A month has passed by since Wally and Aqualad had come face to face with Rue. The media was still searching for him, but there was no sign of the boy. Wally never had time to go back to Gotham and look for him, Batman was still furious about going against his orders once again but eventually cooled off. A month was a surprisingly quick forgiveness rate for the Batman.

"Kid idiot, Are you listening to me?" Artemis waved her hand in front of Wally's face, trying to get his attention. "I swear of all people assigned to me.." She huffed

"Hey, I am not too happy about it either." Wally grumbled. Recently Artemis has been targeted by her sister Cheshire, and the league thought it would be best to have backup if she was targeted during her time as a civilian. Which is why Wally had to transfer to Gotham academy. He would not admit it out loud, but he actually WAS happy about it. Gotham was where Rue was... and if he was on a mission, he can't get yelled at for being in Gotham..it was perfect. "Whatever....Let's just hurry up and get this school day over with."

Wally stared at the school entrance, the place was crowded with rich looking kids, Gotham was a private school after all, he should have suspected that. "How did you even get into a place like this.." He whistled lowly at the sight.

"Scholarship." Artemis commented her eyes scanning the crowds. "It is not common, but I am not the only one.."

"What are you talking about." Wally whispered. "You mean another hero--"

"No idiot, another person who got in by scholarship.." her voice trailed off.

"Looking for someone?" A voice called from behind them making them both jump.

"Richard, you really need to stop doing that." she clutched her chest trying to calm it down. "I just wanted to let you know that I will not be able to make it to class today to work on our science project. I have to show the new student around This morning"

"No, I understand.." Richard's eyes glanced over to Wally, his eyes widening for a brief moment.

"Something wrong?" Artemis asked confused, it almost looked like Richard recognized Wally, but that was impossible... right?

Richard cleared his throat and shook his head. "No... Well...I have to get to class..." Without saying anything else, he started walking off.

"Well...that was weird." Wally commented. "What's up with him? He seemed shocked when he saw me."

"Richard is not really a social person... we only talk because we are lab partners." Artemis watched him leave, a sad expression on her face. "To be honest that is the most we talked all week."

--------------------

Wally sluggishly started walking down the class halls. He said he had to use the bathroom, but that was a complete lie on his part. He just wanted some breathing room.It was only day one and Wally was already sick of Gotham High. Sure, he hated school in general, but all these stuck up rich kids were a pain in his--

"Hey Circus freak, I thought I told you last time that if we cross paths again you would regret it!" There was a distinct sound of someone being shoved against the locker. "Your wasting air and contaminating mine. My father did not pay tons of money to have filth in the same area as me."

"Too bad your father could not buy you brain cells either--" The words were cut off and replaced with a grunt of pain. "T..that the best you got? Do you forget where I currently live? I have been hit by old ladies who packed a bigger punch."

Wally grew wide eyed as he turned the corner to see Richard holding his stomach, surrounded by some porky teenagers who held a sick grin on their faces. The boy in the middle, the biggest in the group of three, stepped closer. "I think we need to teach this trash some manners."

Richard grinned slightly. "I don't really think you are qualified to teach that."

He straightened up his back against the locker, though wally saw a hint of pain in Richard's features when he put weight on his leg. Was that from an earlier fight? He did not realize it before, but did he always have that dark bruise under his right eye? One thing Wally did know was that he was not going to sit back and watch this play out, Richard was outnumbered. "Hey!" Wally called out, trying his hardest not to use his full speed to reach his destination between the three teens and Richard. "How about you pick on someone your own size!?" He looked past his shoulder to see the shocked expression on Dick's face. "Are you alright?"

"Are you an idiot?" Was his reply, and it was Wally's turn to be surprised. "It is your first day here, getting into a fight is not going to look good for you."

