Ch 20

                                    

                                          
Dick could only stand laying in the dank cave for so long. He had a blanket, but the chill still seeped through and seemed to pierce his body to the bone. He longed to be in his nice warm apartment, in fact, he would even settle for his room in the manor. 'It's so cold down here... It would be warmer in my room. Bruce wouldn't mind if I went up to my room...' 
                          
After a moment of thought about whether it would be worth it to walk all the way up to his room, and If he would even be able to walk that far, Dick decided that he was going to try and walk up to his room. For the sake of being warmer. 
                          
Leslie had brought a pair of crutches for Dick to use. She probably hadn't wanted him to use them to try and get up to his room, especially not on his own, but they were there nonetheless. 
                          
Sitting up was the most difficult part... so far. Dick first managed to reach over the side of the bed and pull the lever that lowered the rails on one side of the bed. From there he turned his body so his legs were hanging over the side of the bed, then used his arms to slowly scoot himself into a sitting position. 
                          
Dick took a few minutes before continuing, waiting until the pain in his ribs dulled to a soft ache. Boy was he glad for the pain meds that Leslie had given him. 
                          
When he was finally ready, Dick reached over and grabbed the crutches that were, conveniently, close enough for him to reach. He put them under his arms and unsteadily slid off of the bed. 
                          
The first few steps were a struggle, but Dick eventually got into a rhythm... Until he reached the stairs. Dick was already tired when he got to the stairs in the batcave, but he pressed on, wishing on the way up that Bruce had gotten an elevator installed. 
                          
Each step was more and more difficult. Dick's energy was already fizzling out, and he hadn't even reached the manor yet. 
                          
When he got to the top of the stairs Dick leaned on the cool wall for support and took a few steadying breaths. Despite the cold his forehead was beaded with sweat, and his muscles shook from the sudden strain he was putting on them. 
                          
Gritting his teeth, Dick opened the clock that doubled as the secret entrance to the Batcave. There was no way he would be able to make it back down the stairs, so he continued forward. The grandfather clock slid shut as Dick made his way through the room and out into the hall towards the stairs that would bring him to his bedroom. 
                          
Dick didn't have enough energy to lift his bad leg as he used the crutches to haul himself up the stairs. As a result his toe hit the edge of each step with a soft thud, sending a spike of pain through his leg and knee every time he moved up a step. 
                          
When Dick finally got to the top of the stairs he was exhausted. His head drifted down to rest on his chest, and he swayed at the top of the stairs. 
                          
The crutches slipped out of Dick's grasp and fell down the stairs with a series of bangs and crashes. Dick himself managed to balance for a moment without them before falling backwards. 
                          
Not realizing that he was falling until it was too late, Dick expected to crash down the stairs and land at the bottom next to his crutches, but his fall was stopped by strong sturdy arms. 
                          
Dick's eyelids were heavy, and he barely realized what was happening as Bruce scooped him up in his arms and carried him towards his bed. 
                          
Not remembering their fight or any of his previous feelings of anger and betrayal that had been directed toward Bruce, Dick pressed his shivering body against Bruce's warm chest. 
                          
Bruce held his son with one arm and used the other to peel back the covers on Dick's bed. He then leaned down to lay the young adult in his bed, and was surprised when Dick wrapped his arms around him and held onto him tightly.
                          
"Nu, te rog să rămâi." Dick whispered in his native tongue.
                          
This took Bruce back to when Dick was just a small child who would beg him to stay with him all night as he slept. 
                          
Bruce stood back up and held his son until Dick's eyes slid shut and his arms released their hold from around Bruce's neck. After a few more seconds Bruce laid Dick gently in his bed and brought up the covers on the boy's bed to cover his son's frail body. 
                          
Bruce stood there for a moment, looking at his eldest. Dick had lost a considerable amount of weight in the weeks he had been gone, and Bruce could tell, especially when he had been carrying Dick to his room. 
                          
Bruce let out a long sigh before leaning forward and placing a light kiss on Dick's forehead before leaving the room with the door left slightly open.