AN: Here's where stuff gets convoluted as hell. Hope you like Batfamily stuff, BatCat, and a million plotlines moving at the exact same time. Cause that's what you're getting. Make sure you pay attention to the dates and characters because there's a lot of POV shifts.

Tim Drake

Wayne Manor

Wednesday, November 7th, 2012 a.k.a. Two Days Before Hizer

The doorbell rang.

"I'LL GET IT!" Tim hollered at the top of his lungs, sprinting for the door.

"Wait up!" Stephanie shouted. The two of them raced to the front door with Cassie on their heels. Tim reached it first, but Stephanie got her hand on the doorknob so she got to pull the door open. The woman on the other side looked as surprised to see them as they were to see her. She smiled warmly, green eyes twinkling.

"You must be Tim and Stephanie. It's a pleasure to meet you."

They stared at her.

"Hi," Tim said, breaking the silence.

"I take it Bruce didn't mention I was coming," the woman grinned.

"BRUCE!" Stephanie shouted into the manor. Tim winced. Her mouth was right next to his ear and her shout made his eardrums ring, "THERE'S A LADY HERE TO SEE YOU!"

"Miss Stephanie!" Alfred reprimanded, "What have I told you about inside voices?"

"I'm inside and this is my voice. That makes it my inside voice," Stephanie retorted. Tim shook his head from side to side, trying to clear the slight ringing sound.

"A bit quieter next time, please. That's not too much to ask, is it?"

"Mghhhhgnf… no. Sorry Alfred."

Alfred accepted the hug in apology before turning to the woman.

"Miss Kyle, I'm so glad you could join us for dinner tonight. Master Bruce has been most excitable recently."

"Excitable, really? I somehow doubt that."

"I think you'd be shocked. Please come in."

"Thank you, Alfred," Selina smiled warmly, before looking around the manor with a keen eye, "I've never been here without two hundred other people making small talk. The manor's absolutely beautiful."

"That's very kind of you to say, Miss Kyle. Now, volume issues aside, would you two mind showing our guest to Master Bruce's study?"

"Sure!" Stephanie grinned, grabbing Selina's hand fearlessly, "Come on!"

Tim watched them suspiciously. Stephanie wasn't being suspicious, she was just being friendly. But he knew the name Selina Kyle. Why was Catwoman at their house for dinner? Alfred had to know who she was, right? Alfred knew everything, and if Bruce brought a supervillain into the manor without permission, he'd be in so much trouble.

So, if nothing dangerous was happening, that still left the question of what exactly Catwoman was doing there. Tim didn't know the answer, so instead of trying to figure it out he followed Stephanie to Bruce's study. When they walked in, Bruce looked up and a big smile spread across his face.

"Selina."

He didn't sound surprised, and neither had Alfred now that Tim was thinking about it. That meant this was planned. He watched as Bruce stood up and gave Selina quick kiss on the cheek. It was sort of like the way Tim's mom used to kiss his dad, but also nothing like that because Bruce actually looked happy doing it, "I'm glad you could come."

"Wouldn't miss it for the world," Selina smiled back.

"I see you've met the advance team," Bruce said, ruffling a hand through Tim's hair, "Jason's in the kitchen helping with dinner."

"Where's Dick?"

"He's with the Team. They have a mission tomorrow and Canary is running them through final prep."

"Busy kid. Wonder where he gets that from."

"That reminds me, I've been meaning to ask you about—"

"Come on! Let's go find Jay," Stephanie interrupted Tim's eavesdropping by grabbing his wrist and tugging him to the door.

Tim followed without protesting, but once the door was closed behind them and they were out of earshot, he whirled around and hissed, "Steph! I was trying to listen!"

Steph rolled her eyes.

"Duh, that's why we had to leave."

"I want to figure out what's going on!"

"And you think they're gonna just talk right in front of you? We had to leave so they think they're alone to talk about grown up things."

"How are we supposed to find out what they're saying if we can't hear them?" Tim pointed out. Stephanie flicked him on the nose.

"Oh Timmy. You'll understand when you're older. Come on!"

"I'm eight months older than you!" Tim whined, but followed her down the hallway to one of the sitting rooms that Stephanie had claimed as her personal study. When she made a beeline for the massive Barbie Dreamhouse sitting against the wall, he stomped his feet, "Are you kidding me?!"

"Don't you trust me?" she turned back, blinking innocently with her stupid puppy eyes.

"Ugh. Fine."

Stephanie plopped down in front of the massive plastic tower and opened it up to reveal a four-story hot-pink nightmare. Tim eyed the rows and rows of Barbies with distaste, but Stephanie was staunchly ignoring him while she picked through dolls.

