Date: Tue, 20 Aug 2013 22:26:38 -0700 From: B.E. Kelley Subject: Gotham Prep Season II Episode 4 This story is a work of FICTION. The events described are my own invention. Any similarities to actual events or persons are strictly coincidental. The author retains the copyright, and any other rights, to this original story. You may not publish it or any part of it without my explicit authorization. This story contains depictions of consensual sexual acts between teenage males. It is intended for mature audiences only. If you find this type of material offensive or if you are under the legal age to read said material; please proceed no further. Comments are always welcome at: hailcaesar2011@hotmail.com Gotham Prep, Season II Episode 4: Damian 2.0 Independence Day was never a simple expression of pride and patriotism, at least not in Gotham City. As common as backyard bar-b-que's and apple pie, were the Joker's off and on attempts to disrupt the cities official celebration. It was something of a running joke but Batman and Robin were always on guard for the occasion and this year was no different. They perched high above Dent Square, atop the Gotham Police Tower, while Tim, Robbie, Colin and Noah went undercover, mingling with the crowd, listening to conversations and watching for strange activity. "It is sweltering out here," Robin complained, as he tugged at his collar. "Now you know why I never wore pants when I was Robin," Batman quipped. "I absolutely will not pursue criminals in green spandex man panties," said Robin, "I have my dignity to think of." "We'll see if that's how you feel when your dignity is as sweaty as your balls," Batman laughed. "Does it hurt to be such a child?" asked Robin, sarcastically. "Sorry to interrupt such a delightful conversation," said Robbie, over the radio link, "but I think we have a problem here." "What have you got, unit 2?" asked Batman. "I'm in sector 4, near city hall, there's an Uncle Sam on stilts, couple clowns around him, looks suspicious," said Robbie. "Alright, unit 1, can you move in and check it out?" said Batman. "Roger that Batman, I'm on it," said Tim. "Do you want us to move in too?" came Colin's voice. "Negative unit 3, hold your position," said Batman. "You see anything?" asked Batman, turning to Robin. "Not yet," said Robin, as he examined the crowd in front of city hall, his mask set for high magnification, "wait, there, directly in front of city hall, in front of the steps." "I see him," said Tim. Robin watched the Uncle Sam and he knew there was trouble when he threw his head back and laughed. Robin had seen that gesture before, it was trademark Joker. "Unit one this is Robin, I think it's..." Robin started but was interrupted by the staccato of gunfire. "It's him, it's him," Tim shouted over the radio, "he's got a gun, he's firing into the crowd!" Batman and Robin leapt from the police tower, gliding to the ground with their para-capes. People were screaming and running in all directions, making it hard to break through the crowd. When Robin reached the Joker, he took a round in the shoulder and was knocked to the tarmac. "Are you alright?" asked Batman. "Yeah, hit me in the body armor," said Robin, getting to his feet, "I hate clowns." "You said it brother," said Batman, "let's go!" The Joker emptied his magazine and ran into city hall, cackling all the way. The Dynamic Duo gave chase, running after him through corridors and up staircases, until they burst onto the roof, 4 floors above the square below. Batman tackled the Joker around the legs and grappled with him until he had him pinned. "Wow Bat's, is that a grappling hook in your pants or are you just happy to see me? HAHAHAHAHAHAHA," cackled the Joker. The city's fireworks display was set to go off at exactly 9:00pm, the equipment was placed on the roof of city hall so that the buildings clock tower would be illuminated by the explosions in the sky. Robin was the first to notice a problem, a bomb attached to a purple canister, the timer counting down to exactly 9:00pm. "Batman, bomb!" Robin exclaimed. Just as Batman looked up, there was a puff of smoke from the Joker as he cackled and disappeared. "What the hell?" said Batman, "how did he..." "Bye-bye boys!" shouted the Joker. Batman found him standing 20 feet away. The Joker waved, then flipped him the finger, jumped to the ledge below and ran down the fire escape. Batman thought to pursue him but had to check on Robin first. "What have we got?" asked Batman. "C-4, I don't know what's in the canister, some kind of gas but if it blows and becomes an aerosol, I don't know, it depends on what's in the canister but there could be a lot of bodies," said Robin. "Can you disarm it?" asked Batman. "Yes, it shouldn't be a problem," said Robin, "I've got 10 minutes until 9:00, piece of cake." "Alright, I'm going after the Joker," said Batman, as he ran for the fire escape. Robin set to work on the bomb, there were so many wires but he was confident he could dismantle this thing without anyone getting hurt. "Unit 1, what's the situation down there?" asked Robin, as he worked. "The police have the area around city hall roped off, no one was killed but there were several injuries," said Tim. "What about the rest of the square?" asked Robin. "People everywhere," said Tim. "There is a bomb on the roof of city hall, I'm trying to disarm it now but start clearing the square, just in case," said Robin. "I'm on it," Tim replied. "Robin, be careful," came Robbie's voice, over the radio. "You too, stay alert unit 2," said Robin. It was a lost cause, the Joker had to great of a lead and escaped once again. Batman gave up the chase and checked his watch, time was counting down and he ran back to Robin. "You get him?" asked Robin, when Batman returned to his side. "No, got away," Batman panted, "how's the bomb coming?" "I'm still working on it, so many damn wires," said Robin. Batman looked at the timer, 4 minutes to detonation, then looked down into the square, it was still full of people. At 3 minutes 30 seconds, Batman made a fateful decision. "There's no time, we have to get the bomb out of here," said Batman. "How, by the time we get to the Batmobile..." Robin began. "News chopper," said Batman, pointing to the helipad of WGCTV, next to city hall. "Alright, let's go," said Robin. "I'll go, you go down and help with the crowd," said Batman. "No, I might still disarm it, you can't fly and disarm it, no one has to die here today," said Robin. "Fine, hurry," said Batman. They ran across the rooftop and leapt across the gap between the buildings. Robbie saw them and pointed for the benefit of Colin, Noah and Tim. "Guy's look, they're moving the bomb," said Robbie, as the news chopper lifted off. "They're heading for the lake," said Colin. "Come on," said Noah, running towards the shore. "What are you doing?" asked Colin as they chased after him. "They're heading out over the water, maybe I can help," said Noah. They were out over the water now, still climbing, when Batman looked to Robin. "What's happening?" asked Batman. "It's still ticking, Batman, I'm sorry," said Robin. Batman looked down at the bomb, the timer flashing, 20 seconds, 19, 18, 17. Batman grabbed the bomb and threw it in the back of the chopper, then grabbed Robin and leapt from the aircraft. They were falling at breakneck speed, but they had a greater chance of surviving the fall then the explosion. "Look, they're falling," Colin shouted, when they reached the shore. Noah closed his eyes and willed the water to rise and catch his friends but when the chopper exploded, filling the night sky with brilliant orange light, the resulting shockwave broke his concentration. Batman and Robin plunged into the water, as fast as