Replies to Reviews: For this chapter I'm going to be trying a concept I have for this, where I describe what the cover of the 'issue' would be if this were an actual comic. Unfortunately I'm not an artist.

Tel Janin Amon: Thank you, I hope the characterization holds up here as well.

mr I hate znt nobles kill em: The Justice League is very close to their DCAU counterpart in terms of outlook, and have been around since 1960. Take from that what you will. Kill Orders and the Birdcage do exist, though Superman and other members of the Justice League don't like the idea of killing and make sure that people sent to the Birdcage still have access to appeals where possible. They have access to teleportation after all.

Cid-McConroy: Thank you! I have no problem with it being added. Also, this chapter and subsequent ones will start showing more than just Bartgirl's story.

apeljohn: Thank you! This chapter includes another glimpse into how these settings have blended together.

Also, it is kind of funny. Imagine him dressed as Robin and trying to grow out his beard as a teenager.

Justice League: Legacies

In a special issue, after forty-one years the seven founding members of the Justice League meet together for the last time in The Last Meeting, and in the attached Batgirl Beyond #2 an offer is made…

The Last Meeting Special Issue

Cover: A dimly lit room with a circular table and in the center of the table there's an opening. Seven chairs are positioned around the table, each one with a part of a costume on or near it. Batman's cowl hangs from one, Superman's cape from another, the Manhunter's cape hangs from a third and a fourth has Aquaman's trident propped up against it. For the other three, one has Dr. Fate's golden helmet resting in front of it, its two eyeholes dark; Wonder Woman's tiara and bracelets rest in front of another, and the Flash's winged pan helmet rests in front of a third. The only light source for the room, aside from faint light that comes up from the gap in the middle of the table, is an open doorway with light spilling through. Standing in the doorway is a man wearing a green button up shirt and blue jeans. He is half turned to look back into the room and one hand rests on the doorframe.

+JLL+

Eight years ago…

It was small, simple room. In its center was a round O-shaped table with seven seats arranged as equidistant points in a circle. Each chair had a different symbol, designating to whom it belonged. The gap in the middle of the table had holographic projectors set into the edges of the table itself and the floor directly underneath it, leaving the opening for a thick window looking down on the Earth far below. The room's walls were Spartan, bare and dimly lit by the light that drifted through the window in the floor. The room itself was circular in shape, with one door leading to the rest of the space station and air vents on the floor for the air recycling systems. If one looked, one could see that dust had settled on the room's surfaces.

The door slid open with a soft hiss, revealing an old man wearing a black suit with a grey shirt underneath and sitting in a wheelchair. Behind him stood a statuesque beauty with an athletic body, olive skin and raven hair. She was wearing a golden tiara with a red five pointed star set in its center, silver bracelets, a red leather cuirass with gold detailing including an eagle with its wings spread across her chest, a gold belt, blue shorts with white five pointed stars, and red knee high boots with white detailing. On her belt were a sheathed sword and a golden lasso.

The man's eyes took in the dark room as dim lights turned on over each of the seven seats.

"Someone should have swept in here," he stated.

"It's not that bad, Bruce," the woman replied.

Bruce rolled his wheelchair forward until it was beside the closest chair, one with a yellow lightning bolt in front of a white circle with a red border. He leaned out of his chair slightly and swept his finger across the seat. He looked at the dust on his finger, and then turned a meaningful look back at her.

The woman rolled her eyes as she followed him in. "Alright, fine. I'll have the place dusted later." She set a hand on his shoulder. "The others will be here soon."

Bruce nodded and his gaze travelled across the room again. They were silent for a moment before he finally said, "We should have done this at the old table."

The woman sighed. "I think that might have been better." She let silence fall again, complete except for the sounds of their breathing and the faint humming of the station. "Jay would have drunk all your whiskey."

Bruce barked out a laugh. "He would have tried. I have a lot."

"First off, I'm not that bad," a voice behind them said, "and second, I totally could." Bruce and the woman turned to see the newcomer standing in the doorway. He wore skintight clothing that fit snuggly against his lean frame aside from his wide brimmed pan helmet with golden wings sticking up from the sides of its top. His shirt was bright red with a large yellow lightning bolt down its center, he wore a neutral grey belt, his pants were light blue, and on his feet were bright red boots the same hue as his shirt. For a moment his face was a blur before it resolved into that of an aged and weathered face with deep laugh lines and crow's feet. White hair could be seen from under his helmet. He stepped into the room and nodded to the two who had arrived before him. "Bruce, Diana."

"Jay," Diana replied, "I didn't expect you so soon. For the world's fastest speedster you always seem to find a reason to be late."

Jay shrugged. "I don't like waiting." He moved over to his chair next to where Bruce was positioned and frowned. "Someone should have dusted in here. Bruce was right we should have done this at the old table." He sighed. "I miss that old table. You remember when we got that?"

"You mean when we had to sneak into Bruce's dank cave to hold our meetings?" Diana asked, nostalgia coloring her voice. "We wanted to change the world back then…"

"I'd say we succeeded," Bruce replied.

"That we did," Jay agreed.

They let a comfortable quiet settle in for a time.

"I remember the time Dick tried to sneak in," Diana finally said. "He wanted to see what our meetings were like."

