Batman # 6

Setting: group home on the outskirts of gotham.

Dick is getting a bag ready for the night at bruce’s manor.

 We see him from above packing his bag and we see the robin suit in the bag as he is hiding it from prying eyes.

Nameless councilor: okay kids let's get going the sleepover at the wayne manor only happens once a month. I need all kids from floor one to get their bags in the van now.

Grayson hears and hurries to finish packing and grabs a plain moleskin notebook

The notebook has tape on the front of it labeling it as “crime notes do not touch!! For dick’s eyes only”

all the kids arrived at the manor many went running around and playing in the garden.

Flash to dick sitting under a tree near an old well dick is sketching in his notebook.

show he is sketching the robin logo on scratch paper on his notebook with earbuds on. a look of pure concentration on his face

someone grabs Dicks shoulder

Bruce: Hey dick.

dick: [startled]

crouches down to Dicks level

Bruce: Sorry bud, I didn't mean to scare you.  I was just wondering where you were since I didn't see you playing with any of the other kids.

Dick: didn’t wanna. They are too loud

Bruce nodded, sitting next to dick.

Bruce: May I see what you were drawing?

Dick’s face turns red as he turns away clutching his notebook to his chest

Dick:  I wasn’t drawing anything.

Bruce: [chuckling] Okay you don’t have to show me. Isn’t this your first sleepover at the manor?

Dick nods and bruce smiles.

Bruce: Okay then how about I show you around since you dont wanna play with the others.

Dick gives side eye

Bruce stood up holding out his hand to dick

 dick then slapped away and stood up on his own holding the moleskin notebook to his side now

Dick: fine. Let's see it then

show some frames of them exploring the mansion

After a bit of the mansion tour they stop by one of the studies

One that had a big painting of Bruce's parents by a fireplace, his father down on the floor playing a game with a young bruce and his mother crocheting on a chair nearby laughing at the two and a nearby mirror with Alfred holding the camera in it.

Dick: Who's that in the painting?

Bruce looks at the painting with a sad smile on his face.

Bruce: well that's me, alfred, and my parents.

Dick looked at him curious.

Dick: your parents?

Bruce: yes. This painting was originally a picture. The last one we had together but I had it turned into a painting after their funeral. Feels much… nicer.

Dick: you lost them?

Bruce chuckled looking at Dick.

Bruce: you sound like you don’t know about what happened to the waynes. Its all over gotham at least twice a year.

Dick: I’m not from gotham. I’m actually from jump city.

Bruce tenses and crouches to dicks height.

Bruce: then how did you come into my care?

Dick: your care?

Bruce: Every child that is a part of my group homes is under my care. As far as I’m concerned each and every one of you is my kid. I’m just helping you find a good home for yourself. I try to look into as many of you as I can but every so often a kid falls through the cracks. Now tell me how did you wind up in the gotham branch?

Fast flashback shown as dick talks

Dicks line appear in narrator box

Dick: I was originally here for a gymnastic tournament. It was the last one I had to do in order to have the points needed to qualify for the world championships.

Close up on Grayson in what is the future robin outfit with some blue like his future nightwing costume.

Dick: It was supposed to just be a one day thing. That's all it was supposed to be. But someone else had other plans.

A bang sound effect and screaming as we turn to look behind grayson who was on the balance beam doing his set now a mere silhouette in front small compared to the panicking crowd behind him and the shooter off to the side.

Dick: There was a shooter at the tournament. Gunning down the audience

Silhouette shot of dicks parents being shot.

Dick: I was in the middle of my set but then my parents they… 

Show dick being shot at and one grazing him

Dick I.. screamed and fell. Everything was dark after that.

Show dick bandaged in his hotel room answering the door with a lady dressed like a shcool teacher on the other side.

Dick: After I woke up there was a lady from Wayne foster care offering me a place to stay and now I’m here.

Back to present

Bruce listened intently, his gaze not breaking from Dicks.

Bruce: I’m so sorry that happened. You were lucky to make it out of there. I’m so sorry you have been stuck in Gotham for this long. I can arrange for you to be taken back to jump city if you like.

Dick shook his head no

Dick: I didn’t have any friends anyway. It's okay. Honestly… I kind of like Gotham. I just wish it was quieter.

Bruce nods and continues the tour ending with his study where his hand written notes on the grayson case lay out on a coffee table on a loveseat couch.

Bruce: this is the quietest room in the manor. Have fun reading my notes. I should go back out to make sure the other kids aren't strangling each other. You need anything there is a bell on the couch and Alfred will get you what you need dick.

Bruce leaves dick alone

we wont see anything from him until late at night when bruce walks into his study to check on dick.

Bruce: okay dick its time for you to go to bed.

Dick was climbing a bookshelf trying to reach something high up.

 Books fall 

 bruce quickly grabs grayson pulling him back and looks at grayson

Bruce: do you think your some kind of acrobat?

Dick nods.

Dick: well i did wanna be one when i grew up

Bruce blinks and sighs setting dick down.

Bruce: Your bed spread is ready, go out with the others and sleep. Its bedtime.

Dick: Nah, I’m good. I wanna stay up until the sun rises.

Bruce: Why do you want to do that?

Dick:*lying* no reason. I just wanna see the sun rise.

Bruce: mhm. Well I’ll just have to wake you up before then so you can watch. But in the meantime you need to sleep dick.

Dick pouted and went to bed without much of a fuss. However he peeks his eye open when bruce turns his back on him and he smirks.

end issue 6