"Class, I would like you to meet our new student, Richard Grayson." The young brown haired brown eyed teacher asked Dick. "Would you like to tells us about yourself?"

Dick did his best to look forward and not as his lap, he going to be brave at meeting new people. He knew he had to show confidence or else they could pity him. He gave a smile and wave. He was dreading this question.

"Hello..." He started off nervously. "Everyone calls me Dick. I was homeschooled up until now." He kept smiling. "I was an acrobat in a traveling circus, and I was homeschooled…" he mentally cursed himself for repeating himself.

"Welcome Dick, now who would like to show Dick around?"

Everyone looked around at each other, and then the door opened. A black haired blue eyed boy came in. "Sorry...Miss Lester," he said handing her a slip of paper.

"It's okay, please take your seat."

He was heading back to his seat when he noticed Dick, slowly making his way to empty desk behind his own.

"Now as I was saying I need someone to pair off with Dick and show him around."

Tim raised his hand and looked around, no one else raised their hand. "Are you kidding me? He's new! Every other time we get a new student everyone is fighting over who shows them around." The boy snapped.

"Timothy!" Miss Lester said sharply.

"Sorry Miss Lester," He said obediently before turning around and smiling at Dick.

"Tim Drake, nice to meet you," He smiled putting out his hand for a hand shake.

"Dick Grayson," he smiled back taking it.

It was rather nice day for a January so the teachers took the students out for recess, Dick found he was dreading this. He knew there wouldn't be much he could do, so he was sure to bring out some reading material with him. It would work out because there was past lessons he had to look over because he started late. Dick would do this during indoor recess, or he'd play chess with Tim, even some other kids would join in on other board games, but Dick suspected it was mostly because Tim asked them to play.

Even with the supplied he brought out, he found he didn't want to study, but rather explore the grounds, he upon some of the boys playing four square. It looked like fun and like something he could participate in.

"Anyone want in?" A boy light brown hair called out, Dick knew his name was James, after getting out another male student.

"I do," Dick said rolling over. "I'm just a little—"

"No, you can't play." James said seeing who the speaker was.

"Why not?" Dick asked offended.

"Are you really going to make me say it?" James asked.

"You know what, say it. Tell me why I can't play." Dick challenged.

"You can't play because you're a cripple."

Dick felt like he was stabbed in the heart, but he had to be strong, "you won't even give me a chance?" He harrowed his eyes.

"No, now go roll off." James used his hand to gesture away from the area.

"No, I want to play."

"You're a liability," another boy said.

Dick crossed his arms, "no this is discrimination."

"Just because you live with the Waynes doesn't mean you are one, you're just a poor little orphan that Thomas took pity on." James made sure he leaned in close and looked Dick in the eyes.

Without thinking Dick pulled his arm back and punched the boy in the face. This did not sit well James and the other boys, who started to attack the younger boy. Dick did his best to hold his own, but didn't have to do it for long as the fight caught the attention of the school yard attendants who came rushing over to break up the fight.

Dick got into the house first, followed by Thomas who slammed the door behind him starting the dog, Ace.

"Richard John Grayson, stop right there! What the hell were you thinking?" Thomas snapped

"Technically you told Bruce not to get into fights because…well you know…" he grunted and threw his arms in the air, "They would not let me play!" Dick snapped.

The billionaire knelt down and took the boy's hands in his. "Dick…"

"It's not fair," Dick sobbed, his head was down, tears slipped from his cheek and fell onto his lap. While Ace kept nudging at the boy in attempts to console him.

"I know, it's not. Life is never—"

"I don't want another speech…I just wanna walk again…I thought I came to terms with my situation, but now…I don't know! I'm not normal…I'm a freak" Dick looked away from Thomas.

"Dick, you are normal boy, in a unique situation. You are by no means a freak—"

"Thanks Thomas, but I'm going to my room…" his voice cracked. Then he started to head down to his room with Ace chasing after him.

Alfred came into the room to see Thomas still kneeling down. "Sir?"

"I knew this could-would happen. But I wasn't prepared for the fall out. It's been nine months, I've seen him grow and change so much in that time. I wish I could give him what he wants…"

"I do as well," Alfred said, "would you like me to speak with him?"

"You can try. He doesn't want to hear anything I have to say."

"What child wants to listen what their parents have to say?" Alfred smiled.

Thomas smiled a little, "Thank you Alfred."

Alfred reached Dick's room and knocked on the door, "Master Richard, it's Alfred."

"Go away!" His shouts startled the dog.

"Master Richard, please just allow me in." After a long silence Alfred tried to open the door, it was locked. He sighed and stuck his hand into his pocket and withdrew the master key. He knocked again "please young sir, I don't want to talk. I do but not about that."

"Fine…come in…use your key…"

Alfred did as he was told, and when he entered the boy's room he could see Dick's wheelchair was shoved away from his bed and it toppled over. The butler walked past it and to the boy who was laying face down in his bed. With Ace nuzzling him.