"I'll be Kathy and Hallie. You can be Stella."

She handed him a doll with bright purple hair and blue overalls.

"I don't want to play dolls with you."

Stephanie grinned at him like she knew something he didn't. She flicked something on the doll's back, "How about now?"

Stupid little sisters. Tim didn't have any choice but to take the doll, but once he did, he could hear voices. His eyes widened. Stephanie was gleefully parading her dolls around, but he could hear sounds coming from each of the dolls in her hand too.

"Steph, what—"

"I love going shopping Kathy!" Stephanie announced, waving one doll in the air, "Oh, me too Hallie! What about you, Stella? Where do you want to go shopping?"

"I feel crazy that I'm freaking about this," Selina's voice came quietly through the listening device hidden under Stella's overalls, "What if they hate me? Bruce, was this a mistake?"

"It's going to be fine," Bruce answered.

Tim stared at Stephanie. She blinked at him innocently.

"I believe that wraps up dinner preparations quite nicely," Alfred's voice came through the doll in Stephanie's left hand. Tim could only blink at her.

"You bugged the manor?"

"Duh."

"How many of these do you have?" Tim demanded.

"Stella, study. Kathy, kitchen. Hallie, first floor hallway," Stephanie pointed at the rest of the dolls scattered through the dollhouse, "Bella, Breanna, Georgia, Paulie, Hanna, Hera, Dina—"

"Did you bug my bedroom?!" Tim hissed.

"No!" Stephanie looked offended, "That'd be creepy."

"It's still creepy!"

"Do you want to know what's going on or not? No one ever tells us anything!"

Tim frowned. Steph was right. Bruce and Alfred and even Dick wouldn't always tell them what was going on and Tim hated not getting answers. But Bruce wouldn't be happy once he found out.

"Does Bruce know about this?"

Stephanie shrugged and made a non-committal sound.

"Not if you don't tell him. Are you gonna?"

"He's gonna be so mad when he finds out. Steph, this is a bad idea."

"Well how else are we supposed to know what's going on!"

"We could just ask!"

"Tim, they're not gonna just tell us the truth. We're kids. The truth is for grown-ups."

"Bruce tells us stuff."

"Look, my daddy always said that if you want to get the truth, you need to hear it from someone you trust and also someone you know will lie to you. That way you can figure it out for real," she pointed at the doll, "Truth, and then someone else can tell me the lie."

"Bruce doesn't lie."

"Everybody lies," Steph said matter-of-factly.

"Nuh-uh! Bruce doesn't!"

"Bruce lied to Dick about joining the League! And he tells Dick more than he tells either of us."

Tim looked at the doll in his hand. It felt like a slap in the face, but Stephanie was right.

"What if you hear something you're not supposed to?"

"That's not my fault. I didn't bug the cave or anything. If it's something really secret, it should stay down there. Besides, there's lots of things they're not telling you. Don't you want to know why Dick is avoiding us?"

"He's not!"

"Yeah he is. He hasn't played with us since all the adults got sent to another universe. And he missed my ballet recital."

Tim frowned.

"Can I use them?"

"Not without me…" Stephanie whispered, and then continued in a bright voice, "But if you want to, I'm always happy to play dolls!"

"Master Jason, if you wouldn't mind locating your siblings then I believe we're ready to eat," Kathy announced in Alfred's voice.

Stephanie grabbed the doll back from Tim and flicked the listening devices off. He took it back as she said, "Now we have to pick out a room for Stella. Kathy's the landlady, so you have to negotiate with her."

"I like this room," Tim played along, taking the doll back and selecting at random.

"Excellent choice, ma'am. This room has the best Wi-Fi in the house."

"So it's Stella's room now? She wants to paint it blue."

"No!" Stephanie shouted, waving a new doll, "Kathy, you told me I could have it if I got the rent in!"

"Dinner!" Jason shouted from the doorway. Tim jumped a foot in the air.

"We're busy!" Stephanie shouted back.

"Are you guys seriously playing dolls?" Jason demanded.

"Yeah, and we're busy."

"Don't care. Alfred says dinner's ready. Come on, Timbo."

Tim dropped the doll (being careful not to break the hidden listening device) and climbed to his feet.

"Ugh… fine," Stephanie grumbled, "I'll be right there."

Even once they were all sitting at the dinner table, Tim couldn't stop thinking about the dolls. Stephanie made a good point. He wanted to know what was going on just as much as she did. His parents never told him anything and they treated him like a stupid little kid who was just there for decoration. Bruce never made him feel like that, but there were so many things that he was "too young to know." Tim hated the "I'll explain when you're older," and "It's a League matter," Dick got to know! And Dick was only four years older than he was.

