Notes:
I do not sleep. My mind is a dark place. This is unadulterated crack. Take at face value. Leave a comment on the way out, if you like. Thank you.
Team Young Justice was young and inexperienced. At least, that was the common conception when they were first formed. There were those who predicted that the team would fail and be broken up before they undertook their first mission. But lo and behold, Young Justice succeeded in becoming a cohesive and effective team, and their detractors were temporarily silenced. Sure, there were a few hiccups here and there but the team just kept improving, moving on and up, and imbuing its members with a sense of confidence. As long as they were together, there was nothing they couldn't achieve, no mission that was too big to undertake, no challenge too tough to handle.
Until the day they met the Batbrats from an alternate universe. Three syllables. Dis-As-Ter. And as Robin would say, seriously heavy on the 'dis'.
The ninjas fell out of the sky.
It was a perfectly lovely summer afternoon. The entire team was relaxing on the beach, enjoying some down time for once when the sky turned dark and a swirling vortex appeared overhead. The first thing to come out of it was sand, tons of it, layering onto the beach, and almost burying Artemis and M'gann, both of whom had been lounging while the boys of the team messed around in the sea.
At the sound of the girls' cries, their teammates came hurrying over. By then, the sand shower had ceased, turning instead into a shower of ninjas, black hooded figures dropping like an army of unending ants from an anthill. As each ninja dropped down, they immediately attacked the team, who of course reciprocated.
Artemis grabbed her bow, never too far away from her, even when off-duty, and started firing at the swarm of ninjas dropping form the vortex. Her trick arrows tied up a good number of them before they even reached the sand. Kid Flash did his superspeed 'thing', zipping around and taking out more ninjas before they could attack his friends. Aqualad with his water bearers and Robin with his birdarangs took out the rest.
Superboy and Miss Martian would have helped but both were distracted by a strange sight- what looked like a young business executive in an expensive suit who was currently ruthlessly taking down the ninjas around him- with a pair of crutches. Even as they watched, he swept the feet out from under a pair of ninjas with his 'weapon' and then threw another as it rushed at him.
"Watch out!" M'gann cried out as another ninja crept up behind the stranger. He looked up at her and Superboy, eyes widening ever so slightly before spinning around to face his attacker. Superboy wasn't quite sure how it happened. All he knew was that one moment the ninja was bearing down on the stranger, and one extremely complicated-looking airborne kick later, the ninja was laying, knocked out at the stranger's feet.
"Whoa," Kid Flash muttered as he came to a stop beside his two teammates, "Who is that?"
The question was referring to the stranger who, now that they could look more closely, apart from the serious-looking business suit didn't look that much older than a teenager. He had dark hair and wide blue eyes, and was leaning on the crutches although judging from his earlier antics, he didn't really need them.
The stranger looked up and gave a loud groan, "Oh crap."
Following his gaze, the team realised that the earlier vortex had closed, leaving no sign of ever having been there, except for the piles of unconscious ninja scattered along the beach.
Kaldur stepped up to the stranger, "I think you'll need to come with us.
Back in the cave, Kaldur was trying to contact the League in order to report the situation while the others watched their 'guest'.
"So," Kid Flash started, "Are you from the future or something?"
Their guest loosened his tie and swept his hair back from his face, "I'm not actually sure, to be honest."
Kid Flash didn't look satisfied with that answer, but Artemis elbowed him before he could say anything more, "Shut up, moron. Stop bothering the civilian."
Their guest's eyes lit up at that comment, more amused than anything, though they sobered when Robin settled into the seat next to him. "Those were some impressive moves for a civilian. What's your name anyway?"
Their stranger smiled, "Tim."
"Why were the ninjas attacking you?" M'gann asked, unable to rein in her curiosity.
"I really can't answer that," Tim said, still smiling, but with a wary look in his eyes. "And please don't try to read my mind to find out."
