Disclaimer: I own none of the characters with speaking roles. Yaaaaaay! I mean...not yay. Maybe a little yay.

This is a CATfic (www. freewebs. com/ catverse) taking place shortly after "When You Got a Good Friend."

Special note to all my readers: I lurve you.

The Word

"I am not your message boy, Bruce!"

Batman glared. Nightwing sighed.

"Batman," he amended. Never use real names in costume, even in the safety of the cave where there are no outsiders to overhear. Never, ever take the stick out. "If you have something to say to someone, say it yourself. I don't work for you."

"That's why you're the one who has to do it," Batman rumbled. "It's well known that you and I don't work as a team. Do you really think they'd trust a message from me?"

"So send Catwoman. She's one of them."

"Catwoman..." He settled for an eloquent Bat-glare.

"Won't follow your orders," Nightwing finished. "Jesus, Bruce. Just give me the message."

Batman nodded, ignoring the second breach of protocol in regard to his name.

"Take Robin with you. But not inside the Iceberg."

"Robin can handle a solo patrol," Nightwing argued. "He's been doing this long enough. He doesn't need to follow me."

"He needs the training."

"You mean I need the backup." He turned away in disgust. "Why do you ask me to do these things if you aren't going to trust me?"

"If you don't like it, go back to Bludhaven."