The One, a young justice fanfic

This is my first fic about Young Justice! Hope you like it! (I own nothing by the way)

Summary:Three times Dick let the girl slip away and one time he made sure he didn't. (Features 1 minor OC)

1. CAROLINE (age 7)

Dick met Caroline when he was seven-before his parents fell. She was the daughter of one of the clowns, not to mention a friend of Dick's before the incident. She had fierce red hair and piercing blue eyes like the sea. Everyday after practice, she and Dick would watch the lions lick eat their dinner, occasionally feeding them themselves. Dick did have a crush on her, a very small one. Caroline knew, and she made sure to tease him about it.

"So Dick... what do you think of my new outfit?" Caroline asked him. It was a few months before IT happened, and it was also going to be Caroline's first time to perform. As Dick expected, he was the first one to see Caroline's costume-not even her parents. They were currently at Caroline's trailer, eating pasta and talking about the upcoming show.

Caroline stood up and showed Dick her costume for the third time. Just like her father, she was wearing a clown costume: red wig, over-sized pants, colorful shoes. It was impressive.

"It's...nice." Dick didn't really pay attention. He still needed to practice his English since they were going to visit America in a few months.

Caroline pursed her lips. "Just nice?" she teased. "Just nice? It's that it, Dick?" Dick blushed.

"Yeah, I mean... should it be anything else?" Dick said slowly. She was teasing him. She had never done that before.

"Are you sure?" she teased again. Dick once again blushed. He got up.

"Um...I think my tati is calling me. See you later, Caroline." Dick ran out as fast as he could to his trailer. His mom was waiting for him.

"My little Robin, you are here so soon," she kissed him on the forehead. "Is something bothering you?"

"Nothing, Mami." Dick lied. He remembered Caroline's words. The teasing didn't stop there. In fact, it didn't stop at all. After that, almost everyday, Caroline would ask him if she looked good, or if she did well in practice, or if she was pretty.

"Did you see me do that flip, Dick?"

"Am I pretty, Dick?"

"So... if a certain acrobat needed a girlfriend... who'd be his first choice?"

"Ugh Dick, you know I need a boyfriend with style."

Dick hated the teasing. So he liked her a little bit, what was her problem? Did she not like him? If she didn't, it was actually okay with Dick. He was only seven, too young for love. He didn't like like her. When he asked his Tati, he said that Caroline was playing "hard to get". Hard to get? They were not dating!

The teasing just wouldn't stop. It went on for weeks, until one day. It was a month before IT happened. He and Caroline were watching the lions. She was teasing him again, poking him, while he was minding his own business watching the lions.

In a month Haly's Circus would be having a show in America, in a place called Gotham City. It would be his first time in America, and he was excited. He heard from Pop Haly that Americans were... different. He couldn't wait to see them.

"Dick?" Caroline interrupted his thoughts. Her eyes were mischievous. "So... if a pretty girl, let's say, me, had a boyfriend... I want him to be BLONDE. Because you aren't BLONDE."

Dick sighed. He had enough of Caroline's teasing. "Caroline..."

"And you know what?" Caroline was getting into his face now. "I want him to be AMERICAN. Because they're CLASSY!"

"ENOUGH!" Dick shouted. His face was red. He was angry. Really angry. It was time Caroline stopped teasing him. It was time for her to know her place, even if it cost their friendship. "STOP TEASING ME! It isn't funny anymore! It's really annoying and so are you!" By the time he stopped talking, he was standing up, fists clenched. Caroline had tears in her eyes. Dick finally realized what was happening. "Caroline..."

"Don't," she said. "If I'm annoying then fine. Find a new best friend!" Before Dick could respond she ran out of the room.

Turns out what he did really did cost their friendship. Every time he tried to say sorry she'd ignore him or run away. She glared at him whenever he walked by. She never spoke to him.

A month passed. While performing in Gotham, the ropes snapped, his parents fell, and he lived. Sirens were heard, people were screaming, but no one was sadder than young Dick Grayson. At least some American man named Bruce Wayne was nice enough to pay for his parents' funeral.

What made him even sadder was that he wouldn't be staying; they'd be taking him somewhere he didn't know so he can "find a new family". Dick didn't want a new family. He wanted his mami and tati. Some lady-he didn't know her name, would take him away. She led him to her car, closed the door, and started the engine. Before they took off, Dick caught one last glimpse of Caroline. She was standing beside her father, who was being asked questions by the policemen. She had her arms crossed, and she looked at Dick with pity. Before he could see anything more, the lady drove them away, making Caroline's image a blur. He never saw her again after that.

2. ARTEMIS (age 13) takes place before Zatanna

Just like Caroline, Dick didn't like like Artemis. Sure, she was pretty and everything, but he wasn't going to ask her out. She was three years older than him, and it was pretty obvious that she liked his best friend, Wally. Heck, she didn't even know his secret identity.

