When Robin's fall …

…

He gets back up again …

…

Dick Grayson stood before the uneven bars in the Wayne gym. There was also a trapeze and several gymnastic equipment units dotted around the room. However it was the bars that were the problem at the moment.

Dick re-chalked his hands and moved to grab the bar, he held his hands above his head and tensed to jump.

Only he wouldn't jump.

After a minute his hands fell to his sides again.

After the fall he had been having troubles with heights. He had doubted himself, and because of his recent scare he was unwilling to try again, then the doubt seeped into his training. His floor acrobatics were relatively okay, if a little less flashy and more careful, but anything above a certain height and he freaked out mentally and failed physically.

Dick ground his teeth in frustration.

He had attempted the bars at home before and had managed to do two swings and transfers from one bar to the other, then he had flipped above them, relived the fear of falling, hesitated a second too long, and hit the floor a second later. Reinforcing his fear and his doubt, he was slowly starting to believe that he shouldn't fly again.

Dick wiped his hands and began punching a bag angrily. Frustrated tears welled in his eyes, as well as sad ones. He would never be able to fly again.

Punch, Kick, Kick, Flip, Slam!

He could never trust himself again.

He would always fall … always fail.

Slam!

The boxing bag fell off its chain and Dick fell to his knees and sat staring longingly at the high wire where he used to belong.

He closed his eyes.

Never again.

Robin: Status, Fail.

Canary stomped forwards "Robin. Take a break."

Robin grunted, sat up and held his ribs. Superboy's punch started to bruise. "No, I'm good." He flipped up, landing as steadily as he could "Let's go again."

Canary glared "No!" she pulled Robin off the training mat and glared at him "You're not in the game. Take a break. I'll speak with you later. Conner, I'll fight you, remember to dodge and remain light on your feet." She turned back to the clone who was looking at Robin in utter confusion. Robin had always dodged him.

Something was wrong, he ducked instead of flipped, he landed a second too long, Conner was easily throwing him around. He didn't like it. He turned to Canary who was waiting patiently, he then looked back at Robin, who was leaving the room. "Something's wrong."

Canary sighed "Confidence knock. Many people, especially young people, get them. He'll get over it with time, and you'll all need to be there to help him regain that lost confidence. But you've been waiting too long Superboy," she lashed out "I get to dictate the first move."

Robin sat beneath the small gym that connected to the training room. He couldn't let this continue. It was either move on or adapt a new style of fighting.

He pulled himself up on the bars and swung once, twice, flew through the air and-

"Dick!" his mother called.

"No!" he shouted as his Mother fell with his Father, then he looked up and saw the bio ship above him, falling into the sky as he-

-missed the second bar and smacked himself hard on the floor "Ah!" he cried out as he tumbled. He banged his elbow and held it tightly, willing it to stop aching. "No …" he whispered. He'd failed again. It had been a week.

He was grounded, for life.

Wally zipped into the room "Robin! You okay?" he gasped as he pulled the boy upright.

Robin held his arm determinedly but nodded "I'm fine."

Wally smiled, clearly not believing him. "Right … so, you gonna show off on this again?" he asked, knowing it always cheered Robin up.

Robin looked at the bars and gulped "No. I'm not doing that anymore, I can't."

Wally spluttered "What? Why?"

Robin glared and jumped at the bars, one flip, two, fly – Fear – thump!

Wally had caught Robin last second that time. "Y-You … Dude you never fall on the bars!" he gaped at the two poles of metal as if they were secretly tricking him. "Did Artemis grease those to screw with your head?"

A soft arrow hit the back of his head – it had a cushion on it that said 'Shut up'. (Gag gift from Boy Wonder for such occasions.)

Robin laughed slightly before looking at the bars again "There's nothing wrong with the bars … it's me. I've lost the knack," he admitted. "So I won't be doing it anymore. It's only going to get me hurt."

Wally looked like a kid who had been told Santa wasn't real. "D-dude! This is your gig! You can't give it up, you've been doing this since before I met you. You're a bat, not only that, you're the AcroBat! Without the Acro you've just-"

"A bat?" Robin asked. He shrugged "Maybe it's just time to stop flying, it wasn't helping the team much anyway, my hacking is more useful."

Wally looked sadder by the minute "Rob, it won't be the same and you know it."

Robin sighed and pinched his nose "I can't deal with this right now Wally. It's just something we'll get used to, see you tomorrow." Robin ran from the room.

"Robin!"

Recognised: Robin B02

Wally sighed. "Dude …" You're an AcroBatBird, this won't be something you can give up. We've got to get him his Acro back.

