Disclaimer: I don't own Young Justice. And after how awesome "Failsafe" was, I don't want to, for fear I would mess it up. You go Greg.

They were 12 and 14 when Robin first showed Wally his eyes.

The Flash had to talk to Batman about business, and Batman told him and Robin to do a loop around East Gotham while the adults talked. Flash was about to protest, but Batman said it was a slow night, and he and Robin took off without so much as a backward glance.

He never got to patrol by himself, quiet night or not. And how hard could it be? Even Robin had said it was a slow day (night).

They arrested four men for trespassing, assault, and attempted burglary in the first hour.

In the second hour, they took down three people for possession of illegal substances, with suspected plans to distribute them. There was 50 grams of crack cocaine between them.

In the third hour, they interrupted two muggings. It was now 2 AM, and prime time for muggings, as Robin informed him.

The next hour, they stopped a rape.

He wasn't sure he would ever forget the way the woman looked.

Finally, he asked.

"How can you stand it? This city is like a manifestation of hell!" He immediately colored, slightly ashamed of his outburst.

Robin looked at him for a long moment.

"Follow me," the boy said, taking off. He hesitated for a minute, and then followed the boy through muddy streets as the boy swung from building to building.

They stopped at an old warehouse. Robin picked the lock, and pulled him inside. Then Robin stepped back and pulled a small spray bottle out of his utility belt, and carefully applied it to his mask. Then he slowly pulled it off, careful not to tear at his skin.

With a gasp, he saw his best friend's eyes for the first time. It was clear where Robin had gotten his name from.

"There, I don't think I should say this in a mask. Gotham is a city. There is nothing good or evil about her. The only thing that makes her different from every other city on the map is that every one of her citizens has been hurt at some point. And many of them try to hurt others to make up for it. But not all of them. Batman and I….everything we loved was ripped from us in a single moment and we were left to live. But we weren't the only ones. That happens every day here. And I just want to stop it." The boy looked down. "I'm probably going to die trying. But that's ok. Even if I die today, I've already reminded Gothamites that there is good in the world, and that it can defeat evil. And maybe that will help them to do something. Gotham is not good or evil. Some people make it hell. But others…others were just born here, and can't leave. And they deserve someone to fight for them."

Both boys were silent. Finally, Robin gave a weak chuckle.

"I wasn't melodramatic at all, was I?" Robin said with a customary smirk. If it was a bit shaky, who would know?

"The whole 'hero-gives-an-impassionate-speech=about-his-fight-against-evil' totally isn't cliché man. I've only seen it in, like, twenty movies." He said, giving his friend a weak punch in the arm.

"Shutup. It wasn't that bad." They sat quietly for a moment, neither of them quite sure what to say.

Suddenly, Robin gets up, stretches, and starts fiddling with his mask, applying a sort of glue he had in his utility belt to it.

"So what's your name?" He asked, excited to finally find out.

"Figure it out on your own, Flash Boy." Sliding his mask back into place, Robin gave him a full Cheshire-cat grin.

"What! I get to see your eyes, but you still won't tell me your I.D.? How is that fair?"

"Deal. Let's go; the night is far from over.

When Wally sees Robin, wearing a suit and no mask, on the cover of People Magazine, with the caption "Playboy's Foster Son Richard Grayson Wins Mathlete Competition!", he doesn't say anything.

Author's Note: I hope you liked it, let me know if you find any errors. Reviews = love.