Disclaimer: Um, excuse me, but where are the men in the white coats? Because if you think I own Nightwing, you're crazy and need to go to the room with the white pillows and the straight jacket to take your medicine.

Author's Note: Simply put, wow. I'm updating like crazy! Sorry, I'm a little hyper at the moment. Anyways, this chapter focuses on something that not many people even know about Dick Grayson. His heritage. There's hardly anything about it written in the DC Universe, but I've managed to find what they have given to us lucky people. I actually really liked how this chapter came out. It's much happier than the last chapter, which is something that I think any story needs after a sad chapter. So, why don't I just let you read this? "Colors and Culture"!

-N-

Flying

Chapter Five: Colors and Culture

The sound of music filled the air. The small tinkering of bells, the spinning of sounds of violins, the richness of a drum. A saxophone in poor condition added its touch. The guitar played flamenco music smoothly with a small wooden whistle by its side. Even a harmonica was sounding in this background while a tambourine was hit and shook to the beat of the song.

Laughter and clapping. Singing, the singing of an older man whose voice was rich, powerful, and strong could be heard along with several younger voices of boys in the background adding harmony to the song. Those who knew the song sang and those who felt the beat vibrate in the air got up and danced. Women, whose thick dresses of satin and wool spun upward as they danced and chimed in with small hand cymbals to the beat. The different colors of the many layers were heightened in the light of the bonfire that rose high above their heads. Some men came up and asked the ladies to dance.

There was a fever in the air. The more experienced dancers were young and flirted with one another. The children got up and tried to imitate them, learning with every second that they tried. The celebration of the reunion was incredible, to say the least. The elderly man singing sung of such topics that sparked the souls of those in the large crowd. Finally, song ended and clapping and the sounds of cymbals chiming applauded their musicians.

"My family! It has been so long! We have all been going our separate ways through out the year and while there are those high moments that happen through out the year, there is none, in my mind that comes close to the feeling that I get when our Kumpania comes together for our reunion!" The elderly singer announced.

The clapping and cheering of many in the crowd caused him to pause, "I see many of our young beautiful ladies dancing tonight and am pleased to see our young men being so eager to dance with them! They must have been practicing."

He raised a brow and many of the girls giggled while the boys blushed. "There is a passion of a variety of flavors here tonight and I have a feeling that we are not about to let it be wasted! I am happy to see you all again, grown up so much in one year! So please, dance tonight under the stars to this music!"

The crowd cheered and food was finally brought out by many older women who had been cooking over smaller fires. The smell enticed many to come, mostly the younger children, who ran and tried to clean their hands by wiping them on their pants, skirts, and shirts. The teenagers knew their place and continued to dance until both the children and the elderly had eaten. Then they joined calmly with the remaining and went for a light bit of the dinner so as not to upset their stomachs while they danced.

John watched as he ate his dinner the young men sit in a close nit circle and occasionally point and sneak glances over at the young ladies who were also sitting in another circle. Then his eyes moved over to the large group of children to the close right who were all trying to talk at once with their mouths full of delicious contents. Mary rested her head against his shoulders as she cut her chicken and chowder.

John enjoyed the same as he savored the smell. This Kumpania was with whom he had grown up with. It was his family. While he was never quite sure how he was related to almost any of them, it was okay because neither did they, for the most part. (Mostly it was the older women in the group who kept track of those things.) It wasn't a bad thing, though, because it almost made everyone closer. Everyone was a cousin or a brother or a sister. Everyone was a mother, a father, an aunt, an uncle, a grandparent. He knew who were his biological parents and who were his biological siblings, but the added family made him feel even more complete.

During the off season, Mary, John, and Dick would normally make their annual trip to wherever the Kumpania was meeting that year, as they never stayed in one place. They would stay for about four or five days then return back to Pop Haly since the circus normally stuck together (in general) anyway during the off season. This year, Dick had been eager to make the trip. He and Pani had talked eagerly about the years' festive party. Around October, they had found out that their meetings were generally close by to one another's. So Pani's family and Dick's traveled on the road for about six days together and then split. Yet the boys had had their fun.

"What do you want to do when you get to your Kumpania?" Dick asked Pani.

Pani licked his lips and answered, "I want some of Aunt Gem's homemade rice pie. What do you want to do?"

"I like the songs." Dick answered.

"Hey, what kind of Roma is your family anyway?" Pani asked.

"Kalderasha, or well, Dad is," Dick told him, "I'm half and Mom's well... I don't know."

"Probably from Europe." said Pani, taking a bite of cherry liquorish.

