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4
I lean my head against the cool tiled wall as I shower in my room. This whole thing is a nightmare.
Black Canary pulled M'gann aside and attempted to explain to the young Martian why it is so wrong to intrude on others minds and then tell everyone their thoughts. M'gann was seriously upset she had done something wrong and apologized continuously to us through her tears.
But that didn't erase,what she did.
I let the steaming water run over me. Everyone cleared out of the gym and I did my regular workout routine like at home in the Cave. Three hours later, I called it a day and went to go shower.
I've been I here for an hour now, and the others probably think I drowned. But I don't care. To have your worst fears, fears that you keep from even yourself, blurted out like common knowledge really threw me off. My hands are still shaking, and it's not just from my workout.
I turn off the water and dry off. "This is crazy," I mutter to myself. Christmas is right around the corner. Only my sixth one since my parents' death. Batman is gone, Alfred is gone, I'm all alone with people who don't know squat about me, except Wally.
I pull on my pajamas and crawl into bed. I don't care if I miss dinner. I can't sit there and pretend nothing happened. That nothing changed. I pull my blankets up to my neck. I can't help it. "Bruce..." I whisper into the dark.
I feel a tear slip down my face, sliding horizontally since I'm lying on my side. It pools under my head, making my cheek feel wet.
I suddenly feel so alone and small that I'm shaking. If I fall asleep, nightmares will come.
My cell phone suddenly vibrates and I jump. I look over and pick it up, quickly clearing my throat. "Hello?"
"Dick? Oh so, you can answer your phone. What the heck, I've been trying to call you all day!"
Barbara's voice kindles something warm inside me and I begin to get some feeling back. "Sorry. I've been busy."
"Yeah, no kidding. I saw your posts about skiing in the Alps. How's Europe?"
That's right. Bruce and I set it up so that photoshopped pictures of ourselves would appear on various social media websites over the next month. After all, celebrities never truly disappear in this day of age. Today must be skiing in the Alps. "It's fine. I've met a lot of new people. From a lot of different places."
"That's cool. My dad's been going cra-zy over here. Batman had that big Justice League thing in space, and all the villains are taking advantage of it. Flash and that green Robin Hood have been going all over the place trying to stop them. It's insane. My dads been working late a lot, so I've been staying at a friend's house in Metropolis. Didn't know cities could be this clean."
I laugh. "Superman runs a tight shift, huh?"
"Yeah. But there's no place like Gotham. Every place has it problems, you know? I guess Gotham just has a few more."
I laugh darkly at that. Yeah, a few more. "Well, I'm glad you're safe."
"Yeah, same." She pauses. "Are you okay?"
I freeze, thinking I let something show through in my voice. "Why?"
"Dunno. I just thought, going back to Europe...last time you were in Europe was with your parents, right?"
I lean back on my bed and rub my face with my other hand. That's right, Barbara knows Richard Grayson. And Richard's backstory is no secret to anyone. "Yeah. It's hard, I guess. I miss them. Today, this girl made this comment that...I guess it just stung. It reminded me that they weren't here."
Barbara's silent for a little while. "I get it. Well, she sounds like a total ditz."
"Nah, she's okay. I just don't think she knew she said the wrong thing. She did apologize though."
"See, there you go. It's all good." Barbara's clearly smiling. "Don't forget, Dick, we're here for you too. Me and Bruce and Alfred. We may not be your birth family, but I think we rock, if I do say so myself."
I smile for the first time that night. "Thanks Babs. It was really nice talking to you. I felt like I just needed a friendly voice."
"No problem. Keep me updated. I miss you."
The last few words seem to slip out in a way that makes me hesitate, like I imagined them. "I...I miss you too."
I hear Barbara give a little breathy laugh. "Why, Richard, stop you'll make me blush."
That makes me blush. "You know that dreams of me will haunt you tonight."
Barbara laughs. "Of course. Night, Dick."
"Night, Babs," I say.
