The stress was becoming agonising on his wearing body. The bright and easy-going smile that Richard was so famous for was getting harder to maintain. The constant flashing lights of cameras and video camcorders wherever he went was all he could see when he closed his eyes to rest- not that he managed a respite longer than two minutes. The explicit questions he was asked from the swarming paparazzi and reporters were worse, digging excruciatingly into pits of his stomach he didn't know he had and stabbing ruthlessly at his aching heart. The mere mention of his father figure's name tore his deteriorating mind apart; let alone the added name of the butler, who was one of the best men Dick had ever known. He had managed to keep himself together through the first harrowing press conference. Through it, Lucius had been right beside him for support. His earnest hand pressed against his tension-filled shoulder held him up in such a hard time. After he had finished his speech- that had been written with shaky hands- Lucius guided him back inside his father's legacy.

Currently, he was pacing swiftly in front of the new desk Lucius had recently purchased. The CEO had explained to Dick about Hush, and what had occurred in the office during Scarecrow and the Arkham Knight's terrorising night. And as his mind drifted back to the events of Halloween night, he tried to find comfort with Lucius's fingers typing away at the computer keyboard.

"I can't do this forever." Dick finally spoke, never stopping his brisk pacing. "It's too much."

Lucius looked up from the screen to the- now- eldest man of the Wayne family. Dick could just imagine what he looked like; eyes red with strain, not particularly focused on anything. His hair was shaggy with knots due to a lack of brushing, and his usual prideful posture slumped in defeat.

"Richard." The CEO called out to him. Dick paused his decrepit movements and tilted his head tiredly towards Lucius. Dick had to close his eyes for a moment to blink back the threatening tears. He took a deep breath before opening them again as Lucius continued to speak. "I understand this is beyond anything we were expecting. But you must believe Bruce did this for a reason."

"He always has his reasons." Dick scowled immediately and folded his arms tightly across his chest. He realised what he was doing and sighed heavily at his accusing thoughts. He dropped his arms and rerouted them to run his fingers through his hair. "I just wish he had told us. Didn't he trust us– me enough, for this?"

"If I may say-?" Lucius spoke and waited for Dick to motion for him to continue. "He trusted you the most."

Dick couldn't contain the snort of derision that surfaced and replied with his tone laced completely with sarcasm. "Sure. That's why I'm currently losing my mind, praying that the explosion was a hoax, and he didn't drag the one and only man, who stayed by his side through thick and thin, to his untimely death."

"The explosion was certainly real; you saw it with your own eyes." Lucius reminded Dick, who clenched his jaw in reply. He had, that much was true. Dick had just swung into Gotham at speed– he knew Wally would be impressed with– after hearing the news while he was on patrol in Blüdhaven. He had sat atop the highest point of Wayne Tower and watched the bright burning blaze in horror. The attempted calls to Tim and Barbara were left unanswered, and Dick allowed the silent tears to fall without restraint.

Dick still didn't fully understand how all this could this have happened. He should have stayed in Gotham and denied Bruce's instruction when he sent him away after they had apprehended Penguin. Dick had felt something was off with the man, and he was now reprimanding himself for his decision to ignore his instincts.

Dick couldn't help but scoff in disdain. Sure, Bruce totally trusted him. That's why he was completely left in the dark and cornered off in Blüdhaven as to not get in Batman's way. Now he thought back on their last conversation, Bruce's words were somewhat kind. Well, as kind as Bruce could express without cringing in discomfort. Pride. Batman had told Dick that he was proud of him, of Nightwing. It was a nice change from the so-called constructive criticism he usually received. Perhaps Bruce already knew he fate before the night was done. Whatever the case, he had been alarmingly prepared for his reveal to the world, and selfishly kept it to himself.

"Have you heard from Tim? Or Barbara?" Dick asked desperately needing to change the subject before he burst into the tears he had been holding at bay for some time.

"Ah, yes." Lucius nodded as he continued with whatever he was doing. "The hospital called during the conference. Tim is stable and healing well, and Barbara is helping her father with bringing everything back to order."

Dick let out a breath he hadn't known he had been holding in and let a small smile grace his lips. "Good. Lucius?"

