This chapter is slightly OC but the idea came to me and I had to write it.
I own nothing
It had been 3 months sense Richard's Birthday and it was now summer time in Gotham. -June
Bruce narrowed his eyes as he watched his ward spin around on the trapeze with ease. It did not ease the billionaire at all when the dark haired boy would purposefully fall from the great height and try to grab onto one of the support beams on the way down to test his reflexes. Lucky Bruce had insisted on the net for instances where the boy fell. Which was very rare and far between.
"Hey Bruce!" called the giddy child as he dismounted from a balance beam he had jumped onto and came running over.
"Yes?" asked the dark night.
Dick seemed to get a little hesitant on what he was about to ask, "well…um" he stuttered.
The playboy raised in eyebrow in amusement, it was rare to see the child so shy.
"I was wondering if I could go to the watchtower. Uncle Barry and Uncle Clark want me to come and show me around" he asked hesitantly.
Bruce sighed, the other founding members had asked him the same thing. He did not want Dick to be going up to the watchtower yet. There were still many heroes there that did not know about Bruce's adoption and he wanted to keep it that way. Especially when only eight of the leaguers, (Superman, Wonder woman, Hawkgirl, Green Lantern, Martian Manhunter, Flash, Green Arrow and Aquaman) knew his real ID, he could not fully trust that Dick would keep it a secret yet.
"We will see. You are still not done with your training yet. And only heroes are allowed up in the watchtower" said Bruce.
Dick thought about the answer for a moment before he gave a big smile, "That just means I need to train harder" he exclaimed and then ran back over the trapeze to continue to practice.
Bruce chuckled and then left to go down to the batcave and started to do his reports on the last mission with the Justice League. He made sure to leave the monitor in the gym always close at hand in case something happened to the little acrobat.
Dick had just started his training a month ago and he was only able to perform basic self-defense moves as well as work on some of his acrobatics. Before Bruce would let him out into the field the boy needed to be able to fight and think well under pressure. So he still had a ways to go.
He was watching Dick preform a triple summersault when he got a transmission. He pulled up his cowl and answered with groaned at the smiling face of the Boy Scout, "What do you want Clark?" growled the Dark Knight.
Superman continued to smile, "Can we take Dick to the beach?"
Bruce just glared at the man, "Why"
Before the blue clad hero could answer Hawkgirl jumped in front of the screen, "Come on Bruce. We all know that you are not letting that kid have any fun. He needs to be a normal kid. Come with us to the beach" she all but growled.
Bruce thought about this. Dick had only been training for this last month and Alfred had been on his case about taking the boy out and being normal for once. Maybe taking him to the beach would be good for him and swimming could also be another form of training for the boy.
"Come on Batsy!" wined Flash as he now appeared on the screen as well as the other founding members.
Bruce sighed again, "Fine. When do you want to do this?" he growled.
"'Right now!" exclaimed Flash and then a few moments later they were all zeta beamed down into the batcave and Bruce growled at them in annoyance. He did not like people in his cave.
"You can't go out like that" said Bruce pointing at all of their costumes, that would attract a lot of attention in the middle of the day.
"Do not worry Master Bruce, I have already prepared clothing for everyone and Master Richard is almost ready as well" came the accented voice of the familiar butler.
Bruce glared at his longtime friend but now that he knew Dick knew about what was going on he could not say no. So everyone made their way upstairs to change.
They were all in a limo that Alfred was driving and they had set up a spot on the beach with coolers of food for lunch and drinks. Before he drove back to the manor Alfred informed everyone that he would be back around dinner time. Bruce sighed, it was only 10 in the morning. They would be spending all day at the beach and he could not get any work done.
He was sitting at a picnic table and reading a book while the other heroes played in the sand. Barry and Dick had run to the water and were trying to splash each other while Diana and Hawkgirl tanned. Clark, J'onn and Green Lantern went to go get ice-cream.
Two chapters later Bruce was pulled from his book when Dick came running over covered in sand and a bright smile on his face, "Bruce come play with me!" he exclaimed latching onto Bruce's arm and trying to pull him from the table.
Bruce gave him a small smile, "What do you want to do?"
Dick squealed in delight, "Volleyball!"
Flash was by their side in an instant with the ball in hand, "Let's go Brucie! I have always wanted to play you" he joked.
Superman and everyone made their way over to the trio amazed to hear that Batman would be playing with them. Normally the bat would just be hiding in the corner if they could even get them to go on an outing with them, which has not happened in years.
"Who will be the teams" asked John looking around.
Dick grabbed onto Bruce's hand, "Bruce is on my team!"
The others laughed, "Ok so Dick, Bruce, Superman and John can be one team. Flash, Diana, Shiera and I can be the other" stated J'onn as he went to stand on the side.
The child seemed satisfied with this and then the game started. Flash served the ball over the net and John hit it over to Bruce who set it up in the air for Dick to hit. The acrobat managed to surprise all of the adults, except Bruce, by jumping in the air and doing a flip so he could get the momentum and smashed the ball into the ground.
