Last of the AU meme drabbles!

[museofspeed]

Title: Falling Bird
Characters: Bruce, Tim, Dick
Rating: PG
Prompt: A world where Tim is the first Robin and Dick the third.

Bruce and Tim were in the center of the the ring in an instant, even while everyone else was fleeing from the scene of the accident.

Tim forgot that Bruce had fired him. Bruce couldn't care less that Tim had acted recklessly. The grief from losing Jason and their arguments about him melted away. Their petty complaints were nothing compared to the grief of little Dick Grayson.

Tim still felt the sting from losing his parents just a year ago, and although Bruce's parents had been dead for over twenty years, watching the Flying Graysons die hurt him just as much.

The two of them quickly hugged Dick tightly, whispering comforting words in his ears.

They didn't tell him it would be okay. They both knew that it wouldn't.

But as they hugged the boy, they both knew without having to discuss it that their family would soon have another member.



Title: Let Me Guess
Characters: Bernard/Tim
Rating: G
Prompt: Tim and Bernard in a musical.
Warnings: CRACK CRACK CRACK CRACK CRACK! And bad poetry.

"A new home, a new school," Tim said, alone on the stage. "At least now I'll be right in Gotham so it'll be easier for me to get out as Robin. Still, I'll miss my friends. I don't know anyone here." He shifted his back pack and started walking. "First day, here I come!"

A group of boys entered, almost passing him.

"Hold up!" the boy in the front said. "What have we here?"

"I - " Tim started to say. Music started to play.

"No, don't tell me," Bernard said. "Let me guess." He started to sing.

"No piercings or tattoos
No strange and hempish smell
You've clearly bathe a lot
And you're fairly fit as well."

"Where are you going with this?" Tim asked.

Bernard held up a hand and started walking around Tim.

"I must find where you fit.
Everybody's got a spot
In the high school hierarchy
An exception you are not."

He frowned. "What's your name, new kid?"

"I'm Tim Drake, I just transferred here."

"Well, Drake," Bernard said. He started to sing again.

"Could be a jock,
but you've got books.
A nerd, perhaps?
but you've got looks.
Drama geek? No not a chance
You don't look like you can dance.
Where do you fit?
I can't figure it!
Drake, my friend, you are a mystery!"

"Um," Tim said. "Thanks?"

"Tell me," Bernard said. "What clique are you part of?"

"Is it that important?"

"Utterly vital. Everyone in their place. It's how the world works."

"What about you?" Tim asked.

Bernard grinned.

"I... am the exception.
I...fit with them all.
A roving ambassador
Not something all can do
It involves finesse and charm
It's probably not for you."

He threw an arm around Tim. "You're lucky you met me. Bernard Dowd. Bernard, got it? Never Bernie. Call me Bernie and I'll have to punish you. I pretty much run things around here."

"Nice to meet you," Tim said.

"You too, Timmy."

"Tim."

"See?" Bernard said. "We're getting along already."

He started to sing. "You and me, we'll be friends."

Tim joined in. "I'm not quite sure that's a good thing."

"Friends, of course," Bernard turned to the audience, "and maybe more," he sang quietly.

"I somehow joined this song he sings," Tim said.

Together they sang.

"Does it really matter where we fit?
Who really needs their spot?
The high school hierarchy
Can afford to let us drop.
Some people don't fit!
That's the way of it."

"Tim," Bernard sang, "I'd give a cheer.
I'm really glad you're here."

"Bernard," Tim sang, "you're a lot,"
He grinned at the audience. "but really kind of hot."

"We don't need to fit!" they sang together.
"Life's to short for it!
High school's got a plan,
but a strong-willed man
Doesn't need to fit!"

"Now, here are some rules you'll need to know," Bernard said as they walked off stage.



Title: Payment
Characters: Cass/Steph
Rating: PG-13
Prompt: Cass/Steph in the Crime Syndicate world.

"You owe me a favor, Talon."

Steph scowled and turned to face the intruder. Cassandra Cain was an assassin. If she wanted you dead, you were dead.

Steph hated owing her, but she'd helped get revenge on her ex-boyfriend Tim Drake. Tim had made the mistake of letting the condom rip. And he hadn't wanted to pay for the abortion.

Luckily, black market organs were just as good as money to some of these hospitals.

"What do you want?" Steph snapped.

"I need you to teach me how to kill Owlman."

Steph snorted. "If I knew that, don't you think I would have done it?"

Cassandra shrugged. "Maybe. But maybe you're just waiting for the right moment. Maybe you need all the pieces into play. Maybe you need help."

"I don't need help," Steph said quickly. "You're the one who came to me, remember that."

"We could take his spot in the Syndicate," Cassandra said. "You and me. All that power."

Steph said nothing.

"You owe me," Cassandra reminded her.

Steph doubted Cassandra would really share the power. Still, Steph did want Owlman dead. She nodded. "Okay. I'll help you. But it's a big job. We're going to need my team."

