My eyes fluttered open slowly, the world a mystery for a second or two before I felt someone holding me, helping me back down to earth. A symbol of peace for the world.

"Superman." I mumbled, too tired to be excited.

"Don't worry, son, I've got you." The man of steel told me, and I believed him. It would all be alright. No matter what the future held.

Once we landed back on the roof, he helped me to my feet, stumbling a little before regaining my balance,

Harley smothering me in a hug.

"Ow! Mom, too tight."

"I'm sorry. I'm just so proud." She told me, pulling back a little.

Superman looked at Batman, then to Harley and I.

"Are they working with you now?"

Ivy scoffed, calling a plant to sit on.

"Hardly. I'm doing a favor for Harley."

She nodded to me, a vine pulling Harley up onto the plant with her.

"See ya, kid. It was fun helping out."

The plant moved away quickly, and Batman let them go.

"I think she's over Joker, and Ivys head over heels for mom. Give them a chance. They can do better. They can be better." I told him, taking Tim's hand.

"You're sure about that?" Batman asked, but I shrugged.

"Not at all. But I've got faith. That's gotta count for something."

There was a long pause, sighing softly as I thought about it. A deal was a deal.

"Well, you held up your end of the deal. Gotham isn't in any real danger right now unless you count the D-List villains like Condiment King and Kite Man. Quick question: Am I going to Arkham or Blackgate?"

"That's not up to me." The Dark Knight told me, and I shrugged.

"Can we get food on the way?"

I swear he almost smiled before he replied, but I could've also been loopy still.

"There's a Big Belly Burger near the GCPD Headquarters."

"You coming too, Superman?" Tim asked the big blue boy scout.

"Not tonight, Robin. Er, Red Robin. I've got to get back to Metropolis."

Parting ways with us, the last son of Krypton flew off, and I got to be escorted down to the Batmobile.

True to his word, we got Big Belly Burger, one last meal before I got given to Gordon, Batman talking with him while Tim and I sat on the edge of the roof together.

My hands were greasy, my eyes were heavy, and I was happy, sitting there as long as I could.

"It's time." Gordon spoke, and I was happy still.

I met Tim's eyes, teasing him with a flirty tone.

"So, this is the last time you'll see me for some time. Do I get a goodbye hug, or do I have to beg?"

His face turned red before kissing me on the cheek, and I wondered, what did I say when I had no time left?

"I really like you. Call me when I get out?"

"I don't have your number."

"You don't need it."

His lips crashed into mine, messy and weird, and it wasn't long enough, but it was perfect.

"You're lucky you're a cute smart-ass." He told me, and all I could do was nod, my words replaced with giddy giggles.

As many people as the GCPD arrested over the years, I can't imagine many smiled as they got put in a cell. A regular cell. There was a lot of goodwill in me to assume I wouldn't just pass through as a walking cloud of happy gas.

Months passed in the cell, waiting for my court date, getting a cupcake on my birthday, weekly visits from a strange teen, only a year older than I was, with black hair and beautiful blue eyes. It helped pass the time when I wasn't reading or working out. I had to keep in good shape, physically and mentally, for when I got out. I would be a hero, I knew It. I could feel it.

Finally, the day came, and after listening to the witnesses who'd seen me in the bank and the people I'd bonked with my bat, I got a chance to speak. All the jokes I had, all the things I wanted to blurt, I had to hold back, keep them bottled up.

"Pleading my case. Oh man... uh, no? I did it. The fact that I went willing with Joker and Harley Quinn when they offered me a place as their son, what else could I do? The last guy to disagree with Joker had his brains painted on the floor. I know, I watched it happen. But I'm still responsible for what I did, and I'll accept my punishment." I sat down, flashing a thumbs up to my lawyer, who looked like he was about to have an aneurysm. This was not what we'd planned.

The DA, on the other hand, looked like a kid on christmas as he questioned me.

"Mister Midoriya, you're admitting to the court today that you are guilty, is that correct?"

