"I'm sorry!" the kid said, putting his hands up.

"What do you think you're doing?" Batman asked, glaring at him.

"Wait a minute," Robin said, holding his hand up. "I think I recognize you. Do you remember a red-haired girl getting attacked near tenth street?"

He didn't say anything, but continued to stare at them.

"What's your name?" Batman ordered.

"I-It's Jason. Jason Todd."

Robin pulled up his gauntlet and began to do research. Batman walked up to him.

"Why are you stealing my tires?"

He didn't reply. Robin sent the intel to the Batcomputer before walking up to him, kneeling down in front.

"Do you live on the streets?" he nodded. Batman closed his eyes behind his mask. "For how long?"

"A while."

"Jim?" Batman said, pressing his finger up to his ear. "Are you still around?"

"Finishing up here. Why?"

"When you get a chance, come to the other side of the wall. We have a….situation here."

"Do I need men?"

"Come by yourself."

"I'll be there in a minute."

He let out a deep breath before back to the two teenagers. "I have help coming for you."

"Who?"

"Commissioner Gordon."

"And then what? I get locked up in jail?"

"Why would you get locked up in jail?"

He didn't answer, but turned his head away. Batman and Robin looked at each other. A car pulled up, and Jim stepped out, his brow furrowing in confusion as he took in the scenery.

"What on earth?"

"Jim, let's talk," Batman said, and led the man away. Robin turned back to Jason.

"It's ok to be scared," he said, watching as he turned his head away.

"I'm not scared."

"Batman and I are going to find a good place for you. You have my word."

"I belong on the streets."

"No, you don't. You're a child. You belong in a loving home."

"Were you a street kid?"

"No," he replied honestly.

He rolled his eyes, leaning up against the car as he did so. "Then you don't understand."

"You're right, I don't. That's why I want to try to help. I'm Robin. I'm a kid sidekick. I like to think that I'm a symbol of hope for the children of Gotham."

He stared at him, and Robin smiled back, holding his hand out to him. "I promise you that you will not live on the streets of Gotham anymore. We're here to help."

"I saw you researching me," he replied, crossing his arms. "You saw everything."

"I'm ignoring it," he replied, his hand still held out. "I don't care about the police record. I just want you to get help."

Jason stared at him, and Robin could swear something flashed behind his blue eyes. Then he placed his hand in Robin's, shaking it lightly.

Bruce and Jim returned. "Come with me, son."

"Am I getting arrested?"

"No, you're not getting arrested," Jim said, leaning down to be eye level with him. "Tonight you're going to stay at the precinct, and tomorrow you'll be sent to the Wayne Care Center to get the help you need. No more living on the streets."

Robin walked over to him. "I promise you."

He didn't say another word. Jim led him to his car and put him in the front seat. They watched as he backed out of the alley and took off towards GCPD. Batman stared at them, as though determining something in his mind.

"Help me put the tire back on," he ordered, and they did before they took off back to the cave.


The bacon sizzled in the pan as Barbara fried it up, singing softly to the music she was listening to. Her father was due home from work any minute, and she prepared him breakfast before he went off to sleep as she always did.

"Barbara?" he called out as he walked through the door.

"Kitchen."

He put his stuff down before walking into the kitchen. "Smells amazing, sweetheart."

"I hope you're hungry."

"Starving."

He filled up his plate and sat down at the table. She filled hers as well, sitting down across from him.

"How'd last night go?"

"It was a pretty slow night," he replied, taking a drink. "How is it here? You know I'm still unsure about you staying here on your own."

"I'm fine," she sighed.

"It just worries me," he said, looking over his glasses. "Although, I'm just as worried sending you over to the manor with Grayson around."

She dropped her fork, rolling her eyes. "He's my friend."

"He's a teenage boy."

"You had no problem with it a few months ago."

"I did, actually," he replied, looking rather uncomfortable, "but I still wanted you to be watched."

"He is just my friend," she stressed, wishing her father would stop this conversation.

"Alright," he said, clearly not believing her. She let out an angry sigh. "I didn't mean to upset you."

They finished their breakfast in silence, Barbara refusing to look at him the entire time. He eventually stood up and put his plate in the sink.

"I'm going to bed. See you when I wake up?"

She nodded, still refusing to talk to him. He let out a sigh as he ventured into his bedroom, closing the door behind him. He picked up a picture and smiled softly, remembering the day his daughter was born, and still in disbelief that she would be sixteen in the upcoming year.

Back in the kitchen, Barbara finished cleaning up, letting out a frustrated sigh as she did so.

It was times like this when she missed her mother.

The mother who would tuck her into bed each night, tell her a story and kiss her goodnight. The one who helped her learn gymnastics and always encouraged her when she struggled. The one who soothed her each time she had a nightmare.

The mother who up and left her family without a goodbye.

She let out another sigh, turning into the living room. She picked up a photo album and looked through it, her eyes watering. She stopped on the last photo taken with her and ran her hand across the picture.

It was her eighth birthday party. Her father took the picture while her mother had her arm wrapped around Barbara's shoulder, resting her head on top of hers.

