Until you fly again… Chapter 1!

Yeah! The next story is getting started! I want this one to be a little less dramatic and a little bit more on how the characters are developing mentally and physically. There will be some Babs vs. Zee. (Batgirl vs. Zatanna)

I was wearing bunny ear clips while writing this.

This story is in October following Relapse.

Ages:

Dick Grayson/Nightwing- 15

Tim Drake/Red Robin/Robin- 10 almost 11

Wally/Kid Flash- Just before his 18th birthday by about a month.

Artemis- 17 almost 18

Roy Harper/Red Arrow- 20

M'gan/Megan/Miss Martian- 18 on Earth

Conner/Superboy- 18 mentally

Garth/Beast Boy- 10

Kaldur- 19

Rocket/Raquel- 17

Tim is really Red Robin, but the team calls him Robin for short, or Red; just trying to avoid confusion.

Nightwing let a yawn escape from his mouth as he Zeta beamed into the YJ cave.

"Nightwing- B-01" A metallic female voice said loudly and clearly. Nightwing looked around, but no one was alerted by the announcement. With a quick stop in the kitchen for some water, Nightwing snuck through the silent halls of the cave. He came to his room door and put in the sequence code for it to open. The well oiled hinges slid silently open. Nightwing stepped in quickly and closed the door. He sighed in relief.

So glad no caught me. Megan would have my hide for coming in at 2:53 am. Still the master of stealth, even when exhausted! Nightwing snorted and started unzipping his suit when he heard something. It sounded like… breathing?

With the top half of his suit hanging off his hips, forgotten, Nightwing pulled out a bird-a-rang, and walked noiselessly to the light switch. He would catch the invader unawares in the light then pin them, or, if it was Wally, kick them out. Literally kick.

His hand was an inch away from the light switch when the lights blared on and Nightwing was faced with half the team in his room, and the other half waiting at the door. At first Nightwing was shocked, but he got over it before anyone would notice.

"What are you guys doing in my room?" Nightwing demanded. He straightened up and put a hand on his hip. That brought his attention to the fact he was half dressed. He started to pull the suit up.

"Nightwing, where have you been?" Megan asked her voice cold. Ever since March she had been very protective of Nightwing.

"Yeah, four days of no contact then you sneak into the cave, at the dammed time of 3:00 am!" Wally said, rubbing sleep from his eyes. Nightwing got the suit over his shoulders and was about to zip it closed when a strong hand landed on his shoulder. Night wing turned to see Conner.

"Guys, it's ok, I'm here now right? I'm tired so will you let me sleep before training?" Nightwing said, hoping the tired little brother ploy would work, but of course someone had to ruin it.

"Really Nightwing? Not even I knew where you went!" Tim Drake, the new Robin said, hoping off Nightwing's bed.

"You let them into my room?"

"Um, maybe Babs did it."

"Babs can't hack."

"Hey! I can too!"

"No, you can't." Both Nightwing and Robin said to the black clad girl. Babs had a black tank-top on and black sweat pants. Her red hair was braided for sleeping.

"So. You don't have to point it out." She muttered.

"Anyway, Nightwing, where have you been?" Robin put a little whine in his voice. He was going for the little, slightly annoying, but incredibly cute little brother ploy. Nightwing smiled, but didn't take the bait.

"Sorry bro. Can everyone get out of my room now?" Night wing asked as he gestured to his door. No one moved. Nightwing felt irritation tug at his stomach. Usually he would talk them out of his room but he really hadn't had sleep in a while, and he was a little too close to his edge.

"Guys, get out." Nightwing's voice dropped and became dangerous. Theis caused some eyebrows to go up. Conner tightened his grip on Nightwing's shoulder, unknowingly putting pressure on an injury that probably happened within four days. Nightwing's face winced, but he hid it as fast as he could. Conner had felt the twitch through his small friend's body, and the team had seen the wince. Conner let up his pressure.

"Nightwing, are you hurt?" Megan suddenly sounded worried.

"Guys, I'm fine! Just get out and let me sleep!" Nightwing felt his self control slipping, his voice rose and soon he would be yelling.

Kaldur went up to Nightwing this time, as the team felt the dangerous aura around Nightwing go up.

"Nightwing, we were worried, please, rest and in the morning maybe we can talk." Kaldur walked out and Rocket followed him. Nightwing glared at the rest if the teens. Garth became a bird and flew out, not before he pecked Nightwing affectionately. Nightwing felt a little guilty as Megan and Conner followed the green bird. Wally walked by Nightwing and put a hand on his shoulder, gently. He smiled at Nightwing and walked out with Artemis, the two bickering quietly. Only Batgirl and Robin were left.

"You went there again?" Batgirl asked. Nightwing looked at her. He showed no emotion, proof he was freaking out or really mad or sad. She took that as a yes.

"Nightwing, why are you going there?" She continued. Nightwing sighed, he really hated to make Batgirl worry.

"Babs, Blodhaven isn't a bad place. Batman was with me so there are no worries." Batgirl didn't look comforted, but she closed her mouth and left the room. She turned off the lights as she left and slammed the door closed, letting out a small amount of her frustration. Nightwing chuckled softly and was joined by Robin.

Robin laid down on the bed, and using a remote control turned the lights on again. Nightwing's top was off again, and he was in front of his dresser grabbing clothes.

"Are you going to your room?" Nightwing asked. Robin didn't answer. Nightwing removed his mask and looked at his younger brother. The boy looked sad, and a little withdrawn.

"Another nightmare?" Robin nodded.

"They get worse when I'm worried about people you know." Robin's voice sounded whiny again. Nightwing chuckled. Robin stared at the ceiling.

Tim's nightmares were mostly twisted versions of fairy tales. His friends would be the characters, but they were always murdered, or killed each other, or some other things that made Tim wake up in sweat and run straight to the room of the person he dreamed had died. It was usually Bruce or Dick or Alfred. He had dreamed of Jason dying once, ever since, he hated sleeping alone.

Nightwing turned to Robin, and Robin saw what the team had missed in the shock of seeing Nightwing back. There was a huge bruise on his shoulder.

"Does that hurt?" He asked. Nightwing shook his head. He slipped a black tank-top over his head. The bruise still showed around the straps.

"how was Gotham while Batman and I were busy?"

"Good, Ivy finally recovered from the injuries she received aboard that ship last spring." Nightwing nodded.

"KillerCroc got out, but we reined him in pretty quickly." Robin reported.

"Good job." Nightwing flopped onto the bed next to Robin face down. The two turned to face each other. Nightwing, who was 15, was 5'4 ½'', and three inches then his almost 11 brother.

"you're short." Tim said.

"Only cause Grayson men are late bloomers and I haven't slept in about 4 days." Nightwing whispered, quickly falling asleep.

"Nightwing! What were you and Batman doing?" Tim exclaimed, sitting up. Before Nightwing could answer, alarms blared.

They had a mission.