Dick sat in his room, hoping that no one would come looking for him until he could think of an excuse. Not much chance though, he knew Bruce had been watching him, there was a snowball's chance in hell that he wouldn't come asking questions. Why hadn't he been on the bars, why did he keep falling?

Dick stood up and picked up his jacket, he walked – that's right, walked – down the stairs to the front door, and left the manor. He kept walking until the gates of the cemetery appeared before him.

Inside were his parent's graves.

Dick stood looking down at John and Mary Grayson and felt further from them than ever. Flipping and flying above others gave him the sensation he got on the trapeze, like he was that much closer to heaven and them.

But although he craved that kind of contact again he also couldn't face that awful fear of falling that they must of felt. It was the thing that took them apart, and he wasn't going to risk a glimpse of heaven for a fall that would take him there.

He sobbed slightly "I'm sorry Mamica, Tati, I can't … I just can't … what should I do?"

Bruce sighed as he watched his son's growing depression, growing darkness and growing despair. His bruises were more common as he didn't flip and duck as he used to, his team was worried for him and were becoming unstable trying to protect him all the time, and now he was hesitant about the slightest heights.

No more sliding down stairs, or flipping over desks. He walked normally, looked longingly at the sky and yet couldn't muster the courage to get off the ground again. He had seen him try, fail and further resign himself to the label of 'grounded' with every failure. It was a vicious cycle that Bruce had no idea how to help him break.

Alfred had spoken to Dick, as he had, and the boy couldn't get past the irrational fear that made itself present whenever he was airborne. The fear stopped him from reacting in time, or it made him overreact, but either way both were hurting him.

Bruce had no experience with this sort of fear. He had never taught him his flips and tricks, that was all 'Dick Grayson' and his family. By denying his past he was denying himself, and it was killing him or going to get him killed.

Artemis, Kaldur and M'gann looked on as Robin was put through his paces by Canary, they leaned through the door without a sound. Robin hesitated at the launch of his jump and fell in a painful heap at the end- he had once again fumbled on the bars.

Robin hissed and held his shoulder, he had also botched the landing.

Canary sighed "Again."

Robin glared at her "Why? I can't do this anymore! What's the point?" he demanded.

Canary marched over and flicked him between the eyes "You're thinking about this all wrong. It's not your body that can't handle it, it's your mind. What's stopping you?" her rant ended on a motherly note.

Robin sighed and looked up at his teacher "I don't want to fall …"

Canary raised an eyebrow "So what's your solution?" she asked.

Robin shrugged "Don't go up high anymore."

Canary snorted lightly "That'll be a feat in Gotham," she pointed out.

Robin shrugged again "I'm benched, remember?"

The woman helped him up at last "And you'll continue to be benched if you don't get back up there. Now again, and this time don't focus on anything but your breathing. If we must I'll start you back at square one," she threatened.

M'gann anxiously held out a hand when Robin approached the bars, she felt his blank mind suddenly light up in fear and caught him in her mental grasp.

Robin blinked a few times as he froze in place upside down. "Huh? Miss M?" he asked, trying to twist to look at her.

M'gann stepped into the room shyly "Hi … er, got you," she offered meekly.

Canary raised an eyebrow, "M'gann he's not going to learn this way," she patiently began.

But Robin reached out and grabbed the bar from where he was hovering, so when M'gann let him go as an apology he swung round gracefully and let his momentum slow him to a stop, then he hopped down.

Artemis smirked and nudged him "Not bad, not you, but not bad."

M'gann smiled slightly "I'll catch you if you want, I don't like seeing you hurt," she offered with a worried face.

Kaldur put a hand on Robin's shoulder "Let us help you Robin. A struggle alone is harder than one fought together, and I promise we will think no less of you if you ask for our assistance."

Robin glanced between the three of them and felt a small smile pull at his lips. He glanced at Canary and said "Again?"

Canary was watching curiously. She nodded and Robin jumped into position, M'gann raised a hand and smiled at him "I'll know if I need to do it or not, trust me," she called. Artemis stood beside her and sent a few mock threats to not let him down, Kaldur stayed beside the bars to watch exactly what happened to Robin when he stumbled.

Robin nodded, breathed, then ran. He flipped around a bar, let go, felt the awful fear for a second, then hovered. M'gann smiled at him as he quickly grabbed the bar below him, she let him go when she felt his confidence. At his dismount Kaldur patted his shoulder in silent praise and Robin ran around him to do it again.

The next day M'gann was busy cooking, so Kaldur and Conner stayed to help Robin this time.

Robin looked up at the trapeze and gulped "Well … it's higher than the bars," he offered weakly. "More room to catch me," he nervously whispered.

Conner grunted "You're not going to fall."

Kaldur nodded "Conner is right. As is Canary, you have nothing wrong with your abilities other than your doubts and fears. All we need to do is help you balance yourself out again," he wisely explained.

