MOUNT JUSTICE

DECEMBER 1, 21:54

TEAM YEAR TWO

"Uh, thanks Connor." Dick held a red toothbrush in his hand, courtesy of Superboy, who looked rather pleased at his gift. "My sixteenth year on Earth would be a complete waste without proper dental hygiene." he joked. The Team was gathered in the lounge for the Boy Wonder's birthday, which naturally had evolved into the commonplace wisecrack session late into the night.

"Hey wait a second," Wally chimed in with mock suspicion, "Isn't that what you got me for my birthday?"

"Yours was yellow." Superboy deadpanned.

Zatanna sat down on the couch with a piece of cake, eyes glinting mischievously. "Maybe he's trying to tell you something, boys."

Wally narrowed his eyes and held up a finger. "One, I floss, which is more than most of you can say. And B, that was hilarious, Zee, but last time I checked, I was the funny one."

Artemis entered the room with her own piece of cake, and stood for a moment behind the couch, putting a hand on Wally's shoulder. "The only thing funny about you is how quick your friend down there gets excited after I feed you pie."

Dick and Barbara burst out laughing at that one, and Rocket high-fived the blonde. "Girl takin' the funny man down! Point Artemis!"

The speedster blushed beet-red at that, failing to think of a comeback and resolving to mutter to himself. "Only if it's good pie."

Superboy spoke up around a mouthful of, well, pie. "All pie is good pie."

Barbara raised her glass. "Amen to that!"

o_0_0_o

It was almost midnight, and Dick and Wally found themselves the only survivors of the night, with the rest of the team in bed, and the two best friends walking on the beach, void of snow. Dick had his hands in his jacket pockets, glasses off, something he really only did with Wally. The latter had on a t-shirt and shorts, keeping himself warm by vibrating slightly, something Dick used to think was weird but had gotten used to.

"So," Wally broke his way into the silence, his mouth full of some food Dick knew wasn't served at the party. "Have you decided what you're going to do yet?"

Dick sighed. "I don't know, KF. I feel like I know what to do but I just can't figure out how. Or even why."

Wally thought for a moment. "Think of it as a promotion. You've earned that and more for all your years as the Boy Wonder. Besides, what's Bats gonna say, 'no'?" He cleared his throat and began to vibrate his vocal cords to match the tone of the Dark Knight. 'I demand you stay dressed as a small bird all the way through puberty, even when your bulge starts to test the limits of the same pre-pubescent spandex you've been wearing since-'"

Dick put a hand in the air and stopped his friend mid-sentence as the latter broke off into a chuckle. "Alright, alright, I get it. By the way, you nailed that."

"Little known fact: I could be Batman if I wanted, but I figure I let Bruce have the fun." The two laughed and walked in silence some more, the only sound being the crashing of waves on the shore. Soon the speedster stopped walking, getting serious. "You know; this is a big decision for you. Creating an entirely new identity, becoming your own hero. This is big stuff. Certainly not something that I'm considering doing anytime soon. But you've earned it. And I just want you to know that whatever you decide, I'm with you. I've got your back every step of the way. That's what a best friend is for."

Dick looked at him and smiled. "Thanks, Wally. That means a lot."

"Welp, just don't forget to mention me in your acceptance speech for 'Best New Hero' at the Super-Oscars. Which, by the way, I call dibs on hosting if it ever becomes a thing."

The pair started up their trek again, with Wally talking to himself. "Red Robin? No, too yummy."

Dick stopped and glanced curiously at his friend. "Wally?"

"Red X? Mysterious, but means nothing."

"Wally."

"Ooh, how about Red Wing? Nah, something about that screams too much Detroit."

"Wally!" KF stopped talking. "What are you doing?"

"Well someone's gotta think up a new name for you sooner or later. Might as well start now." The youngest West said with a grin.

Dick was smiling, too. "All three of those were ridiculous. And what's with the all the red?"

Wally shrugged. "I mean; it is the color of your toothbrush."

And with that, the quiet beach was filled with the sound of laughter.

