Fan Fiction ❯ Sacrifices ❯ Time is Money, and there is little time ( Chapter 1 )

Sacrifices: Time is Money, and there is little Time

 

Disclaimer: I own nothing

 

 

He moaned slightly at the thought of yet another day, here, in this crime filled town, doing back braking work, all the while knowing he could do great and powerful things in Gothem, or even Jump City. He momentarily wondered why he bothered with it all, sometimes it seemed as though the world were playing some sick game, in which the object was to make his life as hard as humanly possible.

 

And then he smiled as that reason moved beside him in his bed. Looking to his left he noticed a small bundle wrapped up in his bed sheets. Wiggling around as if trying to free its self.

 

No wonder I was so cold this morning. He thought, the little guy had stolen all of the covers for his own use. I've got to teach him how to share better. He chuckled at the thought of his son sharing.

 

“Good morning squirt, why are you in my bed and why do you have all of the covers?” He smiled as his son freed himself from embrace of the fluffy linens.

 

The young boy blushed as he looked down, as if noticing for the first time the fact the rest of the bed was bare and cold.

 

“Sorry Daddy, I had a bad dream.” Robin winced. This was the third dream this week, and the third time he'd been woken due to lack of covers. Though he couldn't possibly be angry with the boy, he rememberd times when he'd dream of his parents. He'd wake up crying, though he never went to Bruce. He didn't want to seem week. However, this didn't stop him from going to Alfred for comfort. Suddenly he was thrown into flash backs of the kind older man. I wonder how he's doing…

 

“Daddy?” He was thrown out of his thoughts by the boy looking worriedly at him.

 

“Sorry Squirt, I was thinking, what did you want?” He tried rubbing the sleep out of his eyes, but to little avail.

 

The boy giggled at his fathers efforts. “That's okay Daddy, sometimes I think real hard and forget what I was doin before, but can you make the beeping stop?”

 

Beeping…Oh my gosh, the alarm clock! I'm late!

 

“Daddy's running late, can you get your self dressed Alec?” He was running around trying to find a suitable pair of pants. Alec nodded franticly, happy to prove himself a `big boy'. “Good, now go hurry and get dressed so we can go see Mrs. Kraft”

 

Alec eagerly ran off in the direction of his room. Robin smiled at his son, he was getting so big now, which, at the moment, was a very good thing, as he had not enough time to deal with himself, let alone a young child's. Though Alec was hardly grown up, he was very mature for his `three in a half' years. He always insisted on that half.

 

Robin now had pants, shoes, and shirt. He briefly put thought into combing his hair, but decided against it as he found it to be waste of time and effort. Glancing at the clock, he cursed as he found it to be half past eight.

 

Great, we're even later then I expected. *sigh* At least I know the chief never expects me to bring in donuts.

 

Reaching Alec's room, he was surprised to face not a three year old boy, but rather some sort of clothing monster. Pants on backward, head trying to be forced through a sleeve, was the perfect match to two untied shoes on the wrong feet.

 

Suddenly, there was a knock at the door. Robin glanced at the clock again. 8:45

 

I do not have time for this!

 

“It's open!” He yelled while taking Alec's shirt off. Then, to top matters off, the phone rang, adding to the pandemonium.

 

Crap crap crap, where's the phone! I'm going to get fired for sure this time, no, chief will understand, I'm sure he will…

 

“WHERES THE PHONE!” He accidentally voiced his last thought, and for a mere second it seemed as though all the noise stopped. Alec stopped wiggling, the phone seemed to stop ringing, even the hum of the refrigerator seemed to go dead.

 

“Its right here.” Robin glanced over to see Mrs. Kraft holding the phone in her hand. Mrs. Kraft lived in the apartment downstairs, and was kind enough to watch over Alec while Robin worked. She also helped around the house when things got too busy, not unlike the very moment.

 

“Don't worry, I can get him dressed, you take the call and get going!” She smiled gently and began her way towards the squirming boy.

 

Robin sighed with relief as he took the phone from Mrs. Kraft.

 

“Hello?” He said very hurriedly on the way out the door.

 

“Yes, Mr. Grayson? This is Mary from the electric company, we noticed you hadn't been…” She was cut off however by Robin.

 

“Sorry, No habla Espanol” With that he hung up the phone and ran out the door.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Robin raced into the office, panting and out of breath he reached Miss. Dune, the day secretary for the Trenton City Police Department. She looked up from a pile of papers perfectly organized in three neat little stacks. She smiled a sypothetic smile at Robin, meaning the Chief was not happy.

 

“How bad is it?” Robin asked with a hopeful voice.

