Wayne Manor

"Richard?" I ask, knocking on his door.

I hear him rustling around, then he opens the door, and motions for me to enter.

As I enter his room, I notice that his hair is disheveled, and not how it normally is. It's more like he's been tossing and turning all night for the past few days. His skin doesn't look all that healthy either.

He doesn't look too great, and I can tell that something's been eating at him.

"Addie, can you promise not to tell anyone?" He asks, as I make myself comfortable on his bed.

"Is it life threatening?" I ask.

"Not particularly," He answers.

"Then I can promise," I assure. "Now what's wrong? You worried me when you called me over so quickly…"

"Sorry," He apologizes. "It's just… I'm graduating soon. About three years, but it'll come around quickly enough, and Jason is about to go into High School… I'm just thinking about what's next for me."

"And how do you mean?" I ask as he sits down next to me.

"I was thinking… I can't be Robin forever," He finally said. "But, I don't know when the right time to quit would be… If I do this till Jason is out of High School, that wouldn't be fair to him, because by then, he'd want to move on to other things. And if I do this for another few years, then what? Do I just let it be in my past? Do I keep going? Do I go to a college and be a hero? What am I going to do?"

I wrap my arm around him, and lay us both down on the bed.

"I'm hardly in a position to tell you how to live your life, Dick," I begin. "I already know what I'm to do once Diana returns to Paradise Island, I am to become Wonder Woman, for… who knows how many years, then, someday I will return to Themyscira to claim the title of Queen, and that's when Cassie will take over the Wonder Woman mantel, and so on. I already have my path set out for me, and I wouldn't have it any other way."

I feel him sigh.

"But, I don't think you should just up and leave the 'hero business'," I offer. "I don't think you'd be able to stay away for a minute. What I would suggest is start branching out on your own. Kaldur will always be there to guide you in leading the team, and someday he expects you to take over as our Leader entirely. You can't do that if you don't make your own mistakes without Bruce there to pull you out, and fix everything. I'm not saying leave the Robin mantle just yet, but consider making your own path into something else. Someone else."

"Who would I be?" He asks. "I've always just been 'Robin'. The Dos in the Duo. I don't know anything else…"

"Be you," I say. "You're different when you put on that mask. You're more jovial, yet always calculating. The real you is relaxed, but always prepared. You don't panic. I think you should be you."

"But when? And how do I tell Bruce that I'm ready to grow up?" He asks.

"Dick," I laugh. "You aren't even close to being ready to grow up. Move on? Almost. But don't grow up. I think you should tell him that you're ready to make your own place in the world. Make your own dents in the Hero Community, but not under his shadow. You're ready to take on some missions by yourself."

"But what if I'm not ready?" He asks. "What if I screw up majorly?"

"Then you have us to help you," I answer. "You'll never be alone, Dick. Even if you want to be. We'll always be here for you."

"Thank's Addie," He sighs, letting his head fall on top of mine.

"What are sisters for?" I answer, relaxing into his brotherly embrace.