they were traveling, it was like hitting concrete. "Oh my God," muttered Tim. Noah didn't hesitate, the son of Aquaman ran into the waves and dove into the water. He swam out to the site of the wreckage floating on the surface, then dove after his friends. Batman staggered onto the beach a few feet away from Tim, Colin and Robbie, his cape was shredded, his uniform was full of bloody tares and his ulna was protruding from one of them. Tim spotted him first, he and the boys dragged Batman onto the shore. "Where's Robin?" Batman choked. "He's still in the water," said Tim, "Noah went after him. Tim and Colin tended to Batman's wounds, Robbie stood stock still, watching the water as the minutes passed by. "Come on, come on," said Robbie, willing Noah to return to the shore. Minutes ticked away, after what felt like an eternity, Noah rose from the lake, Robin in his arms, his limbs hanging limp from his lifeless body. "I-is he..." Batman stuttered. "I'm sorry, I couldn't find him, the water was so murky," Noah sniffled. "Shut up, he's fine," said Robbie, he tried to take Robin's body from Noah, but the boy was too heavy, they tumbled to the ground. Robbie wrestled his way on top of Robin and started giving him CPR, he began with chest compressions, then mouth to mouth. "Come on, breathe," said Robbie. Nothing happened, Robin's chest remained still, he didn't inhale. Robbie returned to CPR, more chest compressions and mouth to mouth. "Robin, Damian, come on, please, breathe for me," said Robbie. Still, nothing happened. "Come on damn it!" Robbie shouted as he started to pound on Damian's chest, "breathe God damn you!" "Robbie, stop," Colin sniffled. "No, not until he takes a breath," said Robbie. ""Robbie, he's gone," said Batman. "Don't you say that Batman, use your utility belt, there's got to be something," said Robbie, as he pounded on Damian's chest again. Colin and Noah grabbed Robbie's arms and pulled him away. "Let me go, I can bring him back," said Robbie. Tim knelt next to Damian's body and placed his fingers against his neck, there was no pulse. He rested his ear against Damian's chest, there was no heartbeat. Tim removed Robin's mask, his eyes were wide open, frozen in death. He touched his fingers to Damian's eyelids and closed them. He covered Damian's body with his tattered cape, and hung his head while tears welled up in his eyes. The night's quiet was broken by the fireworks bursting in the sky above and Robbie's pitiful wail. "NOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO!" The funeral was three days later, they would bury Damian at Wayne Manor, alongside his grandparents and the memorial to his father. Damian being Damian, he didn't have many friends to pay their respects but Robbie was grateful for those who had come. He sat with Alfred and Damian's brothers, Dick with his arm in a sling, and took in the faces of those assembled. Of course Colin was there, so was Noah, he'd brought his mother and his brother Marcus, who was only alive thanks to Damian's quick actions in the Gulf of Mexico. Lien Chang was there with her father, she wore a black dress and dabbed at her eyes with a handkerchief. Connor Kent next to Tim, offering what comfort he could, then in the next row over sat Lucius Fox and his wife, with Barbara and Commissioner Gordon and Damian's therapist, Dr. Quinzel. What horrified Robbie, what made his blood feel cold as ice, was the arrival of Talia al Ghul with Jason Todd and some League flunkies serving as bodyguards. He was sitting between Dick and Tim, Dick seemed to sense Robbie's tension and placed his hand on the boys shoulder. "She's his mother, regardless of what we think of her, she has a right to be here," Dick whispered. "No she doesn't, not after what she did to him," Robbie whispered back. "This is Damian's funeral, we're not going to make a scene," Tim added. "You're right, I'm sorry," Robbie whispered, Tim put his arm around his shoulder. Talia and her group sat on the other side of the coffin, Robbie glared at her while the minister spoke. He couldn't believe she actually had the nerve to show her face. Robbie listened to the words the minister spoke, feeling bitter and empty, he didn't know Damian, someone from the family should have spoken but no one could muster the strength, it hurt too much. At the end of the service, the small congregation filed by the coffin to say their final good byes, Robbie found himself right behind Talia. When she placed her hand on the coffin and looked to be wiping a tear from her eye, Robbie snapped. "Don't you touch him," Robbie hissed. "I beg your pardon?" Talia demanded as she rounded on him. "You hateful bitch, you have no business being here, not after what you did to him," Robbie shouted, as he launched himself at her, his fingers wrapping around her throat, "he hated you, HATED YOU!" Jason pried Robbie's fingers away from Talia's throat and wrenched her out of his grasp. Talia's bodyguards swooped in and whisked her from the scene. Jason held on to Robbie's arms to prevent him from pursuing. "Easy, easy..." said Jason, "calm down." "Let me go," Robbie demanded and pounded his fists against Jason's chest. Jason shoved Robbie back, harder then he meant to. Robbie smashed into the coffin, knocking it off its stand, it crashed against the ground with a sickening thud. "Mother fucker!" Tim swore and swung his fist at Jason, landing a hard right hook against his jaw. Jason seized Tim's collar and drew his fist back, when Dick forced his way between them. "What is the matter with you! This is our baby brother's funeral!" Dick shouted, "Look what you've done, don't you have any respect?" "I, I'm sorry," said Jason, "I didn't mean too." "Just get out of here," Tim spat. "I..." Jason started. "Jason, please, just go," said Dick. Jason looked at his brother's for a moment, then let go of Tim's shirt and walked away. Robbie was on his knees, sobbing. Colin and Noah went to him and helped him back into the manor. "I'm sorry Dick, I saw the coffin hit the ground and I..." said Tim, until he was over taken by sobs. "It's alright, Timmy, it wasn't your fault," said Dick, hugging him with his good arm, "let's go back to the house, we need to talk." Robbie wouldn't go back to his room, that's where his bed was, the bed he'd shared with Damian for almost a year. He couldn't bear to be in that bed and feel Damian's side of the sheets, cool to the touch because Damian wasn't there to warm them. Colin and Noah took him to a guest room, down the hall, they didn't talk, they just sat with their friend between them. When Dick and Tim finished their conversation, they knocked on the door and let themselves in. They found the boys, sitting on the bed, Titus lay at their feet and Robbie held Iago, Damian's cat, in his lap. "Hey, can we come in?" asked Dick. "Yeah, we're ok, just, you know..." said Colin. "Yeah," said Dick, "Robbie, how are you holding up?" "He's gone, Dick," Robbie sniffled. "I know, I feel it in ways that I didn't even think possible," Dick sighed, Damian's death pained him in ways he could scarcely comprehend. "You have to do something for me," said Robbie. "I'll do anything I can, just tell me what you need," said Dick. "I need to be your new Robin," said Robbie. "Guys, could you excuse us please?" said Dick, while he absentmindedly patted Titus on the back. "Sure," said Colin, "Robbie, we'll be right downstairs, ok?" "Yeah, go ahead," said Robbie. Colin hugged him and Noah gave him a pat on the shoulder. When they walked out, Dick and Tim took their places, sitting next to Robbie on the bed. "You're not trained for this," said Tim. "Damian was teaching me things before he...he was teaching me things, you could pick up where he left off, but I