Innocent Justice

Heh—I really wished I had tried this when I was younger, but I didn't even sneak kittens into the house. Though I do have a really small black puppy named Nancy and she inspired me to write the first chapter about the kittens. She reminded me about something else in the comic universe and I have to give credit to her for inspiring me once again. Hope you like revenge…

Let's go—

Bruce was smart, and that wasn't just a fact. He knew that the best way to get back at Robin while avoiding any and all trouble was to do it…passively—indirectly. He had to make it as innocent as he could, but just as well in case Alfred stepped up to bat. The older man was sorry for the mistake about the pregnancy gag…but he was in for no nonsense from the boys. Sooner or later he was going to start setting up security cameras in ever crook and cranny of the mansion. But that might be a good thing, seeing that it would probably stop Richard from sliding down and flipping over the railings…They were growing old, after all…

He sat at his desk one day, staring as Ebony slipped in through the crack in the door and jumped up onto his lap. Automatically he started petting her head as she began to fall asleep, leaning back in his chair as he stared at the far wall. Richard was up in his room reading or drawing like he did when it usually rained and Alfred was somewhere around the house doing something, leaving Bruce to his peace. He was finished with the day's work, earlier for once considering it was three in the afternoon, and that left plenty of time for planning…but what could he do? He had to make it look as though it was for a good case. That was the only way he'd pass it off by Alfred…

Well, when you can't think of a way, think like a kid…namely Richard…

-R-

The night patrol was as exciting as ever…but not quite as nice as he would have wanted it to be. Returning home, soaked in blood, Alfred just about had a heart attack over the sight of him.

"What on earth happened!" The old butler exclaimed as Robin jumped out of the car, kneeling on one knee to inspect him. "Where are you hurt—how did this—"

"Relax, Al!" Robin giggled. "Not mine…not that that's a good thing, but Bruce hit a guy too hard in the mouth when he tried to grab me…Yeah. See? I'm fine."

The butler sighed heavily and stood, taking the boy's tiny hand into his own as he turned to Bruce. "Well…it looks as though this may take a while to clean him up…Sir? Where are you going?"

Bruce was jumping back into the mobile, firing up the engine again. "I'll be back in a short while, Alfred. There's just something I forgot to check. Have Richard cleaned and ready for bed—I don't want him getting sick from whatever that guy has in his blood. Take a sample of his own blood and I'll check it when I get back—Bye!"

Robin gapped, watching with just as much confusion as Alfred as the man sped away from the cave. It must have been really important for him to leave that quickly…but hey, he lived his life only to better that of others. He was, in that sense, a very busy man…

"Let's get you ready for bed." Alfred sighed, looking the boy over as Robin stared back up innocently at him. "Let's just hope you don't get that anywhere around the house…"

---

He fell asleep fairly well and was surprised that he slept in. The clock beside his bed read ten am when he woke and the sun was streaming in onto his bed through the cracks in the curtains. Alfred was probably out shopping for groceries or something, otherwise he would have woken him long ago, but what about Bruce?...Should be back to working in his office….as always…

Yawning, he sat up and scratched his head at the sound of scratching at the door. That's right…he forgot to take Ebony into his room after he washed up last night. She usually slept on the edge of his bed or on the pillows by his head but he couldn't find her last night. It almost worried him that Bruce had gotten rid of her out of revenge, but even that seemed to cruel for…Well, when you considered what Richard did to him, there was no real way of calling it cruel. Richard would deserve it to the last bit.

But that was too obvious. Bruce liked to pick the best revenge for getting even.

"Coming, Ebony…" He muttered, yawning again as he pulled back the covers and jumped out of bed. Running to the door he opened it quickly—and jumped aside when Ebony bolted into his room.

"What's gotten into you?" Shaking his head he walked into the hallway and kept the door opened for the kitten to follow. She, on the other hand, was crawling beneath the warm covers…almost frightened. "Looks like you saw a do—"

ARFF!