M'gann and her teammates shared incredulous looks, "How did you-"
Before she could complete her question, they were interrupted. A loud crash and a flashing light later, Robin was standing in the centre of the room. Only, not Robin Robin, because Young Justice's Robin was still seated next to Tim on the couch.
"Drake," the new Robin muttered when he caught sight of Tim, "I see you've managed to bungle everything once again."
"I've managed to bungle everything? You were supposed to be the one on guard. I'm so sorry to have inconvenienced your highness by being kidnapped by ninjas. Just so unfortunate that I couldn't whip out my crutches and beat them without compromising my civilian ID. God, why did I have to be stuck with you, you self-righteous little demon?"
The new Robin and Tim traded venomous glares while the team stared at them both.
"Robin."
Both Robins, and surprisingly, Tim jerked to attention at the new voice. Batman had arrived.
Standing by the zeta tubes together with Superman, the two of them cut impressive figures. "Someone explain. Right now."
The Team was definitely curious about their visitors, and they definitely wanted to eavesdrop on whatever conversation took place between them and Batman. But one glare from the man himself was warning enough for all of them to stay behind in a subdued silence as their two guests were led out of the room.
Robin, who was practically immune to his mentor's glares, however, was allowed to tag along. Artemis would have protested about the unfairness of it all but Kaldur caught her eye and an almost imperceptible nod had her settling with a sulky pout. Damn, the little birdie got all the perks.
They settled for pacing (Artemis), a contemplative silence (Kaldur), companionable watching of the television (Miss Martian and Superboy), and noisy munching (Kid Flash). Finally, after what seemed like forever, Batman and Robin returned with the two visitors in tow.
"Team, you have a new mission," Batman announced without preamble. "You will be watching over our guests until we find a suitable way to return them where they came from. You are not allowed to ask them any questions, and if you do, they will not answer. I expect you to rein in any curiosity you may have and complete this mission without distractions. Understood?"
It was a rhetorical question. Batman's tone brooked no opposition, not that it ever did when it came to him giving orders. Robin, their Robin was surprisingly quiet. He wouldn't meet any of his friends' eyes, and he also refused to look at their guests, remaining two feet away from either of them, and looking as if he wished himself to be anywhere but there at that moment. Before he left, Batman shot a glance at his protégé but Robin didn't return the gaze, and no words were exchanged between the partners.
And then he was gone. The Team were left, staring awkwardly at their guests. The other Robin, for he was clearly Robin even though his costume was slightly different from theirs', looked furious, and he didn't bother to hide it, sending venomous glares at everyone around him.
Tim, on the other hand, was unfazed. He looked relaxed, smiling kindly at the Team as he made his way over to the coach. "Well, that's that then. So, what do you guys do for fun around here?"
"Tt, it's just like you to act so completely unconcerned about our predicament, Drake," the other Robin said sharply. "Batman doesn't trust us. He is most certainly not going to assist us in leaving this infernal place before he can find some way to verify our stories. Who knows how long we could be stuck here." He threw a disapproving look at the Team, "With these people as babysitters. This is beneath me."
There was no mistaking the disdain in his voice. Superboy clenched his fists and Artemis was just about to give him a piece of her mind when Robin, their Robin spoke up, "Excuse me, these people are my teammates. Gosh, stop being a condescending little prick, will you."
There was silence. Then Tim let out delighted laugh, "Oh my god, he totally called you on that. Good job, Robin."
Neither Robin cracked a smile; both too busy glaring daggers at one another. "Oh come on, stop it. Robin, there's no need to be so defensive. We're both from an alternate universe. Neither of us is here to replace you. And Demon Brat," the other Robin growled at the nickname, "Stop antagonising the people who are trying to help us. Of course B doesn't trust our story. He doesn't know us, and he barely trusts anyone he knows anyway. What did you expect?"
"He should trust me," 'Demon Brat' muttered petulantly, sounding like a child, which Artemis reflected, he obviously was.
