Come stop your crying it'll be alright
Just take my hand hold it tight
I will protect you from all around you
I will be here don't you cry
~You'll Be in My Heart ~ Phil Collins~
...Home: September 29, 2010...
The school day is over and I'm in my room, flipping through a manga. Momma is out with Aunty Selina and Aunty Ivy. Papa is doing something elsewhere, leaving me with the whole house to myself along with the hyenas of course. My moment of peace is suddenly interrupted by the ringing of my communicator with the team. I sigh, transforming my look into my superhero half before answering the call. Batman appears on the screen.
"Batman?"
"I need your help."
"Whoa. The Batman needs my help. That's new."
"Are you available, or not?"
"I just don't understand why you can't ask the team to help you?"
"This is a job only you can fill," he responds."You need to come in."
"I feel like I'm gonna walk straight into a trap." He gives a small smile before hanging up. "Did he just smile at me?! That's scarier than a glare!" I look towards Storm. "Should I go?"
~You know you should.~
I sigh with a loud and long groan. "Fine." I speed out of the house and get into the nearest zeta-tube to the cave.
"Recognized: Bolt, B08."
"I'm here, what is it you need, Batsy?" I call out. Batman is standing at the computer with Wolf standing next to him, going over different formulas. "Uh, Batman, where is the team?"
"Don't know, they're hiding around here somewhere," he says, turning around with a baby in his arms.
"Whoa," I gasp, eyes widening. "I didn't know you had children. Was mom too busy to watch him?"
"No," he bellows, giving a slight glare. "This is Robin."
"What?!" I shout, running up to him to look down at the sleeping baby. "He's so cute." I pull my phone out and take a quick pic, unnoticed by Batman.
He places Robin in my arms. "I need to go help the other Justice League members with a mission. We'll return soon to try and figure out a solution to this problem."
"Wait, what happened?" I ask.
"Joker made a new gas that turns everyone younger. Everyone has been deaged by 12 years."
"Joker?" I question. So that's what papa's been doing... "So, Robin is only a year old?
"Yes," Batman nods.
"Wait, so you're just going to leave me here with all these babies, alone?! You trust me enough to do that?!" I shout.
He bends down to my level, getting in my personal bubble, and glares right in my face. "I have no choice at the moment, but if anything happens to Robin, I won't hesitate to take you down."
I give him a smirk, obviously not scared from his threat. He turns back to the computer. "So you don't care if anything happens to the others?"
He turns to give me a glare. "Another teammate that's not really on this team, like you, is coming to help. It's about time you two met."
"Who?" I ask.
"You'll know when he gets here," he responds, turning off the holographic screen then heading toward the zeta-tubes and typing in his destination. "The others are hiding. I told them that you'll find them if they hide."
"Why?"
He gives a grin before he disappears through the zeta-tube. "Recognized: Batman, 02."
"That cocky bastard," I growl. I look down at the peaceful sleeping Robin. "He's so small." I sigh.
~I'll help you find them,~ Wolf says, turning to me.
"If Batman expects me to look for the others, he's mistaken," I admit. "I'm not gonna waste my time finding them."
~You're not worried about them?~
"Nope. Alright, baby bird, let's go watch some tv or something." I begin to walk toward the living room, only to get an idea and turn back around, summoning up a holographic computer. I turn on the speaker system and begin talking. "You may as well come out because I'm not going to come look for you. I'm going to watch tv. If you wanna keep hiding, go ahead, I don't care." I throw the screen away and head to the living room with Wolf following behind. As soon as I arrive, Wally is there, jumping on the couch.
"What we watching?" he asks.
"Let's see what's on," I say, adjusting Robin in one arm and grabbing the remote. "Wally?"
"Yeah?"
"Where are the others?"
"I don't know," he giggles.
"How about you go find them?" I suggest. "If you find them all, I'll give you candy."
"Chocolate?!"
"Sure."
"Yay!" he squeals then disappears.
"Good to know he still has powers and that their outfits shrunk with them." I sit on the couch, getting Robin situated in my lap. "Oh, I'm so getting pictures of this." I pull out my phone and take a few pictures of Robin.
Wally zips back. "I can't find them."
"Recognized: Red Arrow, B06."
"Yes! He's here!" I cheer and speed over to the zeta-tubes.
"Who are you and how did you get in here?" RA huffs, pulling out his bow and aiming an arrow at me.