"Can they be trusted?"

"No. But they'll do what I tell them to." They all owed her something. Steph liked to keep it that way.

After all, she'd known she'd need their help when she killed Owlman.



Title: Foolishness Will Not Be Tolerated
Characters: Bruce/Ted
Rating: PG
Prompt: Batman/Beetle in a pirate AU.

"Captain Wayne!" Ted shouted, hanging upside-down from the rigging. "Free just relieved me from one of the most boring look-outs I've ever had! Do you have any orders for me sir!"

"Stop acting like a clown and get off that rigging," Bruce growled.

Ted saluted upside-down and did a back flip down to the deck.

Bruce glared at him. "There will be no foolishness aboard my ship."

"So why'd you hire Carter?" Ted asked.

"Kord," Bruce growled, looming.

Ted shrunk back. "Sorry, Captain," he said.

Bruce glared at Ted for a few moments. "My cabin. Now." He said.

"But Cap - "

"Now."

Ted shrugged and walked to the cabin whistling.

Bruce watched him go, then continued his rounds on the ship. Kord would wait for him, getting more anxious, even if he didn't show it.

Then Bruce would remind him who was in charge.



Title: Conspiracy
Characters: Jaime, Guy
Rating: PG
Prompt: The Reach is good, Oans are bad, and the Green Lanterns are their unwitting dupes.

"Wait! Stop!" Jaime shouted, throwing up a shield. "Don't attack!"

Guy Gardner held his ring up threateningly. "Gimme one reason not to," he said.

"Came to warn you," Jaime gasped. "There's - the Oan conspiracy!"

"What're you talking about? If this is some stupid excuse for why you keep gettin' in my way on missions..."

"It's not, I swear," Jaime said. "I mean, it is, but...not stupid, look," he dropped his head armor. "Truce? Just...let me explain?"

Guy looked at him suspiciously. "How old are you?" he asked.

"Not important!" Jaime said. "Look, I work for the Reach."

"I know, they're enemies of Oa."

"Yes! It's just - they're manipulating you. Each of your missions seem heroic, sure, but they're biggest purpose is to help the Guardians' keep control over the world!"

"Do you have proof of this?"

"I - yeah." Jaime pulled out a thumb drive. "Here."

"Ring," Guy said automatically, making a computer to read it. He frowned as he read until -

"Error, files unreadable," the ring told him, and before Guy could stop it, the energy crushed the disk.

"What was on that - "

"Stuff the Guardians don't want you to know! Please believe me, Mr. Gardner," Jaime said. "You've got to get rid of the ring and help me get the rest of the Lanterns to my side!"

Guy looked at him thoughtfully for a minute. "You're crazy, kid. You know that?"

"Yeah," Jaime said. "The Scarab said I should just kill you."

"You're really boosting my confidence in you."

"I didn't!" Jaime said. "I don't kill people!"

Guy looked at him for another moment, then wrenched the ring off his hand and threw it into the sand.

"You better be serious about this," he said.

"I am," Jaime said. "Thanks for believing me."

"Yeah, well," Guy shrugged. "Even if you are lying, I've gone without a ring before. I can still kick your ass."



Title: Show and Tell
Characters: Jaime, Guy, Ted/Booster, Bea, Tora.
Rating: G
Prompt: Jaime and Milagro are adopted by the Justice League.

Jaime snuck out of Uncle Ted's room with the Scarab hidden in his shirt. They were studying ancient Egypt at school, and he'd bragged to his friends that one of his uncles had a real live Egyptian artifact. They hadn't believed him, so he'd promised he'd bring it in. Only he knew Uncle Ted really liked the Scarab. So he'd decided he'd just borrow it without telling him. Luckily, Uncle Ted slept in Uncle Booster's room now.

Jaime put the Scarab in his bag next to his bed and fell asleep.

He woke up in the middle of the night seeing strange symbols everywhere. He choked back a scream. Then he looked at his hands and saw them encased in some kind of blue armor.

He really did scream at that.

In a moment, Guy and Tora were in his room. Aunt Bea, Uncle Ted and Uncle Booster were there a few moments after.

"Jaime-boy, what's wrong?" Guy asked, crouching next to the bed.

Jaime looked at his hands. They were normal. The symbols were gone. "It was a dream," he said, surprised. "Just a bad dream."

"Musta been pretty damn bad," Guy said. "I thought we were under attack."

"No, we're fine," Jaime said. He really, really wanted Guy to leave. He just seemed all wrong for some reason. "I'm going to go back to sleep, okay?"

Guy patted him on the shoulder and his rings shot off green sparks. Guy glanced at it and frowned. Then he shrugged. "This'll all make sense in the morning, I bet."

"Yeah," Jaime said. "Probably." He turned over in his bed and tried to forget just how real the dream had felt.