Okay, haven't posted for a while and this has nothing to do with most of the rest of the series, but it was fun. Enjoy. I'll get back to regular continuity later. =P

Dick-15/16

Driving Lesson

"Bruce, can I get a car?"

The man in question looked away from the bat-computer screens, raising an eyebrow at Dick as he did his usual routine up and down the dinosaur in the cave. Thankfully he wasn't doing his dangerous acrobatic tricks in front of the others, nor on one of his old batmobiles. But the question still put him on edge.

"You don't have a license yet," he reminded the teen evenly.

"I'm fifteen years, eight months today," the aerialist reminded him, grinning from ear to ear as he balanced himself with one hand on the tip of the t-rex's nose. "Bare minimum age for getting a permit. So can we go get it?"

"I'm in the middle of a case," Bruce tried to convince him, not sure if he should even be having this conversation.

"No you're not." The acrobat pushed himself off the dino, performed a series of flips in the air, and landed safely on the ground about twenty feet away from him, completely at ease as if doing such stunts were a regular thing for him. And in truth, they were. "You're looking up plans on making that 'moon base' for the League. Shouldn't you be more worried about how they'll get to and from Earth over how to take care of waste products up there?"

"No stone unturned," the Bat reminded him. He looked back to the screens. "Besides, Strange and Palmer are working out those details with Kord. If I don't make certain the smaller stuff isn't taken care of, it won't be done at all."

"Like teaching me how to drive?" The teen grinned at him impishly. He wasn't easily detoured when his mind was set. "I already memorized the driving manual for the test. Just need to learn how and I can get my license."

"You only qualify for a learning permit," Bruce reminded him.

"I'll be able to give rides to school," Dick persisted, trying to spin it his way. "Then you and Alfred can go to work together like in the old days. It'll save a lot of time and trouble."

"You can only get a permit right now." He gave the young man a sharp glare. Kid was jumping the gun there.

"But in four months I can get my license." The teen grinned impishly. "All I need is a teacher."

The CEO stopped what he was doing and looked at his son as if he was crazy. "You, want me, to teach you, how to drive?"

"Hey you learned from European race car drivers didn't you?" The acrobat grinned impishly. "I'd say you're a really good driver, don't you?"

"I learned how so I could chase after criminals at seventy miles per hour."

"Exactly." His grin was only growing. "You drive both fast and safe. Best skills to have out there."

A slight glare returned to the man's face. "You are not driving anything over forty mph, got it?"

Dick gave him a mocking confused look. "Well I'm not driving anything yet, not physically at least. Have to learn how first.

"Soooooo…" He gave his trade mark grinning puppy-dog eyes as he begged. "Please? Please teach me how to drive so I can get my license! Pretty please!"

Bruce froze in silence for a minute, knowing already what was coming. He was in for a lot of begging and pleas and continual nagging and reasoning until he finally gave in. When Dick wanted something, really wanted something, he did everything he could to get it. It was only the safety of smaller children that kept him from getting the guy a dog for the longest time. And with the way they were trying to con Damian into their begging for one, he knew that standstill would soon be over.

Internally he groaned as he gave in. It wasn't an entirely unreasonable request anyway. "Fine."

"YES!" Dick punched the air above him emphatically. He must really have wanted this.

"But on my terms!" Bruce insisted. "I'll reserve a place for practice this weekend. It has to be one of the newer cars, and I drive us to and from the place. Are we clear?"

"Crystal!" The teen ran up to him and gave him a quick hug in purest ecstasy. "Thanks Bruce! You won't regret it!"

As soon as those words were out of the teen's mouth, he already did.

"TURN! TURN!"

"Relax Bruce! I've got this."

"LEFT! NOT RIGHT!"

"I thought that was left."

"BRAKES!"

"Seriously, stop panicking. I got this."

"HIT THE BRAKES NOW!"

To say Bruce was in a foul mood when the two returned would be pushing it. Alfred hadn't seen him so stressed out since Dick had run off when he was nine. He didn't bother talking to the old butler and see how the others behaved when the duo came home. He just went straight to the batcave to get something done.

"I take it the lesson did not go well Master Richard?"

Dick shrugged helplessly. "I thought it was fine, except for all of the yelling on Bruce's end. Is that lemon bars I smell?"

"Just one until after dinner." The teen grinned at him before darting to the kitchen and all the goodies within. Little Damian was tailing behind him seconds after, releasing the butler of his most worrisome charge at the time. The other three were busy with their usual activities. Now with only one to worry over, Alfred made his way down to the Batcave to see what the head of the household was up to now. "If I may ask—"

"It was a disaster." Bruce was rapidly typing on his consol, hacking his way through several low level firewalls and passcodes with ease. "He has a lead foot and kept switching rights and lefts on the steering wheel. It was as if he learned to fly a plane first, then a car. I am not going to go through that again."

"Ah. Should I be arranging a pickup for the Studebaker's repairs then?" Judging by their physical states, it wasn't a total disaster.

"Fender-bender and a paint job." He was nearly through the systems before him and nearing his goal. "Nothing too critical. His reflexes saved us in some small ways."

"And this drives you into hacking into school records?" Alfred stepped next to the computer chair and raised an eyebrow. He saw this page before when Jason tried to change his grades a couple months ago.

"He's taking Driver's ED, period." Quickly the detective changed the schedule around for his son so Driver's ED was included in the electives. It also made someone else have her dropped elective, but he was certain whoever the Suisse Q was she wouldn't mind Home Ec too much. "I am not going to try that again."

"I see."

The semester that followed ended not only with parties and games, but with Dick driving everyone to a celebration dinner in the nicer part of Gotham. Bruce was a bit on edge in the car, but even though the kid still had a lead foot, he was a cautious driver. "Remind me to send a generous donation to your school's Driver's ED department later."

The teen grinned at him across the table the whole family was eating at. Selina Kyle was even there, helping out with Damian on the other side of Bruce. Jason was seeing how close he could get his napkin to the candle's flame without getting burned while both Tim and Cass were ignoring the rest of the world while they read their books. Each of them were bored waiting for their food to arrive. "I thought you were the one who got me in there. My guidance councilor said the class was full when I tried to sign up."

"Apparently they were mistaken." The CEO sipped his wine lightly, hoping he wouldn't have to drive on the way home. "I'm just admiring how much you've improved since that day I tried to teach you."

Dick smirked. "You mean, the day you had a total breakdown in a car."

"Really?" Nearly every set of eyes at the table were on the man now. Selina and Jason seemed particularly interested.

"Lead foot," he told them quickly. "And he didn't know right from left."

"Well some things are easier to explain than others." This won a smirk from everyone at the table, just in time for the meal to arrive. Somewhere in the middle of it, Dick leaned closer to Bruce, an impish spark in his eyes. "Hey Bruce? Can I get a motorcycle?"

A/N: *diez laughing* love it when a story goes full circle. XD The fact he has a license is important for later stories, but this was fun anyway. there's clearly a lot of other stories I haven't gotten to writing yet but this was the next one I've finished. I have a couple more pre-dami's I'm working on too.

Until next time. =]