"I'm Bolt. I'm sure the others have told you about me."
"Bolt? You look, different than what I imagined."
I smirk. "Sexier, right, Red Arrow?"
He ignores me. "Call me Roy when we're not in the field. Why do you have a baby?" Roy asks, putting up his bow.
I hand Robin to him. "Be back later! I got some errands to run."
"What?! You can't just leave me here with your baby! I don't know how to take care of one!"
I race into the zeta-tubes, typing in the coordinates. "By the way, the baby is Robin. Have fun with the rest of them!" I give a two finger salute with a wink before disappearing.
"Recognized: Bolt, B08."
"Alright, where should I head first."
"Candy store!" a small voice beside me shouts.
I nearly jump out of my skin as I turn to face Wally. "Wally! You little snot!" I grab him and put him to my hip. "You were supposed to stay with Roy."
"I like you more."
"You've known Roy longer."
"But you're pretty."
I chuckle. "You're definitely Wally." I sigh and pull out my communicator to call the cave.
"Bolt?" Roy answers slightly angered.
"Yeah, I have Wally with me. Bye." I quickly hang up before he can say anything else. I morph my costume into normal clothes with sunglasses but leave my magenta colored hair the same and in its ponytail.
"Like magic!" Wally squeals.
"Come on, let's go find some soft food for Robin," I put him back on the ground and hold his hand. "You can't use your super speed here."
"Okay," he sighs. "Can we go to park?"
"Robinson Park? I guess we could go a little later maybe with Roy and the others," I think, putting my free hand to my chin. "Let's just get some clothes and food first."
"Yes, ma'am..."
We exit the alleyway to the streets and begin to head toward the store. I hear an evil chuckle and footsteps behind us almost automatically after passing a few other alleyways. Guess we should've taken another path.
"Quit following us or I'm gonna make you," I call out.
"What is a shrimp like you gonna do?"
I turn around to glare at the people behind us, three thugs. I mentally roll my eyes. "Kick your ass."
They begin to laugh. "Yeah right."
I huff and turn back around and continue down the street, pulling Wally close to my side. They continue to follow.
"What exactly is it that you want?" I ask, turning around quickly and shoving Wally behind my back.
"Money, and you're the easiest target. Young and without any parents."
"There's a reason that I don't have any adults with me. I can handle myself." I lift my hand up to them and begin to speed it up, phasing it right through one of their chests. "If I stop moving my hand, you'll die. Get lost or I'll do it." Their eyes widen and they quickly run off. I smirk as I turn back around. "I love to do that... So, we can use the credit card Batman gave us for emergencies? I love being a superhero."
"That wasn't heroic," Wally pouts.
"Some things aren't," I say, picking him up and putting him on my shoulders. "Let's continue on our way."
~~~
"Bolt! Get back here now! I can't handle this!" Roy shouts once he answers.
I smirk. "I'm taking Wally to the park in Gotham. Bring the others. I have a shirt that'll cover Kaldur's gills and arm markings."
"There's no way I could get them all there. You need to come help."
"Make sure Megan turns into a human girl," I grin before hanging up.
"We going to park now?" Wally asks.
"Yes, Wally, we're going to the park and will meet up with Roy," I answer.
"When we eat?" he asks.
"We'll have a light snack before dinner after some fun at the park."
"But I'm hungy now!" he says, not pronouncing correctly and begins to throw a fit.
"Oh, hello, Dawn! You have a high metabolism," I say, slapping my forehead. I dig through one of the grocery bags and pull out a few candy bars, handing them to Wally. "Here, eat these." Whoa, I've been hanging around Megan too much... Lucky Wally wasn't paying attention. Hopefully, none of them will remember this, but it might be funnier if they did.
His whining stops and he grabs the candy bars happily, automatically ripping them open and taking a bite. "Thank you!"
I take as many pictures of him as possible. This is so gonna be used as payback for later. We arrive at the park and he races off to the playground as I sit on a nearby bench. A few minutes later, I hear crying and I check to make sure it's not Wally, luckily it isn't, but it doesn't mean it's not my concern.
"Bolt!" a voice angrily shouts.
I snicker and turn around to see Roy, dressed in civvies and sunglasses. Robin screaming in his arms. Artemis pouting a little behind him. Kaldur silently walking beside him. Megan on his shoulders, playing with his hair happily. Conner pouting beside Artemis. I get a quick picture before he notices. "Roy! How nice to see you! How are the kids doing?"