"So, you guys are from an alternate universe, eh?"
"Yep," Tim said cheerfully, "We worked out that much in our 'talk' with Batman."
"Should you really be telling them that?" Young Justice's Robin muttered as he reluctantly sat down, "B said no questions and no answers."
"Little Robin," Tim started to say then blinked before letting out an uncharacteristic giggle, "Whoa, I've always wanted to condescend to you. After all the times you've done it to me, payback is sweet. Anyway, little Robin," He smiled a charismatic smile, "Batman can command all he wants. Sometimes, we just need to take a little license with obeying every single one of his so-called commands."
"So…you're going to tell us who you are?" Kid Flash asked, still munching on his bag of junk food.
"Me?" Tim asked, batting his eyelashes rather distractingly, "I'm just a crippled civilian," he tapped the crutches by his side.
"Yeah, right," Artemis snorted, "Like we're going to believe that. You sure didn't look crippled when you were taking out the ninja earlier. And what kind of civilian is on nickname terms with Robin," she shot the alternate Robin a speculative look. "Are you a hero or something?"
"Or something," the other Robin muttered, but everyone was able to hear him anyway.
Tim's vapid smile turned mean, "Oh dear Robin was supposed to be my bodyguard. He just doesn't do a very good job, as can be evidenced by my kidnapping by hordes of ninja."
Robin's face turned thunderous, "I'll show you a good job, Drake."
"Oh, is that a threat? Are you actually threatening to harm a civilian? And a crippled one at that? What would N say?"
"Isn't that just like you, getting ready to run off to Nightwing at the slightest hint of an altercation? Can't you learn to stand up for yourself? Tt, that's probably asking too much of you."
"Alright, you little Demon-"
"Enough!" Artemis yelled, cutting them off, "Ladies, put the claws away, you're both pretty. Damn, you two fight like…like," she paused, trying to think of a suitable example.
"Like the Brandy sisters on their reality show," Megan offered.
Artemis snapped her fingers, "That's it! You two have a serious case of sibling rivalry going on." You sure argue like it. I haven't had screaming matches like that since Jade moved out.
Both Tim and Robin stared incredulously at her. Well, Tim. Robin's was more of a glare. "Drake is NOT my sibling. It was Father's folly to adopt him. But he's emancipated so he should no longer be insinuating himself into our family."
Tim spun round to face him, "Oh shut up, you little brat. It hasn't even been that long since you joined the family. What is it with you always trying to kick me and Jason out of it? FYI, we've both been here longer than you. You don't see us trying to push you out."
"I am my Father's true son and heir, Drake. You and Todd are merely usurpers for my Father's position."
"You delusional little brat," Tim muttered. "I'd literally rather be stuck in an alternate universe with anyone BUT you."
"Yes, you and Todd should have been the ones thrown into an alternate world. Good riddance to bad rubbish."
Tim's expression turned malicious, "You'd like that, wouldn't you? Then you could be alone with your precious big brother without me and Jay taking up any of his attention."
Robin coloured, "Leave Grayson out of this!"
There was silence as soon as he said it. Tim looked nonchalant but the 'demon brat' was clearly panicked. And they're own Robin jerked around to face the two multiverse visitors with shock evident on his face. "What?"
"Spoiler alert," Tim mumbled, but still loud enough for everyone to hear him. "Damian is completely obsessed with our older brother Dick."
Kid Flash choked on his mouthful of food while Artemis raised an eyebrow, "Your brother is named 'Dick'?" Kaldur meanwhile was frowning at the visiting Robin, "Your name is Damian?"
"Throwing civilian names about is not Bat-protocol," YJ Robin said through gritted teeth, "Timmy."
Tim fluttered his eyelashes, "Oh, don't they know?" he gestured at the team, "My bad, big bro. I'm just so exhausted that it completely slipped my mind."
