Yes Virginia, He Will Live
by Vicki Napier (VNapier@aol.com)

***

Since the Gotham had been cut off from the rest of the world, Leslie's clinic had 
become one of the few places to get medical attention. But due to the shortage of
medical supplies, the place had slowed down quite a bit. Batman and Azrael
had been trying to locate more supplies, but as of yet, it had been no
dice.

The clinic 'waiting room' was empty, except for Bruce. Opening the door to the 
treatment rooms, he slowly proceeded to locate where Leslie was treating Dick. He 
glanced into several empty rooms as he made his way down the first corridor. 
Turning a corner, he saw light illuminating the hall from the room at the far end.
His pace quickened, his goal now in sight.

"Leslie?" Bruce asked hesitantly, entering the exam room. "How is he?"

"Bruce." Leslie smiled reassuringly in Bruce's direction. "Come in, Bruce. He's 
taken a nasty blow to the head, but he'll be fine."

Bruce let out a sigh of relief and hurried to Dick's side. "He looks ~so~ pale. 
Are you sure he's okay?" Bruce asked, his eyes never leaving Dick.

"He sustained a severe concussion, but there doesn't appear to be a skull 
fracture." Leslie replied, knowing that Bruce considered Dick his son and was as 
concerned for his safety as any parent would be. It didn't matter that Dick was 
constantly in danger as Nightwing. Bruce had trained him to take care of himself 
and believed in his abilities. But that did not make seeing his son, lying
unconscious, any easier for a father to bear. "He'll have one hell of a headache, 
but shouldn't suffer any long-term effects."

"Bruce, I would have thought you would have taught him better than to push a woman 
to the point that she would consider bodily harm." Leslie commented in a 
mischievous voice, trying to belay Bruce's dark mood. "I mean ~really~. This is 
not something I would expect from the son of one of the most harmless playboys 
around."

"It's a long story, Leslie." Bruce allowed a half grin to form on his lips. "Let's 
just say that when it comes to upsetting women, he knows how to do it right."

"Upset?" Leslie raised her eyebrow at Bruce's understatement. "Bruce, women get 
upset when their gorgeous, rich, hunk of a playboy escort suddenly deserts them at 
a big social shindig. For a woman to start throwing things, she's been more than
'upset'.

"Yes, I guess highly irate would be a much better description." Bruce conceded.

"Now, I won't argue with that." Leslie grinned back. "Someone serious?"

Bruce looked up at her. She had been there for him through more heartache than he 
could remember. He trusted her as much as Alfred and if there was anyone on earth 
that came close to filling his mother's shoes, it was Leslie Thompkins.

"Well, it won't be long until I'll have a grandchild to teach a few lessons." His 
eyes twinkle at her shocked expression. "Maybe I'll teach them better."

"She wasn't upset at him about being pregnant, was she?" Leslie demanded. "It 
~does~ take two, after all."

"Well," Bruce thought for a minute, "it wasn't the mother-to-be who was trying out 
her major league pitcher impersonation."

"Oh. ~OOOH!~" Leslie's raised her eyebrows as the light dawned. "That explains a 
lot. I take it the ~pitcher~ isn't overjoyed at the prospect of another woman 
having his child? Understandably, not happy."

"Doesn't appear that way, does it?" Bruce replied, his gaze returning to Dick, 
regret ringing in his voice.

"So our little Dick is going to be a father. It's hard to believe." Leslie smiled, 
fond memories flashing through her mind. "It seems like only yesterday he was just 
a little boy, with those big blue eyes, watching with amazement at the comings and 
goings at my clinic. He was so cute. So sweet. So innocent. Well, I guess he grew 
up on us, didn't he?"

"Yes, and the weird part is, I don't know when it happened." It was Bruce's turn 
to reminisce. "If you told me anyone could get to me as fast and as completely as 
that little boy did, I would have thought you were insane. But he was just...just 
so trusting. He trusted me from the very beginning--no hesitation, no doubts.
It still amazes me when I think about it. He had just been through the most 
harrowing experiences of his young life, yet when a complete stranger tries to 
help, he trusts completely. I couldn't help but love him."