 

“Well…he's flustered. Two officers were killed last night so he's been dealing with the press and family members all morning. He needed you to…” She was cut off however when Robin interrupted.

 

“Which officers…” Everyone knew everyone; he wanted to know who had sacrificed themselves for the greater good this time. This time. Sadly, Death was becoming an almost common occurrence among the force. It was as if someone was purposely going after cops.

 

“Jerry and Pete, they were supposed to be…” However, once again, she was interrupted by Robin.

 

“They were supposed to be patrolling 45th avenue and Park…Oh God, that was originally assigned to me! Chief took me off it because I told him Alec wasn't feeling good…That should be me dead. Not them. They've got family, Petes got a wife!” But before he could continue, Miss. Dune, tired of not having her say, decided she best stop him.

 

“And you have a young son to take care of; don't beat your self up about this Dick, it was fate, now go in and talk to Chief, I think he wants to see you.” Though Robin wondered how much anything really had to do with fate, but continued threw the glass paneled door that led to the main office.

 

Chief Dartmore wasn't a small man, in personality or in size. His appetite was only matched by his anger but both could be subdued by a glazed donut. Though the man was quick with his tong and easily frustrated, he had a good heart, and was always willing to give you a second chance. It was the 11th chance that he had problems with.

 

Chief Dartmore's face was red as a cherry as he yelled over the phone.

 

“No! We will not be speaking to any reporters on the recent crimes against law enforcement workers! I already told you….No…no…Oh just go to hell!” He slammed the phone down and looked up at Robin.

 

“Oh, so you decided you'd join us today Dick? Your only…an hour an twenty minuets late. Congratulations, that's by far your best time. Do you know how many applied for this job? Many had better resumes then yours, your references we're a little shady too, but I looked past all that. I had a hunch, however, now I'm beginning to think my hunch was wrong.” He took off his large glasses and rubbed his temple as though trying to ease the pain of a head ach.

 

“Look, I know I was late Chief, my alarm didn't go off, and then there was a phone call, I promise it won't happen again.” He hated making these excuses. Hated acting like he needed others help, when in reality, he knew he did.

 

“I'm sorry Dick, but sorry just doesn't cut it anymore. You've seen what's been happening around here lately, I need someone who's on their toes at all times. It could cost you your own life if you space off while on patrol. Or worse, you could cost a college their life if you're late getting to the scene.” To Dartmore's credit, he looked sad with his choice, as if he wasn't loosing an employ, but a friend.

 

“Please! I won't screw this up again, really, I won't! I'll get a sitter, I'll leave early, I'll…” He couldn't afford to loose this job, he'd loose his apartment, he'd lose the ability to care for Alec, they'd take him away. Oh God, what have I done!

 

The Chief sighed, weather or not it was from the tiring morning or the pleading, Robin didn't know.

 

“I'm truly sorry about this Dick, but its for your own safety. For that boy of yours, he needs his dad to be alive, not shot by some scumbag. You can pick up your last pay check from Miss. Dune.” The phone rang and Robin knew the conversation was over, he sighed as he stood and headed out of the office.

 

 

 

Robin didn't bother calling a cab, not that he could afford one, but rather, he contemplated his life as it fell apart around him. Sure, he could find another job, but not one that paid as well meaning he couldn't afford his apartment. And if he couldn't afford his apartment, he'd have to move, meaning he wouldn't have the services of Mrs. Kraft. Without Mrs. Kraft he'd have to find a baby sitter, something else he couldn't afford…

 

They'd take him in…He hated thinking like that. He hated asking others for help and he didn't think he could bare to give up the only thing worth living for. Even if he would be giving him to his friends. If their still my friends…How could I of treated them so badly?

 

But surely, they were good people, they'd always help someone in need. They wouldn't be happy with helping him, but he knew they couldn't possible turn down Alec…

 

No. He thought, he couldn't do that to them. He'd walked out, he'd lied, and he'd left her. He couldn't just knock on the door and act like he deserved help. He didn't deserve anything after what he'd done.

 

He would make this work, he had too. He could get two jobs, he was use to not sleeping anyway. Just as long as he…

He was snapped out of his thoughts when he heard a siren pass by. He began to run after it, following his instinct before he realized he was no longer responsible for the safety of the city. However, he now had an uneasy feeling about him, and no matter how hard he tried, he couldn't seem to shake the dread.

 

Robin quickened his pace, his shoes made a thud as they hit the puddles from the night rain. Suddenly, he was overcome with a feeling that if he didn't get home soon, something terrible would happen. Or maybe, it already had.