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Chapter Text

Dick Grayson was alone. His mother and father were dead. They fell and left him, everyone had left him. A whimper and a sniffle filled the small room at the police station that the Commissioner had left him in.

Dick knew he was in an interrogation room, he saw one once on the television with his dad. It was where the bad people went when the police wanted to talk to them. Was he in trouble? Why would he be, though? It was his mommy and daddy who died. Or was it because of the man Mr. Haly was yelling at. He did see him leaving the tent when no one not in the circus should have been there.

Dick looked up at the door as it opened, showing the White and Red head of the Gotham City Police Commissioner. “Hello, Richard.” The man greeted, a cup of something that smelt like cocoa in his hand. “I’m sorry you were left for so long.” There was sadness in his voice and Dick wiped at his nose as the Commissioner slid the cup to him. It was cocoa and there was some real marshmallows in there, Dick almost smiled.

A hiccup escaped Dick’s mouth before he could start to speak. “I-It’s okay.” Dick say silently before taking a sip of the warm chocolate, “Will I have to be here longer?”

The Commissioner cleared his throat and sat down by Dick. “Well, we should be able to let you go in the hour… But I’m afraid you can’t go back to the circus right now?”

“What?! Why?!” Dick almost yelled, though it came out weak and screechy due to his earlier crying.

The Commissioner put his hand on Dick’s shoulder, smiling sadly. “I’m sorry this happened to you, Richard; but someone wanted to hurt your family and it would be safer for you to be somewhere that they don’t know…”

“So I’ll have to live here?” Dick asked, not really liking that idea.

The Commissioner chuckled, “No, no, nothing like that. There’s someone who has offered for you to stay at his home.”

“Really? Who?” Dick asked, curiosity on who would offer something like that. Though he was young and raised in his circus, ten year old Dick Grayson knew that rarely people take in children out of the blue.

“I think it would be better if I let him introduce himself.” The Commissioner made a signal to a camera and a few seconds later a slightly larger and dark man stepped into the room.

Though the man was obvious not a cop, Dick could see that he had some kind of powerful presence around him. Like how one of the animal trainers would carry their self around the big cats, dominating the area for superiority . “Hello, Richard, my name is Bruce Wayne.”

“Hello Mr. Wayne.” Dick said, recognizing the name as one of the names of the Guest of Honor’s for what should have been that night’s performance.

“Just call me Bruce, Richard.” Bruce said with a smile, putting his hand out for Dick to shake when he approached the boy’s chair.

“Only if you’ll call me Dick” Dick said, a bit of a grin on his face as he took Bruce’s hand. Not many adults outside the circus let Dick call them by their first name.

“That’s a deal, Dick.” Bruce said with a slight chuckle of amusement. “Has Commissioner Gordon told you about my offer to stay at home until they sort things out?”

Dick nodded, wondering if Bruce was genuinely being kind or hiding it. It greatly confused the boy that he could not tell; not that he was very good at reading people, but he was getting better than he used to be. “He mentioned it.”

“Well, what do you say?” Bruce asked, “I live a little outside of Gotham, but there’s plenty of room for you if you want.”

Dick bit his bottom lip. If there was bad people who hurt his parents, he would want to be safe, right? And if the police trusted Bruce Wayne, maybe it would be best. “Just until I can go back to the circus, right?”

Bruce grinned and laughed a little as he replied, “Of course.”

“Then I guess I should go.” Dick said, remembering the crime show he had watched with his father, “Just until the cops get the bad guy.”

The next morning Dick awoke to someone poking his shoulder. “Go away Ray… It’s Tuesday I’m sleeping in.”

A slightly deeper and unfamiliar voice laughed at him, startling Dick enough to open his eyes. It was not Ray who was poking his shoulder. It was an older boy with dark auburn hair, crouching on the balls of his feet to look directly at Dick. “Name’s not Ray kid… Close though.”

Dick rubbed his face on the pillow under his head, his voice muffled as he replied, “T-e -ell are -ou?”

“Don’t let Alf hear you talk like that squirt.” The stranger chuckled and then grimaced, “He’ll wash your mouth out with soap… and then make a chocolate cake.”

