Hey, all. Sorry about the long, long, very long wait. I've been going through a not-so-nice time – I found out that the reason my father left the Air Force was because he had abused the trust his position gave him. He was a training instructor and had used this position to try to have an affair on my mother (while I was four years old!) with a woman trainee. He was supposed to be court-marshaled but managed to scrape together enough letters and crap that he was "discharged in lieu of court-martial." Even then, he could have been given dishonorable discharge but instead managed to get a general discharge under HONOURABLE CONDITIONS! Tell me, what is honorable in trying to cheat on your wife and young child with someone who looks up to you as an instructor, as a teacher?!

I also fell back into some old habits that I'd been doing good on – the trigger-based ones. Mainly because I broke things off with my fiancé of over a year. I realized that while I loved him and he very well could have loved me, he had no respect for me as a human, only as a companion who would spread her legs whenever he wanted, and whose opinions could be brushed aside without thought.

So, yeah, it's been a tough couple of months – I've had to talk to a therapist and everything. But enough about me – compared to Bruce, Dick, Tim, and Harry, at least I still have a breathing sperm-donor an no mandatory daily work-outs.

Chapter Eight.

Absolom

Well, Tim/Robin (?) was only part right. I wasn't allowed on the team (or leave the grounds at any time!), but I was allowed to join in the training. I'm surprised Bats even let me back into the Cave, considering how I arrived.

I've met most of the Bat-clan now, and even get to talk with Oracle from time to time.

What I see as strange, though, is that wile I'm not allowed to know anyone's name except for Tim's – yet I can see their faces without the masks. Except the Bat's, of course…

I've even met Bruce Wayne, who seems sorta distant, but he's nice enough, considering (once again) how I arrived in his "basement" and am now one of Batman's wards.

I think I'm starting to get to the Bat. He no longer uses with Voice with me all of the time, and even said I was "The WORST excuse for a crime-fighter" he'd ever seen. Harsh, I know, but not only did He speak to me, acknowledging my existence, but he also called me a crime-fighter!

It seems that everything I do now is for the sole purpose of getting His approval. And you know what? It doesn't bother me in the slightest.

I think Tim/Robin (?!!?) is warming up to me as well. At least, he's talking to me and opting to spend time training with me, although he certainly doesn't have to! It turns out that Robin/Tim? had a family, at least a dad and step mom. He lost them, too.

He did me a "real solid" by not telling anyone that I was Harry Potter, the rich kid from Europe that went missing.

Speaking of that, I believe Tim/Robin??!? is a wizard. I can't be sure, though, because I don't know any spells or have spell-books that would tell me how to find out…

Batman

Absolom is an enigma. He's been here for three months, and has yet to make any sort of nefarious demand. He rarely asks for anything. He seemed honestly surprised when I had Bruce bet him a new wardrobe. It wasn't anything extravagant, just some pants and shirts and one suit in case he is made a permanent addition.

Alfred made that…"suggestion." He seems to be growing fond of the boy, which honestly surprises me, considering how the first week he absolutely loathed the boy.

Robin told me Absolom wants to join the team. I've seen the boy, and he's not bad, at least compared to Jason or Tim when they started training.

About Absolom. He claims to be a wizard,but he's nothing like Klaron (…) the Witch-Boy. In fact, he never used his "magic" around me. Robin says that since I allowed him back his wands for good (before he had been able to use them during heavily supervised training conditions) he's had them day in and out, using for the smallest things. Robin's voice is laced with a twinge of jealousy when he speaks of Absolom's magic.

For once in a long time, I'm not entirely sure about something – should I let him on the team or not…?

I think I'll have him fight me for a place with us.

Tim/Robin

Crazy, the both of them. Batman's agreed to let Absolom on the team (probationary period only) only if he can last three minutes in all-out combat, down in the Cave. Absolom is pumped – he had Bruce order some 'magic books' for him by – get this – owl. They just arrived last night, and he's been locked in the training room we save for Clark since then. Every so often I can hear a faint boom. I can only hope he knows what he is doing.

The match is going to be tomorrow, and I really don't know if either one of them is going to come out of it unscathed.$

Soo...go read Broken Mind, Fractured Soul by Sensibly Tainted. I command you. Also, I know many of you have me on your alert lists for when I update, but I have to say it. I will not update unless someone actually, you know, reviews! I am flattered that you all like my story enough to want to know the instant more stuff comes out, but I need some reassurance, here.