Flashback Chapter 20 Wings in the Night

Dick got good grades, but not the best. He didn't have the time to dedicate to his schoolwork. So when he started challenging Babs for her spot as Junior class valedictorian, she knew he was not doing well without Bruce.

"Have you read any of the messages Bruce has been sending you?" she whispered to him in the library one lunchtime.

"I've let him know I'm still alive," Dick replied, chewing the end of his pencil as he tapped at his calculator.

"So no. Did it occur to you that he might have something important to tell you?"

"Can't be that important or he'd tell me in person."

Babs sighed. "In your study, there's a digital clock on the wall. Set the alarm for your parents' time of death and switch it on."

Dick looked up and fixed her with a glare. "Why?"

"I don't know; you left before he could finish telling you everything, and he won't tell me. At least check it out. Or call Alfred."

"Fine, fine. I'll check," Dick grumbled.

The clock looked like it really shouldn't have been stuck to the wall. Nevertheless, Dick tweaked the buttons, and when he activated it, there was a definite clunking sound from the wall. Frowning, he leant on it, and after a little prodding and poking, one large panel slid behind another. The hidden cavity had racks of equipment straight from the cave; a wide selection of Bruce's weaponry, a row of batarangs, cartons of various smoke pellets and flashbangs, medical supplies – and three complete suits, missing the outermost layer that would show the colors for identification.

"You can't be Robin anymore…"

Bruce had cut him loose and taken his identity, the expression of his soul, and replaced it with this…blankness.

Dick started grabbing the weapons. Staff; too long. Kendo shinai; wrong balance. Tonfa; a bit unwieldy. Nunchuks; just…no. Bruce could use all of these and more, but preferred the personal touch of unarmed combat.

He picked up a pair of escrima sticks and weighed them in his hands. He spun them, mimicked pulling them from a holster at the small of his back, and threw one across the room, succeeding in knocking a pen holder off the desk.

Just right.

"Batman," Batgirl called, jumping down to the rendezvous. "I passed on the message. Mind telling me what it meant?"

"I left him a share of the gear and some suits ready for his new look," Batman explained.

"His…new look?"

"He can't be Robin anymore," he said simply. "It's time for him to move on and become his own man."

"Why can't he be Robin?"

Batman stared at the street for a moment before answering. "It's not fair on him if I insist on him trailing after me. He needs to progress, and he can't do that if he remains Robin."

Batgirl sighed. "Next time, tell him that before you rip the most important thing in his life away."

"I didn't mean it that way," Batman whispered.

Batgirl didn't answer. There wasn't really anything she could say.

"We have a stakeout," Batman said abruptly.

"I have been working on my own project," Batgirl groused.

"I need someone to watch my back."

"I'm starting to see why he wanted a bit of space."

Wonder Girl flew over New York, responding to police reports of a severe disturbance. NYPD cops were good at their jobs, but didn't mind sharing some of the more troublesome cases. Normally Robin liked to deal with the sort of reports and call in backup as needed, but he hadn't been hanging around the Tower for a fortnight. So Wonder Girl was taking the opportunity to help out herself.

As she cut through the air, honing in on the location she's been given, she listened as hard as she could. Unfortunately, she didn't have superhearing, and so could only make out the usual bustle of the city that never sleeps. She descended and hovered above the entrance to the indicated alley.

The occupants paid her no mind; it seemed they hadn't noticed her. There was a fairly large punch-up going on, about fifteen men trying to catch a figure in dark pants and hoodie clutching two sticks. He ducked and weaved, striking surgically. Wonder Girl's practised eye showed that none of the dark figure's blows were fatal, or even serious, while the other crowd made some strikes that, if they landed, could cripple or kill.

Before she could decide who to aid, the dark figure won. "That's enough," she called. "Drop your weapons and stay where I can see you."

He tossed the baton in his right hand to his left hand, and pushed back his hood. The familiar black hair and domino mask took a moment to puzzle out, but she soon recognized her friend. "Stand down, Wonder Girl," he ordered.

"Robin?" she asked, dropping to the ground.

"Not right now." One of the other men stirred, and Robin threw one of the sticks. It knocked him out. "Think I like these," he mused.

Superman liked to visit the Titans Tower from time to time. He'd suggested to Supergirl that she join, but Kara preferred the Legion of Superheroes in the 31st century. Which meant that coming up with excuses to visit was a little more challenging. But it wasn't exactly a secret that Dick had had a major falling out with Bruce.

Gotham's youngest vigilante was perched on the Tower's roof, watching the dawn. Superman landed next to him, careful to make enough noise on the approach so as not to startle the teen.

"How are you doing?" he asked after a moment.

"I'll be fine," Dick said brusquely.

"I hear you have a new look," Superman commented. "New name?"

"…I'll work something out."

"Have I ever told you one of the legends from the city of Kandor?" Superman asked. Dick looked around at the apparent change of subject. "This is the legend of Flamebird and Nightwing…"

AN: Yes, I know I've made the whole break-up a bit...gentler than is usually portrayed. But I find it really strange to think that Bruce Wayne, Batman, who can pysch out practically everyone bar the Joker, couldn't see that his own son has an almost psychological need for the vigilante lifestyle. It makes more sense for it to be a mis-communication blown out of proportion.

Next chapter will see an event I believe a fair number of you have been waiting for: Jason turns up.

Also this week: In LBV, there's another little problem to deal with, and the first chapter of my new RotG/HP story Rise of Harry Potter.

Next week: More LBV and the start of the third of my new Harry Potter fics, crossing over with Doctor Who in Time, Space, Magic.

Please, please, please, please, please review!

Katara