Birth of Robin

CHAPTER 10

Training

...

|May 16th

|8:00 am

Dick shuffled through the line at the cafeteria, barely paying any attention to the 'food' that was being spooned onto his tray with a loud splat. He kept his eyes trained on the door as he made his way to the table in the corner that he had taken to eating at. From his seat in the corner he could see the entire cafeteria, and observe everyone. He pushed the slop on his plate around with his spoon, distractedly raising it to his lips every now and then. He was keeping an eye out for Grant and Rose, and found himself sitting up just a little straighter when they entered.

He tracked their movements as they went through the food line themselves, then started walking between the tables. Rose reached Dick first, and dropped her tray down beside his before sliding onto her chair. She scooted over so that there were only inches between them. Grant sat down across from them.

"How long have you been in here?" Grant asked.

Dick thought for a moment, then held up two fingers.

"Two days?"

He shook his head.

"I think he means weeks," Rose piped up, and she beamed at the confirming nod she received from the little acrobat.

"Then just say it," Grant grumbled. Dick glared at Grant, and pulled at the collar of his shirt, drawing the siblings' eyes to the bruises on his throat. "Oh."

"We could use sign language," Rose offered, and she started making motions with her hands. Dick, who was unfamiliar with the nonverbal language, was completely lost as to what Rose was saying, but Grant seemed to understand. In fact, it almost looked like they were having a debate with the way the older boy scowled.

"Fine," Grant finally said, slumping a little in his seat. "We can teach you sign language so you don't actually have to talk."

Dick grinned and nudged Rose in thanks. With a flat hand, she touched her fingers to her lips and moved her hand forwards towards Dick.

"Your first lesson. That, is thank you," Rose said.

Dick imitated her motion, and Rose made another, raising a cupped hand and swooping it down towards her abdomen.

"You're welcome," she said at the same time. Dick copied the movement, and that's how they spent the rest of their meal. Rose would show him a sign, telling him what it meant, and Dick would repeat it. Grant occasionally butted in to correct his sister whenever she made the wrong motion, but otherwise remained silent.

Dick was disappointed when a guard's booming voice called out that it was time for classes. He didn't expect to make friends in juvie, but he also didn't expect people to avoid him like they did. It was nice being able to speak to Rose and Grant, even if they weren't actually speaking. Although Dick was learning.

"We'll find you after lunch," Grant said, then he dragged his sister down the hall. Rose looked back and waved. Dick waved back, but they had already turned a corner and were out of sight. He sighed heavily and started trudging to class. He wasn't sure how class placement was decided at the centre, but for some reason he was the youngest in the room. Dick had never been to a formal school before, having been homeschooled by his mother and Aunt Karla. But he was confident that usually the kids were all around the same age. He didn't mind too much though, because no one really paid attention to him. He usually sat in the back and did his best to follow along with whatever lesson was being given. Dick's English was improving drastically, but he still had a lot to learn and the written stuff could be annoying.

Dick was hardly paying attention and almost missed the shuffle of movement that signalled lessons were over. He was jolted out of his stupor by one of the older kids purposefully elbowing him while they walked by and waited until the room was mostly empty before leaving himself and heading for lunch. He spent the hour watching out for Grant and Rose but never saw them. There was a chance they had a different meal time. Lunch was staggered because of their 'community service'. Dick ate his mealy quietly, reviewing a few of the signs Rose had taught him that morning, and dejectedly headed off for his three hours of work.

When he first arrived, Dick had been saddled with custodial, which sucked. There were apparently very few people who knew about Dick's situation and why he was at the detention centre. Doc had found out and tried to arrange for Dick to be given more freedom. Most of Doc's requests had been denied, but they did give him one thing. Dick was now allowed to choose his 'community service'. It hadn't taken much thought. The centre didn't have anything related to computers, which didn't surprise him. Electrical was the closest thing. It revolved around fixing anything with wires throughout the centre.

