Date: December 15th,
2001
Time: 2: 16 am.
Place: Gotham General, ICU, Room
215
Have you ever felt like you’ve
done something wrong even though you really haven’t done anything at all? Well,
I’m sorry to say, but that’s what I feel like right now. Ya see… about hours
ago, Dick was brought into Gotham General.
We got a phone call from one of
the doctors or something while we were wrapping a few gifts for some… unnamed
people… heh. But later Alfred and I found out that Dick was hurt and had
slipped into a coma. Not too much longer, Babs called and talked to Bruce. I
happen to find out later that someone had broken her living room window and
tossed in Nightwing’s torn and blood stained costume. Isn’t that freaky!?
Whoever broke her window and delivered the suit KNOWS that Babs knows who he
REALLY is. And ya know something?? I’m more than sure they prolly know about
Babs and prolly Bruce and I too. I haven’t a clue of who done it, but a LONG
list of names just happens to pop into my head.
At about seven o’ clock Gotham
(EST) time we arrived at the hospital. Bruce went to the front desk to check in
and get some information, but I on the other hand, just started wondering
around the halls. I had this feeling that Dick was gunna be VERY messed up, but
something was pulling me down towards the east hallway. I followed it all the
way down and came to a closed door with a guard standing a bit off to the side,
drinking a cup of coffee. I easily slipped past him and went into the room. I
don’t know HOW I knew that room had Dick in it, but I found him. I heard
something outside of the room… saying something like, “This one’s in a coma…
poor thing.” And then another doctor or nurse saying, “I heard this one has
possible brain damage. Sure hope he pulls through.” “I’d be a miracle if he
even survives the first twenty-four hours.” I walked over to Dick’s bed and
just kinda sat down in a near by chair. Dick’s like my brother, ya know?? Him…
Bruce and Babs are pretty much all the family I have anymore and just seeing
Dick so… banged up… was painful.
I started talking to him… told
him about the soccer game. The soccer game that he missed earlier and I kinda
got mad at. I thought he missed it on purpose, but then later I found out why
he had missed out. I can’t hold him accountable for that, ya know? It just
wouldn’t be right.
When Bruce finally came into the
room I stopped talking, I didn’t know if Bruce was gunna get mad or what. But
something in his face told me that he was actually pained over this situation.
He never shows his emotions… he always hides them. Isn’t emotion one of the
most powerful things? HELL yeah! I thought so too! Barbara came in about half
an hour to forty-five minutes later and she stayed with Dick for a loooong
time. She didn’t leave his side. The way she was acting WITH him… was nothing
but confusion to my puny little mind.
I left and went across the
street for a burger and some fries. I got some stuff for Babs too just in case
she got hungry or something. There was this little store right next to the
McDonalds there, I went in and just started looking around, nothing major
right? This store had a LOT of stuff. Figurines, soda…. Gift baskets and stuff
like that. There was this blue Rosary there in a clear plastic container with a
little card inside. I don’t know what I did but I bought it and left the store.
Lately Alfred and I have been attending church—my OLD church from my old
neighborhood on Sundays (It’s an Italian church mind you). But they still talk
about the same stuff. I put the Rosary in my pocket along with the little card
and walked back into the hospital. When I got there I ran into Roy. I guess he
found out what happened to Dick. He asked me if he would be able to see Dick,
but I wasn’t sure HOW to answer that question! Bruce had written up a list, of
people that were allowed to come in, and I don’t think he put Roy down. I
offered to go see if I could find Bruce, but he told me “Naah, he’s probably
busy right now anyway.”
We sat and I ate and I gave him
my fries and everything for the moment was NORMAL! “Donna called me earlier and
told me what happened. I guess SHE found out from Garth who found out from
Barb. Can’t believe all of this... it almost seems surreal, ya know?” I could
only nod to that. From the minute I set foot in the place everything felt like
a dream of some kind.
When I left Roy to go see if I
could find Donna, I stopped for a minute at a pay phone. I kinda sorta knew
that I wasn’t going to be doing anything seeing that Dick was in the state he
was in. I had to call Cissie and cancel on her for Saturday night. And as I was
talkin’ into her machine, I’m SO sorry, but I felt horrible! I REALLY like her,
and I don’t wanna loose her due to something stupid, ya know? But this… I
couldn’t NOT go with her and continue to feel guilty to where I knew I should
have been with Dick in the first place. He IS my brother after all... he deserves
to listen to my annoying little self yak my head. Heh… After I spoke into Ciss’s
machine I hung up but I STILL felt guilty! I’ve never canceled on her before
and was trying to keep my record somewhat CLEAN! I wonder if Dick ever had this
problem with Babs. Maybe I’ll ask him… Maybe he can give me some advice or
something.
I looked for Donna, went into
Dick’s room thinking she might be there. But she wasn’t. Babs wasn’t there
either. But you know who WAS there?? Cassandra. Yup! She was sitting there with
Dick. “Have you seen Babs?” I just THOUGHT Donna would be with her, ya know?
That whole girl-bonding thing?? She shook her head and pointed out. “She left?”
She nodded. Some kinda made a gesture towards the bathrooms. “She’s in the
potty!?” I needed to find Donna cuz Roy needed her. “Damn… I can’t go in there.
Girl’s bathroom is a forbidden zone.” Cassandra got up and we walked down there
and she checked. While she went in I went into the guy’s restroom to see… JUST
in case. We both came out and there was nothing. We checked the other bathrooms
on the floor and still couldn’t find them. We DID find Donna though, she was
with Bruce. But Babs wasn’t!
Cass went off and found Barb’s
wheelchair… empty… Bruce went along with ‘er and I guess they found a dart… She
was gone! After checking the hospital I went outside and found Garth. Asked him
if he seen her and he said “Not since we were in the waiting room with that
guy.” There was a guy. Oh goodie. It just gets better and better, eh? “Some guy
was messing with her earlier. I felt I step in and do something… and he left.”
I left, started to take a walk around the block to see if she was around or
something, but I found this note. “Give us one million if you want to see the
crippled red-head again. You have five hours. Make sure her purple-eyed freak
of a boyfriend delivers the cash. Unmarked bills. No cops. NO bat, or else she
dies.” I recognized the signature. The leader of the T’s! Damn gangs…
From THAT point Robin sprang
into action. I contacted Batman but he already knew what happened and was gone.
We somehow tracked them down to this… dark… underground warehouse. Garth came...
with the cash—fake of course and delivered it. Batman caught sight of of Barb
and this OTHER guy with dark hair chained together. MY guess is that this guy
was tryin’ to help her but got caught in the madness. I created a diversion
that grabbed the attention of practically ALL of the members except for the
leader. Batman went after Barb and the dude while Garth opened a can of
Tempest-whup on the leader. Heh… ahhh that was NICE to see.
We got back about two hours ago.
Barb’s fine and the guy that was with her disappeared. Barb’s asleep over Dick’s
bed now, I’m watching them now. Garth and Donna and Roy are still here, WHICH
is amazing… Bruce is somewhere pacing and me?? Well, you remember that Rosary I
told you I bought earlier?? I was gunna just keep it someplace, but I found out
the place it REALLY should be. I put it in Dick’s hand and it’s still kinda
there. I hope he doesn’t get mad at me for putting it there. At this poiont, I’m
starting to wonder if Dick believes….
TD