Title: Flying to Redemption
Genre: Crime, Romance, Supernatural, Family, Friendship, Hurt/ Comfort, Angst
Pairing: Bruce Wayne X Dick Grayson (OC Semi Self-Insert)
Summary: It was only as he stared at his new guardian dressed as a giant bat that he realised that he had not simply been reborn. No, it was much worst.
Warning: Slash (Yaoi, Boy X Boy…), Reincarnation, Semi Self-Insert, OC as Dick Grayson (Sort of), Age Difference, OOC! Dick Grayson, Bat Family will not include Cass and Steph, Follows its own timeline (This is mostly its own dimension, different from anything seen in the comics but also holds similarities). Endgame BruDick but Dick will have other relationships before

Chapter Sixteen – Dick's Teen Years: The First Negotiations Part 6

"Now, tell me again why you thought it would be a good idea to infiltrate Cadmus without backup."

Batman's voice was carefully controlled in such a way Dick knew that he was only a hair's breath away from shouting. Bruce was furious and to be honest, Dick could understand why. However, he also knew that he had made a good judgement when he had decided to use the fire as an excuse to infiltrate Cadmus Labs.

The whole team plus one Superboy, clone of Superman, and the Leaguers that had come to their rescue had all retreated back to the teenagers' base after dealing with Cadmus and the press. The four were facing the adults in a poor imitation of when they had first been scolded by them when they had gone on that mission so long ago that had them forming the team of young heroes in the first place. Except this time, instead of Speedy, they had a young clone with them, one who was trying to hide behind Aqualad while Superman shot him perplexed and uneasy frowns.

They had all decided unanimously that it would be best to deal with this mess in the privacy of the base instead of in front of the public. And so, there they were, again having to justify themselves in front of the adults. However, unlike last time, Robin knew he was absolutely in the right and he was not going to allow himself just passively accept Batman's criticism. That would do more harm than good for the team. After all, he of all people knew that he had made the right call and he would not allow Bruce to make him feel guilty for going on a mission that was of higher rank than they were cleared for. Even if it was – mostly – an accident.

The League's trust in the young heroes was not misplaced and he would not allow Bruce to doubt him. The man had decided to trust him after their previous disagreement. He could not go back on his word now and Dick was going to prove to him that they were capable heroes despite their age. He could not allow Bruce's overprotectiveness ruin everything he had worked so hard for.

"If we had waited, they would have enough time to remove everything or hide anything incriminating and we would have lost our chance," Robin explained evenly. He knew that Batman knew his reason, he was not stupid, but the man was also so far gone in his anger and overprotective instincts that he was either ignoring his reasons or needed reminding.

"You could have waited long enough for back up to reach you before going down."

"It would have ruined the whole operation!" Robin protested. "With the Justice League present we would not have been able to infiltrate the lab. The press would get in the way and the attention the League gets in this type of situation would have given them time to see us coming. Our team, as one not yet known to work together and even underestimated because of our age, they never would have known we were coming."

"Be that as it may, you should not have engaged in combat if what you wanted was only information."

"We were planning on doing only recon but then…" Robin turned to Superboy, the other heroes standing around them awkwardly watching the Dynamic Duo's discussion. Superboy shifted from where he was standing beside Aqualad, clenching his jaw at the looks the adult heroes were giving him. Nothing had yet been addressed or explained about him so his presence was not only a mystery but also a curiosity. Superman in particular eyed the clone with a confused eye, taking in the obvious similarities between their appearances and the iconic 'S' on his chest.

"Who is this?" Superman finally asked, unable to hold his tongue any longer and since the Dynamic Duo's conversation was finally turned towards the subject of his curiosity, he decided to voice what had been bothering him since they had found the teens at Cadmus.

Superboy stepped forward and replied, voice flat and in the same monotone as when he had said the same thing to the young team, "I am Superboy, Superman's clone, born to replace him should he perish or defeat him should he turn from the light."

"Aaaaand, maybe you shouldn't have said that," Kid Flash winced in the background.

All hell broke loose.

