Disclaimer: Seriously? Do you guys get a kick out of us saying we DON'T own Young Justice? And here I thought Slade was evil. Even HE doesn't make me say it . . . T^T So here is chapter 8. I hope you guys like it . . . I know nothing dramatic hasn't happened yet but I have to set up the stage for our young heroes and their dear villain . . . *evil laugh* ~Enjoy~
Note- The italics in the middle of the story is Robin's dream.
Chapter 8
"You have no right to question my actions! If I choose to ignore . . . Conner, it's my business and mine alone!"
Bet you can't guess who said that.
Robin frowned, his fingers massaging his forehead. He and Superman had been fighting for the last half hour. It was beginning to give him a headache. It wasn't his fault that Superman didn't want to face reality.
Is he Superman?
No.
Therefore, Robin cannot be blamed for some alien's idiotic actions.
Unaware of Robin tuning him out, Superman went on and on and ON about "it's-his-decision" and "you-couldn't-understand-because-you-don't-have-a-clone". Honestly, Robin could care less how Superman felt; he cared how CONNER felt about this mess. It was starting to show that he was hurt by Superman's coldness to him.
And didn't I mention earlier that you just DON'T mess with Robin's friends? And what was Superman doing? Hurting Conner, ignoring him, denying his existence . . . If I continue, you're going to end up wanting to beat up Superman so I'll stop there.
Man, Superman kept going on and on . . . It was like listening to a different language. Just then, an idea hit Robin. Oh it was a stroke of pure genius!
"Dude," Robin interrupted him, "I don't speak whatever language you're speaking!"
Hearing Robin's outburst, he turned to Robin.
"What?" Superman asked, clearly confused.
Robin hid a smirk. He knew that would get his attention. Now for the fun part.
"STILL don't know what language you're speaking! Wait, are you speaking Spanish? If so, quit speaking Spanish! We live in AMERICA so what language do we speak? ENGLISH! NOT Spanish!" Robin cried, struggling not to laugh.
Superman, being the simpleton he is, gave a "what-the-heck?" look. It was SO priceless but Robin kept his face straight. With great difficulty, I might add.
Superman obviously couldn't tell that Robin was yanking his chain so he kept asking "What?" and Robin would answer "Speak ENGLISH! Not Spanish, ENGLISH!".
That went on for an hour till Bruce couldn't take listening to it anymore and headed for Clark's place. Bruce knew that Dick was making Clark flustered so that he wouldn't be able to defend his actions. Tch. Like they DESERVED defending. Bruce smirked. Ah, how he loved Dick's evil little mind. It was like Dick was really his son.
No, scratch that. Dick IS his son, just not by blood.
Wait, how had Bruce known about Robin's conversation with Superman? Because he had made Robin turn on his earpiece (he hid it under his hair) so he could hear if Clark lost his temper. It didn't happen very often but it DID happen. And if he did while Dick was around, then Bruce would have THE perfect reason to shove kryptonite down Clark's throat. Sure, people would be sad . . . till he explained why he just HAD to do it. Then they would see it his way.
Bruce suddenly found himself knocking Clark's door down, not even bothering to knock. No one deserved his knocks . . . Except for Dick . . . But that is TOTALLY different.
Clark was, as expected, flustered and seemed relieved to see Bruce. He raised a eyebrow. This was new . . . He could get used to this. Really, he could. Clark ran up to him, his face screaming torture. Bruce smirked. Dick had broken Clark. Oh, this day just got better.
"Dick has gone INSANE! He thinks I'm speaking Spanish when I'm NOT!" Clark had cried, flustered beyond belief.
Bruce nodded at Dick, signaling him to stop. Dick stopped, hiding his signature smirk. Bruce's chest swelled with pride for his son. Father like son, they say. How right they were.
Clark sighed in relief. But he shouldn't have.
"Thanks Bruce. I owe you one."
Bruce inwardly shook his head. Oh Clark, you just fell into our trap.
"Good. Now you can repay me by bonding with your son and treating him as such." Bruce's words slapped Clark across the face.
Good grief. His mouth was hanging open. Bruce just gave him his BEST Bat glare and Clark sighed.
"Okay, MAYBE you're right . . ." he muttered, turning his head away.
Bruce snorted and Robin rolled his eyes. Maybe? More like definitely. And with that, they left a very defeated Clark to sink into his couch.
"Who am I kidding . . . He IS right . . ." he murmured.
