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Chapter Text

Barbara Gordon loved being Batgirl. It had come to her honestly out of nowhere – the being a vigilante part, not the name, because the name was honestly probably the easiest of it all. Batman, Batwoman, Batwing… catch the drift? – but she wouldn’t give it up for the world. 

Unfortunately, being Batgirl meant she had very little time to spend on things other than her job, her family, and her nighttime Vigilantism… and that included people. 

And yes, maybe part of the reason she wanted nothing to do with people (specifically the Waynes in this scenario) was because Dick Grayson had been a little annoying back when, but he'd probably gotten better after school, and, honestly, the bigger reason was see above. 

Long story short, she had no time to spend on the Waynes.

… So what was their newest pet project doing out there on her doorstep?

She blinked and stared down at Timothy Drake, looking up at her with the easy surety of a crazy kid who definitely wasn't taught Stranger Danger.

“Can I come in?” He asked. 

Barbara raised her eyebrows and tried to look judgemental. It wasn't hard. “And you are…?” She asked archly even when she knew who it was. 

The judgment didn't seem to embarrass him, unfortunately. “Tim,” He said. “Tim Drake.”

Barbara felt a small spark of amusement. Fair enough, she thought. “Unfortunately,” She told him. “I still don't know you. And my Dad has been very strict with me about not letting in strangers.” She quirked a smile. “He's the commissioner.”

Tim nodded exuberantly. “Yeah, I knew of him before I knew of you,” He said. “And honestly, I was planning something more subtle, but I am currently very much being watched and thus must do this unsubtly.” He shook his head dramatically. “The problems with being a replacement version of a person from another dimension, you see.”

That… wasn't making any sense, but, more importantly, the ‘replacement’ part sounded not so good. Barbara's unwanted police-child senses perked up, but as soon as they did, she realized the kid’s eyes were gleaming with mischief. She rolled her eyes. “Well, I'm sure you can be unsubtle somewhere else,” She said, not unkindly in her opinion, but definitely firmly. If it had been someone older, they'd already have had the door slammed in their faces, but she was trying to be nice to the kid. 

Tim hummed. “I mean, I don't really think anyone else is Batgirl, though, so I really can't. This unsubtlety is totally case-specific, Ms. Gordon.”

Barbara's smile slipped and her hand tightened around the doorknob. “Batgirl?” She asked. “I didn't know there was a Batgirl. And even if there was, do you really think I'd be one?” She laughed. It was just at the edge of unamused. “My Dad is the Police Commissioner, kid. And Vigilantism is illegal. See the connection?”

Tim just looked at her, expression not shifting at all. “Honestly,” He said. “If I wasn't sure, I'd believe that. You're not bad at lying.”

“That's because I'm not,” Barbara told him. 

Tim's eyes went to her fingers clenching around the door frame. 

She loosened them immediately, but the damage was done. 

“Anyway,” Tim said. “I actually do have proof, but if you want me to show it out here–”

Barbara weighed her options, remembered her extremely nosy neighbor, thanked god she wasn't home yet, and then exhaled sharply through her teeth. “Still not Batgirl,” She hissed but opened the door anyway.

Tim grinned, walking in, his backpack slung around his shoulders, filled with… something. “Okay,” He said, immediately after she shut the door, even as they walked to her lounge. “I want you to know that I totally figured out your identity without help, even though Batman and the others knew already. I definitely didn't check their files.” He made a face. “Okay, maybe I did check their files, but only after I figured it out, so there.”

Barbara stilled, horror settling over her. “They– they know who I am?” She asked weakly, forgetting she'd been denying it. In her defense, it was not every day she learned that someone else knew she moonlighted as a vigilante. And she'd fended that off, but it also wasn't every day that one learned multiple someones knew. 

Tim plopped down on her sofa while she sank down into one of the other seats. “Yeah, I guess they haven't told you yet.” He wrinkled his nose. “Not their best choice, is it?” 

Barbara privately wondered if her living in ignorance was better then decided that no, it wasn't. She swallowed, steeled her nerves, and stared at the kid who probably wasn't an adult in kid form because while he definitely knew too much, he had a blase-ness only a kid could pull off. “What do you want?” She demanded.

“You don't want to see my proof?” He asked, looking slightly disappointed. 

Not when she was basically hyperventilating inside. Barbara raised her eyebrows and crossed her arms. 

