Author's Note: Hi guys, hope you enjoy this one, let me know what you all think!
A few weeks had pasted since the mission to Qurac and we were no closer to answers, but one thing had emerged, Roy Harper, the real one. Some how while we were on the mission in Qurac, Red Arrow had tracked Roy down in a Tibetan monastery, he was frozen on ice but alive, he was now in hospital in Star City. I stood in the main hall of Mount Justice with Dick, we were trying to decipher the Krolotean intel that we had gathered from Malina Island, the computer was just finishing up.
"Hey, you almost got it?" Tim asked walking in with Garfield.
"Nearly there, apparently the the Kroloteans were snatching humans to use as guinea pigs, they were hoping to find something, something inside us." Dick looked over the screen.
Tim raised an eye brow, "But what is it?"
I shook my head, "There's no English word for it. The nearest translation in metta-gene."
"What's a metta-gene?" Tim looked confused.
"Never met-a-Jean I didn't like," Garfield joked.
"Warning, unknown energy impulse detected." The computer called out. I swiped the screens making them disappear then drew my swords. A ball of electricity appeared in centre of the room, it looked like lighting gathering together, what was it going to do, and who was it?
"Get behind me and Blade," Dick told the other two, I stood beside him, we were both poised and ready for a fight, nothing was going to get past us. Right before my eyes this thing appeared from the lightening, it was a large metal pod. It landed with a thunk on the floor. I looked at Dick, he nodded, I raised my swords. Steam came from the pod and there was a hiss as they opened on their hydraulics. I saw something move, it was familiar but I didn't know from where. Suddenly this kid jumped out, he was dressed in a suit, red and white, with goggles and The Flash symbol on the side of them.
"Ta Da!" He said and threw his arms out, like he was expecting applause. I lowered my swords, what was going on? I was so confused.
"Intruder alert. Intruder alert." The computer rang out.
"Computer, lock down cave," Dick commanded.
"Well I guess we found out the unknown energy impulse," I motioned to the newcomer.
"Impulse? That's so crash! Catching, dramatic, one word," The newbie said at about 100 miles an hour, he darted over to us, "Like Nightwing, Blade, Robin, Beast Boy. Oh wait that's two words. Blue Beatle is two words, is he here? Never mind Impulse can find that out for himself." He just took off down the corridor.
"You two, take him down, now!" Dick commanded Tim and Garfield, they took off after him, "Blade, you stay here, we can corner him off." I nodded. I ran to the far entrance from the kitchen and stood ready, I heard him screech around the corner, I got some capsules out of my belt and threw them, he dodged them as I knew he would.
"Haha you can't catch me that easily!" He laughed, "Ugh!' he buckled when Dick came out of nowhere and punched him straight in the stomach. He was down, I ran over and cuffed his feet while Dick cuffed his hands.
"Now that was crash," Dick said to him.
"For you maybe, but I'm totally feeling the mode," He groaned. We picked him up and sat him down on a bench.
Tim and Garfield came back. I stood with them while Dick went off to get something. "So you're a tourist from the future?" I asked.
"Why so surprised? Half the meat at Comin-Con are from my era," Impulse shrugged. I raised my eye brow, was he serious. "Hey look we should be friends, I'm one of you, part of the heroic legacy right? My name is Bart Allan, ya know grandson of Barry Allan? The Flash?"
"Noted, not believed, but noted," Garfield crossed his arms.
"What's not to believe? I've clearly got Flash's speed, his amazing good looks, frankly I can't wait to meet him! Eh I mean when he was in his prime." He smiled.
Dick walked back in carrying a glass of water, "Well Bart, after all that traveling you must be thirsty." He held the glass to Bart's lips and let him take a few gulps.
"Oh, ah! You're trying to get a DNA sample, you need my spit," He spat in to the glass, "Ha that's such a Dick Grayson thing to do."
Dick stood back in shock, and my jaw dropped, how did he know Dick's name!
"How did…?" Tim looked at us.
"See I know stuff only a future boy would know," He nodded to us individually, "Dick Grayson, Tim Drake, Garfield Logan and Alex Grayson-Wayne."
"What?!" I shouted.
"Oh! Sorry! Spoilers!" Bart cringed and then gave me a small smile, I didn't know whether to hit him or hug him.
"Wait, your names Tim, and yours is Dick, and Alex?" Garfield looked at us all, I think he was expecting better names or something.
"Sorry this secret identity thing is so retro to me. You can call me Bart or Impulse or Bart Impulse Allan, its all crash." He shrugged.
I looked up a Dick, "Do you think he is telling the truth? Could he be from the future?"
