Nightwing, Den Mother

Prompt:

Because I am still of the school that says YJ Robin = Tim Drake.

When the roster for 'Den Mother' comes into conflict due to Justice League members busy schedules, Batman sends the one hero he can always count on to watch the YJ. Nightwing.

How will the YJ team handle having to do a mission with Batmans right hand man? How will Robin handle having his older brother working with the team? And what leadership advice could Nightwing give Aqualad?

So basically, Nightwing being his usual awesome self and hanging with the team for a mission or two. Bonus if the Titans get mentioned. Extra bonus if the team suddenly realizes where Robins crazy gymnastics and habit of disappearing suddenly comes from. (because Nightwing would certainly pull the same stunts Robin does.)

Notes: Another Young Justice: Animated Anonymous Fic Meme fill (I don't care that someone claimed it, it's been three years and no sign of a fill). It's the season 1 team except Robin is Tim instead of Dick. Any comments or questions, please post a review, I love to hear people's thoughts on my stories. I haven't seen season 2 so Nightwing's personality is based off a combination of comics and other media.

-The Meeting-

Bludhaven was quiet. Which made sense since its protector, the acrobatic Nightwing, had a busy week.

Nightwing was sitting atop the police station roof when his Bat communicator went off.

"Batman, what's going on?" he asked in a cheery tone, hoping that no one had been injured even as his more logical side insisted that Batman wouldn't call him unless it was bad.

"I need your services," Batman said in his emotionless tone. Nightwing felt his eyebrow rise up.

"You need my help?"

"No." Not that he would admit it if he did. "I need your services. Superman isn't answering my calls, Black Canary is in Asia and Martian Manhunter is off-world."

"Okay...?"

"Black Canary was scheduled as Den Mother for this week with Superman as her back-up. Martian Manhunter is back-up for Superman, in case he can't get off his high perch to watch over the team-"

"'The team'? Young Justice?" Nightwing questioned. Batman kept talking over his interruption;

"With these three out of commission, it has become obvious that I need someone I can rely on. Which is why I've nominated Nightwing as Den Mother to Young Justice."

"Wait? Seriously?" Nightwing had heard lots about the new team, Robin wouldn't stop talking about them when he called. Made up of Robin the hacker, Aqualad the leader, Miss Martian the psychic, Artemis the archer, Superboy the muscle and his friend Kid Flash the speedster.

"You start tomorrow." With that said, Batman hung up. He didn't even wait for Nightwing's reply.

Nightwing sat on the roof for a few more minutes, thinking about this. He was slightly annoyed that Batman didn't even listen to him, but that was normal. Besides, he had been wanting to meet the team which was making waves in the costumed crime-fighting community.

He knew Robin and Kid Flash, especially since he had been the one to suggest to Batman and Flash that they be introduced. He had never expected them to team up with Aqualad to raid a Cadamus building and free Superboy, let alone stand up to the Justice League in order to join together as a team.

Nightwing had been surprised to learn that Batman had agreed on the formation of the team. The team he created as Robin, the Teen Titans (now just the Titans), had been separate from the Justice League due to the way the League treated young heroes.

He had also been upset to hear that Roy didn't join the team, instead opting to shed his Speedy persona and go at it alone as Red Arrow. He couldn't help feeling a little responsible for that, being that he had cut ties with Batman a year ago and gone solo as Nightwing, setting an example Roy seemed to have followed.

He had started mending the bridge between him and Batman with Tim's help and;

'Someone to rely on, huh?' he thought to himself with a smile.

He was just the team's Den Mother and there really was no reason at all to take a week off work and drive over to Gotham. Except, he had the vacation days and hadn't seen Bruce or Tim in a while.

He stepped into the manor with Alfred appearing before him.

"Master Dick, to what do I owe the pleasure?"

"Just thought it'd be nice to spend some time with the family," Dick responded with a smile as the old butler took one of his bags, Dick continued to carry his backpack.

"This wouldn't have anything to do with a certain request Master Bruce might have made?"

Dick laughed as Alfred saw right through him.

"Does Timmy know?"

"I believe Master Bruce intends to inform the whole team when they meet this afternoon."

"Great! I'll go put my stuff in my room."

"Master Bruce is in the study," Alfred said as Dick bounced up the stairs.

"It would be nice if you called first," were the first words Bruce said when Dick knocked on the door of the study.

"It's nice to see you too, Bruce," Dick responded.

Tim glanced at his watch and looked around. Alfred was late.

