Under the Mask

Easier Said Than Done

Barbra didn't understand why I wouldn't tell anyone else, but she respected my decision and promised not to tell anyone.

"So tell me about this new Robin." I ask her, trying not to be hurt.

She smiled, "he's a nice kid, like I said, really smart, very loyal, hard working, he's trying very hard to live up to you."
I'm not sure what to do with that information so I shift the conversation,
"Huh, so how's the team?"

She shrugs, "Alright, they're missing one of their founding members, you built this team Dick, it's not the same without you, we've been managing, but it's not the same."

"I am sorry Babs, I really am." I look away, guilt creeping up my spine.

She sighs, "I know."

Changing the subject again I ask, "Hey, wanna see if I can still kick your ass?"

"You wish!"

...

"No weapons, just you and me," she tells me.

"Alright," I say, taking off my utility belt and throwing my eskrima sticks to the side and stepping onto the matt. She does the same and joins me. The whole team has gathered around to watch, I spot the new robin off to the side, watching us with interest. Because she thinks I'm distracted Babs comes at me, going for the side jab I easily dodge, grabbing her fist, bringing her down to the mat with a thud. She's up quickly though, aiming a kick to knock my feet out from under me, but I jump up and vault over her shoulders, pushing her down as I go. She lays dazed for a moment before getting back up and launching a punch at my face, which I easily sidestep and retaliate with a jab to her stomach followed by a flip over her head, because hey, I'm a performer at heart, and send her down to the mat, where she stays.

I look around and see everyone staring in awe, whoops, maybe a little much there, but babs and I have history, and I will never live it down if I let her beat me. I turn and offer a hand, which she takes, accepting her defeat with grace, as she always has.

"Damn, I was hoping you'd gotten rusty." She whispers.

"Ha! As if." I remark with a laugh.

"Wow, I've never seen anyone beat her that quickly," Artemis mentions, pausing before continuing, "well, not since..." She trails off, and I know she's talking about me, I turn, felling that guilt creep up on me again.

"Nice moves," Superboy states, ignoring the tension Artemis' comment evoked, "you sorta fight like him too."

"Nice going circus boy, might wanna reign it in." Babs whispers in my ear.

"Do you two know each other?" Conner questions.

I pause before saying, "We've met before."

"Circus boy?" He probes, clearly he still needs to work on boundaries.

I give Babs a look before scanning the room for Wally, the only other person here that would understand that reference, thankfully he's nowhere to be seen. Small miracles.

"I think she was making fun of the way I fight, I'm a little showy." I lie.

I'm not sure he believes me, but he lets it go.

With the exception of Barbara and Bruce, Wally was the only one who knew about my past, it wasn't really something I liked to talk about, he was also the only one who knew my secret identity, that was something we bats had always kept pretty close to the vest. Unlike us though everyone and their mother knew Wally West was Kid Flash, I don't think he really cared that much. Case and point he walks back in after ditching the costume.

"Is anyone else hungry? Cause I am." He announces.

"You're always hungry." Artemis voices what we were all thinking.

I suppress a smile and say, "Well I'm kind of hungry too."

"We should go out!" M'gann exclaims.

"I'm feeling Chinese." Beastboy says joining the conversation.

So that's how twenty minutes later I find myself sitting in a little Chinese restaurant wearing dark glasses and avoiding looking at Wally who I can feel eyeing me. It's sort of funny if you look at me Barbra and Tim all sitting together with our matching dark glasses.

"So I guess this means there will be no revealing of the secret identity." Wally pouts.

I shrug, "I'm pretty private about it."

"So tell us about yourself, are you in school?" M'gann smiles at me, as outgoing as ever.

"I have an aa, majored in criminology, minored in forensics." I share.

Barbara laughs, "Somehow I'm not surprised, so Nightwing, how old are you?"

I give her a sideways look before answering, "Twenty-one."

"What do you do?" Aqualad chimes in.

"I'm a cop." I say.

"That's cool, Wally's a cop too." M'gann tells me.

"Forensic scientist." He corrects.

"Well you work in a police precinct don't you?" Conner ask.

"It's different." I say.

"Thank you!" Wally exclaims, "these guys don't get it."

I give him a tight smile.
"You seeing anyone?" He surprises me by asking.
"Not at the moment, you're dating Artemis right?" I blurt out before I can think better of it.

"Dated." He corrects looking across the table at her. "How did you know?" He asks giving me a weird look.

"Barbara mentioned something." I lie.

He seems to accept that and starts to chat with aqualad. I turn to look at Tim,

"So, you're robin right? The boy wonder." I ask in a hopefully not too hostile tone.

Babs shoots me a warning look, I ignore it and focus my attention on Tim.

He looks a little uncomfortable but answers anyway, "yeah, but I'm not the first."
I think my eye is twitching a little, I close my eyes for a moment, thankful for the dark shades, before responding, "I'm aware."

"Well, okay, so have you met the batman yet?" He asks, oblivious to my inner turmoil.

I'm about to answer when aqualad interrupts,

"Well if you haven't, you're about to, back to the cave guys, Batman's summoning us."