Flash felt like he could run round the world seventy times when Batman announced to the League that Robin would be sleeping over while he worked on a mission. Apparently Agent A (and who was that?) was away and he couldn't leave Robin alone for the duration of the mission (for obvious reasons - plus the kid was apparently likely to follow him into trouble). Which meant there was no one else he trusted to look after his ward - so the Watch Tower and supposedly responsible adult heroes it was. Why seventy times? He wasn't quite sure; it seemed like a better number than fifty but a hundred times was just plain tiring (trust him - he knew that from experience).

The downside to Robin coming to sleep over at the Watch Tower? So many new rules. Flash felt that if he breathed wrong he was likely to break a rule and end up on the bad side of the overprotective Bat (which was something no sane person wanted to do - and despite what some people would say, Flash was (reasonably) sane). He now understood what the others had said about Daddy Bats.

When Robin finally arrived the only ones in the Watch Tower were Flash, Martian Manhunter and Batman. The others were all on missions scattered across the world, which meant they didn't get to meet the now famous sidekick to the scary Gotham hero but it did mean they were safe from his wrath should anything go wrong.

Seeing as Martian Manhunter was busy (monitor duty, Flash was very glad it wasn't his turn - it was so boring doing very little for so long). This left Flash as the only option to babysit Robin so Batman had very, very, very reluctantly left him to look after his little baby Bird. Which Flash found a bit insulting; he actually had a nephew (who was a few years older than Robin) unlike Diana who had had very little experience with kids (and yes he had heard the story from Diana). He probably had the most kid-interaction practice in the League! Although, admittedly it had been a while since he had last seen his nephew - he should probably actually check up on the kid soon.

Robin was dressed in his traffic light uniform. A red vest, green gloves, a black cape with yellow inside and a matching yellow utility belt. He wore small little pixie boots and a black domino mask to protect his identity (not that that really mattered at the Watch Tower seeing as most of the main heroes knew who the pair were in their civilian lives already).

Flash thought the kid was absolutely adorable but would never admit it out loud to the pair. He had a feeling that the kid had likely picked up some of Batman's skills - he probably had a whole course on how to glare people into submission and Flash wasn't prepared to test it. He also figured that squealing about how adorable the kid was would mean Batman would reconsider letting him babysit (despite there being literally no other option).

He held a little Batman teddy bear in one hand (which Flash seemed to remember Wonder Woman and Black Canary mentioning during the whole babysitting/hide 'n' seek shenanigan) and his other (tiny!) hand was clutching the Caped Crusader's cape tightly like a safety blanket. That's something he would have to remember: don't play hide 'n' seek with a bat kid. He really didn't want to lose the kid in the Watch Tower, there were so many places to hide for a small child and so many dangerous rooms. Batman had a small backpack with Robin's stuff which he handed over to the Scarlett Speedster.

They waved goodbye to Batman as he left on his mission, but only after crouching down to give Robin a reassuring hug and whisper something in his ear (and wasn't that a weird site - who knew the Bat could act like a human?). Then they were alone and e had a six year old kid looking up at him expectantly. So, he thought he was safe letting the kid watch a movie, eat some sweets than put him to bed. After all it normally worked with his eight year old nephew Wally on the rare occasion they had been asked to babysit (though it really had been a few months which was abnormally long for them to go without seeing the kid - he really should mention something to Iris).

That turned out to be a mistake. A big one. Admittedly he had never actually looked after Wally over night, usually his parents came home and were the ones to put him to bed so maybe that was why they hadn't been asked to babysit recently. It wasn't the movie itself, Flash couldn't even remember what movie it was (it was animated he definitely remembered that - and age appropriate (he wasn't completely stupid)), but it turns out giving sugar to cute little Robin results in a very hyper Robin. Turns out kids can get a sugar high off of sugar, who knew! (Not him).

The kid was practically bouncing of the walls. Actually, ignore the 'practically' he meant literally. The kid was running up to the walls flipping and jumping off of them and then repeating. Honestly, it was quite impressive how much air the kid was getting and they were some awesome tricks. Wait, did he say impressive? He meant worrying.