Leslie studied Bruce for a moment as he continued to look at Dick. Yes, little 
Dick Grayson had managed to make a permanent place in the heart of someone who had 
sworn he would never love anyone else again. He had been an extraordinary child.
Now, he was an equally extraordinary young man.

"So, you're all right with this?" Leslie asked, giving Bruce her all to familiar 
motherly look.

"I love him. He's my son, and I'll stand behind him no matter what." Bruce 
explained. "I'll admit we've had more than a few problems in our relationship over 
the past few years, but I think we finally worked that out." Looking at Leslie, 
meaning what he was about to say with all his heart. "I want him to be happy. And, 
I realize that I can't be the one to ensure that happiness. He's a man now. But I 
can be there for him whenever he needs me."

"Thanks, Bruce." Dick's weak voice floated up. He had awakened just in time to 
hear Bruce's last statements to Leslie.

"Dick, how do you feel?" Leslie asked, taking her pen light and check in pupils. 
"That was a rather nasty blow to the head you took, young man."

"I feel like an elephant sat on my head. Just for fun." He looked at Bruce, 
confusion in his eyes. "What happened?"

"It seems Barbara didn't take the news very well," Bruce offered and gave Dick his 
famous half-grin. "Not very well at all."

"I'll leave you two to talk." Leslie headed for the door. "Don't try to get up yet 
Dick. You'll probably regret it if you do. You may even want to stay here and rest 
for the night, but if you don't, I can give you something for the pain."

"Thanks, Dr. Leslie." Dick tried to raise up on his elbows as she left the room, 
but the wave a nausea that hit him sent him reeling back down in a hurry.

"Easy, Dick." Bruce caught Dick's head before it could hit the bed and gently laid 
it down on the pillow. "You heard what she said, you need to take it easy for a 
while. In fact, staying here tonight doesn't sound like a bad idea."

"But, Bruce," Dick objected. "What about Barbara? Who hit me?" Dick's eyes 
silently pleaded with Bruce for answers. "How did I get here? And, what happened?"

"What do you remember?" Bruce asked so he would know where to begin. Also, he 
didn't have any details on what transpired before Jim burst into the apartment.

Dick thought for a moment. "I went to see Barbara after I you left. Last night?" 
he questioned, not sure about even what time it currently was.

"Yes, it was last night." Bruce informed him. "It is now around 7:30, almost 
twenty-four hours later."

"OK." Dick continued, feeling a little more together now that he at least has some 
time frame to work with. "I went to Barbara's apartment, but instead of telling 
her about the baby, I...I...I just had to know why she had ended the relationship 
we had before."

"I guess you never knew about it, huh?" Dick looked at Bruce, but Bruce avoided 
his stare. "We had...had...a relationship several years ago. It was...was...an 
intimate relationship." Dick bit his lip, knowing Bruce would be upset with him.
Taking a deep breath, he continued. "I was only sixteen."

"I know," Bruce whispered hoarsely. He was hoping he would never have to have this 
conversation with Dick. They had just got their relationship back on track, and 
this could derail it again. This time permanently.

"You know!" Dick was stunned and paused till he could recover. "I guess I 
shouldn't be that surprised. You know everything."

"Well, then I guess you know how badly that hurt me. I couldn't understand how she 
could be so in love with me one day, and just turn me away the next." Tears 
involuntarily filled his eyes as the pain flooded his thoughts. "She said I was 
'too young' and that I needed to be free to explore my many options. She said that 
she shouldn't have let it happen in the first place and that the only sensible 
thing to do was to end it immediately." The tears began to fall from his eyes. "I 
loved her. I didn't need any options, or any other such nonsense. I just don't 
know where she came up with that crap."

