Sometimes Dick loved having Bruce as his guardian. Despite how he barely ever pulled that card, whatever A.J. might suggest to the contrary, or let Bruce do it for him. But it was something that he was grateful for when it meant hurrying along the sale of an apartment. They'd barely been back a day when they got to look around, but that was Dick's doing, and then barely a couple of weeks later they were moving into the new apartment. Too fast to get cold feet – not that he thought he would – but slow enough that they all had the chance to accept that this change was what they all needed. It hadn't been easy, not a decision that any of them had taken lightly, and yet somehow it felt as though this was what they had needed.

Boxes filled the rooms, music played softly throughout, weaving into all the rooms from the speakers set on the living room floor. Dick could hear A.J. and Tim talking in the spare room, her suggesting all the different things he could do with it; making it his room more than anything, assuring him, in her own way, that this was no means goodbye between them all. Teddy was trying to sort out the kitchen, with the help of Alfred who seemed more than happy to help. Dick had no idea where Bruce was, but he was hopeful that the man would come back soon; somehow, none of this felt right without him. And, there was still the fact that they hadn't had a proper conversation, not since Bruce had sent him to the Teen Titans. Not since Jason.

'Hey,' said Barbara softly, pulling his attention away from the photograph that he still hadn't put down. It was more of a collection of photographs in one frame, showing the whole family in some way or another, all of them smiling. When he turned towards her a small smile curled onto his lips, but he knew there was a time that his breath would have briefly caught in his throat. Her hair was pulled intricately back, her makeup subtle, if there at all. There was a small smile on her face that seemed to illuminate everything around her. Only a slight glint behind her eyes assured him that she was worried.

'What do you think?' he asked.

She shrugged delicately. 'Very grown up,' she teased, moving to peer at the photograph in his hands. 'We should get a proper one.'

'Bit hard,' Dick said, trying to ignore the burning sensation he felt at the back of his throat once more. The two weeks had been hard, knowing that A.J. was still half looking for Jason when she made a snide comment; knowing that there were things he wished he'd been able to say or do with the other young man. Things that were, realistically, stolen from them all.

'Yes,' Babs agreed softly, gently putting the photograph up on the mantelpiece before taking his hand. She gave it a reassuring squeeze. 'Why did you have to choose somewhere so far away?'

Dick scoffed, shaking his head ever so slightly. 'Why does everyone seem to think this is the other side of the world? It's barely around the corner!'

'Because it might as well be,' Barbara said, unable to hide her smile. Amusement lit behind her eyes, that playfulness that he'd missed during his travels.

'Now who's being dramatic?'

'I had a good teacher,' she teased, before her expression turned serious. 'You know I'm only a phone call away, right?'

Dick nodded, shifting his hand so he could give hers a squeeze this time, wrapping his other hand around hers. 'Always,' he assured her.

A cough from the doorway made Dick pull away. He felt like a kid being caught doing something he shouldn't, especially when he realised that it was Bruce. He knew that Babs was grinning, that despite her own shock at the interruption she was probably amused by the whole thing.

'Can I have a moment please, Dick?' asked Bruce, a flicker of a smile on his lips.

Barbara looked towards him curiously for a moment, checking in with him, but he only nodded. They needed this moment, him and Bruce. She gave his shoulder a quick squeeze before leaving, murmuring something about stopping A.J. and Tim turning his room into a precinct.

The two of them stood for a moment, uncertainly shuffling as if this was something that they'd never done before. But they had. Dick couldn't count the amount of times they had been training together, the amount of times that Bruce had taught him things about life in general as well everything he needed to be Robin. The times that Bruce had been there for him when he worried about school, and other general kid things like if he had the right pencil case. Yet now, now there was something wrong with being in the same room together, something that he wasn't sure they could overcome. At least not just yet.