Dick looked at the boy, brow in thought as he studied him. “Why is chocolate cake bad?”

“Have you ever had your mouth washed out with soap?” Dick shook his head in response. “Then let me tell you, it tastes horrible. Not even cake can fix that, makes the cake taste like murky water.”

“Eww.” Dick said with a scrunched up face. He liked this stranger, though he wondered what he was doing in the room he was sleeping in. He was about to ask when he realized he was not in the room he fell asleep in. “Where am I?” He asked as he sat up, just then realizing he was on a couch.

“The library.” The red haired boy responded, “I guess you couldn’t sleep and migrated here in the night.”

“Oh.” Dick looked around. The library was huge, with a second floor and a spiral staircase. “I don’t remember.”

“Figured. You do remember you’re at Wayne Manor though, right?”

“Of course I do.” Dick huffed, sitting up on the couch.

“No need to be offended.” The ginger grinned as he stood and stretched.

Dick watched the boy who now seemed to be almost a foot taller than him standing. “Who are you?”

“My name’s Jason Todd.” Said boy replied, a sideways grin on his face, “And you’re Dick Grayson, right?”

“Yes…” Dick said, apprehensively. “Why are you here? Bruce didn’t say was anyone else but him and Alfred here.”

“Bruce is… Well, he’s my foster parent.” Jason said, looking at the ceiling. “I was on a trip with some friends, was not supposed to be home for a week or two but I got back early.”

“Oh…” Dick said in reply. It would be nice to have someone else here, particularly if Bruce worked a lot. Not that Alfred was not fun… But he did not seem too talkative.

“Yep.” Jason said, walking to the library doors, “Alf is making breakfast, don’t wanna miss it while it’s hot, do you Dickie-bird?”

Dick looked at the other boy, wondering why he called him ‘Dickie-bird’ of all things. No one had ever called him that before, but Dick decided right there he did not like it. He was about to make a comment on that when his stomach rumbled and Jason laughed. “Alfred doesn’t like us to be late. Hurry before he packages it up for the gardeners.” Jason then turned and ran down the hall. “Beat you there!” He called out, making Dick get up to race. He only realized when he took the wrong turn that he did not know where they were eating at.

Chapter Text

Dick tried to not look at the back window, where he knew dark olive eyes were watching him. The man had appeared two days before, Dick's twenty-fifth day at Wayne Manor, and he had yet to speak more than a sentence to Dick in that time. It unnerved Dick, after the relationships he had formed with Alfred, Bruce, and Jason. The latter of which was off somewhere again, leaving Dick to tumble in the grass alone. It had amazed Dick that Jason was something of a gymnast. Of course, with his bigger size and more muscular build, Jason was a bit clumsy at times but he was still good and Dick was able to teach the other some games he played with the other kids from the circus.

The fact that Damian had yet to even really speak to him was really bothersome. He had asked Alfred after their first encounter, more or less Damian glaring at him as he awoke in the library once again. The fact that the other male was Bruce's biological child was less of a surprise than the fact that he seemed to have an intense dislike of him.

Landing a double back handspring, Dick decided he was not liking being watched, the eyes on him feeling like a cloud of anger. Marching to the front door, he stomped to the door and opened it. Looking at the older male, he started. "I don't care about why, but you need to stop glaring at me."

Damian had been watching Dick as he came back in, a scowl on his face whenever he replied. "I do?" His eyebrow raise when he was done speaking.

"Yes!" Dick threw his hands up in the air. "It's rude and I don't like it."

"More the reason to continue." A frustrated groan from Dick just made Damian's scowl to a smirk.

Dick, for maybe the first time in his life, did not replied but stared at the elder who was doing the same with him. The staring contest continued for a while, for there was no interruption and it came to the put that ten year old stubbornness would not break the endurance of the heir to the Batman and the League of Assassins (or, to be more frank, the stubbornness inbred into Damian's DNA).

There is no way to say how long the two watched the other, except for the fact that Alfred came to announce that an evening snack had been prepared. "Ah, Master Damian, I was unaware you were still here." The old butler said as he noticed the two's staring contest.