She hangs up and I sit there for a second, smiling. I place the phone on the bedside table and slap on a mask. Rolling onto my side, I fall into a nightmare-less sleep.
The next morning, I wake up and get out of bed, feeling a lot better, and a butt load more positive. Poor M'gann, I now feel really bad for acting the way I did towards her. After brushing my hair and changing into some acceptable clothes, I head out of my room with a mind to set things right.
I sort of slept in. What can I say, I'm not a morning person. Bats are nocturnal, after all. I either sleep in or don't sleep at all. Maybe that should be a Batman rule.
I head out, my head held high, feeling extremely optimistic.
And then, rounding the corner into the kitchen-living area, I hear, "It's Richard Grayson!"
Crap, crap, crap, crap...
"Wow, I can't believe it."
"He's so hot."
Hold up... I look around and see everyone is positioned in front of the television.
Kara is clapping her hands like a fan girl. "I mean just look at him!"
Oh...they're watching an interview I shot a week ago.
I'm on the screen being interviewed by Cider Penn who looks far too cheerful for an early Saturday morning. I'm wearing my personally made designer sweater that accentuates my blue eyes and pleated dress pants. My black hair is carefully gelled and tousled to give me a snarky devil-may-care look. I've got my confident playboy-in-training smirk on my face. If I had come across that kid on the screen, I probably would've slapped him for what ever he was smiling for.
"Isn't he cute, Megan?"
"Cute? Like a baby?"
"No. Come on, he's only a few years younger than us. And he's a genius. And he's rich."
I feel my face flush red as I start making myself some breakfast (more like a late brunch) as loudly as I can, hoping to drown out what they're saying. Wally hears me banging things together and is by my side in record time.
"Dude!" He hisses at me. "Why do you get all the chicks? What is this?"
I shake my head. "It's not me they're fawning over." I nod towards the TV. "It's him."
Wally gives me a look. "Still, I think we could use something like this to our benefit. You should introduce me to them. Or no—wait! You have a girlfriend now, have her introduce me to all her smokin' friends."
I shove him. "No way."
"Come on, man. You've got to help a brother out." Wally gives me his best pouting face but it just makes me roll my eyes.
"I said no. Now leave me alone before I show you the chokehold I've been practicing."
Wally's gone in a puff of air.
"Why is he so important?" Kaldur asks, frowning. "He is just a child."
"A child who was voted most eligible bachelor under eighteen twice." Roy sighs. "Why can't that be me? I'm pretty famous."
Kyle gives him a look. "You? Famous? I've never heard of you outside of Speedy."
Roy tuts. "You wouldn't, Green Bean. But Oliver Queen is the richest man in Star City. And I'm his adopted son. I've actually met this kid before. He's a real snob."
"Don't say that, Roy," Kara reprimands. "He's so sweet. I mean...just look at him."
"My people believe looks are superficial," M'gann says, surprisingly forcefully.
I frown at the TV as I continue to watch myself be interviewed. It's so odd. Being here and there at the same time. It's almost like my two personalities have been split down the middle. I study me team as they watch TV. I realize Rachel isn't here with us. She must like sleeping in even more than I do.
"How does it feel to be officially a Wayne, Richard?" Cider says, tilting her head on screen like she's interested in my answer.
"Well, you know, I've always felt like a Wayne," I say on screen, a cocky smile highlighting my features.
The interview suddenly freezes and cut to a close up of Cider and her co-host on some celebrity talk show. I chew the inside of my cheek. This is why I hate prerecording these things. The reporters can twist them however they want.
"Recent allegations have said that Richard Grayson might in fact be Bruce Wayne's blood son." Cider raises an eyebrow at the camera. A frozen photo of me with that stupid smile appears over her shoulder. "Could Richard have been alluding to this during our recent interview? What do you think, Mike?"
Mike puts his hands on the desk. "Well, Cider, let's look at the facts. Bruce Wayne is pretty notorious for getting around. Richard's mother was a circus gypsy, a very beautiful woman. And then, if we look at Richard and Bruce, they do look awfully similar. Blue eyes, dark hair..."
