First chapter baby! First off, I should let you know- I really didn't like season 2. I felt like it focused way too much on the wannabe characters nobody really liked. No offense, they're alright, but the team seemed to have gotten too big and they jumped back and forth between the new members, not really doing the old team members justice. So this story will mainly be Bat-family centric.

JASON WILL MAKE MULTIPULE APPERANCES! Along with Damian Wayne, the fourth, soon-to-be Robin, as well. I really hated when they only showed Jason's memorial in the cave- no mention of him at all besides that. And, they didn't feature the Red Hood at all. That just crushed me.

Finally, this is about Sparrow growing up. The title doesn't make sense yet, but trust me, it will as the story goes on. Here goes nothing- thanks again for all of you who've been with me from the start. Please follow, fav, and review! :)

2 years after ending of The Second Bird

Scarlet: 14
Dick: 18

She woke up, as always, to arguing.

"I saved your life!"

"You almost died!"

"It was the only option!"

"I should have taken that blow!"

She hadn't been allowed on patrol lately. Joker had broken out of Arkham and teamed up with Two-Face, resulting in a deadly combination- so deadly, that Bruce had forced her to stay behind.

For the past week, she'd been waking up to hear her father and brother clashing. Of course, there arguing hadn't started over night.

It'd started months ago, just before Robin's eighteenth birthday. Subtle disagreements, when Robin contradicted a strategy Batman proposed or argued when Batman suggested she limit acrobatics in her training. Robin had emphasized his acrobatics, afterall, and he was doing fine.

Subtle disagreements like that that had occured in growing frequency. And over the past week everything had exploded.

Without her there, Batman wnd Robin were always arguing, always at eachothers throats. It seemed like they only kept their arguments down when she was present so as not to upset her.

Like she couldn't hear them screaming at eachother from downstairs. It was 1:17 in the morning, . She moaned, rolling over and holding a pillow over her head- it only suceeded in muffling the sounds of the agrument downstairs.

She had to side with Robin, mostly, though. He was almost as good as Batman, now, incredibly capable of handling things. But Batman insisted they stayed together on patrol, was always looking over his son's shoulder, watching him, as though he didn't have faith in his son's ability. He was, in truth, getting controlling. She knew Bruce was only trying to protect Dick, but still, it was getting out of hand.

"Master Bruce and Master Dick!" Alfred's yelling stopped the shouting match in its tracks. The butler rarely yelled, but when he did, everyone was quiet and listened.

"Master Scarlet is in her room sleeping, and I suggest that if you must argue, you become quieter so as not to disturb her."(1)

Scarlet smiled from wheres she laid in bed, eyes still closed. Good old Alfred. She could hear a hushed agrument from there, but the voices were too quiet to make sense of.

She was, in fact, almost asleep, until she awoke to Dick shaking her slightly.

"Scarlet." he whispered, warm breath ticking her face.

"Mmmm..." she muttered, trying to ignore his shaking and nestling deeper into the folds of the blankets.

"Scarlet. Scarlet, please."

There was something desperate in his voice, and she opened her eyes, blinking sleepily and waiting until Dick's face came into focus as he stared at her in the dark room.

"Scarlet, I'm leaving."

"What?" she stared at him, shocked. He had a duffle bag packed, though, it was sitting beside her bed.

"I can't take it here anymore. Bruce is too controlling."

"He just needs time, Dick. He'll come around..."

"But he isn't coming around, Scarlet!" Dick said, frustrated.

He saw the shocked look on her face at his outburst and sighed. "Look- I'm sorry I just blew up at you. It's just... it's been eating at me. He doesn't think I'm capable, and he never will. Even if he did... I'm not sure I'd want to stay. I don't want to stay Robin forever- living in Batman's shadow. I need to be my own hero. I'm leaving."

He could see the fear in her eyes, then, raw and scared. They'd been together since birth. The only time they'd ever been seperated was immediately after their parents had died, and that had only been for two weeks, and when Scarlet had gone to boarding school- and even then, they'd constantly email one another.

