102 Fireworks

"I told you so."

Bruce grunted in the dark, shedding his clothes as he joined Selina in bed. "Why didn't you try to stop him?"

"Why would I?"

"Because they weren't ready."

She turned over on her side, propping her head on her elbow. "Let me get this straight. They successfully made it into the facility; saved the people from the burning building; discovered the secret underground facility run by Blockbuster and some alien-clone creatures; saved Superman's clone and all without injuring themselves. And they're not ready?"

He was silent for a long moment, before he sighed. "They haven't been trained to work as a team."

"Then train them. I know very well you and Clark were bumbling fools when you first started working together. I can't even count the number of times I escaped from the pair of you by playing you against each other. If you don't think they're ready to join the League, let them form their own team – the Junior League or some other silly name. They can't be sidekicks forever."


Selina woke because she felt Bruce's absence from bed. Pulling on her robe, she padded her way down to the Cave. Glancing up at the monitor, she tilted her head, "You're using that old cave again?"

He turned in his seat to look at her. "How do you even know about it?"

"How do I know anything?" she smirked at him. Taking a seat on the arm of his chair, she studied his plans. "You're giving the junior team their own base? That's so sweet."

"The League decided that we'll need help from a covert team."

"You mean you decided. Don't be modest. We both know who runs that little league of yours. Superman and Wonder Bra might be the big guns, but if it weren't for you the League wouldn't even exist."

He simply grunted and continued to update his plans to refurbish the old base. "They'll need a den mother."

Her eyebrow quirked up. "You're not asking me, are you?"

He turned his piercing blue eyes on her. "Would you do it?"

"I'm not exactly the maternal type," she hedged. "Besides, I doubt the League would be happy to have an ex-con training the next generation."

"They'll accept you because I said so."

"And you say you don't run the League," she muttered. "Bruce, I don't think I'm the right person for the job. Get Canary or Wonder Bra to do it. Well, maybe not Wonder Bra. We don't want to raise a group of sanctimonious, self-righteous idiots. Black Canary would be a great den mother; she's got her psychology degree and everything."

"They'd learn more from you."

"Why? Because I've given you a few good hits?"

"Because you rely on your brain and your fighting abilities-"

"And not on any superpowers." Selina knew very well Bruce's feelings about superpowers. She still shook her head. "I'm sorry, Bruce, but this cat's got better things to do than babysit a bunch of kids full time."

Frowning, he turned back to his planning.

She studied his profile, brushing back a stray hair. "You didn't really think I was going to say 'yes', did you?"

"No."

"Thank you." She kissed the side of his mouth. She appreciated knowing that he respected her abilities.

"Would you agree to hold a few lessons for them?"

"Not a chance."

He shrugged. "Couldn't hurt to ask. By the way, I updated the security on all the Bat systems; and the League computer. Don't think you're getting in so easily again."

She grinned at him with a shrug of her own. "I guess I have a new project for the next time you leave on League business."

"Selina-"

She interrupted him with a kiss. "Admit it, you like it when I test your systems. Helps you patch up the holes."

"I'll keep you out one day."

"If that ever happens, I'll just use your passwords."


Robin high-fived Kid Flash as soon as the adults left them alone in their new secret base.

Kaldur introduced them all to Miss Martian. "Perhaps we should explore."

Superboy frowned before walking off on his own. He wanted to find a space for privacy.

M'gann shrugged. "I should probably go set up my own room."

The three remaining boys exchanged glances.

"Maybe another time?" Robin commented.

"I should be getting home anyway." Wally headed back toward the zeta tubes. "Do we have to let Red know we're going?"

"Red Tornado is our supervisor, not our babysitter." Robin smirked, "Besides, once we zeta, he'll know we left and where we went."

Kaldur followed them both. "When shall we plan to meet again?"

"After school tomorrow?"

"Sounds like a plan." KF stepped into the tube first. "Wouldn't it have been awesome if Batman was able to convince Catwoman to train us?"

Robin carried that thought all the way back to the Batcave. Putting his uniform away, he headed up to join him family for dinner. He found Selina and Alfred in the dining room. He said excitedly, "Did Bruce tell you?"

She smiled at him. "Tell me what?"

"He had Mount Justice refurbished and gave it to the Team."

"And who is the Team?" She played ignorant, exchanging smiles with Alfred.

"Wally, Kaldur and me; and Miss Martian and Superboy." He took his seat at the table. "Bruce is going to send us on missions and everything. We're going to be covert."

"Congratulations, Master Richard," Alfred said in his staid manner.

"That's very exciting. Perhaps you and your teammates should work on building your team while you wait for your first official mission. Maybe think of a name for Superboy; and perhaps convince Roy to join. It seems awfully petulant of him to not take advantage of the opportunity. He is after all your friend and should be working with you."

"Good point." Dick's head tilted, "Do you think Bruce will notice if I link Mount Justice systems to Watchtower's?"

"Only if you don't do it right." Selina remarked.

His grin widened further. "Selina, you're going to train us too, right? I'm sure Dinah will teach us a lot, but you could teach us even more."

"Dick, I doubt very much that I should have any part in teaching impressionable adolescents."

"You helped raise me," he argued.

"And I'm sure Bruce will say that I've been a bad influence. Besides, you have both Bruce and Alfred to counteract any bad habits you might pick up from me." She patted his cheek, "Little bird, you're also too smart to pick up anything really bad from me. I can't say the same for your little friends."

"You're not a bad influence." He looked to Alfred for support. "Right?"

"I've witnessed only positive changes stemming from Miss Selina's presence."

She rolled her eyes. "You're both biased." She gave Dick a firm look, "And don't think your puppy dog eyes will convince me to train your team. Even Bruce, with his considerable persuasive skills, hasn't managed to convince me."

"Doesn't mean we should stop trying." Bruce finally arrived back from Watchtower. Since Mount Justice was now in business, he setup new monitoring systems to keep an eye on the Team.

"Good luck with that." She had other things to do than train the Team… at least for now.

"So Bruce, what's our first mission going to be?" Dick asked excitedly.

Alfred set a plate in front of him. "Dinner."