"True," Cider turns back to the camera. "Some higher ups have been demanding Wayne and Grayson undergo a DNA test to settle any controversy. Wayne Enterprises refused to comment. But, let's face it, why else would Bruce Wayne adopt a circus kid? If not that he felt he owed some responsibility to his own son."
"Next up, we'll talk about Mary Grayson and her past. Could she have been a secret Wayne lover?"
"And we'll also see more—"
The rest of whatever Cider was saying is cut off when the TV gives its last sparks of life before dying. A bird-a-rang is imbedded in the middle of the screen.
Kara looks over at me, annoyed. "Robin! What the heck! I was watching that!"
I swear, I hadn't meant to throw it. But those people...sitting there and dragging the names of myself and everyone I care about through the mud...I wish they had been real instead of just on screen. I would have died to see Cider's face when she got knocked out by my throwing star. "Sorry," I say, not really meaning it. "TV rots your brain anyways."
Roy and the others start complaining loudly about how they're going to be so bored without the TV. Kaldur just looks amused and grateful. M'gann looks confused.
Only Wally is looking at me with a look of understanding.
"I thought you would be upset, Walls," Roy says to the other redhead. "After all, you brought your new gaming system and everything."
Wally leans back. "Nah, it's cool. Rob's right, it does melt your brain. Though next time, he could turn it off instead of destroying it." He gives me a look.
I wince. Okay, I may have overreacted just a tad. But I was mad. I turn away from them and get out my protein shake. I can still hear them talking though. It's not like sticking my head inside the refrigerator puts me in another dimension.
Kyle, however, doesn't seem to be able to make that distinction. "What the heck? That dude has problems."
"That 'dude' has very acute hearing," I say, without turning around. I gulp down my protein shake and sigh. "If anyone needs me, I'll be in the gym."
Kaldur gets to his feet. "We might as well all get some training in. After all, there is nothing else to do."
Kyle groans. "Training is too easy."
I cock an eyebrow. "It's not suppose to be. Would you like to try my training routine?"
Kyle stares at me. I know I'm wearing a sweatshirt and sweatpants so I must not look like anything other than a scrawny kid to him. "Sure, why not? I can handle it."
Kara hovers to her feet. "Great! I think we could all benefit from a tough training session."
"What about little Miss Doom and Gloom?" Roy says. "She's still asleep."
"I'll get her," I say. "For now, you guys go change into something you can sweat in. I'll be right there."
I head down the girls' wing and knock on the door that says "Raven" on it. "Hey, Rachel? You there?"
"Come in," a voice says.
I open the door and look around.
It's dark in here with dark draperies and black light. Rachel is wearing the same outfit from yesterday and is floating in the center of the room in a meditative position.
"What are you doing?"
"Meditating." She opens her eyes and looks at me. "Like you said, I need to work on controlling my powers. So I've been doing extra meditation."
I sit down across from her and cross my legs like she did so the soles of my feet are facing up. "I know your past," I say solemnly.
She looks at me sharply.
"As a rule, a leader has to know everything about their team. Things that make them happy, sad, get under their skin..." I look up. "I know your dad is some type of demon."
For the first time, Raven doesn't look angry or abrasive. She just looks sad. "I get it. That's why. You're going to tell me not to use my powers anymore because I might be dangerous."
"Just the opposite." I offer her a small smile. "You need to continue to learn control over your abilities so that you will never lose control."
"But the League...you know, that's why they turned me down before...because they found out about my parents. They said they didn't have anyway to help me. So they kicked me out onto the streets."
"That was wrong," I say softly.
She gives a laugh with no feeling. "Easy for you to say. You're a legacy."
"A legacy?"
"Yeah. A child of a superhero. Just like Flash and Kid Flash. And Supergirl and Superman. You guys will eventually grow up and replace the greatest heroes in the world. And me...I'm nobody. I'm just some girl with raven powers."
I cackle. "You're wrong."
