Hey there! Been a while! I haven't abandoned this story, just was having trouble with the next part. I wanted to add a lot more to this, but I just all felt wrong. So this is what you got. Pretty boring really, but things are progressing! There's no Bruce in here though. Sadness. Just as a side note, I was raised in the US Southwest so the school system may not be what you're used to hearing about. I'm partly doing guesswork here, but the basics are from what I know.
Anywho rambling. DNB lives on! I still need to finish rewriting the rest of the teen titans series and intertwining them (the terra part is done, working on the rest) so it's a slow process to posting them. I'm also working on other fics (Tales of Symphonia and Sailor Moon genres to name two) and making sure old ideas don't die. Plus there's RL. Hate it. and mario's taking over my brain too.
So go enjoy this bit. I'll post more soon enough. I'm not done yet! And the more you remind me this exists, the more often i'm likely to think abotu this and make it go forward!
Dick – 17 Jason – 14 Cass – 12 Tim – 10
Back to School
One of the most terrifying and exhilarating days of their lives was that very day: the first day of a new school year. Worst yet, it was the first time any of the Wayne children were not going to the elementary division of Gotham Academy. The only good thing about all of this was that Dick was driving them to school. It was the only place off of the Wayne Estate he could drive to. He was really enjoying the experience.
School and wearing the uniform again when he should have graduated last term? Not so much.
Parking the car in the student lot, Dick twisted around to the others. "Okay, Tim, Cass, try to stick together when we aren't around okay? And-"
"Quit acting like Dad and let us get out of the car Dick." Jason gave him an annoyed look in shotgun as he tried unsuccessfully to open the door. The child lock was on, and in a Wayne car, there was no opening it. "We got the full lecture at home. We don't need to discuss it anymore."
"There's nothing bad about being cautious." The oldest scowled at him momentarily before looking back to their youngest. Tim was two years ahead of his age group, ten years old, and looked even younger. He was an easy target for bullying and getting abducted and just plain getting squished in the masses of people. Cass could handle herself, but Tim? This place would be the greatest social challenge of the century.
"But plenty bad in being a helicopter parent."
"Since when am I a –"
"Just let Babybird spread his wings! And let us out of the car! We're gonna be late to pick up our schedules." Seeing his point, Dick turned the child lock off, which resulted in a mass exodus from his car. "Thanks! Okay! First rule of junior high/high school: on your first day, you always have to pick up your schedule, even if you have it memorized thanks to Dad already. The teachers need proof you are supposed to be there. They'll sign your paper, check you in, blah blah blah. And bwamo! By the end of the day you're an official student here."
"Always make sure you have your schedule before you leave the classroom," Dick added as they made their way to the front doors. "One of my old teachers forgot to give them back at the end of class and it made my next teacher very upset. Bruce was nearly called in."
"Why are they so important?" Tim tried not to fuss as Dick fixed his tie and straightened his jacket, again. He endured a lot of this kind of stuff ever since Dick came back from captivity. "It's not like they can expel us for not having it… can they?"
"Well... no… It just helps with paperwork…"
"If you give it to the cafeteria lady at the end of the week, you get ice cream."
"Really?!" Instantly Jason had the attention of everyone, surprised by the new trivia. Dick never heard of that before.
"Yep. Now let's get going before we miss the first bell." The teen hurried further ahead of them, with Cass close behind and Dick taking up the rear, holding Tim's hand along the way. It was impossible to tell who needed the handholding more.
"Hey," Cass interjected as they made it to the front doors, "how come you guys aren't worried about me? I'm new here too."
"Yeah but-"
"Cass, I stopped worrying about you when you blindsided Dad while training." Jason's frank tone made her nod in consent. That was pretty much reason enough for a lot of people, and some of them smothered laughs. Dick tried to make up for it.
"You're the normal age for your grade," he reminded her. "And you've proven time and again that you can handle yourself. I pity anyone who even tries to bully you."
"Remember what you did to that teacher back in third grade?" Jason laughed out loud, glad there were so many others talking and absorbed in their own worlds to care about them. "Spiral break if I remember right. Cass, you'll be fine. Timbo though –"
"Hey! I'm not that weak anymore!" The kid pouted and would have stomped his foot in protest if they weren't pushing so far ahead. He worked really hard that year on becoming stronger, faster, and better able to handle things. He really wasn't little anymore, but everyone insisted he needed to be protected. One day he'd prove them all wrong.