Bruce couldn't take it anymore. On the mistaken assumption that this was what Dick 
and Barbara had been arguing about, he knew he could not let Dick blame Barbara 
for something he had instigated. Leaving Dick's side, he moved as far from him as 
possible in the small room, and leaned heavily against the wall. Before Dick could 
ask, Bruce answered the spoken question.

"She got it from me, son," he whispered weakly. "She got that ~crap~ from me."

Bruce turned to Dick, trying desperately to hold back his own tears, but failing 
miserably. "I ~made~ her do it, son. I made her turn you away." He moved back to 
Dick's side and took Dick's hand firmly in his. "Please forgive me, Dick. I only 
did what I had to do. I did what I ~knew~ would be best for you."

"What...you...how?" Dick was speechless over Bruce's confession, not yet fully 
comprehending what Bruce was saying.

"I had to Dick, please believe me. I had to, for you." Bruce begged. "I told 
Barbara she had to break it off with you for your sake. You were so young and 
there was still so much for you to discover about yourself, and about life. She 
couldn't take you out in public on a date and you certainly couldn't take her to a 
high school dance." Bruce wanted so badly for Dick to understand. "It was the 
wrong time for both of you. I'm sorry, Dick, I'm truly sorry. I did what I did for 
your own good."

"I can't believe you!" Dick yelled, ignoring his throbbing head. "You...you...did 
this! You cost me the love of my life, and it was 'for my own good'!" Dick lunged 
at Bruce from the bed, fire in his eyes. But his body was not willing to cooperate 
with his raging mind. The dizziness and nausea swept over him with the force of a 
hurricane, Bruce barely able to catch him before he hit the floor.

But the nausea did not let go this time. Dick vomited. Again and again he retched, 
each jolt causing his head to throb harder, in turn bringing on more nausea. It 
was a viscous cycle. Bruce held Dick as his body turned on him.

Leslie had heard the yelling and then Dick's horrid retching and she rushed in to 
assist. There were not many medical supplies left, but fortunately nausea is not a 
side effect of desertion and desperation, so there was still an ample supply of 
Daktarin on hand. She quickly filled a syringe and rushing to Dick's side. After 
administering the injection, she drenched a towel in the near by sink and 
proceeded to wipe the sweat and vomit from Dick's face.

Although his stomach was long since emptied, his throbbing head continued to 
incite his stomach to spasm uncontrollably until the drug took effect. The dry 
heaves leaving him completely exhausted. While Bruce continued to hold him, Leslie 
cleaned them both off with the wet towel.

Bruce lifted Dick's limp body back onto the bed. He was very pale and had was 
barely conscious due to his weakened condition. Leslie handed Bruce a clean, wet 
towel, which he used to again wipe Dick's face. As Bruce pushed the matted hair 
from Dick's brow, his eyes were caught by Dick's stare. The pain was still there, 
but missing was the condemnation that had fueled it only moments before. Also, was 
that a hint of understanding? Did he dare hope? Dick had told him recently that 
the prospect of being a father was helping him understand what Bruce had gone 
through in raising him. Could his new found paternal instincts help him understand 
why Bruce did what he had to do?

"I loved her, Bruce." Dick could barely mouth the words. "You didn't have to 
protect me from her." Dick succumbed to his exhaustion, but not before grasping 
Bruce's hand. Sinking into the darkness of unconsciousness, he held fast to that
hand.

"What happened, Bruce?" Leslie asked after Dick lost consciousness.

"I...I upset him." Bruce said to Leslie. His next words, although said aloud, 
weren't intended for her. "God, please let him forgive me. I can't bare to lose 
him again."

Leslie put her hand on Bruce's shoulder. "Stay here with him as long as you need. 
I'll be down the hall if you need anything." She gave his shoulder a gentle 
squeeze and then left Bruce alone with his son. Bruce stood by Dick's bed side for
the rest of the night, his hand clasped firmly in Dick's grip.

***

The knock on the door awoke him from his sleep. Jim Gordon got up from the couch 
and went to the door. Looking through the peep hole, a look of recognition and 
anticipation washed across his face, and he eagerly opened the door to greet the 
early morning visitor.

