I said, "What about 'Breakfast at Tiffany's'?"

For goodstoryfan.

It wasn't until late April that the younger members of the Justice League were summoned back to Happy Harbor again, pulled in from the sway of regular life that they had started to get used to in the few weeks they had off from the whole 'hero business'.

School was in session still at this point in the year and the teenagers hadn't complained about the time off that allowed them to catch up on homework that the late night training sessions and infirmary stays after long missions had kept them from. What had been nights of keeping the com. links tucked in their ears from habit, anxious toes tapping in time with their pencils as they waited to be called in, were quickly traded in for earlier bed times and more successful hours of sleep. Com. links were abandoned on dressers and switched for cell phones, and even to the older heroes on standby, the sidekicks looked more human than ever.

The second the alert was sent out though, all six were on their feet and on their way to the nearest ZETA with excitement glimmering over their features like sunlight through a shallow clear pond.

While the calm had been much needed, a distracting 'tip of the tongue'-like longing feeling had possessed nearly all of them that ebbed away as the computer announced their entrances by number.

While none of them were sure who exactly had issued the alert, the reason for it seemed to be that of a threat of a new kind of weapon that could potentially pierce through Kevlar and Red Tornado wanted to try and upgrade their suits, so to say- or at least that's what Wally said. Red Tornado wasn't present when they arrived, though. Neither were Black Canary or Batman though, leaving the team out of ideas for who could've issued the alert.

It was just the younger heroes at the Cave, it seemed, and they were alright with that. The company was all they could ask for as they waited for the reason they were summoned, and they took the time to just hang out and catch up.

Conversation eventually led Kaldur into the kitchen to try and teach Megan a famous Atlantean dish that he had been reminiscing about. As he dictated instructions to her in his calmest tone, he guided water from the kitchen sink onto the growing fire that had resulted from her first attempt. Conner sat at the bar supervising, mostly trying to keep out of the way of the flames that his girlfriend was managing to spawn from what seemed like nothing, while Wally was all but running circles around the chefs in his eager attempt to become their taste tester.

Whether it was intentional or not, some of the water Kaldur had been guiding from the sink towards the fire sprayed Wally in the face. The redhead gave a mock cat hiss at the action, and Kaldur tried not to be too obvious about his laugh at the result. Megan offered Wally the dish towel to dry his face, and would've knocked the mixing bowl off of the counter had Conner not lunged forward to save it.

The laughter was warm, and watching from afar, Dick had to admit that they looked like a happy family.

He was back in the living room section of the Cave, leaning against the back of the couch, just watching the others with a half-hearted smile.

Normally, he would've gone right up and joined them. It wouldn't have been hard to put out the fire for Kaldur so he and Megan wouldn't have to risk getting hurt from its effects. At the very least, he could've sprayed one of them with the fire extinguisher and joked that they were looking pretty hot, too, and get a good laugh from them.

Not today, though. While his friends laughed and had a jolly old time, he was consumed with the guilt that came with his last interaction with them. He had basically thrown a fit. He had cried, and then he had stormed off without a word to any of them. Truth be told, he didn't even feel worthy of joining them right now.

The four in the kitchen were on a first name basis, his friends, and he couldn't return the favor. He couldn't take off the sunglasses, he couldn't give them more than a 'Robin' to call him, and he couldn't talk to them. The fact of it all ate away at him and it felt like middle school all over again.

With a small sigh, his smile finally faded and he looked down at his feet. His thoughts consumed him for a while, the distant laughter cutting into them and eating away at him until his knuckles were white around the couch back. It was only when footsteps broke up his train of thought that he lifted his head and loosened his grip, recognizing Artemis coming his way.

She wasn't on a first name basis with the others- or at least not intentionally. He only knew what he knew because of some pretty intrusive hacking on his own part. She was the closest person to him in the Cave, right down to their downright humanity, and he was able to genuinely offer her a smile. She returned it as she came to rest against the couch beside him.

For a while, the blonde joined him in just watching the team mess around in the kitchen, and he was alright with it. Already, he felt a little less alone, although the guilt still ate away at him. She had a thousand questions on the tip of her tongue and he could practically taste them.