'You know, I was worried when the four of you went to National City,' Bruce admitted, his voice softer than Dick was used to. 'Not that anything would happen, because it was all of you together and I know what that means. But...' his voice trailed off, as if he wasn't quite sure what he wanted to say, or how to say it. Then again, he probably wasn't. Bruce had never really been good with feelings, especially with verbalising his own. He gave his head a slight shake before clasping Dick's shoulder. 'I just wanted to let you know that I'm proud of you. Of everything that you've done.'

Dick felt as if his heart had expanded.

'I know that you didn't really have a choice,' he admitted, not quite looking at Dick, despite the fact that there was that usual intensity behind his eyes, 'but you made the most of the situation. I knew you would. I'm proud of you, Dick. Of the man that you've become.'

All Dick could do was nod, he didn't trust himself to speak.

'Whatever you do here,' Bruce continued, as if sensing what Dick was going through, 'I know that you will do the best with it. Not just for you, but for everyone. You, Teddy and A.J..'

'Thank you,' Dick managed to say, but it felt as though the words were still getting stuck in his throat. He moved without thinking, pulled Bruce into a hug.

The man was stiff for a moment, as if he didn't know what to do even though Dick had done this enough times as a kid. But then the man settled into it, hugging him back. There was more to the hug than Dick would have expected, but he didn't care. He just hugged Bruce, realising just how much he really had missed his time with the man, even if he knew that he needed to be finding his own path now.

***

Dick had barely put the steak on the table when a draft of air alerted him to the fact that Wally had finally arrived. Bruce and Alfred had been gone a couple of hours, leaving them all to get settled, to start off the new chapter of their lives with their friends, despite assurances that they were more than welcome.

'Honestly, is it a thing with speedsters that you're always late?' teased A.J., pulling Dick's attention to where Wally had perched himself on the back of the sofa. He had one foot resting on the other knee, a plate of Alfred's homemade fries propped on his leg as if he'd been there the whole time. It was only the fact that the plate was wobbling slightly that really highlighted how recent his arrival had been.

Wally took a bite of fry, shrugging as he did so.

'What's that?' asked Teddy.

When Dick looked towards him he was holding up a wrapped box. It had an odd little bow circling it decoratively.

'Did your aunt help with this?' asked Babs, flicking the bow, a smirk lighting her face.

Wally sneered over at her, dropping into the seat beside Dick. 'No, she did not,' he said indignantly. 'And it's a housewarming gift.' He said it as if the whole concept was obvious, but with the raised eyebrow from A.J. Dick knew that she was as confused by the whole thing as he was. Wally wasn't known for remembering things like that. In fact, he was pretty certain that Wally was only there for the promise of food.

'Is it a mini fire?'

'Not everything is fire related, Amelia,' Wally told her, with all the righteousness that he could muster. 'Now will someone open it so we can actually eat?'

Dick rolled his eyes but grinned at Teddy, who looked as if he were eager to find out exactly what was inside.

Teddy didn't need telling twice. He tugged at the bow, allowing it to unravel neatly. The ribbon had barely touched the table before he started ripping at the paper, with a lot less delicacy than previously.

Dick leant closer, glanced briefly at Wally who was grinning, and yet somehow not giving anything away.

As he pulled open the box, Teddy let out a long whistle. A.J. crowded around closer to him and even behind her eyes, Dick could see the mounting excitement.

'Wal, how?' she breathed, as Teddy eased the thing out.

It was beautiful, and for a moment Dick forgot to breathe. It was a sketch of all of them together, Jason included. The frame was stained glass, and Dick recognised each of their favourite colours blending around it.

'Roy'd be sick if he saw this,' joked Tim softly, but Dick could tell that it was mainly for something to say, to break the spell before it had the chance to become too painful. The likeness was incredible. The odd half-smile that Jason so often wore captured to perfection.

'I did it for a Christmas present. But thought there's no time like –'

Wally's explanation was cut short by a scream. It was shrill, loud, and made a shiver run down Dick's back. He was up almost as soon as he heard the sound, rushing over to the window, his nerves alive. He felt the others around him, felt the almost electricity crackling through them all. All of them were in hero mode, as if nothing had, or would ever, change.

