Batbros Forever

Freaks Like Me

Getting Bruce to send Cassandra to school was a fight. Seeing as she couldn't read or write and barely talked when she came to the Manor, Bruce hired the best tutor money could buy to work with her.

It was slow going at first, but with her brother's help (Jason was elated to be able to help a younger sibling with homework for once), Cassandra was capable enough to start attending Gotham Prep's Special Education program.

Even so, Bruce wanted nothing more than to keep Cass at home and away from prying eyes. He'd seen firsthand how mean kids could be when they thought someone was different. But Alfred insisted that Cassandra needed to be around other people, and Alfred's word was law.

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Bruce stalled so long that Cass was almost late for her first day. When they finally arrived at her classroom, the other children were just settling down. Cass scanned the room. It was smaller than the classrooms they'd passed on the way, and there were fewer kids but still, it was a real class in a normal school.

Bruce knelt down to his daughter's level. "Any time you don't like it, just have your teacher call me and I'll come and take you straight home." He told her in earnest. Instead of nodding in agreement, Cass took his hand and pressed her thumb into the soft center of his palm, her way of ensuring she had his complete attention.

"Jason say you worry too much. I am kick ass. I will be ok." Bruce smiled ruefully. He'd have to have a talk with Jason about teaching Cass to swear. "I know sweetheart." He whispered, kissing the top of her head. Cass wrapped her arms around his neck.

"I love you Baba." She mumbled. "I love you too." Bruce smiled.

III

Being part of a class was different from working one-on-one with her tutor, but still, Cassandra found she liked learning in a group. Some of the kids had dyslexia like her. Others were on the autism spectrum. Others didn't say, but this unspoken commonality between them helped them bond.

The entire class sat together at lunch. While she had an open invitation to sit with her family, Cassandra opted to make friends. The other students all seemed to ignore their table as if they were contagious.

As Cassandra listened to one of her classmates talk, a tall brunette boy around Jason's age slammed his hands down on their table. "What's up freaks? Oh, I'm sorry. Special needs." He smirked. The kids all kept their heads down. This was not new for them.

"You guys learn the alphabet yet? How about your numbers?" The boy taunted. Cassandra gritted her teeth. She did not like this boy's tone, and his eyes carried a mean spirit. "Leave." She ordered firmly.

The boy's eyes popped at the sight of the black-haired girl. "Hello cutie." He crooned. "Name's Alik Vidal. How would you like to come to my table and sit on my lap?"

"You are rude." Cass frowned. "Aww, come on, hon, don't be like that." Alik smiled greasily. "You are mean to my friends. You leave now." Cassandra told him with resolve. Alik dropped the sly smile. "Suit yourself freak." He spat and strutted off.

III

While Bruce was relieved to have not received any phone calls from the school (at least one of his children had self-control), it did make him that much more curious about his daughter's day. "My teacher is nice," Cass told her family on the drive home. "She gives us easy numbers but hard words."

"What about your classmates?" Bruce asked, glancing at her in the mirror. "They are nice, but the boy at lunch calls us freaks. What is 'freak'?" She asked, pretending not to notice how all of their jaws had tensed or how their hands had balled into fists.

"Freaks are what these simpletons call those of us who are physically and intellectually superior." Damian explained. "Don't let this assho- uh jerk get to you." Jason told her under Bruce's watchful eye. "Just be the better person." Dick smiled back at her.

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At Tim's suggestion, Steph and a few of the AP kids started sitting with the Special Ed kids. There was safety in numbers, and Cassandra's classmates were quite thrilled at the prospect of other students coming to hang out with them.

They were all so busy getting to know each other that no one was quite sure when Alik slipped into the seat next to Cassandra. "Hey there honey. It's Cassandra right?" He asked in what he thought was a seductive whisper. "We got off on the wrong foot last time. Lemme make it up to you."

"You want to be friend?" Cass asked curiously. "Yeah. What'd ya say?" Alik said smoothly. As Cass thought it over, the brunet let his hand slip from the table and wander its way to the edge of Cass's uniform skirt.

Cass jumped up and pushed him away, causing everyone at their table to look up from their various conversations. "What the hell is wrong with you, freak?" Alik snapped as he got up.

"Don't you dare speak to her like that, you ass wipe!" Stephanie growled as Tim held her back. "Aww, the geek is standing up for the freak. How cute." Alik cackled. "You're all a bunch of worthless losers."

Tim let go of Stephanie and stalked forward until he and Alik were toe to toe. "You wanna say that again tuff guy?" He threatened.

Before the bully could come up with a threat of his own, he felt a hand on his shoulder. "Yo Jason." He grinned when he turned around. "You wanna get your dweeb in line? I'm trying to get this babe away from these freaks."

Jason raised an eyebrow as he looked from Alik to Cass. So this was the twat who was messing with his sister. "You ok Cass?" Jason asked. "He touch my skirt." Cass huffed, and the other kids all moved as far away as they could.

Jason's eyes went dark as he grabbed Alik by the front of his shirt and slammed him into the nearest wall. "You'd better apologize while you can still talk." He said menacingly. "Cassandra, call him off, please!" Alik begged. Cass stalked over and stared at the shaking boy, finally getting a good look at his eyes.

He was scared and with good reason if Jason didn't let go. He was arrogant and cocky but most of all, he was mean with no regret and no intent of change. "Let him go. He is not worth it." Cass told Jason, and he let the boy drop to the floor. "You're all freaks." Alik muttered as he stormed out of the cafeteria.

Cass merely smiled after him. Maybe she was a freak, but that was ok. She had friends and family who had deemed her special, and they were freaks like her.