Of all the money that e'er I had,

I spent it in good company.

And all the harm that e'er I've done,

Alas! it was to none but me.

And all I've done for want of wit

To mem'ry now I can't recall

So fill to me the parting glass

Good night and joy be with you all.

So fill to me the parting glass

And drink a help for their befall

The gently rise and softly call

Good night and joy be to you all

Of all the comrades that e'er I had,

They are sorry for my going away,

And all the sweethearts that e'er I had,

They would wish me one more day to stay,

But since it falls unto my lot,

That I should rise and you should not,

I'll gently rise and I'll softly call,

Good night and joy be with you all.

-The Parting Glass, old Irish/Scottish folk song

I feel like this was a very OOC chapter, at least the first half. Now, for future chapters I'm going to be playing a game with you guys. See if you can notice the allusion I'd be creating.

Dimensional 21:

FIVE DAYS LATER:

Dick stared at the grey walls of his cell, cursing his life.

He felt something stir behind his door and glancing up, he watched as it slid open to see an older hand with kind eyes. He had never even seen this man before, but the suit was nicer touch than the black spandex he kept seeing everywhere. "Who are you?" he asked.

"My name isn't important, come with me."

Dick glared at him and then lurched forward lazily, walking to stand up by the agent, who cuffed him and led him from the cell. His hatred toward SHIELD had only grown since he'd come here. Not only had they lied to him about sending him home, but they kept him locked up in a cell… as if he were a prisoner. It was like he was a caged animal that had escaped into the big bad world and not animal control was here to lock him back up, and he didn't want to. Biting his lip, he and the agent walked the halls until they came to the main control room of the Helicarrier.

Fury greeted them and Nightwing's eyes narrowed. The Agent and Fury talked in low voices, discussing something beneath their breath. He heard the agent respond to a name, but he couldn't hear exactly what the name was. It started with a "C" but that was all Dick understood. Eventually, the Agent walked away, casting a sad pitiful look toward Dick before he disappeared from view. Breathing heavily, Dick shifted his footing so he could see over the edge of the niche above the rest of the agents of SHEILD. He caught profiles on what seemed to be undiscovered heroes. He saw a plan for a space expedition, with a man called Dr. Richard Reed. Dick turned away, back toward Fury.

"You… are causing us a bunch of trouble," Fury stated, walking forward to face him. The fifteen year old shrugged, his face impassive.

"If you didn't keep me here, I wouldn't be an issue. Just let me do what I do and protect New York."

Fury tilted his head to the side, as if contemplating what to say. It seemed he was confused about the boy in front of him. The enigma of life before him had really put things into perspective.

"There are much more… capable people to be handling New York," Fury inclined, taking a step back and looking down at his agents.

"How long has To- Mr. Stark been doing this? Hell, he started about a few weeks before I came, right? He was in Afghanistan and then he came here and what now? He stopped some people from terrorizing him? But he's never really been on patrol has he? No. What about Captain Capsicle? What about him? He can move fast… but not that fast and I can guarantee he ain't upping his tech anytime soon. Your agents? You know you can forget that, you can't disperse them into a city when the Government of the United States of 'Murica needs them. The Hulk? He might break part of the city for all you know. I am the only one he can get around New York and now I have help.

"You're just mad that you aren't deploying me or Spiderman. You know it's true; you want to be in control and I can tell you this right now, you aren't getting it."

Dick nodded his head, finishing his rant, and turned away from Fury. Fury said nothing, closing his eyes out of pent up frustration and anger. He knew that this kid had inherited some nasty stubbornness, or picked it up somewhere and he knew that this kid would only work with him when he was ready and he certainly wasn't ready yet. Stepping forward, he put a hand on Dick's shoulder, getting ready to say something that could've been quoted by John Green. The surety of the by bit Fury's emotions and he felt bad for the boy. But he would come, when time was ready.

Just as he opened his mouth, the glass exploded. Fury found himself on the round with the boy over him, arms around him protectively like he had been protecting him. Shattered glass blew past their heads. Dick jumped up in a defensive position, his fists ready. Air blew around them and the air was tainted faintly of ozone and smoke. Fury pulled out his pistol. "I wonder whose fault this is," he inclined tacitly. Dick shot him a look that said "not mine".

