Dick: 23

Lillian: 20

Tim: 15

Barbara: 20

Stephanie: 15

Stephanie Brown Part Two

"Dick, Tim, I think I've got something!" I called out into the Batcave as I ran down the stairs.

"Please tell me you've got some good news." Tim groaned from the seat at the Batcomputer.

"It appears we've hit a dead end." Bruce informed me.

"Well good thing I've arrived then isn't? But where's Dick? He said he'd work with Tim tonight."

"He decided to hit the streets trying to get information out of some contacts in Bludhaven, but his costume's patched into the Batsystem so he can hear you as long as you're wearing one of these." Bruce said as he handing me a headset.

"Nightwing?" I spoke into the headset's microphone.

"Right here Batgirl, What's up?"

"I think I might have found something useful while at try-outs. There's a girl by the name Stephanie Brown, there was just something about her...she seemed more advanced than just a regular High School cheerleader." Tim began pounding away at the keys searching the city and Batcave records for Stephanie Brown.

"Are you getting all of this Nightwing?" Tim asked.

"Yeah I can see everything you've got on the Batcomputer." Dick's voice answered into my ear. I looked over to the computer screen where Tim had already pulled up Stephanie's birth certificate and high school records.

"Well Batgirl it looks like you were right. Stephanie Brown is defiantly not just an average High School student. She has almost as many Math and Science awards as Robin here, A pretty impressive GPA as well." Bruce said narrowing his eyes at the screen.

"Wait Robin can you go back to that birth certificate again?" Nightwing asked.

"Uh Sure." Tim clicked through all the open tabs on the computer until he found the certificate in question.

"What did you see Nightwing?" The Bat asked.

"Look at the Father listed on the certificate."

"Arthur Brown." I said almost immediately.

"The cluemaster is this girl's dad?" Tim asked in surprise.

Two weeks passed since we found out who Stephanie's father was. After that a lot of puzzle pieces started to fall together. We understood why Spoiler had been working so hard to foil the Cluemaster's plans. Arthur Brown was in and out of prison his daughter's whole life and apparently she'd make it her life's mission to ruin his crime career. Bruce, the boys and I thought she deserved more. So we devised a plan to corner the Spoiler. Tim and Bruce left false Cluemaster clues for Stephanie to find, just as we suspected she followed the clues right to the top of the Wayne Enterprises tower. Weapons drawn, Spoiler's tiny frame pounced on to the top of the roof. Her weapons were neatly tucked away when she saw Tim and I waiting on the roof.

"Batgirl? Robin? Are you following the Cluemaster too?" She seemed to smile behind her dark mask.

"Spoiler those clue didn't come from Cluemaster, they were from us." I informed her.

"From...? But why?"

"We wanted you to meet us here. We didn't know if you'd come if we asked, but we thought this might work. We want to help you..." Tim try to explain.

"Help me? I don't need any..."

"But that's where you're wrong." I interrupted."You've got the will, all the right reasons but you lack training and equipment."

"We can help you with those things." Tim promised. "You just have to trust us Miss Brown."

"H-how do you know my name?" Steph stuttered.

"I'm afraid that's my fault. Let us take you somewhere where we can talk more privately and we can explain."

"No way! How do I even know that you're actually Batgirl and Robin?"

"You'll just have to trust is." Tim shrugged. Still a little reluctant, Stephanie squished into the Batcar's passenger seat next to Tim. Taking control of the wheel, I drove us back to the Batcave where Batman, Nightwing and Red Hood were waiting. The three of us piled out of the car and walked towards where the rest of the Batfamily was waiting.

"I'm glad you decided to join us Spoiler."

"Robin and Batgirl said you could help me."

"We want to help you." Batman agreed. "but you'll have to abide by my rules. I'll deploy you on missions, I'll supply you with equipment, that's the deal."

"I'm not making any deals until you tell me how you found me name."

"I'm sorry Miss. Brown, but I can't give away any information until you agree to work with us. Of course you are also free to decline the offer."