"But still" Wally protested, not sure why the other was so clearly trying to push him away. "You are injured, aren't you? You can't fight them off--"

"Awe what's this? Looks like the garbage is all talk and cannot speak for himself, let alone fight his own fight" The teens snickered

"You do not know what I can and Can't do." Richard's blue eyes narrowed in a glare that might have competed with Batman's if Wally was not so surprised. "Leave. Now." He shoved Wally away before returning to the teens. "He is not part of this. None of us are fighting, we do not want your record to be stained, even if I am a "Circus freak" , Fights are not allowed." Richard said calmly, not making any motions of advancing on the team.

The middle teen scowled a bit. "You're not worth my time anyway."

Richard gave a half-hearted smile. " You're right. Now I really must get to class before the teacher begin looking for us."

Wally watched in awe as the teens begrudgingly walked away while Richard was still at the locker he was thrown against, rubbing his gut with a small grimace. "Dude, you okay?"

Richard looked up. "Oh... you are still here, most would not even give that fight a second glance...you're definitely a weird one."

"What, most people would stop a fight!" Wally pouted.

Richard laughed bitterly "Not here and not between me."

"What was that all about anyway? What did they mean when they called you a "Circus Freak"?"

Richard scoffed. "I forgot you were new here, of course you do not know my history."

"History?" Wally started but stopped when he saw that Richard was walking away from him. "Hey! Wait up!" Wally protested, jogging to catch up with the other. "Where are you going?"

"Back to class." Richard answered plainly.

"Dude, you're injured. Did those bullies injure your leg when they slammed you against the locker?"

Richard looked up puzzled, before realizing that he was not covering up his limp. "Oh..my leg.." He started absently, recollecting the night before he had jumped from a building where he calculated the distance wrong. "Hm..no, I just fell and twisted it a bit." More like he fell into the corner of a building and rammed his lower leg against it. It was not one of his finest moments at all.

"Let me see it. If it is sprained you should not be walking on it" Wally spoke up, concerned.

Richard flinched slightly, not used to others talking to him in a concerned tone. It has been quite a while. He gave a simple nod, but stayed on guard. He did not forget that this was the speedster that was trying to find him. The one he abandoned at Mount justice because he chickened out when Batman showed up. "You don't look like a doctor, unless you are undercover as one."

"Nope, just took some first aid classes awhile back..y'know.. R.I.C.E and stuff.." Wally mumbled and gently lifted up Richards pant leg which revealed a sickening purple and swollen ankle. "Holy cow man! How could you even walk on this?!"

Richard shrugged. "Y'know... pain tolerance and stuff." He mocked lightly, a small smile on his face.

"Dude, you're insane.. If you keep walking on it, it will never heal." Wally, before Richard could say anything, picked the other up and started walking to the nurse's office, hoping that he remembered where it was.

"I can take care of it when" get back to the detention center." Richard mumbled trying to convince the other to put him down.

"Wait, Detention Center?" Wally stopped in his tracks, looking down at the other. Richard did not look like someone who would get in a lot of trouble to be in a Juvenile Detention Center. Hr must have heard incorrectly.

"Yep." Richard popped the 'p' sound, using the opportunity to get out of the other's arms. "Another reason people stay clear of me, something you should keep in mind to next time you try to fight my battles for me. I have been in that place since I was eight." He shrugged and started walking. "Not in the mood for class today anymore, I am heading 'home' for the night." he sighed and limped to the doors.

"Oh no you don't!" Wally rushed over and wrapped the other's arm around his shoulder so Richard could use him as support. "It looks like you need a crutch."

"And you need some duct tape on your mouth and some common sense." Richard retorted but did not move away. He paused for a brief moment before continuing to limp toward the door with Wally at his side." Thanks... uh.."

"Oh. It's Wally. Wally West." Wally grinned. "Pleased to meet you Richard."

Richard rolled his eyes slightly. "Just call me Dick, it's shorter and I prefer being called that."

"Dick?" Wally asked but then gave a teasing smile. "No wonder you are bullied."

"Oh shut up." Dick smiled slightly. He hadn't had a real smile in years..it felt nice.