Barbara couldn't believe how much she looked her the older she got.

"I've done my best," a voice said, and she jumped up, the photo book falling to the floor. Jim stood behind the couch, giving his daughter a sad look. "It's hard raising you without your mother, especially the older you get."

He sat down next to her and picked up the photo album. "I tried to make our marriage work. I tried my hardest. Then she was gone with no explanation. I've tried to be there for you, but there's only so much I can do. You are a young woman, after all."

"I know you're worried about me," she said, wiping her face. "I'm sorry I overreacted. It's just so hard sometimes, dad. These are the things that I need to talk about with mom, but she's not here to talk about it with me."

She buried her head into his shoulder, and he laid his on top of hers, rubbing her back softly. "I am so sorry, pumpkin. She should be here."

"You're here," she said quietly.

He kissed her head. "I will always be here."

They stared at the photo album, unable to tear themselves away from the photos lost in time. They talked for a few more minutes before he went off to bed, and she grabbed a blanket before laying down on the couch, turning the TV on as she did so.

Her eyes closed, and they didn't open again until her phone started going off. Rubbing them, she reached over and grabbed for it, her brow furrowing in confusion.

Dick was calling her.

"Hello?"

"Morning, Babs."

"What are you doing up this early?"

"Early?" he asked. "It's almost ten."

She closed her eyes. "I must have fallen back asleep. Is there something you need? You rarely ever call me."

"Actually, I was going to ask you if you wanted to come with us."

"Go with you where?"

"The Wayne Care Center."

"Why are you going there?"

"We'll explain on the way, if you're interested."

"Yeah," she said, getting up. "Can you give me some time?"

"We'll be there about eleven."

"Perfect. See you then."

They hung up, and she quickly showered and changed. He texted her about ten till telling her that they were out front. Leaving a note for her father, she walked out of the apartment and saw the black car waiting out front.

"Miss. Barbara," Alfred said, smiling softly.

"Hi, Alfred."

He opened the door, and she climbed in, taking a seat next to Dick. He grinned at her.

"So what's going on?" Barbara asked, as the car took off. Dick pressed his lips together, looking over at Bruce as he did so.

"Bruce and I were on patrol the other night when we noticed that one of the tires had been stolen off of the Batmobile."

"Are you kidding me?" she said in shock.

"He was in the process of taking off a second when we busted him."

"Not only that, Babs, but he was wearing a red hoodie."

Her eyes opened wide. "A red hoodie? Is it him?"

"We can't get him to talk," Bruce said, and she looked over at him.

"Which is why we've asked you here."

"You think he'll talk to me?"

"If it is him, we can at least figure out what happened."

"What's his name?"

"Jason Todd. He's been living on the streets."

"He lived on the streets?" she asked sadly. They nodded. "That poor kid."

"I'm hoping that he'll do well here."

They stayed quiet the remainder of the ride. They pulled up to the building and waited until Alfred opened the door before stepping out, looking over the building. She immediately noticed Dick's look, and her heart broke for him.

He had spent quite a few days in here as well.

"Mr. Wayne," the woman greeted, smiling at them. "Richard Grayson, is that you?"

"In the flesh, Yolanda," he replied, flashing her a smile.

"Look at you. You're getting big. What are you, fifteen now?"

"Just turned."

"Yolanda, we're here to speak to Jason Todd. How's he doing?"

"He's very…...stubborn. He's mainly stuck to his room. Follow me."

She stood up from her desk and led them to interview room one. "I'll go get him. Please, have a seat."

"Thank you," Bruce said, and watched as she closed the door behind her.

"How did he get here?" Barbara asked.

"Your father. Batman turned Jason over to him, and he was brought here. Just like Dick was."

Dick smiled softly. "This place was good to me. They made me feel at home."

"I'm hoping the same will work for Jason. Living on the streets for as long as he has, he needs a stable environment."

"How long has he been here?"

"About three days. We wanted to give him some time to adjust before we came to talk to him."

The door opened, and Yolanda walked in followed by Jason. Dick took a good look at him. They had cleaned him up a lot since he (well, Robin) had last seen him. His hair was cut shorter, and he looked a little healthier.

"He's all yours," Yolanda said before turning to walk out of the room. They all stood up.

"Hi, Jason. My name is Bruce Wayne. This is Barbara Gordon and Richard Grayson. He actually used to live here."

"You used to put up with them?"

Dick looked at Bruce before answering. "I spent a little while here before Bruce adopted me. They're good people. They'll take care of you."

"You're the rich boy," he replied, leaning back in his seat. "Should have guessed."

Dick looked away. Barbara stared at him for a minute before she stood up and took a seat next to him.

"Hi there," she said, smiling softly at him. Jason moved his head to look at her. "Do you remember me?"

"You're the girl from the alley. How could I forget such a pretty face?"

"You saved my life," she said, ignoring his charm. "Why?"

"I'm not going to let you get hurt."

"Did you know him?"

"A while ago," he said, looking away. "He became an addict. Before that, he took care of me."