"He forgot I could see through walls," the next newcomer said. He wore a blue bodysuit with a yellow belt, and a thigh length red cape hung from his shoulders. In the center of his chest was a stylized red 'S' over a gem-like yellow pentagon with a red border. He had jet black hair, blue eyes and a timeless face unbent and unweathered by age. He was one of the few people who could actually pull off a cape, in part due to his sheer presence.

"Yeah, I thought you trained them better than that," Jay teased Bruce.

"It's not Bruce's fault," Diana protested. "After all, Dick was a bit of a bird-brain back then."

Jay, Diana and the newcomer laughed, and even Bruce's mouth twitched.

Eventually Diana looked to the newcomer as he made his way to his own seat, which was indicated by a copy of the symbol on his chest. "So, Clark, how are you? You haven't been to the Watchtower or any of the League bases recently."

Clark sat down in his chair and slowly let out a breath, careful not to do more than frost over the top of the table in front of him. Even that was a bad sign to the others. "I'm handling as best as I can. I just… a part of me never really thought that she'd ever really be gone, even after Ma and Pa. It's like part of my life just isn't there anymore…"

Bruce rolled over to Clark and set his hand on Clark's right forearm.

Clark smiled and set his left hand over Bruce's. His eyes looked into and through Bruce briefly. "Looks like you'll be back on your feet in no time," he eventually said.

"That will be a relief," Bruce replied. "… You'll get better too. Eventually. Don't try and throw yourself into this just to get away from it."

Clark made a small smile. "I won't. I'm busy enough as it is." His eyes stared through the window to the Earth below. "Honestly, I don't know how you managed everything, heroing, business, family."

Bruce scoffed. "You have it easy, Clark. That's what being a grandparent means."

"Yeah, and you have super speed on top of that," Jay added after moving over to Clark's other side. "Take it from me: grandkids love to get taken to the other side of the world for ice cream."

"It's good to know you're not abusing your power," Diana deadpanned.

"Hey! It's for a good cause," Jay objected in good humor with a grin on his face.

"Pampering grandchildren is always a good cause," a deep male voice agreed from the entrance. He was tall with long blond hair and a well-groomed beard that was worn as long as the rest of his hair, all peppered with strands of white. He wore a shirt of orange scales, a gold belt with a stylized capital alpha as the belt buckle, green leggings and a trident over his shoulder. His left hand was a wicked looking harpoon-like hook. The man's eyes twinkled as he looked around at those who had arrived before him. "Of course, I imagine Bruce has more than us with how many children he adopted in one way or another over the years."

"Hah! Too true, how many Robins have you had over the years? Eight? Twelve?" Jay asked.

"Are we counting Spoiler?" Diana asked. "She was a Robin for a while."

"What about Barbara?" Clark asked teasingly, causing Bruce to frown.

"Ooh, best not to bring one of his lady loves up in front of an ex," Jay replied from where he leaned against one of the chairs and safely out of reach of both Diana and Bruce.

Bruce and Diana sent flat glares his way, and Jay returned Bruce's glare with a smirk.

"You can't intimidate me anymore old man."

Bruce continued to glare. "I'm getting out of this chair in two months."

Jay continued to meet his eyes for several more seconds before quickly moving around the table towards the man in the orange scale shirt. "So, Arthur, how've you been?"

Clark, Arthur and Diana chuckled at the sight.

"Unfortunately I've been finding less and less free time," Arthur replied. "Alan's expansions have attracted immigration, and Toybox has opened negotiations for locating their base of operations there. That's in addition to Atlantean politics, international diplomacy and oil drilling talks. It's rare I find time to go gallivanting off to fight villains these days. Not to mention that fact that it could easily cause an international incident since I'm a head of state. At least Diana's just an ambassador."

"I ran, and still run, one of the largest international corporations in the world, and I found time," Bruce remarked in a voice as dry as the Sahara.

Arthur grunted. "Not all of us are as capable as you, it would seem," he replied.

"Oliver did it too," Clark added.

Arthur shot him a mock glare.

"I don't think a single member of the younger generation is running their own corporation or country," Jay remarked, disappointment coloring his voice.

Diana frowned. "I don't have the exact statistics, but about one in five of our members not working with the PRT or a local equivalent are running a small business. Nothing big though."

"How come none of your apprentices ever did anything like that?" Arthur asked Bruce with a raised eyebrow.

"Yeah, Colin's a super genius Tinker isn't he?" Jay added.

"A very serious young man," Diana commented, "just like you, Bruce."

"And didn't he take after you in other ways," Jay continued, "like that stick up his butt?"

"When I met him I remembered thinking how incredibly arrogant he seemed," Arthur said. "He was worse than Booster Gold in his early years."

"He's grown out of it," Bruce replied, "some."

"I'm glad to hear that," another voice added, this time belonging to a green-skinned and red-eyed humanoid wearing blue shorts, red straps going from each of his shoulders and down to his belt so as to cross each other over his chest, and a blue cape with a collar and attached via a silver chain.

Beside him was a weathered man with grey hair and wearing comfortable shoes, blue jeans and a green button up shirt. His hard blue eyes swept over the room.

Diana was the first to speak. "Hello, J'onn," she said to the green-skinned man. She looked at the other man. "Hello, David. It's been a while."

