Chapter 35 Cereal, New Heroes, and Smirks

Disclaimer: I don't own Young Justice.

Bruce's eyes opened immediately as he heard the door to his bedroom open. He laid very still, hoping to trick the attacker into thinking he was still asleep. He quickly realized that his attacker was really just a nine year old boy and his dog, when he heard Dick's quiet giggle and the sounds of a dog's claws tapping against the floor. Bruce relaxed back into his pillows, hoping Dick was just going to crawl in bed beside him. Unlike Bruce, Dick had gotten plenty of sleep the night before having been dropped off at the manor before Batman found Penguin trying to smuggle a giant bomb into the city. Bruce sighed to himself as he felt the bed sink slightly with Dick's and Ace's added weight, and heard scraping against the bedside table. What was that kid doing? There was another quiet giggle.

Worried that Dick was playing some prank on him, Bruce opened his eyes and asked, "What are you up to?"

"Nothing," Dick said, in a sing song voice.

The tone worried Bruce so he pushed himself up to see what was happening. To his left, Dick was sitting crosslegged smiling at him, clearly hiding something behind him.

"Happy Father's Day!" Dick cried, hugging him.

Bruce smiled and hugged him back. Dick quickly let go, and carefully reached behind him. Bruce was surprised to see Dick shakily pick up one of Alfred's silver serving platters, and handed it to him. Bruce sat it in his lap and his smile widened at the sight of a glass of orange juice, two pieces of toast, a bowl of Dick's favorite cereal, his morning newspaper, and a homemade card.

"I made you breakfast," Dick told him proudly, "Without any help from Alfred."

"Thank you, Dick," Bruce replied.

"Do you like it?" Dick asked, as Bruce opened his card. Dick had drawn a picture of the two of them on the front, and inside was a picture of Ace inside with the word's happy Father's Day.

"I love it," Bruce said, ruffling Dick's hair.

"Oh, good," Dick sighed in relief, "I was worried that I didn't get Ace's ears right."

Bruce chuckled, "Ace's ears are fine."

"Good," Dick repeated, as Ace jumped into his lap. Dick giggled as Ace licked his fingers. Bruce leaned against the headboard, This is better than a few hours sleep.

That evening Dick was in the Batcave trying on his newest Robin uniform while Batman was typing away on the Batman computer. He had muttered something about a breakthrough and a tree. This one had more protective lining in the legs, but it still allowed him all the movement he needed for his acrobatic tricks. Dick stretched, backflipped, and practiced a few punches and kicks to see how the new suit affected his movement. He was nodding in satisfaction when he heard ringing from the Batcomputer. He watched as Batman answered a call from the Flash before going to get his utility belt from his other uniform.

"Bats?" Flash asked, nervously fidgeting on the screen.

"Is this some kind of emergency?" Batman demanded, not looking up from his microscope.

"Noyeshowdoyoudefineemergency?" Flash cried.

Batman looked up from his microscope, "Slow down."

The Flash stopped moving and took a deep breath, "Right. Sorry. It's not an emergency. I just need some advice."

Batman stared at the man on the screen for a moment, "On what?"

"How did you train Robin?" the Flash asked, fiddling his thumbs.

Robin's head snapped up to stare at Flash in disbelief. No, it couldn't be.

"Are you telling me that you are taking on a partner?" Batman questioned, glaring at the Flash.

Flash winced slightly under the glare, before sighing and nodding, "My nephew, he figured out that I was the Flash, and recreated the experiment which made me the Flash."

Robin jumped with joy. It was true! There was going to be another kid hero! He would need training of course, but still there would be someone that would understand him. Someone that would know what it was like to be exhausted at school all the time, and being able to talk about how hard it was to not tell your best friend why you can't hang out that often.

"The son of your wife's brother?" Batman asked.

Flash nodded.

Batman opened his mouth to reply, but Robin ran forward, "When can I meet him?"

Batman turned to glare at his partner.

"That's a great idea!" Flash exclaimed, vibrating in place.

"No," Batman answered, turning his glare on the Flash.

"I mean it's a horrible idea. I know nothing about children," Flash corrected himself quickly.

Batman nodded, and his stare softened.

"That's not fair!" Robin protested "You have superhero friends! I want superhero friends! While Uncle Clark is awesome, and we really should visit, it's not the same as having a superhero friend my age! Someone that has the same problems I have!"

Batman glared at Robin, and turned to Flash, "I'll get back to you."

Flash nodded, "Flash out." The screen went blank, but neither Robin or Batman were looking at it. They were both glaring at each other.

Batman's glare was the first to go. He sighed, "It's not about that. This is an untrained child with no idea how to control his powers. He could easily hurt you on accident."

"Everyone hero was untrained at some point!" Robin argued.