Garfield stepped forward to Bart and leaned down, "Tell us something we don't know yet. When do I become leader of the Team? When do I join the Justice League? When do I get my own reality series?"
"Sorry BB, never was the best history student, besides I given away enough spoilers, and if I say anymore then I can alter the time stream and if I do that then we're all feeling the mode." Bart looked up at him.
"And the mode is bad?" Garfield looked confused.
"Doesn't get any worse, always better to crash the mode," Bart nodded.
"Eh, noted," Garfield stepped back, I felt sorry for him, it looked like his head was about to explode, and come to think of it mine wasn't too far off.
"Recognised, Malcolm Duncan A10." The computer read out.
"Ooo, sounds like a door opening somewhere," Bart looked around, "And that's my cue." He started to shake and he was out of the cuffs, I forgot how The Flash can shake his molecules and get out of things, I could have kicked myself, Bart had the same power. He took off towards the open door, there was nothing we could do.
Garfield changed form in to a peregrine falcon, one of the fastest birds in the world and high tailed it after him.
"He isn't going to catch him is he?" Tim said.
"Nope, Impulse is too fast," I said. Dick was already at the computer tracking something, I looked at it, it was Impulse, "Did you make him drink a tracker?" Dick nodded, "Nice!"
"He is heading for Central City, I better make a call," Dick went to ring Wally and Barry to warn them. Now that things were slowing back down again I took a minute to think over just happened, I wandered into the kitchen and grabbed a coke from the fridge then sat down on a stool by the breakfast bar. Bart had said it as clear as day, my heart raced, Grayson-Wayne. Foot steps broke my thoughts, I felt hands on my waist and lips kissed my neck.
"Hi," I turned to Dick, he smiled, "Well that was different, he certainly is going to be one to manage." I sighed.
"Alex," Dick said, I knew that tone, he was serious, "I think we need to talk about the elephant in the room. What Bart said?"
I nodded and turned to him, my legs slotted in between his as he stood, he place his hands on my shoulders, "Yeah I know."
"So?" He looked down at me.
"Dick, I love you, you know that, but just what he said startled me a bit," I took a breath.
"The Grayson-Wayne? I know babe, I was a little shocked too," He reassured me.
"Not that I don't want to be with you, just hearing my future kinda scared me. It isn't totally natural, but what we do isn't exactly normal." I looked at my feet.
Dick took my chin and lifted my head up to look at him, "What's this? Alex Wayne scared?" I shoved him and he smiled, "It's ok, I love you too, but we aren't at whereever Bart is from just yet. Can we move on?" I nodded and pulled him down kissing him. He always knew just what to say.
"Thanks," I smiled up at him.
He shrugged, "Hey, I don't want you running off, because knowing you, it would be every hard to find you."
I laughed, "Yeah, hide-and-go-seek champion every year when we were kids."
He rolled his eyes, "Yeah well when the entire of Gotham is involved its sorta hard."
I kissed him lightly on the lips and stood up, "I always managed to find you." I walked back into the main hall and saw Malcolm typing away at the computer.
"I see that whatever just ran past me has made it to Central City, why didn't you guys follow? Wouldn't you like a trip back home Blade?" Malcolm asked me.
"I haven't been in Central City since I was nine Mal, Gotham's home now," I smiled at him, but memories of my rocky childhood crept back up, I shook my head trying to get them away.
"Well I warned Wally, so hopefully he gets this under control," Dick said walking in after me, putting a hand on my shoulder. When the rest of the Team weren't here he was more affectionate, but once everyone was here we both agreed that it was unprofessional. "So Mal, is there anything that needs our attention?" He asked.
Mal shook his head, "Nothing boss, just keeping an eye on this new Impulse, otherwise everything is quiet for once."
Dick's hand traced down to my hand and he turned me to him, "Wanna head home? Catch a movie? Actually be some what normal?" I nodded, in this life you can't pass up the opportunity.
We made it back to Gotham in no time. I stepped out of the Zeta Tube and took a breath, ah Gotham. Even though we had a lot of bad days, you just wanted to hug the city for being so imperfect. It wasn't all shiny like Metropolis or cutting edge like Central City, it was grimy, dirty, old and abandoned building hung open like wounds, not a week went by without multiple shootings or a murder. But it was my Gotham, my wonderfully twisted city. I smiled as Dick came out of the Zeta Tube. "What's that grin about?" He asked.
"Just happy to be here," I told him and shot a cable into the sky. I flew upwards and the skyline appeared before my eyes. I landed on the roof of a building and heard Dick land behind me. I turned to him and kissed him. He staggered backwards slightly but caught me. I grinned and broke away. Before he could reacted I looked up at him, "Come on Nightwing, keep up!" I leapt off the building and down to the next, flipping and jumping. It was good to be back.
