Disclaimer: I unfortunately, do not have the pleasure of owning the Batman comics or anything affiliated. That is a privilege that belongs solely to DC Comics.

A.N.: My first fic in this fandom, so please don't kill me for mistakes! And I know this is kind of an old plot that has been done many times, however, I want to give my take on it. Warning: Tons of dialogue.

Falling…falling…falling…hands reaching…screams….No! No!

Dick vaulted up in his bed, gasping for air. His hands shook as he brought them to his face, and tried to wipe away the quickly formed tears from his eyes. His brought his knees up to his chest and held on tightly to his legs as his body convulsed.

He pushed the blankets back with his feet, and took a deep breath. His feet hit the cold hardwood floor, and a shiver was sent up his spine. Standing up rigidly, he clenched his hands at his sides.

"Why am I not strong enough?" Dick whispered as looked down at the patterns in the wood. The same nightmare, every night. Too much for a ten year old boy to handle. "Bruce never wakes up in the middle of the night, screaming. He's strong enough to accept his past. But why can't I?"

"You can't accept your past for the same reason I can't accept mine. It's impossible." A voice came from the doorway. It was Bruce, in his classic blue and white striped pajama pants. He came over and collected his ward in his arms, and looked him right in the eye.

"You went through something that nobody should have to go through at your age. And you look up to me, as if I'm this superhuman who can withstand anything and is never hurt. But that's not true. Do you know why I don't cry at night anymore?"

Dick looked up, and slowly shook his head, his eyes wide, preparing for his guardian's confession.

"I am Batman because of what happened to me. I dedicated my life to the battle of injustice so I could seek some atonement for what happened to my parents."

"So, you're saying that I should dedicate my life to being Robin?" Dick questioned, slightly confused by this point.

"No. Do you see me now? I'm barely human," he chuckled darkly, "and I would never want that for you. Now that I think about it, the real reason I became Batman was so that I could run from my feelings. So I wouldn't have to deal with the emotional loss of my parents. All I wanted was revenge. "Bruce paused for a moment, and continued. "And so, I'm numb to the emotional pain. I wantto be able to cry over what happened, but all that happens is that I go and beat up some criminals. And I don't want that to happen to you."

Dick cried, not over his parents, but for Bruce. "I'll make sure that never happens to me, Bruce. And I'll try as hard as I can to get you out of it, too. We're in this together."

Bruce brushed back Dick's jet black hair as he stood up from his bed, and set him back down. He tucked him in the blankets, and left the room, with a lot of things on his mind that hadn't taken occupancy there in a long time.

He walked down the hallway, feeling almost like a ghost, wandering the halls, when he heard the creak of a door behind him. It was Rob- no, Dick, with a teddy bear in his hand.

"B-Bruce?" he stuttered, his blue eyes, looking everywhere except his face.

He walked towards him, and put his hand under his chin, forcing him to look in his eyes. "Yes, Richard?"

"C-can I sleep in your room tonight?"

Bruce took a deep breath, and smiled, granted, a tiny one, but a smile all the same.

"Of course."

A.N. Thanks for reading and please review!