"What do you mean he took care of you?" she whispered, and he finally turned back to her.

"I've lived on the streets for quite a while now. He taught me how to survive."

She pressed her lips together, turning away from him. Behind her, Dick and Bruce looked at each other.

"I'm sorry to hear that. Why did you never go for help?"

He shrugged, turning his head away. She reached over and grabbed his hand, shocked as he gave her a gentle squeeze back.

"Jason," she whispered softly, and he finally moved his head to look at her, "you are not alone. Dick and I will come here every day if that's what you want."

"We will," Dick said, moving to sit next to her. "I don't know exactly what you're going through, but I have stayed here and I know it's a struggle. You feel like you're alone with nowhere to go. Before Bruce adopted me, I was in a really dark place. My parents had just been killed, and I was taken away from everything that I grew up with and loved. I don't want to see you go through that. I had Bruce, Alfred and Barbara to help me. So will you."

"Really?" he asked softly, and they both nodded.

"You saved my life. I owe you one," she replied, squeezing his hand.

"If they want to, they can stay here for a few hours," Bruce said, standing up. "I have some work to do at the office."

"That's a great idea," Dick said, and Barbara agreed. "Whatever you want to do, Barbara and I will do it."

Jason didn't say anything, but turned to look at the mirror. "Do we always get watched here?"

"Not always," Dick answered honestly. "They just want to make sure you're adjusting well."

"You'll stay, then?"

"We're here," Barbara said, smiling at him.

"I'll be back soon," Bruce told Dick, who nodded in agreement. He turned to walk out the door.

"What do you want to do?"

"Kind of want to go outside."

"Let's go," Dick said, standing up. They walked out to the front lobby. "Do you mind if we take Jason outside for a few minutes?"

"Of course," Yolanda replied. "Have fun."

"Thank you," he said, before they walked out the doors to the playground. They went to sit at one of the tables.

"How old are you, Jason?"

"I turned thirteen in August."

"Thirteen, huh? That's always a fun age."

"What's so good about it?"

Dick pressed his lips together. "Well, a lot of good things happened to me when I was thirteen, and it seems like a lot of good things are happening to you, too."

"You mean being stuck in here?"

"You're off the streets, and before winter, too. That should be making you feel so much better."

"And you've made two new friends," Barbara said, reaching for his hand again. "You'll make more here, as well, if you would come out of you room."

He rolled his eyes. "I hate being watched."

"It's for your own good."

He threw his head back, enjoying the unusually warm late October day. Dick and Barbara watched him closely, wondering what he would do next.

"Why did Wayne choose you?"

"He felt bad. My parents had been killed and so had his."

"That's the case with some of the kids in here. Why you?"

"Jason-"

"It's fine, Babs. I'll tell him." He took a deep breath. "He was afraid I would do something reckless, and end up in bad shape. He didn't want to see that. He didn't want to see me end up in jail or something worse happen to me. So he took me in. He led me off a path that both of us knew I would go on. I would have gone out to avenge my parents, and probably would have gotten myself killed."

"Would you really have done that?"

"I don't know," he said, turning his head away. "When I was here, I don't remember much of it. I couldn't sleep because I kept having nightmares. I wouldn't eat because I wasn't hungry. They became deeply concerned about me. Bruce came to check up on me, and when he found out how I was doing, he became concerned as well. Eventually he decided to take me in."

"How long were you here?"

"A couple of weeks."

"What's it like? Living with the golden boy of Gotham?"

"It's pretty good. Bruce is complicated but he and Alfred take really good care of me. Then there's Barbara," he said with a smile. She smiled back. "I've known her since the night my parents were killed."

"Are you together?" he asked, looking between them.

"No!" they both said, shaking their heads.

"Just friends," she replied.

"It should be lunch time," Dick said, looking at his watch. "Are you hungry?"

"Not really."

Dick gave him a look. "Don't do that. You need to eat."

"Fine," he replied sharply. They all stood up and walked to the cafeteria, grabbing plates of food as they did so.

"Can I call you Jay?" Barbara asked, as they sat at a table.

"Can I call you Barbie?"

"Barbie? That's a new one. Sure. Dick calls me Babs and you call me Barbie."

"You're as pretty as a Barbie doll," he said, flashing her a smile. Dick narrowed his eyes.

"Another charmer," she replied. "You're a lot like Dick."

"Am I?"

"I disagree," Dick replied, taking a bite of his lunch.

"Sure you do."

"How did you two meet?"

"The night his parents were killed he was brought to GCPD. My dad works at the police department, so I spent a lot of my nights there. I met him that night, and we've been friends ever since."

"Your father? Commissioner Gordon?"

"That's the one. Is that why you ran from him the night you saved me?"

"I don't have the best record," he replied, turning his head away from them.

"You're safe now, Jay. You're here, and we're here to help. No more running."

He stared at her, as though determining something in his mind. He then flashed her a smile.

"No more running," he repeated.


Down in the Batcave later that night, Barbara and Dick were sparring. He was finding it harder to keep up with her, and was extremely proud of his friend for how seriously she was taking her training.

