"Is he here yet?" Robin asked Donna anxiously. Nightwing was supposed to have met up with the Titans and the JLA for a joint case briefing. Robin, not a member of either team was along mainly for the experience. The meeting itself was scheduled to take place in the main hall of the Justice League Headquarters. Batman had called the meeting personally and everyone knew what that meant- they had better be on time. Everyone apparently except Nightwing who was now over forty-five minutes late.

"ROBIN!" Batman’s thunderous voice caught almost everyone off guard. The Titan members looked at each other. They knew from past experience that when Nightwing did arrive there would be hell to pay. Robin turned slowly to face him, unaware that he was holding his breath.

"Wing called and said he would be here any minute Batman." Robin gave his answer quickly, running the words on top of each other. Batman glared at his younger partner. Robin’s feet shifted back and forth uncomfortably until Batman turned his attention elsewhere. It wasn’t until Batman walked away that Robin realized he had been holding his breath. It came out in a loud whoosh.

"I’m glad Wingster called in, maybe it will help keep his old man off his back." Flash looked doubtful even as he said it.

"Well..." Robin was beginning to wish he hadn’t come along this trip.

"Well what kid? You don’t think it will keep the Bat off his back?" Arsenal looked at Robin as though he were expecting him to know the solution. How Robin wished that were the case.

"Well..." Robin began again. "I hope it will help. I REALLY hope it will help..."

"But what kid, spit it out." Flash was beginning to look annoyed.

"But, Nightwing...didn’t call in." There, now he had said it and he hoped they would help him in his lame attempt to cover for his surrogate brother.

Robin had entrusted this fact to the core Titan members that were standing almost in a circle around him. As his words registered in their minds he began to see ‘Oh Shit’ looks of gigantic proportions on all of their faces. He suddenly wished he had stayed home and worked on his calculus homework.

"Relax, he just pulled up. I’ll go tell Batman." Superman smiled at Nightwing’s worried friends as he walked by. He knew there would be fireworks between the father and son. Batman had always been very hard on him. It was his way. He was a good father, a loving father, in his own way. Superman just didn’t understand how Batman could push so hard though. His thoughts went to his own father and he was reminded of his tremendous patience. Nightwing didn’t have that luxury. Patience wasn’t what Batman was known for.

As Nightwing walked in almost everyone stopped long enough to give him an apologetic look. He knew what that meant. Trying to look unaffected he took a seat in the back with his Titan friends, ignoring the open seats in the front.

Giving the meeting was Batman, Superman and Martian Manhunter. All three stood at the front of the room addressing the others from a podium. The first part of the meeting basically touched all the bases that almost everyone already knew on the case. Arsenal became bored quickly and drew Flash and Nightwing into a game of paper football. This quickly caught the scrutinizing eye of Batman but Nightwing pretended not to notice. Batman became very quiet, dangerously so. It was obvious to everyone watching that he was fuming. Nightwing however still appeared oblivious. This part of the meeting lasted just over an hour and then Superman reluctantly called a lunch break. He looked apologetically at Nightwing as he did so.

"There’s that, I’m sorry- I know you’re a dead man walking look again." Nightwing mumbled angrily under his breath. Having the legendary Batman for a father hadn’t been easy on him. The two were close once. That was until Nightwing dared to have an opinion other that the one Batman tried to supply him with. Nightwing was reminded of the saying ‘If I wanted your opinion, I would have given it to you’. It suited Batman to a tee.

The JLA asked the Titans to join them in the lounge for some sandwiches. Batman however made no attempt to group with the rest. No one seemed surprised. Batman wasn’t a joiner.

"Hey, where did we lose Wingster to?" Flash looked around searching for his best friend. He saw no signs of him. He turned to Robin to find out if he knew.

"He’s uh, with Batman." Robin was upset; there was no mistaking it. The look of dread on Robin’s face sent Arsenal’s temper into a rage.

"HELL, even a condemned man deserves a last meal!" His friends all nodded their agreement.

"You would think he killed somebody or something.." Arsenal continued hotly. "If I were Wing I would tell the old Bat just where he could stick that shit." Arsenal had been so into his role as rights leader that he failed to see Donna Troy trying to get his attention. When he did finally see her pointing behind him he turned and ran into a solid wall that was the Batman.