Lucius turned his gaze back to the young man and rose a brow in answer, a motion for Dick to continue his thought. He followed Dick's movements questioningly as the young man walked around the desk and leaned down slightly to throw his arms around the CEO's neck. Lucius let out a little noise in surprise; nose suffocating in the crook of Dick's elbow against the fabric of the well-pressed suit jacket he was wearing.

"Thank you, for everything," Dick whispered into his shoulder. "For everything you've done for Bruce, for Batman. I know he must not have expressed himself much. But I know he's incredibly grateful."

"Richard." Lucius smiled and stood, guiding Dick and adjusting their position so he could wrap his arms around Dick's back. "It was my pleasure to serve such a remarkable man."

Dick pulled away slightly and finally let a genuine smile that he knows Lucius, let alone he, himself, hadn't seen or felt for several days, grace his lips. "He'd have been lost without you. So would I. Thank you for being here, for helping me through this."

"I believe you are helping me just the same," Lucius replied and moved away. They gazed at one another for a moment, the CEO ensuring his hand stayed on Dick's arm in a comforting manner. Once Dick allowed his features to soften and calm, he followed Lucius's gesture to the computer screen. "Here is what you requested. Everything that was documented that night."

"Thank you, Lucius." Dick manoeuvred around him and took his spot in the CEO's chair, flexing his fingers in anticipation.

"A long night ahead of you, sir." Lucius smiled and tapped the desk with his fingertips a couple of times as he watched the young man skim the details on the monitor.

"Don't wait up for me, honey." Dick joked without taking his eyes off the screen, waving off the CEO who let out a huff of amusement before he turned to leave. Lucius stopped in his tracks as he got to the door, turning to the young man as he spoke again; his voice much smaller than before. "Lucius? Thanks again."

Lucius nodded in acknowledgement. "I am, but a phone call away, should you need me." He responded before he turned the handle and slipped through the door, leaving Dick alone in the insufferable silence.

It had been a long and gruelling week. The silence was something Dick had yet to experience with the constant bombardment of calls and interviews. Now that he was alone, he loathed it. Dick leaned back in the chair and contemplated the room. He was unable to stop himself imagining what Bruce would look like sitting and nursing a drink by the bar; or sitting by the wall-length bookcase in the leather chair, watching Lucius finishing up a call from where Dick was currently sitting. Dick ignored the huge framed painting of Bruce and his parents and returned his focus on the computer in front of him.

Bruce wasn't dead. Dick knew it- or that was what he convinced himself was true. How? He had no idea. But there was no way the man that raised him would leave without so much as a sliver of an explanation. Dick would find him, even if it was the last thing he ever did.

He was now the patriarch of the Wayne family, whether he wanted it or not. He had people to look out for now, it wasn't just himself anymore. His self-exploration of spreading his independent wings would have to be put on hold. There was clearly no choice in the matter; Tim needed him now more than ever. It was something he had been avoiding since he left the mantle of Robin behind- connecting to such an intimate degree with Tim and...Bruce again. He couldn't truly empathise with his brother until he accepted and understood what he wanted from himself. Dick had left and started his own life before he could allow the talons that Bruce would undoubtedly puncture into his back, confine him to be in the Batman's shadow forever.

But this all happened too soon. Bruce was supposed to be Batman for, well, forever; and Tim was supposed to become the next CEO of Wayne Enterprises after Lucius retired. Bruce would be living his days as an old greying man, sipping cocktails by the pool in some overseas exotic resort. Dick smirked in amusement at the thought and knew Bruce wouldn't take kindly to such suggestions. But now Bruce was gone, and Batman was dead. He left a shattered family in his wake, who were completely clueless as to how to proceed without him. Did they need another Batman? Could Gotham survive without the Dark Knight? Dick highly doubted it; no other hero could emblaze such fear into the criminals of the Gotham underworld. So then, what would they do? Dick had vowed to never take up the promised cowl. Batman was a life he had once dreamed of. But, after everything he and Bruce had been through, he promised himself to remain his own persona.

