The Contract

Notes: This was not the story I intended to write next, but I found this prompt and it wouldn't leave me alone.

Damian's about 13-14 in this, making him around the same age as YJ Dick. This means he's going to be a bit mellower than he is/was in the comics (it's totally Dick's influence). I'm also basing some of his personality on Lil'Gotham, which is where I picked up Red Hood's attitude and appearance.

I did a quick google search on Redbird (I read Demon Star but that's all in the Batman Inc. series) to check whether Damian was the only one to hold the title and as far as I could find, he is. Feel free to correct me if I'm wrong. I did modify the costume a bit to make it fit with what Damian wears as Robin – And I like Damian in a hood.

Prompt:

An assassin from the future comes to murder Robin/Dick Grayson before he grows up to be even more awesome than he is now.

Luckily the future sent uh. Help. Damian Wayne has traveled back in time to kick the would be assassin in the nuts and protect Dick Grayson at all costs.

I want cute family stuff please!

Chapter 1 - Assassins, Schools and One(?) Dick Grayson

Damian glared at his father. Grayson had been sent out in his place and would be partnering with Batman for the next few days. Something which his father had neglected to inform him of.

And when Grayson had asked him what he did to get banned from patrol, he had been shocked with the news.

"What delusion have you cooked up now, Grayson?" he had demanded to know. But it wasn't a delusion, he knew that now.

Bruce Wayne stood in the Batsuit with the cowl down, looking annoyed with his questions.

"I'm not going to stay in while you fight crime," Damian said determinedly. He was ready to fight about this but, his father surprised him by saying;

"No. You're not."

"That's ri– what?"

"I see I am just in time," Alfred said, walking down the steps with a costume in his hands.

Damian's mouth dropped open, recognising the reds and blacks of the Redbird outfit.

"What's going on?" he demanded to know.

"We have information about a hit scheduled for tonight. I want you to go with my informant and check out the validity of his information. If the hit is to happen, I want you to stop it."

"Who's the hit against?" Damian asked, still wondering why the Redbird costume was out.

"Richard Grayson." Damian turned and his hand twitched for a knife as Red Hood stepped out of the shadows. The man was only wearing the red mask over his eyes with the regular clothes Red Hood was known for wearing; a white shirt under a black leather jacket, blue jeans, red gloves and brown boots with a large utility belt around his waist. Batman had banned him from bringing guns into the Batcave but Damian could see the empty holsters at his sides.

"Grayson? Why him?" Damian demanded to know. He told himself that the cold shiver he felt was not because he was worried about the man but because there was an enemy standing before him.

"Dunno," Red Hood responded with a shrug. "I caught the news and brought it to you only because Dick is the target. It's a curtesy, nothing more."

"Except you intend to go after the assassin," Batman said. Bruce had pulled the cowl over his head while they had been talking.

"Of course," Red Hood pointed out, his whole manner radiating, 'isn't it obvious?'.

"You will take Redbird with you."

"I– what?"

"What?" Damian screeched. He refused to work with the Red Hood!

Batman looked him straight in the eye.

"I want Redbird on this. I would go myself but I cannot be seen working with Red Hood."

"And someone needs to distract Nightwing," Red Hood pointed out.

"I need someone with Nightwing who knows the whole situation but isn't going to give it away. The last thing I need is him running right at someone who's trying to kill him."

"Wow, assuming failure from us before we've started?" Red Hood gave off fake hurt and clutched his heart dramatically. "Just brilliant, B."

"We will not fail, father," Damian declared, taking his uniform from Alfred. He was glad to see that the Redbird costume had been modified to have a hood.

Redbird and Red Hood stood across from the penthouse where the assassin was staying. Redbird was itching to move, to get rid of this threat to Grayson.

"Remember brat, I want the name of the guy who hired her."

"-tt-"

They watched as the assassin seemed to fiddle with some kind of machine. It was a small white box with buttons and a screen which reminded Redbird of a clock. Every movement she made screamed to him. He knew her goal so, why was he crouched here?

He was tired of waiting.

"You can wait all you like, I'm going to stop her," he said to Red Hood. He extended his jump line and swung towards the assassin.

Redbird groaned. He had hit the ground hard. A flash a bright light hit the moment he reached the assassin and then they both fell onto concrete. His vision was assaulted with light and he fought the assassin blind.

The assassin fled to the rooftops. Blinking enough light out of his eyes to see, Redbird followed her. Somehow, they had gone from night to day, from inside to outside and from high up to ground level.

He could find answers to those questions later. Right now, stopping the assassin came first. He followed her across rooftops until they reached school. Here, the assassin turned around and threw a smoke bomb to blind him.