"All the same," Dick insisted kindly, gripping the kid's hand a little harder, "we'd all feel better if one of us were with you at all times. At least until you don't look like you belong in elementary school. Got your ID on hand? They need proof before they give you your schedule."
"And to prove you're a real student here," Jason added. "Knowing your luck, you'll be flashing it all day."
"No kidding." Cass spotted their destination and charged forward. "Hurry up. Our first class should be on the other side of campus."
Tim scowled at them all sourly, but did everything he could to keep up anyway. Dick matched his stride and soon enough they were leaving the area with schedules in hand. Jason took off on his own, spotting one of his friends shortly after and started to catch up. Dick stayed with the two newbies, almost needlessly guiding them to their classroom. Without thinking, he introduced himself to their first teacher of the day, showing them what to do with their schedules, before giving the slightest sign of leaving them for his own classes. He had a really hard time letting go of Tim's hand.
"Dick, you're going to be late to class," the boy reminded him.
His brother grinned. "Don't worry. I know a few short cuts."
"I bet." Judging by the younger two's tones, they already guessed what half of them were: running on top of lockers and flipping over everyone's heads. "Just get going. We'll be fine."
"Right…" Hesitant, Dick looked over the classroom one last time before leaving. He really didn't want to leave those two behind. Something had to be done.
"Oh, hi Barbara."
"What?" Instantly he turned to the door where Cass was looking, only to find a couple confused freckled faced boys instead. The second he was distracted, both kids shoved him towards the door, forcing him to leave. "HEY!"
"Get going before you become a second year senior!"
"But-"
"At this rate, I'll graduate before you do!"
For some reason, Tim's threat felt very real. "Alright! Alright already! Sheesh! Sue a guy for being worried why don't cha."
Looking over his shoulder one last time, he caught the near identical looks telling he was being ridiculous. He flashed a teasing smile back at them and put more of his weight on them for a moment before launching forward and out of the room. They barely caught themselves from falling over and he was out the door towards the second half of his senior year. Dick was sooo looking forward to it.
"Are you lonely?" Jason gave Dick a subtle annoyed look as he was practically whisked away from his few friends at the beginning of lunch. He'd been looking forward to seeing everyone again all through summer vacation and now his idiot brother was dragging him away to the kiddie table.
"What makes you say that?" The slight strain in the young man's voice was really all the tell he needed, but he decided – since Dick was ruining his plans without thinking of anyone else's problems – to rub some salt on him.
"Well… Most of your friends here have graduated, those who haven't are distancing themselves because of your second semester senior status –almost as bad as second year senior, but acceptable – and because you had a run in with the law-"
"Wasn't exactly a 'run in'."
Jason rolled his eyes and went on. "So your goodie-goodie 'friends' here are obeying their parents and keeping away, so you have no one to talk to."
"Not true," Dick interrupted again. "I can talk to anyone. The janitor is good company."
"Then there's how you're dragging everyone around like a security blanket-"
"I am not-"
"Hello Linus. Shall I be Lucy?" Jason batted his eyes playfully, getting a scowl from the older boy. "Cuz if you keep dragging us around 'protecting' us, I'll knock you out of the park, blockhead."
That got the guy scowling. "Look, just eat with us this one time okay? It's Cass and Tim's first day here and-"
"Look, I can see you being worried about Tim, but Cass? Really?" He pulled them to a stop, looking him square in the eye. Jason hit a growth spurt the last month of summer and they were nearly the same height. Nearly. "She's with her age group. She's not the dumbest or smartest in her class, and other than the Wayne name, the only thing that makes her stick out, is being part Asian. And if people want to pick on her, they'll think twice because of that. Plus she's always been able to handle herself. And Tim.
"Speaking of which, he's been doing this for quite some time now." He gave Dick an exasperated look as the guy's argument fell apart at his feet. "He's been the youngest and smallest and smartest in his class for four years Dick. Four years. His entire class knows the rules, and Cass will remind them of them if they forget. They haven't been here long enough to get singled out by the big guys yet, and I've been taking precautions to keep the big bads away from them.
"What?" Jason smirked at the surprised look on his brother's face. "Did ya think I'd leave them to the wolves? Why do you think I need to talk to my friends so much?" He inclined his head to the group he was just pulled away from, some of which were notorious trouble makers at the school. Whatever deal he was brokering with those hooligans had better be worth it. "You can hover over those two all you want, but you better let me fly free birdboy."
