Summary: Takes place right after the previous chapter

Disclaimer: I don't own DC

"Well, Dick, I can't say I'm ever not happy to see you, but what brings you out here? Long way from Gotham, or Blüdhaven as it was." Dick smiled.

"Let's just say I need a change of scenery for a while, and I was hoping I could find something here." Jack grinned widely.

"Man of mystery, huh? Well, son, you came to the right place. Welcome home." Dick got up and hugged Jack tightly before stepping back and admiring how much the place had changed. "Now, I know it's not really what you left behind, son, but you're still more than free to join the acrobats if that's what you want." He rubbed the back of his neck.

"Actually, Jack…if it's all the same to you, uh, I'm not really sure I wanna participate just yet."

"Really?" The Boy Wonder shrugged sheepishly.

"I'm trying to avoid a team thing right now, guess it's part of that scenery I'm trying to change." He nodded and looked down at the paperwork.

"Well, we've got a pretty packed schedule but I'm sure I can squeeze you in. In the meantime, make yourself at home. We're scheduled to remain here in Chicago for a while, so you've got all the time in the world here." Dick smiled and nodded to who was once the closest thing to his grandfather imaginable.

"Thank you, Jack. For all of this."

As Grayson settled into the small tent he had set up close to Jack's office, he felt his phone buzz. He looked down to see an alarm he had set in his calendar go off, and he smiled before dialing up Tim's number. It only took a few rings for the younger brother to pick up.

"Dick?" His voice was groggy, not completely unexpected given the time.

"Rise and shine, birthday boy." He stood up straight and smiled, running a hand through his hair.

"Thanks." A short silence overtook the two, and Tim cleared his throat. "I…didn't really expect you to remember…"

"You kidding? I could be halfway across the world and I still wouldn't forget." Dick smiled. He had made a promise to himself to never let his suffering or mood impact his family, and even if he wasn't in the best of mindsets right now, he didn't want that to stop him from being there for Tim.

"Are you?" Dick frowned, running a hand through his hair.

"I, uh, I stopped in Chicago right now. Decided to stay with Haly's Circus while they're here. I don't know, this place has had good luck for me before, maybe I'll find something here again. B-but enough about me. Bruce throwing you a party?"

Tim blushed. "Y-yeah, he is…" Dick could practically feel the anxiety flying off his little brother.

"What'd you do?"

"N-nothing! It's just…Cassie kinda…asked me out to dinner today." Dick smiled.

"That's sweet of her. What'd you say?"

"I, uh, I haven't really called her back…"

"Tim." Dick's voice went into its stern big brother mode.

"I'm sorry, okay! B-but this is all so…unexpected. How the hell do I even do a date? WHat do I wear, where do I take her, how do I ensure maximum emotional impact, ho-"

"Stop talking and breathe." Tim shut up. "If she asked you out, that probably means she's interested, right?" Tim rubbed his neck.

"Y-yeah…"

"So just be yourself. She didn't ask out weird fake-classy Tim, she asked out regular Tim. Don't try to be someone you're not." A comfortable silence was soon broken as Dick smirked. "Also, you might wanna avoid Alfred and Bruce if you're planning to…extend your birthday celebration with her." Tim started to cough maniacally, and Grayson bit back a cackle so as to not disrupt his neighbors.

"Shut up!"

"Relax, I'm kidding. You and Cassie are innocent, you'd never do something like that. Not yet, at least."

Tim tried somewhat desperately to change the topic.

"Why can't you give this type of advice to Cass instead?"

"Because she could flip me on my ass and rip out my spine if I teased her. Plus, she's not really in a relationship yet, you are."

"Yeah, well…she's still working up the nerve to talk to that girl, Stephanie from our school. They've been spending a lot of time together."

"Yeah…I'd give it a few weeks." Dick noticed the time on his phone and frowned. "It's getting kinda late, I'm gonna bounce."

"'Kay. I'll call you later." As he hung up, Grayson ran a hand through his hair and smiled.

Being back here, in the circus, it reminded him of his old family, his old life. But that spot in his heart was now filled up by his new family. Sometimes he would stay up and think to himself which one he would choose over the other. Whether he could even make that choice or not.

His parents were the best, and his troupe, the rest of his circus family, they were all practically his siblings. He remembered all the times Clay, the strongman, would lift him up onto his shoulders and carry him around, or how often Janice, the firebreather, would take him out on the town when his parents couldn't. He was always the little brother of the group, everyone protected him and helped raise him in different ways. But now, with Tim, Cass, and sometimes even Barbara, he had the chance to pay that forward and protect others. And for that he was grateful.

Dick couldn't really get himself to sleep, so he opted to explore. The circus had changed quite a bit since his time here.

Not everything was different, some parts of it had stood the test of time. But new decorations, new performance tents, new equipment, and most of all, new people. That last part may have been the most impactful.