We were nearly home when I heard something, it was an annoyingly familiar cackle. I followed the noise and sighed. Not again. I landed on the ground and leaned against the wall of the building and crossed my arms. There was some scuffling and talking inside the shop front and then she emerged, "Really Harley, haven't we talked before?"
She jumped when she saw me, "Aw Blade, come on, give a girl a break will ya? I ain't doing anything that bad really?"
I sighed, "You're breaking into a shop and stealing cash, that's pretty bad in my book. And where's Joker?"
"Aw Mister J is still locked up, they let me go, well that's what I'm saying. But I couldn't get my poor Mister J." She hung her hand.
Dick landed behind her, "Hello Harley, you wanna put that back now? I'm sure Blade has explained."
Harley whipped around, "Why hello there bird boy, I forget how much you've grown," She stood close to him and pouted, tracing her finger up his chest, my blood began to boil, but Dick didn't flinch. "Come on, why so stern? You're starting to act like Bats, all tense. Realx puddin," She leaned up and kissed him. Dick's eyes went wide in shock. That was it, I was over this conversation. I shot a line at her leg and it wrapped around and I pulled. Her lips were torn from Dick's and she almost crashed her face against the pavement. "Ow! Watch it brat!" She squealed, "Me and Birdy were only havin a little fun."
I was so angry I couldn't speak, I picked Harley up off the ground and punched her hard in the stomach. She fell to the pavement but sprung back up smiling, she held a finger up to me and dodged into the shop, seconds later she emerged. I drew my swords, as she swung her favourite thing; that godforsaken mallet. I dodged the swing and hit her with the broad side of one of my swords, then flipped over her and kicked her legs out from under her. I had the cuffs on her in seconds. She looked up at me, "I was wrong, you're more like Bats then puddin over there, you hurt."
"Yeah yeah, back to Arkham Harley," I rolled my eyes, then turned to walked past Dick, and shot a line up on to a building.
He followed me, "Well done, you made it look easy."
I stopped in my tacks and turned to face him, he looked a little shocked, "You are lucky that I don't stick these swords in you Dick Grayson, what were you thinking?"
"Hey, I'm sorry, you know what Harley's like," He reached out and took my shoulders, I tensed, "I am sorry babe, honestly." I looked up at him, he looked terrified at what I might do or say next.
I relaxed my stance, "Just wash your mouth out with soap before you come near me."
I sat down on the couch in the sitting room and flicked on the TV, I was still warm from my shower and my wet hair stuck to my shirt like dark ink. I heard the door open and then a shout.
"My goodness! Miss Alexandra1 I didn't expect you back yet," Alfred tried to regain some composure.
I turned to him, "I'm sorry Alfred! We had a little break so came home, Dick's having a shower upstairs."
"Not to worry would you like something to eat?" He asked, I nodded and thanked him. I turned my attention back to the TV, the news was pretty much the same as it always was, but then I looked at the clock and date on the screen. My heart jumped then plummeted, it couldn't be that day already, it was the 12th. I swallowed hard. What you need to understand is that we have a dirty secret in the Bat Family that no one knows about apart from us. Tim wasn't Robin straight after Dick, there was another, Jason Todd. He was a punk kid that Dad found in an alley, taking the wheels off the Batmobile. He took him in, Dick and I tried to welcome him in, he was quiet young, but all he wanted was the glory of the fight. He unnerved me when we went out on patrol, enjoying taking down the criminals, laughing at their pain. I had told Dad but he said nothing. But about 3 years ago, we were out on patrol, Dick and I were over on the far side of Gotham, Jason was meant to go with us but insisted on leaving us. We got a call over the radio, something had happened. Jason was gone. We searched for days and we couldn't find him. I couldn't sleep, I couldn't eat, it was my fault, I shouldn't have let him go. But one evening we got a call, Jason was in a warehouse on the docks. I don't think I have ever crossed the city that fast in my life, Dick couldn't keep up. I landed on the opposite building and I saw someone leave. I had gotten out my binoculars and nearly got sick. Joker was leaving the warehouse laughing to himself. In his hand was a crow bar, and it was dripping with blood, Jason's blood. I felt my vision narrow, he was going to pay. I leapt off the building and headed to the warehouse, but a cable wrapped around my waist and pulled me back. I screamed at who ever was pulling me. I pawed at the air as I flew back towards the building I jumped from. Just as I was almost at the top, a noise tore through the air and a blinding light flashed. A wave of heat knocked me back on to the roof where I had landed heavily on my back. I scrambled to my feet and saw the warehouse burn and crumble, I sank to my knees, that bastard Joker, he had laced it with explosives. Jason, poor Jason, he was gone. I rose and tried to get back to the warehouse, he might be ok, but something held me back. "Batgirl, Batgirl, come on now," Dad's voice called to me, I looked up, he was holding me. Tears streamed down my face and I buried my head in Dad's chest. Poor Jason. A sound brought me back to reality, I jumped.