While Superman was kicking himself for being an idiot, Young Justice were laughing their butts off. Well, except Conner. His face broke into a small smile though. He was glad that Superman got his butt handed to him . . . And he appreciated what Robin had done for him . . .
Their laughter died when they saw Bruce Wayne and Dick. Well, to them, they were seeing Robin and Batman in normal clothes. Batman was SMILING! Batman NEVER smiles. So they assumed that the world, in one way or another, was ending. Maybe that's why he was smiling. Or maybe he's not Batman. Yeah, that made WAY more since.
Wally's stomach growled . . . . And so everyone else's. They weighed their options. Spy on Robin or eat an early dinner. Their stomachs growled louder. Yep; they're going with option two. So, M'gann flew them back to Mount Justice in the Bio-ship. While they were doing that, Bruce and Dick were talking . . . Or should I say laughing?
"I STILL can't believe that he fell for it!" Dick giggled, shaking his head.
Bruce smirked. "Of course he did; he's a idiot. For more reasons than one."
As they made their way to Dick's motorcycle, they talked about Bruce's work, how the Teen Titans were and . . .
"What? Artemis will be going to my school tomorrow?" Dick yelled, groaning at the thought of having to avoid her at school.
Bruce sighed. "Yes, Dick. She needs to be watched."
Dick calmed at Bruce's reply. Dick knew that's not why Bruce put her in his school. It was to watch OUT for her, not to watch her. It meant that he wanted her school life to be peaceful so it didn't interfere with Young Justice. But Dick spoke nothing of this. He just nodded because he knew that Bruce was a lot like him.
They both hid their concerns behind insults and suspicion. But they didn't do that with each other. They seemed to only have trust issues with others, not with each other and Alfred. Maybe it was because they both witnessed their parents' deaths. Maybe it was because when they looked at the other, they saw themselves. Maybe because they both had, at one time, been all alone. But does it really matter? Because they're as close as a father and son could be. Maybe even closer. They could sense what the other feeling and thinking.
I've never seen a father and son like that. Have you?
Bruce smiled at his little robin. He knew exactly what he was thinking about. Did he have telepathy? No; he didn't need telepathy to read his son. Neither did Dick. Bruce glanced at his watch and grimaced. He had to go back to work. He didn't want to but he had to. Dick knew this so he just grinned and smiled, this in bat language was an "I-understand-Dad". Bruce's stiff shoulders relaxed. That in bat language was a "thanks". And without a single word, they hugged and went their separate ways. To them, hugging was a "I-love-you" and they would NOT give out their hugs to anyone.
Except Alfred.
_Eleven Hours Later_
It was only two weeks after his parents' funeral and he was hiding in a vent in the orphanage that he was currently staying at. He had been to seven so far because they claimed to have no room. Tch. More like because he wouldn't let them caught him to beat him. He now knew not to trust ANYONE. Even the kids. They were evil. All they did was steal your food and beat you half to death.
Dick shuddered. That lesson hadn't hit home till his third orphanage. The big kids, ages from ten to fourteen, had taken a kitchen knife to his back because he had taken some food for a little girl of four. Dick had ran and ran but they eventually cornered him, his body too tired from the lack of sleep. After that day, he learned to stay in the vents where he was safe. He knew no one would look for him there. Not even the adults. They would be too busy beating the other kids.
Dick shivered. His back was now covered in scars that would never fade. Tomorrow they would moving him to yet ANOTHER orphanage. But he wouldn't be there. Since the orphanage was in the middle of nowhere, he was going to escape to the forest and survive out there. Sure, the chances of him surviving were slim to nothing but he didn't care.
Because anything was better than this.
_The Following Night_
Dick peeked around the doorway, searching the halls for anyone. Luckily for him, there wasn't anyone out there. So Dick tip-toed his way through the falling apart house, praying, BEGGING God to let him get out alive.
He made it and once he was outside, he ran. He ran till he found a hollow log and crawled into it. It reminded him of the vents he had slept in so he didn't mind sleeping in it. His eyes slowly closed and he went out like a light, relieved that he wouldn't wake up to blood-filled cries of pain echoing in the vents he slept in.
_Two Days Later_
Dick had been sleeping again when it happened.
He was trying to make up the time he hadn't slept when he had been at the orphanages. He also didn't really have anything to do except listen to his mother's music box that he had managed to hide. It was the tune of his lullaby that his mother had sang to him. It was the size of his hand, easy enough to hide.
