Conner joined the football team at Megan's encouragement only to find out after that games were Wednesdays after school. Instead of just telling Robin he grouched at him all weekend because he felt guilty and he didn't like feeling guilty. Finally, at the very last minute as Robin Zeta'd home on Sunday Conner rushed to say "I'm busy on Wednesdays now." He wasn't even really sure Robin had heard him.

"Don't worry Conner. I told him about the football team," Megan reassured with a smile.

Conner was astonished when he saw in Robin in the stands with a big foam finger on Wednesday. The team wanted him to come out for pizza after the game. Megan and the other cheerleaders were coming too. Robin came down to congratulate him after the game.

"Oh come on Conner. No little brothers allowed," one of the line backers groaned.

Conner got this kind of fluttery uncomfortable feeling in his stomach.

"It's cool," reassured Robin. "I couldn't come and make it back for my curfew anyway."

Conner wasn't sure what to think when Robin casually asked Megan if they needed a little money for pizza. Conner did want to go out with everyone else but actually, he and Megan didn't have money for pizza.

Conner watched as Robin gave a friendly wave and left. That same line backer snarked out, "Kid Brothers suck. Isn't it embarrassing having him puppy dog after you at your games?" Conner thought of Artemis wanting to punch school idiots in the nose and being held to adult standards. Robin had been called his little brother before and every other time Conner had been quick to point out that Robin wasn't his little brother. Conner said nothing this time.

Megan holding a twenty from Robin looked distressed. Conner looked at her then looked at the diminishing form of Robin heading out of the parking lot.

^ŏ^

On Conner's first away game he sat on the bus next to Megan who kept looking at him.

"What's the matter? Wait don't tell me?" Megan smiled kindly and just a little playfully. She took a small battered tea tin out of her back pack. "You know who it's from. I don't know why, but he's decided you're family you know."

Conner didn't smile but the heaviness Megan had felt from him since the bell rang and they'd boarded the bus had disappeared. "Family?" questioned Conner. Robin drank green tea sometimes. Superman drank coffee.

Megan shrugged with a smile.

Conner opened it. Inside was a small plastic troll with messy black hair and a gem in it's belly. There were also several packages of Poprocks. A note said, "Good luck against West Shelborne High. This little guy will have to be my stand in. Press the gem in his belly. In the sixties, this carbonated candy was rumoured to have killed Mikey who reportedly exploded after he ate six packs of the stuff followed by the quick consumption of six cans of cola. Are you brave enough to try it?"

Conner honest to goodness smirked. He pushed the gem in the troll's belly. The troll made a farting noise followed by a recording of a familiar cackle. Conner smiled. Megan hugged his arm.

^ŏ^

Robin and Superman or rather Dick Grayson and Clark Kent sat at a small Cafe in Metropolis.

"He's started playing football?" asked Clark.

Dick nodded.

"What position is he playing?"

"He's one of the defensive linemen. I don't think he's very comfortable playing offensive positions when he's still learning to control his strength. Didn't you tell me you played football in high school?"

"I think it's good he's playing football. I don't want to be like I have with him but he doesn't need a mentor whose is prejudiced against him and I keep trying to shift gears but I've not had a lot of success," spoke Clark polishing his glasses awkwardly.

Dick shifted uneasily. "Uncle Clark..."

Clark interrupted, "I can't thank you enough. Almost everyone close to me has been very vocal about how I need to step up and get over myself. It's one of the draw backs really, of this illusion of perfection people have of me. It feels like the whole world is against me not just my enemies but friends as well. Tell me something else, something good."

"He loved the animals. There was this one puppy..."

"Can you take him to the zoo? Do you think he'd like the zoo?" offered Clark. "Did he like the paint with water book? I liked that. Ma used to buy me those too. Can you film his next football game."

"I don't think he'd like the zoo because the animals are in cages. Why don't you just go as yourself to his next game. It's an away game. Just a sec. I'll look up where they're playing."

Bruce and Alfred sat at the Bat Computer watching surveillance footage. "Alfred, he's made more progress with Clark without once telling the man what to do, then the entire Justice League."

"Family is there for each other. Superman has been Uncle Clark to him as long as I can remember," answered Alfred.

Both men thought back to the day Robin had returned from Cadmus grinning. "I have a brand new cousin! I'm going to be the most awesome cousin ever!"

There really wasn't any point in telling Dick no more strays, stop trying to save widows and orphans. Wally and Roy had both decided they were Dick's honorary big brothers ages ago. Most of the big seven considered themselves his aunts and uncles.

"How long do you think Clark and Conner will hold out?" asked Bruce with the tiniest of smirks.

"I have no idea what you mean Sir. If you'll excuse me. I'm going to go bake some more cookies for my grandson."

- Have you ever had someone stand by you without question or judgement when you knew things weren't good and you were a part of it? Maybe your entire groups of friends, your whole family or all your classmates had something to say about whatever it was. I had someone break down in tears once and thank me for doing this and honestly it taught me something because I'm usually the one that is too vocal trying to provide guidance...