"I hate you."
I grin. "I know. Why is Robin crying?"
"I don't know! He won't stop!"
"Maybe because he woke up to see your face."
"What's that supposed to mean?"
"Nothing," I respond. I take the sweater from a bag and walk over to Kaldur, pulling it over him and giving him a smile. "There. How are you Kaldur?"
"Dry."
"That's typical when you're on land and not in the water," I say, turning to the rest of the team. "You guys are so cute! Go and play. Wally's already over there, waiting for you."
They nod and run over towards Wally.
Roy shoves Robin into my arms. "Here."
Robin stops crying as he sees me and reaches up to play with my hair in a fit of giggles. "Maybe you were holding him wrong. Wait, nope." I hold him up under his arms but far away from me. "He stinks and I am so not changing him."
"Well, I'm not changing him!"
"Uh, yes, you are," I reply. "I am not going to look at his business! At least not when he's a baby!"
"Gross. Then... use your speed!"
"Absolutely not!" I shove Robin back into Roy's arms and run off. I head back to the store and buy a small pack of diapers and wipes, racing back and placing them next to Roy. "Have fun!" I head over to play with the little team.
"I hate you!" Roy shouts then stalks off.
I chuckle as everyone else in the park gives us weird looks. After he leaves, I move back over to the bench to watch our stuff. Even from here I can hear the throw up sounding noises coming from Roy and the giggling from Robin, making me laugh further. A lady walks up to the bench and sits down next to me, setting down all her things on the ground but her purse.
"Are those your kids?" she asks, unsurely.
"Oh, I'm much too young to have children."
"Brothers and sisters?"
"The two redheads are that older redheaded guy's younger siblings. The two blonds are my half siblings. The black haired boy and baby are my neighbor's children," I lie. "Which one is yours?"
"You have your hands full," she says. "Mine is the brown haired boy going down the slide."
"He looks like you," I admit. "How old is he?"
"Five," she answers. "And you?"
"The baby is a year old. The male blond is 4 and the girl is 3. The male red head is 3 and the girl is 4. Then the black haired boy is 4. I'm 13. Mr. Grumpy Pants is 18, I think."
"You're only 13? Wow, you seem much older than that. You look much... much older than that."
"I get that a lot."
"Bolt, I am never doing that again," Roy huffs, walking up with a crying Robin.
"Then you better hope that he doesn't poop again because I sure won't be doing it," I huff, taking Robin into my arms, automatically calming him down.
"You two must be close," the lady says, commenting on Roy and I's relationship.
"Far from it," Roy huffs, sitting down next to me and leaning back against the bench, spreading his arms over the back.
"Yeah, we just met each other a few hours ago," I admit.
"I couldn't tell," she laughs. Robin giggles and then begins to cry. "He looks like he's hungry."
"Luckily I bought some soft food for him to eat," I say, pulling out a jar of peaches from the grocery bag. "This is so weird."
"You're telling me. Never thought I'd see the day," Roy chuckles.
"Take pictures," I tell Roy, handing him my phone and mentally thanking myself that I don't have a picture of me and papa in the background. "We are so using this as blackmail."
"Definitely," Roy responds, taking pictures of Robin happily eating the food.
He quickly finishes and happily gurgles. "That was a lot easier than I thought it would be."
"Robin's an easy baby, I guess," Roy admits.
I hand Robin to Roy. "Burp him."
"Burp him?"
"You have to burp him after he eats."
"How do you know so much about babies?" he asks, patting Robin's back gently. "And why do I have to do it?"
"I use to have a friend who had a baby brother. I'd watch her mom care for the baby all the time," I admit.
"No longer a friend?" Roy asks.
"No longer in my life," I respond. "I moved. And I don't want Robin throwing up on me."
"Throwing up?!" he screams.
"Don't you know anything about babies?" I ask.
"Why would I?"
"Don't you wanna have a family one day?" I ask.
"Not really. Besides, can't really lay low with the life we live," Roy sighs, trying not to give away too much to the lady next to us and handing my phone back to me.
"Yeah," I admit. Hearing Robin burp, I take him back and bring him over to the others. Robin looks up at me, smiles, then leans his head on my chest and falls asleep. "You are too cute. God, I'm so going to make fun of you when you return to normal."