"I'm not criminally insane. I agreed to work with Joker and his ex-girlfriend. I am guilty of my own actions. But I never took a life. I made sure that Joker and Harley Quinn didn't either. I found out Joker planned to turn everyone in Gotham insane with his toxin, and I worked with Batman, risking my life multiple times to save Gotham. Is there anything else you'd like to ask me? Why I did? How do I feel now? Am I sorry? Well, let me tell you, I did it because I wanted a home, and i got one with a position of power, I feel guilty and pledge to make up for all I've done, but I'm not sorry. If I didn't do what I did, I'd never have gotten my meta genes awakened or met Poison Ivy and got the ability to talk to plants. I wouldn't have a mom or a boyfriend, and I wouldn't have a future as a hero someday. But if I could go back and do it differently, I'd do it, find a different way to be the person I am now."

The guy grilling me looked pissed, but he didn't have anything left to say.

"Defense, do you have anything?" The judge asked, and my lawyer fixed his tie, taking a deep breath.

"Your honor, if you'll remember, I submitted several witnesses, both of whom are here. I'd like to call Batman to the stand."

The Dark Knight entered the room, and the city lawyer prosecuting me looked pissed. If I had to guess, he thought calling in the heroes was a joke.

"Mr. Batman, can you tell the court about Izuku Midoriya? Could you tell us about his character?"

Batman looked weird on the stand. I'd never seen him sitting before.

"Izuku Midoriya is a kidnapping victim. Whether he agreed to go or not, he is a minor, and as such could not consent to having his guardianship transferred, especially to two criminally insane individuals. During his time being held by Joker, it isn't a stretch to say that he experienced some form of mental and emotional manipulation and abuse, the likes of which many do not come back mentally." He paused, and his words made me think. Victim? Me?

"In my opinion of his character, he's a good person. When he came to his senses, he turned himself in, albeit in a flamboyant manner. He helped myself, Robin, and Red Robin save the city, as well as rallying the criminals of this city to work together to find barrels of toxin . He shut down the toxin production facility single handedly and risked his life to get rid of a large amount of it. In my professional opinion, he deserves leniency, and if I may make a suggestion, the Teen Titans are more than capable of rehabilitating as well as training his meta abilities."

The courtroom was quiet, shocked at such a positive review of a criminal who worked with Joker. But no one was as surprised as I was, especially since it was the Batman of all people backing me.

"I have no further questions for Batman, your honor. That said, I would like to call my second witness, Robin."

Robin took the stand, almost too short to see over the stand.

"Robin, in your personal opinion, could you tell me about Izuku Midoriyas character?"

"He's an overconfident, idiot with a sense of humor that is simply not funny. But he is also the same person who saved my life from Harley Quinn. He's an alright human being, and there aren't many of those."

My lawyer was looking more confident now, and I felt grateful for everything being done for me.

"Thank you, Robin. There are no further questions for this witness, but I would like to call Red Robin to the stand."

Tim took the stand, and I felt nervous. Of all the people judging me today, his opinion mattered the most to me.

"Would you give the court your opinion of Izuku Midoriyas character?"

"Sure. He's a good ally. Brave and funny, and he always had my back when I needed it. I'd trust my life and Gotham with him any day of the week."

Short and sweet, just like Tim, and it didn't matter what happened to me now, as long as he still liked me.

My lawyer called the next witness, this one surprising me. I didn't know he was calling in the big guns.

"Superman, Kal-El of Krypton. Could you give me your opinion of Izuku Midoriyas character?"

Superman smiled, and seeing him up there seemed weird. Gotham was too dark for his light.

"From the little time I was around, it was rescuing him after he risked his life to help save Gotham. If that doesn't deserve praise, I don't know does. But my opinion of him? Hmm, that's a little tricky. I think he's a good young man, with a bright future ahead of him. I look forward to seeing the person he grows to be."

Nail. Meet. Coffin. No jury in their right mind would convict a kid who was manipulated by Joker, not when four heroes had given him good reviews.

"No more questions for the witnesses your honor."