But Bruce would be so mad if he found out Stephanie had bugged the whole manor. He always said he kept secrets for a reason. Like how he had to keep being Batman a secret or people might try to hurt their family. Tim didn't know what to do.

"Tim, are you alright?" Bruce asked, putting a hand on his back, "You look distracted."

"Nope!" Tim said quickly.

"You're not alright or you're not distracted?"

Tim thought for a second and decided to nod.

"Yes."

"Tim, it wasn't a yes or no question."

Tim slowly raised his eyebrow.

"…maybe."

Bruce shook his head with a huff that meant he was secretly laughing.

"What am I going to do with you?"

Then the table got quiet. Selina cleared her throat. Bruce nodded at her, drumming one finger on the table nervously. Stephanie kicked Tim's ankle pointedly. He'd been so caught up thinking about Stephanie's dolls that he forgot about how weird it was that Catwoman was having dinner with them. Maybe Bruce did tell him stuff after all. So maybe he should tell Bruce about the bugs all over the manor. But he told Stephanie he wouldn't tell. Maybe he could convince her to tell Bruce…

"I wanted to tell you all at the same time, but Selina and I have been… involved… for a little while."

Tim's head snapped up.

Stephanie gasped.

Jason made a coughing sound.

Cassie slammed her hands against the table and giggled.

"You're getting married?!" Stephanie demanded

"No, they like each other too much for that," Tim answered matter-of-factly even though his brain was spinning. His mom and dad hadn't liked each other that much and they'd been married. Marriage was for people who didn't like each other but had to pretend to. Unless it was an Amazon. Aunt Diana was an Amazon and Tim couldn't imagine not liking someone like her. But Selina was Catwoman and Bruce was Batman and this was too weird but also it made sense.

"We're not getting married," Selina laughed.

"Told you!" Tim crowed. He didn't notice as much as Cassie, who could meet people and figure out if they were mean or nice or if Bruce liked them in under thirty seconds, but at least he could see the looks Bruce and Selina kept giving each other. They smiled at each other, which was different. People smiled at Bruce all the time, especially pretty ladies, but he almost never smiled back. If he did, they weren't real smiles.

These were real. Bruce looked happy, and that was good. Bruce should be happy.

"So if you're not getting married, what's the big deal?" Jason asked.

"Spoon!" Cassie shouted, grabbing at Jason's silverware. He passed her his spoon immediately, only for Alfred to swoop in and replace the metal spoon with a toddler-sized one in a practiced motion.

"Well… if you're all okay with it, I'd like Selina to move in."

The announcement was met with silence. Well, silence and Cassie banging her spoon against the table while giggling like a crazy person.

"Like, live here, move in?" Jason asked.

"That's the idea," Selina smiled, but she looked scared. Tim tilted his head and saw Bruce forcing himself to stop his nervous finger-tapping.

"You don't have to make any decisions right now, we just wanted to let you know where we all stand."

"I appreciate that this is a big thing to ask of you all, so I want you to know nothing is going to happen right away. Before we make any big changes, I want to get to know you guys. Let you get to know me. I was thinking it would be nice to have some one-on-one bonding time. Pick whatever you want to do and we can do it."

Before Tim could figure out how he felt about that offer, Jason smirked.

"Rob a bank."

"Jason," Bruce snapped.

"Go to the bank and stand in line for twelve hours."

"Alright, you can go last," Selina gave a small smile.

"Fine," Jason shrugged, "Gives me time to pick the bank."

"Jason," Bruce repeated.

"OOH! I WANNA GO FIRST!" Stephanie shouted. Tim jumped.

"What do you want to do?"

"Go shopping!"

Selina Kyle

Palisades Mall, West Nyack

Saturday, November 10th, 2012

"So you're gonna be my mom now?!" Stephanie swung Selina's hand back and forth as she skipped down the parking lot towards the mall.

"Not exactly. But I would like us to be friends."

"Pfft, I don't need more friends! I need a mom! You can take me shopping and we'll get our nails done and we can talk about boys and you can say I can't have things and I'll go get Bruce to buy them for me anyways!"

"You watch a lot of tv, don't you?"

"Yeah, why?"

"No reason."

"You wouldn't have said if there wasn't a reason."

"Or maybe I would've if there was."

"OR, you would've if there wasn't a reason to not to would will have."

"Alright, you win. Let's stop that game there please," Selina interrupted, feeling her head start to spin as she tried to figure it out and promptly gave up instead. Stephanie was happy to start a new stream of chatter and questions that kept them both engaged through the juniors section, but when they reached the fancy dresses near the changing rooms, Stephanie grinned brightly.

