Next chapter might have a slight time jump

Disclaimer: I do not own DC or Young Justice

Nightwing hoped across the rooftops of Gotham, letting out a breath. He had stopped 3 burglaries, 10 drug busts, 8 muggings and 3 attempted assaults. Where was everyone? What had happened? He couldn't necessary just knock on the door to the manor what would he say "Hey Bruce I'm home after 19 months, only came home because I don't buy your story that Jason is at the same boarding school I've supposedly been at" Which is why he stowed his belongings in an apartment he kept in Bludhaven on his way to Gotham.

Dick turned when he heard a loud clank against the building he was currently on. He turned, a grappling hook. By the looks of it, it was one belonging to a Bat member. But whoever was using it was being quite sloppy in their technique.

A boy dressed in a Robin suit which was a little big on him eventually staggered over the side.

Dick jumped into a formation

"Who-who are you" the boy panted out of breath

Dick related realizing the bot didn't pose any threat to him. He couldn't be more than 12 and obviously didn't have any formal training.

"I could ask you the same question" Dick grinned bringing a hand to his chin

The boy puffed out his chest in an attempt to appear confident "I'm Robin"

Dick couldn't help but chuckle "Yeah sure you are, and I'm Green Lantern"

Dick took to doing a handstand and began walking on his hands "What's your address kid? I'll take you home. You need to leave the super hero stuff up to the people with training"

Tim sat watching as the mysterious blue and black suited vigilant walked on his hands with ease, he thought about how he had been chasing him all night. The movements he made, the agility he had. And just like how he had used his natural detective skills to figure out Bruce, Jason and Barbara were Batman, Robin and Batgirl it hit him.

"You're the original Robin…. aren't you?"

Dick paused, bringing his feet to the ground he stood stepping toward the boy.

"No, I'm not" Dick shook his head

Tim nodded "Yeah you are, your Dick Grayson! Oh my God Barb is going to freak when she sees you!"

Dick rose an eyebrow "Barbara?"

"Yeah, and Bruce oh and Alfred. Heck, Wally is probably going to cry. Doe's this mean you're going back to The Team? I haven't got to meet them yet but Batgirl and Rob- "Tim stopped his rambling his excited tone dropping

"Robin?" Dick asked questionably picking up on the kid's sad demeanor

Tim nodded "Uh yeah"

"What happened, Tim?" Dick asked

Tim took a breath "He umm, he died…. tonight"

Dick swallowed he wasn't sure what he expected to hear about Jason's where about, but those words stung. "H-How?" he asked lowly

"Joker, idiot thought he could handle things on his own. Got caught and the stupid clown beat him to death with a crowbar. Batman and Batgirl tried to get there in time, but they were seconds too late Joker blew the building up."

"And why are you out here?" Dick asked

Tim took a step forward "Because I felt like I had to do something. I wasn't there when they were trying to save him. The manor is so depressing right now I couldn't stand it any longer."

Dick felt the guilt rush over him, what if he himself had been there? Maybe they would have gotten there in time.

"Tim, don't be silly you don't even have the training to be out here right now. If you had been there you could have been killed right along with Jason" Dick stepped forward resting a hand on the boys back

Tim turned looking at the former Robin "How do you know my name anyway?" he shrugged Dick's hand away

"My detective training," Dick said simply

A half smile formed on Tim's face "Why don't we get you home? Heck I'll even sneak you in through the Batcave, so nobody even knows you were out here tonight"

Tim nodded "Yeah, I'd like that"


Dick lead Tim through the now overgrown weeds a few feet away from the main entrance to the Batcave "Can you tell me more about this entrance Ughhh" Tim said not sure what to call him

"Nightwing" Dick informed him

Tim nodded "Nightwing, cool"

Dick smiled "You think you're the first one to sneak out and go on patrol to relieve stress? Batgirl and I used to do it all the time. We managed to dig out this entrance, so we could get around Batman's alarm" he explained finally breaking through to the opening

Dick waved for Tim to crawl in first.

When he reached through the opening and crawled out he found himself in the far back of the cave in one of the rarely visited corners

"TIM!" someone explained

Tim turned to look at Barbara who had spotted him from where she had been standing across the cave, still in her Batgirl suit

Sprinting across the cave floor she engulfed him in a hug

"Don't scare me like that again. What were you thinking? You're lucky Bruce is preoccupied or else he'd have your head right now" she said holding him against her chest

She jumped though when she sensed someone else coming through the secret tunnel

Quickly Barbara pushed Tim behind her and got into a fighting stance

"And you lead someone into the Cave!" Barbara spoke sternly, she lunged at the blue clad 'Stranger'

He quickly blocked her hits, never swinging at her.

"Barb he's not a stranger" Tim tried to reason

"No name's" Barbara yelled as she continued to fight the man

Dick took this opportunity to kick Barbara's feet out from under her, knocking her down. He jumped on top of her pinning her to the ground

"Well Babs personally, I kinda like your name," he said

Barbara stopping fighting, slowly she reached up pulling his mask off "Dick?" she whispered

"Hey there" Dick grinned sending her a teasing wink

A large smile formed on Barbara's lips as she wrapped her arms around his neck pulling him down so that he was now on top her and holding him close. Dick's arms snaked around her waist hugging her back just as tightly

Tim watched feeling slightly uncomfortable "I'm just gonna ugh, go upstairs" he spoke

"No Timmy it's okay" Barbara smiled pushing Dick off of her he quickly stood reaching out a hand to help her up

"Let me look at you" Barbara rested her hands-on Dicks shoulders and looked him over

"You got a new suit" she took notice of the hideous blue suit which featured a winged color.