Richard jumped again, and halted when he saw the small dog stop at the end of the hall. It was black with a few scratches here and there on its body as though it had been beaten. It could have been a fighter dog…looked tough enough for a little fellow.

Despite how cruel it looked, the excitement in its eye and the tongue hanging out the side of its mouth as it barked delightfully was what made Richard run back into his room. Slamming the door behind him, he could hear the dog slid to a halt outside his room and scratch at the wood for entrance. Whining and barking, the dog stayed out there for a long time…even long after Richard dressed and laid down on his made bed with Ebony asleep on his chest. He couldn't hide up in his room forever…and nobody was going to come and get him with that dog out there. They would call him a coward for being frightened of such a creature but he wasn't frightened. He just didn't want it pouncing on him.

After an hour of silence he decided that the dog was somewhere else in the house. It was as quiet as the dead and still no one else was heard…

Either now or never.

Leaving Ebony on his bed to sleep, he opened the door an inch and peeked through the crack into the hall. He was right…the dog was gone.

Meowing in annoyance, Ebony jumped down from the bed and followed him out into the hall. There was no sign of the creature as far as he could see and maybe he could grab something for breakfast and run down into the cave for the rest of the day. He was sure that there was some work on a case he could do.

Watching as Ebony scampered down the hall, he followed quickly and stopped at the stairs. He must have made it down two steps before he heard the panting.

Turning around slowly, he stared at the small black puppy with its wide eyes glued on Richard as if he had never seen a boy before. It barked once before taking after him, Ebony screeching like crazy and almost falling down the stairs as she scrambled into the living-room and Richard sliding down the stairwell railing like he usually did. Almost falling on the smooth floor at the end, he paused only briefly before taking off at a sprint down the hall toward the kitchen.

"WHO OWNS THIS DOG!" He yelled as it followed in hot pursuit. He came into the kitchen and jumped directly onto the table, scampering backwards as the dog tried to jump up too. Taking quick, deep breaths, he crossed his legs and waited until the dog calmed…before leaning forward to see if it was still there…

It sat kindly on the kitchen floor, mouth closed and both ears perked up to listen. Short-haired, long-legged and slim, it looked as though it would grow into a Greyhound or something of the sort, and for the moment it looked quite proper in posture. The pup could have fooled anyone with the excited behavior it had shown before…

"Bruce sent you, didn't he?" Richard muttered. The dog cocked its head to one side in reply and the boy licked his lips in thought. "Yes? No? I only know French, German and Italian, so cut it out with sign-language." Truth be told, he had learned a little more than that in his days with the circus. They spent the majority of their traveling time in Europe anyway so it was a wonder Richard didn't have an dialect.

He had to prove it that the dog was Bruce's idea.

Not too shabby of an idea either…What was it Bruce called it? Touché?

"I need help…" he sighed. He had to get to Bruce, but where would he be? He had no idea if he was at the office or in his den in the house—or maybe he was even in the cave…

"Meow?"

Thank God for Ebony.

The cat sat idly in the kitchen doorway just in the dog's view before she sprinted away with the creature along for the chase. That gave Richard enough time to jump off the table and dash into the living room before he saw that the dog had suddenly lost interest in his pet and decided to take over the boy.

"No!" Richard yelped and started off again in any direction he could find. It was like hell trying to scramble around the corners, slipping every time he turned too sharp. He saw an opened door and just slid inside, slamming the door shut without caring where he was.

Breathing heavily, he leaned against the door with his back and closed his eyes to think. Thank God he was safe, but what about Ebony? And where was he going to find Bruce?

"Something wrong, Dick?"

He eyes darted up suddenly in the dark room and fixed on Bruce as he stood up from behind his desk. The fire in the fireplace was just about the only light in the room but it was comfortably warm, considering it was raining cats and dogs outsides (cats and dogs—ha! So darn corny…please excuse that…). Bruce always retreated to his office for work or peace and quiet, but he could be such a bastard when it came to hiding from his pranks.