If push came to shove, Dick didn't doubt he would put on the suit. Gotham was his home, whether he swore against it or not. He wouldn't allow all of Bruce's and Alfred's hard work come undone, simply because Dick was too arrogant to do the one thing he had argued with Bruce against countless times. Dick pinched his brow and shook his head, disregarding any thoughts of donning the cowl for now and pressed play on the footage Lucius had so kindly uploaded for him.

***

The piercing ring tone of his phone startled Dick awake with a rather undignified snort, grasping frantically for his mobile and pressing it to his ear without registering the caller ID.

"H-Hello?" His voice was splintered and rough from his slumber. He smothered a yawn with his hand and lifted his arm to block the blinding sunlight that poured through the large balcony doors as he waited for the person on the other end to speak.

"Dick? It's Tim."

Dick stiffened in the chair– posture now rigid as he listened to the young man breathing on the other end of the phone, expectantly waiting for a reply. This was the first time they had spoken since Bruce's 'death'. Dick had wanted to rush to the Gotham General Hospital where Tim was being treated, but as soon as he set foot in Gotham as Richard Grayson, the claws of the media and his thrown upon duty dragged him away and kept them apart. They stayed silent for a while before Dick composed himself and replied.

"How are you doing?" He asked cautiously as he absentmindedly stared at the computer's keyboard.

"I'm okay, Dick. Healing just fine."

"And Barbara?"

"She's good, mothering me a bit too much."

Dick heard the light feminine scoff on the other end of the phone and smiled at the normalcy of the interaction.

"I'll come and visit as soon as I can," Dick promised and started to rise from the desk, shutting down the computer.

"It's okay Dick, really, I-I'm sorry."

Dick blinked and paused as he turned the monitor off with a click. "What on earth are you sorry for?"

"You're dealing with everything by yourself. I should be there with you, levelling out the burden."

"No, Tim." Dick shook his head and his smile faded to a twitch of a frown. "You don't need to worry about anything. Lucius and I have it handled."

He heard Tim sigh a little, levelling their conversation into a bout of silence. Tim's silent thanks between bated breaths was left unsaid and Dick hoped his brother could picture the etching of warmth expressed on his face.

"Are you okay?"

Dick knew the question, simple as it was, held a much deeper meaning. He could lie, it would be the easy way out. But, he couldn't, not with Tim.

"No," Dick replied as he walked over to the coat stand and grabbed his jacket. "But we'll get through it. Right, Tim?"

He didn't mean to voice his question. He had meant to keep it to himself. But evidently, Dick needed the reassurance. He needed to know he wasn't alone in this mess; that somehow it would get better. Tim's answer didn't come right away and his faint trace of hope swayed slightly.

"Yeah, Dick. We'll get it through it together."

"Thanks, Timmy. I have to go, business calls." Dick tried to sound light-hearted, but he knew Tim could see straight through it. "I'll come to visit you this afternoon."

"Sounds great Dick. You can call if you have any problems, okay? I may be bedridden, but I'm still capable."

"Will do, Timbo."

Dick ended the call and he leaned his head against the door. He was relieved somewhat; a sense of happiness surrounded his heart after hearing Tim's voice. It felt like a weight had been lifted from his shoulders to hear from Tim that he was okay. Dick wasn't alone anymore, not really. Tim was there for him, and he was there for Tim. He knew how hard this was for both of them; how sudden everything would now rapidly change for his brother. His home had gone up in flames. His father was gone. His partner was gone. Would, or rather, could there still be a Robin without a Batman? Dick didn't dare think of an answer to his question and opened the door with a steely grip. He greeted Lucius's secretary with a charming smile before heading to the elevator.

"Oh, Mr Grayson?" The woman called. Dick turned to her and tilted his head at her in question. She seemed to hesitate and her mouth opened slightly as the words formed in her mind. When it didn't seem that Dick was going to speak or move, she finally spoke. "I'm terribly sorry for your loss, Mr Wayne was a wonderful man."

Dick's smile faltered but quickly kept his facade. "Thank you, and thank you for staying on."

The woman smiled and nodded in dismissal. The elevator dinged as it arrived and Dick entered without another word.