The adults were not happy, especially not Superman, and least of all when all three teens defended the clone vehemently. Superboy had tried to retreat in the background the moment the disgust had crossed Superman's face but his three companions were not going to let that go. All three young heroes defended their decision in getting the clone not only out of the lab but also to follow them. Robin was vicious in the way he shot down all reasons the clone was to be taken away. It was clear he had already prepared his case on the way back to headquarters and both Kid Flash and Aqualad made sure to make it known that they both had his back.

The adults were completely blindsided by the youngsters and it did not even take hours of parrying their words before the League was forced to accept that the kids had adopted the clone and nothing was going to make the change their minds. Despite their reluctant acceptance, however, they were going to monitor the situation with the clone to ascertain they were not simply allowing an unknown, and possible threat, close to the youngsters.

When the adults were finally ushered out of their headquarters and the youngsters were left alone – thought not without a lot of reluctance from the League – Kid Flash, Aqualad and Robin heaved a collective sigh. It was a fight they had not been ready for but it was also one they could not allow the adults to walk over them for. They had taken a decision when they had met Superboy and they were going to stand by it, especially since they were already attached to the clone.

"What now?" Kid Flash in the silence as the three eyed each other, Superboy trying fade into the background.

"Now…" Robin glanced at Superboy before turning to his two teammates with resolve, "We get to know our new teammate. We can have the rest of the weekend to have a sleepover and make Superboy comfortable in headquarters."

"Good idea, Robin," Aqualad nodded. "What do you say, Superboy?"

Superboy shifted uncomfortably on his feet and gave Aqualad an uncertain look. "… But Superman… he is right. I am not a real person. Why… do you want me here? Maybe… I should go back to Cadmus?"

"Whoa, hey, no!" Kid Flash appeared in front of the clone, hands fluttering around nervously as he tried to placate the clone. "Superman is wrong. You don't have to go back to Cadmus."

"Yes, Superboy, you are our friend," Aqualad added gently, coming to rest a comforting hand on Superboy's shoulder. The clone hunched in on himself but did not pull himself away from Aqualad's hold. "We want you here with us and whatever Superman says, you are a person."

"Aqualad is right," Robin said, voice firm. He stepped forward and came to stand in front of the clone beside his two other teammates who instinctively made room for him between them. "Screw what Superman says. You might be a clone but we chose to have you as a teammate. You're our friend. You're ours and no one can say otherwise." The look on his face was one neither Aqualad nor Kid Flash had seen before but both felt that it resonated deeply with how they were also feeling at that moment.

With the three of them standing in front of him like this as a united front, Superboy unconsciously straightened and he felt slightly surer of himself than since they had left Cadmus Lab.

Whatever came after, they had each other's back.

(Later when they were preparing dinner, Kid Flash glanced at Robin, "That's the first time I heard you swear, Rob."

For the first time since they had known each other, Robin froze. Unfortunately, that also brought the attention of a worried Aqualad and a confused Superboy.

"…Don't tell Batman." He finally settled for.

Kid Flash snickered. "Sure, buddy."

Aqualad hid a smile and turned away and back at where he was teaching Superboy how to crack an egg.)

The four spent the weekend in headquarters to get Superboy used to the place and make him comfortable. They got to know each other more by teaching him how to be a teenager. Superboy was very knowledgeable about facts. He knew everything one could learn at school and more. He was an intelligent individual. The only thing he was lacking was experience of life because while his brain had all this knowledge, it was more akin to a computer: he knew without feeling. And that was what the teen heroes were going to teach him. There was only so much they could do in one weekend though and on Sunday night they needed to go back to their own civilian lives.

Uncomfortable to leave Superboy alone – not because they did not trust him but because this would be the first time he would be alone since they had busted him out of Cadmus – Robin gave him a phone to contact them during the day if he needed anything or just wanted to talk. He taught him how to use it and the three other teens encouraged him to use it during the day to contact them at any time. They would of course be seeing each other every afternoon for training with Canary but they still wanted to make sure Superboy was comfortable and knew that they were there for him at any time.

Superboy was their responsibility and despite all the knowledge he had in his brain, he was still a child in many ways due to how he still knew so little about real life. They were the ones to bring him into this new life away from Cadmus. The least they could do was make sure he learned how to be a person instead of a lab subject.