"I don't understand, what do you get out of this?" Spoiler questioned.

"The way we see it," Dick stepped in. "you're going to be out there every night anyway, but it's our job to keep the citizens of Gotham safe. Inviting you to join us is part of that."

"How do I know you're not just trying to take advantage of me?"

"Look," Jason surprised all of us by speaking next. "I'm not usually too fond of these 'family-get-togethers' and I don't like playing the same games as these guys, but what Batman is offering you is a fair deal. Everyone knows Batman has a huge say about what goes on out on the streets and if he thinks you're worth keeping around, Then I say you take the offer."

"Do we have a deal Miss Brown?" Batman asked again this time offering his hand.

"Can I have a few days to think about it?" I thought Bruce was going to shoot her down then and there, but he let out a sort of half growl instead.

"That isn't ideal, but if you think it's necessary, I will give you three days. So three nights from now one of us will meet you, same place as today. After three days my offer will expire. Is that clear Miss. Brown?"

"Crystal, Mr. Batman...uh Sir."

"Nightwing, why don't you and Red Hood bring Miss Brown home then?"

Three days later I was driving, speeding really, on my way to another cheerleading practice. I really should try to make it to these things on time because eventually Gordon's going to have to site me for my speeding, but since his cruiser was no where around that night I kept going. I was surprised when I reached the gym, because despite my late start I had still beat Barbara there by a few minutes. Following our normal practice procedure, I opened the gymnasium doors and let the team in. Like always the girls spread themselves out across the gym and started their warm-ups and stretches.

"Sorry I'm late everyone!" Barb's voice soon called out to the large group. "How long have they been doing that?" She asked turning to me.

"Not too long, though maybe we should start organizing them. Steph round everyone up please?" Stephanie Brown had been pretty distracted during the warms ups and she seemed nervous when I addressed her.

"Miss Lilly, Miss Barbara, I was actually hoping to talk to you both before practice starts?" Barbara and I shared a confused look before turning back to the girl.

"That should be fine, Hailey?" I called out to the team's back up captain.

"Yes Miss. Lilly?"

"Could you lead the team in a group warm-up and get them started on the routine? Barbara and I will only be a minute or two."

"Of course!" She agreed before focusing her energy on gathering all the girls together.

"Let's talk over here." Barbara instructed. Together Steph and I followed her away from the other girls before sitting down on a row of bleachers. "What did you want to talk about Stephanie?"

"Well I don't really know how to say...I've been given an opportunity, sort of an internship. I'll get to be helping people and it will be good for me."

"Wow that sounds great Steph, did you tell them you would take the offer?" I asked winking at Barbara who was up to speed on the Spoiler situation.

"Well here's the thing, I have to decide by tonight and this...internship is only at nights so I would probably miss cheerleading practices, a lot of practices, so I'll have to choose one or the other and I really don't want to..."

"Why would you have to choose between this internship and cheerleading? Surely the people in charge of the program will understand that you're just a freshman in High School, that can't capitalize all your free time." Barbara explained kindly.

"Well the thing is this internship doesn't exactly have a set schedule and ah, the guy in charge doesn't seem like he would work around a cheerleader's schedule." It took a great effort on my part to hold back a laugh as I pictured Spoiler trying to convince The Batman to give her a night off for cheerleading practice.

"Well I don't know if you know this Steph, but the Wayne family had a lot of connections throughout Gotham City, if you gave me the information on the internship I could talk with them and I'm sure they would work your schedule around practices. Like Barbara said, you're still in High School, no one should expect you to have a full time job."

"No, really I wouldn't want you to go through all that trouble..."

"It's no trouble at all! Tell you what, let's not make anything official yet. We'll get through today's practice, I will make some phone calls and we'll talk again after rehearsal alright?"

"Um okay." She walked away looking uncertain.

"She's probably thinking there's no way you have Batman on speed dial." Barbara whispered to me.

"Well lucky for us, I do!" I said waving my cell phone at her. "Think you can hold down the fort while I call home?"

