From Yesterday (Young Justice/ X-Men Evolution Fiction)

Chapter Seven

Three days in bed means I do a lot of reading, a lot of hacking, and find a lot of nothing useful. Nothing on Jason's mom, nothing real on Pietro or Wanda—I'm starting to freak out that Pietro's really disappeared—and nothing on Erik Lehnsherr that tells me where I can find him. He's never associated with Bayville, so I can't link him there unless I want to go out on a limb, which I might. But he really may have lost track of Pietro after he went into foster care.

"Yo, Dick, come on man; you know you gotta be early for check-in! We aren't losing Regionals for being late! I will carry you there on my back!"

I snap back to real life. It's Saturday, three and a half hours before Regionals and Wally's standing in my bedroom doorway in ripped jeans and a sweatshirt with my friggin' face on it. He got a picture of me off his phone, blew it, and put it on a shirt. He thinks it's great... I don't.

I turn off my laptop and twirl in my desk chair to face him. "Yeah, yeah, just had to check on something."

"Dude, no hero work! Regionals now! Hey, where's your sweatshirt?" Wally blurs and things in my room fly around until he appears right in front of me holding...well, me, on a sweatshirt. "Team Grayson! Don't make me put it on you, man, 'cuz I will."

Wally's grinning. He's more excited about this than me. Dr. Leslie cleared me for competition last night, because I was a good boy. I don't think she'd be happy to know that I stared at a computer screen all week, but hey, I upheld my end of the deal. She never said no work; she just said don't get up.

I shrug the face-shirt on over my Gotham Academy uniform tunic and put my hands on my hips. The thing's too big, but I guess it's the thought that counts, right?

Wally cocks his head to the left, then the right. "You'll grow into it. Come on, Alfie's got the car running. I got your cereal bar in my pocket and your water's with Jay. Uh, who's got your gym bag?"

"I got it." My black Gotham Academy bag is on my bed. I take a step toward it, but Wally grabs it and has his arm around my shoulder, pushing me to the door.

"I got it! Let's go, go, go! We're gonna win this thing! Come on, Tiger!"

I laugh. Wally popped in this morning around 5:00 am and was waiting for me when I got out of the shower. He told me all about the Central High boys' senior prank going without hitch, and even brought me a frog as a souvenir. Alfred made him take it outside; he hates creatures in the house. Wally being here lifted the black cloud that's been over the manor all week, for me at least. Bruce and Jason are avoiding each other like the plague (it's a little embarrassing how predictable those two can be), and Bruce feels so bad about what happened to me, he's kinda been avoiding me, too. I only see him late at night before he goes out on patrol with Tim. He sneaks in (and he's gotta know I'm only pretending to be asleep) and does attentive daddy stuff like check my temperature and fix my blankets. It's sweet, and I don't have the heart to ruin it by opening my eyes.

We get through the front doors where the Lexus SUV waits. Alfred is in the driver's seat with Tim sitting next to him. Jason's in back, and Bruce... is at work (convenient). But it's fine; he didn't want to come anyway. He thinks Dr. Leslie should have declared me unfit for competition so I won't showboat and give Robin away. (Oh, yeah, I'm rolling my eyes.)

Wally and I climb in back with Jason. I make sure to sit in the middle, because Jason + Wally = Cat Fight. The claws come out, and I already took a hit for the team. I'm not volunteering again.

"Master Wallace, please give Master Dick his cereal bar," Alfred says as soon as the doors are closed and we're all buckled in.

"You have been barred, man." Wally slaps the Cheerio's cereal and milk bar in my hand and I thank him, and wink at Alfie who tuts.