David sighed and nodded. "I know Diana." He took a moment to look around the room, taking in the familiar sights before making his way to the seat he knew well. Marking it was the symbol of a golden helmet that was solid save for two glowing eyeholes. He eased into his seat and looked around the quiet room. "I'm sorry."

"You don't have to apologize for anything, David," Clark replied.

"We all understand it wasn't your fault," Diana agreed.

"You say that like it's supposed to make me feel better," David replied.

"Don't let it overshadow all the good you've done, David," J'onn replied as he found his own seat. "You're a good man, and a great hero."

David shook his head, unwilling to look up at his companions. "Not anymore. I'm retired from active duty, and I plan to stay that way."

They were all silent, thinking about the past.

"I'm retiring, too," Bruce finally said. At Diana's look he elaborated, "Five years ago Bane broke my back, and just two months ago I nearly died to the Siberian. I'm old, slow, frail. My time's over."

"Bruce…" Clark started to say before trailing off.

Bruce met the eyes of Clark, Diana and J'onn in turn. "You three are like gods, benevolent gods, but still gods sitting up in your ivory tower and passing judgement upon us mortals. You've always needed someone to keep you grounded, to keep you from going too far. I can't do that anymore." Diana started to speak and he held up a hand. "It has to be someone who can keep up with you out there, even just a little. I'm too old for that, too battered. Tim's a good man, and he's as good a successor as I can hope for to fill the role, what with Oliver being almost as old as me and Dick about to have his sixty-first birthday. I may not belong up here anymore, but I can still watch with my feet planted on the ground. And if Tim isn't enough, I have my ways. Right now, I can do more good as Bruce Wayne, who can spend the twilight years of his life making sure WayneCorp money goes to putting an end to the sources of desperation that lead to crime." Bruce took a circular communicator out of his coat pocket and put it on the table.

No one said anything, the station's hum being the only sound for those without super hearing.

Eventually Arthur spoke. "I don't believe I'll be able to contribute anything to the League either, though I'll remain a reserve member should the need arise. I've got some fighting left in me yet."

David shook his head. "I don't think I can contribute anything at this point. Even with everything that happened, I think I only really started living my life after I stopped being a full time hero." He chuckled ruefully. "I think I want to live a normal life, while I have the chance. I'm resigning from reserve membership as well; though if you ever truly need me don't hesitate to call. Not that I expect you'll need me."

Everyone's gaze shifted to Jay expectantly. He shrugged. "Sorry to inconvenience you, but I'm sticking around as long as I can run. I may be a frail old man, but I can still manage that. Maybe even punch a bad guy or two, if my bones aren't aching because a storm's coming"

"I imagine you could outpace a storm," Diana remarked with a dry voice, "even at a walk."

"Nah, my power only works when I'm running," Jay replied before turning a searching look on her. "Of course, you should know that by now. Memory failing you, you old crone?"

Diana laughed. "You wish, Jay."

"She's the real Diana," Bruce said. "I never would have come in here if she weren't."

"I can confirm that," J'onn agreed.

"As can I," Clark said. "It's annoying that we have to take care that none of us are body doubles or mind controlled."

"Would you rather be taken over by a space starfish? Again?" Arthur asked, amused.

"Or replaced by a robot double while fighting your evil twin in another dimension?" Jay asked. "Not that J'onn had the chance, but the rest of us did."

"I still regret that missed opportunity," J'onn deadpanned.

"You should, that's the sort of stuff that makes this life exciting," Jay replied.

"Who was behind that anyway? Gorilla Grod? String Theory? Lex Luthor?" Arthur asked.

"It was Lex Luthor," Bruce replied. "Gorilla Grod tried to mind control President Bush and String Theory was the one to threaten to knock the moon out of orbit."

"She was rather shocked when I went to hold the moon in place," Clark said, a slight smirk on his face.

"Showoff," Bruce retorted.

"To be fair, he wouldn't have had too if Jay weren't so slow," David replied.

"Slow! She had Deathstroke and Professor Zoom, along with a bunch of mooks!" Jay objected in mock outrage. "I'd like to see you do better, old timer!"

"As I recall, I did do better," David replied with a smirk.

"Yeah, well your powers are even more ridiculous than Clark's or J'onn's," Jay retorted. "Cheap, cheating… chipmunk."

"Chipmunk?" Diana asked with a raised eyebrow.

"Let's see you come up with an alliteration that fit off that top of your head, princess," Jay shot back with a smile.

"You're a speedster, you should be able to think quickly," Clark replied.

"His power can't compensate for everything," Bruce informed him.

"Ouch, Bruce, that hurt," Jay said, holding a hand over his chest with a pained expression on his face.

"Are you a pyrokinetic now, Bruce?" J'onn asked in his characteristic level voice. "Because as the kids say, that was a wicked burn."

"'As the kids say?'" Diana asked.

"Look who's showing their age now," Clark said.

Jay sped over to J'onn and patted him on the shoulder. "Don't take it too hard buddy, we all know how hard it is to be hip. Here's my advice: parachute pants and gold chains."

"No," Diana told Jay, "don't suggest that. That time you convinced him to visit the president while dressed for a disco was bad enough."

"I thought he pulled off the afro," David commented.

