Authors Note:A few things. 1.) Any names you do not recognize are people that I am making up and I have made up a lot of people. 2.) Time passes quickly in some chapters so keep an eye out. Insert a sufficient time passage between this first chapter and the second one to come. Please keep in mind that this is kind of my personal take on Dick/Babs so they may get out of character a few times, but I really try not to. Special Thanks to everyone who have been reviewing. You are all awesome! Special Special Thank to: Abbie Brown and TheSkullHat, who took extra time and wrote me a haiku. Thanks guys!

Extra Note: This is my first story to have multiple chapters. After writing this, I realized how much I like one shots. They are simple and to the point. This a long time to write, but I had to get it out of my head. (However, I really like this, if that doesn't sound to narcissistic. :}) P.S. This means is thinking

Disclaimer: As you might be able to guess: I do not actually own any of the Batman characters as they belong to their rightful owners.

++++++++++++++++++++++++Chapter One+++++++++++++++++++++++++++

Richard Grayson could not get out of the school fast enough when the bell rang for recess. Not caring who saw him, he ran passed all the other students of Gotham Academy and flew out the back doors of the school. Bursting out of the doors and running passed the yard area; he headed for the edge of the school's property. A large oak tree, stood proudly there. It was one of the few large trees untouched by Gotham City's expansion. It sat right next to a chain link fence that had years of garbage trapped against it. There had always been talk of cleaning up that side of the property, but no one had ever ventured out that far to do so. For this, he was thankful. When he arrived at the base of the tree, he put his hands against the trunk trying to catch his breath. He pulled at the tie knotted at the base of his throat. The school uniform was uncomfortable enough without the sun bearing down on top of you.

"This is it! I can not put up with this anymore!" He punched the tree with his fist. Pain shot through it immediately. "That was stupid." He rubbed his hand.

Looking up into the tree, he gave a leap and grabbed the lowest branch. It gave slightly and bounced back up as he secured his grip. He swung himself up and over the next branch quickly making his way to the top. He sat on top of a sturdy branch looking towards the direction of the school. Pushing aside some branches, he was able to get a better view of the surrounding area. Ah, yes, Gotham City. It contained all the same things any normal city would have only throw in even taller skyscrapers and maniacal villains. Dick sighed. ". . . and that is sometimes the easiest part." He leaned his back against the main trunk of the tree and looked up. Beyond the leaves lay a perfect blue sky, untouched by the problems below. His sudden movement startled some birds from the top of the trees. "Robins. How ironic." He gave another sigh. How he wished it was Robin that went to school instead of him. Robin wouldn't put up with kids teasing him. Robin could hack into the school systems and change mean kid's grades. Robin could go from class to class without even being detected. "He could travel through the air shafts." How he wished that he could. That would put an end to running into kids you didn't want to talk to and annoying girls. They could be the worst.

"Bad day?" The voice came out so clearly and suddenly that Dick almost lost his balance. His first instinct was to look back down at the ground.

"Over here. Right across from you."

Dick spun around to see the head of a girl sitting on a branch on the opposite side of the tree. The head disappeared for a moment, but than reappeared. He got a better look at her and she leaned around the trunk. She sort of looked familiar. Red hair, slim build, green eyes, and: the ever popular Gotham Academy uniform.

"Wait. Did you climb up here in a skirt?" He asked. Realizing at the moment he was speaking that it was a silly question.

"Yea. It took a little while. Not as fast as you did it." Her eyes glowed with admiration. "So, rough day?"

Dick gave a grunt.

"To put it shortly, it was a disaster: heavy on the 'dis'." She gave a funny smile revealing white teeth.

"Heavy on the 'dis'" She repeated slowly. Dick ran a hand through his now slightly messed up black hair.

"Never mind." The girl bit her lip as she watched him.

"Yea mine too. And it's not even over." She said miserably. They sat in silence each on their own side of the tree. A slight breeze picked up and rustled the leaves. They gave each over a smile.

