When a Bird's Wings break

Chapter 5

What do I tell them? Do I tell them about my past, about the Flying Graysons? Do I ask about what it's like to be a hero?

I was thinking of scenarios of how each conversation would end when I reached the door to the den. I took a deep breath and knocked twice, and then opened the door.

"Hello?" I asked.

"Oh, hey Dick." I heard Artemis call. They were all lounging on the couches and talking until I walked in. The room was like an average living room. It had a large fireplace with the picture of my Mom and Dad posing with a Flying Grayson poster. There is a large arm chair and two small couches. Wally and Artemis were sitting with each other on the loveseat and Kalder, Megan and Conner sat on the three seater. No one occupied the arm chair.

There was a slight glow to the room, as it had a familiar smell and feel to it. This is my favorite room in the entire manor. I when I first came here, I would get nightmares about my mom and dad falling to their death the way they did and sleep in that arm chair, looking up at their picture, telling them I would make them proud. The first night that this had happened, Bruce had gone into my room to check on me and I wasn't there. He had searched the house frantically, looking for a little raven haired 8 year old. He eventually did find me and brought me back to my room, sound asleep.

"So, how are you guys liking it here so far?" I asked, unsure of how to make conversation.

"I have quite enjoyed it." Kaldur smiled. "It has been more of a vacation then a mission."

"Yeah, we were going to just stay with you all the time, like bodyguards, but Bruce told us to have fun and not to worry." Superboy added. "I am a little confused."

"Maybe it's just having us in the house." Wally inputted. "Maybe we are enough to keep the assassins away."

"Maybe." Miss Martian said. "But Mr. Wayne seems like a very nice man. I think that he just wants to us to enjoy ourselves."

"Oh, you don't have to call Bruce that, as he would say, 'Mr. Wayne was my father's name, call me Bruce.'" I said in my best Bruce impersonation.

"Why do you call him that?" Superboy asked suddenly.

I was confused. "Excuse me?"

"You call your dad Bruce. Why don't you call him Dad?"

"Conner!" Megan said scoldingly.

"No, it's okay Megan, I don't mind." I slid down in the arm chair and faced them. "I'm adopted. I'm not his actually son, that's why my last name is different and I don't call him dad." I clarified.

"Do you mind if we asked what happened?" Kaldur asked.

"No, I'll tell you." Wow... This is it... They are discovering how I became Robin... Without knowing that I'm Robin... "I was born and raised in the Haley's Circus. I was part of a high flying act, The Flying Graysons. It was a no net act."

"I think I've heard of them." Artemis muttered.

"One night, they were performing one of the biggest shows, and someone cut the ropes to get back at Haley. I was about to go on when they fell. Everyone died that night except my Uncle, but I was 8, and he was in a full body paralyzed, and could barely take care of himself." I paused for a minute. "Bruce was there that night, went and talked to my uncle. He ended up paying for all of the burial expenses and adopted me" I look up at them. I could tell from their expressions that they were going to try to pity me. I needed to change the subject now.

"Sorry..." I said looking down at my hands as I pressed them against the leather of the worn old chair, in between my thighs, like I do when I am unsure. I quickly realized that it was a Robin habit and put them in the pockets of my old sweat pants. As I did this, it pushed up my shirt a little, and I saw on of the bandages was falling off, and one of the thin lines that the razer had made three nights ago was clearly visible. I pulled my shirt down quickly, not wanting anyone to see it. "I didn't mean to dull the mood..."

Aqualad looked at me funny. "There is nothing for you to be sorry about..." he said it slowly, as though thinking as he said it.

Damn.... He must have remembered back when he said the same thing to Robin.

"Are those your parents?" Artemis asked, pointing up to the large painting above the fireplace,

"Yeah, Mary and John Grayson" Pick up your game Dick! I yelled at myself. "So, have you guys gotten a tour of place yet?" I asked trying to change the subject.

"Actually, no." Artemis said. "We were shown our room, the bathrooms, the dining room and the den. We haven't even been exploring yet."

"Do you want a tour?" I asked. I kinda wanted to add, we could play tour guides, the way that Miss Martin had when we took a tour around the cave, but it seemed childish now. Superboy nodded lazily, along with excited nods from Wally and M'gann, and shrugs from Artemis. Kalder didn't answer, and he was still studing me. I smiled at him and he smiled a weary smile back.

"Well come on then!" I smiled as I opened the door.

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