Blessing In Disguise

Ten

I sleep through the flight, waking when lights flicker ahead of us. I shake Damian, knowing we'll be there soon. I whisper, "Get up, little D. We're almost there."

We watch the skyline approach and the lights glitter below us. Soon, the plane is touching down at LAX and we're leaving. I'm too excited to think much, but I do remember the backpack and I get off without trouble. Damian and I cut through the crowds to the parking lots, where I pull him by the hand to a side exit. We leave the airport and I take the kid down a small street, usually a one-way truck entrance.

"It'll be faster to take back roads. Traffic gets horrendous here and besides, we won't be seen as much. Ra's men will have less of a trail to follow," I explain. Damian just nods, probably excited to see the new country. On the train, he had confessed that he's never been in America before.

We get deep into the city by noon. We're travelling by day, and although both of us are a little jet-lagged, we make it alright. I don't get too tired, though I do catch Damian yawning twice. I mark my map when we settle down for the night. We've gone a long way in... two months? One and a half? I don't know.

We rise in the morning, getting moving again. We follow a smaller street, which leads to the highway, according to the signs. We're near the on ramp when a car pulls over right beside us. I only panic for half of a second.

"Get in," Dick demands, opening the passenger door. I smile and get in, opening the back door for Damian. He is shocked. Dick starts to drive and I cannot express how relieved I am to not have to walk anymore.

"I can't believe you're okay. I thought Dad and Tim were making things up," my brother says. He's so happy I can't help but be happy too. "About the... Tim? He answered the phone when I called, back in India, right?"

"Oh. Yeah, I guess he did. Are you..."

"Well, I got Damian and you got him. Just something all of us have to get used to. And little D actually helped with that. When I found out I was upset and he reminded me that you guys needed someone to look after Dad. I guess that was something good, right?"

"Yeah. He's in San Fran with the Titans, so you'll get to meet him soon. And this has got to be Damian," he says, gesturing to the backseat.

"Yep. Bruce and Talia's kid," I tell him softly. He looks away from the road and at me for a second. His eyes widen and I can tell he didn't know, though about what I have to ask. "One, or both?"

"Both," he says quietly. "Bruce just said you were coming back with a kid."

"Well, yeah. He's seven, by the way. Bruce didn't know either, so don't get mad."

"Oh."

The child in question is asleep by now, after only fifteen minutes on the road. I guess he'll get what he can take. His cheek is against the window, as if he was watching the scenery. He probably was. I sigh and resign to watching the world go by myself.

Dick takes the time to fill me in on what's going on. Bruce is out trying to hunt Talia down and make sure Ra's didn't catch on and hurt her. He also wants to find the immortal, but Dick says he doesn't think he will. I don't expect him to.

He explains that we're heading to San Francisco. The plan is that the Titans will smuggle us onto a plane and send us straight to Gotham. Apparently the ninjas are much closer than I thought they were. I only have one question.

"What about the new Robin?"