"You ok?" Dick asked, "I had a shower, Harley is all off me. Wait, Alex, are you ok?" He sat down beside me, I motioned to the TV, Dick took in a sharp breath, "Oh my god, of course." He wrapped me in a hug, "It's ok Alex."
"No it's not," I sobbed, "It's my fault, I should have made sure he stayed with us."
"Hush now," Dick told me, "There is no way you could have made him, you know what he was like, head strong, stubborn and violent. He as going to do what he liked, there was nothing, you, me or Bruce could have done." He rocked me back and forward and kissed my head. Eventually there was no more tears left, Dick's t-shirt was damp from my sobbing. I broke from his arms and wiped my eyes with my sleeve. I was going to say something, but my phone buzzed in my pocket.
"Hello? Hi Mal, yeah of course we'll be there," I hung up, "Well Impulse managed to nearly blow up Central City and yet save it and save Flash's life, they're heading back to the Cave now, we need to meet them there." I stood up and took a breath, ok Alex, get it together there are other things to worry about now, I told myself.
We made our way down to the Batcave and I pulled on my suit. I strapped my new Katana swords on my back, they were much lighter then the other ones Dad had made for me, and I needed light. Dick was over by the Zeta Tube we had in the cave, you could only Zeta out not in, Dad wanted it that way. I walked over but looked up at Tim who was coming down the stairs. He had a bag on his back and was in his workout gear, but his nose was stuck in a book.
"Tim we're off, we'll be back in a while. Don't disappear," I warned him.
"Yeah I got it, gonna to do some training here," He put the comic he was reading back in his bag, I got a glimpse at the cover.
"Really Tim, he is hardly a role model," I cocked an eye brow.
He hugged the bag in mock shock, "How dare you. Deadpool is a genius, and never speak against him."
I laughed and waved my hand. I walked to the Zeta Tube, back to Mount Justice, god only knows what we are going to find, I told myself. "Recognised Blade B05, Nightwing B01." We walked out and into the cave, standing there was Barry Allan, his adopted father Jay Garrick, I saw Wally he was back in the Kid Flash suit, Impulse stood twitching in the centre of the group. Malcolm had already ran tests on the pod that Bart had arrived in. Dick looked over them and some other tests that he had ran, "Impulse's DNA matches with both Iris and you Barry. And this thing is giving off both Zeta and Cronatron radiation."
"Which is, based on pure theory, what would radiate off a Time Machine," I told them.
Barry put a hand on Bart's shoulder, "Which means you're exactly who you say you are."
"Ha! Told ya!" Impulse laughed, "Anyway its been crash, but the future awaits! I gotta run!" There was a resounding groan at the pun, "See what I did there with the run?" Barry walked over to him, it must be so strange for him, actually seeing a relative from the future. Bart lifted the door of the pod, "As for you Gramps.."
"Bart thanks for coming," Barry cut in, "I look forward to meeting you again for the first time and watching you grow up."
Bart smiled and hugged Barry, "That will be crash." He slid into the pod and shut the door.
I smiled up at Dick and he took my hand. We waited for the lighting to start, but nothing came. There wasn't even the sound of an engine starting.
Suddenly the door of the pod was kicked open again and Bart jumped out, "It's not working! The whole things fried!" He kicked it in annoyance.
"Can you fix it?" I asked.
"I'm a tourist, not a Cronal expert! I'm trapped in the stupid past! Uh I'm so moded." He threw his arms up in defeat. Over the next hour we sorted him out; he was going to stay with Jay and his wife Joan in Central City and become part of the team. Once we'd seen them off, it was just Dick, Malcolm and me left in the Cave. I sighed, Dick saw my body language change and left Mal at the computer.
He walked over and pulled me to him, "Long day huh? You wanna go home? Maybe finally get that movie?"
I nodded, "Defiantly, but if I see Harley, Ivy, Catwoman, anyone I am walking straight past and you better to Grayson."
He laughed and kissed me, "I swear it." He looked over at Mal, "Hey we're going, you got this?" Mal waved us out.
After the movie we crashed at home, I crawled into bed beside him and lay on his chest. I closed my eyes listening to his heart and breath, in and out, thump, thump-thump. Sleep took me, but Impulse kept coming into my mind. I remembered back, something fast, but why the blue?
