So, I have been going through my old fics. If you read this before you know it used to be a song fic, but I took out the song, and kept the fic part. Enjoy :)

Batman was sitting on top of the roof of the Wayne building in his city. Gotham. To anyone else it would look like a polluted, disgusting city that's inhabitants had sunk as low as you could go with the amount of drug and prostitution rings around town, but this was his city. The Dark knight was born and raised here. And no matter what anyone said, he knew that part of him had died here. But Gotham seemed to be quieter tonight. None of the psychopaths were out of Arkham yet. Although, knowing Arkham's record, there would be at least two out tomorrow night.

Batman let out a sigh. This crusade against crime was really a fruitless effort sometimes. Then he scolded himself. Without him there would be more petty thieves in the city, harassing the cities wealthier inhabitants with a gun, demanding their money. How many little boys had to see all the pears rolling around on the ground? See the shot tear through their father as he tried to reason with the man. Hear the shot as their father fell. Smell the blood as their screaming mother fell beside them. Taste the criminals fear as he realized what he did and ran for it, forgetting the wallet. Feel the cold of their parents as they fell weeping beside them. No one else, he vowed.

Suddenly Batman stiffed as his acute ears heard the smallest scrape of a grappling gun hitting the side of the building. He rose up from his crouch in a pillar of black, his cloak spread around him to mask him in the familiar shadows. Superman himself had said he would never want to be a criminal in Gotham. Apparently the caped crusader was a horrifying enemy.

A lithe figure flipped onto the side of the roof incased with shadow, Batman's side. Batman made to intercept the culprit, but the person saw him first.

"Guess what? Guess what?" Robin, his partner, protégé, and ward whispered in excitement as he immediately caught sight of the camouflaged Batman. Not a small feet. The brightly colored child practically skipped over to the Dark knight, the glare that made even the hardest criminals wet their pants seeming to have no effect on him.

The boy didn't seem to need a response. "There was a man trying to break into the bank and I took care of it all by myself! Commissioner Gordon said I did a good job, and that I was really good!" The nine year olds red chest was practically heaving with excitement, the R going up in down rhythmically. His happy smile could even melt Batman's frozen heart.

"Gordon never tells me I do a good job…" he told his protégé softly. The birds smile brightened even more, if that were possible.

"But you always do a good j-job, silly!" Batman caught the shiver that racked the boy's small frame. His lips turned down in a slight frown. It was almost January, and the Robin costume didn't have sleeves. He instantly pulled his little bird under his cape where he would at least be sheltered from the wind.

Robin didn't seem to be deterred by his father pulling him into the warm. He learned his head on Batman's leg and continued his story. "So I was sitting on top of that pizza place, you know the one near the hair cutting place? Anyway, I was sitting there and I was thinking about hot cocoa, cause I was pretty cold, and then I was thinking about getting a cold. Would you let me stay home from school? Oh I have a quiz tomorrow! It's on the fifty states, but I know them. I know their capitals too! And I know all the Countries of the world and their capitals, but third graders don't need to know that yet! Oh so, on the roof…"

Batman stood content as he watched over his city with his chattering partner tucked safe under his wing.

Alas, the world didn't think Bruce Wayne needed that long of a moment because not two minutes after, he heard Superman's voice in his comm link. He stiffed as he listened to let Robin know that something was going on.

His chattering protégé stopped, instantly alert. Batman gave him a discrete nod and they let their grappling guns fly in almost in perfect unison.

People on the ground watched in awe. The first time they had seen the Batman flying through the sky, he looked like a demon from their worst nightmare. After a while the recognized him as the blessing he was. When the brightly colored Robin first appeared by his side they couldn't help but smile as the child's happy demeanor seemed to spread to everyone who saw him. Except Batman that is, he was as unfeeling as ever. They were unsure about a little boy protecting them and there were rumors about Batman kidnaping him and torturing him, or worse. But they realized he could hold his own in a fight and if a villain messed with him too bad, then Batman would come down on then, hard. And the little bird was accepted into the nightlife of Gotham. It was normal to see the two swinging from rooftops.

"Where we goin, Boss?" Robin asked as they landed in the famous Batmobile.

"You are going home." He replied in a no-nonsense voice. "And I'm going up to the watch tower."

"Aw, but-"

"No."

"You don't even know what I was gonna say!" the little boy whined, not bothering to buckle his seatbelt even though they were clearly going over eighty.

"You wanted to go to the watchtower." Batman's eyes didn't waver from the road. "I'm Batman." Robin's mouth snapped shut as his question, that wasn't spoken, was answered.

A smirk quickly filled the annoyed expression. A smirk that meant the nine year old was up to no good. It goes without being said that he wore this smirk a lot. "Alfred knows everything." The boy stated, and, if possible, the smirk got wider. "And Alfred said not to leave me home alone while he was visiting his niece!"

An alarm went off and Batman immediately checked it. "It's the West Bank on first and sixth, let's go." He pulled his car around in move that definitely was not possible or legal and speeds off to the crime. Superman could wait.

The police were already there, but Batman and Robin decided to make an appearance anyway. Well, Robin wanted to make an appearance, so they did.

"Hi, Commish!"

Batman glided over, while Robin bounced, yes bounced, next to him, and up to the man with the bushy mustache.