"Don't remind me," Bruce said.

"It was still better than when Clark decided to grow out his hair and wear black," J'onn replied.

"I should never have taken that bet," Clark stated. "I can see through walls and I still don't know how Question pulled that off."

"He had Zatana help him cheat," Bruce explained.

"I may have helped as well," J'onn added.

Everyone else looked at J'onn in surprise.

"I thought it would be funny."

"Well, it was," Jay replied with a laugh. "I don't think I'll ever forget that, no matter how hard Clark tries to sweep it under the rug."

"He looked so 'dark and edgy,'" Diana added before breaking down into laughter.

Clark scowled while the other burst out into laughter as well, and after a few seconds he cracked a smile and started laughing too. For a few minutes they laughed with each other, the time forgotten as they reminisced together.

Eventually, Bruce said, "I'll be holding a Christmas charity event in a few months. There will be a dinner for the foundation and we can meet for drinks afterwards."

"Sounds good," Jay said. "Can't wait to see all four in the same room instead of just Diana."

Arthur shook his head sadly, his smile fading. "I'm sorry, but I can't make the dinner. I'll be too busy. I might be able to slip out for a bit though."

"And I'll have to host the winter solstice event in the Watchtower as well as be present for the one back home," Diana replied. "Most of the preparations should be done by then though."

"I thought Albert was handling that since you wouldn't let me," Jay said.

"I've learned better than to let you, J'onn or Melissa be in charge of organizing events like that," Diana replied dryly. She looked back at Bruce. "I should be able to slip out for a drink."

"I'll try as well, but you know how it is," Clark added.

"Yes, if something comes up I'll have to cancel as well," J'onn agreed.

"Unlike them, I don't have those kinds of obligations anymore," David said. "It was nice seeing you all again, and even if we aren't all there I'd like to do this again."

"Don't worry, after I show up fashionably late we'll talk trash about them behind their backs," Jay told David. "I have so much gossip to dish, it would make a paparazzi's head explode."

"I'll know what you tell them," J'onn warned.

Jay replied as befitting a man of his age and stature, by sticking out his tongue at one of the Earth's mightiest heroes.

"Really, Jay?" Clark asked. "Aren't you a little old for that?"

"When kids act like that it's because they're young and don't know better," Jay explained. "I've earned the right to act like this, and you can't take that away from me."

"I do-" Clark started to say before he stopped and frowned.

"What is it?" Diana asked, leaning forward.

"Earthquake in Malaysia," J'onn replied, standing up.

Jay stretched and took to his feet. "Right."

"We'll take a shuttle and meet you there," Diana said as she stepped back from the table.

Arthur sighed. "I suppose I should head back to Atlantis then. Perhaps I'll visit a few familiar faces on the way out. Good luck."

"Thanks," Diana replied as she followed J'onn and Clark on their way out.

"I'll see whoever shows up at the Christmas party later," Jay said. "'til next time."

"Yes, see you later," David replied with a wave as the four disappeared from sight. He sighed. "Mind if I join you, Arthur?"

"Not at all," Arthur replied as he waited for David to stand. "It'll be good to catch up. Bruce?"

Bruce shook his head. "I've got work to do, children to chase off my lawn." Then he wheeled his way out of the room and towards the teleporter. "See you Christmas evening."

"Good luck, and see you then," David said as Bruce disappeared around the door frame. After a second he turned to Arthur. "Well, do you know if Myrrdin is around here somewhere?"

"I'm not sure, but apparently Albert is," Arthur replied.

David started towards the door before pausing to frown. "Which Albert?"

Arthur shrugged. "I'm not sure. Let's find out."

"Yes, let's."

The two walked out of the room and the door shut behind them with a quiet hiss, the lights turning off to plunge the room into darkness save for the light coming through the window in the floor.

Batgirl Beyond #2

Cover: A teenaged girl with long dark, curly hair stands looking up at the sky with her green eyes, her mouth set in a determined line. In her left hand is clutched one of Batman's throwing bats. Behind her looms a blue tinted skyscraper with a large illuminated 'W' at the top. On either side of the building stretches a dark cityscape. Overhead hangs light grey clouds save for one patch of darkness that takes the shape of a stylized bat with its wings spread in flight.

+JLL+

Now…

"Hello Miss Hebert, my name's Bruce Wayne. Sorry for coming by so early."

I stared at the well-dressed old man in shock. Bruce Wayne was the billionaire owner and CEO of WayneCorp, one of the largest technology corporations in the world and based in Gotham city. At night you could see the WayneCorp Global headquarters with its stylized 'W' logo looming over downtown across from the Medhall building. And he was standing in my doorway, apologizing for coming by so early and offering me his hand. Even after meeting Batman, I wasn't sure what to do, or if this was even real and not just some dream. He was someone who was incredibly important and powerful, even if not in the same way as the heroes of the Justice League, and you could feel it. Bruce Wayne had a commanding presence in his old age, as if to say that he'd seen the best and worst this city had to offer and as the head of one of the world's biggest corporations and one of the biggest charities, you'd better listen to what he had to say.

It was a little intimidating, is what I'm saying.

