Gotham City

July 13, 21:34 EDT

"I want to punch you in the face right now, Bird Brain!" I whispered menacingly at Dick as he shot his grappling hook at my balcony edge. Wally and him had decided that a night off, even if we were all grounded, would be great. Especially if it was after our bedroom lights were out and we were supposed to be sleeping.

What could go wrong with their plans?

Now, I stood on my balcony with Dick as we argued about how their plan was going to get us all grounded for more than just two weeks. I adjusted my long-sleeved white blouse with a huff.

"Hey, you've complained to me all week at school about how you would give up anything to get out of the house, now is your chance!" Dick shrugged; his blue eyes glinting in a way that could have convinced even the trickiest of people.

I was supposed to be the responsible one out of our little trio, but he was right, I wanted to bust out of this house so badly I could almost taste it. In response, I sighed and slid down the rope of Dick's grappling hook.

I landed with a thud on the dew of the green grass, "You better hide that grappling hook of yours, you can put it under the tree." I pointed at the sapling growing in our backyard.

"Glad you wanted to join the party, babe." Wally wrapped his arm around me, but I pulled it away with a smirk.

"You're already chasing after M'Gann. It's one at a time, tiger." I replied to his forever-going flirtatious antics.

"Besides, she promised to kiss me. So, as you can see, she has a thing for me, not you." Dick came up to us, winking slyly.

My mind was racing and my heart was panicking. "When did I say that?"

"You don't remember, Dear Diana? Back in Cadmus while we were in the wind chutes after you insulted me for not having a girlfriend! How could I possibly forget?" Wally snapped at me jokingly.

I smirked. "In that case, I do believe I said I would kiss you if I could, but I never promised anything, Boy Wonder."

Dick cackled. "Man, this is so not whelming! I was hoping to get a kiss."

I knew he was kidding, of course he was, we sometimes teased each other like that, but I couldn't make the red tint itching itself upon my cheeks to go away.

My thick brown hair ruffled against the wind, making it messier than how it already was from rolling my head back and forth on my pillow.

We got out of my backyard, moving to the cemented streets. The lights were shining everywhere around us, and I couldn't help but stare at the city at night. I loved all the colours glinting, and the moon glaring down on us. There weren't any real stars out, but the lights in the tallest buildings were my made-up stars.

Wally, Dick, and I walked in a line as we passed shops and restaurants, moving aimlessly through Gotham City in an almost daze. I think we all just needed to get out of our houses, and simply enjoy each other's company.

We had not heard of each other in a while, and even though our legal guardians kept us posted about anything that happened, and we could watch the news channel to be updated on any catastrophe, I knew we all wanted one of those quiet night outs. We just needed to be normal kids today, not Timeless the Only Female Time Controller or Robin the Boy Wonder or Kid Flash the Fastest Boy Alive.

It was kind of those things that you know you need badly. We needed to have a simple night out with friends and just, well, being the real you. It was exactly what I had craved for the past few months, which were filled by tiring missions day and night, and barely any rest. It was really nice to have companions at your side as you walked somewhere to hang out and talk.

After months and months, I finally felt like a semi-normal kid. It made me happy.

"Are either of you hungry? Because I ran all the way from home to come for you guys and I'm currently starving!" Wally exclaimed, breaking the silence.

"A few burgers and fries wouldn't do us any harm." I shrugged, giving Dick my most innocent expression. He nodded in agreement and off we went, roaming the streets for a diner we all would like.

We passed one block, then two, three, and finally four before we came to an almost fully vacant restaurant that had a theme from the 70's. Dick suggested we stopped here since Wally's whining about his rumbling stomach was too much to handle anymore.

We walked in, and the cool atmosphere from the diner raised my spirits, it was so hot outside that most people were drenched in sweat, but when you were a super heroine who ran around a lot of the time delivering impressive punches and kicks, sweating while walking on a warm night was really kind of impossible at this point. Yes, even if you had a long-sleeved shirt on.

We sat down at a booth, Dick next to me with Wally across from us. My shorts rubbed against the leather of the seats, making me go slower across the booth, and feel sticky. I didn't like feeling sticky; the last time I felt like that it was because I had been sprayed with some chemical.

I didn't like talking about that mission.

We received our menus, but without looking through them, we already knew what we wanted. We had discussed on the walk here what exactly were the things that we wanted to eat (in Wally's case, wolf down).