Robin didn't look convinced but climbed the ladder anyway. "Okay," he called down uncertainly. He took a breath and jumped, the first trapeze he caught with ease – he'd done that since he was four years old – he felt a small burst of joy as he caught the second one at the height of the swing. He had missed this.

But the third one he remembered why he was scared. He let go too late and missed the bar "Ah!"

Conner was suddenly there, he jumped up to him and caught his waist before grabbing the trapeze with one hand. Robin breathed a sigh of relief and held on to relieve Conner of his duty.

Conner looked down and made a face "How do I get down?" he growled.

Robin laughed, then it morphed into his cackle. "Like this," he said and looped a foot around the trapeze before him and swung forwards before offering Conner his hands "Grab on," he called.

Conner looked at him as if he had grown another head "You're not strong enough," he bluntly said.

Robin pulled himself up to keep the momentum of the swing up, and said "I don't have to be, come on, it'll be fun."

Conner still looked doubtful but held the boys outstretched hand before letting go and allowing Robin to swing him towards a crash mat where he wouldn't break the gym floor. Conner glanced up at Robin and Robin grinned, still upside down.

Kaldur smiled "You seem to be more comfortable Robin," he acknowledged.

Robin glanced up at himself as if he was just realising what he was doing. "Oh … I guess you're right," he muttered. He stood up on the bar and leapt forwards, the trapeze routine he learnt as a child built into his muscle memory suddenly rushed out of him. Front flip, two back flips, quadruple summersault, high swing, then land. Robin landed on the platform and panted slightly, he glanced behind him and watched the trapezes lightly swing back and forth.

He hadn't felt afraid at all!

He still climbed down the ladder, but he felt like he had to do that because he felt so light he worried he'd float away if he didn't ground himself.

Kaldur was watching him with an impressed face "Where did you learn that Robin?" he asked.

Robin smiled fondly "My family, I learnt that when I was really little." He held a hand at about his knees so they would understand.

Conner looked confused "Weren't you scared of falling when you were a child?" he had heard that children were scared a lot easier than adults were.

Robin shook his head wonderingly "No … I knew someone would catch me, but even then I think it was because I was too young to realise the danger … and then I realised it." He ended stiffly.

Kaldur put a hand on his shoulder "I believe some rest is needed before your next attempt, perhaps M'gann has finished cooking for us." Robin smiled and let the older teen lead him away.

Wally whistled when he saw Robin twisting around the uneven bars "Dude! Welcome back that Acro!"

Robin smirked and stood upright on the peak of his swing, he tucked his legs under him and perched on the pole like he used too, using his hands to keep his balance. "Baby steps Kid mouth," he said before letting himself fall backwards and dangle upside down just a head above Wally "But I think the Acro's nearly there," he smiled.

Wally crossed his arms "Well I was just passing through when I saw this, how high can you go now?"

Robin tilted his head "About twenty meters before it gets uncomfortable."

Wally smirked slightly "Perfect! I've had this idea- really crazy, and I thought you'd be the only guy ready to try it."

Robin's grin faded "Why does that sound like a 'heavy on the Dis' word?"

Wally laughed and pulled at Robin's arms "Come on, I'll show you!" Robin flipped down and followed him out of the mountain.

Robin clutched at Wally terrified!

"Okay this is DIS-ASTER in its heaviest form!" he yelled at his friend, who actually had the nerve to laugh.

Wally gulped and said "Can't back out now, and I've already bought the suits," he pointed out.

Robin looked at the costumes they wore and then at the beach blow the mountain "So you want us to run and jump and then fly down a mountain?" he demanded.

Wally beamed "This won't be flying, it'll be falling with style!"

Robin deadpanned him. "Seriously dude? Toy story? At a time like this?"

Wally poked him "Admit it, it's fitting for what we're doing"

Robin shook his head "Not happening!" he muttered.

Wally sighed and put a hand on his shoulder "It'll be fine Rob, look. The wind will push us up, we hook out hands into these rings, then we fly out into the bay. Kaldur and M'gann are waiting at the bottom for us, and I think Artemis has a camcorder, not sure what Supey's doing there …" he trailed off.

Robin relaxed slightly "I think he's waiting for one of us to go splat," he muttered.

Wally glared "Have faith man. Here I go!" he jumped and whooped on his way down, opening his flying suit to glide – a little clumsily – down to the ocean.