Dick nodded "Yeah, I go by Nightwing now. You like it?" He questioned

Barbara took a second to answer "The name is cool" she complimented

Dick smiled "I'm taller then you now" he pointed

They both looked at each other for a while "Why are you back?" She questioned

Dick bit his lip "I saw the newsreel about Jason going to 'Boarding School' I smelt the lie as soon as it came on. I wanted to know what was going on" he explained

Barbara sucked in her bottom lip holding back tears "Jason is— "

Dick quickly cut her off not wanting her to finish the sentence "I know, Tim told me"

Barbara fell into his arms tears beginning to fall once again "Oh Dick he was just a kid"

Dick buried his head in her hair allowing her to cry into his chest

Dick looked at Tim from over Barbara's shoulder

"I'm going to go" Tim mouthed waving his thumb upstairs

Dick nodded then buried his head back into her hair

"I'm so sorry Babs, I should have been here" Dick whispered "If I had known maybe I could have stopped it. I just I needed to do this. But I promise I will- "Dick rambled before Barbara spoke

"Dick just hold me" she whispered

Dick nodded tightening his grip on her and stroking her hair


The next two days went by rather quietly. Mainly hanging around at the Manor. Bruce didn't give Dick more than a "Good to see you" greeting upon seeing him. But Dick didn't expect much more from him anyways

"Oh my God Alfred this is delicious "Dick spoke his mouth full of French toast

Alfred shook his head "Master Dick, do chew with your mouth closed. I know for a fact you were raised with table Manners" Alfred said sternly as he placed another helping of French toast and bacon on Dicks plate

Dick immediately began to dig in again

"Has he always eaten like that?" Tim questioned in surprise having seen Dick do almost nothing but eat in the past 2 days

Barbara shook her head "He used to eat like a normal person"

Dick looked up at the two who were seated at the table with him "I have done nothing but eat processed and easy to make meals on

"Mater Dick, I thought you how to cook." Alfred rose an eyebrow

Dick nodded wiping syrup from his lips "Yeah and in the beginning, I did cook. It wasn't as good as your cooking but still edible. Anyways, the Titans started expecting me to cook all the time and they didn't even want to fight crime. It was like we were just 5 teenagers living alone in a penthouse" he said as he continued to eat

"Isn't that exactly what it was?" Tim asked

Dick shook his head "Well yeah, but no. They are crime fighting team, but I was their leader, so it was my duty to train them how to do it"

"Train?" Bruce's voice came as he walked into the dining room

Dick hadn't spoken much at all about the Titans, just that they were a crime fighting team that he was with. He hadn't told them any of their names or anything about them.

Barbara nodded "Yeah, the Teen Titans was it?" she asked

Dick nodded

Bruce sat at the far end of the table a distance away from the three teens "I read into that, seems like you had them pretty well put together"

Dick nodded "Thanks" he spoke awkwardly

"Are you joining The Team again or are you done with that now too?" Bruce asked

Barbara and Tim looked toward Dick anticipating his answer "I'm not against it" he shrugged

Bruce nodded "Good, in that case, I'd like to meet with you and Aqualad tomorrow. There are some things I'd like to discuss"

Before Dick could respond the doorbell rang

"Now who could that be?" Alfred spoke to no one particular. He set the trey down his trey

"A surprise for Dick. I'll go get it" Barbara spoke cheekily

"Me?" Dick pointed to himself watching Barbara walk around the table

She stopped looping her arms around his neck and leaning down to his ear lobe "Uh huh, why don't you come with me to find out?"

Dick grinned and quickly stood up following her out of the room.

"Should someone go with them to make sure his surprise is something appropriate? Or are they really just friends?" Tim asked the room

"Yes," Bruce said simply before taking a sip of his coffee.

"Do you think he's really here? Wait Barbara didn't say weather or not he was alive. Do you think he's alive? Arty I can't handle it if what Barbara meant by 'Dick came home' is that his corpse his here."

Artemis let out a sigh "Calm down Baywatch, I'm sure he's fine"

Wally nodded "Your probably right" he let out a breath

Artemis smiled lacing her hand in his taking her thumb she rubbed soothing circles on the outside of his hand.

The door opened to reveal Barbara "Hey guys" she grinned opening the door wider for them to step into the foyer

"Okay Dick you can open your eyes" Barbara smiled

Dick was standing at the end of the staircase and quickly blinked his eyes open

"Wally?!" Dick said a wide smile spreading across his face

"Dick!?" Wally grinned lunging forward and practically falling into Dick's arms

Both boys hugging each other tightly

"Look at you man, we're the same height now. You're probably going to pass me in height" Wally grinned looking him over.

Dick nodded "Tell me about it, I didn't realize it till I got back here"

Wally chuckled "What did they feed you their man? You aren't that scrawny little boy that I knew before"
"Thanks, man, you look great too" Dick complimented

Wally shook his head "Please if it wasn't for my super metabolism I'd have a gut bigger then the penguins."

Dick laughed

"I want a divorce" Artemis spoke up

Dick rose an eyebrow "You got married without me?"

Wally quickly shook his head "No man I couldn't get married without you dude. She's joking"

Dick looked at Artemis and smiled "Hey Arty" he stepped forward kissing her cheek and wrapping her in a hug

It's good to see you in one-piece birdbrain" she smiled

Dick nodded "You too"

"You going back to the Team?" Wally asked

Dick shrugged "Yeah I guess, Bruce said something about meeting with Aqualad. I'm just hoping he isn't going to be reverting back to his old ways. "

"He want's you to be co-leader" Barbara spoke up

The three others turned to look at her

"Aqualad would still be the main leader but you would be just under him…Bruce asked me this morning if I thought it'd be a good idea" she explained

"And you said?" Wally asked

"Of course, I said yes" she crossed her arms and gave Dick a half smile while he shot her one back.