Title: Call For Help

Author: Erin Meier

Rating: G

Warnings: None

Summary: Roadside assistance is a serious decision.
Disclaimer: No characters are mine. Unbetaed, written (and posted) at the mechanics.

Calling Tim was out of the question.

Tim had yet to let him live down the Popcorn Incident of '05 and, at times, threatened to tell Alfred about said incident. Tim did not need any more dirt on him. Tim was evil.

Calling Roy wouldn't be much better.

While Roy would come through for him when it counted, this situation would not qualify for Serious Roy. This situation would leave Dick open to some serious teasing. And Roy would likely claim to be better with cars than Dick, something that was simply not true. And not going to happen, because Roy wasn't going to be called.

Calling Wally wouldn't be a bad idea.

Unfortunately, Wally was off with the rest of the League. Including Dick's first choice to receive the call Bruce.

Because this was all Bruce's fault.

Bruce was the one who ordered the rose bushes for Alfred. Bruce was the one who decided it should be a secret. Bruce was the one who got called off with the League, leaving Dick to fulfill the mission at home.

Not that Dick had a problem with Bruce doing something for Alfred. He'd even applaud the effort, gladly helping out.

No, Bruce was also the one who left Dick with the pickup truck. The pickup truck whose tire had fallen apart, stranding Dick in the middle of nowhere. The tire whose tread had fallen off, resembling problems covered by the media a few years ago and replaceable under warranty. The problem that Bruce had obviously not fixed.

But Bruce was not entirely at fault, as the spare had "gone missing" in a way much too common to Gotham. And yes, Dick was kicking himself for not checking before leaving.

This left Dick with one option, the only option. Calling Barbara would be little better than calling Tim. But not calling Barbara would be much worse than calling anyone else on his contact list. At least he could claim Tim as family. But calling the Titans to avoid a teasing Oracle over the comlink would result in major Doghouse Time.

Dick hit Barbara's speed dial, bracing himself for the laughter.