"Grayson. Dick Grayson," Artemis muttered. Her head came up in realisation and she whirled around to face their Robin with a look of horror on her face. He made a cutting motion with his hands, "Time out! Bats said no questions and no answers. I suggest we all follow that rule. Everyone back off."
There was a reluctant air from everyone in the room. Damian was still glaring daggers at Tim who looked nonchalant and extremely bored by everything. Kid Flash shot uncertain looks at the two of them while Artemis contented herself with suspicious glances in Robin's direction. Still, the team followed Robin's orders and no more was said about the matter. For once, there was peace. There was just no telling how long it was going to last.
It didn't last. Of course not. Just ten minutes after Robin thought he had settled everything- oh, he knew things were far from solved. Bats would be pissed that the newcomers had almost outed his identity to the Team. He was just lucky Kaldur, Supey and Megan hadn't really caught on. Artemis, however, was a different story and he knew he'd be facing her interrogation as soon as the 'guests' were out of the way. Oh, why him? Anyway, barely ten minutes after things had calmed down in the Tower, everything was messed up once again.
This time, it was a blonde. She was very pretty, in a vapid sort of way, Dick observed distantly, but was forced to revise his opinion when a narrow-eyed look of extreme focus painted itself over her seemingly delicate features. "Timothy," she began sweetly, and all eyes turned to Tim who paled considerably, "it appears that I have been stood up."
"Now Steph," Tim tried to defend himself, "I hardly think now is the time-"
"No," Steph said agreeably, her tone dangerously mild, "It is long past the time in fact, that I told you to meet me at the café where, as I recall, you were supposed to buy me a drink in return for the favour that I did you on last week's patrol."
"Stephanie, please- "Tim continued, obviously desperate from the sound of his voice. Damian says nothing, seemingly impassive but Dick can feel the smugness rolling off him in waves. No one else said anything either, watching the drama unfolding in front of them courtesy of the blonde girl that had just emerged from another hole of sand, this time rising from the ground.
"Oh no, ex-boyfriend wonder," Stephanie says grimly, "this has been the shittiest day in a long week of shitty days and I am just about ready to blow. Getting stood up and THEN getting thrown into a fucking portal into an alternate universe was the straw that broke the camel's back, and somebody's about to get real hurt for it. Between you and me, I think you know that somebody really well," she drew out the last two words, giving meaningfully threatening and extremely frightening looks at Tim.
"Aw, come on. I was kidnapped. It's not like I planned for this to happen," Tim said poutily, crossing his arms. Stephanie shook her head, grinning. It wasn't a nice grin. "Shit's about to go down, Tim. When we get back, you are going to work very hard to make this up to me. And then, when you least expect it-"she paused. Tim seemed very resigned, "Brick to the face?"
"Brick to the face," Stephanie nodded sagely, before flopping down on the couch on top of Tim who merely shifted to give her more room. "Tt," Damian snorted, "If you two are quite done flirting."
"Jealous, Dami?" Stephanie smiled, "Don't worry, someday you'll get an ex-prince charming as exploitable as mine," she said, patting Tim on the head like he was a dog. "Whose team by the way?" she gestured to the heroes around them. "Can't be the Titans can they?"
Tim shook his head, "Young Justice. With one significant difference, Aqualad is leader. Well, two actually." He added in a horrible stage whisper, "Robin is the Golden Boy."
Stephanie looked at Robin then frowned at Tim, "Since when do you use Jason' nickname for him?"
"Since his identity is a secret from his own team. Been there, done that, got the embarrassing nickname for life."
Stephanie snickered, "Oh my god, Alvin!" She turned back to Robin, "Yo Duckie Gordon, get me a drink will you."
"Tt Duckie Gordon? That's the best name for D.G. you could come up with?"
"Shut it, Demon. N is freaking out back home by the way. They've got the sand thingy down in the cave trying to figure out how it works. Apparently, if you touch it, you get pulled over."
"Let me guess, you touched it?"