"What—"
"Well, you're only half right. Flash may be Wally's uncle, but they're only related through marriage. And Supergirl is Superman's cousin, not his daughter."
"But still. You and Batman—"
"Look, Rachel," I say. "We may grow up to replace our mentors. And we may not. Wally dreams of replacing the Flash one day. But in their family, it is more of a hereditary title. And Supergirl loves Superman, but I don't think Superman will ever be replaced. I think we have to figure out how long Khryptonians live first. And Kaldur serves his King, he's not being groomed to replace him. And I know for a fact that Roy does not want to replace Green Arrow. Kyle and Green Lantern are supposed to be equals despite their age. And Miss Martian has a lot to learn before she can come close to matching her uncle. If 'uncle' is the appropriate term to use. Families are complicated on Mars. And Batman and I...well, there's only ever going to be one Batman. I'm planning on finding my own path."
Raven is staring at me, her dark blue eyes sad. "Then who am I?"
"That's the great part," I untangle my legs and stand up. "You can create your own legacy. Nobody will ever look at you and say, 'She's going to be just like her mentor.' Trust me, it's a lot to live up to..." I shake my head. "But you create your own path. And you'll have friends to help you."
Raven looks a little teary eyed, but I pretend not to notice.
"We're going to be doing some intense training in the gym once you're ready," I say offhandedly, moving towards the door. "We'll wait for you."
"Robin...thanks," she says, staring at the floor. "You're pretty smart for a twelve year old."
I grin. Even if in the inside I'm saying, I'm flipping fourteen. "No problem." I open the door and leave the room.
"Can we please take a break," Kyle pants, flopping onto the floor.
"It's only been an hour," I say with a frown. "We're going to get to the hard stuff in a second."
We just finished our ten mile run around the track in the gym and everyone looks exhausted. I don't feel too bad. There's only a faint flush in my cheeks but I'm still going strong. Wally seems hyped up too, but running is sort of his thing. He finished before any of us.
"Yeah, come on Greeny, I thought you said you could 'handle it'?" he teases.
Kyle takes in huge gulps of air. "That...was...insane. How...the heck...is that...a warm up?"
Roy is breathing a little heavily but he seems okay. "It's a meta world out there, dude. Non metas have to compete to stay alive.
Kaldur and Kara had some of their enhanced endurance to help them out, but I can tell that they're tired out too. "Metas?"
"He means super powered people," I explain. "Or people with meta genes that give them power. Even alien DNA contains meta genes."
I look over at our resident Martian. "How you holding up, M'gann?"
Her green face is flushed and sweaty but she looks happy. "Okay. It feels good to actually be doing something to improve. I can feel myself getting stronger." She holds up her arms and flexes and morphs a little at the same time. The result is for a second she looks like she has huge guns. But the illusion quickly ends and she giggles.
"Dang, that was hot," Wally breathes.
I nudge him. "Close your mouth, dude, you'll catch flies."
Rachel finally crosses the end line and walks over to join us. Her usually pale skin is pink and her chest is heaving. "Sorry. I trained mentally for so long, I never did any running like this."
I wave her off. "That's fine. We all need to practice the basics. Some of us more than others." I shoot Kyle a look.
"That's it! I'm sick of this kid." He scrambles to his feet, ring glowing. "He waltzes in and says he's our leader yet we haven't seen him do anything other than run around. I don't care if he's some type of Batman protégée, I'm not taking orders from a kid."
Kaldur takes a step forward. "Kyle, I must ask you to stand down. We have seen Robin in action before. You do not want to get on his bad side."
"Screw that!" Kyle yells. "You guys are all scared of Batman. That's all! How's it feel, punk, to get whatever you want while hiding behind your daddy's cape?"
I feel a tick developing in my jaw. "Look. I didn't ask to be in charge. And if someone was more qualified, I would offer them the job. But I don't have anything to prove."
"Bull. You're nothing. Just a little kid. I could cream you in a second."