"Can't keep up, Grayson?" Barbara asked, as she knocked him down and laid her foot on top of his chest. He grinned up at her, grabbing hold of her foot to kick his leg under her knees and cause her to fall.

"You're getting cocky, Gordon," he replied, hovering over her. One hand rested by her head while the other rested by her waist, holding himself over her.

She couldn't take her eyes away from his.

"First rule of defense," he said, his voice stuttering, "never let your guard down."

"Shut up," she replied, pushing his face away. He grinned.

He helped her up, staring at her for a minute. She gave him a look. "What?"

"Just trying to picture you in a costume."

"Funny," she replied, rolling her eyes.

"Seriously. Have you thought about it?"

She didn't answer, causing him to grin even more. "You have!"

"Maybe."

"What is it, Barbara?"

"Nothing you need to know, bird boy."

"C'mon!" he whined, giving her a pout. She rolled her eyes again.

"Fine. I've been thinking about it but I'm struggling to figure it out. It's not like you. You were given the name Robin by your mother."

He turned to look at his suit. "That's true."

"I really have no idea what to choose."

"You'll come up with something, Babs," he replied, wrapping his arm around her shoulder.

She stared up at Bruce's suit, her mind going into overdrive as she attempted to think of an identity. Staring at the symbol on his chest, she pictured herself in a similar suit, standing next to Batman and Robin, overlooking Gotham.

"I think I got it," she said, turning to him. He raised his eyebrow.

"Oh, yeah?"

"I keep seeing myself in a suit a lot like Bruce's."

"You want a cowl?" he asked, grinning slightly. She pushed him.

"I'm serious."

"And what would we call you, my lady?"

She stared up at the black suit again, smiling softly. "Batgirl."

"Batgirl, huh?" he said, grinning at her. "I like it."


Jason brushed his teeth, trying to ignore the look the blonde-haired boy next to him kept giving him. Putting the brush back into the case, he turned around to walk back to his room, feeling aggravated that the kid was following him.

"What?" he said, glaring at him as he turned around.

"Nothing, Todd."

"Then why are you following me?"

"Just giving you some advice," he started, causing Jason to narrow his eyes.

"I don't want it."

"Of course you don't," he replied, shoving his chest.

"Don't touch me!" he hissed.

"You're worthless. You'll never be anything more than a street rat, and those kids who keep coming around won't come much longer. They'll see you for who you really are."

Letting out a cry, Jason attacked him. They fought one another, causing a small group to form around them. Two of the attendants ran up and broke them apart, holding them back as they attempted to work their way back towards one another.

"Enough of this!" a man said, standing in between them. "Both of you to your rooms now! I will be by shortly!"

Getting escorted by the attendant, he was led back to his room. The door closed behind the man, and he kicked the desk chair, wanting nothing more than to get out of this building.

Sitting on his bed, he looked out the window, watching as the rain poured down it. Resting his head against the cool glass, he spotted two figures jumping across the rooftop, clearly looking for something.

'I've been here a week and I'm already in trouble.'


Barbara rubbed her eyes, feeling exhausted. She wished she had gotten more sleep the night before, but the storms had kept her awake and she was unable to sleep.

Arriving at Dick's locker, she noticed he was talking on his cell phone, a concerned expression on his face. A minute later he hung up.

"Is something wrong?"

"That was Bruce. Apparently Jason got into a fight last night."

She closed her eyes. "Do you know why?"

"I don't. Bruce asked me if I would go see him after school. Do you want to come with me?"

"Of course. How did Bruce know?"

"He asked Yolanda if she would keep him updated on Jason."

"He's concerned about him, isn't he?"

"It's very familiar," Dick said, closing his locker. "That's how Bruce was to me before I was adopted."

"I can't believe he's been there for a week. He must not be adjusting well, Dick."

The bell rang, and he nodded to her before they disappeared for their classes. As classes ended for the day, he met up with her at her locker before walking out to Alfred's car.

"Are you going to see Jason, Master Richard?"

"Yes, Alfred."

They drove off to the care center, Dick wondering in his mind what he would say to Jay when they got there. Barbara squeezed his hand in support, and he knew that she was thinking the same.

The car pulled up, and they began to get out of the car. Alfred stopped them.

"Dick, Barbara," he said softly, and they looked up at him, "try to understand what Mr. Todd could be going through, and be sensitive about it. It can't be easy for him."

They nodded and stepped out of the car. They entered the building and stopped by the receptionist.

"Yolanda will be with you in a second."

"Thank you," he said, and they waited until she came from behind the door.

"Richard," she said, giving him a hug. "It's always something special seeing one of our own return here."

"What happened with Jason, Yolanda?"

She sighed. "He started a fight here last night before bed."

They closed their eyes. "Is he in trouble?"

"He's going to be monitored, but he was disciplined."

"Do you mind if we go see him?"

"I think he would like that," she said. "Do you know where his room is?"

"I think so. Thank you, Yolanda."

"I believe the two of you are what that young boy needs."