Tim sighed. “I don't really want anything,” He admitted. “I just wanted to tell you I knew because I felt kinda guilty keeping that a secret.” He grimaced. “More importantly, I found some really bad stuff on the bat computer–”

Barbara sputtered. “You call it the bat computer?”

Tim began to giggle. “I know,” He said. “Apparently, the first Robin named it.” 

Barbara finally began to calm down and listen. “Wait, how do you even know the Bats?” She asked. “I'm pretty sure you're not a vigilante.”

Tim smiled widely, a little unsettlingly. “I'm going to be,” He said as if that explained everything.

Barbara shot him the patented Jim Gordon stare that she was half sure worked on criminals, too. It had definitely worked on Bruce Wayne the last time she remembered meeting him, so it had some viability. 

Tim wilted. “Okay,” He admitted. “The same way I know you.”

So he'd figured out their identities and wormed his way into their lives. Which meant– 

Barbara scoffed. “Dick Grayson is Nightwing?” She asked. “How did I not see that before?”

Tim looked honestly impressed, and if she ever claimed that didn't boost Barbara's self-esteem, she would have been lying. Still, he said nothing, obviously happy to let her imagine as she wished. 

Which was, again, impressive, because not many kids would know that trick. Human imagination and all that. 

She shook her head and returned to the original conversation. “Alright, then. You mentioned something about the batcomputer and bad stuff?”

Tim nodded, less eager, and rubbed the back of his neck. “Apparently, Batman and the others have increased security around here, but…” His face twisted. “Joker's going to come after you at some point. I don't know how they know, but they mentioned you lose your–” His voice broke. “Your legs.”

Barbara inhaled sharply, her heart screeching to a harsh stop. 

What the hell?

What the actual, ever-loving hell?

And the worst part was, she realized, staring at Tim's guileless eyes, he was telling the truth as he knew it. 

For a moment, Barbara felt deep, curdling hatred for the Bats– for the Waynes, who knew this was going to happen and hadn't told her. Hadn't given her the chance to protect herself. For a second contrary second, she even hated Tim for doing the opposite, for ripping her of her innocence, for striking that fear in her heart. 

And then she came back to Earth, took a deep breath, and counted, eyes closed, remembering all the ways her father coached her in escaping a panic attack. 

Breathe, she told herself. 

And then she opened her eyes and seethed. “I'm going to kill that monster,” She promised. 

Tim looked understanding. “Do you want me to help?” He asked. 

Barbara knew he wasn't a normal kid, just like that, but then, who could claim to be in this wasteland of a city? “No,” She said, because he was still a kid. “I think I'd rather do it on my own.”

“Fair enough,” He said, shrugging. “Though you should probably train a little more.”

Barbara nodded. “Not that I plan to fight in person,” She said. “Because I'm not stupid, but I'll take the help. Batwoman did offer me a crash course.” 

Tim beamed. “Sounds awesome!” He agreed. “And if you need ninja skills–”

A girl a couple of years older than Tim, but still younger than Barbara, practically melted out of the shadows and waved. 

Barbara could not hide her open-mouthed surprise this time. “If you can teach me that,” She managed. “Count me in.”

“Oh,” Tim added, as if remembering something. “The computer also said you were awesome at computers. Are you?” His eyes widened in the perfect copy of Dick Grayson’s puppy dog eyes that Barbara was seriously impressed. “Can you teach me?”

Barbara, who had actually recently been getting more into the less-than-ethical (but ethical in spirit) hacking side of things since her whole Vigilantism gambit, shrugged. “Sure,” She said. “I've never had a student before.”

Tim's eyes sparked with something unsaid. 

Barbara sighed. “You've got a special skill for ruining people's life plans, don't you?” She asked.

Tim didn't even blush. “I've been told that,” He agreed cheerfully. “Want to keep it a secret from the Bats that you know they know?” 

Barbara, who was already irked at the secret keeping by them, nodded in amusement, then tilted her head and chuckled. “Why do I get the feeling you've already done something like this?”

Tim just smiled prettily and said nothing.

Cass laughed. “Tim is chaos,” She said simply, and Barbara had a feeling that nothing truer had ever been said before. 

Chapter Text

When Dick knocked on Barbara Gordon's door, he was nervous. After Kate had told them a few weeks ago that Batgirl had finally consented to her training, Bruce had relented and agreed that she might now be willing to ingratiate herself into their team – or, in Dick's more human words, befriend them. 