I felt the throwing bat in my hand and tightened my grip on it. He was intimidating in his own way, and completely unexpected, but I'd faced down Lung. Even if it was only to throw a bottle and a stick at him, I'd done it to help Batman and if it hadn't worked or Batman hadn't won Lung could have hurt me, or worse.

Compared to that, some rich old man with a cane didn't seem so bad.

I smiled and took his hand, meeting his firm grip as his eyes seemed to twinkle. "Hello, Mister Wayne. Mind if I ask what you're doing here?"

"Not at all, Miss Hebert," he replied with a smile. "However, I don't know if the front step is the best place for this." With that he gestured to where he was standing and I realized that I was standing in the doorway and blocking him from entering.

"Um. Sure," I said, backing up and letting him through.

"Taylor, who's at the door?" my dad asked as he walked out of the kitchen and froze.

Bruce Wayne smiled at my father and offered his hand, "Hello, Daniel. It's been a while."

Dad looked at Bruce Wayne with wide eyed shock exaggerated by his thick glasses. He quickly shook his head clear and shook our guest's hand. "Bruce Wayne? It's a pleasure to see you again," he said, clearly flummoxed by what was happening.

"Likewise, Daniel," Bruce Wayne replied as he stepped clear of the door so that I could close it behind him. As I closed it, I saw a black sedan parked in the street in front of our house. I turned back to see Dad lead Bruce Wayne into our kitchen.

"Well, we were just about to have breakfast... Do you want anything?" Dad asked as he walked over to where his coffee pot was filled with freshly brewed coffee.

"A cup of coffee would be nice, but I always get up early so I've already eaten," he replied.

Dad got him a cup and poured coffee into it. "Mind if I ask why you're here?"

"Not at all," Bruce Wayne said as he took the offered cup and sat down in an extra chair we had. "I'm here about your daughter. She's an intelligent young woman."

"This has to do with last week," I said.

He smiled and nodded. "Yes, you've demonstrated courage and initiative, valuable traits in any career path." At that I saw his eyes flicker to my left hand and the throwing bat.

"How exactly did you hear about her?" my dad asked with concern in his voice. "Her involvement isn't public knowledge."

"The Justice League doesn't usually get involved in dealing with witnesses, but I've been working with them for years and when one of them pointed out a promising young girl I had to investigate," he explained. "They could offer you witness protection if you feel the need, but the PRT and the Police can handle that in most cases. I'm here to offer you something else: an opportunity."

"An opportunity for what?" I asked before my dad could speak.

"I find in my old age I could use a part time assistant, an intern to help me, go for this, go for that," he explained. "It needs to be someone with integrity, intelligence and courage, and not just because I only pick the best. I work with and meet important people, including regional and occasionally global leaders of the Justice League. If I'm going to pick someone to help me with that, it can't just be anyone.

"From what I've seen you have all three traits I'm looking for, though perhaps throwing a bottle at a high level brute isn't exactly strong evidence of intellect." I blushed in embarrassment at his dry remark. "It isn't glamorous, and it's hard, but I think you'll find working with the owner of a major technology company and one of the League's strongest private supporters to be a positive experience for you. After all, we have a variety of scholarship programs to help people, including employees."

It was a lot to take in, for both me and my dad. It all seemed so sudden, and my mind spun but it latched onto one fact: he was doing this because someone in the Justice League wanted him to help me. He'd looked at my throwing bat. He'd known it was there or he'd seen it in my hand when my dad apparently hadn't. He'd shown up the same morning as the throwing bat had appeared on my windowsill.

Batman wants Bruce Wayne to give me an internship.

After actually forming that thought, I realized how strange it sounded, but it was the only explanation for this. He'd had Robins over the years, Armsmaster used to be one, so did that mean he thought I had what it took? He'd been able to fight, but seeing him being taken away from the park in an ambulance made me think that he'd have trouble now. And besides, I didn't have any powers anyways. There was no way some teenage girl with no powers could have what it took to be a real super hero. Maybe he just wanted to help out as thanks.

That made the most sense.

Even if I wasn't going to be a super hero, having an internship at WayneCorp offered to my because Batman asked him too wasn't something I was going to turn down. Especially if it gave me the chance, however slim, to actually meet him in person.

Dad started to speak, but I interrupted him again, "Yes!" At Bruce Wayne's amused looked I continued, "I'd like to take your internship."

"It is a good opportunity," my dad agreed. "Though, I'm a bit uncomfortable about the idea of the Justice League telling you who she is despite her being a witness."

"I understand," Bruce Wayne said, "and I'm sorry for being so abrupt about this, but since I already knew I thought it best to continue and extend my offer." He paused before adding with a wry voice, "Though, I won't stop you if you feel like complaining about him."

"Him?" I asked, excited. It was Batman!

Bruce Wayne shrugged and sipped his coffee. He hummed and looked at Dad again. "Mind if I add some milk to this?"

"Oh, not at all," Dad replied before opening the fridge and taking out a milk jug. "Here, let me." Bruce Wayne let Dad pour some milk into his cup and took another sip while Dad put the milk away.

"Thank you," he said to Dad.

"You're welcome," my dad politely replied. "If the Justice League asked for this, I suppose it's safe for her…"

"I won't let her get in a situation where she's in over her head," Bruce Wayne assured him. "After all, I'm not a super hero, so why should my assistance go looking for trouble?"

