Disclaimer: I don't own any of these characters, 'cept Ellie and Jamie. Them are all mine.

Chapter Five

Daddy? Barbara rubbed the little boy's back and stroked his hair. This adorable little creature was Dick's child. For a moment there was a pang of jealousy. She was jealous that Dick would have such a wonderful child in his future. What did she have to look forward to? Being a cripple. And she didn't even know how it was to happen.

She held the small boy close to her. If her day was bad, this little boy's was worse. First he was dragged away from his own time, and probably didn't know how to handle himself here. Secondly, he was pulled along to witness a fight. Thirdly, he'd seen his father shot in front of his eyes, admittedly a younger version of his father, but his father nonetheless.

"Jamie, would you like to stay with me for a little while?" Barbara asked gently, pulling him away.

He nodded.

Barbara smiled and set the boy on her bed. Her move towards the bathroom was met with a small noise of protest. "I'll be back Jamie. I just need to change out of my uniform."

Jamie settled back down on her bed. He picked at a fraying hole on the comforter. He was going to be in so much trouble with his sister. She had given him one rule and he broke it. He told someone about Daddy. He didn't understand why saying Daddy was so bad here.

Barbara quickly changed out of her uniform. Dick's blood stained the dark gray black. And Dick's son's tears blotched on the shoulder.

She splashed water on her face. She needed to stop thinking about that bit of information. She looked in the mirror. Bags were attached under her eyes. Sleep. She needed sleep.

Barbara walked back into her room. Little Jamie was lying back on her bed hugging his knees to his chest. She repressed a smile. This kid was too cute for his own good.

She crawled onto the bed and lay down on the bed behind him. The moment her head hit the pillow her eyes closed and she fell asleep. She was unaware that Jamie scooted back towards her as she slept. He grabbed her arm and draped it over him. Her arm tightened around him and he smiled. Jamie closed his eyes and imagined he was back home, safe and sound with his mother's arm keeping him safe.

Tim was looking for Ellie. He needed to talk with her. Some things weren't adding up and he wanted answers. He understood that there were some things she wouldn't be able to explain in risk of completely altering the time stream.

"Have any of you seen Ellie around? I need to speak with her," he said running into the kitchen.

Cassie was sitting on the counter, flirting with a very much annoyed, and oblivious, Connor. She turned to Robin and her eyes lit up.

Great, now she'll begin flirting with me, Tim thought.

"No, I haven't seen her around. But if you need someone to talk to, my door is always open," she said.

"I'll keep that in mind," he muttered under his breath. "Thanks anyway."

He started out of the room.

"I think she's with M'gann, M'gann mentioned something about talking with her," Connor said brandishing a wooden spoon.

Tim nodded and left quickly. He needed to find Ellie, and M'gann, before something happened. Namely, before M'gann could read Ellie's mind and discovered something she shouldn't have.

He raced towards M'gann's room. A light sound stopped him outside the main hall. He peered in.

Ellie was sitting on the floor sobbing into her hands. M'gann was holding her gently. Eventually, the girl's sobbing died down and she wiped tears away with the back of her hand.

"Thank you Au-M'gann. I need to go find my brother now," she said getting up on her feet.

"I'll help," M'gann offered.

"No I couldn't besides-"

"I insist."

Robin inserted himself into the room and the conversation.

"M'gann, I'll help Ellie find her brother. If I were you, I would high-tail it to the kitchen. It looks like Cassie might make a move on Connor any minute."

The last part was a lie. Cassie wouldn't make a move on Connor, she didn't have the gall. But the desired outcome was achieved. M'gann quickly flew out of the room to defend her boyfriend.

Ellie stood looking at Robin. Blood still stained his uniform. She turned away.

"Ellie, you and I need to talk," he said.

Ellie swallowed. She figured this would come, just not so soon.

"About what?"

"You're lying to us Ellie. Or not giving us the whole truth. Doesn't matter which one it is. I expect to find out the truth, the whole truth, whether or not you give it willingly," he growled.

A familiar chill ran down her spine. Even at thirteen, this hero scared the crap out of her.

"W-What do you want to know?"

The lenses of his mask narrowed. He'd caught her tongue's slipup, which means he probably caught her slipup with M'gann earlier. Why did this kid have to be a genius?

"What's your name?" The look he gave intimidated her.

"Eileen Mary," she squeaked. She paused a moment before saying her last name. "Grayson."

There was no response. She was older, biologically, at the moment, but he still scared her out of her wits. He grabbed her arm gently and pulled her out of the main hall and into a small empty room. Using his wrist computer her shut down the cameras. Once that was done he turned on the girl.

"You're Dick's daughter?" He hissed.

Ellie nodded.

Tim bit his lip and began to pace around the tiny room. Gears in his head were turning furiously.

"That villain we fought in Gotham today, he was from your time, wasn't he?"

Ellie nodded.

"That would explain why he said BG would be crippled by the Joker in the future. And it gave him the perfect opportunity to shoot Dick, but he didn't. He went for BG. And if he shot at BG, that would mean that she's connected to you in so-" Tim stopped speaking and pacing for a moment. He looked at Ellie sideways. "Barbara Gordon's your mother, isn't she?"

Ellie was amazed. She knew Tim had excellent detective skills, but this was insane. He got her to admit her name and deduced her parent's civilian identities from that and a single previous encounter.

Ellie nodded and sank to the floor.

"You can't tell her, or him. If we say anything we could alter the entire time stream. And if we alter the past too much, the future may change drastically."

"Meaning you and your brother may cease to exist," Tim reasoned.

Ellie only looked at Tim. In her eyes Tim could see the terror at the possibility of not coming into existence. Not only for herself, but for her little brother.

"Okay, make sure I've got everything correct. You and Jamie are Dick and Barbara's kids," a head nod. "And something happened in the future, and the bad guy came back to the past in order to alter the future, presumably by keeping your parents from getting together and if they succeed, you won't be born. And if you're not born, you won't be able to ruin his plans."

Ellie managed to nod at the appropriate times. She remained silent after he finished speaking.

A strange look crossed Tim's face.

"So I have to help you get my brother and his best friend together? That'll be a story to tell someday." He chuckled.

Ellie stared at Tim incredulously. She had just told him that her very existence was being threatened and he thought that this was funny.

She growled at him in the back of her throat and crossed her arms over her chest. If he was just going to laugh and not help her in her situation, then forget it. She'll handle it herself. Ellie went to storm out of the room. Tim caught her arm with ease.

"I'm sorry if I offended you with my laughter. It's just, if I don't laugh, I'm afraid I start crying," he explained. He dropped her arm.

Ellie knew the feeling. She experienced it often in this time.

"You'll help me then?" She asked.

"Of course. You are my niece in the future. But first we should go find your brother."

Ellie nodded. "And I have an idea of where he might be."

A/N: I know I made M'gann and Connor a couple here. Let's just say that they haven't broken up yet, okay? As always, review. :D