AN: Wow…I got so many reviews for one chapter of this story. 12…I think that's the most I've ever gotten for one chapter of any of my stories. Thank you guys :D
Not sure how many people saw the new episode of Young Justice, but I always like to talk about previous episodes of shows before I get to the story. If you haven't seen the episode yet, you may want to skip the next paragraph.
I really liked the episode, but I thought it focused too much on Superboy. I'm not too fond of his character, I mean, I like him, but not enough to have an entire episode focused on him this early in the season. Loved the fact that Robin laughed after Black Canary beat up the rest of his team. Oh, and did anyone see that picture in the trophy case when they were in Robin's school? Was that Robin? Well, Dick? I couldn't really tell, and now I'm curious.
Here's the story though. YJ © DC
"Okay, Guys, Robin's been acting weird. And I mean, really weird." Kid Flash said as he walked into the living room. He had gone back to his room for a few hours after Robin left the living room earlier that morning.
"How so?" Miss Martian asked.
"I was talking to his this morning, and he just started yelling at me after I asked him about some dream he had." Wally explained.
"What dream?" Aqualad asked.
"Apparently he had a bad dream. I don't know."
"Should we be concerned?" Megan asked.
"With Boy Wonder? I can never tell-he's too hard to read. Maybe, maybe not."
"What are we concerned about?" Superboy asked. He had walked into the room at that moment.
"Apparently Robin had a nightmare last night and he lost it the following morning." Aqualad explained.
"He didn't really 'lose it'. I mean, he did, but he apologized after his outburst." Wally said.
"So what are we doing?" Superboy asked.
The three other heroes looked at one another. "We're not sure." Wally said.
"Perhaps we should start by figuring out what the dream was about." Aqualad suggested.
"But how?" Megan asked.
"We could start by asking him." Superboy said. Kid Flash just laughed at Superboy's plan. "What's so funny?" He asked, slightly annoyed.
"Tried that already-didn't really work." Wally said. "Robby isn't really the type to 'share his feelings'."
"Where is Robin, anyway?" Kaldur asked. The other teens turned and looked around the living room.
"I'm not sure." Wally said.
"We should check the base." Megan suggested.
"Good idea. Let's split up and search the base." Aqualad said. The heroes left the living room and split off in separate directions."
XxXxXxXxXx
Robin needed to get away. He needed to get away before he snapped again. His friends were probably getting suspicious because Wally most likely blabbed about his little nightmare. Robin didn't want them finding out his past. If they did find out, he wanted to be the one to tell them. He didn't want them to find out on their own, and then get mad at him later for keeping it a secret that he was a thirteen-year-old orphan and had been for four years.
Since he only really had two "homes", The Boy Wonder decided to go to the one his friends were not at. He knew Batman would understand if he took a break. Especially after he explained to Bruce about his dream and his following outburst at Wally.
Robin walked up the pathway to the Wayne mansion and pulled a key from his pocket. He unlocked the door and met another door, one which he had to type a sequence into a lock pad to unlock. Once the door slid open, the boy entered the garage and was greeted by Batman's loyal butler; Alfred.
"Hello master Richard." Alfred greeted.
"Hey Alfred." Robin said while climbing onto a stool next to a plain, black table.
"What are you doing back here? Is everything alright?"
"I'm not sure, Alfred."
"What happened?"
"I had another…nightmare. Only this time Wally had to go and ask me about it, and I had to go and scream at him."
"Was this one about…the same events as always?" Alfred asked, hesitant to finish his question.
The boy hung his head before answering, "Yes."
"I'm sorry, Master Richard."
Robin put his hand up in an effort to stop Alfred. "Don't be. It's not your fault. You don't need to apologize." Alfred simply nodded. "Do you know where Bruce is?"
"I believe he is with the rest of the league."
"Alright. I'm just going to stay here for a while."
"Is there anything I can do to help with the…memories?"
Robin shook his head. "I really wish there was."
"I take it the memories aren't you only problem." Alfred said.
"What do you mean?"
"You're socializing with others for the first time since it…happened."
"I talk with other kids all the time. I go to school, and I've been best friends with Wally for a year or two."
"I don't mean just talking to them." Alfred corrected. "I mean, you're being placed into a family environment for the first time since…you know."
"Alfred, you can say it." Dick said.
"Since their deaths." Alfred lightly said. He was obviously hesitant in saying it, even if Robin had said he was alright with it. "Bruce has always given you space. With them, you don't really have space. The youngest always gets the most attention, negative or positive, whether they want it or not. And that's not even considering the fact that you're the only one with a classified identity."
"So you're saying I should get used to them bugging me about my past." Robin said, simplifying Alfred's comment. The faithful butler nodded his head. There was a moment of awkward silence between the two until Robin decided to break it. "So, what are you working on for Bats now?"
"New technology for Master Bruce."
"Care to explain what it does?"
"Not really." Alfred simply stated.
"What?" Robin was surprised at Alfred's comment. Ever since he had found out his adoptive father was Batman, the man had always been open to discussing everything he was working on for Batman with Robin.