The problem was that she didn't know that he knew something that no one knew. He knew about her past-Sportsmaster, Cheshire, Paula. He knew why she joined the team. He knew her secret identity. He was the son of the Bat, of course he knew. She had tried very hard to keep her past a secret-even if it means fighting with Wally (who once again, she clearly liked).

But, he did like to see her smile. Every time they were on a mission together, Dick-no, Robin always made sure to think of something to make her laugh. The little crush didn't die down for a while, until that one day.

The Team was in the middle of training. Wally was about to spar with Kaldur while M'gann was showing Conner her shapeshifting skills. Robin and Artemis were both in the corner watching.

"Baywatch doesn't stand a chance." Artemis smirked.

Robin cackled. "I've known him for years. I say he's pretty good." Artemis snorted. They both turned to watch Wally and Kaldur spar. Wally ran around Kaldur with the speed of light, while the Atlantean took out his water bearers. It ended with Wally being the winner, but the gracious Aqualad did not forget to congratulate him for his victory. Artemis turned to Robin once more.

"Okay you win. But watch, I'm gonna have Wally on the ground."

"We'll see." Black Canary went in front of them and said, "Since Wally wins, he gets to spar with whoever else challenges him? Anyone?"

No one answered. After two long minutes Artemis finally raised her hand. Wally face palmed. "You have gotta be kidding me." Artemis took out her bow and ran to the center of the room, where Wally was, and waited for Black Canary's signal.

"Begin!" Wally ran around Artemis. She notched her bow and took aim, but Wally was moving to fast. She shot an arrow, but it missed by miles.

"Hahaha!" Wally laughed. "You can't beat Kid Flash!" Artemis clenched her bow even tighter. After over ten failed attempts to hit Wally, she dropped her bow and decided to use some punching instead. That only made it worse.

There was something wrong with this fight. Robin knew it. Artemis was doing something very wrong. He studied her movements one more time and came with a conclusion. Artemis was going easy. She made sure that she missed. She let Kid Flash hit her once in a while. She dropped her bow and stopped using it. She wanted Wally to win.

Robin knew that she was tough. He knew that she had to grow up fast. She wouldn't just lose without a fight. She wouldn't just let someone win. Even if it was a crush. Unless... it wasn't just a crush. Unless something more than that...

The fight ended with Artemis on the ground and Wally doing his victory dance.

Recognized Batman 02. Out of nowhere, Batman appeared. "Training's over. Hit the showers and head home."

Everyone moved out of the training room and to the shower room. Artemis got up and decided to wait until she was last to get there. Robin, however, that sneaky ninja, hid then followed her.

"That was so not asterous," Robin revealed himself as they were walking down the hall. Artemis frowned.

"Are you following me?"

"What do you think?" Robin cackled. "Do you loooooove Kid Flash?"

Artemis stopped in her tracks. She blushed and frowned at the same time-if that was possible. "Why would I like him? I don't like him, much less love him! He's annoying and mean and annoying and loud and...kinda cute... forget that I said that! He clearly doesn't like me for "replacing" Roy so forget it! I-"

"You're babbling," Robin noticed. "And don't try to lie to me. I'm Batman's partner. I always know." Artemis sighed.

"Maybe...a little...but he doesn't like me! It's pretty clear..."

Robin grinned. He only had a little crush on Artemis. He didn't mind if she was dating anyone. He didn't seriously like anyone before. An idea struck him.

"You want some whelming help in winning his favor?"

Artemis' jaw dropped. Her eyes widened. "Did you just...! Did you just? Unbelievable! I'm not that desperate! I-"

"I'm the best man for the job! I've known Wally the longest! I can help you!"

Artemis bit her lip. It was so tempting. "You don't know anything about those kind of stuff! You're thirteen!"

Robin snorted. "Wally likes anyone who can give him a table full of food. You should think about that..." Before she could blink Robin was gone, with only a cackle as proof he was ever there.

Wally likes a table full of food. "I might just use that trick one day," Artemis smirked and walked away.

In the shadows, Robin watched her with a smile. Even before they were together Robin knew they were meant to be. Robin couldn't believe he still had a crush on Artemis. However, that would die down as soon as he saw a certain magician. One day Robin would tell her about this "crush". Only then would they truly laugh about it someday.

3. ZATANNA (age 13-15)

He knew that being in love with a teammate, according to Batman, would only make things difficult. But Zatanna wasn't a teammate, not yet at least. It was okay to flirt with her, right?