***

A.J. peered through the darkness with some difficulty. If it was possible she thought that the city was darker still than Gotham had ever been. There were street lights illuminating some of the alleyways, but there was always something shrouded in ominous darkness. In one of those sections she thought the person who had screamed was hiding from whatever had caused their terror.

Wally let out a soft curse. 'How is anyone meant to cope in this city when they can't see a damn thing?'

'Not everyone grew up in Central City,' said Tim primly.

'Yeah, but none of us exactly have the right night-vision for this,' admitted Barbara. A.J. could hear the slight frustration behind her voice, couldn't quite tell if it was at the fact it was so dark, or that something had cut their evening short.

'This wasn't exactly what I'd expected,' said Teddy, pulling all attention his way. Tension still hung heavy in the air, pulling taut between them all. He was standing at the island counter, hauling two boxes onto it. There was something almost excited about him, as if he couldn't quite stand still. His attention, she noticed, shifted between her and Dick almost expectantly.

'Did you have something to do with this?' asked Barbara, standing a little closer to A.J..

'Of course not,' murmured A.J., moving forwards slightly. She was trying to figure out what her brother was up to. All the hasty sketches he'd been making, the fact that he'd spoken to her about her old suits, all of it seemed to come back to her in that moment, making up a rough picture of what he'd been up to. 'Ted, you haven't.'

He shot her a sheepish smile before lifting the lids of the two boxes. 'I really wanted a test run, but –'

'No time like the present,' finished Dick, moving forwards to look in the boxes. He pulled out a red suit, one that she knew instantly was too small for him but the right size for her. There was something about it that reminded her of flames, it seemed to almost shimmer as he moved it.

'Ted, it's beautiful,' she breathed, looking in at Dick's box. His outfit was black, but she could see a flash of blue across the chest, like a large V.

'You don't have to do this,' Barbara said, but the tension in her voice was obvious. None of them could just stand there and let the scream go. There was someone down there who needed help, and right then there were only two of them who were prepared fo

'We do,' Dick said softly, gently taking his suit from A.J..

'I can help,' insisted Tim, but Wally put a careful hand on his shoulder. He knew what this meant, how important this was for Dick even if his own sense of justice was screaming at him to do something.

She shot him a small, grateful smile before looking at Tim. She could see the fire behind his eyes, knew that he was waiting for an opportunity to prove himself, to show that he could be what they needed. She felt the splinters of the look in her heart, but there was no way she could let him in on this. At least not yet.

'Maybe next time,' she said, gathering up her box. She glanced briefly at Teddy before hurrying into her room, knowing that time was of the essence.

'You sure about this?' Dick asked softly, his voice almost lost in the noise of the city already.

A.J. didn't look at him. She didn't need to. She could tell that he was loving this. That he'd missed getting to be in the heat of the moment, missed the adrenaline rush that came with it. National City had passed the time, had allowed them a moment to see if they could live without all this. But it turned out they couldn't. It came after them like a dog seeking a master. They couldn't simply ignore it. Then again, she had missed it just as much. Missed being there with Dick, not on her own with Teddy in her ear; she'd missed the anonymity that the suits bought them, protecting them and those that they cared about.

'Someone's got to do something,' was all she said, scanning the city. The masks Teddy had made used the prototype night vision glass Luke Fox was working on. She knew that he was still testing out the true capabilities of the new lab, but she sent a silent thanks his way for letting them have it. 'And who better than the previous Boy Wonder?'

'And Sparky?'

She rolled her eyes at him, but something caught her attention. She squinted. An alleyway a little to their left. Of course the problem was close to them. Trouble magnets. Wally's nickname hadn't ever felt as though it was more fitting.

'There,' she said, pointing to where she'd seen the movement. It hadn't been much, and it could have been a cat for all she knew, but she refused to let it go un-investigated.