"Right," my dad agreed as I had to suppress a grin for some reason I wasn't quite sure about.

"However," Bruce Wayne said, standing up and facing me as he did so, "I must warn you that I am a difficult task master. You may have been recommended to me but I accept nothing short of excellence from all who work for me."

"I think I can handle it," I told him.

"Very good then, Miss Taylor Hebert," he said as he offered me his hand. "Welcome to my world."

I took his hand and shook it.

The next day I made my way to the WayneCorp building. It was a Sunday, but when he'd offered physical training for people employed I decided to fill out the paperwork as quickly as possible. Apparently they used the same equipment that they sold to the Justice League, so I'd be able to use the same equipment that Red Robin and Armsmaster were using. I didn't know if I'd end up using it much, but I really wanted to see it and get a chance to try it.

My dad and I went to fill out the paperwork and were taken to a small office where the lawyer, named Phil, apparently knew my dad and helped us out. It took a while, but as soon as my dad and I were done Phil led us to the security office and I was issued my own ID card for security and Dad was given a guest pass for the day. My ID badge had my picture, was black and had a blue bar on the side with bold white letters spelling "Intern" inside the bar. My dad's badge was white with "Guest" spelled in bold black lettering.

As we turned to leave the security office I saw a man standing in the doorway. He wore a grey suit with a white undershirt and black shoes. His hair was black with salt and pepper white and grey specks. In his left hand was a folder. His piercing blue eyes took me in and he smiled. "So, you're Bruce's new intern," he said and stepped forward. "Hi, I'm Richard Grayson, but you can call me Dick. Everyone else does, sooner or later." He grinned at his bad joke and one of the security guards audibly groaned.

"Really, sir?" the guard asked.

Dick, it really did seem appropriate already, looked at the guard and said, "Yes, why so Sirius?"

"That one was physically painful," the guard, presumably Sirius, said.

"Whiner," Dick retorted before stepping forward to shake my hand. "So, your name's Taylor Hebert?"

"Yes it is, Dick," I replied.

Sirius chuckled. "I think she's learned why we use your nickname."

"You should be more Sirius," Dick shot back before saying to me, "he's such a kidder." He then offered his hand to my dad. "You're Daniel Hebert, then?"

"Yes, you were expecting us?" my dad asked as he shook Dick's hand.

"Yes, Tim, a friend of mine, let me know about Bruce's new intern and I decided to stop by to show her around," Dick explained before gesturing for me to follow him "Come on Miss Hebert, let's show you around."

I followed him out into the hallway and we set off deeper into the building.

"Where are we going?" Dad asked him.

"Right now, I'm going to show her some of the offices that you're clear to be in so the two of you know your way around," Dick replied. "However, judging by your badge you're not cleared for some of the places I'll be showing her later on. She has to know this stuff for her internship, you don't. It was all in the nondisclosure agreement you two signed."

"I'd wondered about that," Dad said.

"Yes, well if she's going to be his assistant, for whatever reason, then she's going to end up exposed to sensitive company information," Dick replied before stopping in front of an elevator and pressing a button. "I'll show you two the workout room. It's good and it's free to employees and interns."

"Bruce Wayne told us that yesterday," I said as we waited for the elevator.

"Good for him, I'd recommend you take up the opportunity," Dick replied. "We've also got self-defense courses which are always good to have."

"Self-defense courses?" Dad asked worriedly.

"Don't worry, she won't be in any danger, but these kinds of courses are good for a person to take anyway," Dick replied before the elevator dinged and its doors opened. "She'll be in good hands."

"That's good to hear," my dad said. "I think she wants to work here because she heard about how Bruce Wayne knows heroes from his business with the League."

Dick chuckled. "Yeah, you could say that. I'd say WayneCorp is one of the biggest suppliers of equipment and materials to the Justice League and Toybox due to its focus on reverse engineering and mass producing Tinker tech. WayneCorp work with super geniuses a lot, so as a high technology company you can expect a lot of highly advanced components and equipment in the labs. I think Star Labs is one of the few places with access to better equipment." He looked at me from the corners of his eyes. "Of course, I should warn you that WayneCorp products aren't toys, so don't play with them. Much, anyway. Bruce doesn't like it if you break his things."

"Don't worry, I won't," I assured him.

"Good," he said, "living through that with Tim, Helena and Colin was enough already."

I frowned and looked at him questioningly.

"People I had to babysit too. You might meet them someday," he explained.

I sent him an affronted look and my dad chuckled at my expression, so I sent a glare his way too.

"So," I asked, changing the subject, "why are you here for me anyway? You look like someone important." Then I found I'd put my foot in my mouth. "I mean, not that I don't appreciate this –"

"But I look like someone with better things to do?" Dick asked. "It's true, but I know better than anyone how demanding Bruce Wayne can be at times. I want to help you settle in here at WayneCorp."

"Thank you," I told him.

"It's no problem," he replied.

Silence filled the elevator car as it slowed to a stop. After that he showed me the regional offices, explaining where important people or departments were in case anything important came up and I needed to talk to someone for Bruce Wayne. He was happy to take his time, but it was truly enormous and I couldn't keep track of everything. Fortunately he seemed to catch on and he explained the numbering system for the rooms to help me navigate.