"I have some business to discuss with father." Damian said. He had descended to the Cave the night before, and had only just come up to watch the newest member of the household. Bruce had told him it was not permanent, though the newest Robin seemed to becoming attached to the child.

"Yes, Master Bruce should be home soon." Alfred acknowledged, "He left Metropolis about an hour or so again. Said he'd be home for dinner."

Dick smiled, his eyes completely leaving Damian for the first time. He smiled at Alfred, "Bruce is going to be back?"

"Yes, Master Richard." Alfred said, the smile on Dick's face seeming to be contagious as the old butler returned it.

"Hooray!" Dick whooped. "Jay's gonna be at Dinner too, right?"

"Master Jason arrived home just a few minutes ago." Alfred responded, trying to suppress a chuckle. "Last I saw him, he was heading to the kitchen for food.

Dick smiled even brighter, "Thanks, Alf. I'm gonna go find him if that's okay with you."

"Of course, young sir." Alfred nodded, back to his stoic persona, "I'm sure Master Jason will be glad to see you."

"See you around Alfred." Dick called as he ran out of the room. It had been awhile since he had gotten lost in the Manor.

***Two Nights Ago, Wayne Manor***

"Father, this is ridiculous." Damian spoke into the Bluetooth rigged into his motorcycle helmet. It was not as effective as the commlinks they used for their nighttime activities, but as far as civilian technology went, Damian could not complain.

Bruce Wayne's voice came through to his ear, sounding a bit exasperated, "I told you Damian, this is a temporary situation." Which, of course, he had told his son before; but it did not seem to fit. Bruce was never one to turn his back on a child in need, which seemed to be his biggest weakness. That is, if you asked his 'eldest' son.

"I'm sure I heard that before." Damian ground out, voice slightly tensed as he tried not to think of another dark haired boy who had been lost. "And look at what that has become."

"We can have this conversation when I arrive back in Gotham in two days." Bruce finally said, a bit of finality in his voice.

Damian pulled up to the Manor gate, and punched in the code to open it before replying. "I'll be waiting at the Manor for your return father."

"The boy is not to know anything, Damian. Zucco is still looking for him." Bruce paused, "Jason is keeping an eye on him, but he is becoming curious about things. We believe he may have pieced together Zucco's involvement. He is not to leave the Manor."

"Yes sir." Damian replied. Besides what could be said about Damian's public persona or Blackbird, he was not heartless. Children had no place in their life, something Batman and Bruce Wayne should have known after what happened to Timothy Drake. Jason Todd could be seen as a surprise case, and even Damian was unable to say he presence made things better at times. Sometimes, Damian had surmised that Drake's lose was never going to heal... Even if he saw him running around, knowing that he was now breathing, rather than six-feet under the ground or the doll-child of a deranged Clown.

Damian had found Tim Drake following him one night, one of the first nights he had returned to Gotham following the rift that had separated him from his father. Establishing a name in Gotham for Blackbird was not difficult, it was making people see that he was not The Bat, not his father, was what was hard. Damian was not even going to say it was just the costume, not that he would admit it out loud. Tim Drake, on the other-hand, was never afraid of either of them. The kid probably should have been, running after vigilantes in the dead off night, climbing rickety fire escapes for years before Damian finally took notice. It only made him wonder what else him and his father missed at night.

Bringing Tim to his father was just supposed to help make things go smoother. Somehow talk the kid into stopping. He was never supposed to become the new Robin, not that his explanation was unsound. On the contrary, Damian felt to his core that this kid was going to be the ruin of his father one day. And he was right, after two years Drake was taken by a madman. He was taken and broken, his mind shattered and his skin mutilated to become someone else. Damian would have killed the Joker at that moment, been distracted by a bombs trapped Timothy. The tearful laughter that followed in the days and nights following his rescue, the raging mumbling of that lunatic mind given to him by that Clown almost broke the entire family. They tried to help, even Damian put his time in to help Drake find himself again. And, the saddest part? It seemed to be helping. There seemed to be improvements; he could have conversations with them on good days, even remembered them during some of the better bad days. They thought they were helping him until the day he was just gone.