"So when do you pick out a wedding dress?"

"Stephanie," Selina blushed, "We're not getting married."

"But you're moving in. You're buttering all of us up so we don't interrupt the ceremony when the priest says 'if anyone objects to this onion speak now.'"

"Stephanie," Selina laughed, barely resisting the urge to put a hand over her face in amused mortification, "Firstly, it's a union. Not an onion. Secondly, Bruce would much prefer a Rabbi over a priest. Thirdly, and most importantly, that's not what this is."

"Yes it is."

"Who told you that?"

"No one, I figured it out on my own!" Stephanie said proudly.

"Stephanie, you're clearly a very talented detective, but that's not what's happening. Bruce and I aren't getting married, and this isn't a trick to butter you up and make you like me. I just want to get to know you better so if you decide you're okay with it, it's not like a complete stranger is moving into your house and dating your dad."

"But you're not a stranger," Stephanie said, inspecting the flowing purple gown on the mannequin, "You're Catwoman. I know all about you."

Selina glanced around to see if anyone was listening but nobody was paying them any attention.

"Stephanie, I'm not just…"

Stephanie blinked at her innocently. Selina hesitated.

"Can I ask you something?"

"You just did!" she grinned cheekily.

"Another thing."

"Okay."

"You know that I… have done a lot of things I shouldn't have."

"Like stealing," Stephanie nodded. Selina winced.

"Yes. Mostly stealing. But even though I don't do it anymore, does knowing that about me make you uncomfortable?"

"Nope! Why would it?"

Well… that certainly wasn't the answer she was expecting. Batman's daughter not caring about right and wrong?

"Daddy stole stuff too."

"What?"

"Mhm. Cluemaster!"

Selina blinked.

"Your dad is Cluemaster?"

Stephanie nodded.

"If you don't mind me asking, what happened?"

"He got arrested and child protection services determined he was an unfit guardian due to the presence of drugs and household instability," Stephanie rattled off like she'd memorized it word-for-word from a therapist, "He's in Metropolis Penitentiary."

Selina flinched, regretting that she'd asked without thinking, "That's terrible."

"It's okay. I have Bruce! And Alfred. And I like having brothers and being a big sister. And being rich is fun!"

"Stephanie, I'm so sorry. I… I don't…" Selina sighed, "I don't think I'm very good with kids."

"That's okay. Kids are hard," Stephanie nodded sagely, "Well not me. I'm easy. I just like people who buy me things!"

Grateful for the subject change even though Stephanie didn't seem to mind, Selina jumped at the chance to say, "Alright, I get the hint. Are you going to try that one on?"

"Mhm!"

"Well, you'll need shoes to match it. Do you have a pair of heels?"

Two hours later, Selina walked out of the mall four hundred dollars lighter and three bags heavier, plus a gel manicure shinier. Holding her hand with a matching manicure, Stephanie was bouncing up and down with excitement.

One down. Only four to go.

Jason was hanging out in the kitchen when Selina hugged Stephanie goodbye. After Stephanie ran off to go show off her new dresses to Cassie, Selina tapped Jason on the shoulder.

"Picked a bank yet?"

Jason rolled his eyes at her.

"Nope. Still looking. I'm trying to find one that just doesn't move, you know? Where you stay in the same spot until your feet are glued to the floor and you're trapped for all eternity."

"Well that sounds fun. I hate to get in the way of your plans, but I stumbled across these."

She flicked an envelope onto his lap. Jason picked it up, opened it, and his jaw dropped.

"Are these Revs tickets? Bruce said I had to wait until my birthday!"

"What's life if you can't bend a few rules? Besides, I heard a rumor New England's your favorite."

"They're the best! Are we sitting in the Fort?"

"Where else can you watch a soccer game from? Foxborough is a bit of a drive, so if you'd rather fly, I can ask Bruce to lend me the jet…" she winked at him to let him know what she really thought about asking for permission, "Or if you want to drive, you can sit in the front seat and tell me all about why the Revs are the best team in the league."

"Deal."

Selina's apartment

"How did it go?" Bruce asked as soon as she picked up her cell phone.

Selina couldn't fight the smile on her face.

"Two down. Three to go. Have you talked to Dick yet?"

"Tonight. I've been waiting until we both have time."

"That's probably smart."

"I had a thought for you and Cassie."

"Hit me."

"There's a lot of programs that offer exercise classes for toddlers and their parents. It could be an excellent bonding opportunity, as an isolated instance or a recurring activity."