I would be having a small burger with fries and a vanilla milkshake; Dick would have a pepperoni pizza he would share with Wally and a chocolate milkshake. Finally, Wally would be having (apart from the half pizza from Dick) one large burger with fries and would probably drink about two or three chocolate milkshakes.

Yeah, the guy could eat more than his brain could function. It was sad, really.

All right, so Wally was actually really smart and a pretty considerate person when he wanted to be one, but he could act like such a weirdo sometimes! Don't get me wrong, I love him, but he should tone it down with his impulsive urges, especially now since he's a…you know…hormonal teenager.

We ordered our serving, Wally adding a large ice cream to top it all off. I didn't know if to laugh or gag at him, this happened a lot. I was used to feeling conflicted emotions about his appetite.

"So, billionaire playboy junior, you got enough money to support Wally's hunger?" I inquired, placing my arm around the headset of the booth.

Dick reached into his pocket, pulling out at least two thousand dollars, "No worries, D, we're all good."

We started the conversation by talking about American football and baseball, discussing how the Yankees were awesome and how the San Francisco Giants should win, but we didn't really want them to. Then, I have no idea how, but we got into political issues, and then flowers like roses and violets.

We then went on talking about poems and books, and finally we topped it all off with how life would be living in space, maybe in Mars or Krypton. Then, I couldn't help it, I let out the loudest snort I've ever heard come from my mouth.

Dick and Wally looked at me, catching on, and started cackling and laughing too.

Sometimes, this would happen. We would be in our civilian outfits while simply conversing until we got into topics that were so far away from our original subject that we would burst out laughing at how random we could get sometimes.

Yeah, we were an odd bunch.

"Okay, talking about space and all that, what do you guys think about M'Gann?" I asked, breaking a long silence that followed after our grins slipped off our faces.

"I like her, she's hot!" Wally smiled

"Wally, you can't just like someone because of their appearance." Dick scowled.

"Yeah, I know that, but—"

"Okay, Casanova. What about you?" I gestured for Dick to answer. "She's nice, and she's trying hard to fit in the team. If her powers are anywhere near Martian Manhunter's, then we've got ourselves a great addition to the group. Besides, she is kind of cute for a Martian."

"Dude, you just told me I couldn't say that M'Gann was hot, and that's what you did!" Wally exclaimed.

"I said you can't like someone just because of their appearance, I didn't say you couldn't say she was attractive!"

"Well, Dick, you're two years younger than her in Earth years. I think she likes Superboy, too." I quirked my eyebrow at him. "She's off-limits, so, in your face!"

Dick smirked, what was he so happy about all of sudden?

"Anyway, I'm still starving and the food hasn't—Oh! Never mind, here it is!" Wally grinned so widely I was afraid his face would burst. He started swallowing most of his first slice of pizza in one bite.

I still didn't know if I should be disgusted or amused.

Suddenly, the waitress turned on the television to a newscast. It was showcasing the Justice League fighting the Time Manipulator. Can you guess what his powers are? His name is a clue!

I know, very creative, but hey, he wasn't a very smart guy when it came to giving names. He named me after the super heroine who kept kicking his butt, after all.

I sighed, turning away from the scene. I didn't feel so hungry anymore.

"Isn't that your…" Wally trailed off softly.

I just nodded, what else could I do? I wasn't exactly proud to be related to him, and even though I was ashamed of my father, I wasn't going to hide that part of me. At least, not from my two oldest friends. I couldn't even if I wanted to, Dinah had told Bruce about my heritage. Bruce had told Dick, and Dick, being an innocent ten-year-old without any conciousness of what it could do to me, told Wally.

I could feel my heart aching at what the newscaster kept saying, 'the villain, Time Manipulator, tried to rob a very prestigious bank in Washington D.C. The Justice League defeated him, and local sources said he was sent to a hospital after a failure in his powers resulting to the breakdown of his body. People are starting to wonder, is the archenemy of the heroes getting too old for these games?'

"I would suppose he is, I mean, he's going to turn seventy-two in…well, a two months." I muttered, rubbing my eyes in fatigue.

"Wow, he doesn't look a day over forty!" Wally tried to lighten the spirits. I appreciated his help, so I gave him the slightest of smiles.

"Hey, brighten up, tonight was supposed to be fun for the three of us!" Dick nudged my side with his shoulder.

"I'm tired, though, could we go back home after dinner?" I said, yawning for a good measure, I just wanted to go and stay hidden in the covers of my bed.

