A big thank you to Jncera for agreeing to beta read my work! If you haven't read anything of hers stop denying yourself happiness! Go. Now! My one-shot is not that important. If you do decide to stay here…

Enjoy!

Sincerely,

Morbid

p.s.

I do not own YJ

"I'm off to Happy Harbor. That is, if there isn't anything else you need me to do."The man did not respond, his half-shielded face revealing only a grim scowl, masked brow furled as he stared intently at the screen. The eerie blue light of the screen made him appear gaunt and old.
The boy fidgeted nervously. "Uh, Batman?"
"You may go."
Upon receiving his mentor's approval the boy let a small sigh of relief. Though as he turned to leave, The Batman added one final condition, "If-"
"If?" Dick felt his heart sink. All his plans depended on the will of this one man; his entire day all hinged on what he would say next. He watched intently as the shrouded figure removed a cardboard box from his crowded desk, handing it to him. Eyes widening in surprise as he looked inside.
"If you take this with you. I want you too look after it until tomorrow."
The boy nodded.

"Cool! Myotis lucifugus!" His best friend exclaimed on the sight of his new assignment, "Where'd you find her?"
"Where do you think?" Dick retorted.
"Oh, right, duh." Wally smacked himself upside the head, a habit that was apparently contagious. "Really should have thought of that."
"Dude, could you act a little more turbing and less disturbing I mean, it's only a bat."
"True." A bright smile spread across his freckle face. "It's also one of the most common bats in North America. It's young, female, and by the looks of it, it's also less than a year old."
"And you say biology isn't your thing," the younger boy teased.
"What can I say, I read a lot." As Wally studied the small, fragile bat further, his lips steadily turned down into frown. "It's a shame though, her wing being broken like that. She'll never be able to fly again."
"Yeah," Dick responded grimly.
The bat crawled around in the box aimlessly, every now in again letting out a small melancholy chirp, fluttering her wings, leaping, seeming to take flight, only to crash down again. The sight was heart breaking, for through her dark leathery wing revealed a bone that had obviously been painfully snapped; broken in a way that she would never be able to fly again, and what is a bat if it can't fly?
Dick spoke quietly, "It's really sad."
"So," Wally ran his fingers through his hair, uncomfortable with the sudden gloomy atmosphere that had enveloped the room, "can I borrow her?"
"What? Why would you want to borrow her?" Dick shot his friend an accusatory look, hugging the box to his chest.
"Because, I need it!" At the realization that his friend really didn't know what a teenage boy could possibly be in need a bat for, Wally groaned. Impatiently he explained, "See, chicks don't exactly dig bats. So I show that bat to Miss. M, she freaks out, I make my move, then – what?" Wally saw the face Dick was making at him and stopped. "What does that expression mean?"
Dick struggled to stop his laughing in long enough to explain. "I'm sorry, I'm just waiting for the part of the plan where you epically fail, and you get rejected, slapped, or both. Besides, M'gann already saw the bat before you got here and she said it was cute." It's not like she obviously has a boyfriend or anything, Kid Oblivious, he thought to himself with a slight smirk. Anyway, why would anyone find this thing scary? It was so small it could fit in one hand with soft rich fur, a short whiskered snout, and large keen ears. "I'm supposed to watch it until it goes to the conservatory tomorrow. Your plan would never work anyway. The girls around here aren't the type to be scared of something like a little brown bat."
"Yeah, but you never know if you don't try," said the red head, ever the out-of-touch optimist.
"Artemis, B07." The computer suddenly sounded, announcing the arrival of the blond haired archer. Wally made a face as she appeared.
"Hey Robin," she greeted him cheerfully, and then gave Wally a sharp nod. "You."
"You." Wally echoed back, shooting her a slight glare.
"Hey Artemis." Dick smiled.
"So, what you got in the box?" She peeked inside. "A bat, cool."
"See!" Robin grinned at Wally triumphantly.
"Awe man!"

He looked more down the usual, as they sat next to each other on the park bench. Dick in his civvies with the cardboard box in his lap and Zatanna in her school uniform tugging nervously at her skirt, a small uncomfortable space between them.

"Not that I'm not happy to see you but how did you find me?" Zatanna asked kindly.
"Oh, I just know things."
The girl's blue eyes widened in shock. Dick held up his hands defensively, face burning, "No wait! I didn't mean it like that – it's just – working with Batman – you get know things and I – it's not like I'm stalking you or anything! I just – happen to know where you live. And go to school."

He hung his head in dejection. Zatanna laughed and he let out a sigh of relief. He held out the box to her. "So, do you think you can fix it? Her wing I mean."
Zatanna folded her hand in her lap. Staring down at them, her raven hair fell in her face. "I can try. But without much practice, there's no guarantee it will work. Do you want me to try anyway?"
The boy nodded, and she lifted the bat gently out of the box with her petite hands, placing it on her lap. She took a deep breath, and began her incantation: "Leah tahw ash neeb nekorb."
The bone did not mend.
"I'm sorry," Zatanna quietly whispered.
"No it's okay, you tired your best. I just thought it would be nice if she could fly again." At the same time that he tired to fake smile he felt a lump form in his throat. What is a bat if it can no longer fly? After all-
Ladies and Gentlemen, Haley's Circus proudly presents to you: The Flying Graysons!
-some wounds never heal.