Chapter One-


"Recognized, Robin. B-01." 

"Rob! You're here!" Wally exclaimed, blurring towards his friend.

"This had better be damn important." Robin said, pushing Wally out of the way.

"Dude!" Wally complained. "You sound just like Batman!"

Robin froze and had Wally pinned against the wall in an instant.

"Don't. Say. That. Again." Robin growled. "I'm nothing like him!" 

Wally let out a nervous laugh and Robin dropped him to the floor.

Wally rubbed his neck as the rest of the Team walked in.

Artemis sighed at the sight of Wally.

"What did he do now?" she asked.

"No time." Robin said. "What's the mission and it had better be damn important."

Everyone raised an eyebrow at Robin's new attitude. 

Kaldur was wise enough to suggest they de-brief on the bioship.


~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~


"I don't know." Barbara said. "He was acting strange."

Barbara was sitting with her friends during lunch period. She was discussing her encounter with Dick earlier that morning. She left out the part about the Justice League.

"I mean! He even called me Babs! Since when did he do that?"

Dick stormed into the lunchroom, an extremely pissed look on his face.

"There's your answer." one of the girls said.

Barbara frowned, but joined Dick in the lunch line anyway.

"Did you tell anyone I was sick?" he asked sharply.

"No," Barbara said. "No one asked, so I-"

"Thanks." Dick said, cutting her off as he picked up a chicken breast.

"Why are you so mad? And why did you have to leave so early this morning?" Barbara asked, picking up an extra cupcake for the heck of it.

Dick didn't answer until they were sitting in the corner. Alone. Undisturbed.

"Bruce needed me to do something this morning. He jerked me out of school, despite my objections, and forced me to run some stupid round the block missi--errand." Dick complained.

"Again?" Barbara asked.

"Yeah." Dick replied. "The third time the past month. Next time, he'll have to physically yank me."

"What did he want you to do anyway?" Barbara asked.

Dick sighed. "I don't want to talk about it, okay?"

"Sure." Barbara replied, somewhat let down.

"Thanks Babs." Dick said, some what calmer now.

Barbara nodded and finished her meal.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Robin growled as he lifted himself off of the ground and over the top of the machine.

He had been working out for two hours now, gymnastics, weight lifting, running, stamina, stealth, etc. The Boy Wonder was tired. But he wasn't through yet. He had to do the one thing he always had trouble with. Coming off the giants and landing squarely on the pole without falling.

Robin eased himself up and flipped over, landing on one foot and balancing, balancing, and then he fell.

"Ugh!" Robin exclaimed, ripping the mask off and throwing it to the ground. It was the only part of his uniform he had been wearing, and he was utterly disgusted with it. 

"Master Richard?" Alfred's voice echoed over the speakers. Dick sighed and opened a microphone in the gym.

"Yes, Alfred?" he asked.

"Mistress Barbara is here to see you, sir." Alfred replied.

Dick froze. "Where is she?" he asked.

"Waiting by the front gate, should I let her in?" Alfred replied.

Dick hesitated before replying affirmative. Quickly hiding his mask and trying to straighten his hair, Dick waited for Barbara to enter. It didn't take her long.

Barbara was dressed in blue jeans, a white T-shirt, and a black leather jacket. Her shimmering red hair was hung carelessly in a ponytail while several strands flashed in front of her blue eyes.

"Hey Babs!" Dick said, trying to sound confident, but as nervous as heck.

"Hey, Dickie." Barbara replied, emphasizing his nickname.

Dick groaned. "I thought you liked that nickname." he said.

"I do." Barbara said, continuing to walk around the gym. "But not when you say it."

Dick crossed his arms.

"I'm joking, silly." Barbara said. "Lighten up!" 

Dick sighed. Bruce was getting to him.

"So what did you come over here for?" Dick asked after a silent moment.

"I'm sorta...having problems....with my math." Barbara said sheepishly.

"Nothing to be ashamed of." Dick said, trying to manage a grin.

Barbara returned the uneasy expression and tossed him a package. Inside was a packet of math she had received from her tutor.

Dick flipped through it quickly before nodding. "Come on." he said. "My room."

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

"Dad?" Barbara called, walking into the dark house. 

She flipped on the hall light and walked into the living room.

"Barbara!" her dad said. Barbara jumped. Her father was standing in the doorway. "Where were you? You missed gymnastics!"

"Gymnastics is Wednesday dad, not-"

"Today IS Wednesday. Where were you?"

"At Dick's house, uh...studying." Barbara replied. 

"Why didn't you ask me if you could?" her father asked.

"You were in the office." Barbara replied. "I thought it was okay. Mr. Wayne and Dick would never-"

"Barb, Gotham is an extremely dangerous city. You can't just go wandering about. Especially with all of these weirdos wandering around."

"I know, dad." Barbara sighed.

Her dad smiled and put his hand on her shoulder. "I just want what's best for you Barbara." he said.

"Could you add a little freedom to the batter?" Barbara asked, tearing from her father's grasp and walking upstairs to her room. 

Jim sighed and stared up after her.