He even showed me the entrances of several of the low security labs that were in in first sublevel, but I couldn't see anything else with my dad present.

"So, I know this tour has been a bit long, so what would you like to do?" Dick finally asked as we waited for an elevator to the ground floor. "There's a self-defense seminar today if you'd like to see what it's about."

I looked at Dad. I was sure he wanted me to come home with him, but I wanted to look around at where I would be working, and I had decided that I was going to learn how to fight anyway.

Not to mention the fact that Dick had mentioned offhandedly that one of the lower labs had a jetpack that they let him try out when he asked them. A part of me hoped I could ask him for that lab.

"Please Dad?" I asked him.

Dad frowned. He'd become concerned with keeping me safe ever since my mom had died and then I'd help Batman fight Lung. "Are you sure? You'd be coming home late, on your own."

"I'll take the bus, it'll be fine," I assured him.

"It's true, the bus should be safe," Dick agreed. "However, if it makes you feel better she can call from here when she wants to be picked up."

He nodded in relief. "Okay. Taylor, call me as soon as you're ready to be picked up."

"I will," I assured him.

We said our goodbyes, Dad turned in his badge and then he left.

"So," I asked, "where do we go now?"

"Now," Dick replied as he started walking towards a side hallway, "we see if you have what it takes."

"Takes to be what?" I asked as I hurried to catch up. He was using longer strides and walking faster than he had before, eating up the ground with each step.

"That remains to be seen," he replied, avoiding answering my question. Dick led the two of us through side hallways and to a doorway that led to the stairs.

"We're going down these stairs and going to the gym where we'll see how you do," Dick explained. "You are going to be tested mentally and physically as soon as it begins. Any questions?"

"Why do I need to do this to be a personal assistant?" I asked. Then it hit me. Bruce Wayne had said he'd been pointed my way, after I'd helped Batman against Lung. He was rich, and known to support the Justice League and when I'd looked up WayneCorp and Batman I'd seen that there were rumors going around that Bruce Wayne had supplied Batman, Nightwing and the other members of the so-called Bat Family for years. Just as I've finished filling out paperwork, Dick Grayson shows up and offers to take me on a tour, which he can't complete as long as my dad is around. It seemed strange, but enough pieces fit together… "Are you Batman?"

He grinned at me and said, "Don't you know it's impolite to ask after a cape's secret identity?"

I opened and closed my mouth before embarrassment sets in. "Sorry." He was right, I'd watched enough cape shows on TV to know that asking after a cape's identity wasn't something you were supposed to do, and I'd just done it to Batman. Well, I couldn't be absolutely certain, after all he didn't seem like the impression of Batman I had, but he hadn't denied it. In fact, he had practically said yes without actually saying it. On the other hand, he could just be messing with me.

"Don't worry about it," he told me. "Now come on, it's time we see what you've got."

With that he opened the door and began heading down the stairs. We went down five levels below ground before reaching a long corridor with only one door at the end. "So, what do you want to be in life?" he asked me as we walked down it.

"I'm not sure," I replied. "My mother was an English professor, and my father's the Dockworker Union's Head of Hiring…."

"Sorry to hear about your mother, but that doesn't tell me about you though," Dick replied. I saw him turn his head towards me. "What do you want to be, deep down?"

I thought about how to answer him. He seemed nice, but I'd only known him a few minutes. I wasn't sure I was comfortable telling him it, even if I could frame it properly even to myself.

"If it's embarrassing, I promise I won't laugh," he said, trying to reassure me.

If he really was Batman… then I suppose I should tell him. I slowed down to a normal pace to collect my thoughts and he slowed down to match me even though he was ahead. "Well… Heroes, the old ones are…getting old?" I started uncertainly.

He stopped and turned to me with an eyebrow raised. "That tends to happen."

"Yeah, but… there are local heroes but they don't really stand out as much as the old heroes and they're all retiring," I continued.

"Well, it's harder to stand out from a crowd," Dick replied.

"None of them are as powerful or as important as the big ones though," I said, thinking about how to order my thoughts and explain them. "There used to be big heroes outside the seven, like Green Lantern and Captain Marvel, but they're gone."

"Green Lantern's retired to Toybox actually," Dick replied, surprising me. I knew he used to be a big name and I'd done research with Emma as a kid when we would look up the old heroes and villains, but all I'd really known was that he had been a big name, apparently almost as big a name as the seven. For a while, Captain Marvel had been bigger. "Captain Marvel though, you're right." He sighed and shook his head. But what about Captain Atom and the Rocket Reds? They're important, and it's not like Superman, Wonder Woman and Manhunter are ever going to retire."

"Yeah, but it's like the Justice League isn't protecting the world anymore." At his skeptical look I continued hastily, "I mean, it's like they're just a bunch of heroes protecting parts of the Earth and they're all using the same name. It's like the old symbols are going away, even Wonder Woman and Superman."

"They're still doing their jobs," Dick replied.

"You rarely see or hear about them doing anything anymore, I looked online," I countered. "Just because they're out there doesn't mean that they're still living up to their symbols. That's why they made the Justice League, isn't it? To be symbols to unite heroes."

