Opening Author's Note: I'm glad people are liking my story. I wasn't sure if anyone would even consider clicking on it and reading it. Here's chapter 2. I'm actually updating. A couple of my stories need updating… (glances at her Harry Potter stories) Yea… I might wanna start on those before the cobwebs consume them… enjoy the chapter!
Review Comments:
Dacker Spaniel: Thank you. (blushes) I'm glad you like my story. And I have to agree. Tim is too cute.
Balletangel19: Why thank you!
Saturn's Hikari: I think Tim's cute too. He's always been one of my favorites. I have Dick as Nightwing in this story and Tim as Robin, but still a bit younger, probably in my story here I have him soon after Bruce took him in. I'm not sure myself the exact age line difference. I doubt Dick or Tim were around when Batman was in the Justice League but hey… creative license right? Lol. Thanks for the review.
JuStIcE LeAgUe RoCkS: Thanks for the review. I'm glad you like this story too.
CM: Some more just for you!
Angelic Temptress: Yea… the fact that she was a spy slipped my mind when I started introducing Tim. I might add something that she knows there's a Robin but didn't know who he was. I gotta cover up my mistake! Lol. And being a spy… you're right… she would be like a Batman… curious observation.
Child-of-the-Dawn: I always try to think outside of the box. Things that people haven't all done. And I figured… hey she meets Alfred… she can meet Tim too. Glad you like the idea.
Chapter 2: Grand Tour
"So what do you want to eat?" Tim asked as he began to pull things out of the cabinets. He was standing on the counters and pulling things out and throwing them about. No literally throwing them about.
Shayera couldn't help but laugh at the boy. He was a very nice kid. Tim told her he'd get everything ready… informing her more then twenty five times that she was the guest and he'd wait on her. Shayera found it flattering and figured that if it made the boy happy, to let him do it.
She was currently looking at some pictures outside the kitchen picking them up and smiling at the happy memories.
There were two boys with Bruce. An older one and a younger one, Tim being the younger one and Dick Grayson, Bruce's older ward. Shayera had known about Dick. Being a spy she had learned about him, he was once a Robin but was currently Nightwing now and Tim was filling the position of Robin and Bruce Wayne's ward. The funny thing had been, she knew there was a new Robin, she just hadn't known Tim was it. Perhaps Batman was covering up his tracks even more carefully since Tim was so young?
"You don't like cereal do you?" came Tim's voice, "Ewww… it's this healthy stuff. Bruce is never home. I dunno why we even own this stuff…"
Shayera chuckled silently and heard the box hit the floor and Tim rumble around more in the cabinets.
She turned her attention back to the picture she was holding in the golden frame. Bruce was in the back with a casual look on, Dick was grinning and Tim hand taken his two index fingers and placed them on either side of his mouth stretching out his cheeks in front of the camera.
There was more… Dick's first birthday with Bruce… his first Christmas, first day at school in Gotham… there were also pictures of Tim's first here at the Wayne house as well.
Another picture had a beautiful red head smiling back wrapped around Dick in the snow. This was Barbara Gordon… Shayera had researched her too. She was in a few other pictures, one of her funnier ones was her and Dick sitting on a sand castle with Tim underneath the sand castle struggling to get free.
Shayera looked over them happily as she heard the occasional drop of something in the kitchen from Tim.
There were so many happy memories. Shayera rubbed her arm wondering if perhaps her and John could have had a table of happy memories if she hadn't done what she had done.
"Master Timothy!"
Shayera turned her head sharply, peeking into the kitchen to see they Wayne butler, Alfred scolding Tim.
"Now really Master Timothy, care to explain why there are numerous amounts of packaged foods are spilling their contents out onto the floor?" Alfred said in a threatening tone, meaning, he wanted an answer.
Tim's mouth moved into a slant as he looked about the room, waiting as if the room would give him is answer, "Ummm… ghosts?" he said with a cheesy grin.
Alfred raised an eyebrow, "Ghosts sir?"
"Ummm… yea. A whole fleet of 'em!" Tim said opening up his arms in a gesture.
"Well then…" Alfred began, "That changes everything."
"It does? I mean… of course it does…" Tim sputtered.
Alfred walked out of the room, and returned a few moments later holding a broom and Bruce raising ay eyebrow at his ward.
Shayera found herself pressed up against the wall as hard as she could go so that Batman wouldn't see her. That would be horrible… she couldn't allow any of the League to see her… no… she just couldn't do that.
"Tim…" Bruce began.
"What?"
"Clean it up," Bruce said handing the broom Alfred had gotten to Tim, "Why are you even looking for a snack? You just ate…" Bruce reminded him.
Shayera bit her lower lip. She prayed Tim wouldn't say 'Because Shayera is hungry.' That would make her little world crash around her. It wasn't that Tim and her had made a promise… but she was hoping Tim wouldn't give her away…
"Yes… but I'm a growing boy," Tim lied smoothly, "I need my food."
"If you need it so bad," Bruce started, "Don't throw it on the floor."
Tim faked saluted Bruce, "Yes sir, Major General Bat!"
Shayera caught Bruce rolling his eyes with a small chuckle as he left the room with Alfred. She poked her head around the corner. Tim wasn't what you would call sweeping up his mess.
"What are you doing?" Shayera asked as Tim twirled his broom flipped it up into the air and caught it behind him.
