YEAH NEXT CHAPTER! Had this all written up but then, oops, deleted it clearing out my doc manager! So glad I did though, the re-write was so much better than the original! Please review!

Dick sighed, heading down the massive hallway that ran the length of Wayne Manor, socked feet padding silently on the plush carpet. Another night filled with nightmares- it wasn't worth sleeping through, but he had a better pastime, anyways.

He'd been watching the news- ever since he'd learned the mysterious Batman had captured Zucco, the very same man who'd managed to get him and Scarlet living under one roof again, he'd been hooked.

On these sleepless nights, then, he'd scour the news for any information about his bat-clad friend.

Tonight was no different, he figured, as he settled down in the recliner with his batman themed comforter. Bruce had greatly approved, and even encouraged his Batman idolism in some ways, much to Alfred's amusement, but now wasn't the time too dwell on that.

There was no interesting news, though, none about Batman- and so he was left to stare dryly at the television, disappointed. The volume was low, so as not to alert anyone of his prescene, and it'd worked well, since Alfred didn't notoce him when the clock suddenly lifted off the floor, revealing the secret passageway from which thr butler emerged, before he proceeded to the kitchen.

The clock slid back into place, then, and Dick stared, blinking, wondering if he was dreaming.

Slowly, he stood, intrigued. What was behind the clock? What dark secret could good old Alfred possibly have that was enough for him to make a secret passageway?

He ran his hands up and down the smooth wood sides of the old grandfather clock, finding no special switch or anything, until his hand struck a small piece of metal. No larger than a match, it was sticking out slightly from between the wall and the back of the he hadn't been looking fir it, he never would've noticed it.

He did what any curious boy would do, then- he flipped it.

The effect was instant. The clock slid upwards, revealing the secret passageway, and he stumbled back, surprised, before slowly entering the dark passageway. The clock slid back down behind him.

It was dark- incredibly dark. Dick wondered how Alfred managed to find his way through here without breaking a hip. He could barely make out the fact that he was on a stone staircase, and felt his way along the stone wall as he slowly made his way down the craggy steps, into who knew what...

He counted forth-three steps before he finally reached the base of the stairs and smiled- he was in a somewhat dark room, what looked to be a cave...

Then the screeching started. Not just one, but two, and then a unified voice of screaming. Suddenly the bats loosed themselves from where they'd been hanging from the top of the cave and fluttered off, and he threw up his hands to protect himself as they flew past him, feeling the air from their wings as they brushed against him, on their way out of the cave and into the night, no doubt...

And then, as soon as they'd come, they were gone, leaving the cave and flowing out into the night. He was left staring after them, awestruck. He'd never seen animals that amazing, been so close to something something so majestic and eerie as a bat...

"They do that sometimes."

Dick whirled at the voice, shocked, and found himself face-to-face with Batman.

Bruce couldn't help but grin from behind the cowl when he saw the boy's face. His expression was one of total shock, he looked like his jaw might hit the floor if it went any further.

"B-Batman?"

"It's Bruce, Dick." he said calmly, pulling down the cowl to reveal his face. He couldn't help but chuckle when he saw the boy's face then- he looked like his eyes would pop out of his head.

He smiled, crossing his arms, waiting for his son to regain the ability to speak.

"Y-you're Batman?" he managed to get out.

Bruce nodded, still smiling. He'd known it was inevitable his children would discover his nighttime activities, but he'd never made a plan for it- he was playing it by ear, now, truthfully, but he didn't mind.

"You- Zucco?" Dick managed get out, eyes suddenly filled with emotion.

Bruce nodded. "Yeah. I got Zucco."

"And... that night, at the circus, when Scarlet and I were planning on running..."

Bruce nodded. "Yes. That was me, as well."

Dick swallowed, voice thick with emotion then. "Thank you."

Bruce was surprised for a moment, shocked at the depth of his gratitude- but he knew he felt it to, all those years ago, when the man who'd shot his parents was caught by the Gotham PD... "No problem, Dick."

The boy's next question caught him completely off guard, however.

"Can I be your sidekick?"

He stared for a moment, shocked, before the answer came. "No. It's far too dangerous- you'd get hurt or killed..." he trailed off when he saw simething akin to anger begining to blaze in the boy's eyes. He realized it wasn't fury, however- it was conviction.

"That's why you did it, isn't it? It's why you took Scarlet and I in- why you became Batman. So you could make sure no one was ever orphaned again, right?"

He didn't dare say anything- his throat was growing tighter. he didnmt want to hear this, but every word the boy said was searing with truth.

"I've watched the news, Bruce. Gotham- you're helping, but people are still dying in the streets. You could train me- I swear, I would do anything to be out there with you, to make sure nobody else has to see their parents die..."

Bruce couldn't take looking at the raw emotion on the boy's face anymore and turned away so he was facing the wall. He let out e breath he didn't realize he'd been hilding.

He'd seen Dick in the yard with Scarlet- running around and flipping off things- the boy's acrobatic skills were unmatched. But he'd need a lot more training if he expected to make it in Gotham...

He sighed. "Are you willing to obey every order I give you without question? If I order you to abandon me, would you do it?"

Dick nodded. "If there was no other way..."

"I won't just be Bruce anymore, Dick. I'll be Batman. I will push you to your limits and then some- failure during battle in Gotham means death. I won't be nice about it- when it comes tot raining, it's all or nothing. You'll be sore, tired, you won't have much time to play..."

"Playing hasn't been the same since they fell. I'd much rather do something useful." Dick said seriously.

Bruce continued. "I decide when you're ready to take to the streets. If you make it that far. You will respect my judgement without question, and when I say you're benched, you're benched. This isn't an easy path to walk, Dick- I won't be upset or ashamed if you can't do it."

Dick was looking at him with an expression of absolute seriousness on his face, one he rarely saw. An exoression of absolute and total focus- it meant this wasn't some passing phase. he wouldn't wake up one morning and decide he didn't want to be hero.

"When do I start?"

BAM! Please review! Warning- next chapter contains Scarlet wumph!