DISCLAIMER: DON'T OWN ANYTHING YOU KNOW OF! IF YOU'VE NEVER SEEN IT IN THE MOVIE, IT'S MINE!
"Well, another successful night," Richard (Dick) Grayson stated as he walked into the main room, fixing his clothing. Bruce Wayne didn't even notice, noting that Alfred was waiting with a rather tell-tale expression.
"What is it, Alfred?" asked Bruce. "Another criminal all ready?"
"No, Master Bruce," Alfred answered. "My niece sends her greetings to both of you… and some unfortunate news. Two houses near hers were burned to the ground, two teens being the only survivors. They both have no family and no place to go at the moment. No other homes in that area were willing to take them both. Seeing as they'd rather not be separated, she was hoping that you would be so kind as to offer your home as a refuge until the teens find a more permanent settlement."
"So basically," Dick began, catching up to them. "We're going to be babysitters?"
"Not exactly," Bruce said after glancing at Alfred's face. "They're older teens, aren't they, just shy of being on their own?"
"Sixteen," Alfred replied. "Both of them are just freshly graduated freshmen. My niece wanted you to call if you wanted more information on them-"
"Like why no one in their own town would take them?" suggested Dick. Bruce nodded and picked up the phone, dialing quickly the all too familiar number. He then put it on speaker phone.
"Hello?" came Batgirl's voice on the other end of the phone.
"Hello," Bruce said.
"Bruce!" she said excitedly. "I guess Alfred got you my request."
"Indeed," he replied. "What can you tell me about the teens?"
"The girls are both sixteen," she began. "Z and Becky are easy enough to get along with, but Z isn't too keen on authority figures. Becky's more of a girly-girl, loves shopping and all that jazz. Z is more of an independent person. I give her maybe a week before she has a job and is demanding to pay some amount of rent. She hates borrowing money and living off other people, says it's the same as leeching. Basically, to describe the two, Z's more of an unpredictable person while Becky's the laid-back kind of person."
"Why wouldn't anyone in your town take them in?" asked Bruce. There was a long, hesitant pause.
"Well… Z's kinda hard to get along with and she… isn't… quite… normal…" Batgirl answered, searching for the words. "Most people were all too willing to take just Becky, but she wouldn't abandon Z. The two are too close to be separated."
"Thus the problem," Alfred summed up.
"Will Z fit in here?" Dick asked.
"Define 'fit in'" Batgirl answered. "Just ask her to do things instead of order her to and you won't have a problem. Nine times out of ten she'll do what she's asked. Warning though, Becky will follow Z's lead. If she doesn't like you, Becky won't either."
"Follow the leader," muttered Dick.
"When will they arrive at the airport?" asked Bruce.
"Around seven tonight if I get them on the next plane," Batgirl answered. You could hear the relief and the gratitude in her voice. "Thanks guys."
"No problem," Bruce answered. "Talk to you another time."
"Same to you," she said and hung up. Bruce looked at Alfred.
"We have the party tonight," he reminded him. "Will you pick them up from the airport?"
"Certainly, Master Bruce," Alfred replied. "I will be sure to make no extra stops on the way back."
Bruce smiled while Dick grinned in amusement.
"This is going to be interesting," Bruce muttered, walking towards his chambers.
"Hey Bruce," Dick asked suddenly. "Seeing as to how we're gonna have two teens living with us, how are we going to keep our identities secret?"