In my peripheral vision, I see Wally, Roy, and Kaldur going into big brother mode. And Kara big sister mode I guess. I hold up a hand. "It's okay guys. If Kyle wants to say something, he can say it. And if he wants a fight..." I get into my stance. "He can have one..."
Kyle smiles and holds up his wing. "Bring it on, birdie."
"Show me what you got, Green Bean."
The others back off and we have the mat.
"I hardly think it's fair," I say with a pretend pout, "that you get your ring and here I am with no weapons to defend myself."
"Fine." Kyle takes off his ring and tosses it to Kaldur who automatically catches it. "We'll do some single combat. And just a fair warning, Hal's been teaching me some tricks. And he's in the Air Force."
"Fair warning, I've been taught by the Batman," I smirk, unimpressed. It was sure easy to convince him to take off his ring. "Shut up and fight."
Kyle nods and comes at me.
I immediately pick up on his style. He's leading with his left foot, left handed. His arms are positioned close to his chest with his hands near his face. Mild training in boxing or mixed martial arts. His eyes are on my feet, I get the feeling he's trying to figure out my style at the same time. Too bad I can do things he's never seen.
The terrain for this fight is boring. Flat and matted. The mat is soft to cushion falls, but at the same time it makes a great springboard.
Kyle is still moving towards me. But it's like he's moving in slow motion. I grab the hand he's punching out at me with and use its momentum to throw him over my shoulder. But I have to follow him as he falls so I bend backwards, practically bending in half, and kick up with my knee. Kyle grunts as the knee hits him in the stomach and then again when his face crashes into the ground. I follow through with my motion by lifting my feet off the ground and going into a back hand spring with two flips. I land softly and take a bow. "Thank you, thank you."
"Show off," Roy mutters.
Kyle gets to his feet, wiping the blood from his bloody nose. I didn't think a soft impact with the mat would take him out. "I'll admit it, you're fast. But now I know how you work."
"Really?" I grin and slip into a stance. A different stance. "Care to try again then?"
He answers with a grunt and throws a kick at me. I block and throw a punch at his head. He manages to block it with his forearms.
"You've been trained in boxing too?" He says incredulously.
"I've been trained in more things than years you've been alive," I say. This is actually something I've been working on. I've been focusing on creating walls between the different disciplines I've learned. That way, if someone sees one they've recognized, they'll try to guess what I'm going to do, and I'll just change my fighting style. It's purely for fun though, when I'm going up against the big bad guys who mean business, I can't goof around like that. Then I do my regular style of a mixture of all my disciplines with my acrobatics knowhow thrown in.
But this is the perfect time to try it out. Plus, it's good practice. Batman doesn't mess around when he's teaching me and we often go head to head. I'm interested to know what his training is like on someone else.
I mimic Kyle's footwork and mirror his punches. I'm learning from him how to do his moves. In my head, I calculate what he'll do next, now that I know the pattern.
Punch, kick, punch, elbow, head, back, punch, shoulder...
Now that I know what his pattern is, I can combat it.
I block his kick and punch at his elbow as he throws his arm out for a follow up. The next part of his sequence would have been aiming at me with his elbow, but now that I've broken it up, he's lost his rhythm. I move in to finish him off.
I throw two quick punches at his face and he only manages to block one and the hit makes him stagger. I drop down and kick at his foot, make him trip forward and then I rotate my body, throwing my full force upwards and hit him in the chin with my foot as I perform a double backflip from my crouching position.
Kyle's head is thrown backwards and he falls back, landing heavily on the mat, totally out of it.
The voice comes on overhead. "WINNER: ROBIN."
I cross my arms. "How was that for a demonstration?" I walk over and offer him a hand up. He takes it (though he's pretty out of it and probably doesn't realize it's me helping him). "Hey Roy, can you take him to the medical bay? It's on the second door on the left."
"Sure thing, Rob." Roy takes Kyle, wrapping the other boy's arm around his neck to support him. "That was pretty cool, dude."
