Tesseract Child

APPENDIX: BRUCE AND ALFRED

APPENDIX: BRUCE AND ALFRED

This is not a part of the proper story. If you were wondering what is was like for Robin when he finally got home these Appendices are windows into Richard's world.

Batman was finally allowed to go to Robin. Doc Leslie nodded for him.

He's so tiny. Thought Bruce dismayed. Robin sat swaying slightly on the emergency gurney, his eyes unfocused, clouded and sleepy. Leslie was holding onto him with one arm so he wouldn't topple over.

"Batman, he has strong narcotics in him so we could set his arm and there is fluid that still has to drain from his inner ears so his balance is comprised. He is a little unsteady but he is going to be fine," Doc Leslie explained.

Batman swept forward and swept Richard into his arms, wrapping his cape around his tiny Robin.

Dick made a soft murmur of comfort and hugged him with his one good arm. "Batman."

"Let's get you home chum."

"I'll phone Gotham General and get an appointment at the fracture clinic for his arm. Just leave the splint on until then," added Leslie.

"Wheresss Bear?" slurred Robin.

"Red Robin has him," reassured Batman.

Robin put his head down on Batman's shoulder and closed his eyes.

Batman, Robin and Red Robin disappeared into the Zeta Beam.

Flash turned to Kid Flash and grinned. "Tell me that wasn't the absolute best thing you've seen all year. Batman smiled when he put his head down you know. Mark it on your calendar. You won't see that again."

"I don't care how old Rob is. It feels like I regrew a missing limb or something. I'm pretty sure it'll be a few weeks before I can peal this goofy grin off my face," answered Kid Flash.

The Flashes took the Zeta back to Star City, then zipped over to Barry's and changed.

Artemis was waiting. She literally leaped into Wally's arms. "For a little while we thought you were dead, then Batman started barking orders. Superman and your Uncle pretty much disappeared without taking a moment to explain anything to anyone and finally, finally that infuriating Bat decides to tell us what was going on."

"Yeah, I had a little friend looking out for me," smirked Wally.

"Don't do that to me again!" scolded Artemis.

Wally didn't feel like a scolding session so instead of replying to Artemis, he kissed her.

Cyborg grumbled as he disassembled the custom boom tube and crated it up. He was looking forward to not being interrogated several times a day by random heroes about the Robin retrieval project. He'd never in his life had so many people hovering over him about something. The capital expenditure on this project had to have been massive. The real estate purchase for this property alone had to have cost over a million. Nobody seemed to be keeping track of any of it. Oh do you need this extremely rare doo-dah from the other side of the galaxy. Sure... Here you go! Happy to help!

If they ended up having a party over this and I know they will, thought Cyborg, I expect a big fat slice of cake. That's all I ask; cake.

Leslie was sorting out the medical equipment. They had literally been prepared for anything. There was even a portable Atlantian hyperbaric oxygen chamber in case the extended extreme acceleration pressure caused a form of decompression illness. Leslie was used to dealing with Batman. She had even dealt with Superman from time to time. The equipment training session with Aquaman had been surreal and Cyborg just made her uncomfortable.