Here is an excerpt from the beginning of "Derailment". I went through several ideas before settling on the one in the published story. How to start this? Isn't that a problem so many writers have? This one was a fun little bit, but none of it made it into the final version. Still, I thought some of you would be interested in seeing it.

Derailment - At The Station (prologue?)

No Warnings . . . Rating "K+"


They entered the train station separately, in two pairs; Artemis and Aqualad, and Superboy and Robin. They wore their civilian identities; Robin wearing his sunglasses as a means of extra protection. His teammates didn't understand why Batman insisted on Robin continuing to hide his identity from them, but the mole had yet to be discovered, and honestly, his civilian ID was too recognizable with his link to the rich and famous Bruce Wayne. As uncomfortable as this was for him, Robin understood why it was necessary.

He was here as Robert Kent; Conner Kent's little brother. Artemis and Kaldur were playing the cooing young couple, much to Wally's annoyance. He still refused to acknowledge his interest in Artemis, much to Robin's amusement. Although he kept his kid-mouth shut, it didn't little to hide his sour expression.

M'gann was seeing them off in the guise of Robert and Conner's mother while Wally hung back with the Bioship. Their part in this was to meet the rest of the team at the end of the line and pick them up with the "merchandise"; the identity of which they still hadn't discovered, which was why they were using the trip as a cover to give them time to search for it. Wally and M'gann were to continue to monitor the situation from afar, giving them backup if and when it became needed.

"Psst," Rob hissed as he and Conner passed Artemis and Kal in the crowded station. "I thought you two were supposed to be playing the couple."

Rob suspected that the two teammates were uncomfortable with it, but the subtle reminder had Kaldur reaching for Artie's hand. She stiffened, and then made a conscious effort to relax. Rob glanced up at Conner and smiled. The clone smirked back; earning him a full-blown grin from the younger boy. Rob would teach his teammate to have a sense of humor yet!

M'gann stood near the door to the parking lot. She waved reluctantly and moved back out the door and into the parking lot. The Bioship was hiding just beyond a copse of trees in full camo-mode.

'Can you hear us?' M'gann's voice sounded in their heads.

'Yes,' Robin acknowledged. Conner merely grunted.

'Loud and clear,' Kaldur chimed in next.

'We'll meet you at the rendezvous point in three days,' M'gann told them. 'You'll be out of range of my telepathy, but we'll be monitoring you via your communicators twice a day at ten a.m. and seven p.m. sharp.'

'Right,' Rob caught himself nodding. 'Copy that.'

Reaching up, he readjusted his headphones as if he were listening to music; continuing to bob his head to cover his slip. Conner smirked again and gave him a gentle nudge with his shoulder. It was enough to almost send him sprawling. Robin bumped into a man and his wife even as Conner caught his arm.

"Oh, sorry," Robin apologized with an embarrassed smile. He was unused to appearing clumsy in public. "I tripped."

"Watch where you're going, Rob," Conner scolded lightly.

Robin shrugged off the clone's hand in a show of brotherly irritation. "It was an accident," he pretended to huff. "Back off or I'm telling Dad."

Conner ruffled his hair and gave him another shove; this time being more careful to reign in his strength so as not to send the smaller boy careening into anyone else.

'Need I remind you that we are supposed to be keeping a low profile,' Kaldur's voice sounded in their heads.

'Just a bit of familial roughhousing; nothing to worry about, people.' Robin thought at the others.

Wally's snort came through causing Robin to laugh. 'A bit of brotherly bonding?'

At Conner's obvious confusion, Robin laughed again. He purposely bumped into the clone again.

'Loosen up, Conner,' he admonished. 'Siblings act like this all the time.'

'And you know this, how?' Artemis' teasing voice sounded next. 'Are you admitting that you have brothers and sisters, mystery boy?'

Robin's brow furrowed for a second as an image of his cousin flashed through his mind. They had been a lot like brothers, being raised together in the closeness of the circus. He glanced up to find Conner looking at him curiously. He forced out a smirk.

'I admit to nothing,' he joked; relieved that he could think at her instead of trying to speak past the lump in his throat. He shoved those old feelings into their box in the back of his mind and concentrated on the mission.

'Minds back on the mission,' Kaldur reminded them, almost parroting Robin's thoughts. 'We will see you at the rendezvous,' he thought at M'gann and Wally.


What do you think? Cute, huh? But it was actually unnecessary and it was far more fun starting the story out with a little mystery in the first couple of paragraphs. Again, this was before I switched out Kaldur for Roy.