As Dick wandered around the circus grounds, he very quickly found himself in the trapeze practice room. Like a moth to a flame.

The moment he stepped inside, he felt the atmosphere change. The weather dropped and the mood darkened. As if the world was telling him to leave. But he wouldn't.

He was tired of running from this. And if this was what it took for him to come to terms with Wally's passing, then so be it.

He could tell a lot of the room had changed. It was new. But some things…some things looked the same.

Dick placed a hand on one of the platform bases, letting the softest of smiles come to him as he spotted the Flying Graysons poster off to the side. Haly still hadn't taken that one down, it would be forever immortalized to preserve their memory. For that, Dick was grateful.

"I miss them, too, kid." He didn't even need to turn around.

"Yeah…they were the best…"

"Your parents were legends, they still are. Just a shame that there aren't many others left who remember who they were."

"Yeah. I…I heard about what Zucco did to the others. Sometimes…sometimes I wish they were still around. Cuz even if just one of them still was…it'd be like a part of my parents was still around, too." Jack smiled.

"Well, Dick, if that's what you're looking for…there is someone you should meet…"

A lot of Dick's friends had been killed many years ago by Tony Zucco. Only Haly, himself, and one of his old troupe remained. Olivia, the animal trainer, probably Dick's first big crush if he had to think about it. She was a year and a half older than him, and was basically his first Barbara. Always looking out for him and always willing to spend time with him.

When he left to live with Bruce, he and Olivia fell out of touch, which he blamed himself for. There just wasn't enough time in the day for him to keep up with his old family. But reconnecting now gave him a chance to fix that.

He had gotten her tent number from Haly, and seeing as how the lights were on, he gently tapped on it. The person who answered him was a tall, beefy man with green eyes and blonde hair. Dick waved awkwardly.

"Uh, hi."

"Hi. Is Olivia around?" He nodded and called for her, and when she got to the entrance Dick smiled. She hadn't changed a bit.

"Hi, can I help you?" Of course she didn't remember him. His fault, he supposed.

"Hey, O." She raised an eyebrow. Nobody had used that nickname in quite some time.

"Do I know you?" He smiled.

"Quadruple backflip, October of 2005." Her eyes widened as she realized who she was talking to.

"Dick Grayson?!" He smiled and nodded, and she practically tackled him to the ground with a hug. He laughed.

"I missed you, too."

"It's been so long! What have you been up to?!" he grinned and helped her to her feet, and the man from before awkwardly cleared his throat. "R-right. Uh, Thomas, this is Dick. Dick, meet my boyfriend, Thomas. He's the strongman." Dick smiled and waved at him, and he nodded in return.

"Olivia told me a lot about you. It's, uh, it's an honor to meet you." He smiled.

"Thanks. Uh, d'ya mind if I take her out for a walk?" He shrugged and kissed the girl before walking back inside, and Dick grinned.

"I'm sorry I couldn't keep in touch too well, things've been kinda…hectic." She nodded.

"No, I get it. I saw you on the news a ton back in the day. But haven't so much anymore."

"Yeah, I moved to Blüdhaven and kinda tried to get out of the spotlight for a bit." She smiled.

"So whaddya do if you're not flipping around like a little gremlin anymore?"

"I'm a detective for the BPD. It's nice, I get to help people now. Feel like that's what my parents would have wanted for me." Olivia grabbed his hand and gave a gentle squeeze.

"They always were pretty proud of you. I know this would make them happy." He smiled. He had forgotten she actually knew them, too.

"Thanks. So, Thomas seems nice." The girl blushed.

"He is. We've been dating for two years now. I think he's gonna propose soon." Grayson wrapped an arm around her shoulders.

"I'm glad, seriously."

"What about you? There a Mrs. Grayson now?" He grimaced.

"That's…a complicated situation."

"Wait, you're not really like all the tabloids say you are, right? Cuz, and I mean this in the nicest way, you never pegged me as a playboy type of guy." He chuckled.

"No, it's just one girl. But she's…we're…we've got a weird story behind us."

"Do you love her?" He smiled.

"More than anything."

"Then you should be with her."

"It's a little more complicated than that."

"Not really, you're just thinking it is so you can make an excuse to stay away. Trust me, I know the feeling."

The pair walked a little farther in silence, leaving Dick to ponder what she had said. Fortunately, it didn't last long.

"Dick, why're you really here? Not that I'm not glad for the reunion, but…something seems to be bothering you. What is it?" Dick frowned.

"I…lost a friend recently. My best friend, actually. And…I don't know, I guess I kinda needed to step away from all that and reexamine some things."

Olivia smiled, hugging him.

"You came to the right place, Dick."

"It's funny, Jack said the same thing. I just hope you guys were right."

Feel free to leave comments or suggestions for chapters you wanna see. Next chapter up soon.