have to be the new Robin," said Robbie. "Why?" asked Tim. "Damian was my boyfriend, he would have been my husband one day, he was my family, you guys are my family, I have to take up his place, I have to honor him," said Robbie, "I won't take no for an answer." "It's not up to me, I'm done with Batman for a while, maybe for good," Dick sighed. "What? Why, you can't give up, not now!" said Robbie. "What happened to Damian was my fault, I should never have let him get on that chopper," said Dick. "It wasn't your fault, this is the Joker's fault, not yours," said Robbie. "The Joker is the Joker, I can't blame him for this, yes he planted the bomb but he's not the one who let a 15 year old boy try to disarm it," said Dick. "Damian wasn't just some boy, he was better trained then men twice his age," said Robbie, his tone suggesting he was insulted on Damian's behalf. "Be that as it may, he was my soldier, my partner, my little brother...my responsibility, and I failed him," said Dick. "Dick, no, there has to be a Batman, if you give up then Damian's death mean's nothing, you can't, you just can't," Robbie pleaded. "As long as there is a Wayne in Gotham, there will be a Batman to protect the people," said Dick. "But..." Robbie began. "Tim is going to take over," Dick explained. "Of Course, Timothy Drake-Wayne, Tim you have to let me help you, I'm begging you, please," Robbie pleaded. Dick and Tim traded a look, Dick let out a sigh and nodded his head. "Training starts tomorrow at 6:00am," said Tim. "I'll be ready, I won't let you down," said Robbie, "you won't regret this." Two years later... Fussen lies in Southern Bavaria, at the base of the Alps, near the Swiss border. The area was originally settled by the Romans, along the Via Claudia Augusta, the main road to northern Italy. It was a powerful trading post at one time and was once the regional capital of the Roman Province of Raetia. Today, Fussen is a quiet town of 15, 000, and its tranquil setting was exactly what Robbie needed. Life in Gotham City had become too complicated, to stressful, he needed time away, time to reflect and find inner peace. The Wayne Family had been providing financial support to the Benedictine Monastery of St. Mang, for generations; as a result, the monks were only too happy to welcome Robbie as their guest. Robbie felt at ease among the monks, who spent their time in quiet prayer and service to God, leaving him alone with his thoughts. The last two year's hadn't been easy for Robbie; there was the horror of Damian's death, the stress that came from being Robin, followed by his total nervous breakdown and institutionalization. It had taken months for Robbie to begin to feel like himself again, now he just needed to take life slowly. That didn't mean he wanted to completely withdraw from people, in fact, one of the simple pleasures he enjoyed was leaving the monastery, from time to time, and wandering the streets of the ancient town, that's when he first discovered Kurcafe. The quiet coffee shop became one of his regular haunts, he'd sit there for hours, just drinking coffee and watching the people who passed by. It was a cold, overcast day in March, Robbie had a table by the café's fireplace and was thumbing through the latest Der Spiegel, when a black Mercedes pulled up out front. He didn't take much notice of the car at first, a Mercedes in Germany is about as common as a Ford back home, what caught his eye was the two men who stepped out. They wore dark suits under their black overcoats and carefully scanned the street for danger, before opening the passenger door for a teenage boy. The boy wore jeans and a black toggle coat over his t-shirt and hoodie, but it wasn't his clothes that were making Robbie's hands tremble, it was his piercing blue eyes and raven hair. Robbie watched the boy step to the counter, he was taller and broader but the hair, the eyes, the facial features...no, it can't be, thought Robbie as his eyes screwed shut and he tried to force the image from his mind. "Bringen sie eine heisse schokolade, bitte," the boy ordered. "Javol mein herr, hier, ist dein, schokolade," replied the perky waitress. Robbie heard the boy take a sip of his hot chocolate, he let out a little giggle and then he thanked the waitress. That giggle sent a chill up Robbie's spine, Damian had never had hot chocolate before coming to Gotham City, he always giggled after the first sip. It was one of those little quirks that always stood out to Robbie, the innocent little things that made Damian so cute. "Danke, schonen tag noch," said the boy, then the bell over the door tinkled and he was gone. That face, that voice, Damian, it can't be Damian, Robbie told himself. It was a full minute after the boy left before Robbie could open his eyes. He hadn't seen Damian in months, his psychiatrist had assured him, he was past that now, but there he'd stood, right there in the Kurcafe! Robbie told himself it had just been a daydream; that his mind had started to wander, but still, he had to know. "Excuse me," said Robbie, as he approached the counter. "Yes, how can I help you?" smiled the waitress. "I'm sorry to bother you, but that boy you waited on a moment ago..." said Robbie. "Yes?" asked the waitress. "The one with the black hair and blue eyes," said Robbie. "Yes?" asked the waitress, wondering what this could be about. It was real, she'd seen him too, or at least she'd seen a boy that fit the description. "Did he happen to give you his name?" asked Robbie. "I'm sorry but no," said the waitress, "I think he's British, from his accent, or perhaps American like you, it's hard for me to tell with the English speakers." Leave it to the meticulous nature of a German to notice a foreigner's accent, even when he'd spoken the native tongue perfectly. "Oh, well, thank you," Robbie sighed. "He comes in every day, I should ask him sometime," said the waitress. "Really, everyday?" asked Robbie. "Oh yes, he's a very good customer, is he a friend of yours, would you like to leave your name and number? I would be happy to pass it along," the waitress offered. "No, that's alright, I just thought he was someone I knew, but it's probably my imagination, thank you though," Robbie replied. Robbie grabbed his coat and tore out of the café, he didn't stop until he was back at the monastery and safe in his room. He lay down on his bed and closed his eyes, willing the image of the boy in the café to leave his mind. It's not him, Damian is dead, you just saw a boy that looked like him, that's all, that's going to happen sometimes, you can't let it get to you, Robbie told himself. What about the bodyguards, and that giggle, wasn't that cute, said a small voice in the back of Robbie's mind. It can't be, it just...it can't be. Damian's death had hit Robbie harder than even the death of his father. Damian was so young, yes; it was dangerous being Robin but Robbie had always thought of Damian as invincible. The loss of his best friend and lover; left a huge void in Robbie's heart but he'd filled that hole with dedication, he focused on his training and learned everything Tim had to teach him. Everything was going fine until he donned the Robin uniform and accompanied Batman on patrol, for the first time. They'd only been out of the cave for an hour, when there was trouble at the Gotham City Museum of Natural History; someone was trying to steal the museum's collection of rare gem stones. Batman and Robin swung to the roof of the museum, it was easy for Robbie now, and watched through a skylight as the thieves loaded the precious stones into their bags. Batman crashed through the skylight, Robin was supposed to be right behind him but he froze. There were more of them then they had thought and Robin