School had to be the bane of their existence with the only good thing being their friend Kat who did her best to make their days better. But it seemed as though the other kids had a different idea for both of them as soon as they were alone on one hallway or the locker room. The place was more nightmarish than that of the memories that plagued them every night and the things that they had seen while running with Batman.

"Hey Circus Freak!" a boy called out to Dick. "What's the matter party too long last night with your billionaire posterboy of a guardian?"

Dick shook his head trying to focus on just getting through the day, he was so tired from a long night of training and studying. He had to bite his tongue to keep from retorting as he continued on his way well until someone grabbed his arm.

"I'm talking to you Circus Freak." the boy said lowly. "What too good for us because of the playboy who took you and your sister in just for media?"

"Yeah Grayson haven't you heard?" another boy laughed as Dick winced being shoved into the wall. "Wayne's only using you for his image."

:You're lying." Dick growled hands forming fists as the boys around him laughed.

"What's the matter, Freak?" the first boy laughed. "Can't take the truth?"

"Hey Dick!" came Kat's voice making all the boys turn.

The girl walked right up to the boys glaring at the ones surrounding her friend as she elbowed her way to Dick's side. Grabbing his arm she guided him away from the boys and their teasing, the glared still visible on her face for the boys.

"If there's one thing I really hate in this world it's bullies." Kat muttered as they turned a corner. "You okay?"

Dick nodded slowly, "Yeah I'm good. Thanks for that by the way."

"No problem. Those guys have always thought it funny to bully others and there's nothing anyone can do about it."

"Maybe not now but who knows."

"The future can change."

The two friends grinned at one another as they made their way down the hall to meet up with Ann before heading to the cafeteria.

"So have you seen the news lately?" Kat asked running a hand through her hair.

"What about it?" Dick asked hearing those lying words again in his head.

"About Batman and his new sidekicks. They have bird name and I can't remember them for some reason."

"Oh yeah." Dick said faking excitement. "Weren't they like Hawk and Eagle or something?"

"No no not those kinds of birds."

Dick had to suppress his laughter as he watched Kat try to remember his and Ann's alternate egos of the night. He almost forgot about what the other boys had been telling him when Ann ran into him literally ran into him nearly knocking all three of them to the ground.

"Woah, what's the rush Annie?" Dick asked catching his sister.

"Oh nothing." Ann replied shaking her head. "Just felt like going for a jog through the halls."

"Right." Kat replied skeptically. "Anyway Ann do you know the names of Batman's two sidekicks?"

Ann's eyes went wide like she was confused, "Batman has sidekicks?"

"Yeah they have bird names. Come on you have to know."

"Right. Let me think... are they like Osprey and Sparrow."

"Osprey wouldn't be right either." Dick told her. "If my guesses of Hawk and Eagle were wrong."

"Well they were." Kat said crossing her arms. "I wish I could remember but they were only mentioned once and briefly. But they seem so cool."

"I bet." Ann agreed smiling. "Getting to run around with Batman every night though its gotta be dangerous."

"Wish I could be like that."

The twins shared a grin, running around through the night patrolling was fun but it was also dangerous and life changing. For two nine year olds who grew up in a way that most don't get to experience then to have everything ripped away; you learned more about the world. Then to have the chance to change even just a small portion of the world to help people not have to experience what they had. They wouldn't wish this life so anyone else unless they had some good reason for wanting or needing to get through or over some horrible experience.

"Robin and Wren." Kat finally said loudly a triumphant smile on her face. "That's their names."

Ann grinned before quietly saying, "You'd think that since they work with the Batman they would have Bat names or something."

"Yeah you're right..." Kat said thoughtfully turning to actually look at the twins. "So what are you guys doing tonight?"

"Bruce has us going with him to some charity ball tonight." Dick replied as they left the cafeteria.

"Sounds interesting. Are you guys excited?"

Ann shrugged stiffly, "Not really."

The thought of the charity event just had Dick thinking about the lies that the bullies had been trying to make him believe were real. And though there was a small part of him that thought it was true he didn't want to believe them instead he wanted to believe that Bruce had taken them in because they were like him in some ways. Ann was silent letting Kat and Dick talk about the ball and Batman, her mind wondering back to the other night. Bruce had taken them out once more last Friday night after begging him for an hour after finishing their homework.

Ann stood as Wren upon an apartment building near Crime Alley having ran ahead of Batman on a training run as the man had said. The night just felt like her domain now and the buildings were a playground that made her forget about the day and the things that had happened. Flying through the air, feeling as though no one could touch her while she was there in that moment just losing herself in flight. Looking down she spotted movement in the alley, a small figure flipped over some boxes carrying something in his arms.

"Hey kid!" a voice yelled. "Get back here!"

Three large men came barreling down the alley after the kid, Wren ran beside them from above watching to see what would happen. She wondered what the boy had done to have the three men chasing him in such a manner that concerned her. Her mind told her that she should call Batman to let him know where she was but her attention was on the kid who was in trouble.

"Got'cha now kid." one of the men said grabbing the kid by the back of the shirt.

"Let me go!" the kid yelled kicking and punching as he was lifted off the ground. "I didn't do nothing."

"You took something from us kid." a second man said.

Wren crouched above debating on jumping down to in her mind save the kid or stay back to watch until she felt the need to jump down. The men held onto the boy trying to force him to give up something that he denied taking even though it looked like he didn't have anything now. Biting her lip, Wren stood launching herself off the rooftop flipping in the air to land squarely on one of the men's shoulders spinning quickly to kick the others in the face. The kid fell to the ground, his bluish green eyes locked on Wren staring in what seemed like surprise and awe.