They searched for three months, every road taken leading to a dead end. With every dead end, every week leading to the thought that he was dead or did not want to be found. Batman was losing it, losing faith in the crusade. Though Damian had left being Robin, he was still here. Drake had just up and vanished without a trace. Then one day, a corpse shows up. Burnt almost beyond recognition in a chemical fire in Eastern Europe, dental records confirmed it was one Timothy Jackson Drake. Damian had only seen his father cry one time, and it was that night. After that, Batman was brutal. There was more than one night Damian followed his father thinking he could do the unthinkable.

And then Batman brought home a child. A dirty, smart mouth child that had tried and almost succeeded in taking the tires from one of the world's most secure vehicles. Either lucky or just blessed, Jason Todd was brought into the fold; and he helped things even out. Not as smart as Drake, but sharp and brilliant in his own right. A better fighter than Drake, Damian remembers thinking that Todd would have stood a better chance against the Joker in another life.

But Drake is not dead, nor is he completely better. Trading one madness for something darker, Damian wondered how much longer until things came to a head again.

Shaking his head, he parked his bike and walked to the back of the estate to find the outdoor entrance to the Cave. Inside the cave, he was surprised to find his replacement's replacement sitting at the Bat-Computer. A mask over his eyes, but otherwise in civilian street clothing, the smaller male was looking at some files while a secondary screen ran video surveillance of two of the Manor's hallways. Seemingly lost in concentration, Damian was able to sneak up on the boy.

"If I was an assassin, you'd be dead already, Todd." Damian said, yanking the earbuds out of Jason's ears as he stood behind the chair.

"What the shit!" Jason said, standing and turning around. "What are you doing here, Damian?"

Damian looked at the boy who now used his name. Jason Todd was a red haired boy with blue-green eyes that were losing their more surprised look with each time the older man saw him. Though only fifteen, he was almost as tall as Bruce meaning he was just that much shorter than Damian. "Can't I come to the house of my father without being interrogated?"

Jason looked at Damian and back to the surveillance screens as it beeped. On the screen a small boy was walking down the hall, a blanket on his shoulder as he made his way to the library. "You here about Dick, aren't you?" The words were quiet as Jason hit a button and the library came into view.

"Father does not seem to realize," Damian stated, looking at the small boy that was curling up into the library's couch with his face smashed into the back. "Children in this house are never safe from the Batman."

"Dick isn't going to be part of this," Jason had turned around as Damian spoke. If you asked Damian, at that moment he could almost believe Jason. Up to the moment that he remembered that he was speaking to the current Robin. "Me and B. are going to find Zucco and put him away. Then Dick can go back to Haly's." Damian almost saw the smile trying to form on Jason's lips, almost knew that his eyes were bright from the idea of a child having somewhere to return to.

Damian just shrugged, removing the pack from his back. "Let's hope that plan stays that way." He looked up to take a glance at Drake's memorial, positioned just where he knew his father could see it everyday and where he needed a reminder that even Batman was fallible.

 It was around dawn when Damian left the cave. Jason had left shortly after Damian's arrival with the explanation that he had to be up with Dick the next day. Damian, though, was used to no sleep and did not see it's need if he was going to essentially lounge around his father's house for a few days. Heading to the library, he was surprised he had forgotten about the child curled up on the couch.

In real life, Damian was almost surprised that the kid was actually small. Maybe it could be that he was only ten, but the child seemed to be able to take only one and a half couch cushions. Looking at the sleeping form, Damian wondered why Jason was not surprised at the kid coming in here to sleep. Which probably meant it was a normal thing, possibly sleep walking. Shaking the boys shoulder gently, he started to awaken.

"I -anna -eep, -ay." The small muffled child voice said as it rubbed against the back of the couch.

"I'm not Jason," Damian said, only using Jason's given name to avoid confusion. "And you should go to your room. I'm going to need to use the library." That was the truth, at least Damian would rather stay in the library than go back and forth from his bedroom. It was basically going to be his anyways. When he father either gave it to him or died.