I shrug and look away. "Anyways, we better get back to work." I don't like how the others are staring at me. Like they're both impressed and afraid.
Wally breaks the silence. "Dude! You went all psycho bird on his sorry butt!"
I laugh a little. "Yeah. Maybe I went too far."
"No..." Kara shakes her head. "He has a hard skull. He seemed to need you to beat it into him."
"That was a fine job, my friend," Kaldur says. And it's his calm, older voice that puts me at ease.
"Thanks, Kal."
M'gann blinks and snaps her mouth shut. She looks at me with a determined look on her face. "Can you teach me to do that?"
I feel my eyes widen. "M'gann, I've been at this for a long time, those techniques take years—"
"Not the techniques. Well, maybe." She amends, "Can you teach me to stand up for myself like that?"
I feel a grin spread over my face. "No problem. You'll be a fierce alien goddess in no time." I shoot the last member of our group a look. "Rachel? You okay?"
She shakes her head ruefully. "I'm sure glad you're on our side, Robin. That's all."
I cackle. "Come on then. Let's get back to work."
One and a half weeks later, we're all sitting around eating some junk food (well, not me, I've got carrot sticks). Things have sort of settled into a type of rhythm. We get up, train, eat, sleep, get up, train. I can see us improving.
Kyle still has some tape on his nose, but he hasn't harbored any grudges. Kara was right. If anything, I've managed to get him to respect me somewhat. I guess he was one of those cases Bats says needs a "rougher approach".
M'gann has improved the most. She's not afraid of a fight and that, combined with her good heart, make me think she'll make a great hero one day.
Flash and Green Arrow check up on us sometimes, but they're usually kept pretty busy between their real lives and their super lives. Patrolling both Gotham and their home cities must be taking its toll.
Black Canary will pop in every once and again to give us a quick training exercise, though once she brought pizza and a monster movie marathon. My first, I might add.
Other than that, we haven't had a lot of contact with the outside world. No missions. No assignments. We stay underground and train but we don't do anything. No other Leaguers pop in to see how we're doing. Aquaman hasn't even made an appearance to see his sidekick since the day he dropped him off. I asked Kaldur if something was up in Atlantis.
Kaldur got this weird look in his eye. "Yes. My country is at war."
I nearly choked on my carrot sticks. "W-what? Why aren't we doing anything about it?"
"My King is leading his people. He feels like he should be able to solve this problem without the help of air breathers. Similar to how you and the Batman feel about other heroes in Gotham."
I frowned at him. "Who are they at war with? And why aren't you helping them out?"
"You see, my friend, those two questions have related answers."
I studied Kaldur. "I never read files on my friends unless I have to. Unless they don't tell me what's affecting them themselves."
"It doesn't concern you!" Kaldur snapped at me. I remember being shocked. Kaldur was the adult figure. He wasn't suppose to lose his cool.
"I'm sorry," I looked down. What ever is was, it seemed to be really bugging him. I wasn't going to press.
"I ask you, please do not read the files the Batman undeniably has on me." Kaldur couldn't meet my eyes. "And let the matters of Atlantis leave your mind. They will be resolved soon, I believe."
We haven't talked about it since.
So here we are. Sitting here, out of the way. With Batman, I always felt like an equal. A partner. For the first time, I'm beginning to get a taste of what it feels like to be treated like a sidekick. A little kid.
That doesn't mean I have to act like one.
I come in after doing my usual trapeze exercises, using a towel to wipe the sweat off my face. Sit down on the couch, munch some carrot sticks. Man, I'm getting lazy. If Batman could see me now.
I wince internally as Kara flips through the TV channels. Black Canary replaced our TV so we could do our movie marathon. I never watch TV usually (can't say I have the time) but I see why people are so addicted to it. It's like sitting and talking with a person who does all the talking for you while you do the sitting. Sort of like Wally except it runs off electricity, not cupcakes.
Kaldur is sitting on an armchair, peacefully reading a book. Rachel is across from him doing the same. I'm not sure if they're doing a book club or what but they're reading the same novel.