"It's one of the Bats kids." the man who had grabbed the boy said.

"You shouldn't be hear Bird girl." the second man told her.

Wren was silent placing herself between the boy and the men so that they couldn't do anything else to him. She crouched readying herself for a fight, heart pounding in her small chest while trying to not show that she was afraid with facing these men on her own. Afraid that she would fail Batman and not be good enough that she would die here protecting this little boy who would probably wind up the same as her once they got done. With a shake of her head, she tried to get rid of the dark thoughts that no nine year old should even have even in this situation.

"What'sa matter kid?" one of the three asked with a grin. "Afraid?"

Wren laughed weakly banishing her fear momentarily, "Of you no. Of Batman when he figures out where I am and what happened yeah. If anything you should all be afraid."

"Of what you little girl?" the man asked taking a step forward.

The girl let loose a cackle that echoed off the walls before she moved unsure of what she was even doing at the moment. Her body was just moving on its own at this point as she jumped up at the men starting a fight she wasn't sure she'd even win. She flipped away from them whenever they tried to land a hit when she stumbled slightly coming out of a tumble.

"Wren status report." Batman's voice spoke in her ear. "Robin has completed his run and moved onto Phase 2 of tonight's training."

"Sorry Bruce." she thought losing focus for a second. "I'm in so much trouble."

"Got'cha!" the leader yelled slamming a fist into Wren's small body.

The girl flew through the air for a moment before hitting the ground hard, the air being knocked out of her lungs and she was sure that she heard something crack.

"Wren respond." Batman demanded in her ear.

Wren winced both at the pain that coursed through her and the firmness in Batman's voice that promised punishment if she didn't respond quickly. The men were laughing at her as she struggled to get up but instead of a frown or tears on her face there was a smile. She reached into one of the many pouches on her belt watching the men before throwing down smoke pellets.

"Come on." she called grabbing the boy's hand and running down the alley.

The boy only nodded as they ran like he was in shock or something as Wren guided him down alleyways that he himself probably had memorized. They ducked into one of the abandoned buildings where she let the boy go wrapping an arm around herself as she stepped away.

"Are you alright?" she asked quietly looking at the boy.

"Y-Yeah..." he answered still seemingly in shock. "Why'd ya do that?"

"It's my job."

She winced figuring that maybe the guy had done more damage than what she had previously thought before the run. The boy was silent watching her still as she moved to look into the alley to make sure that the men hadn't followed or seen them. The girl watched the streets until she heard a soft thud and the boy gasp from behind her that she turned back quickly. Two figures melted out of the shadows, revealing Batman and Robin who both had serious looks on their faces as they glanced between the boy and Wren. Looking up she realized that there was a hole up to the roof in this building and that it probably wasn't the safest place to be hiding but at the moment she guessed that was the least of her worries.

"Wren report." Batman stated stepping in front of her while Robin watched the boy.

"I'm in trouble aren't I?" she asked with a weak smile as his eyes narrowed. "Take that as a yes."

Taking a breath, she winced slightly before recounting the events leading up to this moment with Batman having to literally track her down. She could tell that he was not happy with her but what else was she supposed to do in such a situation as the on she'd just been faced with. When she finished Batman stood still for a moment before turning to look at the boy and Robin who were having some sort of staring contest.

"Robin, make sure he gets home." he ordered the masked boy.

"On it." Robin responded with a grin. "Come on kid."

"The name's Jason." the boy told them with a scowl. "Not kid, not boy Jason."

"Ok. Come on Jason."

Robin led Jason out the door after making sure that the coast was clear then they disappeared into the night leaving Wren and Batman alone. They didn't speak as Batman looked her over bet she could just tell that he was waiting until they got back to the Batcave to give her the riot act.

"What are you doing Ann?" came a voice breaking the girl from her thoughts.

"Writing a letter." she answered quietly turning to look at Bruce.

"A letter? To who?"

She could tell that he was confused since really there was no one for her to be writing to except maybe Dick who she lived with or maybe Kat.

"My parents." she replied looking back down at the paper. "Our Mamica started us doing this when were about seven. She told us that it was a good way to get emotions out and to remember things that you'd like to never forget."

Bruce watched her as she spoke and wondered if Dick was doing the same thing at the moment since so much had happened to them since he took them in. Ann, up until Bruce had spoken had been unaware that she's been on autopilot with no real memory of getting from school to the Manor. Her mind was on Jason and how ragged the poor kid had looked with dirt and bruises that covered him from what she could see. She wished that there was something that she could do for him but she had no way of finding him since now she was grounded and her ribs were wrapped.

"That's a good thing to do." Bruce told her. "Write down whatever you like just be sure that no one will find them."

"Yes sir." Ann responded with a small smile.

The two smiled at one another when Dick flipped into Ann's room with a laugh unaware of Bruce being there. They all laughed together after the boy froze noticing the man who had taken them in scratching the back of his neck. Sometimes with moments like this even with the masks and their schedules they felt like a family... a family that could grow.

So this chapter was supposed to be different but I had to bring Jason in... the plot bunnies wouldn't leave me alone until I did.

Hope you enjoyed this chapter and I will have the next up sometime hopefully soon.

Please leave a review if you liked this chapter and want more.

oh and I have begun the actual season 1 story... lol