"Don't be afraid, Scarlet. Bruce is a good guy- he'll take care of you." Dick sat down beside her, pulling her into an embrace.

"He's still a good guy. He's still our Dad. He's just... wrong about somethings. I'm not a kid anymore. It's time for me to find my own path."

"But what about the team? What about Gotham?" she asked quietly, nervous.

"I'll still be on the team, but I'm not going to be Robin anymore. I need to be my own hero, now."

"Gotham?" she whispered, afraid.

"Take good care of her for me. I need to go, Scarlet- you understand, don't you?"

She nodded, but she buried her face in his broad chest, remembering how he smelled, the strength and muscles, everything, wishing they could stay like that forever.

"If you ever need me, just call. I'll always be there, Scarlet." he whispered, tucking her head beneath his chin. "I love you." he whispered, planting a quick peck on the crown of her head before standing to go.

"Wait." she opened the drawer to her bedside table, pulling out her signature birdarang- it was different than Robin's, in that it was golden with black tips. If anyone asked, she said it was a sourvineer Sparrow had given her when she'd been rescued by her. But Dick knew the truth.

"Thanks. Keep your head up, kid. Always remember- do what's right. Be strong for me."

She nodded, though she sniffed, hugging him one last time.

"I love you." she whispered.

"I love you too, Scarlet."

All too soon, though, he was gone, walking downstairs, away from her, away from the home that he'd known for nine years.

She heard him saying muffled goodbyes to Alfred- he said nothing to Bruce, He was probably brooding in the batcave, like he always did, after a heated argument.

She watched him from her window as he walked out to his car, a Suburu Bruce had gotten him two years ago for his sixteenth birthday. Always safe, always dependable. Just like Dick.

She lifted her hand in a halfhearted wave that he returned. She could've sworn he was mouthing 'I love you.'. And then he pulled out and was gone, the night swallowing him up.

She stood, barefoot and freezing, praying he'd turn around and come back, his headlights suddenly pierce the darkness on the horizon, and he'd come home. But he never did.

Around ten minutes later, she realized it. He was really gone. She padded across the hall, nudging open the door to his old room. The bed was messy, but she didn't care, falling into it and pulling the wrinkled red comforter over her, burying her face in his pillow. It smelled like him.

She curled into a ball and wept.

Bruce crept upstairs. It was early morning, but it was a Saturday, so both his children were, like most children, sleeping until noon. Only they did it to make up the much needed hours they missed during patrol, though.

He, in truth, wanted to check on Dick. The boy had had a few ribs cracked when he jumped in front of a bullet meant for him- and even though Dick thought he'd spent the night in the cave brooding, he'd really been blaming himself for his son being hurt. The boy had grown more skilled, but he walso also getting reckless- Bruce didn't want him to have to take the risks he did.

He peered into Scarlet's room on his way there. The bed was messy, covers empty, and he frowned.

Then again, Scarlet sometimes ran either into his room or Dick's when she had a nightmare- it was a good bet she'd be in Dick's room.

He slipped down the hallway, nudging open the door. There was Scarlet, asleep in Dick's bed, but she was alone. Bruce frowned. Dick always stayed with her until she woke up, being sure to wake her if she had nightmares.

Something was definitely wrong.

Alfred's footsteps echoed in the large hall as he approached, planning on walking by...

"Alfred. Have you seen Dick?" Bruce asked, concern etched onto his face.

"Ah, yes. Master Dick left after your... ahem... discussion. He informed me he would not be returning."

"He... what?" Bruce stared, shocked, mouth open...

"He's gone, Master Bruce." Alfred said simply, before continuing on down the hall.

And his footsteps echoed.

(1) Alludes to The Second Bird- Scarlet prefers to be caled Master since she thinks Mistress is girly.

A little angsty, but please review!