Hey there! I can't believe we're at chapter 8 already... that's just... wow. Thanks for sticking with me! And... do any of you know about Indonesian culture? I'm going to have 2 Indonesian guests over for 9 days for our school's 23rd of April Children's Day Festival. So basically, folk dance groups(around my age)from all around the world come to our school for a little more than a week where they perform their dances at the public schools and important places in the area and the guests stay at the students' homes. I'm so excited!

As always, none of the characters belong to me. They belong to DC and Warner Bros. On with the story!

Dick

Well, I can't delay it any longer... The dimension travellers were a nice distraction, but what in the world am I going to say to Andy? 'Hey, I totally forgive you for years of bullying and that weird assertion of dominance last Monday'? For some reason I don't think that would work... Should I forgive him?...

What would mom do?...'Everyone deserves a second chance, my little robin. If someone's being mean, that means they're dealing with their problems in the wrong way. You should always aid them with their problems, no matter who they are. Because what they need is support, not the hate they're trying to brew.'

Of course she would forgive him, and even help him get through his problems. But... Can I really forgive him for what he's done? Trying to out our identities? Blackmailing Artemis? What if he's just trying to manipulate me?

Gah, I'm never going to find an answer to all of these questions... I guess I'll just have to do it the old fashioned way: an impulsive decision. B would be so mad at me for not planning everything out...

In le morning, Andy's P.O.V

It was a good idea to button up the shirt beforehand this time.

William was still sleeping when I was about to leave. I tried to go into his room, but the stench of alcohol was too strong. Oh, that's right... He got dumped last Friday. Looks like I'm walking to school this time.

He's just not the same... I don't even recognize my brother anymore, I have chronic headaches and I have a chunk of memory missing. A chunk that could be as big as a few months to a few weeks. Or maybe a few days. I can't remember. If Dick decides he doesn't want to accept my apology, I don't blame him. I'm not dumb enough to not know that I'm messed up, I can't even remember a very important event like getting caught by the police!

But if he does... Maybe, just maybe I might regain my memory, and then I'll know what Batman and Robin did to us. Or that weird cop... Wait-cop?(1) Agh-my head hurts... Well, the moment I figure it out I will plan my revenge. They...they turned my brother into an alcoholic love addict! He won't even look at me anymore... It's like he doesn't care.. He still does, though, right?

Well, thank god I'm here already, I can't have my mind running wild like that again... It's not worth it.

General P.O.V

Andy sat down on a bench under a large tree before sighing. Why was he such a huge fuck-up? He felt someone sit next to him.

"Hey." Was that voice...

"Dick?" Andy turned to look at the person sitting next to him.

"That would be me, unless you meant it in... Another way." Dick said, trying to lighten up the mood.

"I-yea..I mean...no." Andy stuttered, and Dick made a sound between giggling and chuckling. It was sincere, and not like those fake snob laughs.

"So..." Dick trailed off.

"I'm sorry." Andy cut in. "I'm sorry for.. For everything, and I get it if you don't want to accept my apology. I know I wouldn't... I just...sorry..." Andy said hastily, sounding dissapointed in himself. Dick's eyes softened.

"Andy... Who said I wasn't going to forgive you? Yea, you did do some douche-y things." Andy winced. "But I'm willing to give you another chance. I can see that you need someone to talk to," Andy looked like he was about to say something, "Your jock group doesn't count. They're not the type of friends one would go to for their problems." Andy looked at the ground. "But as I said, I'm giving you another chance. You can fix things, Andy. And if you need help with that, just tell me." Dick smiled softly, unsure but determined.

Andy was dumbstruck. He could feel red creeping up his cheeks. "Thank you. I..I will." Dick had found it in himself to forgive Andy, and Andy couldn't be...Happier? Well, he hadn't felt that emotion in a while. It was...nice. He found himself unable to contain his own smile.

Artemis' eyes narrowed at the scene in fromt of her. She had just entered so she didn't know what they were talking about, but it looked like Andy had managed to manipulate Dick after all. She shot an icy glare at the back of Andy's head. Well, it looked like she had to confirm her blackmail's validity faster than she had originally planned.

Barbara

Artemis was glaring daggers at something, but what? I followed her line of sight. Needless to say, I wasn't surprised to find Andy Mallory on the receiving end. But the weird thing was that he was blushing sheepishly and sitting next to Dick, who was smiling at him. Smiling. Dick hated Andy, he preyed on the most helpless of freshmen just to feel good about himself. So, what had possesed him to sit with that jackass?

Artemis

I heard Barbara mutter "What the hell?" under her breath... So she was just as clueless as me. Great.

"So Babs, I heard your club was going to have an activity you need to discuss with your club leader..." I winked at her. She grinned.

"But of course, how could I forget?" she said before strolling over to Dick and Andy. I walked over to a nearby tree, I don't need to provoke Andy into releasing the blackmail right now, or this will all be for nothing.

Dick

Barbara came over to us and I felt Andy tense.

"Hey Babs! How's it going?" She made a stealthy hand gesture in the little language we had created for ourselves to communicate during Gotham Academy's famous attempted kidnappings or to formulate plans to get out of awkward situations. 'Cover story'...So I have to go along with whatever she says.

