Justice League Meets the Bat Family

3: Nightwing G00

It had been a few weeks after that when something similar happened at the Hall of Justice.

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Wonder Women and the Flash stopped talking at the familiar recognition. They were half expecting Batman to come out of a corner or the kid to be hurt. But it seemed like the opposite. His hood was now down showing his face and hair, but also his tired look. He looked around and sighed.

"Crap..." He mumbled the same word, his eyes heavy. Wonder Women rushed over to keep him steady, looking back at the Flash for some help. But then realized how light he really was. Concerned, she picked him up and put him on the couch.

"Hey kid..." The Flash said. He was nervous. One, because Batman wasn't here and two, because Batman wasn't here. He had a feeling that if he came back and Red had the slightest cut, they'd be dead. 

"Are you alright?" The women asked. He was staring at the ceiling in fascination and drowsy.

"Yeah." He said, then as his eyes started closing, he fixed it saying, "No... I need coffee..." He said. They both remembered Batman saying he didn't sleep much.

"No I think you're just tired. You should get some rest." Wonder women said softly.

"Diana...I can't." He said, almost lulled to sleep. She looked at him in shock. How'd he know her name? Only Batman and the other leaguers knew.

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"Where is he!" The blue covered hero asked frantically.

"Nightwing?" The Flash asked, getting his attention.

"...Dick?" Red said as loud as he could. The two saw his face fill with relief as he ran over, rushing them away to sit in front of him. How did they know each other? And why did he call him Dick? Is he who they had been talking about before?

"Hey Babybird. I'm here, don't fall asleep ok?" Red nodded. The nickname and the way the vigilante spoke to him shocked the two. He wasn't like Batman being cold and emotionless, he did have his funny and relaxed moments. But this was strange. They were close. He was really close to both the bat and the bird.

"Nightwing, what's going on? Who is he?" Wonder Women asked first.

"He was on patrol with me in Gotham and there was a crook with what we thought was a tranquilizer dart. Red got shot before I could take the dealers out. But instead it had a poison that makes you see you're worst nightmare. Most people fall asleep, that's why we were mistaken, and some hallucinate. But if you fall asleep, you may not wake up." He quickly explained then looked up. "Do you have any coffee, energy drinks, or something with caffeine?" He asked.

"Yeah."

"Great, bring me all of it." Without question, the two headed to the kitchen and grabbed whatever said caffeine and brought it back. Nightwing was doing his best to keep the kid awake. He stood up and started mixing the different drinks.

"Hey wait a minute! This could kill him!" Flash protested, making the man smirk. 

"Oh trust me, it'll take a lot more than this to actually hurt him. The kid basically lives off what some of us call 'death juice'." He finished mixing the concoction and got Red to sit up.

"How do you know that?" Wonder Women said, crossing her arms. Nightwing stopped before answering that they just had to trust him.

"Hey, you got to drink this for me bud." He held the drink to Red's noise and let him smell it. The others thought it smelled deadly, but the boy's eyes lit up and took a sip. After a few gulps, he grabbed the cup for himself and downed it. "You good?" Nightwing asked, letting the odd beverage settle. Red opened his eyes fully and looked at his mug sadly.

"You got anymore?" He asked looking at at the man keeling. The the leaguers stood with their mouths open. He wasn't serious, right? That had to be horrible.

"Man, you're metabolism still amazes me." Nightwing shook his head chuckling, placing a hand on Red's shoulder. Red smiled at the strange praise. "But we got to find an antidote first. That won't work forever."

"Right." Red stretching his arms.

"Alright, how are we going to do that?" The Flash asked. He was familiar with chemicals and figured he could help.

"Don't worry, I got it." The boy stood up smiling, cracking his knuckles and neck. "Wheres the lab again?" Wonder Women was about to argue but Nightwing pointed to a door to the left. The boy run over there as if he hadn't been on the verge of a poison induced coma, leaving Nightwing to deal with the confused leaguers.

"You sure that's the best idea?" The Flash asked.

"Don't worry, he's a mini genius. Loves solving things like this. He'd hate me if I let someone else figure it out." He brushed off, waving for them to follow him to the room. They walked into find the boy already to work looking at a sample of his own blood, combining different chemicals. 

Every once in a while, he'd ask Nightwing to get something or reach something up high.

Wonder Women and the Flash just watched the duo work, the vigilante and hero of Bludhaven following all the mystery younger ones instructions with no complaint. Soon he started slumping so Nightwing took over the physical part, Red telling him what steps to do. The Flash was amazed at the wording and mathematical measures he took, even more so when he was sleepy. Who was this kid?!

"A'ight, i' 'ould be d'ne." Red slurred, his head leaning on his hand.

"Hey hey hey!! Stay awake!" Nightwing yelled at him, but he didn't respond. He set down the vial he was about to put in a syringe and slapped the teenager. The Flash winced at the loud smack sound it made. Red immediately sat up straight. 

"Alright! I'm up! You didn't have to hit me so hard." Red said rubbing his cheek.

"Geez man, you scared the crap out of me. Plus, we have both taken worse." Nightwing sighed in relief and went back to put the fluid in the syringe. "Alright, arm out." Red gave him the opposite arm he drew blood from and felt the serum run into his veins. Nightwing helped him sit on a counter as the solution did it's work. The man started cleaning up his friend's station and putting things away.

"Man, that wasn't a fun ride." Red groaned, his head pounding.

"It would have been worse if you slept." Nightwing sighed, walking over as the teenager stood up. "The one time you wanted to sleep it was when you were poisoned."

"You think this is a sign?" Red hoped.

"Nope. When we get back to the cave, you are sleeping. Either on your own or sedated." Red groaned, walking over to the door where the older heroes stood. 

"Don't remind me."

"Dick, where are you?" Came from the coms in Nightwing's ear. 

'Again with calling him Dick. Were they always insulting him?' Flash thought.

"Hey Jaybird. I'm at the Hall of Justice. Red Robin just found the antidote and we are heading to you."

"That's good, but you better hurry." The voice, seeming to belong to the Red Hood, told him hurriedly.

"Why, what's wrong?" Nightwing asked, getting the attention of all three around him, walking fast towards the zeta tube. Red Robin followed while Wonder Women and the Flash behind trying to listen, but didn't catch the other line. "Crap. We'll be there ASAP. What's you're location? Alright, tell the little bird to hang in there." He turned off the ear piece.

"What happened?" Red Robin asked.

"Robin got injected when they were taking out the rest of the dealers in their part of Gotham."

"That cocky idiot." Red mumbled as they came to the tubes.

"So, uh, we got to go. Don't tell Batman we were here please." Nightwing asked.

"Also that I got shot again. He'd hide my coffee grounds for a month." Red shuddered at the thought. The two didn't wait for a reply and left.

Departing to Gotham City Guest G04 and Nightwing G00