The boys were up late again even though neither of them were supposed to be. Pani wasn't supposed to sneak over to Dick's trailer, either. Dick nodded. They were on the roof and were munching on Pani's stash of secret candy. Mary and John knew that they were up and talking, but weren't going to spoil their fun. It was their vacation after all. John already knew that Mary would give Dick a quick lecture in the morning and then they'd have to leave if they were going to make it on time.

John and Mary never neglected to take the trip. John felt it was well worth teaching Dick about the concepts of different cultures that were taught to him when he was young. Mary agreed as well, and as such, they didn't take Dick to visit Mary's home town in New Jersey. Mary regretted to say that her family was not exactly... talking to her. After she had married John and had decided on her course in life they were upset, saying that there were more... practical things that she could have done. Mary didn't take offense, but she didn't want to go back to a place where she was not only not what they expected, but her son wouldn't be either.

Richard's "away" family was of dancing, music, and delights in the different and exotic. It was one of the reasons that John originally became interested in the trapeze, the open mindedness of opinions that he learned as a child from his family. Being back with the family taught Dick about culture and aspects of life from many different views.

Whispers mingled with laughter as people ran from circle to circle sharing new gossip and kept pointing at others around. The teenagers finished and got up to dance again. The children, seeing this, ceased to talk with eyebrows raised and gobbled down their remaining food, eager to also join the dance and show their maturity. The boys stuffed food in their mouths while the girls frantically chewed their food in small bites. The girls surpassed the boys since they could actually swallow and got up waving at the boys in a taunting, but fun manner.

The singing began again this time with a fever and Latin talk of love and joy and the feeling of music. With the other boys, Dick got up and began to dance along with trying to mimic the solo moves of the teenage boys; he wasn't ready for a partner, yet. He danced in his blue jeans (which were dirty from sitting on the ground) and his bright red top, the sleeves rolled up because he was sweating and dancing so close to the fire. His smile was wide as John and Mary watched him giggle and laugh. Though Dick didn't understand the words, he memorized them and would sing the chorus' with a high pitched voice. One song was in English and he learned it by heart:

"I'd travel the world

I'd search the seas

Because to be with you tonight,

Would bring me to my knees.

Kiss me tonight and forever,

Let me feel your love.

My family is your family.

These stars are ours above!

Join me in this dance.

I can hear your laughter;

I can see your smile.

I want to feel your heart beat faster.

Never leave me I beg of you.

There's no limit to what sites we'll see.

My friends, my family, my love,

My soul depends on your heart being with me!

Kiss me tonight and forever,

Let me feel your love.

My family is your family.

These stars are ours above."

As the song ended, Dick ran up to Mary and threw his arms around her as he jumped upon her. Mary fell back, as she was sitting on the ground, laughing. John smiled and dragged Dick his mother off.

"Are you attacking my wife?" He asked, faking an angry tone.

"No," Dick said, laughing slightly, "I'm attacking my mother!"

With that, John engaged in tickling his son so much that Dick could barely breath or sound out a giggle. Collapsing on the ground, Dick managed to get to his knees and shake his head as though shaking off some sort of affliction that had caused the hard laughter.

"Are you having fun, Dick?" Mary asked.

"Yes, James was teaching me some of the flamenco style earlier on the guitar! And then Marco started teaching me how to dance with the other boys!"

"Yeah, we saw. Are you going to dance anymore?" Mary asked.

Dick shook his head and as though he was trying to be cool and answered, "I'm a little too tired right now. Maybe later, Mom."

"Well in that case," John got up and bowed to Mary, "May I have this dance, me lady?"

Mary smiled and got up while blowing a kiss Dick's way, "I'd be honored."

With that they got up and went into the inner circle the closest to the bonfire. Dick sat down next to a large rock and let out a long sigh. His eyelids were sagging. Even though his birthday was drawing near, he was still six and that meant that he had missed his bedtime. He watched as his parents danced something between a salsa and an upbeat waltz. It was easy for Dick to see his father's enthusiasm in it.

"You're keeping up this time." John smiled as he spun Mary.

"I've had practice, woah!" She yelled as he picked her up in the air in a light toss.

As the song ended, they came back to sit next to Dick who was still leaning against the rock. He looked up when they walked over.

"You want to know a way to a woman's heart, Dick?" John asked him.

Dick scrunched up his face as though trying to convey the message: 'Okay, Dad, but I'm not really interested in... girls... They've got cooties, you know?'

"Dance with them! They love someone who leads them so that they don't have to lead you," John whispered, while Mary laughed.

Mary seemed to have gotten the original message that Dick had made, "You may not like girls now, but you will one day."

Dick shrugged his shoulders and was about to reply when another woman, around his mother's age came up to them, "Mary, John, how have you been?"

"Fine Rebecca. Just fine, what about you?" Mary asked.

"Great as usual, but Robert is home; he had to keep the restaurant going," she said.

"Oh, what a shame," Mary replied, sympathetically.