"I was thinking about dinner, and I was thinking that maybe you should make it. I would supervise, and guide, you and only help if you ask me, or if you are going to seriously injure yourself." He waited for the boy to reply.

It took a few moments, but one came. "Everything?" His voice was quiet, the butler could hardly hear him.

"Everything."

Dick rolled over onto his side and looked up at the butler with red puffy eyes. "Okay."

Alfred quietly walked over to Dick's wheelchair and set it straight and then brought it over to him. The butler didn't say a word until he crossed the room once again and reached the door. "I will be waiting in the kitchen." And he turned to leave.

"Alfie wait for me!"

Alfred kept his back to Dick to hide the smile. "As you wish."

"What are we making?" The boy quickly meet up with the butler.

"You, young sir are making honey glazed pork with a side of roasted apples, turnips, sweet potatoes, and cranberries, along with a mixed green salad with a cranberry vinaigrette."

"Sounds like a lot of work," Dick said.

"There is prep work that needs to be done. All the vegetables need to be diced, the glaze needs to be made, as does the vinaigrette. We will take our time, you need to practice your knife skills."

Dick moved slowly down the hall to the kitchen

It was a Friday night, and time for the Teen Titans to patrol around a city in need, today Superman gave them Metropolis mainly because Clark had a deadline to meet with the Daily Planet. Jon and Barry were waiting in the Kent's apartment waiting for Bruce and Dick to arrive. Typically right before the arrived Bruce would call because they would take the T-Jet and then Jon and Barry would meet them there. Today was different. There was knock at the window and Robin was there. With their apartment on the top floor that meant Nightwing must not have been with him.

Jon went over to open the window, "Nightwing doing support from Gotham tonight?" He asked as Bruce came into the top floor apartment.

"He's not helping today." Robin informed them.

"Is Dick okay?" Barry asked once Robin was inside.

"Physically yes…" Bruce hesitated.

"What happened?" Jon asked

"Dick…wanted to play four square some of the other kids and they wouldn't let him…" Bruce's voice trailed. "He got mad and punched one of the boys and got sent home. All kids involved just got sent home for the rest of the day. The school didn't want to deal with the situation."

Lois could not help but to hear what the boys were saying. She had meet Dick and he had come to the apartment a couple of times. "That's terrible." She said.

"Why not?" Jon asked.

"Why do you, think?" Bruce said bitterly.

"Honey," Lois said coming over. "Not all kids are accepting of Dick's handicap."

"They would not let him play because he's in a wheelchair? that's not fair." Jon said.

"It's not," Lois agreed.

"That's horrible," Barry said, "Dick is awesome."

"It's not Dick's fault," Jon looked to his dad who just came into the room.

"It's sad to say, but some people don't look beyond physical appearances," Clark said joining them.

"Can we visit him? We're his team…we need to support him." Jon said.

Bruce hesitated. He knew that even though Alfred let him cook (and he was good too) he didn't eat anything and then locked himself in his room.

"Boys go, Dick needs you more than the city right now. If anything comes up I can handle it," Clark said. "I will call Thomas and let him know you boy are on your way."

Bruce knocked on Dick's door.

"Go away, Bruce," he snapped.

"How'd he do that?" Jon asked.

"I'm paralyzed not deaf," Dick said, "Beside Alfred and Thomas just left."

The door opened, "What do you want? I though you had a mission?"

"We would rather play four square, we need a fourth," Jon said as Barry help up a ball.

Dick looked up at them, but didn't say anything.

"It's in the driveway," Barry said tossing the ball to Dick.

Dick gave a weak smile. "Okay. I'll play."

Bruce lead the way to the drive way where Barry had drawn the four square box in calk.

Dick was sitting waiting for Bruce to come out of school. Because of his wheelchair Dick was permitted to leave a about five minutes early to avoid the crowded hallways. By the time he made it out of the school Bruce was usually waiting for him, Dick suspected either Thomas or Bruce arranged this, but he didn't mind. Today Bruce wasn't there, but just before he was about to text Bruce he got one from him.

Bruce: Class ran late.

Dick: okay. I'll meet you by the parking lot.

Bruce: Is Tim with you?

Dick: I'm fine! Beside Alfie will probably be here soon.

Bruce didn't reply so Dick stuck his phone into his pocket and made his way to the parking lot where they usually meet Alfred. It was be the front of the school right near the entrance gate. The path over was slushy as the snow melted under the abnormally warm day's sun. The boy sighed as he found a nice shady spot to wait for Bruce. He took a book out and started to read.

Dick could hear footsteps approaching. There was more than one set, so it wasn't Bruce or Tim, unless someone was with them. He kept his head down, either hoping they would go away, or if they really wanted him they would call his name. If helping Batman taught him anything it was know your surroundings, his job was alway listening or watching quietly. Right now was the time to listen.