Robin watched in awe, that looked amazing. But it was so high! Then again that was the idea, so was falling, which was Robin's worst fear right now …

He breathed and put his hands on the rings connected to the flying suit. They'll catch me if I fall, they'll catch me if I fall, he chanted. He trusted his team, Conner was overprotective of everyone, M'gann would feel when he was in trouble, Artemis as a fellow human knew his limits, Kaldur would be unjudging and have faith, and finally Wally would be holding his breath and shouting encouragement- plus that super speed made it that much more likely to be caught.

Robin closed his eyes and jumped before he could chicken out of it.

The rush of air past his ears was loud and exhilarating as well as terrifying.

I'm falling! Ohgodohgodohgod!

Then he pulled on the rings and held them above his head.

…

He was still falling, but …

The wind rushed past his ears, the cold air raising goosebumps on his bare arms and cape-less back. The black suit with yellow and silver streaks barely kept him warm, but the feeling of the air under his 'wings' pushing him forwards and letting him control his fall was … amazing …

He wasn't falling anymore, he was flying!

"If I had to choose a superpower I would chose flying every time," he remembered saying to a friend. But this beat flying like a super or martain: This was danger and life and control and pure adrenaline! Putting off Gravity as long as humanly possible.

The ocean approached too soon.

He was smaller and lighter than Wally and so had endured a longer flight, but he wanted more! He turned in mid-air and glided the last few feet back to the shallows where he staggered into a run to stop him falling on his face in the sand.

His team approached from their camp which was about twenty meters from where Robin had landed, Artemis smirking as she held the camera up to her eye "Smile Boy Wonder, that was fantastic!"

M'gann smiled and pulled him into a hug "Robin you flew magnificently!" she praised, as Robin folded the wings back down.

Robin smiled weakly, his face still flushed in excitement "Thanks Miss M, that was … wow, I need a better word than Aster for that!" he looked back up the mountain and turned to the team "Can we do that again?"

Wally skidded to a stop before him "Dude! You told me that was your first time!"

Robin blinked "It was."

Wally pointed at the sky stupidly "B-but you turned! Only professionals can change direction like that- it takes, like, years of practice!" he protested. Robin gasped as Conner nodded, his infinite knowledge helping him out.

Kaldur put his word in calmly "Robin is simply a natural at this gliding skill."

Artemis laughed "You can say that again."

Kaldur looked confused "Robin is simply a natural at this-"

The humans snorted "Not what we meant."

Robin turned to Wally and pulled on his arm "Can we do that again?"

Batman watched the camera footage with interest – Artemis posed before it "Okay, Robin's new suit test: take 12, go ahead Boy Blunder."

Robin cackled and jumped from the ceiling, he pulled on two new rings sewn into his cape and used it as a make shift parachute and gliding material – if he used his feet to stretch it out enough – to hit the ground without damage, he landed on a crash mat "Ow!"

Artemis sighed and Kid Flash zoomed over "Dude you need to get rid of that energy at the end. You've got too much gravity-potential energy, to get rid of it try flipping or-"

"Landing on you?" Robin and Artemis said in synch, making Kid Flash burst into a rant of mock hurt.

Batman smirked and went back to the gliding suit film. It seemed that Robin was now seeking thrills in falling, and attempting to control them with his cape. It was a lot messier than the professional flying suit, but it slowed his fall so that left only purple bruises in worst case scenario. Nothing worse. He had conquered his fear on his own, and with his friends.

Bruce smiled slightly and felt that Robin could finally be unbenched. He was back to form according to Canary – who had no idea how Robin had overcome his fears so quickly – and he now had several plans on how to deal with it should the event rise again. What doesn't kill you makes you better; better in strength, experience and preparations. He was proud of that.

Dick slid down the rail to the Batcave and smiled "Hey Bruce, heading out?" he asked, still in civies since he thought he wouldn't be going either.

Bruce nodded "It seems you've been working on your fear on your own."

Dick nodded with a grin when he saw what was on the Batcomputer. "I knew you had everything I the cave bugged. And yes, I've been preparing … and to be honest falling is fun when you wear a suit like that," he said with a radiant smile.

Bruce lightly messed his hair and said "Perhaps that'll be a new addition to your next costume upgrade. I'm not sure how it'll fit over your utility belt though," he thought aloud, then filed it away for later while Dick shrugged it off.

"It's okay. When are you leaving?"

Bruce stood and smiled at him "As soon as Robin's ready."

Dick took all of two seconds to register what his Father had said, then gaped like a fish for another three before jumping up and hugging the man tightly "Thank you!" He was ready not a minute later.

Bruce pulled up his cowl and smirked "Time to get back out there."

Robin cracked his knuckles "Gotham watch out, bats and robins about!"

"Whenever someone's asked what power they wish they had, flying is always at the top of the list. But I have to admit. I've learned to love falling too." - Nightwing.

What better way to get over your biggest fear than to have it becaome your favourite hobby?