Considering he had kinda known her a little back in school, Dick had declared himself the one who’d tell her. 

No one had really protested, which was pretty nice because Dick chose to believe that meant they trusted him. 

Other than Damian, who just wanted to see him fail, but then again, he was still a bratty baby brother, so it tracked.

Taking a deep breath and removing his random thoughts from his mind, Dick knocked on Barbara's door again. 

“Geez!” Came her voice, sounding annoyed. “I'm coming!”

Dick snorted. 

The door opened a minute later, Barbara's eyes narrowed and mouth open to chew him put–

And then she actually saw who it was, and her eyes flashed. “... Dick Grayson,” She said slowly. “What do I owe the pleasure?” Her tone made it obvious that that was sarcasm. 

Dick winced. “Um, hi?” He said. “We used to go to school together.”

She kept staring. “I know,” She drawled. “We might even have stayed friends if one of us wasn't an asshole and moved to Bludhaven and then never contacted the other again,” She pointed out. 

 Ouch.  “Ah, I'm really sorry about that,” He said. “I was going through a phase.” He rubbed the back of his neck, guilt rolling over him. No one had actually deserved how he’d been when he’d argued with Bruce. He’d taken it out on everyone around him back then. His Teen Titans teammates had hit right back after a certain point, not to mention they'd known who he was enough to know what the issue was, but Barbara? He looked down. 

Barbara sighed. “Come on in,” She said a little stiffly. “I guess I can spare a glass of juice or something.”

Dick brightened. “Apple?” 

“Obviously. I'm not a heathen.” 

Dick huffed. “No,” He admitted. “You never were.”

It took a few minutes for them to sit down at the kitchen table together, Dick with a glass of sparkling apple juice and Barbara with a glass of water. She leaned back against the chair and looked at Dick with her eyebrows raised. “So what do I owe to a visit from Gotham’s most famous?” She asked.

Dick frowned. “That's pushing it.”

“Not really,” She said. “You're still a Wayne, and after the Bats, the Waynes have always ranked at the top.” She shrugged one shoulder. “Doesn't help that you're just too damn nice.” She pressed her lips together. “Except maybe to old classmates.”

Dick winced. “I really am sorry,” He said. “It was just a difficult period in my life, and, well…”

Barbara huffed. “I'm just making fun of you, Grayson,” She said, grinning. “I don't really mind now. It's been an interesting life.”

“Yeah?” Dick asked, wondering if she'd slip up about her vigilantism, and part of him hoping she might, if only because the memories of their school friendship were hitting him full-force, and he really wanted to have that easy camaraderie again. What better way than to share secrets? “How so?”

Barbara's smile was edging a grin and, more importantly, mischief. Dick didn't know why, but there was a sudden shiver snaking up his spine and– “Oh, nothing much,” She said airily. “I spent a little time around Dad and the police. Did an internship there and everything. Dad even deputized me for laughs once, did you know?” She smirked. “Might have to use that one day.” 

Dick blinked. Wait, what? 

“Hmm,” Barbara continued. “What else? Let's see, I realized after that that I didn't really want to work with the government too closely. Or, well, not yet. So I'm working with the Gotham Library now while I get a degree in computer science. I got one in forensics before since Dad wanted me to, and I didn't really mind, but it turns out I actually like computers. Who knew, right?” Her eyes lighted on Dick's at the moment, and the shiver intensified. 

But she looked so   innocent,  so unconcerned– 

“Oh?” He managed. 

“Mmm,” Barbara said, drinking her water. “Plus, I managed to get a student, too, so that's fun. Might even go into teaching for a bit.”

“Really?” Dick asked because he'd never really seen Barbara as the teacher type.

Barbara just looked at him. “And you?”

Was it just him, or did that question feel loaded? Dick swallowed. “Uh–” He blue-screened. “I have a girlfriend!” He said. 

Barbara burst out laughing. “That's your great achievement?” She managed between laughs. “You'd totally fail the Bechdel test.”

Dick pouted. “She's a really awesome person,” He defended. 

“Well, duh,” Barbara said. “She has to deal with your ass every day.” 

“Oi!” 

Barbara smirked. “Am I right, or am I right?”

“Now I remember why I ran away from Gotham,” Dick grumbled. 

Barbara giggled. 

Dick took in a few deep breaths. “Look, Barbara,” He said, much more seriously. “I need to tell you something.”