watched as Batman fought eight men on his own. It wasn't that Robbie didn't want to help, fear had taken over and his feet simply wouldn't move. That's when he saw Damian. "If you're just going to stand there, he's going to get hurt," said Damian. Robbie looked up and saw him sitting on an air conditioning unit; he was wearing jeans and sneakers, with a red hoodie, Robin's R, in yellow on a field of black, over the left chest. The clothes were so quintessentially Damian that Robbie had often teased him about it being his "casual" uniform. "Damian..." said Robbie, his jaw hanging open, "you're..." "Dead, yes, one does tend to remember ones death," Damian smirked. "D-did it hurt when you..." Robbie started. "We really don't have time to discuss that now, you're wearing my uniform, I assume you know that means you should be down there, helping him," said Damian, looking down into the museum. "He's Batman, he doesn't need me," said Robbie, looking at his feet. "He's Drake in a Batman uniform, I admit, a competent fighter but he's not father, he's not Grayson, he's a boy in a costume and he is going to be hurt if you don't help him," said Damian, "you're his partner, it's your job." "I don't know what to do," said Robbie. "You've been trained, or you wouldn't be here now," Damian reminded him. "I'm scared," Robbie admitted. "I'll help you," said Damian. "O-ok, what do I do?" asked Robbie. "Well, that big one is a problem," said Damian, pointing at a thief, "you need to jump on his back, he'll try to shake you off, when he does, jam your thumbs in his eyes as hard as you can and he'll be blinded, combat ineffective. I'll see you down there." Damian vanished but Robbie saw him reappear on the museum floor, where he waved. Robbie took a deep breath and jumped, landing right on the back of the largest thief. It was just like Damian said, the man tried to shake him off, Robbie jammed his thumbs in the man's eyes and blinded, he ran straight into a wall, knocking himself unconscious. "Son of a bitch, it worked," said Robbie. "No time to celebrate," said Damian, "there's one coming up behind you, kick your leg back...now!" Robbie felt his foot connect and heard his attacker let out a loud groan, before he turned around. "Wow, you got him right in the balls, that had to hurt," Damian giggled, "hit him with a right hook now, that will put him out for the night." Robbie did as instructed and sure enough, he connected with the man's jaw, his eyes fluttered and he collapsed in a heap against the hardwood floor. Damian coached him through two more encounters, Batman wrapped up the rest and before they knew it, they stood over a mound of bodies. "I'm glad you showed up when you did," Batman panted. "I was picking my moment," said Robbie. He saw Damian cover his mouth to stifle his laughter, as if Tim would hear him. He was smiling, Batman was about to say something but then they heard police siren's in the distance. "That's our cue," said Robbie. "Yeah," Batman agreed, "let's go home Robin, we've earned our pay tonight." After that night, Damian appeared to Robbie, every time he went on patrol. As time went by, Damian stopped giving advice and usually sat back to enjoy the show. Eventually, Robbie started to see Damian all the time, Colin and Noah noticed something was strange about their friend, but couldn't quite put their finger on it. Robbie would sit there and occasionally look off into space as though he were communicating with someone who wasn't there. Robbie grew more and more isolated, he neglected his friends and spent his time alone, with Titus and Iago, Robbie was sure that Damian's pet's saw him too. On the anniversary of Damian's death, Robbie found himself in Dent Square, he was in a police communications van with Barbara Gordon and some GCPD officers, while Batman patrolled the rooftops. No one had seen the Joker since the night his bomb killed Damian, that didn't mean Batman and the police weren't suspecting a repeat performance. Robbie was particularly unhinged that night, Barbara couldn't help but notice that he seemed to be laughing at jokes no one else heard, and muttering to himself as though in deep conversation. "Robin, I know this is an important day for you, are you feeling alright?" asked Barbara. "Never better Bab's, never better," said Robin, he leaned back in his chair and put his boots up on the console. "Are you sure, you don't have to be here you know," said Barbara. "Of course I do..." Robin began, then he saw something on the monitor and tore out of the van. "Robin, where are you going?" Barbara shouted after him, but he didn't respond, "Gordon to Batman, do you copy?" "This is Batman, go ahead." "Robin just took off, I don't know what set him off or where he's going," said Barbara. "Thanks, I'll go after him," said Batman. Robbie saw the Joker on the monitor, he was wearing a trench coat and fedora on a 100 degree day, he stood out like a sore thumb. Robbie found him on the street and must have disrupted his plans because he fled the moment he saw Robin. Robbie gave chase, they weaved through the crowd but the Joker couldn't shake him. Eventually the Joker made a mistake and turned down a dead end alley. "End of the line, Joker," said Robbie. "Another Robin? What does the Bat do, buy you guys in bulk?" asked the Joker, with a laugh. "You killed the last Robin, he was my friend," said Robbie. "Awwww, isn't that sweet, but you can't blame me, I never invited him to play with my toy's," the Joker giggled. "Just waste him already," said Damian, as he appeared at the Joker's side. Robbie reached under his cape and pulled a pistol from his utility belt. "Hey, you don't use guns, those are for big boys," said the Joker. "Do it Robbie, he killed me," said Damian. Robbie started walking towards the Joker, his arm extended, gun in hand. "Hey, now this isn't funny, when the Bat gets here, you are so grounded," the Joker laughed. "Do it now," said Damian. Robbie pulled the trigger, the bullet struck the Joker in the throat, he fell to his knees and clutched at the wound, blood poured over his hands. Finally, someone had wiped the smile from the Joker's face. "Not so funny now, is it mother fucker," Damian swore, and kicked his ghostly foot into the clown's side. Robbie stood still, his arm came down and he dropped the gun. "Ugh, finally! Now I can get some rest, I'm glad it was you Robbie, I was so afraid I'd owe Todd for avenging me, thank you," said Damian, then he hugged his boyfriend, in that moment, it was as if they became one. Batman heard the gunshot and raced to the scene. When he reached the alley, he found Robin, sitting next to the Joker's body, his hands folded in his lap. "Robbie, are you ok?" asked Batman, as he took off his cowl and knelt by the boy. "Robbie?" said Robin, giving Batman a puzzled look, "my name's Damian." Robbie spent the next six months in Arkham Asylum, undergoing every treatment the psychiatrists could conceive of. When medication and psychoanalysis had no effect, they tried hypnosis. Hypnosis brought Robbie back because he didn't have Damian's memories to fall back on, but every time he woke up, he still claimed to be Damian. It was finally shock therapy that snapped him out of his fragile mental state, enough for the medication and therapy to work. When he was released from the hospital, he tried to return to his life at Wayne Manor and at Gotham Prep, but watching Batman take to the streets every night, brought back to many painful memories. That's when Dick made arrangements for Robbie to be a guest in Fussen. Dick was Robbie's legal guardian and cared as much for him as he had Damian and Tim, it pained him to see his young ward struggling and he hoped the time in the German countryside