Under the Mask

Reality Check

"Hi Barbara, I'm Dick." I whisper conspiratorially, trying to push my Wally problems to the back of my mind where they belong.

Barbara stares at me for a moment, sizing me up,

"How do you know that name? How do you know my name?" She questions, looking at me through narrowed eyes.

"How about we take this somewhere more private Babs?" I suggest, throwing her nickname out there as incentive to join me.

She regards me cautiously before agreeing and following me to my old room, which thankfully, is empty.

"So?"

I pull my mask off and look her in the eyes.

"Hi Barbara, I'm Dick, Dick Grayson, your best friend, or have you forgotten me already?" I tease, trying to distract from the awkwardness of this situation with humor.

She takes me in, comparing my features to what they used to be five years ago, and upon the realization that I am telling the truth, she punches me in the face. Then she hugs me.

"Where the hell have you been?" She snaps.

"Blüdhaven." I say full well knowing that's not the answer she's looking for.

"I knew that you idiot, I meant, what the hell Dick!" She yells and I'm afraid she might deck me again.

I shrug, "I know I should have called, but I had to get away Babs, from him, from.. some other things, I didn't know how to say goodbye, and I knew he would find me if I kept contact, and honestly it was just easier."

She tries to punch me again, but this time I dodge, I definitely deserved the first one an probably this one too, but I have a one free punch limit.

"You asshole! Just a god damned letter, nothing else, I thought you were dead! We all did!" She exclaims.

"Whoa, dead, you guys thought I was dead?" I stammer, my whole body going cold.

"Well what else were we supposed to think? You've been gone five years Dick." She reminds me.

"I know but-" I start to defend myself, not really knowing how, but trying anyway.

"No!" she cuts me off, "you don't know, you weren't here, we don't even say your name anymore, god Wally can't even look at Tim!" She yells.

"Tim? Whose Tim?" I ask, choosing to ignore the Wally comment.

"Robin, you didn't see him because he's on some mission for Batman, but he's the new Robin." She informs me with a heavy sigh.

"He replaced me?" I exclaim. Really this is something I should have known, but since leaving Gotham I've done everything in my power to avoid all things Bat.

"He didn't replace you, he just needed more help, more than I could give, he's getting old, besides, Tim's actually the third Robin, the second one, Jason died, actually died, I think Batman's started to get a complex. Anyways the point is, Batman needs a Robin, Tim knew that, smart kid, figured out who Bruce is, you as well actually. " She pauses and takes a breath,

"You've been gone a long time Dick."