THE WATCHTOWER

DECEMBER 11, 05:16

TEAM YEAR SIX

The gym echoed with a series of punches and grunts. Multiple TV's played different stations around the room, all on one topic.

"...the nation remains stunned by the sudden death of Senator Ryder…"

"...Luthor putting out a statement late last night calling for justice…"

"...or not these so-called heroes can be trusted with anything…"

Tim Drake stood in the middle of the room, unleashing a flurry of blows on his selected punching bag, a determined look glaring through a layer of sweat. His ears seemed to be bombarded with constant criticism, constant judgement, constant reminders… with a hard blow sand came pouring out of a tear in the leather at the Boy Wonder's feet. As soon as that bag was down another was up, and Tim resumed his assault of violent strikes.

"If anyone can just waltz in and take out a cabinet-hopeful, then there's something to be said about the 'protection' these heroes are providing."

"The Senator didn't want them there, Gordon."

"That hasn't stopped them before, has it? And it didn't stop them that day either. First, they fail to adhere to his wishes, and even then, they still allow him to die. If the league and their sidekicks insist on pushing themselves on anyone they choose, then they should at least be held accountable for when things go wrong. That's why we have visionaries like Lex Luthor. Now he's a man who knows how to properly deal with issues like this…"

Tim suddenly yelped in pain on contact with his bag. Wrong technique. He was flustered, not focused. As far as he was concerned, the Senator's death was his fault. He had let this "Red Hood" beat him. Beat him bad. Tim couldn't recall ever being more outmatched in his life. Sure, he'd been beaten before, but this just felt different. It was as if the assassin had a scouting report based solely on him. Like he knew every move and the one that followed before Tim even thought of it. He even knows my name. What else does he know? He re-wrapped his hand, bleeding now, and watched beads of sweat hit the floor. It was times like these where he needed his brother. It was times like these where Dick would make him feel like he had one, even though he really didn't. He was his rock in these moments, when Tim struggled to have confidence in his own self. Robin found it was easier now than it was in the beginning of his vigilante career to find that confidence, but this was uncharted territory. Territory Tim didn't know if he could brave alone.

"Hey, wonder boy."

Tim turned toward the voice and smiled. God she's beautiful.

Cassie walked in through the door with a playful smirk. "You know, you're supposed to be resting."

"Eh, that was never my thing."

A silence stretched between them. Cassie spoke up as Tim bent down to unwrap his hands. "Tim…"

"What, Cass?" His tone was sharp, and he almost expected her to flinch, mostly because he did once he said it. He dropped his shoulders but kept his voice firm. "Look, I get it. I got curb stomped by some asshole in a motorcycle helmet. I'll do better next time, or whatever." He threw his towel down and began to wrap his hands once more when a soft hand rested on them, followed by a soft voice.

"You know I don't care about that." Cassie's other hand went up to the back of Tim's neck, playing with the bottom of his hair. "I care about you. Not because you got beat but because of how your allowing yourself to think about it." She stopped for a moment and gestured to all the TV's with her eyes. Tim sighed. She was right. He didn't know why he was surprised; she always was. He looked into her eyes and offered up a small smile.

"You're right, Cass. Thanks."

She smiled right back and leaned closer to her boyfriend, dropping her voice to a whisper. "Now you should listen to me and get some rest."

Tim should've been taken by her eyes like he usually was, taken by the moment. But he wasn't. All his thoughts were on his fight with the Red Hood. Even as Cassie leaned in to kiss him, his thoughts were on the assassin. Okay, now that's super weird, he acknowledged and gave into his girlfriend's embrace.

o_0_0_o

Artemis sat at the table, arms crossed. Across from her were Barbara and Roy, both in civvies, while Aqualad stood at the head and Superboy paced the floor.

"It's been almost a week, I don't see why we can't just-"

"Do not bring him into this, Artemis. He's spent months trying to get away from all of this. You can't just ruin that for him." Artemis scowled as Barbara cut her off, and the redhead went on. "Tim is recovering just fine and we can do our own investigation. There's no reason to rope him in."

Artemis rolled her eyes and repeated herself for what felt like the 10th time. "Maybe he knows something about this Red Hood that you don't."

