Bruce insisted that he searched through the gifts that Dick received from the villains before letting him open them himself.

It was not to get ideas for what present he should get Dick, if that's what you're wondering. He had already decided on something. He just simply didn't trust Ivy and Edward to not possibly sneak something dangerous in there. He trusted Oswald a little more than them, though, he admitted.

When he was sure that everything was safe, he left them for Dick for go through. He did have a few questions about their gift choices, but he didn't want to spoil anything for Dick. So he watched the boy unwrap and open everything on his own.

Dick opened Oswald's first. It was a gift card for target. Simple. Classic Ozzie.

The next was Ivy's. she left him a couple of seeds in a ziplock bag. Next to it, was a letter. It read: plant and take care of these babies and they'll offer you something in return ;)

Um, okay? Dick thought oddly. It was probably a fruit tree or something. He knew that Bruce would still be suspicious anyways.

He was unsurprised by Edward's gift. It was a Rubik's cube. Like he would be able to solve that... Edward sure liked to boast his intelligence to others.

Dick was more excited to open the envelope in front of him. It was from Selina, after all!

He grinned when he realized what was in his hands. Tickets to a Blackpink concert! (I guide others to a treasure I cannot possess T_T)

"Those were interesting gifts..." Bruce commented, his face unreadable. "Ready to see mine?"

Dick nodded enthusiastically. Bruce handed him a wrapped present and sat down by the table with him.

The boy paused when he ripped the wrapping paper and caught a glimpse of the item. Oh Bruce... he thought painfully. A framed picture was his gift. Frozen in time, Dick was hugging Zitka, his elephant pal, while Mr. Haley rested a hand on his shoulder. Everyone looked so happy. The familiar colors illuminated the tent and just made the place seem even more cheerful. It felt like the picture was taken ages ago.. now only a mere memory.

He was so carefree back then. No worries about anything but silly stuff, like if Mr. Haley would notice the innocent prank Dick left for him. Or if Dick would be sore from a fun day of flips with his parents.

He missed those days so much. So, so much.

Tears pooled at Dick's eyes as he stared at the photograph. It meant a lot to him to have a peace of home still with him.

Dick abruptly got up from his seat and walked up to Bruce to embrace him in a hug. "Thank you," he breathed.

Bruce tightened the hug in response. He could tell the boy about the second part of his present later.

Not a bad birthday. Not a bad birthday at all...

- - - - - - - - -

"W-WHAT?!" Dick excitedly exclaimed. "You're amazing and awesome and the best person ever!" He blurted with a ginormous, ecstatic grin. Had Bruce really done this for him?!

"It'll arrive in a little over a month. Now listen, I only want you using it when I'm around, or else you could possibly hurt yourself and I won't be there to help," Bruce explained, a little flustered by Dick's outburst.

"Of course, of course! Holy moly, Bruce! This is crazy! I haven't used a trapeze in forever!" Dick rambled. He was still in shock. Bruce said that he knew how much Dick missed flipping and jumping, and all that acrobatic stuff that used to be a daily part of his life, so he thought it would be a good idea to get him an indoor trapeze. Dick remembered wanting to ask him, but lacking the bravery to do so, and now he didn't even need to!

How could he focus in school when he was now so excited!?

His enthusiasm turned into irritation soon enough.

"For the last time, guys: My house isn't a secret lair for villains!" Dick exasperatedly repeated with a hint of a sharp edge to his voice.

"Ah, fine, we'll stop asking. It's just so weird.. they came to your house.. for cake?" A female classmate questioned. She was understandable confused, but Dick's patience was beginning to be worn short.

"Yes, Karen. They can like cake, too!" Dick snapped.

She put her hands up in defense and said, "okay, okay..!" Once she walked away, Dick deflated. He didn't want to have an attitude but jeez! Could he get a break for once?

"I want some cake," Rebecca muttered glumly.

"I have some leftover at home. I can bring it tomorrow at lunch if you want," Dick offered.

She perked up. "Really?" Dick nodded. "Wow you're the best, Dick!"

The boy cracked a smile and spent the rest of lunch talking about something other than the new of the villains that had been at his house the other day.

With some unimportant papers that needed to be delivered in her hands, Artemis crossed the hallway with her eyes out for Dick. The third graders left lunch right before the fourth graders started theirs. Thanks to Barbara, she was given some information on who liked to mess with Dick, and she planned on using that to her advantage.