"Practicing…" Tim said simply spinning the broom one handed. He was very skilled.
"Practicing for what?" Shayera laughed, "The 'Broom Spinning Tournament'?"
"Sure… sure…" Tim told her flipping the broom one handed then spinning it again, "Laugh at the kid. But you wouldn't be laughing if you were on the other side of this baby."
"Unless I was cleaning and a insane janitor came attacking me with his broom, you're right. I probably would never see anyone do battle with a broom," Shayera said grinning.
Tim's mouth made a pouted look, "I don't use the broom… duh. I use a bow-staff."
Shayera raised an eyebrow to that. She had heard that all of Batman's Robin's were skilled in martial arts. But someone at that age managing to control something such as a bow-staff to her was impressive.
"Ohhh… ya!" said Tim making a fighting noise and a 'kong-fu' pose.
Shayera rolled her eyes and laughed.
-Later in the Night-
Tim was currently showing Shayera around the house of Wayne Manor. Shayera was fascinated about how big it seemed. Alfred had shown her the main rooms and such, but Tim's tour was much more detailed.
"And this is my room," Tim said opening the door to a kid's room. A bit messy. Things scattering the carpet and desks. Alfred had either not made his rounds into this room, or chose not to go in.
"My carpet is a greenish color," Tim informed Shayera, "I know you can't see it… but it's there."
Shayera looked around, "Are you sure?"
"Well… it could be a different color," Tim said wondering, "I dunno. Haven't seen it in a while. Maybe I can ask Alfred… I think he knew the original color at some point."
"Tim…" Shayera said giggling a bit.
They continued their tour of the Wayne Manor some more. Tim stopped at the Living Area to show Shayera some flips he could perform on the couch. Shayera clapped when he finished causing Tim to grin.
He asked Shayera if she wanted to watch a movie, opening a huge closet revealing several movie options. Shayera told Tim he could pick it out but he nagged her so much that she ended up picking it anyway. Tim had to have told her more than a thousand times that, "You're the guest."
Shayera had picked out 'Old Yeller', a great classic. Tim said he'd never seen that movie before and Shayera told him it was her Earth movie she had seen. John had introduced it to her… it was John's favorite movie… but she wasn't going to think about John… no… she couldn't.
Too many memories to ache her heart all over again.
When the movie was over, Shayera asked if Tim minded if they watched the credits, she wanted to find the name of an actress. He nodded his head and leaned deeper and lower into the squashy black leather couch.
"Jeez… I didn't think we stayed up that late," Shayera said to Tim once all the credits were over.
But Tim would not answer, he was currently sleeping on the couch. Shayera felt a smile drawn onto her lips as she looked at his peaceful expression he wore. The thought of the kid wearing himself out made Shayera feel happy in a strange way. She hardly knew this kid, but yet she felt a strong connection as if she had known him forever… the same kind of connection John and her had shared, except, Shayera wouldn't let John break her barrier, but Tim managed to climb over quickly. But the again, he had the innocence of child…
She stood up, allowing her wings to stretch and decided to get Tim a blanket. She didn't want to wake him up. She'd grab one of her spare blankets from her bedroom.
After about a five-minute hunt, she found a whole bunch of extra blankets resting on the top of her closet, well the closet was currently hers. Grabbing a blue blanket, she headed back down stairs to cover up Tim.
Reaching the living room, she walked through the doorway then stopped dead. Bruce and Diana were in there. She quickly hid behind the wall. Bruce might give her the silent treatment, but Diana would rip her limb from limb.
She carefully reached her head out to hear what the two were saying.
Bruce picked up the remote and flipped the TV off, "Tim…" he said, "He must have stayed up all night watching movies."
Diana smiled, "Nothing wrong with some fun."
Bruce's mouth went in a crooked smile, "It is when he gets up early tomorrow and starts to complain about how tired he is."
"True… but still," Diana said with a sly grin, "Nothing wrong with some fun."
Shayera but her lip as she listened to their conversation. Bruce bent down and picked up Tim, who moaned softly as he was picked up. Shayera couldn't help but feel an extreme weight on her shoulders as she watched.
Diana and Bruce. They looked so perfect… like a married couple. Tim in Bruce's arm… one big happy family almost. Could that have been Shayera and John if she hadn't betrayed her friends? If she had no secrets… if she had no lies… if she had nothing to hide. Would her and John have had a family like that if she had only been—
Her train of thought was broken as she darted behind a large dresser like cabinet as the two walked out talking, Tim resting his head on Bruce's shoulders.
Shayera held onto her blanket tightly as she sunk low to her knees feeling tears building up as she thought of what could have been her and John. And she had lost it all… trust… faith… love…
All for a stupid lie she was told herself. Her head hung low as she cried into her blanket watching Tim get carried upstairs for a peace night sleep wishing she could have the same…
If only innocence shinned on her at the moment.
Author's Note: So? What did you think of that chapter? Near the end I started to dive into Shayera's feelings a little bit. Her meeting Tim makes her comfortable, since he's young and the young can either forgive easily or hardly. In Tim's case it's easily. Next chapter Tim and Shayera have a long talk before she sits and waits to hear if the JL votes her in or out… and after that there will be either one or two more chapters… not sure. Drop a review if ya can. Thanks for reading…