A bright light engulfed the foremost command center of the Helicarrier and then it fell away, showing the Iron Man. Tony's voice rang out from it.

"Let him go," Tony snarled. Fury lowered his weapon, cursing the son of Howard Stark. Dick was grinning. As he glanced at Fury, his grin faltered. Fury was staring at him, his eyes almost begging him not to go. Stubborn as he was, Dick wanted to stay for a moment. He wanted to talk things out, but he wanted to leave. And damn everyone, Dick Grayson was going to do that. He leapt over the iron bars and toward the Iron Man suit. The suit landed on the ground and began to open but there was nothing inside. "Get in," Tony sparked lightly. The solders of the suit shifted and allowed Dick to stand inside. He felt the metal close and grasp his body. He was as tall as Tony now. He was getting John Grayson's height; the thought made him smile. The suit closed him and without him doing anything, the thrusters acted and pushed him upward, his arms moving with the mechanical solders. The suit flipped him around and he bolted from the command center. At first he thought he was going to Stark Tower but soon he was past New York City.

"Where am I going Tony?" Dick asked.

"Do you know the definition of the word symposium?" Tony asked, his voice ringing in Dick's ears. Dick winced but he looked at all the information that the suit was feeding him.

"Yeah, it's a meeting to discuss some subject. Why?"

"We're having one."

"Now?"

"Pepper can be very convincing when she threatens you with something."

Dick chuckled. "Pepper?"

"Special someone."

"I see… But where am I going?"

"Ever been to Malibu?"

Dick raised his eyebrows and let the suit take him across America. It took, probably, about fifteen minutes with Tony edging the sound barrier. Dick was amazed even more now by the tech and the suit as a whole, however at the moment he was wary for this meeting. He trusted Tony… to some extent. Everyone in this world was foreign and different to him. Peter… he trusted. And sure, Peter was like Wally except that he couldn't talk correctly to girls, wasn't a ginger, and he was shy and soft-spoken, but he'd found a common ground with tat and accepted it and now he was friends with the older boy, probably even best friends. And maybe even brothers. He shook the thought away. The other avengers were a whole different story. He knew Captain America a.k.a Steve Rodgers. He reminded Dick painfully of his Uncle Clark; by Uncle he meant Bruce's best friend, the super powerful Kryptonian Alien Clark Kent. He wondered if maybe perhaps they were designed after one another, like the universes made similar copies. At least, they acted the same.

Black Window, whom he hadn't met, seemed like a darker version of Wonder Woman and he'd only seen pictures. Though, Wonder Woman could get pretty dark when she wanted. Dick guessed growing up in a feminist society of warrior woman from Greek Mythology would do something to the mind. Then again, she was used to it and who was he to judge? Hawkeye was an archer like Green Arrow but that was the only similarity he could find. Hulk was… Hulk.

Dick looked down and saw a huge house perched on a cliff, a view of the setting sun giving the white house a golden hue. The suit shifted and turned upward, so that he was floating vertically. The suit lowered down onto a platform and then further down into what looked like a workshop. He saw Tony standing there, smirking his head off with glee. As the suit peeled itself off his body like a cocoon ripping away, Dick tripped out, thrusting his hands out and landing a pushup position. Tony was next to him, holding him.

"Okay?"

"Fine," Dick breathed, blinking quickly. "Yeah, I'm fine. That suit takes a little getting used to. I think I'll stick with Spandex and armor, thanks."

Tony laughed, patting the boy on the back. "As expected. Pepper is waiting upstairs… she really wants to talk to you."

Dick hesitated a moment. "You make it seem as if I acquired a meeting with a genius mastermind."

Tony smiled dryly and showed him the stairs. Dick suddenly felt as if he were meeting Artemis's or Zatanna's equivalent. He slowly walked up the stairs, his hands gripping a hard acrylic-like wooden railing that spun up with the metal spiral staircase. Dick took each step silently, as if he weren't sure what he was expecting. He felt he knew what Pepper was going to offer, or what she was going to tell him. He walked up to a grand living room that differentiated so differently than the manor's wooden castle insides he stopped for a second and wondered what he expected.

