Warning: Major Dick/Bruce angst and just a teeny bit of fluff in this chapter.

Chapter 13

In another dimension:

"I really can't believe you pulled that crap! What do you want, Clark? To lose him?" Black Canary demanded. As soon as the screen had gone dark, she'd pounced on the man of steel.

"If that's where he wants to be I don't see why we should stop him." Superman countered. Why was everyone trying to make him the bad guy?

"So we just give him the green light. Let the whole team know that we're perfectly okay with them staying there. Letting them know we don't care? Have you lost your mind?" It was moments like this that she wished she had Diana's strength. Maybe what he needed was a sharp punch to the nose to set him straight.

"He isn't my son, Dinah. I didn't create him! I don't understand why everyone is making me the enemy! I haven't done anything wrong!" Superman attempted to defend himself.

"Wally isn't my son either!" Flash stepped in. "But guess what Clark, I got a phone call from Roy telling me that Wally was being hurt, I stepped in! I barely knew the kid, fresh into my marriage and nowhere ready for a child but guess what? I stepped up. And I don't regret a single second of it."

"I don't have time-"

"Bruce isn't running a billion dollar company? Barry isn't working a full time job, taking care of a wife? Orin isn't running his kingdom? I don't have a day job? And yet I'm here day in, day out playing den mom to your kid! No! That's not okay!"

"He's not my kid!"

"Blood ties don't matter Clark! Wally isn't my son but he's a part of me! Conner is a part of you whether you like it or not!" Barry looked about ready to throttle the man.

"The other Superman is right about one thing, the boy needs to be trained." Batman stepped in. "His power will get out of hand if left unchecked."

"Then let him train him. If he's so willing, let him do it!" Superman snapped.

"You're unbelievable! It's no wonder the kid feels so unwanted. You're being such an asshole!" Black canary fought back her urge to scream.

"I'm not being any different than usual."

"You love Robin, never treated him this way before. You've even let him stay at your apartment before." Barry didn't understand what was so different.

"I'll be training my replacement! Don't you people understand what he was created for? He was created to replace me!"

"Kaldur'ahm is the son of my enemy, of my greatest foe and yet I still care deeply for him. I cannot fault him for his father's sins just as you cannot fault Superboy for his creation. It is not as if he has made a distinct effort to take you position. He just wishes to be cared for and loved. Can you not find it in your heart to even try?" Aquaman asked lightly. "In reality, he is not asking you for much. Just family and compassion. It comes with practice."

"But first you have to be willing to practice and you sir, are going to practice. I will call Lois in on this if necessary." Black Canary growled threateningly. Superman looked around to see he had been surrounded by his fellow Leaguers. Even Blue Beetle looked rather peeved at him.

"You are going to fight for your son," Black Canary stuck her index finger in his face for the second time that day, "or I will make you regret it."

Clark gulped audibly and finally gave up under the pressure. "Fine! I'll try to do better."

"You'll do more than try. We've practically got a custody battle on our hands and you'd better hope you win." Batman said blandly.

Clark wanted to slap himself. How was he supposed to get the boy to like him after all of this?

YJ

In another dimension:

"Going out on your own again? I thought you would have learned from last time and what happened on the ship." Dick Grayson sat atop the one of the banisters in the foyer. He could hear Batman shuffling about, getting ready to go on patrol.

"And I told you, I patrol alone."

"Worked out really great before didn't it?" Dick hopped down to the floor. Bruce sighed audibly. God, it was like talking to a six year old with that kid.

"I am going out on patrol. You will stay here. You will not leave this house. If I have to lock you in your room, I will." Bruce growled.

"I'd like to see you try. You've taught me how to get out of about any trap. A locked door won't stop me." Dick stood tall, unbothered by the signature bat-glare. "Now, I'm going to get suited up and we can go out together."

"No! What part of no do you not understand!"

"Any of it! Why do you keep treating me like this?" Robin stomped his foot like a petulant child.

Batman was close to just locking the kid up and praying he never got loose.

"That's none of your concern. You need to go upstairs and settle down. I don't care what Clark said, I will ship you back to him if necessary." He assured the boy. Robin cried in out in outrage as he was grabbed and yanked up the stairs. Bruce threw him into his bedroom and pulled the door shut.

"You can't do this! You just can't! You'll regret it!" Robin shouted through the doorway.