"Yes-"

"And each one learned from other people," Robin added.

"He's has the Flash, and the previous one," Batman replied.

"That's not the same as talking to someone your own age. It could be good for him, and I'd know it'd be good for me. Please," Robin begged.

Batman sighed, "I'll consider it, but only when I think it's safe."

"Yes!" Robin cheered, backflipping in victory.

Batman smirked, "Now get in the car. We have work to do."

Robin saluted him before running to the Batmobile.

"So who we chasing down tonight?" Robin asked, as the Batmobile turned a corner.

"Poison Ivy broke out of Arkham a few months ago and went off the grid until last night. After I dropped you off at the mansion, I stopped Penguin from smuggling a bomb into the city. During that time, the CEO of Peyton International was murdered. There was signs of toxic plant spores which is Ivy's MO, and Peyton International has been cutting down rainforests in South America recently to build new factories where workers can be hired for hardly nothing. Something that Ivy has killed over before, and the CEO was a man. Ivy likes to show that she has power over most men," Batman explained.

"Why?" Robin asked.

Batman sighed, "Sometimes, when something bad happens to someone, instead of just blaming that person they place blame on an entire group. Historically, every time that happens a lot of innocent people get hurt and killed."

"That's not fair," Robin said, crossing his arms, "What does blaming everyone do?"

Batman smiled grimly at him, "Nothing, and since you realize that you're smarter than a large part of the population."

"Back to the matter at hand, where are we going?" Robin asked.

"Usually when Ivy kills like this, she targets multiple people," Batman answers, "Currently, the only male CEO of a company in Gotham that is destroying the environment is Kevin Miller. Tonight we'll be protecting him from the shadows."

"You make it sound like you agree with Ivy," Robin told him.

"I agree that people shouldn't destroy the environment, but it's not worth killing someone over," Batman replied.

"There isn't anything worth killing someone," Robin said.

Batman smiled at him sadly, as he parked the Batmobile in a back alley. The pair jumped out of the car, and used their grappling hooks to get on the nearest rooftop.

"Miller lives in the penthouse. In this building, it's the entire top floor," Batman said.

"Yay," Robin said, dryly, "Another stakeout."

Batman glared at him, and Robin smiled in response.

Batman and Robin sat across from the apartment complex for what felt like hours to Robin though it was only forty-five minutes before there was a scream from inside Miller's apartment.

"Please tell me he just didn't see some spider," Robin begged, looking at Batman. Batman put his binoculars in his utility belt, took out his grappling hook, and swung to the building across the street.

"Finally!" Robin cried, jumping up. He reached for his grappling hook, and quickly followed his mentor. Batman had already broke through one window, scattering glass everywhere. Robin swung through the broken window and landed in a fighting position. To his right, Batman was cutting vines loose from around the neck of Kevin Miller. Glancing to his left, he saw Poison Ivy shooting vines at him. Robin quickly dodged the vines and charged the woman. He successfully landed a kick to her head as he jumped over her. He landed on the ground, smirking.

He glanced at Batman's progress with the vines. He had also cut through all of them, but the vines weren't making it easy. Robin smirked as Ivy threw more vines at him. Robin dodged them with a smirk. Ivy hadn't figured out that he was only the distraction. Robin threw his new exploding birdarangs at her to keep her from turning around to see Batman carrying Miller out the window, but she did hear the sound of more glass breaking. Letting out a bloodcurdling shriek, she sent all of her vines toward Robin. He jumped over some and ducked under others, but eventually one hit his chest throwing him backwards against the wall.

Robin let out a groan as his hit bounced off the wall. He could feel the blood gathering in his hair. His vision was going fuzzy. The last thing he saw was Poison Ivy walking toward him, and this time she was smirking.

Robin woke up with a moan. His hands were tied behind him with vines, his feet were tied to the silver chair he was sitting in by vines, and he had a vine covering his mouth. Robin mentally kicked himself for letting himself be kidnapped again! Batman was never going to let him do anything alone ever again, and it just had to happen on Father's Day, too. Why did the universe hate him so much?

Robin began scanning the room for any clues of where he was. The room was empty except for the green vines that lined the dirty grey walls and dusty wooden floor. There was one window to Robin's left, but it was too far for him to use it to aid in his escape. Yet, it was close enough for him to not be able to see anything but the fog ridden Gotham sky.

Robin huffed and began trying to wiggle out of his bounds. To his dismay, the vines started tightening around. The one over his mouth was beginning to cut into the skin on his face, and blood started to slowly drip from his lips onto the vine covered floor. Robin forced himself to relax into the vines so they wouldn't continue to get tighter. He tensed slightly when he saw the window beside him start to open. Batman was here, and he was not going to be happy.