Someone had been shaking him, softly calling his name. Dick had sleepily opened his eyes to see Bruce Wayne holding him in his arms. Dick didn't even think; he just jumped into action and tried to get away from the man who had paid for the funeral.
"No! You're not taking me back! I rather die out HERE than in those orphanages!" he had cried out, frantically trying to get away.
Bruce was shocked. What was going on behind those orphanages' doors? Then Bruce saw it. The bandages on the child's arms and some peeking over the top of his dirty shirt. They were dyed with his blood. Bruce was enraged. They had beaten the little eight-year-old. Now Bruce was sure of his decision.
"Dick," he softly said, "I'm not taking you back. I'm here to take you home with me . . . If you want to, that is."
Dick stopped struggling. He couldn't believe his ears. Was this really happening? Could he really trust this man?
" . . . Really? You're not lying? I don't have to go back?" he whispered, half scared of the man's answer.
Bruce nodded. Then, ever so slowly, Dick gave a small smile. He was going to be okay. He wasn't to have to live in the wild and die nor did he have to go back to orphanage.
That day changed his life forever.
Robin jerked awake, his eyes frantically searching his room at Mount Justice. Wait, why was he- Oh yeah, Bruce said it still wasn't safe. He had called him just hours before, apologizing for making him stay at Mount Justice while he was having nightmares. Robin took a deep breath, exhaling shakily. He had dreamed of being back at the orphanage. When he had been sleeping earlier at the tower, the dream hadn't gotten that far. The Teen Titans had made sure of that.
Too bad they couldn't do that at Mount Justice.
Chuckling weakly, Robin sat up and glanced the clock. It read 4:17 AM. Robin sighed. Too early for training AGAIN. Ugh. Just then Robin's stomach grumbled, mad at being neglected. So Robin got up, stretched and headed for the kitchen in the dark. But he turned on the light in the kitchen.
Obviously, he didn't like going to kitchens in the dark. For one, people could hide in the dark with a weapon from the kitchen. And two, what weapon do you get from the kitchen? Exactly.
A kitchen knife.
Robin opened the fridge and grabbed an apple. He pulled out a chair and sat down. He sat there eating for awhile till he realized that he was shirtless.
"Crap," he muttered, "don't need them seeing my scars."
So he threw the apple core away and went back to his room. He tugged on a shirt and grabbed his laptop. He might as well update their security AGAIN. He didn't want to wake anyone up so he plugged in his earphones into his laptop, listening to music. But he didn't know that his friends were already awake. They had the same nightmare as him. It was the mind link's fault. It wasn't like they had done it on purpose.
" . . . Those scars . . . That child was Robin . . . " M'gann whispered, staring at where Robin had been sitting.
The others were shocked. Robin had gone through that? When he was eight? How could he smile? How could he laugh? How was he not . . . emotionally and mentally scarred?
"He was, remember?" Wally pointed out.
Artemis nodded. "Wally's right. It caused his trust issues which he still has."
Aqualad sadly shook his head. "This explains so much . . . "
Conner, on the other hand, was LIVID. He was itching to go find those evil people and rip them to pieces. The team picked up on his thoughts but said nothing. What could they say? That those people weren't evil? That they didn't also itch to go kill them too?
They couldn't because then they'd be lying.
One by one, the team left the kitchen and went back to bed. Even though none of them would admit it later (excluding M'gann), they cried themselves to sleep. What did they cry for, you ask? For the cruelty those people held in their dark souls. For all the children who had to go through what Robin had. For Robin's pain and despair. For the unfairness of bad things happening to innocent children. They couldn't even begin to understand WHY Robin had to go through all that. It just wasn't fair.
Well, sorry to burst your bubble but the life isn't fair. People die, lie, steal, kill, cheat and enjoy the pain of others. That was what Young Justice was now understanding. They had it told to them over and over but it had never it home.
Till now.
But tomorrow is another day.
And what a hilarious day it'll be.
. . . They didn't know this but the villain was watching . . . waiting for the perfect opportunity to strike . . . . . . And it would be very soon . . .
Until next time . . .
A/N- So what did you guys think? Yeah, the last bit of the chapter was dark. I couldn't resist making Robin's past even more tragic! . It's a weakness . . . So did you love it or dislike it? I would LOVE some reviews . . . Did you guys like what I did to Robin's past? I thought it was depressing . . . What? I like depressing . . . . Again, review! This was published 11-9-11 and the length of 2,705 words!
