Former Robins Club

A/N: This takes place in the future, when Terry becomes Batman. Everything Batman Beyond is canon here except for ROTJ, and the Killing Joke happened so Barbara is in a wheelchair. Not that she appears, but you might like to know.

They never met at the Manor. Not that they wouldn't be welcome, but Bruce didn't know. Alfred did, of course (Alfred knew everything pertaining to their little "family"), and every time they met one of them brought offerings of Alfred's homemade cookies. But not meeting at the Manor meant that they didn't have anywhere permanent to meet, at least at first, when they were scattered and none of them had a house. They tried coffee shops and restaurants, but couldn't talk or move like they really wanted to, surrounded by civilians as they were. Not that they weren't civilians now, but habits of secrecy were deeply ingrained in them. Plus, the establishments didn't appreciate them bringing their own food. So they tried renting part of a gym, and that worked well enough until Dick got shot and none of them wanted to be reminded of what he'd lost. So now they gathered at either Steph's or Tim's house, although at either they had to gently shoo off relatives.

Their meetings were filled with good-natured teasing ("short pants!"), reminiscences about the Robin days ("Who's the most pathetic villain you ever faced?"), and stories about their post-Robin lives ("I think one of your students transferred into the precinct last week, Tim."). Jason pretended he was an art critic and they pretended to believe him. Sometimes they watched movies and mocked the martial arts and detective work in them pitilessly. They never went to see them in the theaters, though; the concentrated popcorn storm they hailed on the screen every time there was a particularly bad bit of fight choreography would have gotten them thrown out of any theater before a movie was halfway through and they knew it. Plus, most people didn't enjoy having their movies MST'd.

Amongst their endless jokes, moments of seriousness poked through. They shared their nightmares and their all-too-wonderful dreams of being Robin again, and it was easier just to know that they weren't alone, that others had gone through, were going through, the same thing they were. Each of them returned from the meetings happier, more relaxed, even if the changes were only noticed by those closest to them.

***

"Did you hear?" Dick asked, leaning heavily on his cane as he entered the private room of the restaurant.

"Yes," Jason said, and it was clear that that was why they were at the restaurant instead of somebody's home. At least at the restaurant, they would try to control their tempers, to keep their voices down. And if things got out of hand noting important to any of them would be broken.

"I can't believe…" Dick sat down heavily, shaking his head. "I mean, after all of us quit…"

"Maybe it'll be different this time." Steph tried to be optimistic, but it was hard. "I mean, it isn't Robin this time, it's Batman."

"Yeah," Jason replied. "And how long will it be before some kid dresses up in a Robin suit and starts following him around?"

"How long will it be before there are five of us?" Tim asked quietly, voicing the concern that all of them had.

"Damn it!" Jason pounded his fist on the table. "I thought this was over."

"Maybe we can stop it somehow," Steph said desperately. "Talk to them or something. Talk to the new Robin when he or she comes along."

"And what would we say?" Tim asked. "We know what's best for you? That never works."

"Would anything anybody said to any of you have made any difference in your decision?" Dick asked. "I know nothing would have stopped me, especially not some complete stranger."

Their meal was more subdued than any they'd had in years.