He'd expected to be home.

The entire front wall was glass and showed the sun hovering barely over the Pacific Ocean. There was a cherry red couch with a red headed woman sitting on it, staring at the golden rays that were flooding the room with its hue. Dick carefully walked forward, his heart beating. The woman, Pepper he figured, was very familiar. Her presence, her hair, everything was from someone he'd seen. Maybe his theory was correct, maybe people were designed after one another. Sometimes it was mentally or socially and maybe sometimes, now, it was physically. He'd heard Barbara's voice and now he was seeing her. Not Barbara, no, but someone that had been far too important and influential in his life. He winced.

"Pepper?"

The woman looked up and Dick's heart stopped. She smiled dryly, standing up and walking over and hugging him. She moved away from his shocked figure. "Yes, the one and only. Richard…"

He abruptly pulled away from her, ripping himself from her arms in such a way that she jerked backward from fear. He stumbled back and then rolled backward into a somersault and landed lightly on his feet. His glare was accusing, like he was flustered and angry that she had hugged him. Tony was behind him, watching carefully. "Is this some kind of joke?" Dick accused, but he didn't seem to be talking to either of them; he'd turned toward the ocean, looking up at the sky which was now a bright reddish orange color, mixed with yellow and dark navy blue of night, twinkling with little stars.

"Dick…" Tony began, reaching out to touch him. Dick jerked away, pulling himself toward the window. Pepper caught a glimpse of tears in his eyes.

"This has to be a joke! It's not fair! Why would you do this to me?"

"Richard who are you talking to?"

Dick hesitated a moment, as if deciding whether or not to answer. He looked at her with beautiful crystal cobalt blue eyes, shining with tears; she'd never seen a fifteen year old cry before. "I… you know my situation right?"

Pepper nodded, staring at him curiously. She glanced at Tony, who shrugged. She looked back at the half-gypsy. The boy was gripping his arms tightly, their deep tan becoming a pale white from the pressure.

"Well… you see. Pepper, right? You, um, you look like my mom."

Pepper breathed a moment, closing her eyes and turning away. Dick looked back out at the fading light as the stars over the ocean shone through the thick layer of pollution. Pausing a moment, Pepper opened her mouth to say something. "And you miss her?"

"She's been dead since I was eight, and my dad. My family. The whole lot of them. It was an accident… I was the only one who survived unscathed. I went every year to visit her grave on my birthday… that was when it happened."

"On your birthday?" Tony asked. Dick nodded and Pepper looked away, biting her lip.

"Tony can you…. Can you leave?"

Tony opened his mouth to argue but one look from Pepper made him nod and walk away with one final glance toward the boy he cared for. Once he disappeared beyond the stairs, Dick collapsed on the couch, his head in his hands. "I watched it happen Pepper. I saw them fall and it's my fault."

"No Richard, it isn't," Pepper tried to argue, but his curt laugh cut her off.

"You weren't there!" he snapped. "I was! I saw everything happen! You just… you don't and you can't understand. I got over it… well, I thought I had. I guess I didn't. It's just… I lost my first family and… and then I got adopted. And then I'm Robin the Boy Wonder, protégé to Batman."

"Was that your adoptive father?" Pepper asked.

Dick nodded. "He's the one who trained me. It is okay, it wasn't like torture or anything. Bruce wasn't like that. He'd lost his family too, he was there when mine died. He saw me in him and he didn't want me to be overcome with revenge like he did. He trained me to channel the anger of my parent's death for good. He made me who I am. And then… with the team and everything. Bruce was a part of the League, they called themselves the Justice League of America. They had… partners. I was Batman's partner, we patrolled and took care of the Gotham crazies. Superman… had Metropolis, Wonder Woman had DC. Green Arrow had Star City and Flash had Central. I don't want to list them all off, too long but a few of them had s kids as partners. I mean, we trained with them and were almost as good, maybe not as… smart and we couldn't make those moral decisions like they could, but we were good. Good enough to convince them to allow us to be deployed as an operational covert-ops team. The team was my second family but… now I've lost them too."