They could not, however, do this all alone. Though they were confident in their abilities as teenaged heroes, they knew their limits. They were teenagers themselves and there were so much they could not teach Superboy since they were still learning themselves.

(Robin's situation was different but he had come to realise as the years went by that while he had the memories of an adult, his situation was unique enough that he still had much to learn. Even adult him – her – still had much to learn after all and it was better to bring in someone who knew what to do than screw everything up with Superboy when his situation was already delicate.)

While they were technically independent from the Justice League, they were still their mentors' responsibility themselves. However, after their negative reception when they had taken Superboy with them, they were leery of bringing the adults in. The League insisted on having someone check up on them after their disastrous last mission. Black Canary's inclusion was going to be inevitable but their relationship with her was more professional since not only would they see her only on the week days, she was also their main trainer.

They all knew that the only reason they were allowed to stay unsupervised with Superboy for the weekend was because Batman was using their headquarters' system to check up on them, as Robin had informed them. This was not going to hold up for long though and their relative privacy was allowed only because this was a delicate situation. They knew that the League was going to insist on having an adult personally check up on them soon enough.

After discussing the matter together, Robin proposed the Martian Manhunter as the one to check up on them. The Martian had a calm and kind disposition, and never before had he treated any of them like irresponsible and naïve children. They knew that despite the fact that they were trying to teach Superboy as much as they could about living life as a person, they were just teenagers. It would be good for Superboy to have an adult he could rely on and since Manhunter was not any of their own mentors, he would make Superboy comfortable. It would be best not to inadvertently make him distrustful of adults because of this situation. Besides, who better to teach a clone to integrate human society than an alien that had to learn how to himself?

Robin informed the League of their decision on Saturday night, asking to have the Martian Manhunter join them on Sunday to get Superboy comfortable with the man, if he was free the following day. Since they were the ones to reach out to the League, they were also proving to the adults that not only were they serious about Superboy, but they were also responsible enough to know when they needed to call for help. They showed that they knew what they were doing and had not just been throwing a tantrum when they had vehemently argued to defend themselves about Superboy.

This way at least they could show that the adults' trust in them was not completely unfounded. They were still a new team so they had not yet proven themselves before the League. They had not yet proven that they could work independently from them and as a team. Since their first mission had turned out to be such a disaster, there were definitely some of the League that were sceptical about the team, but the teens were going to prove themselves. And to start with, the young team wanted to show that they were not arrogant enough to think they could do everything alone and that they knew when they were taking on too much on themselves.

On Sunday, when the Martian Manhunter arrived at their headquarters, he followed the sound of chatter and running water to find the four of them in the kitchen. Kid Flash and Superboy were doing the dishes, with Kid Flash gently teaching Superboy how to, which was also not without a few broken plates when Superboy forgot to control his strength. Kid Flash was patient with him, never reprimanding him for his mistakes and instead turning the situation into jokes to put the clone more at ease when he started to feel self-conscious. Aqualad was putting everything away – food and dishes – and Robin was sweeping the floor for the mess they had made.

When the Martian Manhunter appeared at the kitchen entrance, he stood a moment observing the teenagers as they worked. They were young and yet it was clear that that did not equal to irresponsible.

"Good morning, Martian Manhunter," Robin, as he was wont to do much like his mentor, was the first to notice his arrival. He had noticed since he had entered their headquarters but he had kept his silence long enough to allow the Martian to make his own observations. The other teenagers gave their own greetings when they noticed him, though Superboy seemed to eye the Martian warily. It was not like J'onn could fault him; he was after all a relative unknown to him and Superboy had not had the best first impression of the Justice League when they had met.

"Good morning, everyone," he greeted back. "I see you are just about done with breakfast."

"Yes. Have you already eaten?" Robin asked. "Would you like something to eat?"

J'onn gave him a smile. "No, thank you, Robin. I have already eaten before coming."

Robin nodded. "We'll finish up here and be with you in a second."

"Of course. Take your time. I can wait."

Since they were almost already done, it only took the teens couple of minutes to wrap up before they made their way to the living area.