"James was right, he is here." A voice came.

Dick didn't recognize the speaker, but it did sound familiar. He finally lifted his head to see.

He saw three teens, two were identical twins. One's hair was slightly longer than the other a normal person may not have noticed this, but his keen eyes from being Nightwing allowed him to see the subtle difference. The last one was of Asian decent, but his eyes were more rounded.

"You're right Lincoln," the twin with the shorter hair said.

"So that must make the little duck," the twin with longer hair commented.

"The name's Dick, jerk."

"Ohh he's feisty, Hunter." Lincoln smiled walking closer to Dick.

Lincoln kept coming until he was close enough to put his hands on the arm rests of Dick's wheelchair.

"Get your hands off," Dick said sharply.

Lincoln laughed, as did Hunter and the other boy.

Dick then did the best thing he could think of, he pulled his hardcover book out from behind his back and whacked the teenager in the head with it.

This had to have been the stupidest thing he could have done, as the three insanely over powered Dick, who started to yell. Hunter of the three covered Dick's mouth, but the boy bit him. He tried to get his wheels to move, but they were locked.

"What the fuck is wrong with you? Picking on a little kid? Get the hell out of here before I break your damn necks!" A new voice entered the area. The teen was tall and wore a brown leather jacket with a head hoodie under neath with the hood up. He had a cigarette dangling from the corner of his lips. He cracked his knuckles. "You want little blue here you go through me."

Sure enough one of the bullies dared to take on Dick's savior. The bully quickly learned that taking the boy in the red hood was a terrible idea, and he planted a hard kick into the bully's chest.

"Who else wants to take me?"

Bruce was on his way over when he saw what was going on. He dropped his messenger style book back to the ground and ran to aid his brother.

"Red Hood is good!" Dick called out seeing Bruce as he did his best to avoid getting attacked.

Bruce nodded and stood back to back with Red Hood, both with their first at the ready. "A little more fair now, don't ya think?" Bruce asked easily blocking a punch from one of the boys. In a frenzy Bruce and Red Hood took down the bullies as teachers arrived after hearing all the shouting.

The teachers who came talked to Dick who explained what happened.

The boy who helped them ran off, but Bruce ran after him, "Stop!" He called, but they boy kept running. "Hey! Red Hood!" The pair ran a couple of blocked before Dick's savior stopped.

"Damn it you don't let up!" He said turning around.

"Thanks—"

"Jason."

"Thank you Jason. For helping my brother."

"It was nothing. I can't stand idiots who beat up little kids…Kid was holding his own, as were you…"

"Bruce. And if you ever need anything, call me."

"What's the number?"

"Only one Wayne family in Gotham."

Jason shoved his hands in his pockets and out a low whistle. He'd have to keep that favor in his back pocket. He pulled out a carton cigarettes and light one before walking down the street.

It was late Thomas and Bruce were making their way to bed after a night of patrolling. Dick helped them out for a little while today, but the young boy grew tired and turned in early.

Bruce was on his way up stairs when he heard faint whimpering from Dick's room knowing the boy's history with nightmares he slipped in to see him.

"Scoot over," Bruce said climbing in the bed with Dick. As the teen climbed Ace lifted his head up, but seeing it was Bruce the dog laid his head back down.

Once the teen was settled in Dick rested his head on the older boy's shoulder. "Dick you can't let a few idiots tell you how to live. You have people who care about you and accept you for who you are. Your wheelchair doesn't define you. You whit, humor and caring nature do. I know it will be hard for you, but you can't let what people think affect you. Not because it the right thing to do, but because they are wrong. I'm not the only one who sees this. Tim has seen you for you, he's become a good friend in a short time. Even that kid Jason, he maybe have come to help because he saw your wheelchair, but my point is he came to help despite it. He could have been a jerk and let them beat you up if he didn't care. You have it harder than I can imagine or even guess. You need to work harder to show people what I see, what my dad and Alfred see. What Barry, Jon, and Tim see. Show people what they are missing out. Show them that you are worth getting to know. And if they don't want to get to know you then they don't deserve you. Don't let other people tell you who you should be. Only you know how you should be defined." Bruce tapped the place over Dick's heart.

Dick smiled sleepily at Bruce. "Thanks…you're the best big brother I could ever ask for." He yawned. Bruce went to get out of the bed, when Dick stopped him. "No stay…"

"Okay, I will," Bruce said ruffling Dick's hair.

Thomas silently stood in the doorway watching his two boys, they really balanced each other. He shut the door and went off to bed himself.

A/N: Thanks to everyone who has read, reviewed, followed, and faved this fic! So please continue to do so, I love hearing from you!

What do you think about Jason and Tim joining in on the fun? Jason is going to be Bruce's age (close to 16) and Tim will be Dick's age (probably just a few months younger because of birthdays)