"Batman."

He looked down at Robin's chart. "How's it going, 'John.'" The awkward silence loomed over them. Both too stubborn to break the silence. Finally, Robin caved in.

"Why are you here, Bruce?"

A flash of hurt and confusion played out on his face, though Dick was more apt to believe it to be a trick of the light. "I'm here because I heard you were seriously injured. I wanted to know what happened."

"Oh, so you can tell me all the ways in which I could've better handled the situation?" Robin pouted, turning away from the masked man, "Criticize me for compromising my secret I.D.? Analyze every little detail in which I screwed up? To-"

"To see if you're okay, Dick." Bruce cut in, pulling back his cowl. He sat down in the chair besides Robin's bed.

"I'll live."

"I know." Robin felt bad for being so difficult. He knew Bruce was trying, but that didn't erase everything that had happened. "What happened?"

"Some guys were giving Beastboy a hard time, so I stepped in. But I'm in that school as an average Joe, so I couldn't fight too well. You're the one who taught me the importance of keeping up appearances," Robin spat out.

"Dick, you know that's not what I meant."

Stubbornly, Robin responded, "Well, then what did you mean Bruce?"

"I meant," Bruce began, trying to mask his agitation, "What happened that you let it go that far? Keeping up appearances is one thing, but Dick… you're in the hospital."

"Look I didn't exactly go into that situation intending for them to find a crowbar," he snapped. Ashamed, he focused his gaze down on the hospital sheets. "I wasn't focused, I screwed up, and then I underestimated them. Is that what you wanted to hear Bruce? I'd sit here and apologize, and tell you it won't happen again but we both know that's a lie, and I'm so tired of trying to earn your approval."

"Dick, that's not what this is about." Bruce's voice softened, "I'm not here to criticize or chastise you. I just…" he struggled to find the words, "I know high school wasn't… the greatest for you the first time around, and so when I had heard that something happened to you…" he trailed off, hoping the boy would understand.

"But why now? Why care now, Bruce? You were perfectly fine pretending I didn't exist the last few years."

"You wanted space. I was trying to respect that."

"There's a difference between giving someone space and replacing them, Bruce." The great Batman said nothing, knowing anything he said would further aggravate the situation. This was a topic for another time.

After a short silence, Bruce remarked, "Zucco is out, but I'm sure you already knew that."

"Yeah."

"I'll let you know if I find anything." Robin was taken aback. The last time Zucco had been on the loose, Bruce had all but barred him from the investigation, afraid he would do something he'd later regret.

"…Thanks."

The pair was interrupted by a quiet knock on the door. When Robin turned to Batman, however, the masked vigilante was already gone. With a sigh, Robin put back on the persona of John. "Come in."

Raven's POV

Cautiously I opened the door, revealing myself to a confused and curious John. "Raven? What're you doing here?"

"Visiting?" For some reason I find myself suddenly hopelessly awkward.

"You know, Rave, visiting hours have been over for, well, hours," he teased. "Do you need something?"

"Wha-no," I stop him, "I'm here to help."

"Help with what?" he asks, looking up at me curiously.

"I have healing powers," I explain, "I can't completely undo the damage that's been done, but I can reduce the pain, and expedite the healing process, if you want."

Robin's POV

Of course I wanted nothing more than to accept her help. My ribs and head were killing me, and I would do just about anything to get out of this hospital. I am about to gratefully accept her offer, when a voice in the back of my head reminds me, she's been in your head before. You have a bond. One person had already discovered my secret ID thanks to this mess. Raven healed my mind. There's no way that she could use her magic on me and not figure out who I was. But any sane person would accept her help. I needed an excuse and fast.

"My injuries aren't that bad," I weakly protest. "I appreciate the gesture, but I'll be okay healing up the normal way. I'll manage." Seeing the dubious look on her face, I add, "Besides, as awful as the hospital is, if nothing else it gets me out of school." Bam. Excuse crafted. Crisis averted. Raven was never one to pry, especially not with strangers. She would accept the clearly bullshit excuse, chalk it up to John Ulman being sketched out by magic, and call it a day.

Normally.

Apparently this was no normal night.

"John, what happened to you was awful, but… you don't need to avoid school because of it." Oh. So that's what she thought was going on.

"I'm not avoiding it, really. I just… I've been needing a break anyway, and now I have the chance. Besides, they're gonna let me out of here in a day or two, and I'll be nice and holed up in my own home living the dream. Trust me, the doctors were all exaggerating about the severity of the injuries anyway. Really, I'm okay."

Frustrated, but not pushing the subject, she muttered, "You're as stubborn as Robin."

Grinning, I took the opportunity to mess with her, toeing the line. "You know, some people have told me that I look just like him."

Raven responded in her trademark deadpan. "I don't see it." The Clark Kent syndrome, I like to call it. For better or worse, people tend not to see what's right in front of them. With a sly smirk on her face as she exited, Raven casually called back, "I think he's taller." With a final shake of my head, I allowed myself to finally drift off.