"Thank you for coming today," Robin nodded at him when they settled on the couches. Turning to Superboy, he said, "Superboy, meet Martian Manhunter of the Justice League."

"It is good to meet you, Superboy," Manhunter nodded in the clone's direction. Said clone did not reply and only eyed him warily. While Superboy had known the Martian was coming since they had discussed this together when the team had made the decision, that did not mean he was not wary of the man. He had not had the best reaction from the rest of the League so far and the only ones to have been kind to him were only teenagers. The adult in their midst made him uncomfortable even though he had been assured that Manhunter was also kind.

"We were thinking about going to the park today," Aqualad said. "We can spend the time to relax and get to know each other."

"Good idea, Aqualad," Manhunter replied with an approving smile. "Should we go?"

"Um…" Kid Flash hesitated. "I don't think we'll blend in much if you go looking like that," he pointed out hesitatingly, eyeing his green skin.

"That will not be a problem," Manhunter chuckled. A moment later, his body morphed in front of them, his skin gaining a darker tint, features becoming more human and less alien, and his clothes changing from his Superhero getup to more casual, civilian clothes.

"Cool," Kid Flash breathed.

Later, after spending a few hours ensuring Superboy was comfortable with Manhunter, Robin, dressed in his own civilian clothes and sunglasses – enchanted to make his features forgettable and unrecognizable by Zatanna Zatara, a childhood friend of Bruce and a new League member – sidled up to Manhunter. They both watched as Aqualad and Kid Flash showed Superboy the ducks in the lake. They had spent hours showing Superboy around and how to react like a human boy, and Robin used this moment of relative privacy to talk to Manhunter. He knew Superboy was likely going to hear their conversation but he did not mind since this was about him anyway and he deserved to know.

"Thank you for doing this, J'onn," Robin said, smiling when Kid Flash let out a squawk loud enough to be heard where they were standing when Aqualad splashed him when he was not looking.

"Of course, Robin," Manhunter replied. "I am glad to help any way I can."

"So, what do you think of him?"

Manhunter took a moment to think, taking in the playing teenagers before he replied, "He is a kind child with a lot to learn about the world."

Robin smiled gently. "Yes, he is."

J'onn turned to look down at him and added, "It is good that you three have taken responsibility of him. I can see that it is good for him and for you all. You are doing well and the others will see this soon. Some already do."

"You think?" he asked quietly, looking up at the disguised Martian.

"I know. They are simply uncomfortable because you are all so young. But they will learn. You have all done well so far, better even than they were expecting. Give them time and they will all come around."

Robin pondered on what he had said. "Thank you."

After a moment of comfortable silence, Manhunter asked, "There was another reason you wanted me here, didn't you?"

"Yeah…" Robin watched his friends, taking in the small smile on Superboy's face before saying, "Superboy is only a few weeks old. I was not able to go through all the data I took from the lab yet but, like he has already told us, everything he has learned and know come from what the genomorphs taught him or… to be more accurate, what they put in his mind. Through telepathy."

"And you are worried."

"Yes. Superboy is good and wants to do good."

"And you want to ensure he remains good?"

Robin turned completely towards the Martian and replied, voice firm, completely missing when Superboy abruptly froze and turned his head towards them "I want to ensure that his mind remains his own and to protect him if someone wants to… use him. He is his own person and deserves to make his own decisions. If he gets more comfortable with you, I want to ask him if he would allow you to check if the genomorphs have not put something harmful in his mind, like a hidden command or a geas."

"I see."

Turning back to his friends, he found Superboy's complete attention on him. He added, mostly for Superboy's sake, "But only if he wants you to." He had already discussed the situation with Superboy to let him know that it was an option but he had also made sure to impress on the clone that it was all his decision. It he did not want J'onn to riffle through his mind, then he would not be made to.

AN: Right now, like I said before, Superboy is more like a kid. Unlike in Young Justice Cartoon he does not react to Superman's rejection with anger because of the way the team treat to him.

Next, the team adjust to having Superboy with them, mission and then they'll confront Roy.

Hope you like it so far.

Leave behind your thoughts.

Leight