"And why would he?" Batgirl shot back, a fire in her eyes Artemis was only used to seeing on the battlefield.

"Call it a hunch." The archer's answer was hissed through gritted teeth; she was losing her patience. She hated arguing with Barbara, the bat-protégé was well-respected by the Team, and held in high regard by Nightwing, whose judgement Artemis trusted above all others. But this wasn't the first time that the two had butted heads, and they both knew that it wouldn't be the last. Artemis knew she was only trying to protect Dick, trying to keep him away from the game, but something inside Artemis told her that he needed to be brought back, or at least into the loop, once more. Whether or not it was that ever-present part of Wally in her, that part that held her closer to Gotham's golden boy than any of the others in the room, she knew that he was needed for this fight, and she wasn't going to let anyone stop her.

"Enough." The calm, commanding voice of Aqualad silenced the bickering. "Let's go over what we know about this 'Red Hood'. Superboy."

Connor walked over from the window, his arms crossed. "He knew enough to take our comms, cut off communication. And it seems like he knows our weaknesses, or at least mine."

Red Arrow spoke from his spot at the table. "To be fair, yours isn't the most kept secret in the world."

Superboy nodded. "Agreed. But it also shows that he has the resources to get Kryptonite in his hands. And a lot of it."

"Money and connections. Pretty impressive for someone just starting out, don't you think?" Roy said.

"He could be somebody we've faced before. He seemed to know an awful lot about how to take down some of our best fighters." Barbara put in.

The compliment was enough to let Artemis know that their spat was over, for now, and she found herself agreeing with the redhead. "There was something familiar about the way he moved. His fighting style was unique, but definitely based off something we've seen before."

Kaldur, who had been quiet since starting the discussion, offered a question. "Could it be a Shadow?"

Roy stood up, checking the clock. "I've checked with Cheshire. She's never seen the guy before but said she'll ask around. I'll let you know if anything comes up. I've got a briefing to go to. Coming, Superboy?"

The two left with a nod and exited the room, leaving Tigress with Aqualad and Batgirl. It was Aqualad who spoke, addressing Barbara. "Speaking of leads, how are yours coming along?"

"Other than the fact that 'Red Hood' was Joker's alias before he went clown, nothing. Batman's working that one 'round the clock, so we should have something soon."

"Anything about how he could possibly know Robin's identity?"

"Nothing. For now we have to assume that he knows a great deal about the rest of us, too. We're already at the point where we can't afford to underestimate him."

"Agreed. Let me know when you come up with something. In the meantime, I have an assignment for you. Meet me in the briefing room in five, I've already told the others."

Barbara got up and nodded. "Alright." With a glance at Artemis, she left the room.

Aqualad turned to the blonde and smiled. "I thought I would have to separate you two."

"Come on, Kaldur, you know it never gets that far… usually," she added with a laugh.

"I don't know why you two don't get along."

"We get along, it's just… difference of opinion."

The two laughed and let silence take over. It was a few moments before Aqualad got up and began to prep the Zeta Tube. "What are you doing?"

Her friend turned back with a smirk. "You are going after Dick, aren't you?"

o_0_0_o

Bart zipped through the Team's section of the Watchtower. They were given a considerable amount of space, with full training areas, lounges, and living quarters, although the latter two didn't matter much to him. They shouldn't. He was a speedster. An Allen. And Allens never had the time of day to sit around and do nothing, even though with Bart's speed he had all the time he wanted.

As he raced through the rooms, he thought about how he could be doing nothing, but had to do something. That happened a lot with him. Jaime had just been called down to the briefing room, so Bart went looking for Tim. He knew exactly where he was if not resting, and he made his way to the gym. Probably punching the hell out of bags like he was Captain America at the beginning of Avengers, an oldie but a goodie. Bart liked to think of himself as the reverse-Captain America, stuck in a time that wasn't his, doing what he could to help fend off evil in a world vastly different, yet similar, to what he had previously lived his life knowing. Only Steve was catapulted to a future he knew nothing about, instead of a past he was forced to change because of what he knew. Bart was taking his time, and had just reached the door to the gym. And if anyone asked me to smash Emily VanCamp, I certainly wouldn't say- HOLY CRAP!