"It was shiny and I was sleep-deprived!"
"So, how is this going to work, actually?"
Dick rolled his eyes. Of course Wally would be the one to get fidgety and break the silence. Just when he was starting to think they might get out of this with all his secrets intact. Well, Bruce's secrets. Dick didn't really care for hiding his identity from the team anymore anyway. Wally knew, Artemis probably would too, after this incident, and he trusted Miss Martian, Kaldur and Superboy enough to want to tell them.
Stephanie and Tim were curled up together on a couch, whispering to one another while shooting amused looks around them. Other-Robin- Damian- had tucked himself away in a corner to brood. Gosh, what a Debbie-downer. Robin was supposed to be flashy smiles and laughter. He was supposed to be a bright beacon- a performer. Dick would know. How did they even run Gotham in that alternate universe with Dark!Batman and his EvenDarker!Robin?
Anyway, Evil!Robin, as Dick dubbed him in his head, gave a stony glare when Wally spoke up. "What nonsense are you prattling on about now, West?"
"See that's what I'm talking about. You guys know our secret identities but we don't know anything about you. Yeah, I know Bat-protocol and whatever, but come on! You're from the future, an alternate version of the future, but still, the FUTURE! You've got to know some really cool stuff you can tell us about right? Like, I don't know… what's the future really like? Does everyone drive flying cars? Oooh, hoverboards! Are those a thing? They should be because that would be super awesome!"
"That would, wouldn't it?" Tim said in a dreamy voice, "I wonder…"
Stephanie smacked him over the head, "Cut it out Nerd. Save it for when we're back home." She turned to Wally, "And to answer your question. So we are from the future but as a parallel universe, not everything is going to be the same."
Wally's eyes widened, "That's so cool! Hey, if you're from an alternate universe then what you tell me won't matter since you're not really telling me about me, just an alternate version of me, right?"
Stephanie frowned, obviously trying to decipher the sentence spoken in rushed 'speedster'. But Tim was an old hand at it. He laughed, "Man, Bart would totally kill to see this."
"Who's Bart?" Wally asked curiously.
Tim's answering smirk was creepy, to say the least. "One of my best friends," he clarified after seeing the hopeful look on Wally's face then shot a cryptic look in the direction of the couch where Miss Martian and Superboy were huddled together. "Good thing she isn't here or Cassie's would have freaked," he muttered in Steph's ear.
"Are you two together or something?" Artemis jumped in, having held in her curiosity for long enough.
Tim and Steph exchanged a look. "It's complicated," they voiced at exactly the same time then laughed, and the tension started bleeding out of the room. "Sure is, ex-boyfriend wonder, sure is," Stephanie grinned.
"So he is a superhero then?" Artemis said, inkling her head at Tim. "The truth? None of that 'I'm crippled' routine. Anyone could see through that from a mile away."
Tim sighed, "And I went through so much trouble to keep up the pretence. Do you know how much fun there is in pretending to be a cripple? Nada. None. Zilch. No fun at all. It's torture. Especially when your idiot older brothers insist on being super nice to you in public, all the while treating you like some delicate flower just to piss you off."
"That's because you're our pretty little flower, Tiny Timmy."
Nearly everyone jumped at the new voice and a very familiar hood-wearing antihero stepped into the room.
"Todd," Evil!Robin seethed, "How did you get here?"
'Todd' sniffed, "Nice to see you too brat." He ruffled Evil!Robin's hair then dropped onto seat beside Tim, nudging the other boy none-too-gently. "Sup, Blondie," this to Steph.
Dick was on high alert. Where the heck did these strangers keep coming from? Bad enough he'd apparently been replaced by Eviil!Robin, from the way these strangers were acting, he was starting to get a sense that they were all related. As in, were they ALL Bruce's illegitimate children?! Tim certainly looked similar, with his black hair and blue eyes. No, wait, the evil Robin- Damian, had said that Tim was adopted, like him.