Dick looked at Damian, sleep still clouding his mind. "Okay, Bruce." The kid grabbed his blanket and left. It was only minutes later that Damian shrugged off the idea that he should check that he made to his room rather than just falling asleep in the hall. In a household full of vigilantes, it was not an uncommon sight. It was an even later thought that he actually realized the kid had thought he was his father.

Chapter Text

Jason could not believe that Dick had gotten away from him. All he had told the kid was to play in his room cause he had homework. Honestly, who would have thought that this would be the night that Dick decided to finally bolt out. Of course, none of them could have known that Dick had any information on his parents' murder. Even though they knew it was a possibility, it was probably Gotham's worst kept secret, but after two months why tonight? Only thing was that the Commission had held a press conference asking for information. Dick must have seen the newspaper.

Jason jumped down from the fire escape, landing with a crouch. For maybe the first time in a long time, he was glad that Bruce had had Alfred sew some trackers into their clothes. It made finding the Circus Brat easier; for Christ's sake Gotham was huge. What the kid was thinking he would never know, because right now he was getting closer and closer to the four city blocks that Zucco ran. 

Not one of Gotham's biggest gang lords, Zucco was anything but a cowering wimp. Since opening the case on the Grayson, even Batman was amazed that a small time operation like Zucco's was so profitable. There was some connections to Black Mask, but even that was side business for the two of them.

With the tracking equipment tell him that he was within feet of Dick, Jason prepared for the worst. The small blimp that was the kid had been still for the last few minutes, something that was bothering Robin as he got closer to the kid's location in an alley. He was surprised to see a large man on the ground, and a small whimpering sound from behind a dumpster. Jason's heart almost stopped when he found Dick wedged between the dumpster and the wall, evidently unhurt but seemingly scared.

"You okay kid?" Jason said in his most calm voice, though what he wanted to do was yell at the child and then hold him close. In the two months that Dick had been with them, he had carved his way into their lives and hearts. Hell, Jason was sure that Damian was warming up to the brat.

Dick curled away from Robin and sniffled. "Robin?"

Jason shook his head, a smile on his lips as Dick wiped at his nose. "Ya know it kiddo. How about we get you out of here, I'm sure someone is worried about you."

Dick started to crawl out, wiping at his eyes. "He came out of nowhere. I didn't wanna hurt him, but he chased me..." Dick was looking at the goon on the ground.

"You knocked him out?" Jason asked, trying not to laugh.

Dick shrugged, "I threw something at him and then hid. I heard him fall a few seconds later."

Jason chuckled, "He's most likely a 'bad guy', squirt. I'll put in a call for him to be picked up, the cops don't need to know that you were even here."

Dick kind of smiled, just the corners of his mouth turning up, but it was just fine with Jason. The kid would cheer up whenever he got him home. "If you say so..."

Jason scooped up the kid, a small 'oof' escaping his lips as he realized he was a bit heavy. "Let's get you home before someone get worried." Throwing Dick onto his back, he started to walk to a fire escape. "Hold on tight, I wanna get some altitude before I make a call."

Dick nestled in Jason's back, wrapping his legs around his waist and arms tightening just loose enough so Jason could still breathe. "Okay."

Climbing up was harder with the extra weight, but it was not impossible. When they got there, Jason put Dick down and pulled out a communicator. "Penny One, I found him."

"Very good Robin. I have a lock on your location, transport is on the way." Alfred responded, "How is he?"

Jason looked at Dick, who was looking over the rooftop's edge, though Jason did not think he was in danger of falling. "Little shaken up."

"Very good sir." Alfred sounded relieved and then spoke again, "The Master wants him brought to the cave, do you have any sedative on you?"

"Boss wouldn't let me out of the Cave without it." Jason said, voice apprehensive. "Does he really want me to..."

"I'm afraid so Sir."

Dick woke up on a stiff, but cushioned surface. The air was a bit damp and cool with a strange mixture of sounds echoing. It took a moment for him to pinpoint voices among the noises.

"Why did I have to bring him down here? I could have just taken him to his room." The voice was familiar, but Dick's clouded mind could not think of why.

There was the sound of feet hitting the ground, "He needs to know that something is being done..."

"That's crap and you know it!" The first voice, much younger sounding than the other voice, shouted. "He's just a kid B. he shouldn't even know we're real."