They smiled softly at her before crossing through the door. They walked down the hall before stopping at room twenty-one, noticing the name "Todd" on the door. It was ajar, and Barbara noticed that Jason was laying on his bed, staring up at the ceiling.

"Jason?" Dick said, lightly tapping on the door. He looked over at them. "Can we come in?"

"I guess," he replied, glancing them over as they entered his room. He then laughed. "What are you wearing?"

"Our school uniforms," Barbara said.

"That's unfortunate," he replied, returning his attention to the ceiling.

"What happened, Jay?" she asked, her voice laced with concern. "Why did you start that fight?"

"He made me mad," he replied.

"What did he say to you?"

He looked away, and she got on her knees by his bed. "Tell me, Jay."

"He called me worthless," he said quietly, sitting up. "Said I didn't belong anywhere but the streets. That you two would stop showing up after a while."

Barbara looked back at Dick before returning her attention to Jason. "What did we promise you? Dick and I told you that we would keep coming back."

"There's some kids here, Jason, who think they're in charge. That happened when I was here, too. You cannot let them get to you. You are not worthless. You have so much potential. You just have to keep your anger in check."

"But he-"

"Jason," Barbara said, and he turned his head away, "for us, will you keep your anger in check? No more fighting?"

He nodded. "Whatever you say, Barbie."

She smiled, ruffling up his hair. He growled and tried to fix it.

"I need to use the bathroom," she said, standing up. "I'll be right back."

They nodded, and watched as she walked out of the room. Dick turned to Jason.

"This place will help you. I promise you that."

He huffed. "So did Robin when he and Batman brought me here."

"It takes time, Jay. It has to be hard for you to adjust."

He didn't say anything, but chose to continue staring at the wall. Dick stood up and walked over to Jason's desk, looking down at it.

"What kind of punishment did you get?"

"Cleaning duty," he replied, rolling his eyes. "Grayson, I have a question."

"Shoot."

"Why are do you keep coming here?"

"Do you not want us to?"

"No!" he said, a little more quickly than he wanted to. "I just-"

He trailed off, looking away. Dick sat down in the chair in front of him.

"You're letting that kid get to you."

"I don't like it here," he said quietly, and Dick pointed out to himself that this was the first time since Jason had been here that he revealed how he was really feeling. "I just want to leave."

"I know how you feel. I keep telling you that it'll get better, but honestly I don't know. I was only here for so long. I don't care what that kid told you, Barbara and I are not leaving you here. We told you that we'll come by everyday if that's what you want."

"Why me, though?" he whispered. "So many kids here, and you and Wayne came to me."

Jason had a lot of self-doubts, Dick realized. Continually questioning himself, doubting himself, Dick wondered if he could ever get Jason to snap out of this.

"Because we see a lot of potential in you."

"How did you even know about me? The news of me getting here didn't go public. Only Batman, Robin and Commissioner Gordon know."

"Everything ok?" Barbara asked, returning to the room. Dick stood up.

"Perfect. Jason and I have been talking."

"Hey there, Barbie," Jason replied, getting up from his bed. "Dicky over there gave me a long boring lecture and I think I need some fresh air."

"Oh, I'm sure he did," Barbara replied, smiling. Dick rolled his eyes. "Unfortunately it's raining, Jay."

"We could go watch some TV," he suggested, but Dick stopped him.

"You're in trouble, remember? You're not allowed to watch TV."

He growled. "I didn't even start that fight!"

"It doesn't matter to them, Jay. You get involved and you're in just as much trouble."

He sighed, flopping back onto his bed. "So this is all I can do?"

"Do you have any homework?" Barbara asked him.

"Some," he replied with a shrug.

"Why don't we help you with your homework?" Dick suggested.

"That sounds fun," Jason replied dully, giving them a look. "I'd rather stare at the ceiling."

"Come on," Barbara said, laughing slightly as she pushed him out of his room.

She knew that she and Dick were breaking down Jason's walls. It was only a matter of time.


"Dick! Hurry up!" Barbara cried, pounding on his bedroom door. It opened, revealing his grinning face.

"Impatient, are we?"

"You're finally taking me to the cave! Of course I'm impatient!"

He gave her a one-over, stopping at the dark glasses covering her face before he chuckled. "If you're ready, then."

She nodded, and they walked down the stairs and outside to the garage. He hopped on his bike and watched as she sat behind him, wrapping her arms around his chest. He revved the bike and took off, closing his eyes as she let out a small laugh.

"Enjoying yourself?" he asked, smiling back at her.

She didn't answer, and they remained quiet as he finally rode up the garage near the booth. He typed in the code and stashed his bike, closing it behind him.

"I'm sorry I haven't brought you here sooner," he said, as they walked up to the booth. "It's been crazy with the whole Jason thing."

"I know. I understand. Is it bad that I'm nervous?"

He laughed. "Don't be. They're all a lot of fun."

"Why are we here?" she asked, looking at the booth.

"This is the zeta tube. You go first."

"Ok," she said, giving him a look before she opened the door.

She sucked in a breath as she felt an intense sensation course through her. Her eyes closed for a minute before she reopened them, nearly jumping back in shock as she saw Wally and other people standing around her.

