A shorter chapter that's mostly filler, but I really wanted to post something since it's been -holy crap- over two months?! *sob* I am a terrible human being...I am sorry...I have no excuse except real life has gotten extremely chaotic for me right now.

And would you look at that...it's not Friday. But I figured since it's been much too long since the last chapter, you guys kinda deserve this as soon as I got it finished. So, here it is.

Dick and Ryder made fairly good time that first day, only stopping a few times for food, gas, bathroom breaks, or just to stretch their legs (Dick never liked being cooped up for long periods of time, and long car rides always made him a bit anxious).

Once it got dark they located a nice looking hotel and Dick checked them in. The Fruity Pebbles remained in their grocery bag and would be opened the next morning. Cereal was, after all, a breakfast food, so that's when Dick thought it should be eaten...at least the first time. After that he'd be fine with eating the cereal for lunch and dinner (and brunch, and for a midnight snack, and at tea time, and any other time throughout the day one would be able to sneak a meal). Though he might have to pick up some other types of cereal, only having one kind wasn't much fun for the taste buds.

He made sure Ryder was situated and asleep before placing a phone call to a certain redhead.

"So what's this I hear about you volunteering me for extended babysitting duty?"

The smirk was evident in her voice as she replied, "Obviously you've done more than just hear about it since that is where you are at the moment."

"Indeed," he was smirking right back.

They stayed up and chatted for a while longer, but Babs had to go when the alarm at one of the many museums Gotham has was set off. They'd almost assume it was Catwoman, but knew she was too smart to trigger an alarm (unless, of course, she wanted to 'get caught' and have an impromptu date with Batman. One could never really tell with her).

So they said their goodbyes and Dick went to bed.

Dick woke up the next morning not entirely sure why he was awoken. He actually hadn't set an alarm, wanting at least a little bit of time to sleep in if his body would allow it; and no glass had shattered or gun gone off or any of the other numerous things he was Bat-Trained to wake up for.

So, finding none of these the cause of his current state of wakefulness, took a few moments to collect himself and remember where he was and why he was here.

Ryder. Road trip. Hotel. Right.

He quickly changed clothes and packed up his bag again, ready to leave at a moments notice if need be.

Dick yawns as he walks to the kitchen, passing the living room while greeting the little bundle of red sitting on the floor, "Morning, Ryder."

He opens the refrigerator and stares blankly at the lack of anything for a moment before what he had seen finally had enough time to catch up with his mind.

Wait.

...huh?

What?

Back up...

He blinks a few times before backtracking to the threshold of the living room. There, sitting in the middle of the room, was Ryder, surrounded by colorful cereal from a torn bag laying slightly to her left.

It wasn't just that she was surrounded by the spilled cereal, oh no, it was that sections of that scattered cereal were placed in lines. Rows of matching colors, seeming to descend in size from largest to smallest, formed a half circle around the child as she sat with her back towards him. That she was so at ease sitting in the middle of what he could only describe as organized chaos could only mean this was a common occurrence.

Dick's brain came to a screeching halt at that thought.

Common occurrence.

Fruity Pebbles.

Jason.

Jason.

Jason!

It was a setup...it was a freakin' setup!

Before he could even think about taking a moment to get his sudden anger under control he whipped his phone out and began typing off a text to the subject of his anger, knowing the other man wouldn't answer a call. He didn't even proof read it before hitting send.

Dick was currently in what Babs had affectionately dubbed 'rage mode.' He would get so mad at a person he would just fly off he handle at them. This had first appeared when he was Nightwing and some bad guys got a hold of Robin (Tim), and Dick was scared he was about to loose another little brother. But since then it had bleed into his civilian life as well (there was a certain board meeting at Wayne Industries that will never, ever, be spoken of). Babs was even on the receiving end of Dick's rage mode one time...and it would only ever be that one time; she had made it clear she wouldn't put up with his shit and quickly put him in his place. He never wanted a repeat of that experience.

His phone chimed a few moments later, almost as if the other man had been hovering over his own, knowing he was going to get a text and wanting to reply immediately.

Dick held tight to his anger as he read the response, his judgement clouded as he typed another text almost on autopilot, not really paying much attention to what he was writing before sending it off.

He would regret that later.

Jason had the largest shit-eating grin ever on his face.

Ryder had finally, finally, gotten into the Fruity Pebbles. How did he know this fact? Why, because his phone just buzzed with a message from 'Dickface' of course.

/u r a dead man/

Wow. Insensitive much?

'Jaybird' replied immediately, it would be a lie to say he hadn't been waiting for this moment since he had given the information to Dick about the colorful cereal.

/been there, done that/

And so began the text wars.

So, the "cliffhanger" at end of chapter 12 has finally been resolved! xD

And credit to be given where credit is due: The "You are a dead man" text was a wonderful idea from Sroloc Elbisivni that I just had to include :D

(Also, I am slightly confused where all the faves and follows came from while I was on that small hiatus...seriously, you guys are awesome. I love you all).