Pepper didn't saying anything for a few moment, sliding her arm around him and giving him a hug. "I'm sorry Richard, I really am."

He nodded, wiping away a lone tear that slid down his flushed cheeks.

"You know… Tony and I are here for you, and Spiderman (I think). If you need to talk… we would love to take you in."

Dick looked up at her sharply. "You mean like… foster?"

"You've been living on the streets haven't you?"

He smiled shyly. "Abandoned Opera house actually."

She sighed. "Richard… you can live at Stark tower. You need some people and putting yourself in that position where you have to care for yourself. Despite all you've been through… you're only fifteen."

He looked away, but his eyes said he'd already made up his mind. "Richard?"

"One week."

"What?"

"One week and then… I'll come to Stark Tower. But Pepper…" He paused. "I don't trust the other Avengers. I don't…. I just feel nervous."

Pepper smiled. "Don't worry Richard, none of them would take you to SHIELD."

He nodded slowly as if he had trouble believing this. "I'm kind of glad you look like my mom Pepper. It's good to see her again."

Tony woke up to a note from Dick. The sticky note was on a small piece of paper, stuck to it so that the edges of the stickiness lined the bottom of the folded paper. Tony groaned lightly, stretching and then picked it up, feeling it was too early in the morning for him to be in a pleasurable mood. Reading the note, he closed his eyes and shook his head. Sometimes he loved the kid, sometimes the kid was a little bastard. But not everyone could please, Tony supposed. He stuck the note on the glass coffee table and unfolded the large thick paper. Had Tony been into art and creativity, he would have known the paper was specifically for Watercolors.

It was a drawing of the Ironman suit, except it wasn't a drawing. It was done completely with watercolors of gold, red and blue. He was floating over what seemed to be a city, done in greys and soft grunge whites. His hand nimbly touched the colors, and he smiled. Taking the picture down stairs to the lab, he tacked it up in front of his drawings, smiling as it contrasted against the blue paper.

"Tony? Where's Richard?"

Tony didn't reply for a moment, all he did was stare at the present.

"I failed, Pepper."

She walked up to him, her eyes catching the drawing. "What?"

"I failed… but I think I won."

FIVE DAYS LATER

"How the hell do you want me to approach this?"

Tony looked up to see Nick Fury stomping down the staircase to his living room. Tony grinned. "Nicholas! We seem to talk a lot more these days, is there something you want to tell me?"

Fury glared at him through the eye patch and Tony rolled his eyes, standing up and crossing his arms over his chest; the light of the reactor was dimmed through his shirt, but you could just see it barely over his arms. "What?"

"Mr. Stark," Fury snapped. "Do you want to tell me why you broke out one of my-"

"Prisoners? Subjects? Patients? Dick is a confused human being who can't tell who to trust. He'd probably trust you more if you didn't keep showing up in his through tracking him, accusing him, lying to him, capturing him and bunch of other stuff this fifteen year old doesn't need."

"We were going to send him home!"

"No you weren't!" Tony yelled, his voice rising. Fury took a precautionary step back. "You lied to him! You told him he could go back! You know he told Pepper yesterday, that he's lost his family. That they're gone. They can't help him. He's lost, Fury; lost. And telling him you can get him back is just plain mean and then saying you actually can't is a slap in the face."

Fury didn't say anything. Tony was right. "I know."

"You know what you- What?"

"I know."

Tony stared at him for a few moments and then turned and walked away. "Go screw yourself, Nick."

"So what do you think is up?"

Dick glanced at Peter from the rubix cube he was fumbling with.

"I don't know. I mean… I was kidnapped… broken out by Tony Stark and taken to Malibu and stayed a night. Admitted pretty much everything to his girlfriend Pepper who kind of looks like my mom (dimensional differences suck man) and then left the next morning after promising I would pretty much move in with the two of them within a week."