Recognize: Robin, B01

"Wow," Barbara said, looking around.

"Everyone, this is Batgirl. Batgirl, this is Kid Flash, Artemis, Aqualad, Miss. Martain, Superboy, Rocket, and Zatanna."

"It's nice to meet you," she said, shaking each of their hands. Wally lingered on her before a grin formed on his face.

"Ohhhhh, Rob, you are making this too easy for me."

"What do you mean, Kid Mouth?"

"Nothing, nothing at all. I just seem to remember meeting a redhead at your birthday party."

"Shut up, Wallace!"

"Wallace?" Batgirl replied with a laugh. Wally sighed.

"Wallace Rudolph West, to be more precise."

"I hate you, Rob," he replied, smacking his hand to his face.

"Then keep your mouth shut." He glanced over to Artemis, who gave him a thumbs up. "Batman has strict orders. Batgirl is only here to train and not go on missions, and he's allowing me to bring her out here so you all can help train her."

"We'd love to," Artemis said, squeezing her shoulder. "We'll get her ready for you, Rob."

"Should I be scared?" she asked. He chuckled.

"Artemis, Wally, want to help me train her in the gym?"

"Sure," they said.

They all walked to the gym. Artemis turned to Batgirl, offering her a grin.

"Are you the girl Wally likes to make fun of Rob for?"

"What do you mean?"

"Wally's been making fun of Robin ever since he broke up with Zatanna about him being in love with a beautiful girl from Gotham City."

"In love?" she asked in shock. "No, we're just friends. Wait, he dated Zatanna?"

"For quite a while. Eight months, I think. Zatanna ended it when she and Rob couldn't work things out."

"I didn't know about that."

"Probably doesn't want to talk about it. It tore him up, I think. Both of them."

"Did he like her?"

"A lot, but she felt like he liked someone else more. She didn't want to be in a relationship where he wasn't there all the way."

"Ready to spar?" Robin asked, grinning at her. She nodded, taking stance. "Artemis is going to be shooting arrows at you, but she won't hit you. It's to make you know how to fight and be aware of your surroundings."

Artemis prepped her bow. Batgirl nodded to Robin, who began to fight her. Artemis shot one off, causing Batgirl to use one of her batarangs to send it to the floor while avoiding a shot from Robin.

"Nice work," he said. "Training every day for almost two months now and look how far you've come."

"I can still kick your butt, Rob," she said, winking at him. He grinned.

"In your dreams, Batgirl."

"What have I told you?" Wally whispered to Artemis. She nodded, smiling softly.

"She is the girl."

"I've actually met her. She's perfect for him."

"They'll come to realize it one day."

They got into stance again, and Wally nodded to Robin. As they fought, Wally took off running, knocking Barbara down.

"Unfortunately, you have enemies like Wallace over there who you won't be able to see."

"Quit calling me Wallace!" he replied, glaring at Robin.

"Anyway," he continued on, "you have to be prepared to fight enemies like this. Several times now that's costed us because we're continuing to run into enemies we're unprepared for. Again."

They got into stance, and Wally took off again. She grabbed for some marbles from her belt, narrowly avoiding a shot from Robin, before throwing them onto the floor.

"Really, Batgirl?" his voice echoed around her. She turned to Robin, grinning as she did so.

All of the sudden the marbles ignited, knocking Wally to his feet.

"I love that trick!" Robin said, a grin plastered on his face. Wally rubbed his head.

"I'm going to hate the two of you, aren't I?"

"Probably," they replied together.

"Nice work, Batgirl," Robin said, giving her a high-five.

"Thank you, Rob."

Artemis smiled, helping Wally up off the floor. "You should have known better than to fall into that trick."

"Shut up," he replied, rubbing his head again. "You're a sneaky little mink, Batgirl."

"Robin, Wally, report to Red Tornado."

"I'll be right back," Robin said to Batgirl, who nodded. They walked out of the room.

"Let's get you introduced around here," Artemis said, putting her bow down. She led her out of the gym and to the living room, where the rest of the girls were.

"Batgirl!" M'gann said, getting up to hug her.

"You're friendly," she said, hugging her back.

"Ladies, the boys are away," Artemis said, plopping onto the couch. "Whatever will we do?"

"Don't be shy," Zatanna said, patting the seat next to her. "Come and talk."

She hesitated for a minute before sitting next to her.

"Nothing to be scared of," Rocket said soothingly. "We're all friends here."

"So, Batgirl, how old are you?" M'gann asked.

"I can't say, but I'm around the same age as Rob."

"Really now?" Zatanna asked, and Batgirl got a bad feeling in her stomach.

"A lot, but she felt like he liked someone else more. She didn't want to be in a relationship where he wasn't there all the way."

"Yes."

"What Zatanna means is that, uh, how long and Rob known each other?"

"And how did you convince Batman to let you join his team?"

She laughed. "It wasn't easy, but I can't go into details for personal reasons. Rob and I have known each other for a long time."

