Chapter 40

Dick swung from building to building with his grappling hook, enjoying the cool night air on his face. But his mood was dampened by the knowledge that he had to confront Barbara that night. He didn't know what he would say to her. And he was also afraid that she may recognize him. He decided that he wasn't going to straight out tell her not to become a hero. He would try and explain to her all the bad things of being a superhero. Like having to keep secrets, and always being in danger. The main problem was, that all the things that Barbara had said must be good about being a hero, were actually true. Like getting the gratitude of the people, and the satisfaction of knowing that you were making a difference.

He landed on the roof of one of the buildings in a shadier part of the city, and took a second to listen closely to the police scanner. Then his attention quickly snapped to his surroundings, when he heard the scream of a girl that was then quickly cut off. He jumped a few roofs over in the direction of the scream. He looked down in to a nearby ally and saw who he was looking for.

One man had grabbed a young girl and held his hand over her mouth as the other threatened her with a knife. Robin could make out his saying, "what is you name girl, do you know people high up"

Robin immediately sprang in to action. He launched a grapple hook to the building above them and as he swung down threw a baterang, and knocked the knife out of the man's hand. The man who was holding the knife spun around to see Robin flying through the air at him. Robin kicked him in the gut as he landed and the mad doubled over. Robin then elbowed him in the side of the head, knocking him out. Then he went after the second man who was trying to use the girl he was holding as some sort of shield. Robin did a front flip over the two and kicked the man in the back. The girl broke free of the man's grasp and scrambled away as Robin dispatched the second man in a similar way as he did the first.

He securely tied up the two men then wen t over to the girl who was standing there amazed at what she witnessed. Now that he got a good look at the girl, Robin was surprised to see that she was Barbara Gordon.

"Are you ok" he asked

"Um yeah" she stuttered "that was amazing, you just took them out so easily"

"Oh it was nothing" he said embarrassed

"My name is Barbara Gordon" she said holding out her hand and smiling

Robin shook her hand "you're the commissioners daughter right" he said

"Yeah" she said

"What are you doing in this part of town so late" he asked

"Oh," she said "I needed some air, and wasn't really paying attention to where I was going"

"Ok," he said "well I need to get you home." He shot a grappling hook on to a high building a little ways away, then held his hand out to Barbara with a grin "I hope you're not afraid of heights" he said

She took his hand cautiously; Robin pulled her closer to him and those few off the ground by the grapple. They swung from building to building in the direction of Barbara's apartment. The entire time she clung to Dick for dear life, wide eyed with wonder. She watched them swing over the traffic in the streets far below. Then Dick landed on the windowsill of Barbara's room

"This your stop" he said

"Yeah" Barbara said. She opened the window and climbed in. then she turned around confused and asked "how do you know where I live"

"yeah, funny story about that" he said "I actually needed to talk to you, so it's a good thing that I ran into you, I mean not a good thing because you were being mugged, but um you know"

"Wow," she said smiling "for a superhero you're quite awkward."

"Did you think that I was going to be suave and charming, instead of awkward and bumbling" he laughed

"Actually yes" she said "that is at least what the tabloids make you out to be. So you needed to talk to me, why"

"Well" he said starting in to the explanation he had rehearsed in his head over and over "I heard from a friend who heard from a friend that you were thinking about trying to become a superhero"

"Really from who, wait let me figure it out" Barbara said and started to ponder how that information had gotten to the boy wonder. The only person who she had told had been Dick, so he must be the friend of the friend. Then she remembered hoe friendly Dick and Kid Flash had been. Her curious smile turned to a frown and she burst out "I'm going to kill Dick, I told him not to tell anyone."

"Calm down Barbara" Robin said "it's a good thing that he told somebody; he must have thought that you were serious about doing this, and he was worried. Witch he has every right to do."

"Are you going to try and tell me that being a hero isn't great" she said

"No I'm not" he said "because it is great, flying through the streets making a difference, but it also had a lot of bad things that come along with it. It is very dangerous; you could be badly hurt or killed"

"Well I wouldn't try and do it until I had more training and could defend myself much better." She countered

"It's a full time job" he continued "no vacations, no time for relaxing. Something could always go wrong in the city"

"Yeah but I would be protecting others so that they could relax" Barbara said

"The bad guys would always be after you, they have come after me and Batman with personal vendettas on multiple occasions" he said

"Then I would capture them when they do and throw them back in Arkham and off the streets. I'm sorry Robin but this is something I want to do and I think I may be good at it." Barbara said

"One more thing" he said "you wouldn't be able to tell anyone who you are"

"So, I can keep a secret" she said

"I don't mean just being able to keep the secret, which by the way is really hard. It's about not being able to tell the people you care about, about a huge part of your life. You can't tell them why you keep getting new injuries. You have to lie strait to their faces all the time. Then it is the opposite with other superheroes. You can't mention anything about your personal life, or anything that might lead them to figuring out who you are. It makes it so hard to just hand out and talk. Trust me, I know"

"I didn't think about it that way" she said, not being able to come up with anything to turn that reason around.

"Listen," Robin said "I want you to think long and hard about everything I told you before you try anything ok"

"I understand" Barbara said turning away from him for a moment "thank you Robin." when she turned around though he was gone. He had disappeared back in to the night.