Peter bit into his sandwich and then set it down onto the library table, pushing his chemistry book forward so the librarian didn't see it. He looked at his friend, who he'd been worried sick about for the past three or so days. Mary Jane had tried to contact him, asking what was wrong (ginger powers gave her the ability to sense trouble) and he'd been ignoring her calls by repeatedly visiting Gwen at the lab, who had taken kindly to the sudden attention. Harry was one who Peter hadn't seen in a few days and Mary Jane had complied with "he's away in Europe with his mom" and Peter decided not to press.

"That's… wow."

"I'm fifteen and she looked like my mom and really that's my only defense."

Peter looked up. "Yeah, if I could meet my mom again, or a woman that looks like her I would be like that to. But then I'd feel bad about dumping all my problems on her." He glanced over at Dick, who grimaced.

"Peter! Peter!"

"Shhhh!"

Mary Jane burst through the bookshelves with a paper in hand, grinning as her read hair flew back behind her. She saw Richard and stopped short, opening her mouth to say something, wondering why the boy was sitting there having what seemed to be a serious conversation with her best friend.

"I…" she paused and watched as they exchanged silent looks toward one another and then back at her. It was obvious they'd already spent a lot of time with each other.

"MJ!" Peter exclaimed, earning him a "shhh" from across the library. He glanced over and rolled his hands and then leaned forward across the table. "Hey, this is Richard… he's an upperclassman. You've seen him around, haven't you?"

Richard rolled his eyes, and he figured out that Peter hadn't said one thing to his other friends, except for the time he'd met Gwen, Richard had never really met anyone else of Peter's friends. The encounter with Gwen had been slightly forced anyway, but he'd seen her around and it was enough that he could joke about the two of them without anything going wrong.

"Um, Mary Jane?" It was a question, but of course he knew her name. He'd done background checks on everyone. The only one who he didn't like was Harry Osborn, whose father Norman seemed like the tech-science idiot of this world (kind of like Lex Luthor but with red hair) and seemed like he was trying too hard in a business that was doing okay and didn't really need to pressure and hard-core care he was giving it. Bruce had given him random business lessons when he was old enough to understand that the economy and stock market (and supply and demand and all that) were like small children that needed way more attention and love than they really needed, but actually do need because then they get depressed.

"Yes."

Mary Jane abruptly sat down. Richard stared at her for a moment, as if deciding if he liked her. Mary Jane squirmed. Normally she was head strong, but this boy intense blue eyes seemed to bore into her entire existence, as if he'd seen another her somewhere and he couldn't bare the resemblance. Then he grinned and she saw a handsome looking blue eyed fifteen year old boy who was a junior sitting in front of her.

"Cool, Richard Grayson. So, I've seen your pictures in the school newspaper! Real good, you remind me of an old friend of mine."

She watched as Peter shot him a look and then she grinned. "Oh really? Because I take good pictures? Well, I'm flattered!" She smiled and then turned to her friend, pushing out the piece of paper. "Guess who is going into modeling?"

He looked up. "It's Harry isn't it, I knew it."

She smacked him on the arm. "Idiot, of course it's not. It's me! I'm going to weekend camp over the winter break and I mean, isn't that awesome?"

Peter grinned. "Yeah, that's great!"

She beamed and stuffed the paper in her purse. "That was the registration form."

Richard smiled sadly and pulled away, picking up his backpack. "Well, um…I've gotta go. Look, it was a pleasure meeting you Mary Jane. I'll see you later Peter. Um… we'll talk about what we were talking about before later," Richard shook his head and Peter laughed awkwardly. "Totally not whelmed right now. I'll see you two later." He turned and walked away from the pair, both of them watching as the fifteen year old disappeared from view.

Mary Jane pursed her lips. "He's a little formal, like he was raised in a highly socialite society but didn't like it but he's moved so now he's using his training as a cover."

Peter blinked and then laughed. "Yeah right, he came from somewhere out in Europe or something. Like… I don't, he doesn't talk about it much."

"Where he's from?"

"Yeah."

She paused.

"Then I don't know."

To Be Continued…

*throws head against computer, plays minecraft, watches Smallville, goes to school, does homework, watches community, draws fanart, reads fanfiction, goes on 30 minute run/backride*

*still complains about writing fanfiction*