would bring him the peace he needed. Robbie lay on his bed, thinking about the last year of his life, he didn't want to go back to that place, where he lost himself in his grief and became his dead lover. It took all the strength he had to let Damian go, he thought he was finally passed his tragic death, and now this. But, Robbie returned to a simple fact, in the past, when he saw Damian, he appeared has Robbie last saw him, as a 15 year old boy, today, in the café, he'd seen an older Damian. He'd be 17 now, he'd grown, filled out more and that waitress had seen him too. Robbie knew that the only way he would purge his mind of this apparition, was to return to the café and see this mysterious boy for who he really was, he couldn't really be Damian, it just wasn't possible. The next day, Robbie arrived at the Kurcafe an hour early. He drank tea, rather than coffee, but his foot still tapped nervously under the table. When the black Mercedes arrived and the boy got out, Robbie watched him closely, instead of closing his eyes. He hoped he would see clearly, this boy couldn't be Damian Wayne, but he was. Robbie was sure of it, the face, the eyes, there was no mistaking it. Robbie waited for the boy to order his hot chocolate and when his bodyguards turned to look the other direction; he raised his iPhone and shot several frames. When the boy was gone, Robbie attached the best picture to a text message and sent it to Tim Drake, back in Gotham City: "Tell me I'm not seeing this." The phone rang less than a minute later. "Robbie, oh my God," Tim exclaimed. "You see it too?" asked Robbie. "It's him, it's Damian," said Tim. "I thought I was losing it again, but it is him, I just don't understand how that can be," said Robbie. "Where are you, where did you take this?" asked Tim. "I'm in Fussen, he stumbled into the café I frequent, yesterday. The waitress says he's a regular, so I came back today and got the picture," said Robbie. "Robbie, there is something I have to do but I am getting on a plane and coming to you as soon as possible, I don't want you to do anything else until I get there, ok?" asked Tim. "It's him, Tim, I have to..." Robbie began. "Robbie, please, I'll be there by tomorrow evening, please hold off until I get there," said Tim. "Alright, but hurry," Robbie reluctantly agreed. When the call ended, Tim called his pilot and made arrangements for the flight to Germany, first thing the next morning. He wanted to leave immediately but there was something he needed to do and he would have to wait until the cover of darkness. Tim wouldn't have believed Robbie without the picture, it was Damian, but it couldn't be. Damian was lying in his grave, on the back of the property, or was he? Tim didn't tell anyone, not Connor, not Dick, not anyone, about his conversation with Robbie, about the picture or the gruesome task that awaited him that night. He ate dinner, in town, with Connor that night and when they returned to Wayne Manor, Alfred and Dick had already turned in. Connor stated that he was going upstairs to work on a paper for his Lit Class and that's when Tim decided to make his move. He grabbed a flashlight and shovel, from the tool shed, and headed to the graveyard. Tim stood in front of Damian's grave for a long time, he didn't want to do this but he had to be sure. He stuck his shovel into the ground and then felt something heavy land on his shoulder, the animal hissed and scratched, then ran off in a flash of orange. "Jesus, Iago, you damn near gave me a heart attack," Tim swore, "leave it to Damian's cat." When Tim's heartbeat returned to normal, he continued with his task. It took him an hour of shoveling before he hit something solid. Tim brushed the dirt from the coffin's lid, than had a moment of pause. "I have to do this; I have to know," Tim told the darkness, "God forgive me." He opened the coffin and there he was, Damian's body was perfectly preserved. His skin was gray, but other than that, he might have been sleeping. "I'm sorry Dami, I'm so sorry," said Tim, before he resealed the casket and replaced the dirt that covered it. Damian's body was in his grave where it belonged, that just left the question of who was this person in Germany? The resemblance couldn't be a coincidence; it was too close for that. This boy didn't look kind of like Damian, he looked exactly like him. Tim didn't sleep much that night; his mind was occupied by to many questions. When morning came, he left before the rest of the household woke and headed for the airport. Robbie wanted to follow Tim's instructions, and wait for him, but he couldn't. He needed to see Damian again and he thought getting more information would help he and Tim figure out what was going on. Fussen was as picturesque as the rest of Bavaria, Dick had given Robbie an expensive camera as a going away present, he loaded it into his backpack, than headed into town. He found a rental car agency, picked up a Volkswagen and parked a block from the café. When Damian's car arrived, Robbie snapped several frames, making sure to get the license plate; he then took several pictures of Damian himself. He didn't have any of his equipment with him but he hoped Tim would bring along his laptop, loaded with facial recognition software. One area of tradecraft that Robbie had truly excelled at, during his tenure as Robin, was surveillance. When Damian emerged from the café, hot chocolate in hand, and got into his car, Robbie followed. He was a regular at Kurcafe, he must live close, Robbie reasoned, knowing where could only help when Tim arrived. Robbie kept his distance, so as not to rouse the suspicion of Damian's bodyguards, but he followed the Mercedes into the hills around the city. The winding road led to Schloss Hohenschwangau, the complicated German name for High Swan Palace. Robbie watched as the Mercedes disappeared behind the palace walls. He'd studied the local attractions before coming to Fussen and knew that the palace had once been a tourist attraction, the home of King Ludwig II of Bavaria, but had been sold to a private interest in the early nineties. Robbie climbed up into the hills overlooking the palace and started snapping pictures, the walls were guarded be at least 20 armed men and then he saw someone familiar step into the courtyard. Talia al Ghul was just as beautiful as ever but the sight of her turned Robbie's stomach. She was joined by Jason Todd and a boy Robbie recognized as Terry McGinnis. Damian had never been the same after failing to save Terry from Jason and his mother; he couldn't understand why Damian would be with them now. He snapped some close up photos of the three, then repacked his camera, the nearest airfield was in Munich and it would take him at least an hour to get there, he had to leave now if he was going to meet Tim. Robbie wasn't cleared to drive out onto the tarmac so he had to wait until Tim walked out of the private terminal. He honked when he spotted Tim, noting that he looked a lot older than his 19 years, the rigors of being Batman, Robbie assumed. "Did you bring your laptop?" asked Robbie, as he drove off. "Yeah, got it here," said Tim, holding up his briefcase. Robbie had left most of his gadgets in Gotham City, his phone didn't even have his patented facial recognition application, he'd meant to get away from all that. Robbie jacked knife the car, as he pulled into the first open parking lot he saw. "Jesus, you don't have to kill us," said Tim, "what do you need the computer for?" "I want to run a picture through my facial recognition software, you still have it on here, right?" asked Robbie, as he pulled the laptop from Tim's hands. "Yes, I tried that on the plane, the quality of the picture you sent me wasn't high