When Robin first saw Zatanna, he didn't know what to think. He forgot his name, he forgot where he was. All he wanted to do was to know more about the raven-haired beauty. Robin had never felt this way before with anyone. Not Caroline, and certainly not Artemis. Zatanna was different. He felt something in his stomach whenever she smiled at him.

And then she said the words,"Be as chalant as you like." Zatanna was pretty, she was a magician, and she liked to play with words. Just like him! From that moment on, Robin decided he truly liked this girl, and he would do anything to get closer to her.

And then her dad became Dr. Fate. Robin felt so bad for her. He knew what it was like to lose his father. He wanted to comfort her, but her just couldn't. He understood what she was going through, but at the same time, he didn't. Robin's father died. Zatanna's dad didn't die, he just became Dr. Fate and now can no longer be his own person. At least Robin's father was dead. Zatanna would have to walk past Dr. Fate everyday and wonder if her father was still in there. She'd have to look at his cold stare and wonder what went wrong. Robin's father was dead, but Zatanna's was dead in the inside. Robin could not imagine what it felt like.

And then she kissed him. They had just finished saving the world on New Year's Eve, and Zatanna pulled him close and kissed him. Robin had been wanting to do that for quite some time, but only then did he realized that she felt the same.

And then they became official. It was nice to have Zatanna as his girlfriend. Kisses a few times a week, dates, chats. They were perfect... up until a week after his fourteenth birthday. That struck the first rock in their relationship. Zatanna hardly knew anything about him. Not his past, not his parents. Not where he lived, not where he went to school. Not even his name.

"Robin," Zatanna started. They were currently in the kitchen watching M'gann burn another batch of cookies. "Look... I love being you're girlfriend and all... but..."

Robin stared at her. He couldn't believe what he was hearing. They were perfectly happy the way they were. He didn't want to lose her. "Are you... are you breaking up with me?"

"No! No, no, of course not! It's just that... I don't know if it's going to work out when I barely know you. You won't even tell me your name." Zatanna had her hands on her hips. M'gann let the cookies burn and just watched them. Conner, who was watching the static TV, didn't really care. Five minutes past and Zatanna was still staring at Robin.

A few minutes later, the Zeta Beam announced Batman. As soon as Robin heard it, he ran as fast as he could to his mentor. M'gann turned to Zatanna.

"It's okay, I don't know much about him either. We all don't. No need to feel bad." M'gann smiled and turned around. "Oh! My cookies!" Zatanna just sighed. Maybe it was time to go somewhere else. M'gann wasn't helping much, and Conner wasn't helping at all. As she spun around, Robin returned, out of breath.

"DICK GRAYSON!" He whispered in her ear. "MY NAME IS DICK GRAYSON! I LIVE IN GOTHAM WITH MY WARD BRUCE WAYNE AND MY BUTLER ALFRED!" Robin stopped to take short breaths."BATMAN GAVE ME PERMISSION!" Zatanna's eyes widened. If he was telling the truth, then Batman was...

The magician smiled. "ssiK em neht kciD nosyarG!" Robin pulled her close. They were perfectly fine again...

But of course, it didn't last forever. Zatanna was the jealous type, and when Batgirl joined the team, Zatanna was on the radar. She hated that they were so close, that they both lived in Gotham, that they both saw each other at school. That they were best of friends before he and Zatanna met. She hated it.

The last straw was that one afternoon. It was the middle of July, and Robin wore a new suit with a symbol. He was no longer Robin. He was fifteen, and he was Nightwing.

Zatanna was baking cookies with M'gann and Artemis, watching as Nightwing and Batgirl were laughing over at the couch next to Kaldur, Wally, Conner, and the new Robin-Jason. They were talking about one of their adventures in Gotham with Batman and some funny stuff that happened while they were at school. Zatanna couldn't help but notice how closely they sat together, like glue. She turned to Artemis.

"Are they like this at school?" she asked. Artemis raised her eyebrows.

"Yup. All the time. Why?"

Zatanna shrugged. "Nothing... it's just... never mind. Forget it." She took a deep breath and walked over to where the boys and Barbara were at. "Hey guys... Nightwing, can I talk to you for a second?"

"Can it wait?" He asked. "Me and Babs are in the middle of a story."

Zatanna glared. "No, it can't." She put her hands on her hips. Nightwing sighed and got up. Zatanna led him down the hall where no one was watching. When she thought that they were alone, she started talking. "Dick...this isn't working out. I think it's time we called it off."

His eyes widened. "What? Why? We're perfectly fine! We're alright! We can fix this Zatanna!"

The magician sighed. "We could fix this, if you break off all ties with Barbara-"

"You know I can't do that. We're like two peas in a pod."

"Exactly," Zatanna said. "You two are peas in a pod. There's no room for me in that. I know you've been distant lately, and I can't just stand there and watch you laughing and having a good time with some other girl..."