"Hey, Dickiebird!" He looked up at the sound of the condescending nickname. "Whoa, that's a blast from the not-so-distant past," the guy, Todd muttered.
Dick scowled but didn't respond.
"Jeez, what's biting him," Todd complained, none-too-softly to Tim.
Tim shrugged, "He met Damian and he's pissed off."
Todd frowned, "Thought Golden Boy loved the Demon Baby?"
Tim snorted, "Yeah, just as much as you loved me when we met and you slit my throat before leaving me for dead."
There was dead silence in the room. Then Todd let out a barking laugh, "Seriously? Replacement issues? Can't say I'm surprised though. He reacted about the same when he saw me in the suit." He leered at Dick.
"Oh, I'm pretty sure he didn't try to murder you for it," Tim continued, rolling his eyes.
"Get over it, babybird. I was certifiably insane at the time. Digging yourself out of your own grave does that to you. And it's not like you didn't get revenge. I mean, come on, you beat on me with a fucking crowbar. You know I hate those things."
"You slit his throat?" Wally cut in, looking terrified, "And you beat him up with a crowbar?"
"Are you sure you're the good guys?" Artemis said flatly.
"Hey, no harm done," Todd waved his hand dismissively, "Just a little sibling rivalry. Timmy's the middle child so he gets picked on most. It's not like what I did was so bad compared to some people I could mention. Demon Baby cut his lines so he'd go splat on the sidewalk."
"Neither of you are my siblings," Evil!Robin fumed.
Dick just stared. He was almost ready to lose it, actually. These people weren't heroes! They were standing around discussing horrible things they'd done to each other, including assault and attempted murder! What the heck?! And he was supposed to be related to them by adoption? What was Bruce thinking?
Meanwhile, Miss Martian was studying the newest guest contemplatively, "How did you get here? There was no flashing light or sand portal, like with the others."
Todd shrugged, "I'm an old hand at this kind of stuff. Heck, most of us have had at least a few multiverse adventures." He leered, not elaborating though everyone noticed that he hadn't really answered the question of how he'd gotten there.
"You touched the thing." Stephanie and Tim chorused. They looked at each other, grinning wickedly before speaking, once again in tandem, "That's what she said!"
"B is gonna kill you, Jason." Tim declared.
Todd, or Jason, smirked, "Yeah, if Dickiebird doesn't smother us all to death when he gets here. He's been freaking out in mother-hen mode since you vanished. Then the Demon Baby and Girl Wonder. Bet he's just about ready to jump in himself by now to find us and smother us in overprotectiveness."
"That's enough," Robin, Dick said calmly, trying to hide his internal debate. God, these people were crazy. And they were talking about him- Dickiebird had to be a nickname for the alternate him. But he'd had enough of listening. All this new information was going to drive him crazy. "Batman said no spoilers. Don't talk to us. And we won't talk to you." He levelled a glare on Wally as he said that.
Artemis looked like she might be about to protest- she was still eyeing the visitors speculatively, and Dick himself, suspiciously, but the look on Robin's face brooked no arguments, and everyone soon subsided into silence.
His team might have been content to listen to their littlest bird but the newcomers had no qualms disobeying him, it seemed. With Team YJ deliberately not speaking to them, they were left to entertain themselves…
"You cheated!"
"I did not! It's not my fault you're too slow on the uptake and you've got no strategy!"
"Not fair! You card shark! You manipulating freaky corporate psycho!"
"Shut your mouth zombie boy! We won fair and square!"
"You're not allowed to play in pairs! I don't care how co-dependent you two are! Two against one is not fair!"
"You could always pair up with Damian."
"Tt, I have no interest in your little games."
"Oh come on…."
Robin grit his teeth at the noise their 'guests' were making. He had no idea where they'd managed to find the pack of playing cards but they were now making a commotion over how Tim and Stephanie were supposedly working together to massacre Jason.