"Oh, nothing much, it's just that I didn't quite get how that competition, you know the one, was supposed to play out. And with you being so clumsy I'm afraid I have to know all the details in case something happens to you." So...she wants to talk in private... I think I have an idea of what she'll tell me. I'm gonna get lectured by my best friend... Great.

"Oh, that one? I didn't tell you already? Darn... Sorry, Babs I must've forgot. So, when do you wanna hear it? It's quite an earful... Mr. Brown wants everything to be perfect." Yep, that sounded natural enough... Probably.

"Well, if I let you be we'll both forget and Mr. Brown will fry us after you break your arm or twist your ankle. So, now would be good." I had to keep myself from snorting, this was pure gold. I heard Andy sigh, that was a weird sound...

"I'll let you guys be, then...Bye?" Andy said unsurely.

"Bye!" I said cheerily. He smiled sheepishly as he walked away. I saw Artemis finally seperate from her tree and walk towards us, unsurprisingly glaring daggers at Andy...

"Hey Artemis!" I said.

"Hey." she replied curtly.

"Is everything alright?" I said, trying to sound as innocent as possible. I think it worked, since her expression softened. I hated playing with her emotions, but I hated seeing her that angry more.

"Yeah, it's just... Someone shoved me on the bus today and I fell down. Hard. Still haven't gotten over it..." she said. Nice cover up, it might've worked if I really was the airhead I portrayed myself to be in public. Barbara was just about to speak when I beat her to it.

"I think I know what you wanna talk about..." I sighed.

"Yes, what in the world were you doing?" Babs said angrily. I gotta admit, I might've cowered a little, but in my defense Babs could be scary when she wanted to be.

"Uh, talking to someone?" I replied sheepishly.

"Talking to who?" she said, raising an eyebrow.

"Andy Mallory?" I said.

"Exactly. Don't you remember what he did last week?" she said, looking at me like I was some Arkham escapee.

"Look, Babs, he apologized. He obviously has some issues and he needs someone to help him sort them out. Look at how everyone's acting towards him! If I don't help him, who will?" I said, exasperated. Before Babs could speak, Artemis cut her off.

"He's obviously manipulating you! Why can't you see that?" she said, making furious hand gestures.

"What if he's not? What if he really needs help? My mom would-would always say that everyone deserved a second chance. That helping troubled people was the right thing to do. She would help him, so I will too." I said, trying not to sound too choked at the end while suppressing a sob. Why do I have to be so emotional? Ugh.

Artemis

"She would help him, so I will too." he sounded so sad at the end... Nice going, Artemis... He was just trying to do the right thing.. How could someone stay so naive and pure-hearted in a place like Gotham? Bruce Wayne might not be as bad of a parent as I originally thought.

"I-sorry..I just-I was just worried." yes, Artemis, stuttering is the most intelligent thing to say... Well, it seemed to have brightened the atmosphere, so I guess I did something right.

"It's alright, I get it." he said. How could he forgive people so easily? He was gonna get hurt... Well, since when do I care? Right. Since I'm risking my secrets being outed just to 'save' him from someone that might have changed their mind after all. Alternate-Robin and Red X were right...

I guess I have just one question left...

Am I doing the right thing?

Le after-school, General P.O.V

The final bell had rung, and Artemis was slowly walking through the hallways, alone, when she heard some footsteps behind her. Sadly, she recognized those footsteps from the day this mess first started... It was Andy Mallory. She turned around sharply.

"What do you want?" she hissed furiously. Andy looked away. He actually seemed quite apologetic, Artemis realized.

"I just... Dick isn't the only person I wronged. I'm...sorry, Artemis." Andy said with utter regret lacing his voice. Artemis's eyes widened. She was trying to find the words to say when Andy nervously shot her a final glance and turned to leave. Artemis was frozen to the spot, still shocked.

She went home not quite believing that the Andy she had seen was the one she had first met. Maybe she would drop by the cave later, but right now she needed time to process everything. And to form a coherent response, because what the hell?

She had the answer to her earlier question, though.

'No, I am not doing the right thing...'

Andy

Artemis looked shell-shocked by my words, but I was still frightened by the venom in her voice. I tried to stay and listen to what she had to say, I swear I did, but it was too much. I barely made it home with my heart pounding in my ears and the familiar headache I had grown to hate.

...as always, William wasn't there. I don't know what I was expecting, honestly. I made it to my room before I collapsed.

Then, I blacked out...

Good night.

Whew. Now, that was an eventful chapter. I hope you enjoyed it and I also hope that some things here made you scratch your head. I wanted Andy's part to be confusing, because I want to emphasize that he's not a normal person. He never was a normal person. A lot of things that he thinks are normal can be worrying or straight up bizarre to us. Did I convey that nicely? Please tell me, I'd love to hear it!

When can you expect the new chapter? I have no idea. That doesn't mean that I'm abandoning this story, though, so don't worry.

(1)You know the last scene from the episode 'The End of The Batman' from 'The Batman' where the Joker dresses up as a cop before gassing Wrath and Scorn in the police car? Yeah, that's the 'cop' Andy is remembering.

PS:I didn't proof-read this. Sorry!