To be a good, trustworthy friend, of course.

The blonde smirked when she spotted him. He was in a line, walking while talking to some girl. To his line's right was a fourth grade class. They were walking in the opposite directions but that didn't seem to stop a kid from speaking up. "Hey, shorty~!" He whispered loudly. Artemis hid behind a wall and watched until it was her cue to appear.

Dick and the girl besides him glanced at him. Dick's surprise quickly changed into familiar annoyance. He turned back to his classmate and continued chatting, peacefully ignoring the boy who had just called him out.

The fourth grader cackled as he nudged his friend. As the two classes kids passed each other, the older boy stuck his leg out to where Dick was about to step. As a result, Dick tripped and face planted onto the floor. Artemis shook her head. They're so predictable. Apparently staying up late to plan had come in handy after all.

Several kids stared while others laughed. Dick's friends helped him up as he held onto his nose in pain.

"What the heck? Why would you do that?" The girl hissed at the other line as she held onto Dick's arm.

The boy grinned. "..Because it's funny, duh? Besides, he deserves it for ignoring me. Like, who do you think you are? You're just some kid from the circus; a joke."

"You have some nerve."

Dick looked up to see Artemis approaching the two classes. Her face was stern and she clutched the papers in her hand as she made quick strides.

"How could you say something like that? He didn't do anything to you!" She barked at the culprit. The fourth grade boy trembled under her furious glare.

"I-I didn't mean it!" He stammered fearfully.

"So you just decided to bully my friend? For no reason? Wow, wait until I tell your teacher," Artemis scoffed.

Promptly, the two classes' teachers stepped out from a room where they had gone into to talk privately for a moment (courtesy of Artemis's plan), and noticed the fifth grader talking to their students.

"Artemis, hello. What's going on here?" Ms. Wendy questioned with concern.

"This kid right here is bullying Dick," Artemis explained as she pointed a finger towards the bully, "he was calling him names and even tripped him." She found it very difficult to hold in a smirk. All the teachers in the school loved her; they'd take action if they noticed she was upset.

The second teacher nearly gasped. "William! This is so unlike you! Im disappointed. I'm going to have a long talk with you and your parents."

The boy gulped and lowered his head shamefully in response.

"I can take Dick to the clinic before I drop off these papers if you'd like," Artemis suggested kindly, "I think he might've hurt his nose."

Ms. Wendy's lips stretched. "What an ideal student you are, Artemis. So mature for your age. So sweet. Yes, I'd appreciate it greatly if you did that."

With a polite nod of her head, she grabbed Dick's hand and guided him to the nurses office.

Dick was still in shock. Artemis didn't know him that well, but she still stood up for him like that. He'd never seen her so mad before. Then again, he had only seen her a few times, and that was when she was happily chatting with Barbara.

"Uh, thanks," Dick spoke at last.

"Don't mention it. I couldn't just stand and watch as someone was bullying my friend," the girl replied.

Dick blinked. "Friend?"

Artemis flinched and sputtered. "A-ah, well- uh- sorry-! I didn't know that you didn't think we were.. erm.. f-friends.."

The boy laughed. "No, it's okay! I think we are friends now. After all, you came to my party, and now you defended me. So that makes you a pretty awesome friend, actually."

Artemis observed him. "You think so?"

Dick nodded, definitely sure. He understood why Barbara and her got along so well now. Artemis was so easy to like.

When they got to the clinic, Dick was given some medicine and ice for pain. Luckily, he didn't break his nose. He never thought he had done so, anyways.

While they sat, waiting for the nurse to give them a pass, Artemis brought up the topic of the circus. "Hey, I heard about how you used to be in the circus. It's pretty different from here, huh?"

"Yeah.. it is," Dick responded as he swung his feet.

"Bruce isn't your birth dad, is he?" Artemis questioned. Again, she knew all of this already. She just needed to reel him into answering what she really wanted to know. What she needed to know.

Dick pursed his lips hesitantly.

"If it's personal-"

"He adopted me. It's okay to ask. Most people already know, I guess no one told you yet," Dick interrupted calmly.

"Ah," Artemis said. She furrowed her brows. "What.. what happened to your real parents?"

Now that questioned struck a nerve. Dick's shoulders tensed up and his eyes darted away from Artemis. She didn't say anything and waited for him to say the words.

"They died," he whispered. That's all he wanted to say. Artemis was getting a little too nosy for his liking.

