Robin one shot part 3!

Then only for a minute, I want to change my mind

"Did I upset you?" Connor asked, getting his attention.

"No, it's my fault Supes. Here's the general rule for me in future: if I don't do or say something, there's a good reason for it."

"And I'm not allowed to know the reason?" He nodded.

"Just trust me."

It's in the thrift shop that Robin is once again faced with what he's missed out on. His teammates flood to the DVD section and gravitate around the toys from the late 2000s. Robin found himself unable to concentrate on the conversation which is mostly just Wally and Artemis yelling out names of things whilst the other inquire about them. He just stood there quietly. Luckily, silence is kind of his thing so no one questioned why he's not contributing to the conversation. He simply stands by a random rack of DVDs, some stained yellow with age and some dirty with God knows what. Well, he does know what because he's a detective and he can never turn that off. It's cigarette ash most likely or sun ageing. "Excuse me," a small voice called out. He looked down to find it had come from a little girl, half his size, wearing a brightly coloured dress. Her hair was braided with beads on the end in red, green and yellow. She looked up at him with wide brown eyes and she was smiling, showing that she's missing a few teeth. Something about the little girl is familiar but as Robin, he saw tonnes of little girls who need help either finding their parents or escaping another villain's attack so he didn't think much of it. "Can you lift me up so I can see?" He smiled at her and nodded, carefully wrapping his arms around her before lifting her up. She was quite light but then again he was weightlifting every night after school. "My name's Kara. What's yours?"

"It's Robin," he answered smoothly without hesitation. Kara's eyes light up at the answer and she threw her arms around him once she's retrieved her desired DVD. He laughs softly, not entirely understanding the gesture but appreciating it.

"Oh look, Rob made a friend," Artemis teases as M'gann coos at the scene. He stuck his tongue out at the archer and he was prepared to go over to give her a shove but there was a small hand clinging onto his and pulling on his arm. He glanced down to find Kara is trying to take him somewhere.

"Daddy! Daddy come here, I found Robin!" A man chuckles from behind a clothing rack and shuffles over. He's on crutches, his leg in a thick cast and there's a bandage on his cheek. He smiles at the little girl and then at the teen she held hostage. "Look, Daddy! Now you can say thank you."

"Say thank you?" Robin questioned. 

"Robin saved my life. Kara's too," the man explained. "Sorry about my Kara, she's a big fan of Robin."

"You said Robin saved your life?" Kaldur asked. 

"Indeed he did. I was in a burning building trapped with my daughter. I thought we'd never get out and here he comes swooping in. He came back even after I told him to just save her. Risked his life for me and now here I stand." Robin looked down at the girl, now finally recognising her, and he remembered her terrified cries when she knew her dad was still in the building. Batman had told him not to go back in but he refused to listen. He could never leave a man to die without trying to save him and he could never leave a child wondering that if someone had done something, would their parent still be alive. "I hope she isn't bothering you kids."

"Of course not," Robin said quickly. He decided to play into the girl's beliefs, seeing no harm in it. He knelt down and put on a very serious expression, having his hand on her shoulder. Something about the position made him feel like Batman when he was a young Robin who would wander off when he saw pretty colours. "I'm glad to see your father is doing better but in future, if you see me outside of work clothes you gotta keep it to yourself. I've got a secret identity to keep."

"Sorry," she replied but he knows she doesn't mean it. He softened his expression and handed her a lollipop he kept stored in his utility belt. He kept them both for patrols and for snack breaks but he thought he could afford to spare one for a kid that wasn't in traumatising amounts of danger.

"It can be our secret. I hope you like your movie."

"Thanks!" She hugged him again before returning to her father who gives him an appreciative smile for indulging his daughter.

As they walk away, he found that he suddenly knows the answer to the question does he regret becoming Robin. The answer is no. He may have given up his childhood for this job but he's out there ensuring others have them. If he hadn't been there, that girl would've lost her father and she wouldn't be here buying a movie to watch with him. He saved countless lives every day and it didn't matter if he was saving someone who wasn't a parent. He was saving someone from the pain of loss. The same loss that destroyed the innocence both he and Batman once had. He won't ever get that time back but he's making sure someone out there doesn't have to wish for their innocence back. That's worth the sacrifice. "Nice work Rob," Wally said, putting a hand on his shoulder that breaks his focus on the pair walking away. 

"I helped her get a DVD," he deadpanned.

"Not that, you saved her and her dad? On your own?" M'gann asked. Her voice was hushed but there was no need for it.

"Yeah?"

"That's so cool. You've been doing that since nine?"

"Yes- what do you think I was doing before we met?"

"She's just impressed. We all are," Kaldur clarified. "I hope we can all have the legacy you have one day."

"Where did you keep the lollipop?" Connor asked. 

"In my utility belt. I gotta be prepared for everything."

"Rob, do you have weapons on you right now?" Kaldur asked very seriously. He nodded. "I've told you about the weapons."

"I gotta be prepared for everything," he repeated. The older rolled his eyes at him, as did the rest of the team. That was alright though. They got to enjoy their civilian time and he was okay with being the one to stay on high alert. They could have their childhoods. He'd figure out a way to make up for lost time later.