The girls looked at each other, a smirk filling their faces. She looked between them in confusion.

"What?"

"Oh, nothing."

"Will you excuse me?" she said, before standing up to walk out of the room.

"She likes him."

"He likes her, too," Zatanna said, turning her head towards Artemis. "I knew there was someone else."

"You should have seen them in the gym," Artemis said, smiling softly. "They were flirting without even realizing that they were."

"I give it a few months," Rocket said, sitting back on the couch.

"No, they're both too stubborn for that," Artemis replied. "I give it a long while before those two realize."

"Like you and Wally?" Zatanna said with a smile. She laughed.

"Like Wally and I, yes. It'll take them some time to realize."

"Ladies," Wally said, as he, Robin, Kaldur and Connor walked into the room. "I know you missed the Wallman."

"With every passing second," Rocket replied, rolling her eyes.

"Where's Batgirl?"

"She'll be right back."

"We like her," Artemis said, leaning back. "She's a good partner there, huh, Rob?"

He narrowed his eyes. "She's a great partner, actually."

"She seems nice, looks very pretty….."

"Where are you going with this, girlfriend of Kid Mouth?"

"Nowhere," she replied, and Wally grinned at her.

"Rob," Batgirl said, returning to the room.

"Having fun?" he asked her.

"Lots."

"They're not scaring you, are they?"

"Would we do that, Rob?" Zatanna asked, throwing a smile his way.

Barbara felt something in the pit of her stomach.

"Yes," he replied.

"I'm fine, Rob," Batgirl reassured him.

"This is one of the rare moments when we're all around," M'gann pointed out, looking amongst her team. "I want to raise a toast."

They all looked at each other in confusion before raising their own glasses. "Over a year ago, three little rule-breakers disobeyed their mentors orders and went to Cadmus to investigate a fire. Instead, they found something else. Ever since, our team has grown. Robin, Kid Flash and Aqualad rescued Superboy. I joined immediately after, then Artemis, and Zatanna and finally Rocket. Others are beginning to join us as well. We've done a lot in the last year and I couldn't be any prouder to be a part of this team. Now, Robin has brought Batgirl, and I say we welcome her with open arms. To Batgirl."

"To Batgirl," they cheered, gesturing towards her.

"Thank you," she said, raising her own glass. "I look forward to working with all of you."


"How'd you like the cave?" Dick asked, as he pulled his bike out. They climbed on.

"Everyone there is so nice," she replied, latching on tight to him. "I had a lot of fun."

"Good," he replied, taking the turns back to the manor. She rested her head on his shoulder, the wind blowing her hair around her face.

They finally arrived back to the manor, and he parked his bike into the garage. She turned to him.

"Why did you and Zatanna break up?"

He dropped his helmet and turned to her, and it was clear that he didn't want her to know. "Who told you that?"

"Artemis. She thought I knew."

He sighed. "We just didn't work out."

"How long did you date for?"

"About eight months."

"And I didn't know this?"

"I couldn't exactly tell you."

She looked away, feeling awkward. "I didn't mean to upset you."

"You didn't."

"I'm sorry it didn't work out. You two must have been a cute couple."

"It's kind of hard to be a couple when she doesn't even know my name."

"You never told her your name?" she asked in shock.

"Bruce wouldn't let me, even for Zatanna. She only knew me as Robin. Kind of hard to have a relationship that way."

"I'm sorry," she repeated, placing her hand on his arm.

"Yeah," he said, looking away. "It's water under the bridge now."

"You still got me, Dick," she said with a smile.

'I knew you were in love with someone else,' Zatanna's voice rang through his head.

"Always?"

"Always," she replied, grabbing for his hand.

He squeezed her hand before turning into the mansion and leading down to the cave, spotting Bruce sitting in his chair staring at the Batcomputer.

"What are you looking at?" he asked.

"The information you've found about Jason," he replied, looking through the files. "GCPD sure kept a close eye on him, didn't they?"

"We got him to come around," Barbara said, staring up at the screen. "He was talking and laughing with us."

Bruce tapped his fingers against the desk. "Good."

"What are you thinking?"

Bruce took a deep breath. "He's got potential. A lot of potential. I don't know if the care center is the best place for him."

"Are you saying what I think you're saying?" Dick asked in surprise.

"I'm thinking about taking him in. Putting him here with two people he's becoming friends with."

"Bruce," Barbara said, smiling softly.

"He needs a stable environment. With the right training, we can redirect his anger into something."

"I think it's a good idea, Bruce," Barbara said, and Dick nodded in agreement.

"You would be ok with that?" he asked his charge, who nodded.

"I would. He's already like a brother to me."

"And he would probably hit you for saying that," she replied with a grin.

"It's settled then. I'll start the paperwork in the morning. Meanwhile, how's your training going?"

"Good," Dick said, nodding his head. "She was able to take me down yesterday."

"Good," Bruce said, standing up. "Try me."

They sparred, and Bruce was impressed by how fast she attempted to take him down. After a few minutes he stopped her.

"Excellent."

"But I didn't take you down."

