~Maeve's POV~

"They're upstairs and it doesn't sound pretty."

"I almost twisted my ankle during that pep rally and he still wants me to patrol tonight? I was promised pizza!" I whined, getting off the motorcycle and adjusted my mask. "God, I can't wait to graduate."

"Hey, you and Babs did a great job with those flips, okay? You left me whelmed and Wall and Artemis were more than impressed." Dick mused, leaning in to kiss me until gunshots were heard. "Perfect timing as always."

"Stop pouting, birdie." I laughed, kissing his cheek and ran inside the apartment complex.

"Don't move! Or I'll-"

"You'll what!? Shoot me!?" Jason yelled, landing a punch to one of the dealers, sending him flying to the wooden door. "Nice of you to join, sis!"

"Eh, couldn't let you and Bats have all the fun." I smiled.

"Sorry I missed the rally, but apparently, crime doesn't take a vacation."

"Wouldn't be Gotham if it did, little bird."

Both of us ran inside and the rest of the dealers immediately started shooting at us. Jason pushed me away just as Dick appeared and threw a couple of Batarangs to knock the guns away. The three of us then proceeded to take down the dealers when Bruce showed up.

"Ha! 20 rounds a second and you were still too slow!" Jason mused.

"I'm not slow, punks!" The last dealer called out and started shooting at us.

"I've got him!" Bruce said, throwing a Batarang at the gun just as Jason pushed me away again and charged up to the man, landing an elbow at his collarbone and broke it.

"Robin!" We all yelled.

"I-"

"Home, now." Bruce ordered, gesturing to the door. "Domino, Nightwing, take him home... he's done for the night."

"But I-"

"Don't fight it, little wing." Dick whispered and pulled him away.

"It'll be fine." I assured and held Jason's hand. "Let's go home, okay? My ankle's a bit fucked anyways."

"Whatever..."

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"I had to take him down!"

"You shattered his collarbone!"

"He's a drug dealing pimp and he was gonna hurt Mae! I didn't think to prop up some pillows before taking him out." Jason scoffed and Bruce rubbed his temples as me and Dick stood to the side trying not to get involved.

After the Joker incident at Ace Chemicals, Jason has been more and more violent in his attacks, especially if I'm involved.

Kaldur even had to go as far as not sending me on Team missions with him for both of our safeties.

"Maeve's perfectly capable of handling herself. And we needed him, he would've talked." Bruce sighed and Jason looked down.

"I'm sorry... but he deserved it."

"Jason..." I called out, but he was already at the elevator.

"Let him be, Bruce... he's had a rough few weeks." Dick shrugged, trying to lighten the mood."Ever since Ace Chemicals, he's been on edge. We all are."

"Joker's still running amok, Dad. Until he's back in Arkham, I don't think Jason's gonna sleep properly. I mean, last night he was walking around the hallway wearing his belt and he slept on my doorstep!" I pointed out and Bruce sighed, removing his cowl. "The boy slept on my doorstep three nights ago!"

"We need to do something about Joker, Bruce. He can't keep terrorizing Maeve like this or else someone's gonna get really hurt."

"We should do something about Joker because he doesn't deserve to be breathing and yet here he is... not because of me, Dick." I rolled my eyes, walking towards the elevator but Dick stopped me.

"Let him breathe a little bit, okay? He's exhausted, we all are."

"But-"

"Let him be with his thoughts and cool down for a bit."

"Fine, but I don't like it."

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"You talked to Jace?"

"He's avoiding me... you?"

"Just said good morning, the usual kiss on the cheek and pretended to be asleep the entire ride here." I shrugged, opening my locker and sighed. "Dick, this is happening way too often and I don't like it."

"Hey, reminds me of me when we started out. Remember the guy I sent on a coma once because I bashed his head against a wall? Yeah, I was eleven when that happened, thank you." Dick smirked, leaning against his locker and held my hand. "You're overthinking it, as usual."

"I've just got-"

"A feeling?"

"Who's got a feeling?" Barbara called out with a smirk. "You two disgust me, honestly."

"You've mentioned it once or twice." I chuckled.

"I mean, the cheerleader with a mathlete? When did Gotham Academy turn into a rom-com?" She laughed, gesturing to my cheer uniform.

"Eight grade, apparently." Dick shrugged, grabbing my books and closed my locker. "You seen Jace by any chance? Mae's worried about him."

And, as if on cue, a fight was heard from the end of the hallway.

"Don't you ever talk shit about my sister again, you prick!" Jason yelled and the three of us sighed.

"I think I found him." I said and the three of us ran to the end of the hall. "Jason!"

"I've got it." Dick whispered, passing over my books and stepped in. "Okay, Jason... that's enough. You've proved your point."

"This asshole called her scar-face and me a street rat! Said that Joker should recruit her for his freak show and-"

Jason couldn't even finish his sentence because Dick pushed him aside and started beating the guy to a pulp.

"You've got to be kidding me." Barbara sighed, rubbing her temples and I rolled my eyes, leaning against a wall. "And you're not stopping them? Really?"