She began speaking first. "So, I'm Barbara Gordon. I'm up in this tree because I'm tired of dealing with people." Dick gave her a real grin.

"Me too." He swung his legs through the air. He looked closer at her.

"You seem normal. Why are people bugging you?"

"You want a list? Okay, well for starters, some people still pick on the hair color, then there is always the teasing about how much I care about studying, and

finally there is my dad." This immediately peaked Dick's interest.

"So, what about him?" This was Gotham, he could be anyone from a stockbroker to criminal in jail. Dick waited for an answer. She gave a sigh.

"He's the police commissioner." Dick blinked. That was right –Gordon. Batman and Robin met him all the time.

"So, what?" Barbara stared at him in disbelief.

"So what? That right there gives kids all kinds of material. Plus he is paranoid that someone is going to kidnap me or . . . well, some such thing. I can never go

over to any other kid's home unless my father has met their parents, and I have to text him practically every half hour or he is ready to send the entire force after

me." She paused, breathing heavily after her rant. "Not that anyone wants to hang out with me." She muttered, but it was loud enough for Dick to hear. She

brushed her hair back. "Well, enough about me. What about you?" Dick stared at the ground before answering.

"You really don't know?" He put it more bluntly than he meant to. He watched her go slightly red, as she looked away sheepishly.

"I try not to take as fact everything I hear." She said quietly. She slowly turned her face back to his and met his now serious blue eyes.

"Try me." He was trying not to sound angry. She looked uncertainly at him but spoke.

"You're Richard Grayson. You grew up in a circus and when your parents . . . died . . ." she said softly catching the flash of pain in his eyes, ". . . well, you live with

Bruce Wayne now. You are really good at math and . . . that is really all." She looked regretful at having said that much. Dick took in a deep breath.

"Well that is all true so you can log it away as fact now it you wish." She gave a small nod. Dick decided that it was best to change the subject.

"So what class do you have after this?"

"English"

"Really? Me too? Where do you sit?"

"In the back left corner. You sit in the middle right?"

"Wait, you're the girl who wrote that paper on Shakespeare that Mr. Cormick kept raving about? That was really good." Barbara glowed with some pride.

"I did a lot of research on that paper. I was really happy with it." She sighed. "I don't understand how so many of the kids here don't care about their grades."

"Because most of them come from wealthy families and don't need to care too much about their futures." Dick said with certainty.

"Yea, well they should leave us average people alone. Some of aren't that inherently smart!" Barbara complained.

"You're smart, I can tell." She smiled over at him.

"Thanks." She sighed and glanced back in the direction of the school. "So kids are giving you a hard time?" Dick glanced in her direction.

"I really don't want to talk about it."

"Okay." She said simply. Dick looked up somewhat surprised. Just like that, she was willing to drop it with out any further pestering or prodding.

"So uh, Barbara . . ."

"You can call me Babs if you want to. Friends call me that. Which, at this point, means one person and she still doesn't call me that." He smiled.

"You can call me Dick if you like."

"Okay." She smiled back.

"Does this mean we're friends now?"

"Sure. If you want to be." He replied. She looked around.

"Well there is no one else in this tree, so why not?" She reached her arm around the tree and they shook hands right as the bell rung.

"Race you down?"

"No fair. I'm in a skirt!" She said laughing.

"Alright come on."

They both made their way back down. Dick was a bit quicker of course.

"Ready for the second half?"

"No, but its okay." She dropped onto the ground and brushed off her skirt. "Some time we can race when I'm not wearing a skirt."

"I'll still win." He teased.

"Yea maybe. But at least I can give you some competition." They both headed back quickly to the large looming building. Some times the school day just didn't want to end, but at least now, they had found a friend.

Yea! First chapter out of the way! Hopefully this will all go smoothly and I will have no trouble updating with more chapters. (As I mentioned, I haven't done a continuous story like this and I fear having trouble adding on more chapters. Ah, newbies, what are you going to do right?)

Alright tell me what you think. Advice, and (gentle) [be nice please! :}] criticism, would be appreciated.