Dick hesitated for a minute, mentally debating everything, before letting go of the teen. "Fine. But try to have dessert with us. I snuck in some pudding cups and-"
"I'll be there as soon as everything's set. South lawn?" He looked over to where they occasionally met for lunch, a nice safe spot where you could see everyone and no one could see you, and barely within school grounds. They took over the place shortly after coming to the senior division and had to clear it out every year. Cass must be having quite some fun right then.
"Where else?" They shared a grin, then parted ways. Twenty minutes later the four of them clanked cheap pudding cups, celebrating the speedy evacuation of people trying to turn their hidey-hole into drug alley. Little Timmy even threw one of the guys away. Life was good.
Scratch that, life sucked.
Why did some schools require P.E. every year of school and others only went through the 9th grade? Already Dick's stomach was turning. Bruce had arranged for the four of them to have P.E. at the same time so they could look out for each other (ie, keep Tim from being harassed or molested by bigger boys), but other than the locker room and a brief 'hello', the four of them were in entirely different divisions.
Unlike the rest of Dick's classes where he could take the second semester of his year in the first, P.E. was strictly whatever the time and teacher allotted for them. Jason got weight training, Cass and Tim got normal PE courses. Dick got sport's training for track and field and football (both kinds) so the senior teams would be well prepared.
Dick wasn't on a team.
He also had this honking piece of tech attached to his ankle, now where everyone could see it.
Funny, he used to love P.E..
"Hey Grayson."
"Hm?" Dick just finished checking on Tim who was getting the basic P.E. orientation lesson for the locker room. They wouldn't be changing clothes for class for two more days. Returning students though were another matter entirely. They were assigned lockers and dressed within ten minutes of the bell, or they'd run extra laps. Fun.
The guy who called out to him – his shirt said Taylor on it like his said Grayson – was a gangly redhead with more freckles than should be possible. He must be on the track team. He seemed pretty nervous about something, which only made him stare at the guy in confusion. Eventually he asked his question. "Where did all those scars come from?"
Dick became completely still, taking in the entire room at the same time as becoming lost in his own mind. He knew exactly how many moves he had to make to force the guy in front of him shut up for the rest of eternity. He also knew how many steps he had to make to grab Tim and run out the door without anyone getting in the way. There were three security cameras in the room, and half a dozen blind spots he could easily take advantage of. If he were really clever about it, he could take out everyone in the room, blind side them, and be gone before security got there. His mind did this in an instant, his body tense without his realizing.
Yet he remained still, caught in fight or flight mode while wondering one simple thing: with the ankle monitor on, why were his new scars something to ask about? Why did he-
On instinct, he turned and grabbed a shoe flying at the back of his head. Dick recognized it immediately as Jason's, who gave him an annoyed glare. "Oi! Breathe ya idiot! You're turning into a mannequin!"
"Ah, but a hot one." He grinned at his brother before tossing the shoe back to him, grateful for the save. No one had to know about his near panic attack, and for once he saw the whole arrangement in a different light. Bruce put them all together to look out for each other. Everyone. Together. And it looked like Jason was taking the brunt of the work.
Not about to be outdone, Dick looked back to Taylor with a rueful smile. "Call them souvenirs from my… missing time. Course you should see the ones I got from Joker this one time when I was ten. The guy really should have been a wood carver. The smiley-face is almost-"
"Role call!" Their teacher – one he didn't recognize and Bruce said was new and vetted by the FBI – came forward and completely broke up the conversation. "You know the drill. Get in order. A here, Z here. Make a U. Get going!"
Instantly the boys moved into action, finding their spots, some easily and some not so much (there were two Greens, second cousins). Dick settled himself in as comfortably as he could and waited with the rest. Well, looked like there would be some things he wouldn't be expecting thrown at him after all. Fun.
The day ended rather nicely and everyone met at Dick's car in record time. Since his anklet had a time limit for when he could be away from the manor, they had to move fast. Anyone who got detention now would stay behind until Alfred came to pick him/her up – most likely him, statistically. And with traffic being what it was between Gotham Academy and Bristol…
They made it home in record time. Dick flopped onto the couch in the parlor, taking five minutes to himself in the safety of his home before launching into his studies and paperwork. Since he was doing his second semester in the first semester of the school year, things were a little more complicated. Majority of his classes were small, and the ones that weren't, were minor ones only lasting the one term. He barely managed to get into that criminal justice class to his surprise, but getting into psychology was a cinch. Working timing with Bruce and the others though was…
"So," a female voice started, much to his surprise, "how was school?"
