Leslie swallowed.. "It's too early to tell. He... I mean... he was gone, Bruce."

Bruce shook his head. "No, he wasn't."

"Bruce, I still don't know if he is going to make it," she warned, not wanting him to get his hopes up.

"I do. He's decided to live. Nothing will take him now," Bruce stated.

Leslie stared at him and gradually her face relaxed. "Perhaps. But if he does make it, it isn't going to be easy. He's been through so much."

"I'll take him home as soon as I can. We'll get him back on his feet, Alfred and I."

Leslie walked across and kissed Bruce on the cheek. "I'm sure you will."

Bruce sat down on the edge of the bed, running his hand through Dick's hair with great affection. He couldn't fathom the distance that had grown between them - a distance that had left him viewing his relationship with Nightwing as more important and substantial than the one between father and son. He had pursued a faceless villain because Nightwing had asked him to, rather than being at his son's side. How could he have allowed his relationship with Dick to be eroded so badly?

Bruce knew that ninety percent of it was his fault. Dick had tried so many times, he realized now, looking back. It was time he and his son repaired their relationship. It wasn't going to be easy. They had a lot to overcome... a long way to go, but the barrier was gone; obliterated by the realization that they needed each other. Bruce slid his arm under his son and scooped him into his arms.

Two nurses darted forward, but Leslie held them back, tears of joy washing down her cheeks.

Bruce held his boy tightly but with great care. He'd almost lost him. He'd almost let him slip away. Silently, Bruce Wayne made a pledge - he was determined to make things work between them.

The bitterness and confusion that had littered Bruce's world for so long vanished in that single moment.

An hour later, Leslie appeared in the waiting room and informed the rest of Dick's family that his condition was still serious, but that he was stable, off life support and that she was fairly confident that he was out of danger. The relief was palpable. Tim grabbed Barbara and spun her around.

"Do you mind?!" Oracle snapped, but she was laughing.

Leslie smiled at Alfred and invited him to go back into Dick's room. Once they reached the intensive care ward, Alfred followed the inclination of the doctor's head. He stared at Bruce who held Dick in his arms. All that the elderly man had prayed for over the past eight years had just been granted.

"For the last hour," Leslie informed the butler. For the last hour, Bruce had supported his son. He wanted Dick to know he was there... that he would always be there.

Leslie and Alfred stood silently, not wanting to interrupt the private moment. Out of nowhere, Tim appeared.

"Bruce, I've just heard on the radio that Two-Face..."

"Stuff Two-Face," Bruce interrupted.

"Huh?" Tim stuttered, his eyes literally popping at the response.

"I said, stuff Two-Face. I'm needed here."

Tim glanced at Alfred and then back to Bruce. "Oooookkkaaaayyyyyy. I'll... yeah. Well... okay." Stunned, he backed out of the room.

Bruce sighed, lowered Dick back onto the pillow and took a seat on the chair beside the bed. Alfred walked across and slipped his arm across Bruce's shoulders.

"He's going to be alright, Alfred."

Alfred Pennyworth nodded. In Bruce's face he could see the distinct change. The distance between Alfred's charges was gone. Bruce had finally realized that in pushing Dick away he had abandoned his soul in an abyss of emptiness, but The Lake of Lost Souls would never claim Bruce Wayne again because from now on he wouldn't allow anything to come between him and his boy.

Alfred patted Bruce's back as Wayne repeated, "Everything is going to fine, Alfred."

A smile from Alfred's soul lit up the entire room. "I do believe you are right, son. I do believe you are right."

Stay tuned for the sequel...Dick's recovery; Bruce's determination to repair his relationship with his son; Barbara faces her realization... and Two-Face tries again!