It all unfolded in slow motion. Bart slipping through the opening door, his eyes bugging out as he came face to face with Tim and Cassie in a full-on makeout sesh. It was too late to stop. If he did, no amount of speed could save him from a one-way ticket to awkwardville. He had to keep going, and going fast. I always thought that I would run the fastest in my life to save the world, not this. As he passed the couple, he fought the urge to gag. God, whose tongue is that? Screwing his eyes shut and picking up his tempo, he blasted around in a circle and shot out the door in record time, probably leaving the two wondering if a ghost was opening doors in the Watchtower.

Bart's breath of relief was cut short when he caught sight of Spoiler in front of him. "Whoa, watch out!" he skidded to a slide, taking the blonde's feet out from under her and sending both young heroes into a sprawling mess. Bart stared in alarm at the smaller girl, worried until she sat up, her eyes holding a faint trace of annoyance, but mostly filled with laughter.

"Usually it's considered nice to give a girl some warning before you cannon into her like that."

"Sorry I was just… I didn't really mean to," he cut himself off when he realized that her blue eyes were amused, not angry. Man, those eyes are really blue… Kid Flash realized she was still staring at him, from the ground. He himself had stood up, and silently cursing himself he offered her a hand so she could as well.

Spoiler got up and shook her hair, and Bart realized that this was the first time they had even seen each other outside of costume. "Thanks," she started, looking over the speedster's shoulder and down the hall, "Have you seen Robin? I wanted to see how he was doing but he wasn't in the medical bay." Bart's eyes widened in alarm as she continued. "Is he in the gym?"

His hand shot up to the side of his neck, as it always did when he lied. "Uhh, negative, nope. He is definitely not in the gym."

"Well I'm just gonna check, to be sure." She went past Bart, and he sped in front of her again. "Hi again."

Kid was in full stammer mode, hand never leaving his neck, words tumbling out and stumbling together as he tore through fabricated idea after fabricated idea. "Hi. Yeah no you can't go in there right now, there's a gas leak – yeah, a gas leak that's totally under control so you don't have to tell anyone about it cause it's all under control but not to the point where it's safe to go in so really you should just wait." Bartholomew Allen, king of the run-on sentence. Bart thought as he mentally facepalmed himself, the Mode is seriously crashing on my cool future-guy image.

Spoiler laughed and conceded. "Alright then. I guess I'll come back later." Bart relaxed his shoulders and nodded, as Spoiler turned around to leave. Come on, Allen. Say something!

"Uh, you know, I could help you learn to dodge." He called out, causing her to turn back.

"Dodge?"

Genius. When he was done mentally berating himself, Bart ran a hand through his hair and gestured to her shoulder, where she still bore gauze from her blade wound. "I know I'm used to doing it at high speeds, but I think I can help. If you'll have me."

Spoiler studied the older boy for a moment, then smiled. "I'd like that." With a flip of her hair, she started away down the hall.

Bart watched her go, and suddenly shouted out, "Spoiler – wait! What's your name? Like, your real name? Mine's Bart."

The blonde didn't break stride but spoke teasingly to the boy known as Kid Flash and said, "You just said it – Spoiler." And with a laugh she was gone.

Maybe being stuck in the past isn't so bad after all.

BLUDHAVEN

DECEMBER 11, 17:59

"Huh!"

Tigress drove the breath out of what felt like her hundredth helpless thug of the day. A well-placed elbow sent the man toppling backward and into a pair of trash cans with a loud crash. Maybe that'll get his attention. She had been in Bludhaven for hours, busting up thugs and foiling purse-snatchers, always waiting for the crime to play out, hoping to see a lithe shape strike from the shadows. Can't really blame him for not showing up. This place is so crawling with scum, it can't be easy to keep track of everything, Artemis thought as she nailed the next one on the head with her crossbow and fired a bolt into the shoulder of another who had gotten up. His groan melted to silence, and the alleyway grew stagnant.