"I've got this." She assured me. I walked quickly out of the gymnasium and out into the hall before calling the house.

"Wayne residence, this is Alfred speaking"

"Hey Al it's Lilly, can I talk to Bruce?"

"Ah, hello Miss Lillian, I'm not sure if Mister Wayne is still working in his study or if he's retired downstairs for the evening yet. Allow me a moment to locate him."

"Sure thing Alfred." I didn't wait very long before Bruce had picked up the phone.

"Lil? Is everything alright?"

"Yes Dad, I'm fine." I promised. "Look the reason I'm calling is because of Stephanie Brown. She was just talking to Barb and I about quitting the team. She thinks that her new boss at her night internship won't let her continue to do cheerleading."

"I see. And what did you and Barbara tell her?"

"I told her that I would use my Wayne family connections to find out who her new boss is and try and talk to him about being open towards the idea of cheer practice two times a week."

"Which explains the call. Let me guess, you don't want her to quit because she is the captain and if you and Barbara let her quit tonight, even if she decides to come back, you'll have already found a replacement captain. You know I don't have a problem with you kids having a life outside of what we do, in fact I encourage it. I don't see cheerleading being a problem, it never got in the way when you and Barbara were in High School, but you knew that already. So the real reason you're calling is because you want to know if it's alright to pass all of this information along to Stephanie."

"Yeeeaah." I agreed on the other end of the phone.

"Well, as long as you bring her here right afterwards, I don't see any problem with that. I'll see you in about an hour?"

"Some time around then, Thanks Dad." I said good-bye before hanging up the phone and joining in on the practice.

Once the practice had concluded and most of the girls had left, I called Stephanie over again.

"I'm sorry you couldn't get in touch with my boss Miss Lilly." Steph said before I had a chance to speak.

"Now who says I couldn't get in touch with him?" I smirked.

"Well I just figured...I mean he's a very illusive guy..."

"I was able to find him easily enough." Stephanie's eyes grew wide with a strange combination of fear and relief.

"You...you did...but that can't be...no one know how to contact..."

"The Batman?" I asked in a mouse-ly quite voice.

"B-batman? I don't have any idea what you're..."

"Don't you though, Spoiler?" I whispered again.

"I...How does everyone know that?" She half-whispered.

"Well Batman found out from me." I told her. "I noticed there were some things in your try-outs that reminded me of someone I saw. I took your name to Batman and Robin. With the help of Nightwing they were able to find out who your father was. It was pretty easy to connect the dots from there. So when I said the other night that it was my fault all the bats knew your name, it really is my fault."

"The other night...you're Batgirl?" she seemed to squeal. I glanced around hoping no one else had heard that. Thankfully Barbara, who was posted by the door, gave me an all clear signal so I knew there was no longer anyone left in the gym.

"Yes." I answered honestly. "I am Batgirl. Bruce Wayne is Batman. My other brother Dick is Nightwing, my brother Jason is Red Hood, and my brother Tim is Robin."

"Is Batman...I mean Mr. Wayne really going to let me keep doing cheerleading and being Spoiler?"

"Yes. But you can ask him tonight, I'm suppose to bring you to the cave now."

"Really? Let's go!" She was now bouncing with eagerness at the idea of returning to the cave.

"Barb you want to come to? I'm sure Alfred would love to see you."

"Sure! It's been awhile since I've had one of Alfred's meals. Dick's cooking comes close, but it's just not the same."

"Want me to wait for you?"

"Nah you two go ahead, I'll finish locking up here, then follow after you in my car."

"See you soon then."

"Does Miss Barbara know about...?"

"Barbara and I have been best friends since we were eight. She knows everything about me. But don't get the wrong idea, Batman doesn't let us tell anyone without his permission. Most of the Justice League don't even know our true..."

"You've met the Justice League?" She interrupted me.

"Yes. I'm sure you'll meet them all over time to, but for now let's just get you to the cave alright?"