The Lights of Metropolis
Title: The Lights of Metropolis.
Characters/Pairings: Tim Drake (Robin), Cassandra Sandsmark (Wonder Girl).
Summary: The only thing Tim hates about being Robin is lying to his father. Has he mentioned that?
Universe: DC Comics standard. During the A Kid’s Game Teen Titans collection.
Genre: Adolescent angst. Created for batfic_contest on the theme “Metropolis.”
Rating: G.
Word Count: 406.
Disclaimer: Robin, Wonder Girl, and the Titans are owned by DC Comics under copyright and trademark laws. This pastiche is offered freely with no hope of commercial reward.
The Lights of Metropolis
“Yeah, we have a great view of the Lexcorp Tower from the dorm.”
Tim was on his personal cell phone, looking out from Titans Tower at the Golden Gate Bridge.
“On clear nights like this, the whole city is lit up. It’s really beautiful.”
Past Tim’s elbow I could see the Sun, still not touching the foggy Pacific horizon.
“Today? Uh, they took us on a tour of the monorail control center. That was neat.”
That afternoon we had chased down two escapees from Alcatraz. Tim had tracked their heat signatures as I flew him low over Oakland, and one of them almost fried us out of the sky.
“Yeah, I’m learning a lot, Dad. It’s a great program.”
Tim had some cover story to explain Titans weekends to his family. Of course, just as he didn’t tell them about us, he didn’t tell us about them. But we knew he had a “Dad” who wasn’t Batman-a “Dad” who thought he was studying engineering in Metropolis.
“Okay, I’ll call you if the bus gets held up on the way home. Love you. Bye.”
Tim clicked off his phone and stuck it back into his belt. He turned and saw me.
“I hate that part of this job, Cassie,” he said. “Lying to my family.”
“I know,” I told him.
He sighed. “I can’t talk about that to the guys.”
“Uh-huh?” Actually, I thought, you mention it about once a month.
“Almost everyone else, even Kory and Gar-they don’t have parents to talk to at all. I mean, Bart would do almost anything to see his mom again.”
“And Kon never even had parents.”
Tim looked away. “None to speak of. So I feel like a tool complaining about one hard part of having a family.” He looked at me again, though of course I couldn’t see his eyes. “But it is hard. You and your mother, you’ve got a great relationship. She knows about Wonder Girl. Can you imagine keeping all this secret from her?”
“I can’t,” I said. “I really can’t.”
“Yeah. Thanks, Cassie.” Tim put one gloved hand on my shoulder for a second, then went out and left me with the view.
You could tell your family, I thought. I guarantee, Tim, that you’d still have all their love. You’d still have all their respect-maybe even more.
But you might not still have Robin. You know that, Tim, and you’ve made your choice.
Characters/Pairings: Tim Drake (Robin), Cassandra Sandsmark (Wonder Girl).
Summary: The only thing Tim hates about being Robin is lying to his father. Has he mentioned that?
Universe: DC Comics standard. During the A Kid’s Game Teen Titans collection.
Genre: Adolescent angst. Created for batfic_contest on the theme “Metropolis.”
Rating: G.
Word Count: 406.
Disclaimer: Robin, Wonder Girl, and the Titans are owned by DC Comics under copyright and trademark laws. This pastiche is offered freely with no hope of commercial reward.
The Lights of Metropolis
“Yeah, we have a great view of the Lexcorp Tower from the dorm.”
Tim was on his personal cell phone, looking out from Titans Tower at the Golden Gate Bridge.
“On clear nights like this, the whole city is lit up. It’s really beautiful.”
Past Tim’s elbow I could see the Sun, still not touching the foggy Pacific horizon.
“Today? Uh, they took us on a tour of the monorail control center. That was neat.”
That afternoon we had chased down two escapees from Alcatraz. Tim had tracked their heat signatures as I flew him low over Oakland, and one of them almost fried us out of the sky.
“Yeah, I’m learning a lot, Dad. It’s a great program.”
Tim had some cover story to explain Titans weekends to his family. Of course, just as he didn’t tell them about us, he didn’t tell us about them. But we knew he had a “Dad” who wasn’t Batman-a “Dad” who thought he was studying engineering in Metropolis.
“Okay, I’ll call you if the bus gets held up on the way home. Love you. Bye.”
Tim clicked off his phone and stuck it back into his belt. He turned and saw me.
“I hate that part of this job, Cassie,” he said. “Lying to my family.”
“I know,” I told him.
He sighed. “I can’t talk about that to the guys.”
“Uh-huh?” Actually, I thought, you mention it about once a month.
“Almost everyone else, even Kory and Gar-they don’t have parents to talk to at all. I mean, Bart would do almost anything to see his mom again.”
“And Kon never even had parents.”
Tim looked away. “None to speak of. So I feel like a tool complaining about one hard part of having a family.” He looked at me again, though of course I couldn’t see his eyes. “But it is hard. You and your mother, you’ve got a great relationship. She knows about Wonder Girl. Can you imagine keeping all this secret from her?”
“I can’t,” I said. “I really can’t.”
“Yeah. Thanks, Cassie.” Tim put one gloved hand on my shoulder for a second, then went out and left me with the view.
You could tell your family, I thought. I guarantee, Tim, that you’d still have all their love. You’d still have all their respect-maybe even more.
But you might not still have Robin. You know that, Tim, and you’ve made your choice.