After receiving the basic report of Avery's injuries, Batman walked into the familiar room where Alfred consistently patched up the Dynamic Duo. Avery was lying on her back on the padded "bed" in a paper hospital dress. There was a blanket covering her legs, two pillows propping up her head, and an IV in her hand. She was conscious, but her skin was pale from blood loss.

"You wanted to talk to me?" Batman closed the door behind him.

"Yes. Before you berate me for getting kidnapped and stabbing Deathstroke, there is something I would like to say," Avery took a deep breath. "Thank you."

The Dark Knight stood at Avery's bedside, "For what?"

"For coming after me. I will be thanking Nightwing for that in due time. Then thanking your mysterious doctor for saving my life."

"You can call him Agent A," Batman clarified.

"Alright," Avery murmured. Her unfocused eyes wandered around the room, not meeting Batman's covered ones once.

"I found these when I was looking for evidence," Batman held up Avery's glasses.

"Thank you," She put them over her eyes with shaking hands. "I was not going to kill him, by the way," she said after a few minutes in silence.

"Deathstroke you mean?" Batman crossed his arms.

"Yes, the injury would not have killed him. I only meant to faze him." Avery's eyes stayed locked on the nearby heartbeat monitor that kept a constant check on her condition.

"So you faze him. What next? Hobble out of the warehouse with a broken femur?" Batman questioned and gestured to the extra padding Avery had around her thigh under the blanket.

Avery gave a half-hearted shrug and sat up. "Looks like it did not matter. You showed up."

"But what if I hadn't?" Batman challenged. "You're here to learn about protecting yourself, not relying on my help. Protecting yourself means you find your own way out. You've shown a lot of progress considering where you were when you first started training. But applying those skills in the real world is something I can't teach you."

"I realize that," She snapped harshly. Avery met Batman's eyes once again. She sighed heavily, "I am sorry. It has just been a long day."

"That's one way to describe it," Batman wrung his hands. "How are you feeling?"

"Beaten up," Avery said without hesitation. She amended her statement after a very brief look of concern flashed over her mentor's face, "But healing quickly."

Batman nodded, "Good, we'll start your training again once you've healed."

"I can agree to that," Avery laid her head back against the pillows. "Can I please rest now?"

"Sure, I'll bring you some food when you wake up," Batman started towards the door. He took a last glance at his newest protégé. The back of her paper gown was slightly open, revealing thick scars crisscrossing up and down her back. In his slight shock he barely registered her next words.

"One last thing actually," Avery spoke up.

"Yeah?" Batman had his hand on the handle of the door.

"I figured something out not too long ago." Avery turned her head to meet his covered eyes. "We will not be needing the masks anymore, Mr. Wayne."

Bruce almost smiled; he just pulled down his cowl instead, "Now you're acting like a protégé of the Batman."

Avery smiled, took off her glasses, and turned back to rest the side of her face into the pillow. "You are saying it like I was not already."

.:Back to Life:.

Tim sat on the roof of the manor. His legs were curled close to his body, his arms resting on his knees and his chin resting in the warmth of his interlocked arms. He went there to think occasionally. It's not like it was hard to get there from his bedroom window. Alfred almost had a heart attack the first time he found Tim up there. Although after having seen Dick hanging from the manor's many chandeliers as an eight year old, the surprise wasn't enough to cause a full cardiac infarction.

Dick soon found his way up to the roof, "What're you doing up here?"

"Sitting."

"You're going to catch a cold, or worse." Dick looked up at the ever present storm clouds surrounding Gotham. "Bruce says there's a blizzard heading our way. Probably gonna hit most of the northeast."

"That's a big storm," Tim noted.

"Perfect for snowball fights though," Dick always tried to look on the good side.

"Think they'll cancel school?"

"Don't get your hopes up," Dick ruffled Tim's hair and stood up. "C'mon, Alfred has dinner ready."

Tim took one last look at the storm clouds hanging overhead. "I'll be down in a minute," He promised.

Dick trusted his brother, so he let him stay there for a little bit of extra time. He left with the remark that all food is getting eaten before it gets cold, whether Tim gets his portion first or not.

The current Robin sighed into his arms, letting the hot breath warm his arms through his coat. He tried to collect his thoughts. Bruce told him that Avery figured out their identities. It was only a matter of time, really. But still, it had taken him months to figure it out. Even more time to convince Batman he needed to take on another Robin after Jason died. Avery figured it out in roughly five and a half months. Tim took about seven months.

"Maybe I am a bit jealous of her," Tim mumbled, letting his sleeves cushion the sound.

He considered more variables. Tim was only about thirteen when he figured it out two years ago. Avery's had almost ninety years to build up any quotient of measurable intelligence. Sure, most of the time she holds to basic common sense, but she's obviously capable of more critical thinking. Avery showing up has brought one of Tim's fears to the forefront of his mind, being replaced. Dick gave up the title of Robin. Jason lost it with his life. But being forcibly replaced by someone better would just plain suck. The girl has a lot of potential, Tim's seen it, Dick's seen it, Bruce has seen it; it was only a matter of time before she becomes a hero in her own right. The question is what name she'll take on, what costume she'll wear, and the insignia she'll bear.

A/N: First things first, the guest Mer got the two hundreth review. Whoever you are, you have two weeks to contact me via this site or the prize is void. Second, I'm kinda sorry for not posting for almost two weeks in a row. Most stressful weeks of my life (moving, projects, essays, had to put on a play), so that's why I'm only kinda sorry. I was too busy focusing on all that to write. Just wait for summer vacation to come, I know I am, updates should come more quickly. Third, thank you to all of you for following this story so long. Even if you are just a passeby and reading this story to waste a little time, or if you're a true blue fan. Fourth, one of my friends asked me how I would react to fanart of this story. I say, by all means, DO IT. If you want to. I know I catch myself doodling scenes out on scrap paper. Anyways, have a nice day.

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