He excused himself from the owner of the bank and came over to the vigilantes. Although, he hated to admit it, he was really grateful when Robin came. A kid working was dangerous, but it did give him some warning when the Bat was behind him.

"Robin, Batman. Nothing major, just a gang in need of money." He shrugged. "But that's Gotham for ya."

"Robin, go check the gang symbol."

The little boy, now not bouncing, walked lightly over to one of the handcuffed men. You didn't bounce when you were working, and that's what he was doing: working.

"You and the kid can head home. Looks like a quiet night." Batman nodded . "And, um, Batman?" Gordon had to admit that even if he trusted this man with his life he was still a bit wary of him.

"Yes Commissioner?" Batman didn't seem to be very patient today.

"You might want to consider getting Robin a jacket because it-"

BAM!

A gunshot broke the silence.

A Bat-a-rang hit the gun out of the hand cuffed man's hand before he could get another shot in. A swift kick to the head was all it took for the Dark Knight to knock the man out. And in less than three seconds Robin was in his arms.

He looked Robin over. He was barely conscious and Batman broke a salt under the boy's nose to get him to go under completely. It seemed the man had only gotten Robin in the arm, but the shock had affected him. It wasn't like they hadn't been shot at before, but the proximity of that shot made it near impossible to dodge.

"What happened?" Gordon asked the policeman nearest.

A shadow ghosted up behind the angry commissioner. "I would love to hear this too."

The man was clearly shaking from the force of the glare he was getting. He had heard it could make mob bosses call for their mothers. He envied their bravery; he thought he was going to just drop dead right there. "Well, the k-kid c-came over and was l-lifting up his sleeve to s-see the mark and t-this o-ther guy here shot him."

"Why did he still have a gun?" Batman hissed. He needed to know, but this conversation was taking up too much time. Robin needed to be back at the cave now!

"I-I dunno! I swear! It wasn't my fault, oh God, please don't kill me!" The man whimpered. Fortunately for the man, Robin made a noise in his sleep and Batman disappeared into the night to help his son.

"No one blames you, Parker." Jim Gordon tried to console the terrified man, but he just let out another whimper.

Batman was late. That was like saying the world was ending or the Flash was going anorexic. It just didn't happen. But here the JLA were and they were missing a Bat. Although, this seemed to be quite the conversation starter.

"Maybe a giant meteor came down and hit him on the head."

"He would have probably punched it, he's Batman."

"Oh, I bet he's sleeping! He never takes a break."

"Can he even sleep?

"Doubt it, you seen the coffee that guy inhales?"

"Maybe he got lost?"

"How the hell do you lose a giant spaceship that's IN SPACE!"

"I bet he's ditching."

"Batman? Ditch? While criminals are out? Not possible."

"I bet he just hates us."

"That doesn't count, he hates everyone."

"He doesn't hate me!"

"Yea, remember that time you broke into his room because you thought it was mine?

"Haha that was great!"

"I thought he was gonna kill you!"

"Nah, I was betting on torture."

"I thought we were heroes! You know? We're against the killing and torturing!"

"That's no fun! Kidding! Kidding!"

"Darn, I was looking for an excuse to kick you out…"

"Aren't we supposed to be nice?

"Speaking of nice, where's Mr. Sunshine and Daises?"

"You mean Batman?"

"I'm right here."

Batman came up on the giant screen in the meeting room and everyone looked at it.

"Come on up." Superman invited. "We have a meeting to start."

"Start it without me. I'm not coming." An audible gasp came around the room, but the link was terminated before anything else could be said. An uproar was suddenly heard.

"I bet the worlds ending!"

"We're gonna die!"

"Everyone, it's just a onetime thing," Superman tried to reassure everyone.

"That's it! What does he know that we don't?"

"It's world war three! It's gotta be!"

"So who has a bomb now?"

"I thought the Joker was in Arkham."

Superman tried again to get the crowd under control. "We're trying to have a meeting!"

"This has to go down in the history books; Batman doesn't show up to a meeting."

"Come on guys! The meeting!" The kryptonian tried fruitlessly.

"We should make a Youtube video or something!"

"A Youtube video meeting of a top secret base?"

"Oh, I give up!" The commotion paused for a moment as Superman stormed out, but resumed a moment later.

"I bet it's a girl."

"Oh please, Bruce "I'm the Goddamn Batman" Wayne getting a girl important enough to rank above the JLA? Impossible."

"You're just mad because he could totally get more girls than you if he wanted."

As soon as Bruce terminated the link he made his way back to the couch upstairs.

Dick was sleeping fitfully on it. He arm had been bandaged and he was now in his favorite blue PJs. Bruce sat down and pulled the boy into his lap, running his hands through the soft hair.

"B-Bruce?" Dick's small voice went through the room like a bang. He tried to sit up but Bruce pushed him back down.

"No, just sit Dick." The boy nodded and got comfortable in his father's arms.

"Are we back at the manor?" Translation: Are we upstairs? Or in the cave?

"We're in the living room."

"Mmkay." They fell into a comfortable silence, while Bruce continued to run his hand through Dick hair without paying attention.

"The ghosts," Dick said loudly after a couple minutes.

Bruce was confused by the sudden outburst. "What?"

"You wanted the gang name." Dick shifted so his head was on Bruce's stomach and he was more comfortable. "That's who they were." Before the man could say anything the boy's breaths became longer and more spaced. He smiled and continued running his hand through the boys hair.

His son.