"Bolt! Bolt!" Wally calls out. "Come play on jungle gym with me!"
"Go ask Roy," I call back, sitting on one of the open swings. "Robin is sleeping." He runs off over to Roy.
"Bolt," Artemis calls out from beside me. "I wanna go home."
"We're going to go eat after playing on the playground," I tell her.
"I wanna go home!" she cries, stomping her foot.
I sigh, shifting Robin to one side and picking her up with my other arm. "Don't you wanna have food first? Aren't you hungry?"
She sniffles. "Yeah..."
"How about after a little snack we go get ice cream?"
Her face lightens up and she quickly nods. "Okay!"
"Then go play with the others until then."
She nods and runs off to play with Wally and Roy.
"Bolt, Kaldur in fountain," Conner says, walking up to me with Megan in tow.
I sigh. "Great. You know what, just leave him. He'll just go back," I say, standing up and heading over to the fountain to see Kaldur peeking out from the water and playing with the fish. I smile as I take a quick picture of him being adorable. "Kaldur, you know you have to get out of there. People are beginning to watch."
"I do not care," he replies. "The water is my home."
"I know, but the land is your home now. Now, come out."
"No."
I sigh. "Alright. Looks like Kaldur won't be getting any ice cream after lunch."
"Ice cream?" he questions. "I have always wanted to try the ice cream."
I smirk. "Sorry, you can't try it if you don't come out here and let me change you into a new shirt."
He pouts and I obviously get a picture of it.
"Fine." He climbs out of the fountain and we head over to Roy, who's holding all our stuff.
"Can you grab the other sweater I have in the bag?"
"Why can't you do it?" he scoffs.
"Would you rather hold Robin?"
His eyes widen and he shakes his head 'no.' "Fine," he says, bending down to the bag beside him to pull out the red sweater.
I take it and walk over to a secluded area to help change out Kaldur's shirt and not have people stare at his markings. I use my speed to switch out the shirts, gently handling Robin.
Kaldur's eyes widen. "When did you change my shirt?"
"I have powers, you know that."
"Me too!" he squeals.
I smile. "I know, you have a very powerful magic. You aren't allowed to show it in public."
"But you just did."
"Nobody was watching," I tell him.
"So I can play with magic when no one looks?"
"No, because someone might turn and see. Don't do any magic until we get home."
"Yes, ma'am," he agrees as he walks back with me, carrying his wet clothes, to the others. "Is Wobin asleep?"
"Yep," I say, looking down at the sleeping baby. "Ring out your shirt."
Kaldur begins to squeeze the water out of the shirt as we walk back toward Roy.
"Managed to get a bag by itself for the wet shirt," Roy says.
"Nice," I admit. "You're not so bad at this after all."
Kaldur puts the shirt in the bag, ties it, then goes back over to Megan and Conner.
"Never asked, but what happened to them?"
"Joker gassed them with some kind of new formula that obviously turns someone 12 years younger," I explain and chuckle. "Looks like Batman will be using that for the future."
He lets out a small laugh. "Hell, I'd use it when I got to that age. How the hell did Joker come up with something like that?"
"He obviously had help," I admit. "I guess that's what the league is trying to figure out."
"While we're stuck here babysitting," he growls, heading over with me walking behind to the bench from before.
"It's not like I was doing anything anyway. I didn't have any homework," I shrug, sitting down next to him. "They're kinda cute."
Roy scoffs in reply, but his eyes soften upon seeing Robin asleep. "I guess."
I give him a light shove with my shoulder. "You are such a big brother, whether you believe it or not. You care for everyone more than you care to admit."
"I only care for Wally, Kaldur, and Robin," he scoffs. "The rest of you I don't trust. One of you is the mole on the team, and I'm going to find out who it is. Guess who's at the top of the list?"
"You?" I suggest.
"You," he replies, poking my shoulder harshly. "We don't know anything about you. Artemis is the second then Conner and Megan."
I snicker, slightly crazy, which might be the reason I'm suspected as a traitor. "If I was the traitor, I would have killed them all already," I admit with a smirk towards Roy. "Kill them when they're most vulnerable as babies. All it takes is a knife. Well, Superboy might be a bit harder. Might need to smuggle some kryptonite from the black market or Lex or someone."
"That just made me suspect you more," he admits.
"I figured it would," I admit back.