"You need to trust me," he said. "You have to trust me."

"Dick," she continued. "I know. I do trust you. It's just that... I'm a girl who gets jealous easily. And you're Dick Grayson, you're in the headlines everyday. I'll only make you hurt."

"You're hurting me right now," he said, blinking back tears.

"I'm really sorry. We were perfectly fine. It was a good relationship, and it was fun while it lasted. But I think we're better off friends. Good friends. Great friends. I'll never regret you, Boy Wonder."

Dick nodded, tears in the corners of his eyes. If this was what she wanted, then so be it. Zatanna gave him a peck on the cheek and he smiled. "I'll never regret you either, Zee." He took a deep breath.

Zatanna nodded. "We should head back. They'll be wondering where we're at." She turned around, and Dick noticed that she wiped a tear from her faced. "Dick? You coming?"

"I'll catch up with you," he said. The magician looked at him one more time before nodding and walking away.

This would be the last time the she ever looked at him like that again. Zatanna headed to the kitchen, with Nightwing still staring at her from behind. Little did she know that in a few years she'd realize that Dick Grayson was the one that got away.

4. BARBARA (age 18)

Barbara Gordon. The name was music to his ears. He had met Barbara when he was eight, some time after his parents died. They became friends almost instantly. They sat next to each other at school and ate lunch together and shared each other's secrets. Whenever someone bullied one of them, the other would step up. They were truly the best of friends.

The truth was, Barbara had a crush on him since they were thirteen. When she was fifteen, Batman allowed her to be Batgirl and join the Team. Then she met Dick's girlfriend, Zatanna. She liked her though, and she was glad that Dick was happy. So she laid low.

And then Dick and Zatanna broke up. Barbara was the first person to comfort both Dick and Zatanna. Even though they didn't tell anyone about their breakup, and Barbara, being a protege of the Bat, knew instantly. After a month or so the crying at night died down, and the feelings were starting to fade. After two months, Dick and Zatanna became best of friends and left it at that. Barbara was free to pursue Dick if she wanted, so she waited for him to notice her. And flirted. And waited. And flirted.

And waited.

After years, Barbara was ready to give up. Three years of nothing to her meant that he didn't love her back. She was very wrong. Dick just fell in love in a much slower pace. When he was sixteen he started to see the little things-when she would brush her hair out of her face, how she laughed whenever Wally would fall over. When he was seventeen he started staring at her when she wasn't looking. And finally, when he was eighteen, he fell. Though, he never told her until the day he almost lost her.

There was a guy named Jaden who would not stop flirting with Babs. Since they were neighbors, he saw her everyday, and asked her out, everyday. And got rejected. Everyday.

No one really liked Jaden. He was a true playboy, sometimes it was different week, different girl. Or same week, different girl. But never different week, same girl. He was a liar and a cheater. He smoked and smelled like fish. And for some reason, this week he decided that he wanted Barbara. For six days he flirted with her endlessly. And Barbara, who was tired of waiting for Dick, said yes on the seventh day. And that's where it begins.

Barbara was just about to walk into the restaurant where she and Jaden would have their date when someone shouted, "BABS!" Barbara stopped for a second. Who would be calling for her? Only one person called her that...

"Dick?"

"BABS!" Dick ran up beside her. He was soaking wet.

"Dick! Oh my god why are you?"

"It was raining in Central City," he explained, panting.

"Dick, why in the world were you in Central?"

"No time for that," he panted. "Barbara-" He gasped. "Don't do it."

"Don't do what?"

"Don't go on a date with Jaden. Don't walk through those doors."

"Dick..."

"Here..." he held up a bunch of roses. Panting, he said, "Artemis said...she said.." Dick stopped for breath. "She said your favorite flowers were roses. And... and Zatanna said you liked dark chocolate..." He showed a heart-shaped chocolate box. "I hope you know that I love you, Babs."

Barbara couldn't believe her eyes. He was there...right in front of her...saying that he loved her. "Dick..." She took a breath. "I've waited long enough for you to notice me. Now, I'm going to walk through those restaurant doors and have my dinner..."

Dick felt his shoulders slump. He had only felt this way with one other girl.

"...but I'm not going to do it without you. I love you too Dick." Before Dick could think Barbara was kissing him. Everything he could hope for right there and then. Barbara pulled away and smiled. "Now don't get alarmed, Dick. You're still a dog to me. Not yet."

"Anything for you Babs," Dick laughed. He put his wrapped one of his arms on her waist. He was going to show Jaden what a real gentleman was. "Only for you."

That's it... I'm not that good in writing fluff...

I love both Chalant and Dickbabs so I wrote a fic for both :)

Anyway, this is my second fic so please be nice and review! :D

The Night Huntress :))