digi-gal-rox: inspired by All Of Us Angels from JAG. Kinda lame, but I had to put it down. hope you like it! don't forget to review!

Chapter 1 - Fates

Many years in the future...

The cold wind blew his greying hair back, as he slowly made his way to it. His long brown coat, stayed put, keeping him warm. A thin smile came across his face, as her features came across his mind. A tear fell from his eye. It had been so long since it happened. The terror... the repeated nightmare. Sighing, he looked up, to see someone around in his teenager years, sitting on the stone. His thin smile grew wider. He didn't expect kids to be still coming up here. Ofcourse, not many people came up here, not since... he dark eyes studied the boy. In many ways, the figure seemed familiar. But in many ways, there were differences.
"You do know that you're sitting on a hero, you know." the elderly man said, approaching the stone and teenager. The teen got up, quickly, feeling guilty.
"Sorry, I did't know." he turned to leave.
"You don't have to leave," the elderly man said quietly. The teenager stopped. "I don't see a lot of young kids like you here. What brings to this cold and dark place?"
"I wouldn't exactly call this place dark..." the teen said uncertainly. The elderly man smiled. "I'm meant to meet someone here," the teenager finished lamely. The elderly man placed a bunch of red roses down, in front of the stone.
"Of course you wouldn't," he murmured. "To many people it's a dark place." he paused, running his fingers against the cold stone, "To me, it's takes me closer to her." the teenager looked at him uncertainly.
"Excuse me?"
"Why don't I keep you company till you friend arrives?" he asked, sitting down beside the grave, "I'm meeting someone here myself." cautiously, the teenager sat in front of him. "You don't have to be afraid of me," he said quietly, "I have a feeling I know who you're waiting for."
"Sir?" the elderly man smiled again.
"Have you ever heard of the Savage War?"
"Only in the scriptures," the teen admitted. "I was told not many people survived."
"This person here," he patted the stone, "Took part in the war. She was a great hero." he paused, shaking his head slightly. "Not was. She still is I believe." the teenager studied him carefully.
"Still, sir?"
"Even though the war is many years over, they still are heros, lad." the elderly man chuckled. "Those who survived that dreadful time went into hiding. Still afraid of what may happen if it were ever to happen again." the elderly man stopped, looking up at the dark black sky. The teenager followed his gaze.
"Clear sky tonight," he noted. The elderly man nodded.
"I don't even remember a clear night like this," he said quietly. He returned his gaze to the teenager, who was observing the yard. "Don't worry lad, he'll come." the teenager looked at him surprised.
"How do you know?... Wait, do you know who I'm waiting for?"
"Every year, I see another man here. As far as I recall, this other man and myself are the only ones who come here, now." the elderly man's smile faded slightly. "There are people who fear facing their past. The people who lie here now are their past..." the teenager looked to the side uneasily. The elderly man smiled at him.
"Let me tell you a story,"
"I think I'm a bit too old for stories," the teen noted.
"I think you'll find this story quite amazing," the elderly man smiled, pulling his coat tighter around himself,before making himself comfortable. "Now where shall I begin... that's right. Right at the beginning, how everything came to be..."

Many years ago...

The door flung open, as they ran deeper into the house. His parents. His mother on his right, holding onto his hand tightly. His father on his left, breathing heavily, glancing over his shoulder. The marching of soldiers were close behind them. His mother held onto his hand tighter, feeling her son's fear.
"It'll be alright Bruce." she said breathlessly, "We'll get out of here."
"This way!" his father bellowed, turning around sharply. They followed not to far behind. Thomas quickly pulled to a stop. Martha's eyes widened, seeing another group of soldiers in front of them. Thomas turned around quickly. Soldiers were also behind them. Grabbing his son, he quickly shove him aside, a secret room. Bruce watched in horror as he watched both his parents gunned down. Blood splattered everywhere. The soldiers turned to face the secret room pointing their guns at it. Bruce ran deeping down the secret corridor, where the butler was waiting for him. Tears in his eyes, he threw himself at the butler, crying hard.
"They killed them, Alfred!" he wailed. Alfred hugged the small boy tightly, fighting back his tears.
"We must hurry, Master Bruce. Before they find us." nodding slightly, Bruce allowed his only family left to lead him to safety. To his new home.

20 years later...

Holding onto his daughter tightly, James turned a sharp corner, where he was waiting for them. A hatch was open.
"Daddy!" the small red head exclaimed, as he tripped. She tried to pull her father up.
"No, follow him!" he ordered, pushing his daughter slightly while getting up. He saw the look on his face, as they appeared behind him, guns at hand. "Get her out of here!" James roared, as the man quickly covered the young girl, as gun shots were heard. She screamed, pushing him aside, to see her father dead. The soldiers making their way towards them.
"DADDY!"
"Damn it," the man swore, picking the squirming, crying girl and jumpped down the hatched and disappeared.
"DADDY!"

"John, their coming!" Mary exclaimed, clinging to her son. Moving further away from the windows and doors, John
grabbed his son, and stuffed him in the closet.
"Stay here, Dick." John said desperately. Don't say a word, got that?" the eight-year old nodded, tears falling from
his face. John quickly shut the door, holding onto his wife. Dick flinched slightly, as he heard the front door bang
open. It was only months ago, they decided to stay here, their new home and settled. But they quickly became enemies
of the ruler, and were hunted down, after going agaisnt them. Moving every week from house to house. He watched in
horror, as both bodies were gunned down. He wanted to scream, but a hand covered his mouth from behind. He quickly
paniced.
"It's alright," a rough but kind voice said from behind. "I'm here to help." unsure, the boy nodded, allowing the
man to take him futher to the dark. A secret passage? he wondered, as an invisible door closed behind them, as they
moved closer to the dark.