"Prosecutor, do you have anything to add?" The lawyer asked, looking stern and fair.

More back and forth legao mumbo jumbo happened, but I was bored, drawing a picture of a dog with a jetpack before the jury went to deliberate, and I got put in a holding cell for a few hours, sleeping while I waited, getting woken up and taken back to the courtroom.

"Madame Foreperson, has the jury reached a decision?" The judge asked, and the foreperson handed a slip of paper to the court officer, who handed it to the clerk, who handed it to the judge, who read the slip and had it sent back to the foreperson.

"What say you. Is the defendant guilty or not guilty?"

The foreperson stood read the paper, looking sotic as she gave the news.

"In the case of Gotham City VS Izuku Midoriya, we have found the defendant innocent on the grounds of mitigating circumstances that required him to act out of self-preservation."

The judge didn't look too pleased, but I couldn't keep help but stand up and cheer, loud and proud.

"Sit down before I hold you in contempt of this court!" He yelled at me, banging his gavel.

My ass had never found a seat so quickly, putting my hands together politely while I waited.

"Members of the jury, I want to thank you for your important civic service. You have fulfilled your one day one trial obligation and will not be called for jury duty for at least 3 years."

The jury left, relieved of duty and ready to go. I guess having someone's life in your hands was a stressful thing.

"Mr.Midoriya, seeing as you are not being held on any warrants or impending cases, you are free to leave."

"Thank you, Judge. I swear it, I'm a changed man. Oh lordy lordy, I'm a changed man. Also, I'm a minor, so is this like emancipation, or do I get shoved back into the system?"

The judge laughed, and the doors to the courtroom opened, Bruce Freakin' Wayne walking in.

"Mr. Wayne here has been generous enough to not only pay for the damages caused by your actions but to provide you with a place to stay in Wayne Manor as your new foster father."

One. Two. Three. Just do the breathing exercises that you practiced, Izu. One. Two. Three.

"Fuck!"

Well, at least I didn't get too upset, Bruce Wayne putting his hand on my shoulder.

"Cheer up, you're acting like Batman just said he was taking you in." He joked, laughing like he'd made the funniest joke in the world.

"Fuck off Richie Rich."

"Haha, you're a funny guy. I have another ward, Tim Drake, I think you'll get along with."

My first thought was about cool living with my boyfriend sounded pretty cool. My second was my that Tim was Red Robin. Third was that Bruce Wayne was the same height as Batman. Fourth and very last was verbal, looking him up and down.

"No. Freaking. Way."

Bruce Wayne smirked, and I wondered if this was real or if I was just overthinking.

"Haha, that's the spirit! Come along, the cars waiting." Bruce spoke, but I could hardly hear him as he led me out the door to a waiting limo.

I shouldn't have been so surprised. This was billionaire Bruce Wayne, after all, but still, this was a whole limo.

"Car? That's not a car. Cars are for poor people. This is what normal people rent on prom while trying to make it to third base."

An older man with a well-groomed mustache looked down at me with a raised eyebrow.

"Shall we be off Master Bruce? I'm sure young Master Midoriya would like a chance to settle in."

"Great idea, Alfred. Izuku, after you."

The older man, Alfred, opened the door, and I could see Tim and a kid I didn't know sitting in the back.

"So, how'd it go?" Tim asked, Bruce and I getting in before the door shut behind us.

The shock was still there, but I finally found my voice for something that wasn't an insult or joke.

"You're him. And if you're him... Bruce Wayne is..."

Tim put a finger to my lips, shaking his head.

"Not out loud. Just sit back, relax, and wait until we get to the Manor. We are going to the Manor, right?"

"Of course, Master Drake, where else would we go?" Alfred asked, looking in the rear view mirror.

"Am I being gaslit? Do they not know?" I whispered to Tim, watching him shrug with a sly smile.

"I don't speak facial expressions, I need words." I begged him, Tim just leaning into me while we rode. Well, I guess it was better than nothing, putting my arm around him and closing my eyes. For once, it seemed like everything in my life was going right.

God, if only I knew.