Rebecca caught site of Dick, "Oh my, how you've grown!"

Wrinkling his nose, Dick answered in a mutter, "I'm still short for my age."

"But still, look at you! Your muscles have certainly toned up, just like your father when he was your age, slim but strong!" Rebecca said.

"Thanks! I've been practicing on the trapeze more," Dick said, more enthusiastically, "I'm getting less and less callouses too."

"That's wonderful! I've heard that you're quite the smart one, too" she continued.

Dick shrugged in a sort of 'I guess' way, while his father answered, "He's doing quite well. We're home schooling him since we travel so much and have to accommodate his training."

Mary gave John a warning look as though saying 'Don't start bragging' and continued the conversation, "So, where did you get your dress, Rebecca? Did you make it?"

Rebecca looked flattered, "Yes, I did and I also made Jessica's over there. It's her first time sitting with the older girls. She's very excited that she's now wearing a more traditional dress."

"She's grown up so much," Mary complimented.

"Thank you." Rebecca answered.

Dick began to get bored of the small talk. Standing up, he bowed slightly and ran up to join the dancing again. John and Mary joined later on. After the story telling, Dick got into a sleeping bag and went to join his cousins who slept outside near the bonfire. None of the days passed without something eventful happening. On the last evening, Dick danced and sang as loudly as he could. By the end of it, he collapsed into his mother's arms, worn out from all the energy he had been using up.

"Are you tired, my Robin?" she asked.

Dick yawned and answered, "Just a little."

For a couple more minutes, they remained, but in order to make it back home on time, the Graysons were forced to leave a little early. Dick awoke the next morning on the road and eager to see if Pani was riding along with them. Sadly, Pani's family was not to be seen until a few hours after the Graysons had arrived back home. They arrived late in the evening, Mary driving the trailer to let John get some sleep. Dick jumped out of the trailer and ran to go greet Pop.

"Pop! Pop! Pop!" He had made it to the door and started to bang on the door, "We're home!"

Pop came to the door only to be greeted by Dick jumping up and giving him a giant hug, "My boy! It's been mere days, but you look like you've grown! Did you have a good time?"

"Yeah! I learned to dance and we went fishing and I learned new songs and how to cook new foods and it was just... Wow! You should have been there, it was so much fun!" Dick exclaimed.

By this time, Mary had come around and gave Haly a hug, "Sounds like you had a blast!"

"It was a lot of fun, yes, thank you, Haly," Mary said.

"It was no problem, I'm glad you got to see your family," Pop said, but then directed his attention to Dick, who was tugging on his sleeve.

"Pop? Pop?"

"Yes?"

"Can I go practice?"

"Practice?"

"The trapeze?"

Pop looked up at Mary, shocked that Dick would ask to do such a thing at eight o'clock at night when there were no performances or real reason to practice now.

"Please?" Dick begged, his two hands together in a pleading expression.

"If it's okay with your mother and you turn on the lights so that you can see, it's okay with me," Pop answered.

Dick looked over at his mother, "Please, Mom? I haven't been able to practice at all while we were gone."

Mary smiled and answered, "All right, but don't get those clothes dirty; change into your uniform."

Dick's grin on his face widened as he gave his mother a quick hug, "Thanks, Mom."

With that, he ran off at lightning speed to the trailer to look for his uniform. Pop looked at Mary with an eyebrow raised. Mary only laughed. In minutes, Dick had come running out and had turned on the lights in the tent. Mary went inside to spot him and was joined by a tired John only moments later.

"Did he wake you up?"

"Didn't mean to," John muttered.

They watched below as Dick swung from platform to platform, flipping and spinning and jumping. He was becoming quite the protege. As Dick swung through the air, the colors of the tent all spun together into one dazzling effect, only stopping when he grabbed the next bar. His life was full of colors, bright, happy, beautiful.

Dick laughed and grabbed the next bar.

It was good to be home.

-N-

A/N: So, what did you think? For those of you who didn't know what culture this was, it was Rom or Roma (no, not in Italy). But they're better known as gypsies. However, Roma is the proper term for them. You'd never guess how interesting a culture it is. In Devin Grayson's 'Inheritance' pt.3, you can catch some glimpses of Dick's connection to his father's heritage. So what did I make up? Rebecca and the song.

Roma music, from what I've read, is very passionate and deals with love, family, and sometimes angsty stuff; but it's mostly very upbeat. Oh, for the words, Kumpania means tribe, group, or sometimes family. Kalderash or Kalderasha is a certain type of Roma. I've never been to something like this, but I have read a lot about this culture and have tried to create a telling of it as well as my mind has allowed. In any case, I hope that you enjoyed this chapter, since I certainly enjoyed writing it. Later!

Rena