Dick was already halfway down the fire escape before she could figure out what they were doing. He flipped down some of the rungs, landing easily onto the railings.

'Show off,' she mumbled, feeling the smirk on her lips, before starting the climb down herself. She wasn't as quick as Dick was, something not helped by how out of practice she'd been of late, but she caught up with him before he had the chance to start running towards the heart of the trouble.

'Where now?' asked Dick, glancing to the right as they reached the end of the alley. It looked clear. Both ways.

'They can't have got far,' she murmured, glancing behind them.

That's when she spotted the shadows. Two thick shapes coming towards them slowly. They edged forwards, getting faster when they realised that they'd been spotted.

'Nightwing,' she whispered, readying herself for a fight.

'Yeah, I think we've got company, Flamebird,' Dick said, and she could hear the mixture of excitement and cautiousness behind his voice.

'Two?'

'Three,' he told her.

A.J. cursed under her breath, readying her weapons. She heard the click of Dick preparing his Eskrima sticks. She let out a long breath, trying to prepare herself. Her heart was thundering against her chest, despite how calm she felt, despite how in that moment everything seemed sharper than ever before.

The first of the shadows dove towards her. A.J. sidestepped, aiming a punch at their ribs. She felt the pressure of the attack in her knuckles as the metal of her knuckledusters dug in. But she bit it back, knowing that she had to keep on.

Something knocked her on the back of the head. She fell forwards, saw stars before her eyes. She blinked, trying to get rid of them as she aimed another punch. Someone caught her hand, crushed her fingers.

She heard a grunt behind her, certain that it was Dick.

She let out a sound of frustration, kicked out at a shin.

Someone let out a curse, stumbled away from her. They fell away, and she felt the pain in her hand subside. In the darkness she spotted two figures in front of her, noticed that there was only one other with Dick. She didn't watch for long. She focused back on the duo with her.

'Is this any way to greet people?' she teased, ducking as one of them swung a meaty hand at her. She felt as the hand barely glanced off her hair. Hastily she aimed a punch at their solar plexus. The punch landed, winding her opponent.

'Reckon we should teach them some manners?' Dick's voice was filled with amusement, but there was a flicker of pain behind it.

'I think we're the ones who need to teach you some manners, boy,' sneered a voice in the darkness.

A.J., momentarily distracted, let her guard down. A punch landed in her stomach, causing her to double over. She felt Dick surge forwards, but someone caught him as well. Rough hands gripped at her arms, clamped them firmly to her sides. She didn't have time to hate the contact.

Heels clicked softly on the tarmac. A.J. struggled as much as she could, but the fight had left her. Food and good company had left them both feeling more relaxed than they needed to be. Made them slower despite how ready they felt.

Out of practice. It was a thought that flared to life in her head, one that she tried hastily to quash.

'Well, well, well, who do we have here?' a voice said carefully as A.J. looked up. The man that stood before them had a crisp suit, a smarmy smile on his face. He was inspecting them as if they were experiments or some kind of curiosity. It made her blood boil, more so than the hands gripping her arms too tightly. 'Two little birds?'

The shadows chuckled, too false for A.J.'s liking.

'What should we do with you?' the guy said, cocking his head a little to the side. His eyes still seemed to shine with malicious intent though as he kept carefully sauntering towards them. 'Throw them in the river? Use them?'

The shadows murmured something but A.J. couldn't figure out quite what it was. Her head was screaming at her to do something, anything, that might get them out of there. Whether Dick had a plan or not. She couldn't let something like this happen.

'Or just rough them up a little?' The guy paused, that knowing look behind his eyes was all too familiar to A.J., she'd seen it too many times behind the eyes of mobsters in Gotham for it to faze her much anymore. 'But first a warning for you little fledglings. My name is Blockbuster and this is my city.' He shot them a smile, but there was no pleasantness behind it. 'Now, boys, how about a proper welcome for our guests?'