"Good thing you’re NOT Nightwing..." Batman’s deep scruffy voice answered in a low growling tone, just barely above a whisper. His eyes were squinted and his stance seemed to be inviting Arsenal to try to take him in a fight. Arsenal backed up slowly never taking his eyes off Batman. Once he saw that Batman wasn’t going to jump him he went and stood beside Flash. It wasn’t until he was beside his buddy though, that he found a voice to say more.

"Sure is cause I wouldn’t put up with it." The room was silent. No one moved and Batman felt all the eyes upon him. He just shook his head. He had known the archer since he was a child. He had been raised by one of Batman few friends, the original Green Arrow, Oliver Queen. He was sure that if Ollie had still been alive he would be rolling on the floor laughing now. Batman smiled to himself at the thought.

"Is...he...smiling?" Wonder Woman whispered to Superman. Just then everyone noticed it and Arsenal turned pale.

"I’ve never, uh, seen him smile before. What does it mean?" Donna asked Wonder Woman in a worried tone.

"I’m not sure, but I think you had better get your friend out of here!" Wonder Woman’s warning was heeded immediately as Flash grabbed Arsenal and sped out of the room. Everyone looked to Batman but he had already grabbed a couple of sandwiches and cokes and was out the door.

"Kal-EL, that was the spookiest thing I’ve ever seen." Wonder Woman saw the agreement on Superman’s face and the two went back to eating their lunch.

"So what did you want to see me about?" Nightwing’s pretended innocence didn’t fool Batman in the slightest. For effect’s sake he did not answer his son right away, causing Nightwing to glance up from his sandwich and look Batman in the face.

"Okay, so I was late. Big deal. I’ve got a huge caseload you know. Not only am I a police officer in Bludhaven by day but also I’m trying to clean up the streets as Nightwing by night. Then there’s you needing help and Robin and the Titans and..and… do you know how long it’s been since I had time for a date?"

"Maybe you should reevaluate your career choice as Nightwing. Perhaps you are not disciplined enough for this line of work." With that stinging statement made, Batman turned and walked into the conference hall. Nightwing felt his entire face flush a million shades of red as the heat burned from his cheeks. He caught Robin staring at him and was in the mood to bash his mentor with someone he assumed would be his ally.

"Can you believe him? I can’t BELIEVE he said that to me! To me of all people, I work as hard or harder than anyone here. What the hell does he want from me?" Nightwing hadn’t really expected a response, for Robin seldom said anything when he ranted about Batman. This time however Robin decided not to stay silent.

"What he wants from you is the same thing you say you want from him. Respect. Only he’s not going to give it to you until you first give it to him." Certain that Nightwing was going to start yelling at him, Robin looked down at the floor. He loved both men very much. His surrogate father and brother meant everything to him. He truly hated it when they fought. It was so bad that sometimes he would lie awake at night and try to figure out a way to bring them to their senses. Alfred told him once that if he tried to help he would more than likely just end up with both of them angry with him. He just didn’t feel like he could stand by though and watch this same train wreck over and over again. Somehow he had to try to keep the train from derailing.

"Look Bro, I see that glare. I know you’re pissed at me but just listen for once okay? Try to put this into his point of view. From his pov you dissed him by showing up late. Then you sit at the back instead of the front where you KNOW he likes US to sit. Then you play paper football. Hey, if I were giving the meeting I would be ticked at you too. It’s more than that even. He’s your dad. When you don’t show him respect it hurts him. Oh, he would NEVER admit it but I’ve seen it in his eyes and so have you. Not to mention that if his own son doesn’t respect him then everyone else around here starts wondering why they should. Point in case, a few minutes ago Arsenal told off Batman in the lounge."

Robin waited long enough for the weight of his words to sink in. Nightwing had appeared to only be half listening at best. Wondering what he did to deserve two lectures in the same day. The part about Arsenal caught his attention though as Robin had known it would.

"Is he still breathing?" Nightwing asked already knowing the answer. Batman might not kill but he sure could maim if he was in the mood. It wasn’t wise to diss him like that. That’s when everything that Robin had been saying hit home. If his own son doesn’t respect him then everyone else around here starts wondering why they should.

"Think so, Flash got him the hell out of dodge but I think he might have wet his pants." Robin smirked as he joked trying to lighten Nigthwing’s mood. It was almost time for the meeting to start and he wanted to try to get through to him before it was to late.

"Why don’t you go on in? I’ll be there in a minute." Nightwing appeared distracted and Robin sighed.

