Bruce almost didn't notice him; the boy slipped into the command center in silence, his breath shallow and footsteps light. Bruce waited for the boy to announce his presence, but he didn't.

"Why aren't you in the mess hall with your friends?"

"I got bored... Why are there so many people on the league?" The boy was already hovering at his shoulder. "How do you keep track? I mean we only have sixteen--not counting the team."

"It helps to divide them into factions so they can manage each other."

"That's really smart." Dick observed. "You must trust them a lot." They got quiet for a moment. "Got any more advice for managing big groups?"

"Advice?"

"I'm next in line, Aqualad's going to let me take over when I'm 16." The boy explained. "And my bats won't share his secrets to success, he says I've got to learn it all myself." He huffed. "But it's so hard to do that when you're being shot at."

Bruce turned around in his chair. every new thing he learned about this other batman filled him with white hot anger. There was no excuse for putting a child through this, you'd think the other Bruce would know that. The only thing this boy should be planning for is ninth grade. He shouldn't even know Bruce, he wasn't exactly equipped to raise a child-- obviously not, if he was going to force him into heroism like some sort of family business.

"Am I interrupting something?" Diana crossed her arms, leaning in the doorway.

"Hey, double-W." Robin waved her over. "We were just talking shop." He said. "Y'know, I get the feeling there's... a dynamic between you guys..." He pointed between them. "Nothing wrong with that, I mean."

Diana smiled down at him, leaning on the control board. Bruce had always had a soft spot for children, perhaps fatherhood was an inevitability of sorts for him. It wouldn't surprise her too much, she'd seen the rarely discussed sensitive side of the bat many times. "So, how old are you, Robin?"

"Guess."

That was not he answer she wanted. Diana always struggled with the intricacies of human aging. "Ten?"

"Thirteen!" The boy exclaimed, as if three short years made all he difference in the world. He quickly composed himself, shaking off the offense. 

"You're pretty experienced for your age." Bruce muttered, still stuck on how young the boy is.

"I-- thanks?" Robin coughed. "Sorry, our league-- or bats-- isn't really big on compliments. He says that he doesn't want us getting overconfident."

"You're giving me grey hairs kid," Oliver admitted, watching the girl flipping the knife into the air and catching it. 

"Maybe you're just getting old." She replied lazily.

Trying to pretend he didn't just get annihilated by a teenager, he changed the subject. "I want to know more about this Red Arrow."

"No you don't." She missed the knife, nearly nailing her palm to the table. "He's SO annoying. Thinks he's the center of the world just because he's known you since he was like thirteen."

"Artemis," The martian child drifted over-- J'onn had to leave on personal business-- tapping the base of her friend's ponytail. "Aqualad wants you to stop playing with your.... uh... food weapons."

Artemis laughed sharply, leaning back so she could see the team leader, mouthing: "Come on over and make me."

Just on the other side of the wall, Kara slumped across from her cousin, water bottle in hand.

"You don't know? What do you mean you don't know?"

"He didn't say." Clark replied. "He just said the other superman didn't like him."

"Right, the thing Superman is known for: not liking children." She replied sarcastically.

"I get the idea the other superman isn't very good to him." Clark muttered. He didn't want to fully disclose what Superboy had said to him last night, he wasn't even sure he understood it.

"So that's why he was so confused when I asked for his family name." She said woefully. "He... he doesn't have one."

There was a break in conversation while Kara sipper her water. Through the wall, Clark watched the young kryptonian as his friends fussed over him.

"Open up buddy." Kid Flash held up a fork. "C'mon, open wide."

"No." Conner turned away, arms crossed. His eyes fixed on Clark through the wall.

"What do you see?" The young Martian asked, joining them. 

"Someone..." He squinted. "Big. Not a human..."

Clark broke eye contact. Did the boy have poor vision? how couldn't he tell it was superman watching him?

"Come on, you need to eat."

"Not hungry." Superboy replied, eyes set on the opposite wall.

"He's so stubborn." Wally laughed; he gestured widely, knocking over his cup of juice.

Dinah caught it right before it his the floor, minimizing the spill. "Be careful." She joked, passing the boy his cup.

"Thanks mom." Wally replied offhandedly, turning back to his older self.

Canary sat next to Aqualad. "Did he just call me mom?"

"We... it's a contained joke of sorts." Kaldur explained, swooping in to save his friend. "You look after us in many ways. You're our teacher."

"Well the bar's on the floor for parental figures, huh?" Dinah swished her hair back.

"You also talk to us." Wally tacked on pathetically, pausing in his rambles. "You're... a comforting presence compared to most of the league."

That didn't bode too well for the rest of the league.

After lunch the kids were left just inside the atrium to entertain themselves, chattering away about something that they alone seemed to understand.

Then, without warning, a dozen or so leaguers were tripping over the group, plowing into the center with a sense of urgency.

"Me? What's going on?" Wally asked.

"Work stuff." Wally replied, joining his coworkers. "Where are we needed, boss?"

"Washington." Batman ordered. "We need people on evac and civilian protection."

"We'll help." Kaldur volunteered, climbing to his feet. Fifteen league members shot distainful looks at the interrupting child. 

"Please, let us handle this." Diana placated. "You're our guests."

"It's the least we can do for your generosity, hosting us like this."

"No way, this is no place for kids." Wally said, brushing past his younger self. 

"We aren't babies, y'know! we won't slow you down." The younger Wally huffed. "We can keep up, just watch!"

"I don't care how well trained you think you are, it's not safe." Hawkgirl replied coolly. She didn't believe for a second that these kids had seen as much as they claimed they had. You don't work five years as an earth hero and come away that innocent. She wouldn't be the one to steal that innocence.

"Bats, c'mon!" Robin sighed exaggeratedly, peering up with those huge eyes. "Let us show you what we've got!"

Bruce turned away, biting the inside of his cheek. "No. Maybe another time when it's safer. This is serious." 

"We're serious!" Artemis snapped. "I was raised in a mob family, you think I can't handle the baddie of the week?"

"Wait, slow down, a mob family?" Arrow objected.

"I said no," Bruce repeated, suddenly getting a taste of what the other Batman must deal with regularly.

All six teens perked up in tandem, turning to face each other in a circle. After a second, they returned to normal. 

"Okay." Robin wilted. "We'll stay."

Bruce Shouldn't have believed him.