(Diana's P.O.V)

"Master Wayne is just down there to the left".

"Thank you Alfred, I won't be long".

"Not to worry Mrs. Prince, take as long as you need".

"Call me Diana Alfred, we are friend's, friends call each other by their first names".

"As you wish, Diana".

I shot Alfred a wide smile and turned to face the direction in which Bruce was currently immersed in something he was reading.

"Locked up in the bat cave I see, how long has it been since you slept"?

I watched Bruce's tired face turn to me as I sat in a chair opposite him, with a smile.

"Too long I assume".

I shook my head at him, as he downed a mug of what I assumed to be coffee.

"What are you working on then that's got you stuck down here"?

He sighed and looked over his monitor screen before turning back to face me.

"Barry stuff".

"Ahh is this about what we discussed a week ago, or.."?

"Well yes and no, I mean obviously were all working to help the kid, but I couldn't help but wonder about what Arthur said a few days ago".

"Which Was"? I asked, not entirely sure what Arthur could have said to cause Bruce to hibernate in his little bat cave.

"Well it's just about the way the kid interacts with food, or with other people sometimes, things that I've noticed too, but my suspicion got the best of me and I started digging a little deeper".

I nodded to assure him that I was listening and Bruce continued.

"He eats like, like he's scared someone's gonna take it away, and he doesn't accept help easily, like he's unsure, I don't know but I was looking into his past and apparently at 12 he was sent to a home, in an orphanage but not a permanent residence either. He ended up staying there for 2 years, and was only taken out because charges against the foster parent's apparent abusive behavior got out, and word spread".

I sucked in a breath, terrified of what Barry could have gone through in that home.

"So you are saying.."

"I'm saying the kid was abused, pretty badly too".

Bruce handed me a tablet and as I looked down my heart sank.

"HOME OF OVER 8 FOSTER CHILDREN FACES ALLEGATIONS OF ABUSE AND CHILD NEGLECT"

The picture below had 3 kids standing awkwardly as if they were caught in the middle of their day and had to pose for a photo.

On the right was a kid no older than 6 who had his hair shaven down to his scalp and a large scrape across his forehead. The middle child was tiny and skinny but was older than the other 13 maybe, his hair was also shaven down to his scalp except for instead of a cut on his forehead there was a sling on his left arm and a busted open lip, which looked as if it had happened recently. The 3rd and oldest of the 3 boy's was one I recognized as Barry.

I gasped at how skinny he was almost skin and bones and his hair although short was longer than the other 2. He had a swollen black eye, and a few small cuts on his face but the saddest thing wasn't the fact that he was underweight, sick, or bruised, it was the wide grin he wore on his face. Even after 2 years of apparent abuse Barry was still smiling and it made me sick.

"When was this taken"? I asked barely concealing the anger and sadness in my voice.

"Nearly 8 years ago, supposedly Barry was moved to an orphanage where he stayed until he turned 18, but I don't even know if he was better off there since that orphanage has since been taken down, for unsanitary and unsafe living conditions".

"Sometime's life is so unfair, poor Barry".

Bruce didn't say anything else and instead just stared down at the floor of the room.

"I'm worried about how he's getting by on his own, I mean the kid works 3 job's lives in a warehouse, and is a superhero. That's a lot of responsibility for someone so young".

"Is he not staying at the hall of Justice"? I asked slightly confused as I was certain he was with Clark at the moment.

"He is but only for the winter, his warehouse gets too cold so he'll be out in the next month or so".

"And you're worried about his health".

"I'm worried about everything, I ran scans and the kid is nearly 15 pound's underweight, I just don't think he's getting by as well as he says he is, at the very least he's not eating enough."

I rubbed a hand through my hair as I got up and paced the room.

"You know you could always offer Barry a permanent residence at the hall of justice, that way he stays fed and safe".

I watched as Bruce shook his head and sighed.

"The kid won't accept that, you know how he gets when people offer him anything, he just… he won't accept it, he'll try to prove that he's fine. That's why we're keeping our meetings about him a secret".

I nodded in agreement having seen first hand how independent Barry tries to be.

We stayed silent for several moments before I turned to Bruce to speak, although it seemed he had gathered the courage at the same time and was first to ask.

"I'm sorry about that whole Barry thing, anyway what was it that you came to tell me"?

"Right, well Victor contacted me about strange energy readings located within Northern Ontario Canada. He wanted to check them out yesterday but found nothing, to be sure though he wants one or two of us to stay up north for a while, make sure nothing strange is going on. Since you're our leader, I thought it should be you who decided who goes and stays".

I handed Bruce the map of the location which I had nearly forgotten about and watched as he took it with interest.

"You said these were recent".

"Yes".

"How recent"?

"Victor informed me about them last night, so I would say within the last 48 hours".

"Interesting, I'll send someone to check it out, thank's Diana".

"It was my pleasure, If you would like I can go and stay for a few day's".

"Yeah that would be great, but you are not going alone".

"Bruce I am perfectly capable of taking care of myself, it's probably nothing". I insisted as he handed me back the paper of the location.

"I wasn't sending someone to help you, I was sending someone so you could help them".

I eyed Bruce curiously.

"I'll get Alfred to contact the Hall of Justice, cause Barry's coming with you".

Wow I'm pretty surprised how many views this story has already gotten, but I wouldn't mind seeing a few review's since it always makes my day. I'm pretty sure I have a more cleared out plan for the next few chapter's, but I wanted to get some of Barry's history to come into light, hopefully it was interesting.