"I'll regret no such thing. Alfred will stay here to make sure you remain inside. Goodnight Robin." Bruce replied brusquely. Alfred shot him a disappointed look.

"Are you sure this is the best way to go about handling the situation, Master Bruce?" The elder Englishman asked.

"At this point, I really don't care."

"He's not an animal or a pet. You can't just lock him up and assume the problem will go away. He requires attention. An apparently after being so close yet so far away from his version of you, I'd imagine he needs it even more. You could stand show a bit of compassion towards him." Alfred took his place in front of the door. He could only advise, not command and if Bruce really wanted to leave the boy locked up, then he would have to do his duty as a butler.

"I will consider it when I return. For now, just watch him, Alfred. Make sure he doesn't cause too much havoc."

"I assure you, that won't be the case."

"Good night then."

"I will see you when you return, Master Bruce."

YJ

"Master Richard? Are you awake?" Alfred tapped on the door a few hours later. Bruce had long since returned to the manor and was sitting down to eat dinner. "Dinner had been prepared if you're hungry." He tried again.

"I'm not hungry Alfred." Dick answered quietly.

"It has been quite some time since you ate. I don't think your mentor would be happy if we allowed you to starve. Please, I assure you everything is delicious. If you don't wish to come out, at least allow me to bring you something."

"No. Leave me alone."

"Master Richard-"

"I DO NOT LIVE HERE!" Alfred balked slightly at the boy's tone.

"Oh my, this is much worse that I had originally anticipated." He said quietly to himself. He was going to have to convince Bruce to stop behaving like a child and at least try to interact with the boy.

When the butler arrived downstairs, Bruce was still eating his dinner and sipping a glass of wine.

"I'm going to assume that since you're alone, he refused." He observed.

"He claims he is not hungry."

"Well then perhaps we'll have to just lock the pantries at night. That will teach him to refuse an invitation."

"I must express my apprehension at that course of action, Master Bruce. I believe that will get us nowhere with him. He requires a gentler touch. Perhaps if you were to invite him dinner yourself instead of sending me? That might convey a better and more welcoming message. Of course, it is only a suggestion." Alfred merely shrugged his shoulders trying to appear distant to the situation. Bruce quirked and eyebrow, picking up on the man's apparent discomfort.

"Do you honestly believe that will work?" he asked.

"It is one of the few things we have not tried. I would feel much better if we could get the boy to eat something." Alfred affirmed. Bruce sighed deeply and considered his options. He could leave the boy alone to starve and risk Clark's wrath or he could attempt to reach out to the boy. Suddenly the wrath of the man of steel did not seem so bad.

Finally, Bruce stood from his seat and made his way to the stairs. He silently prayed the boy would not put up too much of a fight.

He stood outside of Richard's door for what seemed like hours, staring at the wood.

"Are you going to knock, Master Bruce?" Alfred asked quietly.

"I was getting to that."

"Then by all means." Alfred gestured to the door. "Go on." Bruce huffed lightly and knocked slightly on the door.

"Robin?" He called.

"Go away!"

"Fine then!"

"Master Bruce! You cannot give up on child after one try. Again. And more gently this time." Alfred pushed.

Bruce shot the elder man a scathing look but nonetheless, knocked again.

"Robin-"

"Use his name." Alfred cut him off.

"Richard," Bruce tried testily, "will you please come downstairs and eat?"

"Go to hell!"

"You go first you miserable little-"

"Master Bruce! I would like to remind you that he is the child in this situation." Alfred warned. Bruce pinched his brow distractedly and sighed.

"I will not play this game with you boy. Either you eat when dinner is served or you don't eat at all!"

"Then I'll happily starve!" Robin cried through the wooden doorway.

"Good then, one less mouth to feed." Bruce snapped back.

"Fine!" Alfred wanted to smack himself. He had never seen his ward act so immature. Was the other Bruce anything like this?

Bruce turned on his heel and marched away from the door. "Make sure he stays in there. I don't need any more trouble than I already have and Clark would just make things worse."

"Master Bruce…"

"It's over Alfred, the boy has made his decision. Let's let him stick with it."

YJ

A while later, Alfred could hear a subtle tremble coming from inside the room. "Master Richard? Is everything alright in there?"

"I'm fine. Just peachy." Came the boy's dejected reply.

"Do you mind if I open the door?"