"Really? A Mommy-and-Me dance class?" Selina raised an eyebrow, putting her feet up on her couch. Nutmeg the tabby cat hopped into her lap and Selina stroked his fur absently.

"It'll be good for Cassie to spend time with kids her age," Bruce returned. Selina could almost hear his smile over the phone. He was teasing her, he had to be.

"You really think it's a good idea to send me into a room filled with trophy wives who barely spend time with their children? With very expensive, dangly, did I mention valuable jewelry hanging from their wrists, ears and necks?"

"Well…"

"I know that tone. Alright, spit it out."

"Those women are very involved with Gotham's upper crust. They're well connected, and so are their husbands."

"It's a small world," Selina smiled as she figured out where he was going with it.

"And it doesn't hurt to have friends."

"So… I take Cassie dancing, schmooze the young society mothers, and they go home and tell their husbands, 'Oh, you'll never guess who I ran into today! Selina Kyle! I'm sure you remember her, she and darling Brucie have been on and off for years and they've finally settled down, it's so adorable!'"

"Minus the…"

"No, they will call us adorable. Mark my words, mighty caped crusader," Selina teased, "In any case, their husbands mention it to their friends at the golf course, 'That's right, Bruce is finally settling down, that Kyle woman is good for him. She's practically adopted the kids already. What a woman, tits like she has AND willing to step up and raise the kids. Lucky man.'"

"You can stop now."

"No, I'm on a roll. If I have the young mothers, then I have their society friends and their husbands and their husbands' friends and their wealthy, well-connected parents and then… I'm in. You and me together for real, scandal free. The future Mrs. Selina Wayne née Kyle, Gotham Socialite."

"I'm quite literally begging you to stop."

Dick Grayson

Wayne Manor

Saturday, November 10th, a.k.a. One day after Hizer

I look up when the sound of footsteps echo through the library. Judging by the weight of the footsteps and the click of the soles, it's Bruce. My pencil flies across the history worksheet as I cross-reference questions with the textbook spread out on the table in front of me.

"Hey Bruce," I call when he gets close enough that I don't have to yell.

"Do you have a minute?" he asks.

"Sure," I close the book and put my papers aside. Then I pause when everything hits me. Bruce's jaw is clenched and he hasn't blinked since I looked up. This isn't normal.

Something's wrong.

"What's going on? Why do you look like that?" I ask, my stomach sinking.

Oh god. Please, no. Please don't let this be…

"Dick… there's something I… we need to talk."

"… Scale of one to actual apocalypse, how scared should I be right now?" I force out.

"Dick, I need you to listen to me," Bruce answers slowly, his voice dark like he's about to drop into Batman's growl.

Oh god.

He knows about Hizer.

He knows about Slade.

He knows about everything.

"Seven? Eight? Top of the scale?" My hands are shaking.

"No."

This is it. Bruce, I'm so sorry.

The pencil in my hand strains under the pressure, but it doesn't snap.

"I'd like to ask Selina to move in."

Wait… he… and Selina… he…

"You WHAT?!"

"I want to ask Selina to move in."

What? No, he can't be serious. He's not talking about Hizer, he's talking about….

"Bruce, you… she's Catwoman! She's a criminal!"

"She's been clean for two years. I would never ask her if I wasn't sure."

"Bruce, are you kidding me?! You can't do that!"

"Dick, please listen to me."

"No! You listen! She's a criminal! You can't trust her! She's just trying to use you!"

"She isn't."

"You don't know that!"

"I do. I've talked to Stephanie and the boys, and they've all agreed to think about it."

"Are you kidding me?! You can't do that‼"

"All I'm asking is that you give her a chance."

"A chance?! You want me to give her a chance to make an idiot out of you and put us all in danger?! NO!"

"Don't be ridiculous."

"I'm being ridiculous?! You're the one who wants to invite a known criminal to move in with us! You can't seriously be this stupid!"

I can tell I went too far when Bruce's eyes narrow and he barks, "Dick! That's enough!"

"I don't care!" I throw my pencil on the ground and it shatters on impact. I slam the library doors open so hard the walls shake. Bruce is hot on my heels.

"Dick. Where are you going?" Bruce demands.

"Out!" I scream, storming through the garage door. I throw my helmet over my head and rev up the engine, waiting for the garage door to open.

Bruce yells something back, but I tune him out.

As soon as the door opens enough for my motorcycle to fit through, I throttle the engine and race out of the garage. I expect Bruce to try to stop me, but he doesn't.

I don't know if I'm glad or angry that he didn't.

Catwoman.

Catwoman?!

Really, it's not like I've got enough going wrong in my life?! Course not! Now Bruce decides that he's going to start dating Catwoman!