resolution enough, the program just kept running," Tim explained. "I want to run a picture I took this afternoon," said Robbie, he had his camera out now and was hooking it up to the computer. "I thought I asked you to hold off until I got here?" said Tim. "You did," Robbie nodded, as the close up of Damian's face popped onto the screen. "My God, it really is him," said Tim. "We'll see in a moment," said Robbie, as he ran the application. "Analyzing..." said the computer, "Damian Wayne, also known as Robin, status, deceased." "I knew it," said Robbie. "I don't know how this is possible," said Tim, but he couldn't bring himself to tell Robbie that he'd violated Damian's grave and seen his body, he couldn't tell anyone, that secret would go with him to his own grave. "So, uh, after I took this, I followed his car," said Robbie. "Robbie..." Tim growled. "I know, I'm sorry but I couldn't just sit around and wait," said Robbie. "Ok, I understand," said Tim, "what did you find?" "I tracked him here" said Robbie, as he brought up the picture of High Swan Palace. "Great, a fortress," said Tim. "Yeah, look, I counted twenty guards and that's just around the perimeter," said Robbie, as he cycled through photos of the various guards. "Those look like Shadowmen to you?" asked Tim. "Yes, I thought so too, my suspicions were confirmed when I took these," said Robbie, as he ran through the pictures of Talia, Jason and Terry. "Talia, Jason and isn't that the boy they kidnapped, the one Damian was so messed up about?" asked Tim. "Terry McGinnis, yeah, the gang's all here," said Robbie. "Ok, our best bet is to take him when he goes back to the coffee shop," Tim announced, "you said he comes with two bodyguards, shouldn't be a problem for us." "I would agree but the café is always crowded," said Robbie, "there could be collateral damage." "You want to infiltrate the castle?" asked Tim. "It wouldn't be that hard, it used to be a tourist attraction, I bet the plans are online," said Robbie. "Ok, we need to sit down and map this out, can we go back to your place?" asked Tim. "I don't want to bring the monks into this, they've been good to me, let's get a hotel room," said Robbie. They got themselves a room and sure enough, Robbie was able to locate the blueprints for High Swan Palace. "Glad to see you haven't lost your touch," said Tim, clapping him on the back. "Thanks, looks like the north wall is the best place for a breach, we'll have to scale the cliff first, but there will only be one guard waiting for us at the top," said Robbie. Tim agreed, they went over their plan and then changed into black yoroi's that Tim brought along for the purpose. This was a better disguise then either the Batman or Robin uniforms, this way, they would blend in with the Shadowmen guarding the palace and that would hopefully buy them some time if they encountered any serious resistance. It was almost 10:00pm when they arrived at the base of the cliff that lead up to the sheer north wall of the palace. The plan was simple, they'd breach the wall, subdue the guard, then use their covert attire to infiltrate the building and locate Damian. If everything went according to plan, they would be aboard Tim's jet, bound for Gotham City, before Talia knew they were there. The cliff was steep, almost a completely vertical climb, but that was no problem for the erstwhile Batman and Robin. Robbie was right behind Tim when he climbed over the wall and snuck up behind the unsuspecting guard. Tim jabbed the guard in a pressure point, under his jaw, and dropped him to the floor, he slung the guards M-4 over his shoulder, than he and Robbie hid the body. They sought cover in the shadows but discovered that the interior of the palace was lightly guarded. They made their way from room to room until they entered the kitchen and found their target pouring a glass of milk. The room was dark; the only light coming from the open refrigerator, when Damian closed the door, Robbie flipped the light switch. "Drake, Robbie!" Damian exclaimed, their sudden appearance startled him and he dropped his glass, shattering it against the tile floor. "My God," said Robbie, "it really is you." The reunion was briefly interrupted when Terry McGinnis walked through the swinging door that led into the next room. "Damian, are you alright, I heard..." Terry, started, but came up short when he saw they had company, "Oh, hello, who are you?" "Terry, wait for me in your room," said Damian. "But..." Terry started. "Now please," Damian commanded. "Alright," Terry pouted. "I'll be right there," said Damian, "and Terry?" "Yeah?" "Not a word to my mother or your father, ok?" asked Damian. "Ok, but don't be long," said Terry, then he headed back the way he came." "It is you, it really is you," said Robbie, as he walked over and put his arms around Damian, then he got upset, "you bastard, you horrible son of a bitch, all this time you've been alive, do you know the hell I've been through!" "I'm sorry," said Damian. "You're sorry, that's it? You're sorry?" Robbie demanded, but Tim cut him off. "How is this possible, I saw you die, I saw them bury you, who is in your grave if you're here?" Tim demanded. "It's me Drake, I'm Damian and that is my body in Gotham City," said Damian. "Can you explain this, is it safe here, what about that kid?" asked Tim. "I can tell you what I know, we're fine here, mother and Todd are in bed, the Shadowmen have their own kitchen in the servants quarters, and you don't have to worry about Terry, he'll do as I asked," said Damian. "Ok, then tell me how you can be buried in Gotham but standing here in front of me, tell me how that's possible," said Tim. "I'm a clone," said Damian, there was sadness in his voice. "What?" asked Robbie. "All my life, my consciousness, everything that makes me, me, every memory, every emotion has been recorded and stored on a computer," said Damian. "But how..." Robbie began. "I don't know, I don't know how it works, I can't control it, can't turn it on and off, but it's happening as we speak. They began the cloning experiment when I was born, I guess mother knew what my life would be like and she wanted a spare in case something happened. The clone was kept in a gestation tube, growing along at the same pace as me, when I died, they transferred my consciousness into my new body," said Damian. "You remember everything?" asked Robbie. "Robbie, I even remember dying," Damian sighed. "So you remember me and everything about, you know, us?" asked Robbie. "What do you think has kept me going all this time? Of course I remember you," said Damian, as he reached for Robbie and hugged him, "it feels so good to do this, I didn't think I'd ever see you again." "Why didn't you come back to us, I hurt so much, so did Dick and Tim, Alfred, all your friends. I lost my mind over you," said Robbie. "I wanted to come back but I had to protect you, all of you..." Damian began. Damian woke from his not so eternal slumber, two months after the day he died. It took time for his mind and body to function together, in that time, he was weak but he grew stronger every day. He thought of Robbie the moment he opened his eyes, his name was the first word that crossed Damian's new born lips. A month after he'd woken, he was strong enough to venture into the city with Jason, Terry and a contingent of Shadowmen. It was in London's King's Cross Station that Damian made his move. They'd come to the city by train, to rendezvous with Talia and as they prepared to meet their driver, Damian took advantage of Jason and the Shadowmens distraction. They were walking alongside a London Underground train and as it prepared to depart, Damian hip checked Terry though the door, following him just before the