Typically only the older teenagers were allowed in electrical, and they were under heavy supervision. The guards in charge underestimated Dick and just left him to his own devices rather than giving him anything to fix, which worked out perfectly for him. He entered the work room, which the older kids nicknamed the Garage, and beelined for a table pushed against the back wall. Scraps of wire and bits of metal were scattered across it along with a few books about wiring. Everyone else started with their recent projects, ignoring Dick entirely.

He picked up one of his books and started reading. Dick had barely made it through the first two sentences when he felt something wrap around his ankle. He practically jumped out of his seat, silencing a high-pitched shriek, and yanked his ankle away. A few people had look his way during the commotion but it otherwise went unnoticed.

Dick ducked under the table to see what was there and saw long white hair.

"Hi." Rose grinned and pushed aside the boxes she was ducking behind. "It's time for training, let's go."

Dick blinked at Rose, then looked around the Garage. The guards were all looking away, and it didn't appear to be by chance. Now that he thought about it, how had Rose gotten inside in the first place?

"Come on, Grant's waiting," Rose whispered. She turned around started crawling into a hole in the wall. Dick noticed that it was actually a vent. The cover was leaning against the wall, with the four screws meticulously lined up beside it. So Rose had opened it from inside the Garage, meaning a guard had to have let her in. He decided not to dwell on it too much and followed her. When they emerged from the vent, Dick almost didn't think they were still in the detention centre. The room they were in looked like a normal living room for the most part. There was a couch, a table, and a TV. Although the furniture was pushed up against the wall, and the walls themselves were a bleak grey.

He looked to Grant, who was standing in the middle of the room, for an explanation.

"It's a private visitors room, used for special occasions. If it's some kids birthday and family comes to visit, sappy stuff like that," Grant said. Dick nodded stiffly, trying not to think about the fact that he would never have family visit him. "The rooms aren't used often, so this is where we'll train you. Our dad arranged everything."

"Do you have the knife?" Rose asked, popping up in front of her brother.

"Uh-huh." Dick bent down and pulled the knife from where he stashed it in his sock, hidden by his pantleg. It may have been a cliché hiding place, but it was effective.

"Hey, does that mean you'll be speaking to us now?"

Dick didn't realize that he had vocalized, but now that he did he was looking around as if expecting Jeremy to pop up and punch him for talking. He didn't, obviously, but Dick didn't speak again.

"That's fine, I can keep teaching you sign language." Rose beamed.

"And that's fine, but fighting comes first. Hand-to-hand and knife work, if you think you're up to it," Grant challenged.

Dick tightened his hold on the knife in his hand and smirked.

...

|May 27th

|12:53 pm

"Richard, can I speak to you?"

Dick turned on his heels and silently followed Doc to his office. He had just been on his way to the Garage for his hours of work when Doc called him out in the hall. He hadn't been expecting another meeting so soon and hoped that it wouldn't take too long. He was supposed to see Grant and Rose for training soon.

Dick lowered himself into the chair across from Doc.

"I've been talking to some of the other kids in your block, and they said you haven't been speaking at all?" Doc asked. Dick resisted the urge to scoff. If Doc had already spoken to them, why was he asking him?

"It's safe to speak in here. Nothing you say will leave this room." Doc waited for some form of reply, verbal or otherwise. When Dick remained silent Doc sighed and continued speaking. "I've noticed that you've been behaving a little differently over the past couple of days, and not just your lack of speaking. Is there anything going on that you'd like to tell me? Are you have any trouble with your roommate?"

Dick frowned at the roommate comment. Couldn't he just say cellmate like everyone else did? Sometimes it just seemed like Doc was trying to hard to make Dick's situation seem better then it actually was. He shook his head. There was no reason for Doc to know about the abuse Dick received at the hands of Jeremy and his friends. He also didn't need to know about what Dick actually did during his work hours.

"You really can speak to me."

Dick made a point of looking anywhere but Doc.

