"No."
"But-"
"No."
"He-"
"No."
"Daddy-"
"Dick! The answer is no!" Batman finally broke his monotone. He bristled at the sight before him. "You are not taking Batbear on patrol with us."
"But Daddy," Dick whined.
"No."
"He'll get hurt if I leave him behind."
A tick was starting to form behind the Dark Knight's eye. "Dick, do you really think taking Batbear into gunfire is safer?"
Dick just hugged his newly remade teddybear closer. "Batbear doesn't want to leave me again." Dick said softly. "He'll get lonely and think I'm going to leave him behind forever."
"Alfred can take care of him."
Dick's lip trembled. "But Daddy." He whimpered. "I don't want to leave Batbear."
"Richard Grayson," Batman growled, "either the bear stays here or you don't go on patrol."
Tears welled up in the boy's blue eyes. He looked from his teddy back to Batman and back again. It was such a hard decision.
He never wanted to leave Batbear again. After the whole fiasco of accidentally throwing Batbear out a window and having him destroyed and thinking he was gone forever- again- Dick was never letting Batbear out of his sights. He'd been carrying the bear around constantly. It had only been two days since the incident and Bruce swore Dick hadn't let go of him since Batbear was returned.
But this was the final straw. There was no way Bruce was going to let Dick take the bear on patrol. It would only end in tears. Batbear would most likely be torn apart by a dog or a bullet. Worse, if Dick was fretting over his stuffed animal he wouldn't be paying attention to his own safety. Batman wouldn't let that happen.
"Please?" Dick tried again.
"No. I guess you're staying home today." Bruce pulled the cowl up and turned to leave without his partner.
"Wait!" Dick cried. He rushed to Batman's side. "Can... what if I just left him in the car?" Dick suggested.
Batman groaned. But a short nod from Alfred convinced him otherwise. He might as well just let it be. Dick could bring the bear in the car. "Fine." He growled. "But nowhere else."
"What is it Commissioner?" Batman asked as he and Robin landed on the roof of Gotham police headquarters.
"There was a break in at..." Commissioner Gordon trailed off when his eyes fell on Robin. "Now... who is this?" He asked, a smile spreading over his face. The man knelt in front of the boy.
Batman swore softly.
"This is Batbear." Robin said proudly. He handed him over for inspection. "I made him myself.... He's gotten beat up though."
"I see." Gordon chuckled as he handed the bear back over. "Do we have a dynamic trio now?"
Robin beamed. "Yep!"
Batman just grumbled. "I told you to leave him in the car." He hissed.
"I wanted to show Commissioner Gordon." Robin said plainly, as if that explained everything.
"What is it that you need us for?" Batman grumbled. He'd talk with Robin about this later.
"Mr. Freeze has taken all the blood from the blood bank. He has it hostage down at the docks."