door's closed. When Damian turned back to the platform, Jason was pounding on the train, but they'd already started to move. "Damian, what happened, my dad..." Terry started, in a panic. "I'm sorry Terry, I tripped and the next thing I knew, the train started moving," said Damian. He couldn't tell Terry the truth, it was too risky but Damian wasn't going to leave without him either. Damian had failed Terry when he allowed Jason to escape with him, he didn't know what they'd done to the boy but he seemed to be completely oblivious to everything that was going on around him. That was a dangerous position to be in, given the company he was keeping, Damian couldn't just leave without rescuing Terry. He didn't have any money, he didn't have a fully formulated plan, but Damian knew that if he could just put some distance between himself and his mother's henchmen, he could get to a phone and contact Grayson for help. Damian decided to get off the train at the next tube station and double back, hoping to throw his pursuers off the trail, everything unraveled when he stepped on to the platform and came face to face with Jason. Jason and the Shadowmen had met up with their driver and raced ahead to the next station, they'd arrived before the boys. "Hello Damian, going somewhere?" asked Jason. "Uh..." Damian spluttered. Normally he would have at least offered a smart remark, but that part of his mind was still getting comfortable with its new surroundings. "He tripped, Dad," said Terry, "we were going to get off the train but then it left the station." Jason didn't believe it, he cared for Damian but he didn't trust him. He also didn't want to show anger in front of Terry; he opted to let Talia deal with her wayward son, when they met at the hotel that afternoon. "That's ok, are you alright Terry?" asked Jason. "Sure dad, no harm no foul," said Terry. "Good," Jason smiled, "let's get on with the rest of our day, shall we?" "Great," Terry smiled. "Uh, yeah, ok," said Damian. Jason put his arm around Terry's shoulder, than surprised Damian by taking him under the other arm. "You stay right next to me," Jason whispered in Damian's ear. The rest of the day went as planned, when they reached Talia's luxury suite at the Savoy, Jason sent Terry to his room but directed Damian to the library. Damian took a seat and heard Jason and his mother's muffled voices through the door but couldn't make out what they were saying. He expected Talia to be angry with him when she finally entered, but she caught him off guard when she kissed the top of his head and sat in the chair across from him. "Did you have a good day, my darling?" asked Talia. "Yes mother," Damian lied. "I understand there was some trouble with the Underground," said Talia. "I just tripped, I'm still getting used to this body, I guess. Tell Todd to cut me some slack, he's been dead before, he should appreciate what this is like," said Damian. "Damian, Damian, Damian, my darling boy, surely you don't take me for a fool," Talia smiled sweetly. "No mother, of course not," said Damian, that wasn't even a lie, he knew she wasn't stupid. "Then why this fairytale about tripping?" asked Talia. "Mother, I..." he began. "You were trying to go back to Gotham City, you thought you'd take Terry with you," said Talia, it was more of a statement then a question. "No, I swear I wasn't, you, you brought me back to life, I'd never leave you," said Damian. "I see," said Talia, as she contemplated him for a moment, "Damian, do you know what would happen if say, you ditched your bodyguards and decided not to come home one day?" "I have a general idea," he nodded. "Well let me paint a clear picture for you. First, I would have my operatives in Gotham City dismember your little friend, dear, sweet Robbie. Then one by one, they would pay a visit to Richard, Timothy, Alfred and what's the name of that friend of yours, the red headed boy?" asked Talia. "Colin," Damian croaked. "Ah yes, we mustn't forget Colin and that delightful dog of yours," said Talia, the smile never left her face. "They haven't done anything, you'd really kill them just to keep me here?" asked Damian, his voice horse. "Without hesitation my darling, don't you see how much you mean to mommy?" she asked. "Why, why would you go to such lengths?" asked Damian, didn't she have any heart at all? "Because Dami, I've wasted too much time with your adventures in Gotham City, I have too much invested in you to simply let you go. In time, you will see that I have always had your best interests at heart," said Talia. "Yes mother," he sighed. "Does that mean we have an understanding?" "Yes mother." "Mommy," Talia corrected. "Yes mommy," Damian submitted. "Excellent, my darling, why don't you go wash up for dinner and we'll pretend this little incident never took place," said Talia. "As you wish," Damian nodded. "So you see, I couldn't just leave, I had to protect you, all of you," said Damian, back in the kitchen at High Swan Palace. "That wasn't your choice to make, we could have fought her, we would have done it together," said Tim. "I know, but there wasn't just you guys to think of, I had to look out for Terry," said Damian. "Why, what's so important about him, what's with you and that kid?" asked Robbie. "They have him completely brainwashed. He actually believes his name is Terry Todd, that Jason is his father, he thinks mother is his dead mother's sister and that I'm his cousin, one big happy family. They're training him but he thinks it's all just some kind of game, he's totally oblivious to what's really going on," Damian explained. "What IS going on?" asked Tim. "I don't know, obviously mother doesn't share her plans with me but you know her, whatever it is, it's bound to be dangerous for Terry, she could ask him to jump off a bridge for her and all he would say is "yes, Aunt Talia," said Damian. "What about all the Shadowmen running around here, isn't that some kind of hint, doesn't he see that?" asked Robbie. "Ah, you mean mother's "friends," they're here to protect us of course, after all, his mother was killed by his father's enemies," said Damian, "he's just as much a prisoner here as I am, the only difference is he doesn't know it." "Have you ever tried explaining things to him?" asked Tim. "Of course, when he told me that fairytale about his mother, I tried to ask him who these supposed enemies were, he just froze up, it was almost like a seizure. I didn't see him for three days after that, God knows what mother did to him," said Damian. "If he believes all this stuff, how do we get him out of here?" asked Tim. "Did you see how he went back to his room when I told him to?" asked Damian. "Yes." "He worships me, he's been the only real family I've had since I woke up, I look out for Terry and he trusts me," said Damian. "Ok then, how do we get the two of you out of here?" asked Robbie. "I can get him out of the palace, I'm not watched that closely here because even if I did escape, we're still twenty miles from the nearest town, the forest is more of a prison then the walls are," said Damian, "I assume you have a car?" "It's parked at the base of the cliff, we came in via the north wall," said Tim. "There is a passageway that leads to a concealed entrance in the south wall, I can get out that way, you could meet me there," said Damian. "What about Terry, what will you tell him?" asked Robbie. "Leave that to me, I can get him out of the palace but he might panic when we try to get him in the car. I don't want him hurt, do you have anything we can knock him out with?" asked Damian. "I brought this," said Tim, pulling a syringe from his pocket, "we didn't know if you would cooperate with us, I thought we might have to take you by force. He'll