"You did this to me on purpose!" Richard exclaimed, a ting finger pointed accusingly at his mentor. "And Ebony! You know cats don't like dogs! I learned that when I was little, so you have no excuse!"

"You still are little."

"…So?"

Bruce shrugged, coming close to Richard and sitting on the couch beside the door. Richard simply stood his ground and eyed the man cautiously.

"You're young—little boys like pets. I thought a dog would be a nice addition."

He narrowed his eyes. "And what about Ebony, huh? She doesn't like dogs."

"Says who?" Bruce laughed. "We're a strong family. Maybe it would do her some good to get over her fears before she grows up."

"She lived in the streets."

He paused, looking at the fire with thought. "Hm…so you're right…But still—"

"Alfred's not going to let you keep him!" Richard argued with whatever excuses he could think of. There was no way he was going to let Bruce get away with this. "That dog is crazy! He'll destroy everything in the house."

"Not if we house train him. Besides—I think he likes you."

"No he doesn't! He wants to eat me!"

"Is that the case now? So many excuses…"

Rage was boiling inside of him now. Bruce was most certainly NOT going to get away with this. Richard was going to fight tooth and nail against the dog if it was the last thing he did.

Bruce slid over on the couch and Richard sat down beside him on the end near the door. "You can't keep him." He warned. He knew Bruce was going to try and talk his way out of the situation, but Richard was going to stand against it no matter what happened. He didn't want that thing to eat Ebony.

"Says who?" Bruce chuckled. "He's my pet and this is my house. He stays if I want him to and there's nothing you can do about it, kid."

"Ebony—"

"You can call up your friend Matthew to find a new home for her."

He gapped… "You can't be serious! You're just doing this for revenge!"

Bruce stopped and stared up at the ceiling. After a long moment's pause he nodded and looked back at Richard. "Actually…yes. That's the just of it."

"But that's so mean!"

Grinning, Bruce nodded again, stretching out his arms and laying them on the back of the couch. "I know. Isn't it? I guess that's why it's so sweet."

Richard, devastated, folded his hands nicely over his lap and stared at them with watery eyes. "But…but…you can't take away Ebony. She hasn't done anything wrong….It's all my fault…you can't punish her…"

Bruce looked down at the head of his ward and continued to grin. "Then there's only one thing to do…"

Hopeful, Richard stared back up at Bruce. "What?"

Grabbing Richard by the hips, Bruce slid him onto his lap and moved toward the edge of the couch. Keeping one arm around Richard's waist so couldn't get up; he reached with his free hand toward the doorknob.

"No!" Richard shouted, panicking and trying to break free from Bruce's iron grip. But he couldn't get up. "Please don't let it in here, Bruce! PLEASE!"

Too late. The door creaked opened and the dog, who was lying quietly outside the office, stood up at once and bolted into the room. It stopped by their feet and Richard, still frightened, suddenly froze.

"No…." He moaned.

Excited, the puppy jumped up onto his lap and leaned against his chest with its front paws. As Richard yelled for help the dog persisted in licking his neck and face until the boy was laughing.

"See…" Bruce said in a soft, deep tone of voice. "I told you you'd like him."

The dog, finally winning over the boy, sat down beside Bruce and laid its head gently on Richard's lap. Bruce, staring over his son's shoulder, began to stroke its fur with the boy's help. The two sat quietly there for a while, watching as it fell asleep.

"Watcha gonna call it?" Richard asked, stopping only when Ebony crept into the room and leapt up onto the couch armrest. Staring silently at the new pet, she laid down and turned her eyes on the two humans.

"Hm…Ace."

"Why Ace?"

"…the ace of spades was black."

"A winning card?" The boy asked in confusion.

"He won over you, didn't he?"

"And Alfred?"

"…That's why I'm hoping he lives up to his name."

-A-

I'm not done yet! I just remembered Ace and since I added Barbara I knew I had to add him—sew me! But the trouble continues…as soon as I get to my laptop at my dad's house this weekend.

Until Again,

Alexnandru Van Gordon