From the Beginning

Okay I had to do this. I love the original Robin. I love his backstory and his personality. He was so young when he started crime- fighting but always brave and determined. So I decided I'd write a Robin origin story. I put of few spins on Richard Grayson's childhood before he was orphaned, deal with it.
Disclaimer: I don't own Batman or any of the characters.

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"You'll be alright."

"It gets easier."

"You'll probably make a bunch of new friends at your new home."

"Don't cry Dickie."

Words of comfort fell on deaf ears as the 9 year old boy was led away from the only home he'd ever known. Leaving the circus was one of the worst moments of Richard Grayson's life. He'd just lost his parents, seen them murdered, and now he had to leave the rest of his little family behind. He was escorted out by a lady named Ms. Harp, she was mean looking and had talons for nails. Mr. Haley said she was the owner of the building he'd be living in and that she'd take care of him but Dick didn't like her; didn't trust her.

He'd said his goodbyes to the circus and been put in a car and driven away from his old home. When they arrived Ms. Harp nearly yanked him out of the car. She had his shoulder clenched tightly in her talons as they approached the dreary looking building. The sign had said it was Gotham City Orphanage. This was where Dick was living now; an orphanage.

'It doesn't look like a home for kids.' Dick thought as he looked around the dark lobby. 'There's nobody playing.'

When Mr. Haley had told him he was going to a big house full of kids Dick had felt a bit of excitement for the first time since the "accident". He was an only child and there weren't any other children to play with in the circus so being surrounded by other kids sounded fun. Dick had imagined the house to be big and inviting...it looked like a ghost house. He shivered at the silence that seemed to echo within the house.

"Richard." Dick jolted at the sound of his full name. Turning around he saw Ms. Harp glaring at him from the bottom of the stairs. Dick hurried to her side, blushing.

Once she had her talons secured into his shoulder blades again she began to lead him up the old stairs. "As I was saying earlier you will be rooming with two other boys. There will be no fighting with the other children. Each morning and afternoon you will have chores to complete. If you do extra chores you will receive an allowance of $1.00 each day. Lights out is at 9 pm. Breakfast is a 6 am and Dinner is at 6 pm, if you are late for either you will not receive your meal. Are we understood?" Her taloned hand clenched his small shoulder with bruising force as they stopped at an old door.

He nodded shakily, although he hadn't fully understood what she said, he didn't want to make her mad. Ms. Harp didn't look like a person who enjoys repeating themselves. She opened the old door to reveal a small dark room. There was a bunk bed in one corner and a dusty cot in the other but those were the only things in the room. Besides the two boys sitting on the bunk bed.

One of the boys was a tall red headed boy with a pin head and a scowl. The other bigger boy who sat on the bottom bunk was blonde and muscled. He looked like he worked out, like he could lift the bunk bed with one hand. He looked scary; the way he was looking at Dick like he was a meal.

"Richard, these are your roommates Chip and Brack." Ms. Harp pointed to redhead and scary boy in turn. "Boys this is Richard, the new orphan. Play nice." With that said she shoved him unceremoniously into the room and left, locking the door behind her.

For a few seconds there was an awkward silence that hovered in the room then Dick stepped forward. "Umm, I'm Richard b-but my friends call me Dick so if you w-" Dick's greeting was cut off by Brack's deep voice.

"Shut it. No one cares." The elder boy glared down at him. His glare usually installed fear in people but it just made Dick angry.

"I care! I was taught to be nice to people which was what I was trying to do so if you'd- " Dick's words stopped as Brack lifted him by his collar, and literally threw him across the room. Dick let out a pained yell when his head slammed into the wall. Lights exploded behind his eyes as he slid down to the floor, stunned.

'Why did he do that!' Dick thought confusedly as he tried to sit up; the room was spinning all around him. His head hurt really bad, reaching a hand back he felt a bump forming under his fingers.

Slowly becoming aware of his surroundings he noticed that Brack and the red- head, Chip, now both stood above him. They were both glaring at him with their arms crossed across their chests. Brack stepped forward, gripped him by the collar once more, and hauled him to him feet.