"I can take the three of them down with a single roundhouse kick and not bat an eye, I just don't want to." I shrugged. "There's a reason Dick was the angry Robin compared to Jason... this is why. He gets ticked when someone calls me scar-face, I'm just used to it."

"Good thing you've got your boys, huh? They do the dirty work and you sit back and look pretty."

"Eh, they're holding back. I'd break his face already." I admitted and whistled once I saw the principle appear. "Thing One and Thing Two, that's enough!"

"Todd, Grayson, Davis, come with me. The rest of you, get to class!"

"Don't have to tell me twice." I smirked and waved at Dick and Jason before linking arms with Barbara. "French class?"

"Yes, please."

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"Need some help?"

"No."

"You're doing it wrong." I sighed, taking the bandages from Jason and gestured for him to sit on the kitchen counter. "Dad's mad?"

"No... he's proud, honestly. Gave me tips for next time." Jason shrugged.

"Sounds like him."

"Are you mad?"

"I'm just mad you got punched... your cheek's bruised." I smiled and turned to get an ice pack from the freezer. "And disappointed that you and Dick didn't bash his face when you both had the perfect opportunity to do so!"

"Really? That's what you're mad about?"

"Yes! Break some bones, Jason! If you're get in a fight, do it right, even in civvies."

"God, you're insane!" Jason laughed and winced when I placed the ice pack on his cheek. "I'm sorry I've been a pain these past few weeks."

"You've got to be more careful in the field and to not shield me all the time, or else you're gonna get hurt." I sighed, sitting next to him. "I know it's hard to fight the urge, but my job is to make sure you come back home every night. How am I gonna do that when you're so willing to take a bullet for me?"

"You were scared." Jason mumbled.

"Sorry?"

"At Ace Chemicals, you were scared... I've never seen you scared before."

"Jay... I'm scared all the time. I go to bed terrified that it's gonna be the last night I'm with my family or that I'm dreaming everything."

"But I've never seen you scared before, not even since before we met and I used to watch you take down goons ten times your size. And that night... I just can't shake it, y'know?"

"I'm sorry that I put you in that position, Jay."

"I just don't want anything to happen to my sister, y'know?" He tried to play it off and to discreetly wipe his eyes, but I pulled him into a hug and he broke down. "You're the best thing that's happened to me, Mae... you gave me a home and a family."

"And you gave me a purpose, Jason. I promise to be more careful if you promise to not step in the line of fire for me as much."

"I promise, Mae."

"Then I promise too."

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"Bruce scolded you?"

"Nah. He applauded us and we got pizza after. They were talking about suspension, but it's not gonna happen."

"Works to have insurance, huh?" I smirked and Dick nodded, outstretching his arms and pulled me onto his lap.

"Who gave you this ring, pretty girl?" He asked, holding my left hand and lifted it, revealing the small ring on my middle finger.

"Some circus boy gave it to me a few years ago. Said it was a family heirloom or something."

"Mm... think I should talk to that circus boy."

"Set him out straight, huh?"

"Hell yeah. Nobody goes around giving my girl family heirlooms just like that." He teased and kissed me. "All jokes aside, I think it's hilarious that Mom's lucky ring was an ace of clubs and your name was Ace."

"Universe is funny like that, I guess." I shrugged, leaning back against his chest with a sigh. "But it's good to have a reminder of who I was sometimes. Reminds me of just how far I've come."

"How come?"

"Joker used to dress me up in a black and white jumpsuit that had the ace of clubs on it. Kinda became my whole thing. Harley had diamonds and hearts, and I had the clubs and spades."

"You miss her." Dick frowned and I shrugged. "It's okay to miss her and be angry at the same time, babe."

"But she's a terrible mom... Selina's a better mom than she is and she's barely here ever since her and Bruce split again."

"How does he expect you to talk to Selina about being your mom and signing the birth certificate if he keeps doing this to her?" He scoffed. "But just because Harley's a terrible mom, doesn't mean she didn't try to be a decent one... you two were dealt a horrible hand in life."

"I just feel that she screwed me up forever by staying with him."

"But you got out and that's what matters. You're alive, loved and safe, funny girl. That's all that matters."

"But he said my life isn't my own... and I have the feeling that Joker has something horrible planned." I admitted and Dick sighed, tilting my chin up to look at him. "And I think Jace is gonna be involved somehow and I don't like it."

"You're overreacting-"

"Frankly, I think I'm under reacting, babe."

"Look, as long as you're around, I really doubt that Jason will be in any real danger. You protect him more than Bruce ever did to the both of us. He'll be fine and he's a pretty damn good Robin if I say so myself."

"I just can't help but worry, y'know? Joker's still loose and whenever he's patrolling with Bruce and I'm not there it's terrifying! Especially now that he's in the angsty Robin phase where all he wants to do is bash people's skulls."

"If anything happens, we'll be ready." Dick assured and pressed a kiss to my lips. "Now, can I spend time with my pretty girl after beating that asshole to a pulp? We haven't spent time together in ages!"

"Wanna go to Wonderland for a bit? We haven't swung around being just us for a bit." I offered and he smiled big.

"You read my mind, pretty girl."