Artemis picked her way around the bodies and made her way to the edge of the alley, surveying the city. She knew Dick had settled back in Bludhaven, although she didn't know where. It was common knowledge amongst the original members of the team that him and Barbara spent their respective birthday nights with each other, ever since the two were 16, regardless of whether or not they were single. What they did during those nights was rarely stated aloud, but heavily implied, and although they weren't a thing, Artemis suspected those nights came more often than advertised.

Their last "get together", just over a week ago, Artemis checked the zeta tube location history once Barbara had left, and knew Bludhaven had been her destination, she just wished it had been more specific. A rustle behind her removed her from her thoughts, and she turned around to see one thug get to his feet.

"Back for more?"

The thug looked darkly at Tigress, and leaped up an inhuman distance to the fire escape above.

"Alright. Totally wasn't expecting that." She fired two bolts in his direction, the thug leaping backwards and attaching himself to the brick wall with the palms of his hands. "Okay, not whelmed anymore." Just because you're going after Dick doesn't mean you should talk like him. She suddenly wished that he wouldn't show up, if only to save her from knowing that he'd never let her live that one down. The thug began crawling up the wall, and vanished over the top. Tigress drew her sword and made her pursuit.

Leaping over the wall, Artemis landed with a grunt. Gone. Frustrated, she re-sheathed her sword and dropped to a knee to analyze the bootprint in the light sheet of snow. Then everything went dark.

o_0_0_o

"Morning Babe. I was gonna make you breakfast, but… I ate it."

"I figured. That's why I ordered 'waffles in a box'"

"Waffles… in a box?"

"It's new but sweeping the nation. I'm surprised you haven't heard of it."

"I love you, babe."

Artemis snapped awake. Her head buzzed, and her vision struggled to fight the blur that was clouding it. She groaned and tried to move a hand to her head, only to find that her hands were tied behind her back. "Shit." The chair she sat in was hard and wooden, but also uneven. The back legs were shorter than the front. She would've smiled if her head didn't hurt so damn much. Whichever freak cheapshotted me like that is gonna get it. The blur in her eyes began to dissipate, and Tigress noticed that she was still in costume, not even her mask had been removed. Idiots.

"Comfortable?" A hiss sounded from the shadows, as a skinny man emerged from behind a stack of crates.

Artemis began to shift around in her rope cuffs, digging out the small knife she had stowed in her gloves. "I was never really into bondage, plus it kinda creeped out my boyfriend... mostly because he was the one with the cuffs on."

The man gestured to the warehouse they were in, void of much besides him, Artemis, and about 8 goons, all armed, and among them the one Artemis had seen crawl up the wall earlier. "I hope you appreciate our… accomidationsss."

Tigress sliced open her ropes, but held on to them. "Call me when you decide whether you want to be a spider or a snake. I'm not partial to either."

Chink

Suddenly, in front of the leader's feet, was a batarang. Artemis smiled. Two more flew in from the rafters, lodging themselves in guns and detonating in the hands of the startled goons. As Artemis ripped her hands from her restraints, smoke started spewing out of the first batarang, giving her time to burst through and take out the leader with one punch. Soon smoke was everywhere, and Artemis took advantage. Thug #4, down with a knee to the face. 5 and 6, taken out with the chair, and 7, the cause of her still-present headache, sent flying into the crates with a roundhouse kick. Now where is – there. Tigress spotted the last one, fleeing up the wall and into the rafters. He disappeared, and a moment later was sent flying back to the floor, landing on some more crates with a thud.

Artemis retrieved her weapons and raised her voice to the darkness. "Had me thinking it was Batman to the rescue with all the sneaking around."

"Is a dramatic entrance too much to ask for?" The response was light, but lacked the spirit of old. Either way, there was no denying that the hero walking out of the shadows, the blue on his costume having turned red, a 5 o'clock shadow resting on a normally smooth, clean-shaven face, was none other than Dick Grayson, Nightwing.


And there's Episode 2! What do you guys think? Will Dick return to the Team? How will Tim cope with his defeat? And whoever could that Red Hood fellow be? (As if you can't guess ;) This one laid a bunch of groundwork for the coming episodes, so be on the lookout for Episode 3 - "Fear" Part One!