"Listen to me circus brat," Brack said still gripping the front of his shirt, "I don't care if you were taught manners. We got a pickin' order around here; I'm at the top and you're at the bottom. I want somethin' you get it, I tell you to jump you do it. You got that?"

Dick gave a small nod, tears threatening to spill from his eyes. Brack smirked before shoving him back against the wall. This time Dick couldn't stop the tears as him injured head reconnected with the wall.

Brack walked back towards his bunk with Chip following him like a shadow. "One more thing circus kid, I don't want friends; don't need 'em. So never try to be my friend again." With that said the two older boys collapsed on their beds and fell asleep.

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Dick wasn't sure how long he stayed on the bedrooms floor, holding his head, but eventually he dragged himself onto his cot and cried himself to sleep. The next morning they were woken up at 5 in the morning and dragged down to breakfast at 6. There were about 200 kids in the dusty old mansion and they all shared their small bowls of oatmeal with Brack. That was why he was so big and all the other kids were scrawny, because he ate all the food.

The whole week went just the same. Dick avoided all the other kids, his earlier excitement about playing with other children had disappeared after his experiences with Brack. The older boy ordered him around like a dog and if Dick refused to do something Brack would beat him up.

Instead of going into the woods to play with the others he stayed inside and did extra chores. Dick had always hated cleaning but it was better than being Brack's slave. Still, by the end of the day Dick was in a bad mood from all work and no play.

On the last day of the week, Dick made sure to finish his evening chores before dinner, after which he rushed upstairs to his room and collapsed onto his cot. It was like his whole world was tearing apart and he couldn't stop it. He had had to leave his home, the kids here were mean, and now he had to work every day.

'I miss them...' Dick thought as his tiny shoulders shook with repressed sobs. He missed his parents, his family, and his home. He didn't understand why they were gone; taken from him or why he was brought to this place. Dick's thoughts became so loud that he didn't hear the door open behind him though he did feel the hand land on his shoulder.

Dick looked up to see Chip, his red-headed roommate, looking down at him with a blank face. The other children in this place were scary and Dick knew he should knock the hand off his shoulder but he was so starved for human contact that he stayed still.

"I- I miss them..." Dick whispered, allowing himself a moment of weakness. He'd been strong the whole week, he hadn't cried in front of anyone. Now though, with the hand gently squeezing his shoulder he broke down, waiting for arms to encircle his sobbing form like he was used to.

But instead of the comfort he expected from the older boy, Dick received a powerful kick to his side. He let out a cry when the boy's heavy boot connected with his ribs, bruising them. He collapsed on the floor, curling into himself, and covering his tear stained face with his hands. Dick heard the heavy boots walk over and stop by his head, and then a voice whispered in his ear,

"Does it hurt little bird?" Dick let out a strangled sob when the older boy cooed his pet name into his ear. "Let me tell you something birdie, you should have thought of how much you would miss your parents before you let them fall to their deaths!" With that said Chip delivered a swift kick to Dick's back before turning and leaving the room.

Dick stayed on the floor, curled tightly in a ball, and cried. He wasn't crying because the kicks hurt, although they did. He was crying because what Chip said was right. He had let them fall. Dick knew something was wrong that night; he knew that Zucco was bad news. But he still let his parents climb up to do their act.

Their deaths were his fault...his and Zucco's. Dick felt a now familiar rage as he thought of that man. It was all his fault, not Dick's and he had to pay.

'He will pay!' Dick thought while slowly uncurling his beaten body. 'I won't let him get away with it. Tomorrow I'll go to the police and tell them what he said to Mr. Haley. Then they'll catch him and lock him away forever!'

Dick crawled up onto his cot and curled up once more. For now Dick was content in knowing that tomorrow he would help the police catch Zucco. But as he drifted to sleep he couldn't stop wondering,

What if the police don't catch him? What then?

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Well that's that. I have the next few chapters planned out so if it's no good tell me now, before I start writing them. Yes I know it's sad but it gets better and I swear it has a happy ending. If I messed up some facts feel free to let me know. Please, PLEASE review! It's the only way I'll know whether to keep writing or drop it.