BATDAD: A Book of DaddyBats

Holy Nightmares Batman

Just realized I messed up the title at first, but I fixed it.

Yes it's been done, yes it's cliché, but I feel like you can't call it a Daddybats book without one of these. Enjoy!

Dick's POV

"Hey Dad! That was the guy that-" I was cut off by the sounds of screaming fans when I entered the tent. Mr. Haly was announcing us as we climbed up the ladder in our brand new costumes.

"OK Dick, you can do this, just fly my little Robin." With my mother's encouraging words, I leapt from the first bar to the second the crowed was mesmerized by my small eight year old body gliding through the air. I grab the third bar after a double flip and then I do a triple flip between the third and fourth bars. The fourth bar felt a little off, but I didn't have time to worry, I needed to nail this trick, the quadruple flip, my family's specialty. I land on the fifth bar and swing the rest of the way to land safely on the platform.

"Let's hear it for the youngest flying Grayson, and now his parents will show what even more practice can do!" I stood on the platform waiting for my parents to finish their act. It's way harder to do then mine because they need to work together and time their movements just right to do their quadruple flips in sync. They flipped and twisted and were almost at their trick when I noticed why the fourth bar had felt so different, it was almost completely cut through!

I jumped to the fifth bar and began swinging just as my parents completed their flips and were coming down on the fourth bar. They must have felt it too because their looks of happiness quickly switched to fear. My mother saw me coming towards her and tried to reach out, but I wasn't quite close enough.

"Dick" She said my name with so much love, I barely heard the snap and was already swing backwards by my knees as they fell and the red could be seen around their bodies all those feet below.

I reached the platform and brought my knees close. I should have said something about it! That Tony Zucco guy was up to no good and their death's were all my fault!

"You're right." I turned around surprised to hear someone up with me.

"What do you mean Bruce? You said it wasn't my fault. You came up here to comfort me and tell me it would be OK! You were the one who rescued me from that horrible detention center!" I looked at him with even more tears flowing than before.

"I was wrong. You're nothing but a sad excuse for a child, and an even worse Robin. If you had told your parents ahead of time, they'd still be alive, If you had been heavier and triggered the ropes to cut while you were on them, only you would have needed to die. Now everyone you touch dies and it's your fault!" He was right, I kill everything I touch, it should have been me.

"But I still have you." I looked up at him hopeful but frowned when he glared at me.

"Do you?" He jumped of the platform and landed with a noise that no one should have to hear coming from their parents and their mentors. I screamed and bolted upright. It was just a dream. Not a dream: a nightmare. And I couldn't hold my tears back any longer.

Bruce's POV

I woke to a scream and instantly recognized it as Dick's. I ran for his room, not even bothering with slippers, he needed me. When I opened the door he was sitting in bare bed with blankets and pillows spread around it. I slowly walked in and sat next to him on the bed and gave him a hug.

He leaned into my hug for about ten minutes before pulling away. I saw his bright blue eyes even in the dark filled with unshed tears and a small part of my heart broke. Then unexpectedly, he scrambled away from me.

"Dick? What's wrong?" I was really worried, he looked horrified.

"I don't want to kill you too. Everything I touch dies!" He shouted and began sobbing. His tears were flowing freely, but there was nothing I could do from the opposite side of the bed. "Everyone dies." He whispered. I paused and thought for a moment.

"So did those kidnapped children you helped rescue a few weeks ago die? No, they were reunited with their families and filled with joy. What about that woman the other night who was getting ready to jump? Did she die? No again, she got down from the building and went to make things right between her and her husband. And the stray kittens? Did they die when you brought them food and found them owners one by one? Dick, the people who get close to you don't die, they live with newfound happiness. You aren't a murderer, you're a hero. A hero who knows how to save people from any situation." He seemed to relax slightly, but his tears were still flowing and he wasn't ready to move close to me yet.

"My favorite of your saves of course was one you did not as Robin, but as Dick. There was a man who was losing himself. He pushed everyone away, but you reached him and he saw your light. You saved me son, now let me do the same for you, I can only meet you halfway." He wiped off his eyes and slowly crawled to the middle of the bed at the same time as I did. I hugged him once again feeling sorry for everything life throws at him, but proud at how he overcomes each and every part.

"Thanks Dad" He says it a lot, but I know what it means. It means I've saved him.

Would anyone like some pretzels to go with thus cheese? That was a really cheesy story I'll admit, but also, pretzels taste really good with mozzarella. I'm thinking about making one of these Daddybats nightmare stories about some of the other Robins, but who knows?

Well, thanks for reading, I hope your day is filled with Pure Wonderment!