She's a thief! She's a criminal! She's stolen millions of dollars' worth of artwork from museums and art galleries and charity auctions! She threw me off a building when I was ten!

It's not bad enough that I have to face Bruce knowing that I'm lying to him about everything?! That I broke into a lab, stole a bunch of vaccines and knocked the shit out of a bunch of security guards who were just doing their jobs?! That I punched Ollie in the face to keep my secret safe?! It's really not bad enough that I have to train with Slade twice a week, go on patrol four nights a week, train with the Team and go on randomly scheduled missions, take two AP classes and three honors classes, and deal with six hours of homework every single day?

No! Because now, on top of all that, I have to deal with Catwoman! As a normal person who I will have to be around and talk to and not immediately arrest on sight!

Without realizing it, I drive away from the main road and the city and onto the forested back-roads. Suddenly, I get a crazy idea. Jerking the handle-bar sharply to the left, I steer straight into the woods. Sweat pours down my face as I concentrate on dodging and weaving through trees and over rocks. My fingers clench around the handlebars until they turn white and the rubber digs painfully into my palms. My heart is pounding with adrenaline and anger and a hundred other emotions that I can't figure out. Suddenly, I slam the brakes and pull back as my motorcycle skids to a jerky stop.

I rip off my helmet and throw it against a tree. I kick the kickstand down, my foot leaving a dent in the dirt when it lands. I stomp over to the tree and bend over to pick up my helmet, but something inside me snaps and I whip it against the tree again. Letting out a scream, I slam my foot against the trunk. My foot collides with the solid wood, sending shock waves through my leg.

The tree doesn't budge.

I scream against, kicking the tree again, and then another time. I ball my hand into a fist and punch the trunk as hard as I can. Pain erupts in my fingers and my wrist, burning with the force of the splinters that fly out at me. I stare down at my hand, watching the skin turn red and swell slightly.

There's something calming about punching a tree and watching pieces fly off the bark. The pain in my hand feels right. Simple. I hurt the tree, and it hurt me back. There's nothing complicated about it. Without realizing, my other hand curls into a fist. I stare at it for a second before pulling it back and punching into the same spot. This time, more splinters fly and a tiny crack forms in the surface.

I grin despite myself, ignoring the burning pain in both of my hands.

Then I let go of my control and scream, pummeling the tree with my fists and letting my rage and exhaustion and grief and anger and sadness and pain and everything else free. I put everything I've been bottling up into my fists, pushing everything out so it's not trapped inside me anymore. With every hit, the cracks get louder and louder and unless I'm imagining things, the trunk starts to feel less solid under my fist. My eyes closed at some point and when I stop, panting from exertion, there's a splintering sound. The few leaves left on the tree start rustling and the splintering sound gets louder and then there's a creak that just keeps building and building and I open my eyes in time to see the tree fall.

The crash resonates through the woods, sending a shockwave that leaves everything with an unnatural stillness.

My mind supplies helpful bits of information. It's a pignut hickory, the tenth most abundant native Connecticut tree. Judging by its height and diameter, it was about seventy years old. It's lying on the ground, base splinted in jagged spikes of wood.

I stare, mind blank.

I punched a tree down.

I broke a tree with my bare hands.

I look down. My fists are raw and bleeding, but nothing is broken. They sting, but nothing worse than a few scrapes and cuts.

I look down at the tree and my heart is pounding.

Something is wrong. This isn't possible. I'm thirteen. I shouldn't be strong enough to break a tree but I broke a freaking tree!

What's happening to me?!

My eyes widen when a thought hits me.

I push my sleeves up, staring at my inner forearms.

There.

Just under the crook of my elbow, there's a swollen circle around a raised nub that could have been a bug bite. Batman and I have been fighting against drug runners since I was eight, and looking closely, there's no mistaking it.

That's an injection site, and I have no idea where it came from.

Bruce wouldn't do that to me.

Slade would.

I thought… I thought it was over. I thought Bruce knew about Hizer, about Slade, about Renegade, everything. But instead, he dropped another bomb on me and now I have to deal with Catwoman on top of everything.

That's not the worst of it, though.

For a second, just a split second between kissing my entire life goodbye and finding out about Bruce's new girlfriend, I thought I had a chance. I thought Batman knew. I thought there was a chance he could keep me safe, that he could stop Slade and save me. But he doesn't know. He doesn't have any idea.

I'm trapped worse than ever and I can't do this much longer.

Selina Kyle

Gotham Aquarium

Sunday, November 11th, 2012

"I like you," Tim announced.

Selina looked up from the pedestal that described the classification of Chondrichthyes in front of the shark tank.