"From a certain perspective," Dick answered with amusement in his voice. "I'm not sure all of them thought the same way, but I think Supes would agree with you." He tilted his head to the side. "What does this have to do with your career of choice?"

"Yeah, um, well… I want to be one," I said, looking down at my feet as I felt my face heat. "Batman… can't be Batman anymore, so I want do that."

"I think you might have a hard time being Batman," he snarked.

I glared at him. Dick was deliberately picking apart my ideas! "There's been Batgirls before, and a Batwoman." And there I ran into my problem. "But…" I looked away from him. "… well I can't do that though. I don't have powers or anything."

He didn't say anything in reply so I continued to study my feet. Was he really Batman? What did he think of some girl who wanted to help him but wasn't even a parahmuan.

"It's a silly idea anyway."

"No it wasn't," another voice said behind be. It was a voice I'd heard yesterday, Bruce Wayne's. "Batman was always a symbol, first and foremost. That was always the real power of the costume." I turned around to see him slowly walking towards us with his cane. It seemed he came out of an elevator door that had been disguised as a part of the wall of the corridor for some reason. "It's not as though the man wearing it ever actually had one himself."

I froze at that revelation. Batman, one of the founding members of the Justice League, one of the first super heroes and one of the most important and influential in history didn't have powers? How was that possible? He'd never said what his power was, and no one had ever confirmed it for him, Nightwing or other prominent heroes who had been trained by him, but I and practically every source except for a few fringe ones had assumed that was just because he was secretive. He'd fought incredibly powerful parahumans dozens of times, the Joker, Poison Ivy and Bane just to name a few. How could someone who had fought them have won without powers?

"I think you broke her," Dick remarked.

"You weren't supposed to come and give her a tour," Bruce Wayne countered. "Why aren't you in Bludhaven?"

"Good to see you too Bruce," Dick replied. "Colin told me all about what happened and Taylor here, and so I asked Barbara if she wouldn't mind looking into her. Imagine my surprise when I heard you'd taken an interest in her too. Just thought I'd say hi to the new girl, see what she's made of."

Bruce leveled a glare at him, but that wasn't what I was thinking of. It was unbelievable, but Bruce Wayne hadn't been lying when he'd said Batman didn't have powers. He knew who Batman was, which seemed to indicate it really was Dick, except Dick had been in Bludhaven. Not only did that seem a little quick for Batman to be in another town after the injuries he had apparently received against Lung, but that was Nightwing's stomping grounds and Batman wouldn't be subordinate to Bruce Wayne like Dick seemed to be… but Nightwing would.

"You're Batman!" I exclaimed, pointing at Bruce Wayne.

"I suppose if you do that to everyone you meet, you'll eventually get it right," commented Dick.

Bruce Wayne shot him a glare before turning it on me. I tried to bear up under it, but it was just as uncomfortable as my explanation to Dick just a minute ago. "I'm not Batman. He's retired."

That got me to meet his eyes. "I know that, but you heard what I had to say," I told him, "and if you didn't do it with powers, and Dick probably didn't do it with powers, then I can do it too."

"You might be brave enough, but this is a dangerous life. Even the slightest misstep and you or someone else dies," Bruce Wayne replied in a growl. "I'm giving you a chance to be an intern at WayneCorp, not put people's lives in danger. We already have one reckless vigilante out there and it's only a matter of time before someone dies because of her. If you think the simple desire to help people is what it takes to be one of us then think again."

"Then show me how to be a hero!" I shot back before taking a deep breath. I understood what he meant. I'd lived every day thinking that I was responsible for my mom's death. If I hadn't texted her, if she hadn't texted me… then maybe she wouldn't have died in that accident. It was why Dad didn't want us to have cell phones anymore. I knew it wasn't the same as fighting criminals, but now that I knew I didn't need powers to help people, to save lives, I didn't want to just stand by. I didn't want to be worthless like Emma seemed to think I was now. "I want to help people, like I helped you. I don't want people to die because of me, or because I didn't help them when I could."

Bruce Wayne stared at me silently for what felt like an eternity. Dick watched in silence.

I tried to bare up under his scrutiny as best as I could, but soon it got too me and I started fidgeting. Even if he wasn't wearing the cowl, I could tell that this was the sort of look that made thugs give up their boss back in his prime.

After what seemed like an hour, but was probably just a minute or two, I asked, "Will you help me?"

Bruce shook his head and started walking towards the door that Dick had been leading me too earlier. Dick followed him after a second and I watched them head over too it. Bruce held up his badge to a console on the wall, typed in a password and then had his eye scanned. The door parted with a soft hiss, revealing it to be some sort of thick bulkhead leading to a room of greys, whites and blacks beyond.

Just before he stepped through the doorway, Bruce Wayne turned back too and said, "Well, are you coming?"

I broke into a grin and sprinted after him. "Thank you, thank you, thank you!"

Bruce Wayne huffed. "You have potential, but you're a long way off, Taylor." He looked at Dick and said to him, "I believe you were planning on giving her tests?"

Dick smiled in anticipation. It reminded me of Sophia when she had me cornered. "Yes, and if you think she's okay, then that means I get to break out the hard stuff."

"Hard stuff?" Bruce Wayne asked.

I suddenly had a bad feeling about following them inside, but I went anyway.

I was going to be a hero.