The six-year old looked up, hopefully as he returned. She knew this man quite well. His father's friend. She smiled
slightly, her eyes still red from crying, as she ran towards the man.
"Batman!" she cried out. Several children looked up hopefully. Each other them loosing their parents. She stopped,
realising there was a boy with him.
"I've got an important job for you, Barbara." Batman said, kneeling down, the boy asleep on his back. "I want you to
look after this boy, O.K? Like you, he saw his parents being murder. I want you to know that he's not alone, you got
that?" he asked. She nodded.
"I understand."

Another 20 years later...

"Damn it," he swore, as the young boy ran past them. "You just had to get 'air' now, didn't you?" the woman grinned speeding up.
"What can I say, staying down there, for most of my life? I needed to get out." she turned around slightly, as the soldiers zoned in one them. "Hey kid, do you have any idea where you're going?!" the teenager stopped. "That's much better. Let's do this." the man nodded, as he quickly pulled the hatched up, and the three disappeared down the hole.
"A train?" the teenager said uncertainly, at the unseemingly bright compartment.
"Not really," the man smiled slightly, pulling a leaver.
"Are you nuts?!" the teenager screamed, as the compartment nears the wall. He screamed slightly, closing his eyes.
"Hey kid, you can open them now." the man said. Was that chatter? slowly opening his eyes, the teenager realised it was a small village of some sort. Children could be seen, running past happily.
"Where are we?" he asked meekly. The woman smiled.
"Somewhere safe."

He smiled watching her disappear with a group of women. Ever since he first came here, they had instantly became the best of friends. She stood by him, helping him through his emotional stage, helping him recover from the trauma of his parents death. But what he learnt, though was that she was a very reserved person. She never talked about her family. She didn't tell. He didn't ask. He led the teenager away.
"So, what's your name, kid?"
"I'm not a kid," he pouted, "I'm Tim."
"Call me Dick." Dick smiled, leading him to another corridor.
"What is this place?"
"You can call it a safe house if you life," Dick said softly, fiddling with his belt. "We basically live here."
"All these people?" Tim's eyes widened with surprise.
"Yeah," Dick nodded. "The people here... we've all lost our parents. We're orphanes. Batman... he took us all in, and well... he looked after us. Us older ones, are helping with that job now, while he..." Dick paused, "Never mind. You'll be sharing this room with other kids your age." Dick led him to a bed at the middle of the large room.
"I have to wear a uniform?" Tim asked, disgustedly, at the uniform present on the bed. Dick's eyes fell.
"It's better that way. Otherwise, the others will think you're a spy." he said softly. "We already delt with a spy once. We had to move..." Tim watched sadly, as the older man left the room. Staring at the uniform warily, he got change. He might as well stay here. He already lost his family, he had nothing else left for him.

"He's out again?" someone asked.
"Yeah," another person responded, "Something about an errand." Dick glanced down at his food, poking it.
"Do you have any idea where he went?" Dick looked up, shaking his head.
"No idea. I think he already left, when I got back with the new kid."
"He's changed though, haven't you noticed?" Barbara spoke up, "When we were younger, he'd always 'play' with us. But now, he's always busy." everyone nodded.
"He use to be so friendly..."
"Better not let him hear you say that," the man beside Dick grinned, "He'll kill you for sure."
"No... he's still friendly, just more reserved." Barbara said quietly, "Still allowing us to look for kids who lost their parents, and letting us take them in." she paused, her lips quivering.
"Hey, it's alright,"
"Jenny..." she murmured, as the brunette woman placed an arm around her shoulder. Dick looked at the two woman carefully, before returning his gaze back to his food.

"A resistance?" the teenager looked at the elderly man in surprise. He nodded.
"Yeah. It became a second home for those who lost their parents." the elderly man paused, "Espeically for their leader, the one who helpped them." the teenager nodded. "Even though life seemed... peacful, there were struggle as well." the elderly man said quietly. "The men went up, to help, and many were injured. Some women followed, other's remained behind to help nurse the wounded, and look after the children..."

"Wait, you're going out?!"
"I want to," he said softly.
"But-"
"I want them to pay. I want them to pay for what they did to my parents!" he cried out stubbornly.
"Dick, don't do this." she pleaded.
"I have to," he said softly, "It's the only way I can redeem myself." she looked up at him, lifting his head. He saw tears falling from her face. He smiled gently at her, rubbing her tears with his ungloved hand. "I promise I'll come back, Barb. I promise."
"Dick..." she quietly removed her necklace, and thrust it too him. "Promise?"
"Barb..."
"It use to belong to my mum. Promise me you'll come back? And return it to me?" she looked at him, desperately. As if under a spell of desperation, he brought his lips to her, brushing it softly. She looked at him eyes wide, clearly surprised, before returning the kiss, wrapping her arms around his neck. She felt him pull her closer to him
before he pulled away from her.
"I promise." he turned around and left, following the other men and women. She watched painfully, as he disappeared. Jenny appeared behind her, hugging her friend.
"So, how was it like?" she asked cheakily, lightening up the mood.
"Jenny!" Barbara exclaimed, running after her friend.

"Falling in love at war," the teenager murmured, "It must've been hard for her."
"More ways than you think." the elderly man said softly, "In more ways than you think..."

digi-gal-rox: that's it for now! pls review!