Dick and Wally looked at each other worriedly. I rolled my eyes, "You guys are always telling me to stop worrying about you two. You should take your own advice."

Dick looked at me and cackled, "No matter in what mood you're in. You just can't resist using our own words against us, can you?" I shook my head, smiling.

I loved how he could just find the right things to say at the right time. It was moments like this that I got reminded as to why I was such a good friend of his. I couldn't help it; I hugged him, yawning again.

"Hey, don't I get some love, too?" Wally crossed his arms, huffing and crinkling his nose.

"Come here, Wallman!" I laughed as he came over to us, joining in the group hug.

This hadn't turned out exactly how I planned, but it was good, nevertheless. I liked being with my two best friends, acting like complete goofs in front of a crowd. Not caring what anyone else thought about the weird bunch of teenagers.

"Sweethearts, here's you bill." The waitress came over to us, a smile of her own placed on her lips. "You are just adorable."

"Yeah, she makes the group adorable." Wally pointed at me, "I make it hot."

"Hey, Wally, I think you got it all confused. You add in the stupid flirting with girls wherever you go, I am the hotness of the group!" Dick announced proudly, puffing out his chest.

"Nah, Dick. You're thirteen, you can't be hot yet."

"Says who?"

"Says the incredible fifteen year old who hit puberty and is done with it!"

"Really? 'Cause I still see some zits." I mumbled.

Everyone burst out laughing. We were disturbing the tables nearby, but at this point, I don't think anyone gave it a single thought. It was just us, having fun, breaking the rules, and being ourselves.

This was exactly what I had wanted from the start.

O0o0o0o0o0o0oo0o0o0o0o0o0o0oo0o0

"Guys, I'm going to go back now. See ya!" Wally said, after putting his costume on, and speeding off towards his home.

Dick yawned, collecting his grappling hook from the tree, and shooting it up so I could get up to my room. Much to my surprise, he came with me to my balcony before I asked, "Uh, what are you doing?"

"Can't a guy talk to his best friend before going to sleep?"

"Not when that guy lives a long way from his best friend's house!"

Dick shrugged, "Eh, I don't care."

I rolled my eyes at him. He could be so impossible to convince sometimes, he was one stubborn boy, but I guess that's what made Batman let him become Robin. He wasn't one to go down without a fight; I liked that about him, too. I saw why Bruce thought of it as an admirable trait in crime fighting.

I walked into my bedroom, the lights were off and I was happy about that. No one had come in to inspect if I was asleep or not. I wasn't grounded.

"So, why did you get so snappy when we were talking about Miss M?" Dick threw the topic out there; it was so out of nowhere that I choked on the water I had drunk from my nightstand.

I held the coughing in, trying to make as less noise as possible, so I muffled myself with my pillow. I heard Dick trying to contain his teasing cackle, when I was finished coughing up what seemed an earthquake, I decided to answer very…normally.

Or as normally as you could after your best guy friend asked you why you were mad when he was complimenting another girl.

"Okay, you caught me! I secretly like you and I got jealous!" I faked tears. "It isn't my fault you're so handsome!"

My dramatic display wasn't enough to convince Dick who had a smirk that was growing faster and faster by every given word. Oh, mother trollers.

"D, I think you were jealous!" Dick sat down on my rolling chair, moving back and forth. I had been changing into my pyjamas when he said that, and despite the fact we've seen each other in our underwear before because of quick costume changes, I wanted to cover myself up.

I let out a light chuckle, "Dick, I was not! I don't even know what you're talking about, you're just being paranoid."

"If I'm being paranoid, then you're a man. Diana, stop denying the facts! You love me!" Dick stood up, crossing his arms.

I could tell he was joking now, too. I don't think I'd ever felt so relieved in my life.

I did something outrageous next, something I'll probably regret later in the night.

I kissed Dick's cheek.

Man, I knew I'd totally regret that. I had to play along with it now, act as if I wasn't beyond embarrassed.

"Of course I love you, my prince charming! Now go, it's twelve o'clock, and this girl doesn't want to lose her glass slipper running away from you." I smiled, and he grinned back. I knew the flustered air in my room was not there anymore.

"I knew you wouldn't resist my charming personality! You gave me a kiss after all." Dick waved as he slid down from the balcony.

I stood in the middle of the room, rubbing my toes against the carpeted floor. When I was sure he couldn't hear me, I let out a sigh of relieve.