Barbara's laughs petered off, her expression turning to one of neutrality. “What's wrong?” She asked. 

“Nothing's wrong, per se,” Dick said. “It's just…” He grimaced and straightened, his fingers gripping the glass tightly. “Look, Barbara, this might surprise you, but–” He swallowed. “Barbara, I know you're Batgirl.”

Her expression didn't waver, but her lips did, curving slightly down. 

She didn't say a word. 

Another line of guilt ran through him. Dick shored up his courage. “I– um, we figured who you were when…” He trailed off, unsure of how to explain Tim without Tim and, in fact, the dimensional gun that had been locked away since the whole Jason debacle. “It's kinda a long story, but, yeah, we know.”

“... We?” She asked, her voice soft. 

Dick's guilt increased to another level. “Yeah, uh…” He hesitated. “Okay, I know this will come as a shock, Barbara, but–” His voice broke off. Why was it so damned hard telling  her  when he'd never had a problem doing it before?! He inhaled sharply, closed his eyes, and ripped off the bandaid. “I'm Nightwing,” He said. “And I'm talking about Batman and the others. When you reached out to Batwoman for extra training, we figured that it was time. That you'd wanna be allies, you know?” Dick fidgeted and then peeked open to see how his old friend was reacting–

Barbara stared at him, her lips pressed together and her eyes glittering with something that he hadn't seen in years because he hadn't seen her in a capacity like this in years and– “Oh my,” She said in the blandest voice humanly possible. “You're Nightwing? I'm shocked. Truly.”

Dick's mouth fell open. “I'm sorry, what?” He squeaked.

“What?” She asked.

“You– you knew?” 

She raised an eyebrow. “I have no idea what you're talking about, Nightwing.” She hummed. “By the way, isn't it against the law to be a vigilante, Officer Grayson?”

Dick couldn’t speak for a second. “You're a vigilante!”

“I am? How surprising. Who knew?” She smirked. “And I'm not in the police force now, remember? Unlike you.”

“But–”

There was a ring and then a couple of odd knocks on the door.

“Speaking of which,” Barbara said cheerily. “We're done, right? Gotta go teach that student I was talking about.”

Dick kept staring, dumbfounded. 

The door opened out in the hall, and the student made a beeline for the kitchen like they knew exactly what was going on and–

Dick didn't know it was possible, but his mouth fell open even more as Tim frickin’ Drake entered, waving at Dick. “Oh, hi!” He said, grinning madly. “Didn't know you were coming around, Dick.”

“You little shit,” Dick said. 

Tim placed a hand on his heart and affected horror. “Saying that to your favorite person? I am heartbroken, Mr. Nightwing, sir.”

“Truly a sad day,” Barbara agreed, and holy shit, that was mischief in her eyes!  “Didn't expect it from you, Richie Grayson.”

Dick sputtered. “After that stunt?” He asked. “You'd be lucky to be above Damian on the list!”

Tim began to giggle. “However will I cope?” He asked between snickers, Barbara joining him.

Dick buried his face in his hands. “Oh my god,” He muttered. “I hate you guys.”

It took a moment for them to calm down. “Look at it this way,” Barbara offered. “You can help me do the same to everyone else, except this time, you'd be in the know.”

Dick pursed his lips and looked up from his hands. “Can we do Bruce last?”

“Oh, definitely!” Tim said eagerly.

Dick grinned. “Okay, I'm in,” He said. “How long’ve you known, anyway?” He asked Barbara and then turned to Tim. “And how'd you get this whole thing done? We've been keeping an eye on you since we found you!”

“Oh, you know,” Tim said airily. “A little Robin magic without the Robin.”

“You know what?” Barbara said thoughtfully. “You could go by Nuthatch. I've heard it's chaotic good.”

“I'll add it to the list,” Tim said easily. “Spoiler has a whole bunch of ideas for bird names.”

“Of course she does,” Dick muttered under his breath. “So?” He turned back to Barbara. 

Barbara hummed. “I can't tell you all my secrets, can I, boy wonder?” She said. “Let's just call it a fated moment in time.”

Dick had a really bad feeling that whatever she was hiding was not pretty. On the other hand, he also had a pretty good idea of when to leave things be and the twin images of insanity in the eyes of the two people in front of him? Oh, yeah, ignorance was going to have to be bliss for this one. “So,” He said loudly, and he was proud of how little his hysteria showed. “When are we going to ruin everyone else's life instead of just mine?”