He sighs. "But you do have a point. The job would be quick and easy as they are right now."
Conner and Megan run up to us. "We hungy!"
"Alright, go get the others and tell them we're going to get some food," Roy says.
"Yay!" the two squeal and dash off to find the others.
After we get some food, ice cream, and a nice walk to calm them down, we return to the cave. Robin was still asleep and Artemis fell asleep on me, so I had to end up carrying both. Roy ended up carrying a sleeping Kaldur and Wally. Superboy managed to stay up and not get tired, deciding to carry the sleeping Megan on his back.
"So, what should we do now?" Roy asks.
"Recognized: Superman, 01. Batman, 02. Zatara, 11. Flash, 04. Green Arrow, 08. "
They all walk in and Superman, Batman, and Flash are obviously smaller, judging by the loose clothing.
"We come with good and bad news," Zatara says. "Which do you prefer first?"
"Bad," Roy immediately answers, shuffling the sleeping Wally in his arms.
"Bad news is, obviously, Batman, Superman, and I got hit by the gas," Flash says. "Causing Joker to get away while we were trying to adjust to the new sizes."
"Whoa!" I shout, rushing up to Superman and staring in his face. "Superman totally looks like Superboy now!"
Superman gives me a weary look and backs away a bit.
"What's the good news?" Roy asks.
"This should wear off in a few days," Batman says.
"So, it's not permanent?" I ask. "That stinks... I like seeing them like this. They're so cute!"
"I should take Wally home," Flash says, heading towards Roy to carry the sleeping Wally.
I obviously get a picture. Let's just assume that I take a picture like every second. Wally is transferred over to Flash, without waking. GA takes Artemis, her sleeping through the whole transfer. Superboy hands me Megan as he's beginning to fall asleep himself.
"I'll take Robin home," Batman says, walking up to me to fetch Robin.
At the sudden movement of being transferred to another person, Robin wakes up and automatically begins to cry. "No! Ba'man! Wan 'Olt!" He shouts, reaching out to me.
Batman's, along with everyone else's, eyebrows raise in surprise. The sound of Robin's cries, wakes up everyone else, causing them all to begin crying except Superboy who began to hold his ears in pain. I snatch Robin from Batman's grasp and begin to console him, calming him down. Megan and Kaldur quickly stop crying realizing their surroundings. Eventually, Wally and Artemis follow.
"How did you do that?" Flash asks.
"I guess I'm good with kids," I admit.
"No, how'd you get the others to calm down too?" GA asks.
"Motherly aura?" I suggest.
Batman gives an annoyed sigh. "Robin, let's go home."
"No!" Robin fusses, clinging on to me.
"Robin..." I sigh.
"NO!" Robin screeches.
I sigh and look to Batman. "I gotta go home, Robin."
"Stay ith you," he cries, looking at me.
"No, you go home with Batman," I say.
"Don wanna."
"I don't care what you want. You're going home with Batman. You can't come home with me. My parents would beat the crap outta me..."
They all give me a weird look at the last statement. "'Olt..."
Robin gives me the puppy dog eyes and I snicker. "That won't work on me. I promise I'll see you tomorrow. It's getting late and I'm sure you'll have a great dinner with Batman."
Roy hands Batman a bag of diapers and wipes. "Have fun, I've had to change him all day. It's your turn."
"Could you maybe stay the night?" GA asks me.
"I have school tomorrow," I answer. "I can't just skip it because it's an expensive school and my parents won't be too happy if I miss it."
"Your parents aren't abusive, are they?" GA asks concerned.
"I, um, I'm not going to answer that because I love them," I admit.
"Bolt, if your parents are abusing you, you should stay here," Roy says.
"I never said they were abusing me!" I shout.
"But you implied it," Superman declares.
"I'd be happy to adopt you," Flash says.
"NO!" I shout, startling Robin. "I'm happy with my parents. They've taught me everything I know along with their friends. It's getting late and I need to go home. They are probably getting worried especially when I come home really late. You know how hard it is to come up with excuses for coming in so late? It's hard." I hand Robin to Batman, much to Robin's annoyance. "I'll be back tomorrow to help." I head over to the zeta-tubes, typing in my destination. "Goodnight." I smirk. "And have fun!"
"Recognized: Bolt, B08."
...
Robin- 1
Wally- 3
Artemis- 3
Kaldur- 4
Megan- 4
Superboy- 4