take a nice long nap." "Once we're away from here, it'll only be a matter of time before someone notices we're missing, we'll have to get out of Germany immediately, we can't go back to town, there are more Shadowmen there," said Damian. "Any idea how many?" asked Robbie. "No, but I know they are there, mother would never let me go to that café with just two of them watching me," said Damian. "It doesn't matter," said Tim, "I've got a jet waiting in Munich, we can go straight to the airport." "Very well then, it would be best for you to leave the way you came, I'll get Terry and meet you at the base of the south wall in 30 minutes," said Damian. "Alright," Tim agreed. "Be careful, ok?" said Robbie, "I don't want to lose you again." "For what it's worth Robbie, I've never stopped loving you, I'll make this up to you, I swear it," said Damian. "We can talk about that later, but I never stopped loving you either," said Robbie. Damian watched Tim and Robbie leave, then he quickly cleaned up the spilled milk and broken glass, if anyone stumbled into the kitchen and found the mess, it would be a dead giveaway that something was wrong. With that done, Damian made his way back upstairs and into Terry's room. "Hey," Damian greeted. "Damian, what's going on, who were those guys?" asked Terry, he'd been worried about his "cousin." "They're friends of mine," said Damian, "you remember when we first met and you asked where I came from, my mother told you I'd been living with my father?" "Sure, that was such a great day, I was so happy to have my cousin come live with us," Terry smiled, much as he loved Jason and Talia, it was lonely before Damian arrived. "Right, well, Tim and Robbie are friends from back home, they're only going to be in Germany for the night and they wanted to hang out with me," Damian explained. "Oh," said Terry, looking dejectedly at his feet. "Hey, don't look so sad, you're coming too," Damian smiled reassuringly. It must have been the effects of the brainwashing, Terry wasn't stupid by any means, he could be lethally cunning, but Damian had discovered long ago that Terry could also be manipulated as easily as a child. "Ok!" said Terry, excitedly, "I'll just ask my dad." "No Terry, you can't do that, this has to be our secret," said Damian. "But Dami, we'll get in trouble, you know we're not supposed to leave the house alone, it's dangerous," said Terry. "I'd never take you anywhere without protection, some of my mother's friends will come with us, of course," said Damian. "Ok, this will be fun," said Terry. "Right, well, it's cold outside, get your coat and let's get going," said Damian. Damian led Terry into the secret passage that would take them out of the palace. He talked incessantly, he'd never been outside without Jason before, Damian had to hush him a few times, least someone hear them and raise the alarm. When they finally reached the exit, Damian found Robbie and Tim waiting next to their rental car. "Hurry up, let's get going," said Tim. Damian started towards the car but Terry stopped in his tracks. "Come on Terry, we have to go now," said Damian. "But where are Aunt Talia's friends, you said they'd meet us here" said Terry. "They're going to come in another car, now come on," said Damian. "I don't see any other car," Terry objected. "We haven't got time for this, move it," said Robbie, as he grabbed Terry's arm and yanked him towards the car. "Robbie, don't!" Damian exclaimed. "Let me go!" Terry shouted. "Terry, quiet," Damian admonished. "Get in the car," Robbie demanded. Terry, remembering his training, kicked Robbie in the chest, sending him tumbling backwards. The sound of the commotion, and Terry's shout, roused the guards and a floodlight came on, illuminating them against the snow. "HALT! Bleib wo du bist!" shouted one of the Shadowmen. STOP! Stay where you are!" "Drake, get him out of here," said Damian, as he pushed Terry towards Tim. "HELP, they're trying to take us!" Terry shouted. The guards opened fire and Robbie jumped to his feet, Tim was shoving Terry into the back seat but Damian stood still, unmoving. "Damian, come on!" Robbie shouted. But he didn't move, blood started to trickle from the corner of his mouth, then he dropped to his knees and fell over. "DAMIAN!" Robbie shouted, as he woke with a start, he was panting for breath and his body was slick with cold sweat. He heard Damian murmur in his sleep, he turned the light on and looked at the other side of the bed where his boyfriend rested peacefully. "Take a breath for me, please, come on, do it," said Robbie. He waited for what felt like an eternity but when Damian's lungs expanded as he took a deep breath, a sense of relief greater than he had ever known, washed over Robbie. He was overcome; he seized Damian in his arms and kissed him all over his face. "Robbie, what the hell," Damian groaned. "You're alive, you're alive, oh thank God," Robbie sniffled. "Of course I'm alive, and I was a sleep too, what's the matter with you?" asked Damian. "I had a dream, an awful nightmare, you were dead, it was so real," said Robbie. "You dream about me dying? Gee, that's romantic," said Damian, sarcastically. "It was so real," said Robbie, his voice trembling, causing Damian to feel bad for his flip remark. "Hey, I'm fine, I'm not dead, I'm right here with you, safe and sound," said Damian. "You said you'd train me, I want you to train me," said Robbie. "Robbie, it's 4:00am, can we talk about that in the morning?" Damian groaned. "You said you would, just promise me you will," said Robbie. "Fine, I will, now can we get some sleep?" asked Damian. "Yeah, yeah, um, would you hold me?" asked Robbie. "Of course," Damian sighed. Robbie's dream had been so vivid that he had a hard time returning to sleep. He'd been worried about Damian ever since the night they failed to rescue Terry McGinnis. Robbie had been with Damian that night, sitting behind him on the Red Bird, until Damian kicked him off and went after Jason himself. Damian ended up wrecking the motorcycle during the chase and if he hadn't been wearing his Robin uniform, he would have probably been killed or at least seriously injured. It was that kind of recklessness that scared Robbie because it was such a Damian thing to do. He knew his lover could be headstrong and overly confident in his abilities, maybe his dream was some kind of warning? Robbie wanted Damian to train him because he hoped that might prevent Damian from leaving him behind in the future. If he could defend himself, Damian might not feel that he had to protect him all the time. If he leaned how to fight, maybe, just maybe he'd be there when Damian needed him the most, when it might save his life. It had been a long time since Robbie prayed, he wasn't particularly religious, never went to church but when sleep still wouldn't come, he turned to God for relief from his fears. "Hey God, it's me, Robbie. Um, I know we don't talk much but I need you to look out for Damian. I love him so much, I've already lost my dad, I can't afford to lose him too. He's a good person, he goes out there every night and protects people he doesn't even know from the worst criminal elements in our city. Please, please, keep him safe and let us grow old together, um, thanks, "Robbie prayed, "oh yeah, um, amen!" Robbie felt a little silly, as far as he knew; prayers were about as useful as wishing before blowing out the candles on your birthday cake. Still, he couldn't help but feel a sense of calm wash over his body, maybe, if you truly love someone; God hears your pleas to keep them safe? Whatever it was, Robbie finally fell into a dreamless sleep as he rested his head against Damian's chest, the rhythmic beating of his heart was music to Robbie's ears.