A Knight's Tale I Chapter 8, a batman the animated series fanfic

digi-gal-rox: another chapter up, who knows how many more to go. All i know that it is near completion and part 2 will be up soon! anyways happy readings!

CHAPTER 8

"How is she?!" he demanded, entering the room. His younger brother looked at him sadly, with the newcomer asleep on the chair by the window. "Who is he?" he paused, "Wait, where's Mary?"
"Someone came by... and shot her, Dick." Tim said quietly, "And took Mary with him." he paused, "Ben, here, didn't see who it was, except darkness." Dick narrowed his eyes clenching his fist.
"The Shade."
"And a gun shot." Tim added. Dick's eyes shot up.
"And the baby?" the younger man looked away uneasily.
"I'm sorry Dick."

"Who's he?" Ben asked watching Dick talk to the doctors.
"That would be Dick." Tim responded, glancing at the sleeping Barbara. "Her husband, my brother."
"Where has he been all this time?!" the teenager demanded.
"This family... all of us, we have many secrets, none of which you should know." Tim's eyes fell. "Watch her will you?" he asked, "There's... there's something the both of us have to do."

"I can't believe I'm doing this." he muttered. "But this... it's for her. I want to get the guy who did this to her, and ask why."
"Leave that to me."
"I know what you're capable of. And don't think about doing it."
"I'm not going to kill the guy. I want to know why."
"Dick..."
"What?"
"About the kid... Ben. He's Bruce's son."

"Annabelle." the woman turned around surprised.
"Oh. It's you. I'm not that surprised that you're here." she frowned. "How is Ben?"
"She knows?" Robin looked at Nightwing surprised. Nightwing didn't respond.
"Does your son know anything about this?"
"No. And like I'd tell him," the woman spat.
"You obivously kept the secret."
"I know the good you people go. I won't destroy that. But I won't destroy my son's life. Throughing him into that life like he did with you." Nightwing turned around and left. Robin however remained. "What?" she asked sharply.
"He's a good kid. There's more of him in there than you think."

"We have to stop him." Shayera said quietly.
"How? He is-" Diana started.
"We can't allow him to contiue like this anymore. He will only hurt the people close to him." John interupted.
"He has a reason now. His wife... his daughter..."
"Are with us or against us, Wally?" the red-headed speeder looked away, uneasily.
"You can't ask me to pick between my best friend and my team, John." the Green Lantern narrowed his eyes.
"Right now you don't have any other choice." Clark said regretably. "I should've stopped him earlier."
"This is his fight!" Waly protested. "A fight we shouldn't get involved in!"
"And now his younger brother is a part of it." Shayera muttered. Wally glared at the team he also called friends.
"My answer is against you." he narrowed his eyes. "If there is one thing I know about him, is that he will do what ever he can to protect his family."

The masked man smiled to himself, watching the army he had built make their way to the duo. It was a pitty. Batgirl wasn't there. But ofcourse, how could she? She was in the hospital. He smirked, watching their reaction. Especially Nightwing's, as Slade approached him, throwing the first punch. Behind the villians stood several robots Slade had help create.
"It's about to begin." he murmured, turning around slightly, watching the scared little girl as tears fell from her eyes. "And you've got the front view, little one." he gave her a sickly smile, "Your daddy won't be able to save you now. Not with what I have planned for him."

Ben slowly opened his eyes, to see a half awaken Barbara. He smiled softly, at the older woman. She smiled weakly back at him.
"Hey, how you feeling?" he asked quietly.
"Like hell." she muttered. "What happened?"
"Some guy shot you. And took Mary." Ben said quietly. Barbara looked away, clenching her fist. "Mr. Drake and Mr. Grayson said something about going out..." he added. Her eyes widened. "What?"
"The war," she murmured, "It's begun. The war of the Knights."
"What are you talking about?" Ben asked, "What war?"
"Your mother wanted to protect you from this world. And I don't blame her. But it's in your blood." Barbara said quietly. "We couldn't keep it from Mary. She found out herself, the little one..."
"What do you mean?"
"You're his son," she whispered, rising from her bed slightly, "The son of the Bat."

"Wow!" she exclaimed in awe, setting herself down.
"Mary!" her father roared angrily, seeing her there. She looked at him, already in tears at the tone of her fathers.
"Daddy! I- I didn't-" her father grabbed her tightly by the arm before dragging her up.
"How many times do I have to tell you! Stay in one room!"
"She's quite the detective," her grandfather mused.
"Don't encourage her," her father warned, "I don't want her growing up in that world!"
"Growing up in what world?" her mother entered the room. She smiled weakly at her mother.
"She found it." her father seethed. Her mother's eyes widened.
"You were Nightwing and Batgirl?" Mary asked excitedly. "That is so cool! Wait till-"
"You can't tell anyone, honey," her mother said gently.
"Why not?"
"It's a secret. Can you keep a secret?" her mother asked. Mary nodded her head vigorously. "Good girl, now go along and play, O.K?" Mary took off.
"You got some explaining Bruce." Dick growled.
"I didn't do anything. I'm just as surprised as you are." Bruce said humbly.
"We can't hide it from her forever. She would've found out sooner or later." Barbara said quietly.
"You're siding with him?!"
"I'm not siding with everyone." she said sharply. "I'm just saying that it's in her blood."
"Damn it!" Dick slammed his fist on the desk. Barbara placed her hand gently on her husband's back.
"She's our daughter, Dick. Nightwing's and Batgirl's. Dick Grayson's and Barbara Gordon's..." he looked at her softly. "If not as heroes, as cops..." he hugged his wife tightly.
"I won't let her grow up in this world." Bruce promised. "Or Tim's family for that matter. I won't let your children suffer."

Nightwing turned around sharply, avoiding Slade's attack, before throwing Two-Face at him. He quickly glance at Robin who flipped over The Riddler.
"I'm getting too old for this!" he shouted to his older brother. Before any other villians could move, a flash of red zoomed past, tieing up the villians. "What in the name of-?!"
"Flash." Nigthtwing smiled as the scarlet speeder pulled to a halt.
"'Sup guys? Thought you could use some help."
"Thanks man." the two friends clasped hands.
"So who's the big baddy?"
"We're about to find out." Nightwing responded, as the robots stepped forward, "Once we get past them."
"No worries." Flash smiled. "That's why I called back up." the former knight turned around to see his old team, the Titans appraoched them, with big smiles on their faces.
"Let's do this."

digi-gal-rox: that's it for now! -V- Peace out!