The runaway

Chapter two

It had been an entire two weeks, Bruce still didn't know what happened, only the fact that I had come home traumatized, he couldn't get anything out of me and he never knew about the titans so he couldn't ask them.

I was constantly looking over my shoulder every time I was out in public, making sure that Slade was never lurking in the corner somewhere.

Bruce told me about a team, one that consisted of the side-kicks of the league, he wanted me to join said group, but I couldn't go back to robin, I needed something new, something that Slade hadn't touched yet.

I spent hours pouring over the costume, the name, the weapons. Finally it came to me. Uncle Clark used to tell me stories about gods on Krypton called Nightwing and Flamebird.

Nightwing was a creature of the night, who hunted down evil. Seems like a good fit, so I started drawing out costume designs.

I ended up with a full black Kevlar suit with a blue bird-like insignia on it, and its wings stretched over my shoulders and reached my finger tips, covering the ring and middle fingers.

I went through Bruce's weaponry, settling on some electric escrima sticks, and filling a utility belt from my old robin costume with Wingdings, a brass knuckle, a re-breather, a grappling gun, some handcuffs, and various exploding pellets.

I added it to my waist, already having the flexible Kevlar suit on, i held my mask in my hands, contemplating actually putting it on.

Today I could atone and become a hero again, I stuck on the mask, it attached to my skin, and I like the familiarity of it.

My finishing touches were some holoscreen gloves, this way I could use all of my abilities, and I highly doubt this sidekick team has a hacker.

Bruce entered the cave wearing his Batman uniform, and walked to where I was standing near the zeta tubes.

He put his hand on my shoulder. "Are you sure you want to do this?"

I nodded.

"What is your hero name?" Bruce asked.

"Nightwing"

I could feel him raise an eyebrow at me through his mask, but he just nodded and input the coordinates to the old justice league mountain, I knew it had been repurposed into the new headquarters for 'young justice'.

I took a deep breath as the beams turned on.

"Wait bats, does anyone know your, or my identity?" I asked.

He shook his head, and said. "And you can decide if you want them to know or not, but I do suggest you proceed with caution."

I nodded. I read all the files on this team.

Wally west, the speedster, Batman's personal note, was that he was smart but not very bright. Nephew to the flash.

Megan, the Martian, she was very perky, and Martian man hunter's powers.

Connor Kent, Superman's clone, anger issues, and limited Superman powers.

Kaulder, the leader, Atlantan. Aquaman's apprentice, Atlantan power.

Artemis, daughter to sports master, huntress was her mother, and Cheshire was her sister, archer, posing as green arrow's niece.

Hopefully sportsmaster and I wouldn't have an encounter because I met the man on several occasions as slade's favorite apprentice. He would definitely recognize me, and tell Slade, the absolute opposite of what I want.

I breathed deeply as we entered the cave, the computer announcing us as we came in.

"Recognized Batman 0-2, Nightwing B0-7" people stared at me as I walked in and I couldn't help but be glad that Batman was next to me.

"Team, you have a new teammate, this is Nightwing, and will be the new team hacker and strategist." Batman finished curtly and turned around, his cape fluttering behind him.

"So...." I said awkwardly, I walked towards the couch, where everyone was sitting, one person stood up, I'm assuming he's kaldur by the way he stood before everyone else.

"I'm kaldur'ahn, but you may call me Kaldur, when we are out in the field it would be appreciated if you called me Aqualad" he gave a look towards the other members.

Wally West stood up next. "Kid flash, Wally west is the secret ID, but I have a question for you, how did you manage to meet Batman?" He asked.

The team looked at me expectedly.

"Uh, he's my mentor" I said shortly

Artemis got up next and introduced herself followed by Megan and Connor.

"I'm Nightwing, as bats previously stated, and I'm your new hacker slash strategist, I guess" I rubbed my neck awkwardly.

"We know you're nightwing and stuff, who are you" Artemis said rolling her eyes.

"Uh, I'm under orders not to say anything" I mean technically that's true, if I was still with Slade, I wouldn't be able to say a word, but Batman had given me a choice.

I closed off any thoughts about Slade, that was over, and if I can avoid him as long as possible, I absolutely will.

I absently rubbed a scar on my left wrist, part of my training, Slade got frustrated when we first started because of my near constant remarks, and thrown a knife at me, it went all the way through my arm and stuck me to the wall behind me, he only took it out because I lost a lot of blood trying to pull it out myself.

It in turn made the wound worse and a little jagged, and I developed a nervous tick of rubbing it.

"So.... do you guys have a gym?" I asked.

"I can give you a tour!" Megan said enthusiastically.

I nodded my head and she began showing me around the mountain, I noted places in the shadows that'd be beneficial to me if I ever needed to hide from Slade.

We stopped the tour, everyone had come and were getting settled back on the couches.

I never really like to sit down, constant movement over the last four years, plus all my training as robin made it difficult to stay still, so I wondered off to the gym.