"No, hold on a second." Alfred could hear the child shuffling around before the door was open. He was met with the face of a mask-less Dick Grayson. His nose and cheeks were a little red but it was clear enough: the boy had been crying.

"My dear boy…come downstairs. Let's get you some hot chocolate." Alfred stuck out a gloved hand.

"Bruce will be angry with you. He gave you strict instructions." Dick protested.

"What he doesn't know won't hurt him. Come along." Robin shook his head at the outstretched hand but followed any way. Alfred led him down the maze of staircases and into the kitchen. "Here, sit down. I'll just put some water on to boil."

"Thank you Alfred. I'm sorry I shouted at you earlier. I was upset." Dick apologized after he sat down at one of the small kitchen tables.

"It is quite okay. I remember Master Bruce when he was your age. It is not something I have not experienced before." He set a steaming mug of hot chocolate and a warm plate of food in front of the boy. "Do not lie to me and say you are not hungry. Eat." Dick stared at the plate for a long time and sighed.

"He's going to kill you."

"No he won't. If he wanted to, he would have done it by now. Right Master Bruce?" Bruce Wayne cursed his butler's ability to sense his presence. He stepped out of the shadows and into the boy's line of sight.

"I'll go back upstairs." Dick said hurriedly.

"No you will not. Sit down and eat." Alfred said authoritatively.

Bruce said nothing as he sat down across from the boy. Robin refused to meet his eyes. It was clear there was going to be a standoff. Alfred attempted to break the tension.

"Master Clark called. Apparently he is looking for a larger apartment. I was not aware he wanted Superboy to remain he permanently." He said.

"He's staying." Bruce said suddenly.

"Conner can do whatever he wants. It's not up to you." Bruce's fists clenched at Robin's tone.

"The universe has a rather delicate balance. We cannot upset it whether we like it or not. We have to deal with what is dealt to us." He said.

"It doesn't have to be that way."

"Haven't you ever heard the saying 'life isn't fair'? Not all of us have had quite a cushy childhood."

Robin felt the sadness welling up in him again. Who was this man that sat in front of him? It couldn't be Bruce. It just couldn't be.

"With all due respect, I know all about life being unfair." He replied quietly.

"Oh really?" Bruce shook his head. Why on earth had his other self taken in a child? Especially this child. Clearly the boy had no respect for boundaries, a rule breaker, and extremely disrespectful.

"Yes really. You aren't the only one who saw your parents die." Bruce flinched sharply at the words. Dick lurched to his feet and raced from the room. Bruce could hear the bedroom door slam loudly.

"My word…what have you gotten yourself into this time Master Bruce?" Alfred asked.

"He saw his parents die." Bruce echoed.

"Much like yourself. No wonder the other you felt such a strong attachment. You are much the same. I assume you know what you have to do now?"

"And what is that?"

"It is clear he does not want to speak to the hero. He wants to speak to the man. Go to him as Bruce Wayne, not as Batman."

YJ

For the second time that night, Bruce Wayne stood outside his would-be ward's door for what seemed like ages. This time, he did not have Alfred to egg him on. Finally, he knocked on the door.

"Rob-Richard." He called.

The door swung open. "What do you want?" Dick asked.

"I wanted to speak with you."

"I'll go back to the Watch Tower. It's obvious this isn't going to change and I'm sick of it." Robin said quickly. He had already gathered his things and cleaned the room.

"You don't have to leave." Bruce sighed. "I haven't been entirely fair."

"No, you haven't."

"I didn't realize-"

"You didn't ask." Bruce could feel his temper flaring at the boy's attitude again. He slowly attempted to quell it.

"I did not. I normally don't like to ask too many questions." Robin snorted at that.

"You're the world's greatest detective. Of course you ask questions."

"Robin…"

"What do you want me to say? Do you want me to lie and say I suddenly forgive you or something? No! You've treated me like crap since the day I came here. At home, we're teammates. You watch my back and I watch yours. That's how it works. Here, you're just pushing me aside."

"I don't want you to get hurt."

"I've taken hits before. I've been stabbed, shot, and beaten within an inch of my life. Believe me, I can handle myself. Everyone on my team can."

"I believe you. You clearly seem to have earned my respect in the other world. I…I will try to be better."

Robin looked taken aback by his words. "That…that is all I can ask."

AN: Okay, you guys have officially burned me out. You really will have to wait for the weekend this time.