Chapter 17
The car ride going to school was very awkward. With Jason and Dixie being dropped off at school first then Tim being dropped off to his college, the whole car ride was tense with no one saying anything, Alfred occasionally looking at them through the rearview mirror. Dixie couldn't help but hop out of the car once Alfred stopped in front of their school. Tim was about to speak out when he saw Brendon, the Commissioner's son and one of Dixie's best friend, greeting her. The two brothers made eye contact with each other as they watched their younger sister walk away with her friend.
The day went by like a blur for Dixie despite having to start the school year with a gymnastics meeting and student council meeting after school. The thirteen-year-old now found herself in her bedroom with her three older brothers, finally going to discuss what they have been wanting to talk to her about.
"So, besides the obvious want to talk to me, none of you said what we're going to talk about," Dixie said as she busied herself with fixing the items on her desk. Damian was leaning against the wall closest to the door, Jason sitting on the foot of her bed, and Tim silently watching her from the center of the room.
"We've been dancing around each other for quite a while now, we need to talk about what happened on Independence, Dixie," Tim tried to reason.
"Well it seemed like none of you wanted to talk about it so why should I?" the thirteen-year-old argued back, a bit of anger seeping through her voice, slamming the folder she held on her desk.
Jason sighed before speaking up and joining the conversation. "Yeah, we know and that's why we wanna talk about it."
Dixie remained silent and before placing the folder she was holding onto the side of her desk.
"Why didn't you tell me?" she said in a whisper. "Why did you lie?"
Tim looked at her, guilt in his eyes. "We did it because we thought it was best for you and the others."
Just before she could argue with her second eldest's reasoning, Damian finally spoke up.
"You're not ready to be part of the superhero gig," Damian said bluntly, looking at Dixie whose eyes widened in shock. "You are not capable of fighting out on your own, why do you think you're only allowed to go on patrol with Batman or at least one of us? You and the others are not yet prepared to even join the League."
Tim and Jason stared at their older brother in shock and quickly turned to see Dixie whose head was bowed, hands fisted by her side, obviously angry but none of them missed the way her eyes held back tears despite her looking down.
"Get out," the youngest said through gritted teeth, her voice filled with anger and hurt as she ordered her brothers to go out of her room. When none of them moved from their spot, she glared at them, as the tears were still being held at bay. "I SAID GET OUT!"
Damian tsked and left the room without another word with Jason and Tim reluctantly going out of the room as well.
When she heard the click of the door shutting closed, Dixie angrily swiped the tears out of her eyes before grabbing a duffle bag and stuffing her school uniforms and some other clothes into it and quickly grabbing some other things she might need.
She zipped up her bag and walked out of her room, ignoring the calls of her brothers as she walked down the staircase of the manor. She saw Alfred walking out of the kitchen, wanting to see what the commotion was about.
"I'm going out tonight Alfred, I'll be back tomorrow after school, good night," she said, not bothering to say where she was planning to go.
She continued walking until she was by the city, no one bothering to stop her. She made a quick turn into one of the alleyways that had a single red telephone booth, entering it while making sure no one was around. The zeta-beam's light flashing brightly as she was teleported away, leaving the alleyway dark once more.
0-0-0-0-0-0
Wally was just lazing around in his room at his aunt's house when he heard a knock from the door and his aunt saying that she'll answer it.
"Wally! Someone's here to see you!"
Confused at who was at the door, he walked down the stairs, mindful to not use his powers just in case it was a classmate of his when he saw Robin standing there with a duffle bag slung over her shoulder and her signature glasses on her face.
"Rob? What are you doing here?" the ginger asked as he led the younger inside. "Why are your eyes red? What happened?"
"I'm sorry to disturb you Aunt Iris but is it okay if Wally and I have a sleepover tonight?" Robin asked, not answering her best friend's answers just yet.
"Of course, sweetheart," Iris said, looking shocked at the thirteen-year-old. "You can stay here as long as you like, have you eaten dinner already?"
"Yeah, thank you," Robin said in gratitude.
Wally wordlessly led the younger into his bedroom before closing the door shut quietly behind them. Before he can ask more, he felt two arms wrap around him. He quickly returned the hug and led Robin to his bed, sitting down while not breaking the hug just yet.
"I know I've been bothering you about having another hangout soon but not like this, you okay?" Wally asked in concern.
The speedster felt the girl nod but didn't speak about it. "Do you wanna talk about it?"
"Dami said he thinks I'm not capable enough to be on my own," the younger spoke up.
"Wait, what?" Wally asked in shock. "Are we talking about the same 'Dami'? Your overprotective older brother Dami? That Dami?"
"Yeah, my brothers have been wanting to talk to me for a while about the whole CADMUS thing on Independence and when I started getting angry at them, he said that," Robin explained.
Wally stayed quiet for a while before speaking up once more. "Well, I don't know why your brothers did what they did but I do know one thing," Wally said as he rubbed his arms up and down her back, trying to comfort her. "They care about you. I don't know why or how them lying to you was a good idea but they have their reasons and I know for a fact that they'll do anything to protect you and keep you safe, even if it means making you hate them. Damian probably just said that cause he knew you were going to get mad at them cause he would prefer you to be mad at them than feeling hurt because of them. Have you seen the way he treats you? He treats everyone like the plague while he treats you like a princess. He cares for you, Rob, they all do."
When the younger continued to stay quiet, he knew that he won her over. "I would have asked if you wanted to play some video games or some movies but Aunt Iris would kill me since we both have school tomorrow," the speedster tried to joke. Robin giggled quietly at this and broke the hug.
"Thanks, Wally," she said. "I needed that. I'm sorry for going here without texting you beforehand."
"It's fine, wasn't like I was doing anything anyway," Wally waved off. "By the way, how are you going to school tomorrow? Your school just started and I highly doubt you'll skip school."
"I'll leave the same time I get up for school, I'll just take a zeta-beam back to Gotham and walk to school," Robin explained her plan.
"You sure? Does anyone know you're here?" Wally questioned.
"I told Alfred that I'll be at school tomorrow so he'll know to pick me up and I'm pretty sure my brothers saw me leave but no, they don't know I'm here," the younger confessed.
The speedster sighed but nodded, "We should probably prepare to go to bed, I'll walk you tomorrow to the zeta-beam before I head to school."
0-0-0-0-0-0
Barry opened the door quietly and saw the two teenagers passed out, the two of them sound asleep. Sighing, he closed the door and saw his wife looking over him worriedly. When Iris texted him earlier about Robin being at their house, asking for a sleepover, confused the speedster to a whole new level but seeing that said teenager was indeed there and sleeping on the floor bed of his nephew's room, there was no questioning why the thirteen-year-old suddenly showed up to their home asking to stay the night.
"I need to make a call," Barry said as his wife nodded, leaving the hallway and entering the room to give him privacy. The blonde pulled out his phone, going through his contacts as he walked down to his living room.
The phone rang three times before it was picked up.
"Bruce? Yeah, I need to talk to you… Yeah, she's sleeping on the floor bed in Wally's room right now. We need to talk."