"I… thank you, Tim. I like you too."

"I just thought you should know that," he said, before forging ahead, "Thank you for taking me to the aquarium."

"Of course. I'm glad you like it."

"You can't move in."

Selina blinked.

"What?"

"It's not that I don't want you to. I like you. But Dick doesn't and it was his home first and it's not fair that you can move in and mess him up."

"Tim, I wouldn't."

"Okay. Tell him that. If he says it's okay then it's okay."

"We have a problem," Bruce and Selina said at the same time.

"Did Tim say something to you?" Selina asked.

"No. Did you talk to Dick?" Bruce asked.

"Dick has no intention of talking to me," Selina said, "Tim supports him completely, which is very sweet. But… he said no."

"Because of Dick."

"No! Bruce, no. I know that look, put it away. We knew this wouldn't be easy, but we'll figure it out. It's not Dick's fault."

Her stomach tightened during the stare off but finally, Bruce sighed.

"You're right."

Dick Grayson

The Haunt

Wednesday, November 14th, 2012

The garage is empty when I get there. Not really a surprise since I haven't seen any of the mechanics in months. Since I found out what Slade really wanted from me.

It's a typical trip to the Haunt for secret evil mercenary training until I walk into the fake office and stop dead. Lying on the desk is a brand-new tour poster for the Haly's Circus 2012 International tour. A woman with a vivid full face of makeup covers three quarters of the poster, with a list of acts decorating the sides.

I see red. My heart pounds and without thinking I grab the poster, storm down the hidden staircase into the Haunt, and throw open the door to the real office.

"Why do you have this?!" I demand, waving the poster in the air.

"You're not going to like this," Slade says without preamble, "Sit down."

"Slade, what—"

"Sit," he orders, his voice as sharp as ice. My blood freezes.

I sit.

"An investigation into Haly's International Circus opened last night in response to several high-profile thefts following the group's route."

"What?!"

"I've put together a profile for you. The thief is travelling with the troupe and has the abilities of just about all the acts in the show."

"It's not true! They wouldn't-"

"Watch your tone," Slade snaps. I flinch, pulling my hands in and staring at the ground.

"It's not Haly, but it is one of the members. The profile of the thefts all matched the same height and build, so rest assured it's not the entire group."

"Why are you telling me?" I ask, using every ounce of self-control to keep my voice soft.

"I know what that circus meant to you. Go clear their name."

"Are you ordering me to?"

"Please. As if there's any way I'd be able to stop you from going," he holds out a folder and I reach for it, but he pulls back at the last second, "Take whichever of your teammates you want, except the Flash boy."

"What? Why can't I take Kid Flash?"

"He knows you too well."

Oh.

"Batman won't let me just lead a rogue mission."

"Then don't tell him."

"But—"

"Do you want the information or not? Because if you don't care to intervene, I have plenty of things for us to work on for the next few days."

My jaw snaps shut and I stare at the pile of papers on his desk. More account summaries and mission briefings and other things that I know better than to try and read. That's a mistake I'm never making again.

"That's what I thought," he turns around, "One last thing. I'll be out of the country for the next few weeks. While I'm gone, you will attend the activities that you claim to be at during our sessions. Show up to all of them in the same manner you arrive here and stay until the end. Pick one day during the next two weeks to skip something, and instead go to a place that you will be able to sit, work on homework and relax undisturbed. I'd recommend a coffee shop, but kids have strange tastes so I will leave it to your discretion."

"Why?"

"For your alibi, of course."

Of course, he wouldn't just give me a break.

"Do you understand?"

"Yes sir."

Mount Justice

"Hi Robin!" M'gann beams.

"Hey," Conner says without looking up. He's standing over a frying pan with a look of intense concentration, and he's frowning at the stove like it personally offended him.

"Hey, M'gann, can I talk to you for a second?"

"Sure. What about?"

"I need your help."

Head tilt. Blink three times.

'Mindlink established.'

'I really need your help.'

"Of course! Conner, you don't need me to help finish dinner, do you?" M'gann answers cheerfully.

"Uh…"

"Thanks, Con!" I say, grabbing M'gann's hand and leading her towards my room.

"How did your essay go?"

"Could've been better, but I'm lucky it wasn't a lot worse," I tell her, "Batman's going to be even more pissed at me when he finds out what I got on it."

"What? Why is Batman mad at you?"

She closes the door to my room behind her and I take a deep breath.

"Because… I need to go off road. Off mission, I mean. I mean… there's a problem and I really need your help."

"What happened?"

"I told you about the circus, right?"

"The one you grew up in? Haly's Travelling Circus."

