Errors of Judgement

Disclaimer: All the characters used in this fic belong to DC, which is a subdivision of AOLTimeWarner. As a private citizen, I should think it's fairly obvious that this large international corporation is not me. I am making no profit from this fic, and am utterly beneath the attention of whichever lawyers DC has running around protecting their interests.

"Shouldn't we try and stay on sneaky time a bit longer?"

"Y'know little brother, most times sneaky's good, but occasionally you run out of time and you just gotta go in there and rescue the damsel in dist-"

BOOM-CRASH

. . .

"Robin? Robin?! Robin? Robin! Are you there?"

". . .Hnh. . . "

"Oh good. You are alive."

". . . Must be. Being dead shouldn't hurt this much."

"Ha ha. Comedian."

"Hey, *you're* the punster around here. Wherever 'here' is."

"I can't see you. Too dark for even the starlight lenses, but you sound like you're a little above me. How bad are you hurt?"

". . . "

"Robin?"

"Not sure. Can't move enough to find out. You?"

"I'm okay. Pinned by what seems to be a support beam, but okay."

"Oh, good. What happened?"

"Long story or short story?"

"Whatever."

"Short story: You were right about the sneaky time."

"Oh, great. I was right and the mighty Nightwing was wrong. Now I *know* the world is ending."

"Nuts to you, too."

. . .

"N-Nightwing?"

"Hey, nice of you to join me again."

". . .yuh. . . yeah. Not like I'm . . . unh. . . going anywhere until someone shifts a couple tons of rock off me."

" 'couple tons' is right."

"Hm?"

"My communicator isn't broken. At least, the earpiece isn't. I can still hear static. Only way the connection would be severed is if we were at least a couple hundred meters under solid ground."

"Yeah, well, our data said your girlfriend was being held in the basement when we rocked up."

"Kori is *not* my girlfriend!"

"Doesn't matter, does it? She wasn't there."

"Nope. She wasn't. A neat little bit of bait to set a trap for 'the Bat's first squire'."

"And they got both squires. Lucky them. But lucky me, too."

" Lucky you? Are you kidding me?! If it wasn't for me, you'd be safely tucked up back at that penitentiary you call a school, not trapped under a collapsed illegal lab!"

" . . . Rather be here. And it's not your fault. Coming along was my call. 'Sides, if it'd been Spoiler or any of *my* team mates, I'd probably have done something similar, only worse."

"How could you have done worse than this?"

"I could've gotten trapped alone. As it is, I'm with *you*. Nightwing."

"Gosh. Hero worship. Gee little brother, I never knew you care–"

"Don't get me wrong. I'd never come out and say anything that would blow your ego out to even more epic proportions."

"So glad you cleared that up."

"Heh. Sarcasm. You must be doing alright. Anyway, it's sheer practicality."

"Meaning?"

"You're Batman's son and Oracle's one true love."

"I'm being dense. Must be all this water dripping on my head. Explain why this is significant."

"Lessee. Ten bucks it's Superman who rescues us. . . Bet he's been contacted by both Oracle and Batman by now. That's . . unh. . . pretty heavy duty cavalry. I wouldn't rate that. Not right away, anyway. But you? For sure."

"What the - ? Robin, you know that's not -"

"It is. Bu-but . . . that's okay. You're Nightwing. You're worth it . . . Worth all the cavalry ever. Statement of fact, just ask the Titans."

"Or Young Justice, pal. Don't forget your own team. You're important to them, and they'd move heaven and earth for you. Heck, they'd even stand up to Batman."

."Nuh. They don't trust me. Can't blame them. Don't tell them anything I'm not allowed to. Not like you. Wish I was, but I'm far too like Bru-Bats to ever. . ."

"I gotta remember not to get trapped under several tons of rock with you. Makes you maudlin. Seriously, you are you and that will always be enough."

". . . Hnh."

"Anyhow Robin, I don't care who comes and rescues us, so long as they do."

"Just . . . gotta hope . . they get here . . . in time."

"Robin? Talk to me, Robin! What do you mean 'in time'? Just how bad are you hurt?"

". . ."

"Robin?! Robin?!"

". . . still . . .h-h-h-here. . ."

"I . . .erk. . . . Still dripping on me. Hang on, this water doesn't taste right. It tastes like. . .blood? Oh dear God. . . Robin! ROBIN! ROBIIIIIIIN!!!!"

. . .

. . .

"The weirdest thing was that, like, even after we dug them out, all he did was laugh. Robin wasn't even conscious, and Nightwing laughed at him."

"Huh?"

"YeahthatwaswhatIthought."

"Mon, did he say anything?"

"Nah, not really. Just mumbled something about Rob owing him ten bucks."

"Freaky Bat people."

"Uh-huh. Always come up with weird stuff at strange times."

"Girl, you said it."

"How's Bird Boy going, anyways? Not that I care, of course."

"Of course."

"Just if anyone's gonna frag him, it's gonna be me."

"Better since he got some blood, and Batman's with him now, too. Came straight over and everything."

"Whaddaya know. Tall, Dark and Scary's got a heart."

"Well, yeah. I mean, duh, it's *Robin* we're talking about here."

"Yeah. Let's go check on him, 'kay guys?"

"UhhuhIgotflowersandeverythingwhatelsedoesasickpersongetanyone?"

End.