"I'll be here when you're ready. But that isn't the only thing I wanted to talk to you about. I was recently contacted and informed that you'll be having a visitor some time next week. I don't know the exact date, but I thought I would let you know. I'll contact you when I learn more," Doc said. He told Dick that he could go, and the ebony-haired boy walked trance-like into the hallway.

Someone was coming to visit him. But who?

...

|2:17 pm

Dick jumped away from Grant, ducking his shoulder to avoid the spoon that acted as his opponent's knife. He felt a little insulted that Grant still refused to use something resembling a knife for their sessions. They had been training for a week and a half and Dick's acrobatic skills had transferred over well, meaning he had learned fast. He still had a lot to learn, but according to Grant Dick was already a better fighter than Rose-she had explained after that that was because their dad refused to train her right now. As it was, with Grant using a spoon as a substitute, Dick felt that he was too relaxed. If he were in a real fight his opponent wouldn't be holding a spoon. But Grant was training him, and Dick was thankful for that.

He rolled under the next jab and somersaulted through Grant's legs, lashing out at the last moment to grab the teenagers ankle and yank him off balance. The move worked and Grant came crashing down. Apparently he wasn't as good as he boasted. Dick rose to his feet and grinned at Grant.

"I win," Dick signed.

"Just once," Grant stated and stretched out his arms.

"But I thought no one could beat you," Rose taunted from her seat on the couch.

"Oh, shut up," he grumbled and Rose laughed. Dick glanced at the clock on the wall. In about forty minutes their cell block would be heading out for exercise. Usually around this time Dick would head back to the Garage, and Rose and Grant would head to... wherever they were when they weren't with him. Dick was walking back to the vent when Grant stopped him with a light hand on his shoulder. After he had several averse reactions to arm grabbing, Grant had finally gotten the message.

"Rose, I want to talk to Dick."

"Okay," Rose chirped but didn't move.

"I meant I want to talk to him alone," Grant clarified.

"Okay," Rose sighed and left the room. Dick turned expectantly towards Grant to find that the older boy had taken his sister's abandoned seat. Dick joined him on the couch and started toying with the knife. He flicked his wrist, sheathing the blade.

"You should fight back," Grant said.

Dick frowned in confusion. He fought back all the time, that was how his training worked. He nudged Grant to show that he didn't understand.

"Against that Jeremy kid, you should fight back one of these days," Grant clarified. Dick kept his eyes locked on the knife, deciding to just listen.

"You aren't that great at hiding bruises." Grant shrugged, but he seemed nervous about something. "My dad told us about what happened with Dean, and what you did."

Dick shifted in his seat and pocketed his knife. He didn't really do much to Dean. Except for that kick to the face. And when he was repeatedly hitting him with a wrench. But that was all.

"But you have to admit, it felt good, right?" Grant asked. Dick paused a moment to think, and finally nodded. He wasn't sure how he felt about Grant bringing everything up, or about the fact that Wilson had told him what happened. But there was one more thing bothering him. Grant didn't just sound nervous, he actually sounded a little guilty too. Dick just couldn't figure out what for.

"I wanted to let you know something. I have three siblings, although I'm not completely related to any of them. Obviously you already know Rose, my little sister. There's also Joseph who's actually Rose's full-blooded brother but... there were some family issues. He's living with his mother. And then there's you."

Dick froze and looked up at Grant, wondering if he heard him wrong. Had Grant just called him his brother?

"You're a good kid and I like you. Even though I haven't known you long, you're sort of like the little brother I'm actually allowed to see." Grant coughed as if he was embarrassed and rubbed the back of his neck. "Anyways, no matter what happens, I'll be here to help you out. I'll have your back when you need it."

Dick ducked his head and clapped a hand over his lips, trying to quell the smile that was creeping onto his lips. The sentiment was nice, but Dick needed to keep in mind that families and him didn't mix well. After all, he just kept losing them. He didn't want to lose a third.

It was for this reason that he didn't reply to Grant. Instead he slowly removed himself from the couch, shuffled across the room, and crawled back to the Garage.

...

'See' you next time!