The noise was driving Dick up the wall and from the rather smug looks on their visitors' faces, they knew it as well. What would have eventually happened, no one knew but it probably would have ended with a pissed off Batman and a disapproving JLA.
Fortunately, things came to a head before the visitors could drive Dick mad with the commotion. Unfortunately, things came to a head before Dick could let off some steam at the visitors that were driving him mad with the commotion.
He dropped out of nowhere. Well, okay, he dropped out of the ceiling. The blue suit with a stylised Bat on the front left no doubt as to whom their latest visitor was.
He paid no heed to the Young Justice members at first, rushing straight at their visitors. "Jaybird, Timmy, Steph, Dami, what were you thinking?" He grabbed the closest of the four, which happened to be Tim, and checked him over before nodding his head, obviously satisfied, and reaching for Jason as Stephanie danced out of his way and Damian glared.
"Hello? Strange fifth person from the alternate dimension? Mind explaining yourself? Are you here to pick these brats up or what?" Dick winced at Artemis' bluntness. She didn't sound particularly pleased. Obviously, the commotion of earlier hadn't only been bothersome to him.
The new guy turned and made a big show of squinting at them so that everyone could tell they were being studied, even with his face being covered by a black domino mask.
The stranger smiled, and everyone instantly relaxed. "Hello! Young Justice right? Thanks for babysitting. I know these four can be a handful."
As 'those four' erupted into protests at the use of the word 'babysitting', Wally opened his big fat mouth, "Are you Dickiebird?"
Dickiebird grimaced, "Hmm, yeah. It's Nightwing actually."
"Nightwing?" Dick couldn't help but ask.
The other guy- the other him, probably- smiled warmly at him, "Yeah, from that story Uncle Supes told us."
"So you are me then?"
Nightwing hummed, "Pretty asterous huh?"
"Dick Grayson."
Nightwing smirked in Artemis' direction, "The one and only. " He glanced at Robin. "Well, maybe not the only."
"You little twerp! I am so not laughing about this today or any other day!"
Nightwing held up his hands in surrender, "No idea what you're talking about. Other dimension, remember? You should probably take it up with your Robin."
A murderous glint came into Artemis' eye, "Oh you bet I will."
Dick gulped but forced himself not to show fear. He fixed a glare on his face. "Are you going to leave or what?"
Nightwing slowly raised one eyebrow. "Someone's being grumpy." He paused before realisation seemed to hit him. "Oh, it's the kids, isn't it?"
"KIDS?!" Jason, Tim and Steph managed to say in complete outraged unison, but Nightwing ignored them. He put an arm on Evil!Robin's shoulder, and surprisingly Evil!Robin didn't shrug him off. "Relax. They aren't replacements or here to take your place. They're family."
"And even if some of us might not get along the first time," Nightwing threw a grimace at Jason who flipped him off with a lazy grin, "Or have serious disagreements which end up with family members flouncing off on worldwide adventures with assassins," Tim scoffed, "Or fake our deaths and eat all the cereal in the house-"
"Is there a point to this?" Dick interrupted.
Nightwing grinned, "The point is, Mini Me. You love these pains in our asses, and they love you. That's family. And family means no one gets left behind."
"Did you just quote Lilo and Stitch at me?" Dick asked incredulously.
Nightwing ignored the fact that his siblings were all cracking up with laughter. He reached out a free hand and ruffled Dick's hair then turned and made an elaborate bow to the rest of the team. "Once again, thank you for your help guys. Now we gotta get going. Stay asterous!" He pressed a finger to a device on his wrist and suddenly they were gone.
"Bizzare." Wally commented. "Dude, future you is crazier than regular you. And your family's higher than a bunch of crazy cats sewn into a bag."
Dick didn't answer. He was too busy dodging Artemis' arrows. "I'LL SHOW YOU WHAT'S FOR, YOU LITTLE TROLL!"
As he said, disaster heavy on the 'dis'.