"Yeah. They've been on an international tour for the last few weeks but something's wrong. There's been a string of robberies following the exact schedule and travel plans the circus has, plus there's footage of acrobats and tightrope walkers doing the break ins. I think someone's using the circus as a cover and Interpol is going to shut the whole show down if someone can't prove Mr. Haly is innocent. I have to go find whoever's really behind it and stop them."

"But why does it have to be undercover? From the League, I mean."

'Because Slade is the one who told me about it.'

"What?!"

"I said, because it's personal," I say louder, just in case there are listening devices in the room, "Here, I pulled up these articles about the robberies."

I hand her my phone, which does really have police reports up, but the real point is to make sure anyone listening in or watching doesn't suspect the real conversation.

'M'gann, please hear me out. The threat is real. I didn't just take his word for it. Please, I know it seems bad, but the circus was my home. They're still my family. I'm scared that if I don't go find whoever's behind this, it'll get the circus shut down for good. They might even arrest Jack—Mr. Haly.'

"Why don't you want anyone else's help?"

'Dick, you have to know it's a trap.'

'That's why I need you! You know what's really going on, you can adapt if everything starts going wrong! Please, I can't take the chance that the circus really needs my help.'

M'gann frowns, her lips pressed together tightly. Finally, she nods.

"What do you need me to do?"

"We'll go in disguise and join the circus as a new act. I've got it all planned out. We'll be Dan and Dawn Danger, brother-sister acrobats. I've already called my school to tell them I'm out sick, so I'm clear for the rest of the week."

"What are we going to tell the League?"

'We can't tell them about it or they'll try and come.'

'Wouldn't it be good to have more backup?'

'Not if this is a trap.'

"We tell them you're taking me out for a flying lesson in the bioship."

"You think they'll buy it?"

"No."

'But hopefully, they'll think I kept it a secret because of the circus and not because of anything else.'

'Okay. I'll do it on one condition. We come up with a plan to get rid of Slade and end this once and for all.'

'M'gann, there isn't a way out. He's always ten steps ahead and there's too many people that could get hurt. I just have to get through it.'

'And where does it end? What happens when he tells you to betray the team? Or steal secrets from the League?'

I think of the secret Wayne Tech codes I gave up and my stomach tightens.

'M'gann, please.'

'There has to be a way out, Dick. We'll find it. We have to try. You owe it to yourself.'

What if she's wrong? What if we try something and it goes horribly wrong and Slade finds out?

But what if she's right? Even if I do everything right, follow every order and keep this secret, Slade still might change his mind and lock me inside the Haunt forever. If I don't try to find a way out, then I really am powerless.

It's worth the risk. As long as he never finds out.

'Okay.'

"Then we have a circus to save."

Wally West

Mount Justice

Friday, November 16th, 2012

Wally checked the monitor logs again, reassuring himself that Batman still wasn't in the Watchtower or the Cave. Wonder Woman was on monitor duty, and the Flash was on the active duty list. According to Tornado, Miss Martian had taken Rob out for a flying lesson in the bioship, so they'd be gone for a while. Conner had roped Zatanna into helping him cook dinner, and Kaldur had just left for a joint patrol with Red Arrow. This was his best shot.

"Flash, come in."

"What's up, Kid?"

"Remember that cold case I've been looking in on?"

"The one you told Roy we made a bet on?" his uncle sounded vaguely amused.

"Yeah, that one. I think I accidentally found something else. You're going to want to see it."

There was a rush of wind through the com, then the sound of the zeta beam activating. A second later, there was another rush of wind and then the Flash was standing next to him.

"What is it?"

"Look," Wally pulled up the League's satellite footage, which was zoomed in on a street in the old city of Lisbon, Portugal, "Roy gave me a lead and I thought it would help if I could see the area and instead, I found this."

"Is that…" Flash frowned, looking at the black and orange figure on top of one of the buildings. He jerked back, whipping around to look at Wally for confirmation, "Kid, when was this footage taken?"

"It's live."

"Shit! Flash to the Justice League! All available members respond. Deathstroke the Terminator spotted in Lisbon. I repeat, all available members respond! Sending coordinates now."

He flicked off his comm and turned to Wally.

"Turn your comm to the League frequency. I need you to stay here and keep tracking him. He's incredibly dangerous and very slippery. Don't lose him."

"I won't," Wally promised, heart pounding in his chest. With a nod, the Flash disappeared.

AN: Slade tries to have everything accounted for, but who can predict what a speedster will do? The heroes finally have a to stop Slade once and for all (even if they don't know what exactly they're stopping him from doing). Let's just hope Dick isn't running headfirst into a trap...