"You aren’t going to leave are you? Every time you guys get into it you leave..." Robin sounded so sad, forcing Nightwing to see how hard all this had been on his little brother.

"Not leaving. Promise. Go on in and save me a seat."

"In front?" Robin asked hopefully.

"Yeah, yeah, whatever." Nightwing was rewarded with a smile from Robin. His little brother was one of the very few people in his life that truly understood him.

"You’re not going to be late again are you?" Robin asked half teasing. Nightwing stuck his tongue out as his only reply.

Three hours later Nightwing was trying hard not to wiggle in the rock hard chair he was sitting in- up front. He appeared for all intents and purposes to be listening to the briefing but in fact his mind was on what had happened earlier. He knew it took a lot for Robin to talk to him like that. A sure sign that he was really upset. What was worse in Nightwing’s eyes was that Robin had thought Nightwing had been the one in the wrong. Donna had caught him and told him how Robin had lied to cover for him. It wasn’t in Robin’s everyday nature to lie and he knew how uncomfortable that must have been for him. Nightwing had taken Batman’s advice and was reevaluating his choices. For the first time he was taking Batman’s pov into consideration. Suddenly a lot of things made sense. He was glad that Robin had cared enough to set him straight. That kid really is a Boy Wonder Nightwing thought with a smile.

"...wing blah, blah reports?" Nightwing realized that Manhunter had been talking to him. Great, he thought, this just isn’t my day..

"Reports?" He caught the look Robin was giving him out of the corner of his eye. Batman had asked him to bring the report file to the meeting. A summary of what was known and what each member was expected to do in this case. He had looked everywhere for the damn thing before he left his apartment. Searching for the report had been one of the main reasons he had been late. He felt the hair on the back of his neck stand up..

"NIGHTWING" Batman’s voice boomed. Everyone there winced as if to shield them from the Bat’s heated glare. This is about the point that Batman and Nightwing would normally be going at it. Both men giving as good as he got in the yelling department. This time though Nightwing saw Robin’s sad look in time.

"Sir?"

"The reports? DID YOU BRING THEM?"

"Uh, no sir I didn’t."

"I guess you have a reason for us?"

"It’s tempting, but no. No excuses. I screwed up."

To Nightwing’s surprise Batman seemed pleased by his answer.

"Nightwing will be faxing all of you your reports. Remember they are confidential so don’t leave them just laying around. That’s all for today."

When everyone else had left, Nightwing remained staring at Batman and wondering what to say. Oh well, quests I’ll have to ‘Wing’ it...

"You mad at me?"

"Does it matter?"

"Yeah, it does to me..."

Batman didn’t answer the question. He instead handed Nightwing a report file.

"You had the copy the whole time. I spent an hour looking for that stupid thing. Not to mention the fact that you made the meeting for a time you KNEW would be inconvienent for me because I was supposed to take Clancy out to dinner."

"Yes".

"Why?"

"Does it matter?"

With a heavy sigh Nightwing huffed, "It does to me."

Batman thought about ignoring the question but the look of confusion and hurt in Nightwing’s blue eyes spoke volumes.

"It was a test per say."

"Go on.."

" I wanted to see if I could make you lose your temper, to see if I could push the right buttons. I’d say I did."

"The reason being?"

"You are the best I’ve ever seen at what you do. When you want to be. However, you still have some obstacles to overcome. Some.. weak spots that need strengthen."

"Well, how nice of you to work on those for me..." Nightwing’s voice was raised and his face was flushed. Batman gritted his teeth, dreading this confrontation but believing in its need to be.

"Son, we have a very dangerous job. If you don’t stay focused you could wind up...well... I could lose you. I don’t want to take that chance." Nightwing could see sincerity in Batman’s dark brooding eyes. It wasn’t Batman’s fault, he supposed, if the man had the annoying habit of being right far more often than he was wrong.

"So, what do I need to work on Sensei?" Batman’s look softened at the mention of Nightwing’s old nickname for him.

"All I’m trying to get through to you son is watch your temper. If I can learn what buttons to push with you then someone else can too. When your temper is raging you lose your focus. I know you accuse me of being cold and I’m not saying that is how you should be. You should however, appear to be more...unreadable. Does that make ANY sense to you?"

"Did you say something Batman?"

"NIGHTWING" Batman growled.

"What? I’m trying to be unreadable. How am I doing?"

Batman shook his head. "Why do I even bother?" he quipped.

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