You Do What You Have To - 49

 

 

Slowly, awareness flooded Robin's expression as he focused in on Thor then Micky. "I'm home," he whispered.

 

"You are," Micky replied, smiling when Thor licked Robin again, getting a "Yuck, dog, you need a breath mint" from Robin. Micky handed Robin his meds, then wondered how Robin would be able to drink the water. Robin solved that by inching onto his side, although it was obvious it cost him when he paled even more than he already was.

 

When he was back on his stomach again, Robin sighed deeply. "It's going to take too long."

 

"To heal?"

 

"Yeah. I need to go after him now, when he least expects it."

 

"That is not happening. You can barely move without causing yourself a great deal of pain. Besides…" Micky hesitated to continue, but he knew it had to be said. "When you see him, everything he did to you this time will come back in full force. It will debilitate you even more than the damage he inflicted on you."

 

"The hell it will. It'll give me a reason to…to…"

 

"To what, Robin? You said yourself you don't kill, and I believe you. It's not in you to do so, except maybe to save your life or the life of someone you care about, like your family."

 

"And you," Robin said, his words barely above a whisper. Even so, Micky heard them and his pulse raced until he told himself, That's the pain and the drugs talking. And the fact that I'm here, trying to help him as best I can.

 

Micky's thoughts, his disbelief, must have shown on his face, because Robin repeated more forcefully, "And you. Don't for a minute doubt it. I do care for you."

 

"You barely know me. All you've seen of me is my needing your protection. That's the kind of caring you're feeling. The need to keep me safe."

 

"Not true." Robin eased his hand out to take Micky's. "The only thing that…that kept me from breaking last night, was knowing you were here and waiting. That you're in my life."

 

"You're crazy," Micky murmured, carefully squeezing Robin's hand.

 

"Why?"

 

"Because…you are?"

 

Robin smiled. "I'll take crazy over not having you around."

 

"Tell me that when you're not full of meds, and I might believe you."

 

"Done." Robin gazed at him for a long moment then his eyes closed and he slept.

 

            "Nothing like falling asleep to reinforce how much you care," Micky grumbled. But he couldn't stop the hope that maybe, just maybe, Robin had meant what he'd said.