"wow kid." Gasped Flash as he stated at the smiling kid.
After an hour of the heroes playing they were all exhausted for Superman and Diana.
"Not fair using super strength" whined Flash as he laid on the sand gasping for air.
John hit him over the head, "says the one using super speed to hit the ball harder"
Dick laughed at the heroes as he wiped the sweat from his face and looked to his mentor, who was currently in the middle of a debate with Clark about what super powers are ok to use in public versus others. Dick just giggled and ran over to his Uncle Barry.
"Uncle Barry can we eat lunch, I am really hungry. Alfred said he packed us some stuff" asked the child, knowing that the speedster was always hungry.
Barry eagerly agreed and the group found themselves seated at the picnic table with plates of watermelon and sandwiches. After eating they decided it was time to cool off in the water, they of course waited half an hour before going swimming.
Bruce, Superman and J'onn had decided to stand at the shallows and just watch the others. They did not find swimming as fun as a certain child and speedster. Diana was currently sitting on top of Barry's shoulders and Shiera was on John's while Dick cheered for both teams in the game of chicken. Bruce rolled his eyes the Justice League's antics and hoped that Dick did not turn out like some of them when he got older. After Shiera had successfully knocked the amazon princess and speedster into the water she hopped of the lantern's shoulders and pulled the laughing child into her arms and launched into the sky. Making him squeal even louder.
As she swooped around in the sky with the happy child and then took him back to the water where he did a few back flips into the water and tried to teach Flash some of his acrobatics. Bruce watched on, glad that he had been forced to come down to the beach. Clark saw his friend's almost smile and laughed and slapped him on the shoulder.
"You need to get out more Bruce. The kid needs it just as much as you do." Said the Boy Scout.
Bruce just rolled his eyes, "hey J'onn I need your help with something" said the dark knight to the Martian before he walked back to where they had set themselves up by the picnic table.
"Uncle Flash let's have a race" exclaimed the child.
Flash smiled, he loved races, "Ok what kind of race?"
"Swimming duh" laughed the child then he turned to John, "Uncle John can you make us a finish line in the water?"
The Green Lantern nodded and used his ring to create a flag about fifty yards off shore not too far.
"Don't cheat Flash" called out Hawkgirl from the skies as she dried her wings.
Wonder woman stood in front of the two races and began to count down and at three they took off towards the flag. Superman swam up the princess with a questioning look.
"Dick has decided the race Flash in swimming contest" she chuckled.
"Barry you're cheating" came Hawkgirl's annoyed voice from the sky.
Superman turned back to the two and already saw that Flash had already reached the flag and was on his way back. Dick was not too far behind but the other could see the clear signs of the speedster's powers. Clark chuckled and dove under the water. Right when he was under the blonde he grabbed his foot and pulled him under the water with him.
The startled speedster thrashed around trying to get out of the unknown hold. Unaware that Dick had just passed him. Superman smiled and released the hero who quickly came up sputtering water. Then he heard the yells of congratulations and looked to see Dick being raised in the air by John.
Superman resurfaced and Flash just smiled at the man, "That was mean" was all he said.
The Kryptonian just rolled his eyes and they made their way back to the group.
"Where is Bruce?" asked Dick as he walked back onto the beach.
Before anyone could answer the kid was hit in the side of the head with a water balloon. He squealed and turned around to see J'onn and Batman armed with water guns and water balloons.
The next water balloon hit Superman right in the face causing Flash to laugh hysterically. Soon it was a war and Dick had run to his mentor's side and teamed up with them while they fought the other super heroes.
The rest of the day passed by in the same fashion as the heroes played on the beach. Alfred had arrived when he said he would and drove the exhausted group back to the manor. Bruce had invited the heroes to stay for dinner at Dick's insistence and they happily agreed to be able to spend time with the energetic child.
Soon after dinner Bruce took the sleepy acrobat up to bed and he was asleep in minutes. He came back down stairs to see his colleagues still in the manor. Alfred led them all to the sitting room and they all were given a cup of coffee.
Instead of asking why everyone was still in his home Bruce just stared at them. Finally Superman put down his coffee and took a deep sigh.
"Bruce we know that you are training Dick to be your side kick" he stated.
The dark knight just raised his eyebrow, he had told them that was the plan, so was a little confused at what his friend was getting at.
J'onn tried his hand at explaining things, "What we are trying to say is that, Dick is still young and you have a lot to deal with being both Batman and Bruce Wayne. We are here to offer our support. If you need help let us know he is still a growing boy and you are only one man"
"I still think that he is too young to be involved in this" huffed Diana but she wanted to help make Bruce's life easier if she could.
The protector of Gotham put down his coffee and leveled all the founding members with a steady stare, "I will let you know"
The others smiled, in Batman talk that meant, thank you and I will call you when needed.