He also talked extremely fast. Not fast enough to beat a speedster but definitely an impressive speed for a normal human being. Flash was torn between letting the kid use up all his energy or trying to convince him to stop. Eventually, he decided on the former - and by decided he meant he couldn't physically catch the kid. Every time he got close, Robin would bounce out of the way or flip over him and the room was far too small to actually speed around in (he had tried it and smashed into a wall, then tried it again and fell over the sofa. After that he had given up trying). Begging and pleading also failed - the kid was far too hyper to listen. He just continued to talk about anything and everything.

Two hours later the boy seemed to have exhausted himself, he was no longer bouncing a round the room and had instead collapsed on the couch eyes struggling to remain open. Flash decided to seize the moment and get him to bed (it was already late and probably past his bedtime). He lifted the tiny child into his arms bridal style and carried him into Batman's room knowing the bat would be up all night either on the mission or writing up a report of the mission (plus he had no idea where else to put the kid and this way he knew where the kid was). He helped the sleepy kid get changed out of his uniform and into the soft pyjamas that Batman had provided in the backpack. Then he tucked him up in the giant bed, making sure to tuck in the Batman teddy bear which had been left on the sofa during the hyper episode. (He definitely didn't have a good look around the elusive Bat's room which everyone was normally forbidden from entering, no he definitely didn't do that).

Leaving the kid alone turned out to also be a mistake. He really was having no luck today - that was two bad decisions out of two. Flash had retreated out of the room to collapse in the comfortable bed in his own room (which was just down the corridor). Robin had managed to exhaust both of them during his sugar rush. He was woken out of a lovely dream by a scream. Rolling and then falling out of bed he glanced at the clock which read 11:46 before rushing to get up. He flung himself out of his room and down the corridor, dreading what he would find - had someone managed to get in? Were they being attacked?

He only hesitated slightly at the door of Batman's room. No one was allowed in normally and he was sure he had stretched that by putting Robin to bed already. Batman would have to make an exception just this once. He barged into the room and practically fell towards the bed. He found Robin twisting and turning, sweat noticeable on his brow and nonsensical words streaming from his frowning lips.

It hit Flash like a freight train (which really hurt - trust him); Robin was having a Nightmare, and a bad one at that looking at the kid. He pushed down the relief of there not being an attack/invasion and panic - how do you deal with a kid having a nightmare? He sat on the side of the bed and gently pulled the boy towards him into this arms. He wasn't sure whether waking the kid up was a good idea so he started whispering comforting and calming words and sounds at him, hoping to at least calm the kid down.

He failed to do that but did succeed in waking him up. Robin jolted awake, breathing hard, tears streaming down his face highlighting his startlingly blue eyes.

"Are you ok?" Flash asked gently. Which in retrospect seemed like a stupid question - of course the kid wasn't alright he had been having a nightmare.

Robin slowly nodded in answer., but tears kept streaming down his face and he was occasionally hiccupping.

"Do you want to talk about it?" He asked again gently. He had his own share of nightmares (being a hero definitely gave you plenty of nightmare fuel) and as cheesy as it sounds talking did help.

"I... I...I dreamed about their deaths..." The poor boy continued to hiccup, his voice cracking with emotions.

"Who's death?" Flash asked already guessing and dreading the answer. After all, Batman was his guardian and for that to happen -.

"My...my...my parents." Robin said quietly.

"Do you want to tell me about it?" He really didn't want to push the kid.

Robin nodded.

"Are you sure?"

Robin again nodded this time a bit more positive with his answer.

"I...trust you...uncle Barry."

The warm feeling in Flash's tummy made him forget to ask how the boy knew his identity. Probably Bats. And to be honest he didn't really care right now, he was happy being Uncle Barry (he could have two nephews and maybe one day he would introduce them to each other).

The words seemed to spill out of Robin's mouth unable to stop themselves, only stopping a few times to get his breathing and hiccups under control. He told Flash about his days in the circus, Tony Zucco's first visit, the sabotaged wires and everything else leading up to and after Batman adopting him even how and why he became Robin.

Flash was glad the kid trusted him and promised himself he would always be there for me the little Bird who had already lost so much.

He was also very proud of himself when the next morning Batman gave him a nod and if he looked closely enough you could see a faint twitch of his lips. Which was the closest he would get to a smile to anyone other than his little Bird.

He was also terrified when he was dragged aside and warned about what would happen if he ever gave Robin sugar again.