Except the person that slipped inside was not Batman, but Robin knew her. The sight of Catwoman terrified him since he was already restrained, and he began fighting against the vines again. Catwoman rolled her eyes as she approached him.

"Calm down, kid," she murmured.

Robin stopped what he was doing for a moment to glare at her.

She chuckled to herself, "Like father like son."

Robin would have stuck his tongue out at her if his mouth wasn't covered.

"Now listen carefully, I'm here to help you. I'm going to cut the vines, and you're going to be very quiet," Catwoman whispered.

Robin blinked to show her he understood, but he was still glaring. Why was she talking to him like he was just some stupid kid? More importantly, why was she helping him?

With one swipe, Catwoman's claws cut Robin free from his binds. Robin quickly stood, brushing the vines to the floor. Each one landing with a soft thunk. Catwoman glared at him for making any noise, and he glared back. He stretched, allowing his muscles to wake up a bit before moving more. However, Catwoman didn't seem to think there was time for that. She threw him on her back, whispering hold on, before sliding out the window. Robin held tightly to the woman as she scaled the building, though he was still suspicious of her motives. He was just terrified that someone else was in control of whether or not he was going to drop the three stories to the ground below.

Glancing around, Robin realized he was in Crime Alley, as Catwoman jumped to the next building. Why did he always seem to end up in Crime Alley when he was kidnapped, and where was Catwoman taking him? She seemed to be headed toward the East Side which was where Robin was taken by Poison Ivy. After they were out of Crime Alley, Robin decided it was safe enough to ask some of his questions.

"Why are you helping me?"

No answer.

"Where are you taking me?"

"Top of GCPD headquarters."

"You're going to use the Batsignal to call Batman," Robin guessed.

"You got it," Catwoman answered.

"How's you find me?"

"Saw Ivy transporting you."

"You're as bad as Batman with making conversation."

Catwoman smirked.

Robin sighed, falling silent. There was no point in talking to the enemy more than he had to, but was she really the enemy? Why did she save him? It made no sense to him since the last time he saw her she fought him. Robin shook his head, and pushed those questions from his mind. He just needed to focus on getting back to Batman, and Catwoman hadn't given him a reason to not trust her yet. He tightened his grip on her back as she continued running across the rooftops of Gotham.

"You know I can walk now, right?" Robin asked.

"This is quicker," Catwoman answered.

Robin rolled his eyes, "Whatever you say."

"Drop the attitude," Catwoman snapped, "You owe me for this."

"So that's why you're doing this!" Robin exclaimed.

Catwoman rolled her eyes, "Duh, I never do anything unless there is something I can get out of it. First rule of being a thief."

"Figures," Robin muttered, as Catwoman landed on police headquarters. It was the only time Robin had been up there without any police officers or without the Batsignal on. Everything looked darker without it. Robin slide of Catwoman's back, and she walked over to the Batsignal turning it on.

"And now we wait," she said.

Robin huffed, "I hate waiting."

"Then you need to switch careers," Catwoman told him.

"That's not what my family says," Robin replied, thinking of Thomas and Bruce.

"If you're talking about Batman, he's always been slightly off his rocker," Catwoman said.

"Then why do you care about him so much?" Robin asked, innocently.

"What?" Catwoman demanded.

Robin shrugged, "I know things."

"Good for you," Catwoman grumbled, "Glad you knew about me."

"Wait, you're upset that Batman didn't tell you about me?" Robin inquired.

Catwoman glared at him.

"I'm taking that as a yes," Robin smirked.

Catwoman walked to the edge of the building, looking at Gotham City.

"You know it's nothing personal right?" Robin said, "He's just really overprotective. Besides, would you be as interested if he didn't have the whole mysterious thing going on?"

Catwoman turned around to study him for a moment, "You are one weird kid."

Robin shrugged nonchalantly, but his attention quickly changed to the dark figure dropping from a nearby building.

"Batman!" he cried, running to where he landed.

"Are you okay? How'd you get those cuts on your face? Where have you been?" Batman asked, hugging the boy.

"I'm fine. Poison Ivy captured me, and she tied me up with vines. Then Catwoman snuck me out, and brought me here so we would owe her," Robin answered, smiling up at Batman.

Still not letting go off Robin, Batman looked up at Catwoman, "Thank you."

Catwoman winked at him, walking forward. She cupped his face with one hand, and kissed him. Robin quickly closed his eyes, not wanting to see such a display. He opened them when he heard her whisper anytime handsome. She smirked at Robin, ruffled his hair, murmured, "Goodbye kitten," and leaped over the edge of the building. The two heroes stood in silence for a moment watching her go.

"Did she just call me kitten?" Robin demanded.

AN: Thanks for reading, following, favoriting, and reviewing! It means so much to me, and encourages me to keep writing.