"You will always run into opponents who are bigger and stronger than you. You have great detective skills; they could easily match mine. Focus on your opponent's fighting techniques, and see if there's a weakness you can take advantage of."

She nodded, and he nodded his head. Dick walked up to him. "Keep training her. I'm off. Justice League business."

Dick nodded, and Bruce hopped in the Batmobile before disappearing. Dick turned to Barbara, grinning as he did so.

"You're getting a little brother."

"I guess so."

"I know it may not seem like Jason enjoys us being around all that much, but he does. Yolanda told me he lights up the room when we visit."

Dick nodded, smiling softly. "I think he'll like it here."

"I think he will, too," she replied, smiling softly at him. He was grinning at her. "What?"

"Boy, do I have a surprise for you."

"What is it?" she asked in confusion, watching as he pulled a box out.

"For you, my lady."

Furrowing her brow, she opened the box, her mouth dropping open. He smiled.

"Is this my suit?"

"We redesigned it for you to make it safer. It took a lot of convincing and a lot of promises, but I finally convinced Bruce that you're ready to be out there with us in Gotham. Now you have a suit to go with it."

"Dick," she sighed, running her hands across the fabric. "I love it. Thank you!"

She hugged him. He hugged her back, burying his head into her hair. When she pulled away, he lingered, his hands resting on her arms.

"Barbara, it worries Bruce to death letting you go out there. He's very concerned that something is going to happen to you. You've got to promise me that you will follow every order we give you until you gain his trust."

"I will," she promised, grabbing hold of the suit. "I won't do anything he doesn't tell me to. My father, best friend and his father protect this city. I want to help, too."

He stared at her, smiling softly. "You sound a lot like me when I fought my way in. I broke Bruce down and so did you."

"How did you become Robin?"

"I couldn't sleep one night," he started, looking at the entrance to the cave, "so I started wandering the mansion. I spotted Alfred opening the passageway. After he had left, I snuck down here and discovered that Bruce was Batman. Of course I was spotted and scolded. I promised him I wouldn't tell anyone. Like you, I wanted to help, but being only nine-years-old, he was very hesitant. One night, I followed Bruce out, and he got into some trouble. I went down to attack.

"We managed to take the men down, but I got the scolding of a lifetime. He told me I was acting out on vengeance and I wasn't thinking clearly. I told him that I could help. Finally, like you, I broke him down, and he trained me to become Robin. He helped me find my parent's killer and put him away. He wanted me to stop after that, but I said no. I was in too deep now and I didn't want to stop. So here I am."

She rubbed his back. "Bruce must love the two of us, huh? Always challenging him."

He laughed. "We've given him a run for his money over the years."

She looked back down at her suit. Batgirl would be hitting the streets of Gotham soon.


"Are you sure about this, Master Bruce?" Alfred asked, putting the dishes into the sink. "Taking in Mr. Todd, I mean."

"I am. I see the same potential I saw with Dick. He's opening up to them. Bringing him here is the best thing for him."

Alfred nodded. "Very well, sir."

Dick looked up. "He will do a lot better here, Bruce."

"If you're ready," Bruce said. "Take the afternoon off, Alfred. I'll drive."

"Thank you, Master Bruce," he replied, nodding his head.

They hopped in the car and drove off towards town. Dick couldn't help but to smile, wondering what Jason's reaction would be.

"He'll be happy about this."

"As happy as you were?"

Dick laughed slightly. "It was really hard to adjust, but thank you. You gave me a much better life."

"I'm hoping the same will work for Jason as well. Kid has a lot of courage to be stealing tires off of the Batman's car."

Dick nodded in agreement. They remained silent until they reached the building, and were led back to the interview room to wait on Jason.

"Were you this nervous when you were waiting to talk to me?" Dick asked with a smirk. Bruce looked at him.

"Do you ever stop with the wisecracking jokes?"

He shook his head. "It's my specialty."

Bruce rubbed his face. There was a knock on the door, and it opened to reveal an attendant followed by Jason.

"Hello, Jason," Bruce said, standing up when the young boy entered the room.

"Hi," he said quietly, taking a seat across from him.

"How are you doing?"

He shrugged. "Ok, I guess."

"I heard about your fight."

"Really?" he asked, looking over towards Dick.

"You are not worthless. I promise you that. You were taken off of the streets so you could survive. You have a lot of potential, Jason, and I know Dick and Barbara have said the same to you. Trust me, I don't say stuff like this often."

Next to him, Dick shook his head. Bruce gave him a look before standing up

"Jason," Bruce said, bending down to be eye level with him, "I have a question I want to ask you."

He looked at him before lowering his eyes. Bruce continued on. "How would you like to come and live with me and Dick?"

Jason looked up in shock. "What?"

"I mean it," he said.

"You want to adopt me?"

"I do," he replied honestly, "if you're willing."

He looked up to Dick, who was smiling back at him. "What do you say, Jay?"

He looked between them, as though he didn't believe them. Dick bent down next to Bruce, and he clapped Jason's shoulder, reassuring him.

"No more running?" Jason asked. Dick nodded.

"No more running."