Under the Mask

Circus part 1

"Alright team I have a mission for you, as you remember a few years ago you infiltrated Haly's circus, now I need you to go back, Haly has contacted me and asked that I send a team to investigate some recent criminal activity that seems to be following the circus, I'm sending Miss Martian, Superboy, Kid Flash, Artemis, Robin, batgirl and Nightwing, miss Martian is leading."
He had to be kidding me.
...
"Now welcoming back the daring dangers! Dawn danger, David Danger, Dean Danger, Daniel Danger, Damon Danger, Diane Danger and Daphne Danger!"
Barbara and I with our gymnastic training swung from the trapezes, I felt at home. This was my home, it's where I grew up, before Bruce took me in this circus was my family. Being back there made me feel close to my parents, and without the illness brought on by the parasite I was really enjoying it this time. The second I got back on the bar it was like I'd never left, I flipped and spun like a pro, I had spent so much time fighting against my past, like it was a weakness, but at the end of the day my past isn't my biggest weakness, it's my biggest strength, it's what makes me who I am and no matter what this mission, the team or Bruce could throw at me, that's something they can never take away.

After the first performance we regrouped in the girl's cabin I had a giddy smile on my face, despite the reservations I'd had for coming here, I was having a great time.

"What's up with Nightwing's face?" Artemis asked jokingly.

I shot her a look but kept smiling, "I'm not batman, I know how to smile."

That got a laugh from everyone. "Seriously though, it's just a really cool place."

"For sure, I'm glad I got to come this time." Wally agreed.

"Why didn't you come last time?" Miss M asked.

I stopped smiling, so did Wally.

"You know it wasn't actually a sanctioned mission." Artemis added.

"Yeah," Wally fidgeted, "This place had a personal connection to robin." he paused before adding, "the first robin."

"Wait a second, this is the circus? As in-" Tim started to say before Barb cut him off.

"yes, it's that one."

"Woah."

"What are you guys talking about?" Conner asked.

Wally sighed, "this is where Dick grew up."

That shut everyone up.

The silence was interrupted by a knock on the door, Miss M got up to answer it, to my surprise CC Haley was standing on the other side of the door.

"Hey guys, just checking in, seeing how ya'll are doing, really appreciate you guys being here, also I was wondering if I could have a quick word with you Dan." He said looking at me with a wink. Shit.

"Oh, actually I'm Dameon." I said to him.

He gave me a quizzical look before shrugging and saying, "alright, a word?"

I got up and followed him out, walking to his office in silence.

"So it's Dameon this time, huh, it's good to see you Dick, it's been too long." He said, pulling me into a hug.

"Good to see you too Hayley, how are things?"

He sighed, "not good Dick, it seems my past it catching up with me."

"Hows that?"

"It's a long story, I've made a lot of mistakes over the years, but the biggest is what happened to you. I watched you grow up, I watched you learn to fly, kiddo. The others may not know who you really are, but I always have, and I know who you are now, its not who you were supposed to be. Especially since all this was going to be your parents."

"You were giving them the circus?"

"Haly's is part of who you were supposed to be...What your family was supposed to be. Which is why I need you to know the truth, what I didn't tell you when I saw you five years ago, why I'm in trouble now, it was always about you Dick, what happened to your parents was never part of the plan, but looking at how it all turned out I can't say you would have had a better life."

"How could you say that?"

"You have to listen to me, they're trying to kill us, because of the secret, because of what this circus really is."

"What? What the hell is it?"

"A breeding ground."

"A what? Haley, what the hell are you talking about?"

"I'm talking about the court of owls, and how you were supposed to be one of them."

...

-Author's note

Hey guys, sorry its been so long, work, school, writers block, anyhow I'm back. So this last part has some pretty heavy influence from Nightwing vol 1 Traps and trapezes, which is by the by an awesome comic book, anyhow, this chapter starts a several chapter long story arc about the court of owls, because my stories are usually pretty romance based and less action focused I decided to put this in there because I think it's a super interesting plot, and it's helping me get over my writer's block, but if you guys think its a bad idea just let me know... little red out.