Catch Me If I Fall || R.Grayson ||

Little Traffic Light:

It had been nearly two weeks since the kidnapping, and Dick hadn't spoken a word since. He refused to go to school, and it took Alfred a lot of prompting and coaxing to get the boy to eat anything. He did, however, begin to make astounding progress in his training every other evening with Bruce in the batcave.

Richard pretty much lived outside now, needing even more ways to vent all of that pent up energy without the use of his voice. He was everywhere around the grounds at all times, running, swimming, and cartwheeling on the grass, and climbing trees until he stumbled inside at the end of the day, too tired to sit at the dinner table. This kind of behaviour didn't mean anything good to Alfred; he had seen Bruce go through the exact same thing when his parents were killed. But at least he spoke.

Alfred rapped softly on the office door, tea tray in hand, and some firm thoughts in mind. He didn't wait for an answer, and went right in, not at all surprised to see Bruce, head down on the desk, fast asleep. His own fault for having the most screwed up sleep schedule on the face of the planet.

"Hope I'm not interrupting,' Alfred said, placing the tea tray down a little harder than intended. The dishes rattled loudly, startling Bruce awake.

"Alfred," he said, blinking past sleep. "What're you ... Oh," his eyes landed on the teapot. "Tea time already? How long was I ...?"

"No clue, Master Bruce. I've been keeping an eye on Master Richard; he's out in the yard again, though with your record of keeping preoccupied, I doubt you'd really care where he is."

"Excuse me?"

"You heard me fine, Sir," Alfred said, pouring a cup of tea. "I am aware that both of you cope in your own ways, but I do think that perhaps you should try reaching the boy's level of emotion for once."

Bruce looked up at him with a lost expression, almost pleading for help with his eyes, though he would never admit to that.

"Your ward was kidnapped for ransom," Alfred said. "At least try to act like it scared you just a little,"

"It did," Bruce said. "If anything had happened to Dick, I don't know what I would have done,"

"Something did happen, Master Bruce. The child was kidnapped for ransom, and his guardian has spoken very little to him over the past two weeks."

"What am I supposed to say?"

The old butler gave him a very tired look. "You're aware that Master Richard has been refusing to attend school?"

"Yes? If he's not ready to go back, then I'm not going to make him."

"Forgive me if I'm wrong, but to me it seems like you've become more neglectful than normal."

"Neglectful?" Bruce demanded, pushing away from the desk. He stood slowly with a glare he knew wouldn't work on Alfred. "What do you mean?"

"You really are daft, Master Bruce," Alfred sighed. "Who took the child in, me or you?" There was an awkward pause before Bruce figured he wanted him to answer.

"Me?"

"Is that a question, or a statement?"

"St-statement — Why are you —"

"Master Richard has been with us for almost two years now, and you hardly know anything about him."

"And I suppose you do?"

"As a matter of fact, Master Bruce, yes. Have you noticed it's been awfully quiet lately? It's because that sweet little boy hasn't spoken since he was kidnapped."