A Chance to Trust (YJ/DP)

-3- A Chance

Batman walked the halls of the bat-cave, in suit and brooding.

Alfred had just notified him that the boy he and Dick saved was awake, and terrified. When Alfred suggested that he try a calm him himself Batman thought the butler was going crazy. Batman is not a calming sight, but Alfred had reasoned it was worth a try considering he might remember it was he who saved him.

What disgusted Batman was the boy's injuries. Besides all the scars he could see through his ripped clothing the boy had collar and muzzle! His blood was a mixture of green and red, obviously meta human. But Batman was not good with kids, maybe he should ask Diana or John for some help. They seemed better with traumatized kids better than him, but he hated asking for help.

Ruefully nodding to himself Batman reached his computer and typed some stuff into it, not bothering with sitting down. Martian Man Hunter appeared on the screen.

"John." Batman stiffly greeted

"Batman, did you need something?" John asked, a little worried. Batman does not usually call from his cave, and when he does it usually serious.

"Yes, I've recently rescued a boy from a science lab, they were using him as the guinea pig. The boy had many injuries so I brought im to my cave,  I put him on life support but when he woke he tore it off. He's showing signs of severe trauma and something along the lines of PTSD.  I was hoping with your abilities you could calm him down enough so I can take care of him and maybe ask a few questions." Batman relayed with narrowed eyes, disliking the fact that he needed to call for help.

"I see," The Martian nodded in understanding, "When should I come over?"

"Now would be good, but if that's not possible for you I can do it whenever you are free." the caped crusader said.

"I can come now, just let me find someone to replace me on Watchtower duty." John said. The martian reached for something on his side of the screen and his face disappeared.

Satisfied, Batman headed to his zeta beam tubes to meet the Martian. A few seconds later the tubes flashed a bright white and Martian Man Hunter stood in its center. John walked forwards and shook hands with Batman, each nodding to each other in greeting. They set off to Batman's infirmary

"How long ago did you save him?" John asked as they marched down the long, echoey cave catwalks.

"Almost three days. He seems to have advanced healing capabilities, more than likely meta." Batman replied. In the time he rested and how swiftly the boy got out of life support Batman suspected the boy had superb healing abilities. Not even Flash would be able to get up that quickly if he had the same injuries.

"And he's showing signs of extreme stress?"

"Yes. I never saw him but Agent A went in to check on him, to his surprise the boy was awake. The boy did everything he could to get away from Agent A, he was shaking and curling in on himself. His breathing was shallow and fast." Batman said.

Batman hoped the boy could get over his fear. Batman would never show it or tell anyone, but, he had grown attached to the boy in the few hours he had been with him. He reminded Batman of Dick, of how scared he was after his parent fell.

They came up to the boy's door. The door looked innocent enough but Martian Manhunter could already feel a presence in the room, a chaotic one.

"No name?"

"Not yet."

Batman opened the door and almost immediately Martian Manhunter dropped to his knees like a rock. The Martan was clutching his head, his mind searing with pain. The white haired boy yelped and curled in on himself under the bed.