Project Cat-Call (A Robin/Nightwing Young Justice FanFic)

Chapter 19: Star Labs

"Welcome to Star Labs Miss Ruby. Were happy you're here with us." A male scientist (probably the one I talked to on the phone) was waiting for me when I entered the building. "It's good to be here with you too." I replied with a fake smile. "I'm glad to hear that. Please, allow me to take your things to your room. Your father wants to see you, if you'll just follow James and Melvin here." Two man started to usher me away by grabbing both my arms. "Wait!? What father!?" I shouted. I tried to question the James guy, and then Melvin, but it was no use they both just smiled and kept moving me down the hall till we came to two big doors. "Ruby is here to see you, Mr. Wayne." James said, opening the door. Wayne? As in like Bruce Wayne? The CEO of Wayne Enterprises? And THE Batman?!

The man in question was standing, looking out the large windows covering the front wall, and in a pinstriped navy blue suit. "It's good to see you again Ruby." The man turned to confirm my suspicions. "And it's good to see you again Mr. Wayne." I gave a small nod and didn't meet his gaze. "May I ask why I've been brought to you and why they were saying that I had a--"

"How long were you at Catmus?" Bruce said, cutting me off. "I-I'm not sure." I said, still wondering where this conversation was going.

"It was almost thirteen years." Bruce looked longingly out the window. "How would you know that?" I asked. Bruce clenched the back of his leather chair with one hand.

"So you were really so in the dark?"

"In the dark about what?" I was losing my patience with Bruce. "Salina is your mother." He said, now looking down at the grey carpet beneath us. "I already knew that." I said. God was he just wasting my time? "No, you don't understand. You-you're not her clone. You're her true daughter. Selina Kyle is you birth mother. You were never a clone, Ruby. You're human, a true human. Not a product of mass produced cells." The room started spinning. "Wait-so-what? I need to sit down." I flopped into a chair that was to my left. This hit me like a sledgehammer to the head. "So you mean to tell me that Salina is my real mother and that scientist said that my FATHER wanted to see me, so that means that you're my-"

"Father? Yes." How could he be so calmly blunt about this?! I'm left here with so many questions. And yet... "Does-does Dick know?" Bruce sighed. "No. And I intend to keep it that way. At least until the time comes when- well we'll get to that later. Right now I believe you should see your room and get comfortable. Someone will bring you your dinner and we will talk more in the morning." He said, pulling me out of my chair and ushering me to the door. "But-" I tried to stop him but I was already out the door and being ushered by James and Melvin... again.

"This is your room. I will bring you dinner. Anything you have a preference for?" James asked, Melvin had left to help another doctor along the way. I slumped onto my bed. "Fettuccine Alfredo. I like Fettuccine Alfredo." I said, turning away from James and when I heard the door shut I shamelessly cried.

I cried about Dick, my mom, and mostly about who I was. My first fourteen years I'd thought I was a genetic clone. A freak, and now... I'm still a freak but with a brooding father with parent issues of his own, and a mother who's a thief (but still loves me).

"I'm back!" James chimed as he knocked on my door. "Just a second." I call back. Wiping away my tears and answering the door. "How'd you come and go so fast?" I asked, taking the tray from him. "I'm a speedster!" He declared. I gave him a confused look. "I'm just playin' ya. Your room is right down the hall from the kitchen, so if you need food fast it's only twenty feet away." He smiled and left me to my food. It wasn't bad but it wasn't great either, but food was food. "Maybe I'll ask if I can make my own food." I think to myself. "Negatory Miss Ruby." I male voice says. I jump and nearly spill my food. "Wh-who said that?" I say, frantically looking around the room, but their aren't any speakers. "I am the Martian Manhunter. You know my niece, Miss Martian."

"Hi!" A female voice says. "Wait, this is telepathy right?" I ask in my head. "Yep! We're here to monitor your brain activity day and night." She seemed really excited about that. "But isn't that an invasion of privacy?"

"Not really. You established a link with me when I opened up your memories so you kinda consented to my powers. I just opened them to my uncle as well. But if it'll make you feel any better. I'm taking the night shifts so if you have any dark secrets, I'll be the one to know them, it'll just between us girls." I could feel her wink. "Somehow that doesn't really make me feel better." I sighed. "Regardless." Manhunter interjected. "You should get some rest after you've finished your food." I nod as I throw away the empty tin foil container. I change into the pj's I'd packed and crawled into the bed. It was softer than it looked, but I missed my room with my boat load of pillows, but if mom visits, I can always ask her to bring them. "Goodnight Dick." I whispered as I take off my ring and turn out the light.