Instantly Dick was on his feet, turned about, and ready to fight whoever was in the doorway, mind temporarily flying out the window. Once he saw his psychiatrist standing there in a relaxed state, he forced himself to stand down. "Dr. Pendergast… you know I hate it when you do that."
"I've witnessed your father and surrogate grandfather do it all the time," she noted with ease, slowly leaving the doorway. "You should be used to it by now."
"Alfred makes a small tap with his feet as he gets close," the teen stated, looking her square in the eye. "And he coughs politely to get my attention. And Bruce…" He smirked at that. "I've kinda been able to sense when he was there for the past five years or so. I've only been wrong a handful of times. Well, when he snuck up on me. I was wrong plenty of times when he wasn't there."
"Hm. Good to know that. So how was school today?" The psychologist (not psychiatrist, small difference) watched him calmly, having gotten used to a few of his antics and was getting a better handle on his body language. "It was your first time in public, mostly on your own, with your siblings in places that could be a danger to them. Course it was a familiar environment, closed off, with very good security, but it was vastly different than your time here, or with Wilson."
Dick shifted uncomfortably with that name. He still couldn't believe he escaped. The League and the Titans were looking for him, along with the Feds and Interpol, and yet he was a ghost. His parole officer was really particular about his connection to Slade and kept close eyes on the phone records around him now, and emails. If that guy ever contacted him, everyone was going to know before he did.
"So…how was school?"
Coming back to the present, the young man answered. "Pretty good. I had a hard time leaving Tim and Cass alone, but they pushed me out the door. Jason just ran off almost immediately after we got inside, but I saw him fine between classes and he lectured me at lunch for being possessive about everyone." He looked off with a smile as he recalled P.E.. "When we were in the locker room, one guy saw my scars while changing and asked about them. I nearly had a panic attack and was calculating what to do to get out of there, but Jay threw a shoe at me and stopped me before I started."
"Sounds like Jason's really good for you right now."
"He's helped a lot with everything." It was hard not remembering their fight in the rain. Showers weren't as terrifying anymore, not compared to losing his family. "I thought it was weird though that no one mentioned my anklet. Any ideas?"
Dr. Pendergast shrugged. "From what I've heard, there a quite a few juniors and seniors there with tracking devices on them. Rumor only, but you're not the only one with an anklet on there. Were you able to calm down?"
"When Jason told me to breathe, yeah. Guess I just need reminders."
"Good to know. Now," a calculating smirk crossed her face, "have you checked on Damian since coming home?"
"Bruce took him to work with him. He's fine." The absolute confidence in his voice made the lady smile.
"You really trust your adoptive father with everyone don't you?"
"Wouldn't you?" The smile between them spoke more than either were willing to admit. She remembered his reaction to one inkblot several months ago, and after some time in Gotham and looking up Dick's history, along with watching his interactions, it didn't take her long to put everything together. The secret was safe with her. "Did you just come here to check on me doctor?"
"In part. We also need to discuss scheduling so you can keep up with your school work and do the required sessions."
"Funny you should talk about school work." An impish grin grew on his face. "I'm taking this one class you see, and I may need some expert advice."
"Psych 101?"
"102." Dick's grin was infectious. "Can I use you as a reference?"
"I'll dig up my old textbooks," she smiled back as she walked around the room to get herself a seat. "Now, tell me more, in detail, how your day went. I want to know your impressions on everyone and where you think you'll have the most trouble. Best to get a head start on that."
"Are you sure there's gonna be trouble?" He didn't like the ominous way she was talking.
Dr. Pendergast gave him an are-you-really-asking-me-this look before answering. "It's high school. Of course it's going to be trouble."
Well, there was no doubt about that. School life had begun once again. High above where they were talking, Jason couldn't help but to sigh and mumble to himself. "Could you cut it out with the foreshadowing? We've hardly even started yet."
A/N: yeah, this took a turn I wasn't really happy with, but it had to go this way. I have other scenes planned out, but they won't make sense without all of this garbage. The schedule thing was a real thing in my jr. high days, but you didn't get ice cream for it. Mostly you got extra points. I almost always ended up doodling on mine by the end of the week. PE's gonna be fun for them. I stopped PE after 9th grade but kinda regret not continuing it later on. I need to explain the 'breathing' thing later. Bit complicated.
Hope you liked this in part! Filler really but it's something! I'm not abandoning this one. Just need to figure out everything. Ironically, someone reviewing old stories got me thinking here again. So remember to review. Until next time! ^^V