Traumatised

The Ultimatum

When Robin awoke, initially he was confused. Where the hell was he? But slowly, his eyes scanned around the room and he pieced together than he was in the tower's med bay. But why was he here?

He sat up gingerly as he remembered the fight on the bridge, the fall into the water. He groaned as he remembered the calm feeling as he had let the water drag him down. What the hell had he been thinking?

He glanced around the room and a weird feeling pooled in the pit of his stomach. This was the first time he had awoken in a med room and been alone. He knew he shouldn't, but a small part of him pined for Bruce.

He pulled the oxygen mask away from his face and took a few experimental breaths. Other than the burning pain that radiated through his chest as it rose, there was nothing hindering his breathing. He looked down beneath his shirt and saw bruises beginning to form down his sternum; bruises that vaguely resembled fingerprints. He swallowed back the bile that rose in his throat, his mind flicking back to the large hand-shaped bruises that had been all over his body. He shook himself – he would not think about that. He would not break down.

Robin pushed himself out of the bed and onto his shaky legs. They threaten to buckle under him, but after a few moments of adjustment, they held steady. His bare feet slapped quietly against the tiled floor as he walked towards the door. It was only then that he cottoned onto the fact that he had been changed out of his suit into loose fitting clothes. The bile threatened to rise again, but he successfully pulled himself back. It was fine, it was probably Wally who had changed him. He trusted Wally. Wally wouldn't do anything to him. He repeated this to himself like a mantra until he reached the door. He paused, not opening it. He could hear Wally's voice on the other side.

'It was touch and go for a moment, but he's ok. I'll keep him monitored for secondary drowning, but Yeh physically he's stable.'

There was a pause and Robin realised Wally was on the phone.

'I don't know. I haven't been around him long enough to assess that...The team says he's been a little jumpy lately...' Another pause. 'B, I respect you, you know that. But I do not feel comfortable doing that. If I'm concerned, I'll let you know, but I am not spying on him.'

It wasn't hard to figure out who Wally was talking too, or what his father was asking Wally to do. Robin felt a small hum of satisfaction that Wally had refused to report back to the Bat. When he was sure Wally had hung up the phone, Robin opened the door and leant against the frame.

'You called Batman?'

'No, he called me. He saw your swan dive on the news. When he couldn't get through to you, he tried me.'

'How did he know you were here?' asked Robin.

'Who do you think saved your ass from drowning?'

Robin nodded; that made sense. He should have known Wally wouldn't stay at the tower.

'Thanks,' he said. 'And thanks for refusing to report back.'

Unexpectedly, Wally frowned.

'I wanted to talk to you first before I got B, all worked up.'

Robin tilted his head to the side, showing that he didn't understand what the red-head meant.

Wally walked back into the room and Robin followed, shutting the door behind them. The speedster looked awkward, he didn't know how to phrase what he needed to ask. Robin could sense the tension coming off his friend and tried to lighten the situation.

'Spit it out Wall-Man.'

'Why didn't you swim?'

The question was not what Robin had expected him to ask. Which was stupid as it was a question, he had been asking himself internally since he had woken up.