"You're not the only one who keeps secrets around here. I'm sure Bruce wouldn't want me telling you."
"But I'm his partner. He should trust me enough to-" Robin stopped in realization and looked to see that Alfred was smiling. "Oh, I see what you were doing there." He said while smiling at the butler.
Alfred smiled in return, and Robin just shook his head. "But it's not the same, Alfred. I've known Bats for years and he's like…my father almost."
"You said yourself that you've known Wally for a few years." Alfred reminded.
"That's true, but I just feel different around Bruce. Like we don't need to keep secrets around one another because well, we have enough shared secrets to keep from the rest of the world."
The sound of the large metal doors opening brought Robin's ideas to a halt. "Nice to know I can trust my partner." Bruce said as the doors slid closed and the man walked inside the room.
"I hope the trust is mutual." Robin said.
"Depends what we're talking about."
"So you want to go there, don't you?" The boy challenged.
"Perhaps I should leave you two alone." Alfred said before leaving the room.
"Why are you here, Dick?" Batman asked. The boy fake smiled at the man, but the attempted sign of happiness failed, and it was as obvious to Bruce as it was to Dick. "You had the nightmare again, didn't you?" The man solemnly asked.
Robin nodded. The Boy Wonder wasn't exactly in the mood to speak anymore.
"The same one where your parents…" Robin stared at Batman for a moment, expecting him to finish his statement. When it turned out the man was done with his thought, Robin got a little annoyed.
"Why does no one ever just say it!" Dick yelled with a slightly annoyed tone to his voice. "I don't need people to protect me from my own memories! I know what happened!"
"I was just-"
"No! I'm sick of people trying to sugarcoat everything that has to do with my past!"
"Maybe everyone does it so you don't get defensive and overreact like you are now." Batman said.
Robin shook his head back and forth, realizing his fault. "That's the second time I've lost it today…"
"Second? When was the first?"
"Earlier today." A raise of the eyebrow from Bruce told the boy his answer wasn't good enough. "I yelled at Wally for asking me about my nightmare."
"What'd he ask?"
"Just what happened."
"And you told him…what? Exactly?"
A small smile slipped onto Robin's face before he answered his mentor. "Pandas…"
"You told Wally you had a nightmare about…pandas?" Bruce asked, trying to process the stupidity of what Robin had just told him.
"Yeah, I know; stupid. I didn't know what else to say."
"You could have just said death. He probably wouldn't have asked you to specify."
The Boy Wonder began laughing. "We are talking about the same Wally West right now, right?"
"I suppose you do have a point." Bruce paused. "Was the dream same as always?"
"It was at the circus, like always, but this time some of our conversation leaked into it. It got up to the part where you introduced yourself and then where you said people sometimes put away their fears to help others."
"Why do you suppose it was longer than usual?"
"Don't know." Bruce sighed. Robin clearly wasn't understanding the point he was trying to make.
"Dreams sometimes reveal the subconscious. Whether its desires, fears, or painful memories." Batman watched as Robin hung his head.
"What are you trying to get out of this?" The boy asked, not bothering to lift his head.
"Your dreams, as far as you've told me, have always stopped at the part where you found your parents. This time, it ended at the part where I said sometimes one needs to put their fears aside." Robin lifted an eyebrow at his mentor. "Robin, I'm saying that maybe your dreams are trying to tell you it's time to tell them. For now, at least, you just need to resist the temptation to let your secret out."
"But Bruce, if I told them about my dream, they'd find out who I am."
"And how would they do that?"
"I'd probably let the Flying Grayson thing slip."
"You don't have to tell them anything specific about your dream. Just give them a vague idea. They'll understand. I'm sure of it."
"I guess you're right…thanks, Bruce." Robin said.
"Yes?" Batman said, answering his earpiece. "Alright, send me the coordinates and I'll be right there."
"Mission?"
"Mission." The Dark Knight confirmed. "I'm assuming you'll be back at your base by the time I'm back?"
"Is that a command, or just a confirmation?"
"Just a confirmation."
"Sure it was." Robin said, laughing. "Well you're in luck, because I was planning on heading back anyway."
"Look, Robin," Batman placed a hand on the boy's shoulder. "Just tell them what you feel is appropriate. You've had plenty of experiences with interrogation, and I know that you know when to stop before you give away anything. But still, just be careful, Robin."
"Will do." The boy said before his mentor pressed a button and opened the door to the batcave. The man disappeared, and immediately after, Alfred returned.
"And are you truly returning to your headquarters?" Alfred asked.
"Eh, sooner or later. Not yet."
"Are you staying here?"
"Probably not. I'll just wander around the city. Maybe seeing if there's any crime to stop 'll help me get my mind off of things." Robin stood up from the stool and walked over to the door.
"Be careful, Master Richard." Alfred said.
Robin just smiled before leaving the garage. Really, since when was he, Boy Wonder, never careful?
AN: Hopefully this chapter made up for the shortness of the other one, even if it was mainly just characters talking about Robin's nightmare. There's going to be some more action in the next chapter, as well as the others starting to try figure out what Robin's dream could possibly be about. Again, more reviews means quicker updates!