Artemis could tell that she asked all that he was willing to answer. But it wasn't enough. She needed to push more. He trusted her, but not enough. How could she get him to tell her what she wanted to know?

An idea stuck her. She didn't like it, but she had to do it for the sake of the mission.

"Hey, Dick... I didn't tell Barbara this.. but it's only fair that I tell you, since you told me all of that," she mentioned,"part of my family is gone, too."

Dick looked back at Artemis, surprised.

"Not from death like yours-! But- it's different but the same, I guess, is what I'm trying to say. I kinda know how you feel... My mom, she-" The girl clammed her eyes shut and inhaled before continuing, "- she's in prison. And she's not getting out anytime soon. My sister, she- she left me!"

The raven haired boy frowned sympathetically. Before he could comment, Artemis continued. "All I have is my dad.. he's the only one I have left. He's.. he's not great- at all- but there's nothing I can do.. I-" she shuddered but recomposed herself before she revealed something that she couldn't. She was only saying this to gain his trust. She was supposed to be acting- just like earlier- but this was more personal, and so what she was feeling was actually real. "And, yeah. While I still have my dad, my mom and sister are gone from my life for now. It... sucks."

Dick didn't know what to say. He put a hand on hers. "Things will get better."

Artemis wanted to smack his hand away and scoff. Even though she wouldn't do that because of her mission, she felt like even without it, she wouldn't have done that. Not when the look in his eyes were so kind and understanding.

Stop. Getting. Attached. Focus on what you came here for.

"At least your parents died a natural death or something, right?" Artemis asked, slightly changing the topic, "so you had no choice but to move on."

When Dick shook his head, Artemis's insides churned with anticipation and impatience.

"What d'you mean?" She questioned. C'mon.. c'mon!!

It was only fair he told her. She told him her past. She wouldn't judge him, Dick supposed. "They were... killed."

"By who?" Artemis asked almost too quickly. She realized this and immediately said, "I can't believe that someone could do something like that! Was it a serial killer?"

"I don't know if he was a serial killer, but I wouldn't be surprised if he killed other people before," Dick commented bitterly.

He, Artemis noted. "Well what was his name?! Maybe I've heard of him!"

The third grader frowned. "Why would you know a serial killer's name?"

Artemis was going nuts. "I don't know! I watch a lot of documentaries, okay? So what was his name?!"

Dick was a little weirded out by her strong urge to know his name, but chose to tell her anyways. "His name is Ton-"

The door opened unexpectedly and the nurse walked in the room. "Sorry that it took me so long, sweeties, I got an unexpected phone call," the nurse explained as she gave Dick and Artemis their own passes. "I don't want you too to be any more late to class than you are now. Now, go to class, you two! Shoo!" She waved her hands at them to further her point.

Artemis went to follow Dick but that darn nurse pointed out that the teacher who Artemis need to give the papers to was in the opposite direction.

She never got to talk to Dick in person later on that day.

As always, she met up with Barbara after school and they spoke about anything that came to mind, really. At first, Artemis thought she was the most obnoxious person she'd ever spoken to. But now, she enjoyed meeting up with her. She was the closest person she had to a friend. Although, she couldn't have that mindset- Barbara was supposed to be only a stepping stone.

But she actually wanted Barbara to be her friend.

Her stupid dad. He was the one making her do this. She didn't want to go to a school, make all the teachers and students like her, and act like a goody two shoes just so she could manipulate and get some information from a little third grader who lost his parents.

She never wanted to be like him. She hated the fact that her mom and dad were criminals. That's what got her mom in a wheelchair and jail. That's why Jade left.

She had no choice, though. It was kill or be killed. And she had no wish to be killed.

DING!

Barbara raised an eyebrow at Artemis. The blonde took her phone out of her pocket and looked at the source of the notification.

It was Dick. his text messages read:

Aw. I never got to finish talking to you :(
Anyways
His name is Tony Zucco if your still wondering.
Did 1 of your documentirys talk about him?
I mean documentaries*

Artemis breathed a small laugh. No way. No frickin' way. Her smile fell shortly after, however.

What would her dad do once he had the information? Would Dick... get hurt? Even killed?

If so, it'd be all because of her. Completely her fault.

"Everything okay, Arty?" Barbara questioned.

Artemis blinked. "Huh? Uh, yeah, totally. Sorry. What were you saying again?" She put her phone back in her pocket and listened to Barbara talk, trying to forget the guilt that was swelling in her chest.