Kyle and Roy have been playing a game of chess for the past hour. M'gann's been watching them dutifully, but I think she's still confused on how the king can only move one space.
Wally's on his stomach in front of the TV, watching the channels zip by as Kara changes them, probably getting more out of it than she is.
I crunch down on my carrot. Maybe I should work on something. That flying spin kick that I haven't quite perfected. Update this place's security. Practicing pole vaulting. Study up on my Martian because I know Bruce is going to test me on that when he gets back.
"Hold up, Kara, go back a few."
I turn at the sound of Wally's voice, confused at his urgency.
"What? This one?"
"No, back one more."
"...on what appears to be an attack by Mr. Freeze on Metropolis."
My head whips around and I quickly flip over the back of the couch to land next to Kara who squeals in surprise. Ignoring her, I grab the remote and turn it up. Everyone looks over, interested in my haste.
"Robin, what—"
"Shh!" I turn it up even more so the reporter's voice is loud in our ears. Kara, with her super hearing, cringes.
"For those of you just joining us, Mr. Freeze attacked the Metropolis City Plaza. Authorities believe he was most likely heading for the bank. He was able to enter the plaza and go unstopped until Green Arrow and the Flash along with Red Tornado showed up at the scene and apprehended him. He is currently being taken back to Arkham Asylum in Gotham City where he had previously escaped. Six people are in the hospital and one was announced dead upon arrival—"
"I can't believe this!" Roy snaps, already on his feet. "A major emergency! And Green Arrow didn't so much as tell me what's going on!"
"—authorities believe that Mr. Freeze was taking advantage of Superman's recent disappearance from Metropolis due to an unspecified Justice League assignment. We will keep you updated as more info—"
Kara looks like she has tears in her eyes. "Metropolis! But...but..."
Rachel looks disgusted. "Who would do something so despicable?"
"Who's Mr. Freeze anyways?" Wally asks.
"He's a Gotham villain," I say darkly. The others look to me in surprise at the venom in my voice. "His wife died of a fatal disease and he takes her death out on all of Gotham. He has to wear a specially insulated suit to survive. He's a psychopath." Suddenly, I remember something. Babs said she was staying with a friend in...Metropolis...
I whip out my phone and speed dial Babs' number. Wally shoots me a confused look. I close my eyes behind my mask. Please pick up, please pick up...
"Richard Grayson?"
I gasp. "Who is this?"
"This is Nancy Wallis of Metropolis Medical Center. I am in the process of calling all of Barbara Gordon's family to alert them to her condition and I saw you were calling on her phone..."
"Is she all right?" I turn away from the others in the room and pray Kara isn't listening in.
"Her condition is stable. She does, however, have a broken arm."
"Is she conscious?" I ask.
There's a pause. "She...regained consciousness a few minutes ago. But..."
"Has she had a blood transfusion?" I say impatiently.
"Yes. She's heavily medicated to help with the pain."
I grind my teeth. "So she's not lucid."
"Correct. Terribly sorry, Mr. Grayson-Wayne."
So this lady knows who I am. No wonder she was reluctant to tell me the details and deny me a conversation.
I run a hand through my hair. "Can you please tell Ms. Gordon to contact me as soon as she feels better. Or before that. I want to know if her condition worsens or improves."
"Yes, sir."
"And I'll handle any medical fees."
"The incident was covered under the Metropolis Villain Enactment."
"Fine. Take care of her."
"We'll do our best, sir. Good bye."
"Bye." I hang up and turn back towards the other heroes.
"Is everything okay, Rob?" Wally asks, immediately next to me.
"Fine," I say. "Someone I know was injured in the attack."
Kara starts to cry. Kaldur stands up. "Is she alright, Robin?"
"She's fine." I make a mental note to make sure the names of the victims never get published in case the others try to find a connection to my identity. "Just great." In frustration, I throw my phone across the room and it shatters against the wall.
"Dude!" Kyle says, taking cover as phone shrapnel scatters.