"Bruce, how is he?" Jim asked hurriedly. Upon further inspection, he added, "come 
in and let me get you a cup of coffee. You look like hell."

"Thanks, Jim," Bruce replied as he accepted Jim's invitation. "Black, please."

"Bruce, is that you? Bruce, how is he?" Barbara reiterated the question, wheeling 
herself into the kitchen. She stopped next to Bruce's chair. With tear filled 
eyes, she pleaded, "Please tell me he's all right."

"He's going to be fine, Barbara. I promise." Bruce leaned over and kissed her 
forehead. "He'll be hurting for a while, but he'll be fine. I'm sorry it took so 
long for me to get here, but when Dick told me why you were upset with him, I 
couldn't let you take the blame for my actions."

Jim and Barbara stared at him, confusion emanating profusely from both of them. 
"You're actions?" Barbara questioned. Her eyes got big with amazement. "But I 
thought...Dick thought...you're not the father, are you?"

I was Bruce's turn to be shocked. "Father? What are you talking about? I 
thought...Dick said he talked to you about what happened before...between you..." 
Bruce looked at Jim and hesitated.

"He knows, Bruce." Barbara said. "I told him about the relationship Dick and I had 
when he was...was too young." Barbara lowered her eyes, blushing slightly. Quickly 
recovering, she was once again confused. "But that's not what we were arguing 
about. In fact, we had already discussed that and had decided that maybe now was 
the time to try again." Bruce stared at her, marveling at the love that glowed in 
her eyes. He saw that same look in Dick's eyes when he spoke of her. Yes, it 
appeared, now the time was right.

Bruce closed his eyes and shook his head in disbelief. "So, let me see if I've got 
this straight. Dick shows up here. You two end up in a discussion about your past 
relationship. Come to terms with that and decide to give it a go now that...that 
you're both...legal." Bruce paused to clear his throat, glancing at Jim. "Then
Dick tells you about the baby and ~thats~ when you get mad and torpedo him with a 
glass."

"Yea, that pretty much sums it up." Barbara replied, blushing this time from 
guilt. "But what did you mean by you 'couldn't let me take the blame for your 
actions'?" Anticipation and dread hung on her every word.

"I told him, Barbara." Bruce looked her straight in the face. "I told him ~I~ was 
the one who made you break off the relationship."

"And?" Barbara asked, terror rang in her voice.

"And, needless to say, he was upset. Very upset." Bruce gave her his best smile. 
"But I think we'll be all right. I think he understands, or at the very least, he 
wants to."

"Thank, God," Barbara gave a sigh of relief. "I was so frightened that if he found 
out that he...he would..."

"Ssssssh," Bruce hushed her. "I should have told him a long time ago. But what's 
important now is that he has you back in his life?" Bruce ended the statement with 
the air of a question. He had already jumped to the wrong conclusion once and 
didn't want to do so again.

"Yes, he has me, Bruce," she said smiling. "Provided he still remembers he wants 
me."

"Oh, ~he~ remembers that all right. Without a doubt." Bruce then filled Barbara 
and Jim in on the details of Dick's condition. "He's still resting at the clinic,
but I'll have him here as soon as Leslie gives me the green light." Finishing his 
coffee, Bruce stood to leave. "I've got to go get cleaned up, and then I'll see 
you later, Barbara." Bruce once again gently kissed her forehead and then turned, 
offering his hand to Jim.

"Jim, thanks for getting him to the clinic. I really appreciate your taking care 
of him like that." Bruce and Jim locked eyes for a moment, two fathers who loved 
their children more than anything else in the world.

"No problem, Bruce." He escorted Bruce to the door. "Give Dick my best and I'll 
see you both later."

After he closed the door, he turned to Barbara. "You know, something about that 
felt awful right, hon. You know, like I'll be doing it a lot more often."

"Doing what?"

"Saying good-bye to Bruce. You know, after all those 'family' get togethers."

"Daaad!"

-Continued-