Robin sat down in the grass and leaves. Before him, an opening in the earth darkened his vision. He couldn't see anything, but his skin crawled at the thought of what hid inside. For a long time, he only stared into it as if expecting answers, thinking back to the first day he'd seen it.

"I was eleven," Wayne told Robin. "I had some pills to help me sleep, because the nightmares were too much, even years after they died. I brought the bottle down here with me."

"And you got scared?" Robin asked.

"'Scared' is an understatement. I was mortified."

"Why?"

Wayne chuckled. "The bats."

"Bats, sir?"

Wayne nodded and shifted the car back to drive. "Terrible, diseased creatures. Scared the shit out of me. They're still down there, you know. The pills. I dropped them and ran like hell."

Robin stared at his hands, twisting his fingers together anxiously. In a tiny voice, he asked, "Why are you telling me this?"

Wayne shrugged as he drove back to the house. "You're suffering, and I know the pain. I won't make you talk, but I want you to know you can. I understand. I want to help you, not judge you."

"You want me to trust you."

"Do you?"

Robin had nodded. He trusted his sponsor more than he trusted himself, honestly. Probably the only good choice he'd ever made was picking Jump City Prep over West District. Then a voice cut the silence.

"Out here again?" Wayne asked him.

Robin nodded firmly and returned his gaze to the cave. He eventually felt Wayne sit down next to him.

"Sir?"

"Shh. They'll hear you," the man said softly.

It would be amusing if it weren't so serious to Wayne. It didn't take a master of deduction to tell he was still terrified of the creatures dwelling inside.

"Gregory's dead," he whispered.

Robin's face snapped to his guardian again, wide-eyed and gaping. "Dead, Sir?"

Wayne nodded. "I thought you'd want to know."

"How-?"

"A killer who targets thugs and gang members," Wayne said. "We've been chasing them for... about two years now? We're having trouble pinning them down."

He looked tired. A little frustrated. Robin's eyes drifted back to the cave again.

"And the others?" He asked.

"The boys are being moved to new homes now. If they saw anything, they aren't saying. So I have to ask, Rob. Are they scared or relieved?"

Robin pulled his knees to his chest.

"How would I know?" he mumbled into his arms.

"You know Gregory," Wayne said. "You know what living with him was like. And I know who this joker goes after."

"Then you know the answer, don't you?"

"I suppose I do."

For a while, they just sat together, silent, staring into the dark void of the cave. Then Wayne shifted and put his coat over Robin's shoulders.

"Should have worn your jacket," he said, but Robin only shrugged. "I need you to talk to me, Robin."

"About what?"

"Why do you come out here?"

"I dunno."

"Robin."

"It helps me think, okay?"

"About?"

Robin sighed and stared at his thighs, letting his forehead rest on folded arms.

"Growing up, everyone said I'd never amount to anything. I'd just be another body in the cycle. Now, it feels like I have options, and it should be great, but, instead, I'm just… scared," Robin said. "What if I commit to something and end up sucking at it?"

"You're fourteen."

"So what? I don't have forever, you know. I have four years to get a scholarship, or I won't get into college. If I don't know what I'm doing, it's just that much harder to get in. I can't try everything. There's not enough time."

"Robin."

"I know I can fight, but I don't want to. I can't go back to that. I'll hurt someone. It helps, sure, but I want… more. I want to be something. Someone. I can't get this far and fail."

A hand squeezed his shoulder. He suddenly noticed that his cheeks were wet and wiped his face.

"Failure isn't possible," Wayne said, "because you have gotten this far. Do you know how hard that is?"

"Considering everyone else got expelled?" asked Robin with a sniffle.

Wayne shook his head. "Every year, I get at least fifty applications for the scholarship. Yours was one of eighty. Out of all of them, I chose you. Why would I do that, Robin?"

"I dunno, Sir."

"Think about it. What was different about you compared to the others? What would make you special?"

"I'm not special."

"I think you are."

"Why? I'm not the prodigy I pretend to be, you know."

"Exactly. I didn't pick you because you knew the answers. It was because you put in the effort. You fought for it, Robin, remember? Are you still fighting for it?"

Robin sighed, "I- I am, but I don't know what for. I'm trying, Sir. I'm working hard on letting myself enjoy things, but-."

"That's the problem, though. Everyone else has a head-start on enjoying things. They've had room to find their passions," Wayne said calmly. "Slow down.

Take some time to figure out who you are and what you like. I promise, it'll come to you."

"But what if-?"

"Don't worry about 'what if,'" said Wayne. "What got you so worked up about this, anyway?"

Robin shrugged again. How could he explain?

"Victor was talking about college," he said, "and Raven has plans, too. Garfield is a goofball, and Kori's still new. I just feel like I should have some sort of idea of what I want in life."

Wayne's hand moved to his hair as he ruffled it.

"Kid, a month ago, you weren't sure you wanted life," Wayne said. "You're still new to this, too. Go easy on yourself, okay? Keep playing games, talking to your friends. You'll figure it out."

"Promise?"

Wayne let out a rare chuckle and said, "Robin, if you put half the energy you spend stressing into trying things, you'd already know who you are."

Robin snickered, too. He looked at the cave again and stood up.

"We should get inside," he muttered, holding the jacket tight around him. "Alfred's gonna have an aneurism."

"Ah, yes. Speaking of people who don't know how to take a break…"

"We learn it from you," joked Robin.

"Please, you think I'm bad. You should see the Kents when they get a lead. Insufferable. You'll see. They always invade on Thanksgiving."

"Invade, Sir?"

Wayne shrugged. "They seem to think I spend too much time alone. Honestly, I don't mind. A few close friends is enough for me."

Robin watched the grass as they walked. He felt so small next to the detective.

"Sir?"

"Hmm?"

"There's another reason, isn't there?" asked Robin.

"There is. Why?"

"I was just thinking about some of the things you've said, and… You understand me."

Wayne smiled softly. "It's my job to understand people."

"More than that, though. It's like you've been me."

Wayne stopped walking, and Robin paused to look at him.

"You could be right," he said after a moment of thought. "I'm trying to be the person I needed when I was your age. It makes sense that I'd look for someone who reminds me of myself."

He strode forward, pressing a hand to Robin's back and ushering him towards the manor.

"You aren't me, Robin. I think of you less as a young me and more as…"

"Someone who needs a chance, Sir?"

"Someone who needs a family."

Family, thought Robin. His mind drifted to his friends, the only people he'd ever called that before. It felt… right. Robin leaned into his sponsor's side. It might not have been a hug, but close enough.