A hand yanked at his collar and he cursed himself for not paying attention. He hadn't heard anyone approach and Artemis' indignant squawk moments later sent fear fluttering in belly.
Had someone figured out who they were?
"We'll laugh about this later," a familiar voice said as the click of a camera sounded.
"Dick!" Tim cried out in shock. Last he heard, Nightwing was still in Bludhaven. "What are you doing?"
"Meeting your schoolmates, of course," Dick responded with a smile at Artemis. "Lovely to meet you, I hope you'll continue to be my brother's friend."
"Uh, I guess?" Artemis responded, giving Tim a flat look tinged with annoyance and curiosity. Tim decided that he needed to be more cautious around her; he couldn't let her make connections between Timothy Drake and Robin.

"Dick, shouldn't we go?" he asked, giving Artemis an apologetic look. He mouthed, 'sorry', to her as he pulled the older man towards the school gate.

"Bye!" Dick said to Artemis, giving her a wave. Tim stopped just out of sight of the entrance and glared at him.

"What was that?"

"What?" Dick's look was wide-eyed and innocent. Tim's cheeks flared in embarrassment.

"Do you want her to figure out who we are?"

Dick didn't respond to the question, instead he pulled out his motorcycle keys.

"I'm taking the week off to visit," Dick explained, "and I thought I might pick you up from school. Haven't been to good old Gotham Academy in a while. Do they still have my picture hanging on the wall?"

Tim sighed at his brother's antics. It could be difficult to keep up with him as he was a bundle of energy most of the time.

"Not right now," Tim said hesitantly.

"Really?" Dick looked surprised.

"Bruce had the picture removed when it was damaged," Tim looked around and lowered his voice, "we had to fight Professor Ivo's inventions in there. A lot of stuff got damaged."

Dick laughed.

"Bet you can name the exact items and their worth," he boasted. Tim gave him a look which said, 'of course,' and Dick, as always, praised his skills.

Tim knew that something was going on. There was little to no chance that Dick was just in town to visit, he was never 'just in town to visit'. His main theory was that Batman brought him in as backup for a case.

It turned out he was half right. Batman had called Nightwing in but not as backup for a case. To his credit, he did figure it out when Nightwing bounded up to the Zeta tube as they were off to Mount Justice.

He waited to see if he was right.

Batman looked at each member of the team before speaking.

"Team, this is Nightwing." Nightwing smiled, waved and then moved back into an authoritative stance with his hands linked behind his back. "He has offered to be Den Mother while Black Canary is unavailable."

Tim swallowed while Kid Flash nudged him and smiled. Tim didn't smile back because he knew what Nightwing could be like when he was training and not relaxing.

Batman looked over at them and narrowed his eyes before walking off without a word of goodbye. There were a few moments of silence as the computer announced Batman's departure. Then;

"You look after Bludhaven, right?" Artemis asked. Nightwing nodded.

"How do you know Batman?" M'gann asked, floating up to him.

"Seriously?" Kid Flash responded, in mock shock. "He was the first Robin!"

"First?" Superboy questioned.

"There have been three Robins," Nightwing explained, "I was the first, Robin," he pointed two fingers at Tim, "is the third."

"What happened to the second?" M'gann asked.

Nightwing clapped his hands and looked at each member of the team.

"Okay, so Robin and Kid Flash I know, how about the rest of you introduce yourselves?" Names and introductions were given during which Artemis slipped over to Kid Flash.

"How do you know him?"

"We're best friends!" Kid Flash told her, "Nightwing, Red Arrow and I go way back."

Artemis raised an eyebrow. She wondered how Kid Flash and Nightwing could be best friends if they, the team, hadn't heard about it.

"KF's been too busy with the team to visit Bludhaven lately," Nightwing's voice soudned from behind her. Artemis jumped and turned around, looking right into Nightwing's dark chest and up the blue wing-like emblem which spread across it.

How had he gotten so close? She hadn't heard or felt him at all.

"'Haven sucks," Kid Flash announced, "worse than Gotham and I can't get a decent pizza."

"I don't get my pizza in 'Haven," Nightwing commented with a bark of laughter. Kid Flash knew what he was referring to.

"The Titans do have good pizza," Kid Flash agreed with a nod. "But so do we."

Nightwing raised an eyebrow and tilted his head.

"Really?" he smirked, "I'll have to try it then."

Kid Flash lit up.

"You paying?"

Nightwing shrugged and nodded. He guessed he was.

"Awesome!" And Kid Flash was off. "Nightwing's paying for pizza!" he called through the cave.

"You're going to regret that," Artemis informed him.

"Kid Flash does tend to require a large amount of food," Aqualad, who went by Kaldur while off-duty, commented.

"I know." Nightwing's smile didn't falter.

"You're getting Batman to pay, aren't you?" Robin commented, silently moving to stand beside Nightwing.

"Of course."