"Been a while," Artemis said casually, after a while.

Not knowing how else to reply, Dick nodded in agreement.

"You alright?"

He looked away from the team and regarded her in surprise at the question. Immediately, she looked away and shook her head, starting to murmur a, "Never mind," under her breath. He caught on before she could finish.

"You're talking about... last time, right?" he clarified, bringing a hand to tentatively to his opposite elbow.

It was obviously what she meant, but she offered a little shrug that swayed her pony tail. Dick returned the shrug and rubbed at his elbow, trying to think of something to say. An apology didn't seem right, and especially if he was just offering it to her. He needed to apologize to all of them. Rather, he needed to explain what had happened to all of them, but he could practically feel Batman lingering over his shoulder just waiting for him to break the rules.

Before he could even start to think of something to say, some possible explanation to offer, there was a sudden wind and then he had a freckled arm thrown around his shoulders that very nearly pulled him back onto the couch as Wally failed to come to a complete stop in his excitement.

"Rob! Buddy, pal, bro-ski, home slice!" Wally's nicknames tumbled over each other and Dick couldn't help but laugh as the redhead recovered, "What's up?"

Wally's sudden rush had drawn the attention of the others in the kitchen, and before long, they were coming over, too, greeting both him and Artemis.

"Didn't hear you guys come in," Megan admitted with an apology, hugging the blonde and waving warmly at Dick.

Looking at everyone standing around him, seeing how happy they were at just having him there, he was struck by how immediately it felt like a family. It was for just a moment, and when it passed, he couldn't help but laugh at the incredulousness.

He couldn't believe it. These people knew nothing about him, but they treated him like they loved him for every detail. They treated him like family, like they trusted him, and then he realized that maybe... he was safe here. Yes, he couldn't possibly tell them everything, but they didn't deserve to be in the dark when they were the lights of his life.

While they all grinned and talked amongst themselves, he interrupted them with an apology. It didn't feel right on his lips, but it lessened the ache on his shoulders.

"What for?" Megan was the first to ask.

When the others looked at him expectantly, he managed a nervous little breath, and then looked over at Artemis as if to say he was answering her question from before as well.

"The... other day... when I acted like a literal five year old," he started slowly, and while no one nodded, no one seemed lost so he went on, "it was... the anniversary... of the death of... someone who had been close to me. It's a sensitive day, but I... was very immature about it."

By this time, Wally had dropped his arm away, but now his hand was back on his shoulder, and he patted it. The room was serious, nearly dead so, and his heart stilled with dread as he wondered if he pushed too far. He looked around at them, trying to pull something out of their expressions. His anxiety muddied any deduction he would have otherwise made, though, and he found himself left to blind faith and hope.

"We don't care," Conner said abruptly.

Wally grimaced and quickly held up a hand to stop the clone, catching his best friend's eyes behind the sunglasses.

"Well, we do care," he prefaced with a scolding glance back at the clone, "but it's nothing to apologize for, man."

"It's part of the life," Artemis assured him with a little nod.

Needless to say, the dread that had been encompassing the teen's heart faded and he took a shaky breath, rolling his shoulders once Wally released the one he'd been holding. It was as though he were Atlas and they had passed the Earth onto some other poor sucker.

"Are you alright now, Robin?" Kaldur asked when the tensions had calmed for the most part.

Dick nodded this time, and he managed a smile again. Honestly, he was a little overwhelmed, and he was feeling once again why some people aren't just whelmed. That was when he noticed the kitchen.

"But your food isn't," he told the Atlantean.

Kaldur looked over his shoulder, and gave a little surprised sound as he noticed the smoke coming from his creation, running into the kitchen after it. Wally was a blur after him, eager to help try and save the food. Megan giggled into her hand, and the remaining four in the living room watched the other two try and salvage the meal, trying not to laugh too hard.

"You're as bad as Megan," Artemis teased, and Megan nudged her with a little crinkle of her nose.

As Megan, Conner, and Artemis drifted towards the kitchen to offer their assistance, Dick felt himself following behind, and immediately, it felt like he was looking at a family again- only this time, he fit right in.

-F.J. III