"Robin, you need to chill out," Roy says, making towards me with hands raised in a peacemaking gesture.
"No, I don't! That was my villain in someone else's city and six people are hospitalized and one is dead because I didn't do my job!" I punch the wall next, driving my hand straight through the plaster.
Wally's eyes widen. "Hey, Rob, dude, let's take it easy before you break anything else."
"It's not your fault!" Kara sobs. "It was mine. Metropolis is my city! I should have been there!"
M'gann places a tentative arm around Kara. "It is alright. It is not your fault. You did not know..."
"She's right!" Kyle pounds his fist in his palm. "It's not your guys' fault. Somebody should have told us. We could have helped. This whole space area's my responsibility yet nobody ever tells me anything!"
Just then, the zeta tubes go off, announcing the arrival of the heroes of the day, Flash, Green Arrow, and Red Tornado.
Flash takes one look at my face, the hole in the wall, Kara's tears, the television still blaring the news, and makes to run away but Wally's voice stops him cold.
"Uncle Barry?"
Barry Allen sighs and turns around.
"Why didn't you get us to help? Why weren't we informed!" Roy screams at his mentor. Red Tornado starts to slowly back away.
"You running, Red?" Oliver snaps at the robot.
Red Tornado stops. "No. I am, however, incrementally backing away from this compromising situation that seems to warn of extreme amounts of mental agitation. I wish you gentlemen the best of luck." A red—well—tornado whooshes to life around him and he disappears through the zeta beams.
Oliver turns helplessly back to his ward. "We handled it."
"Handled it? Handled it! You call THAT handled it?" Roy points at the screen where they're showing a helicopter view of the destroyed building. It's all rubble and dust with an icy haze coating it. "Because of your 'handling' Robin's friend is in the hospital!"
The two older heroes look over at me.
When I speak, it's with the forced calm voice that Batman uses when he's really mad. I must pull it off pretty well because everyone takes a step back. "Look. You may think you know how to take care of situations. And I completely understand being too late for an emergency. I get it. What I don't get it why you didn't call us, a group only fifteen minutes away from Metropolis with two members having experience in the area and experience with the villain, so that you could rush in and save the day after six people were injured and on killed. That's what I don't get. And I want you to explain it to me."
Oliver gulps. "Look, Robin, it's just, you guys haven't done a real mission yet. And you're still young—"
I explode. "WE HAVEN'T DONE A REAL FREAKING MISSION YET BECAUSE YOU BASTARDS HAVE BEEN HOLDING US HERE TO HAVE A GLORIFIED PLAYDATE. AND I MAY BE YOUNG BUT YOU CAN JUST QUIT HOLDING THAT OVER MY HEAD. I HAVE MORE EXPERIENCE THAN SOME MEMBERS OF THE LEAGUE. I'VE GONE TOE TO TOE WITH PSYCHOPATHIC VILLAINS WHO DON'T JUST WANT TO TAKE OVER THE WORLD. THEY WANT EVERYONE TO DIE. AND I'VE FOUGHT THEM AND WON, YOU—" at this place I switch to a string of foreign cuss words including a few in Romani "—I KNOW THE ONLY FACT YOU TREAT ME WITH ANY DEGREE OF RESPECT AT ALL IS BECAUSE YOUR SCARED OF BATMAN. WELL, HERE'S A NEWSFLASH FOR YOU. YOU SHOULDN'T PISS OFF THE BIRD EITHER!" I finish, breathing heavily.
Everyone is staring at me with their mouths open.
I continue, a little more calmly. "I took this job so that no one would have to feel the pain of losing someone they love. Batman took it for the same reason. I'm done playing Little League Superheroes. If you can't respect me as much as you respect Batman, I'm done." I turn and stalk out of the living areas into my room, slamming the door behind me.
I spend the rest of the day staring at my backup phone hoping Babs or Alfred or Bruce or someone will call me and ask me if I'm alright. But eventually my phone runs out of power and I fall asleep.