Redbird cursed and jumped across to the neighbouring rooftop. He was out of the smoke, in time to see the assassin breach the walls of Gotham Academy, heading towards a tiny dark-haired boy.

Redbird wondered if the assassin had more than one target and cursed himself again for not thinking to ask Red Hood that. He jumped across, knowing he wouldn't get there in time.

He had to do something.

Dick stretched happily in the sun as another school day ended. In fact, it was his favourite day of the week: Friday!

He paused as excited and nervous mumbles started around him. His trained eyes picked up the source right away.

Across the street, a rooftop was covered in smoke. Coming out from the smoke were two figures, one dressed in a dark ninja-like outfit and one dressed in red and black.

Dick tensed as the ninja headed straight for him.

"Dick!" Barbara shouted, but he knew she couldn't do anything, even if she managed to get to him in time.

"Get down!" Another voice called out. It was of a high register like his own but the tone was flat and serious.

Dick ducked, holding his bag up for protection as an escrima stick flew through the air and struck the assassin in the head. He watched as the one in red and black landed and flipped over to stand before him.

"What is her interest in-" they said. Their voice trailed off when they got a good look at him. "Gray...son?"

"Yeah," Dick said, brushing dirt off his hand. He then held it out to the stranger in red and black. "I'm Dick Grayson. Thanks for saving me."

The stranger's face was shocked behind his black mask and he stepped back, pulling his hood over his face.

"I...uh, I have an assassin to take care of," the stranger said, turning back to the assassin, who had recovered and was fleeing.

Dick watched him extend a jump line and case after the assassin, excitement fluttering in his chest. Sure, he had almost died, but it looked like there was a new vigilante in Gotham.

Batman was not going to like this. Dick smiled at the thought.

Batman had overreacted. More than Robin thought he would.

Ugh! Superboy sent a particularly frustrated groan through the mental link as he reached another dead end. How does anyone find their way around this place?

I have no idea, Miss Martian responded. She was invisible and floating high above the buildings but also had no idea where she was going. All the buildings looked the same here and she didn't even have any idea where to go.

It's Gotham, Kid Flash responded and Miss Martian spotted a red and yellow streak move below her.

Superboy sent back confusion.

That doesn't explain anything.

It means, Beware the Bat! Robin added to the conversation with a laugh. His cackle echoed over the streets.

I ain't scared of the bat, Artemis pointed out. Meeting him took care of that.

Team, focus, Kaldur sent, taking over the conversation. They had been invited to Gotham for a mission by Batman himself, which meant they needed to excel. Robin, what does this person we are seeking look like?

He's wearing a mask and red hooded cape. Black boots, red pants, black and red shirt and he had a utility belt like mine but black, so be careful.

"Great. A red and black robin," Artemis commented sarcastically under her breath. She held her bow in her hand and crept down an abandoned alleyway, her eyes on some thieves crawling out of a third floor window.

Robin's laugh sounded in the area and Artemis decided to throw some of her caution to the wind before he beat her to the criminals. She fired an arrow which exploded in their faces and scared them away from the window and out onto the fire escape.

Robin dropped down and knocked them out, tied them up and jumped down to her.

"Nice shooting. Although, I don't know how civilians will react to having an Arrow in Gotham."

"I don't care what civilians think," she responded. Robin paused and for a moment, she thought it was because of what she said. Instead, he glanced up.

"He's there."

Artemis followed his gaze but didn't see anything. A breeze blew and she thought she caught a flash of red.

"What are you staring at?" She jumped and turned around, arrow in hand and ready to stab the person who snuck up on her.

Her hand was clutched in a tight grip before it even reached him. A raised eyebrow and cocked head.

"I don't know you," he said, "why are you in Gotham?"

"Batman invited her," Robin said, stepping to stand beside her. "And she doesn't know you, so it's even."

"Who invited you?" Artemis demanded to know. She lived in Gotham, for goodness sakes! What right did this guy have to question her presence here?

"I was not invited. I was brought here. By the woman who attacked you earlier today." A head nod in Robin's direction which shocked the young hero.

"I'm sorry? I wasn't attacked earlier today."

"Robin wasn't. Your civilian identi-" the stranger trailed off and clutched his head in one hand. "-tt-" he hissed before collapsing. Miss Martian appeared in the air behind him.

"I'm sorry," she said, "but, he was too focused on you two to notice me."

"It's fine," Robin responded, kneeling to check out the stranger's face. He was so young. They were all young but, it was strange to see another young hero. One who didn't seem to have a mentor like they did.

So, why was this stranger out here, saving lives?

"Superboy heard him confront you and Aqualad said to take the chance," Miss Martian rambled.

"It's okay," Robin repeated. "Let's just pick him up and take him back."