"I understand Jason." The other voice, 'B', responded in a much calmer method. "But somethings can't be stopped. This won't be the last time he tries something like this."

Dick's breath hitched at the name Jason, realizing why the other voice was familiar. It was Jason's. Which meant Jason was Robin? Dick tried to sit up, his head swimming from whatever made him go to sleep.

"Shit." Jason said, coming over to Dick. As soon as he was in reachable distance, he put a hand on the smaller boy's shoulder. "Don't move so face, Little Bird."

"Don't touch me!" Dick cried out, vision swimming as he moved away from Jason too quickly. "You're a liar, Jason. Leave me alone."

Jason's face fell. "Sorry kiddo. I couldn't tell you..."

"You should've." Dick felt sick and he was not sure if it was from being knocked out, or if it was from learning that Jason was Robin. "This involves my mom and dad... That man killed them, and you're not stopping him."

"It's not that easy." The older, deeper voice said from behind Jason. As he came into view, Dick got his first really look at Batman. He was a large man, shrouded in dark. "Tony Zucco has not been seen in weeks. Where you were tonight has been abandoned since last week."

"But there was that man..." Dick started before his brain caught up to him. He shut his mouth and glared at Bruce Wayne. "Why didn't you save them. You were there... Why didn't you save them?"

Batman's face was unchanging, hidden under the cowl; but he stepped closer, forgoing touching Dick as he flinched away. "There was nothing anyone could have done Dick."

"Someone could have listened to me when I said someone was in the tent who wasn't supposed to be!" Dick cried, pulling his knees to his chest.

Jason stepped up, placing his hand near Dick if he wanted to invite contact. "What you talking about kiddo?"

"I saw him... Zucco. He was fighting with Old Jack; and then later he was leaving the Big Top... No one listened to me until it was too late." Dick put his face to his knees as Jason pulled him into a hug.

Jason put his face into Tim's hair, "I'm sorry... We'll get him. I promise Dickie-bird."

Dick let Jason hug him, even letting being called Dickie-bird go this time.

Chapter Text

Tim scanned the area from the roof tops. Being in Gotham was still strange, a city that was once his home but was now the center of his worst nightmares. Even the dip into the Lazarus Pit was nothing like losing his mind to the Joker. Now he was back here, the Dark City. The city was the same, the same muck and grime. The same crime, hidden further since the emergence of the Dark Knight.

That was why he was back, Batman needed a reminder on how to do his job. Death was still rampant, and now Red Robin was going to put a stop to it. Or that was what Tim told himself as he returned. Right now, though Tim was just trying to keep himself from going out and taking the Joker out. Even with all the years away, the resolve he thought he built up, the urge was still there. His mind just kept going back to those days, the voice calling out to him. "Come on, kid. You're mine now, the Bat won't come to you. He doesn't care. You were a gift to me."

Shouts below caught his attention. A child was running, a larger man chasing. Something primal erupts in Tim's mind and he leaps down. The kid throws some kind of junk at the man, stunning him long enough for him to hide behind the dumpster. Tim jumps down from the fire escape onto the man, a sickening crunch as he lands on his shoulders slamming him to the ground. Everything is quiet as Tim steps away, no care for his latest victim as a small whimper comes from where the kid is hiding. The far away sound of feet on grovel on the rooftop he had just left makes Tim jump away into the shadows.

A semi-familiar flash of yellow, red, and green comes down, falling Tim's movements with such finesse that Tim knows before his eyes register that it is Robin. The new Robin, the one that came into the picture after him. The one who probably still has the scar he left him. It's a moment later that another name registers in his mind. Jason Todd, Bruce Wayne's wayward ward. The proverbial street rat juvenile turned into an outstanding young man. 

Watching Robin move to the child is almost surreal. The familiarity in his voice, the worry for the small boy's well being is registered and stored for later analysis. The comment from the boy is also noted, with the hope that his presence is not even a thought in the back of his former mentors' minds. The two are gone without any further investigation from the newest Boy Wonder and the Batwing comes to pick them up without a missed beat.

It is later that Tim finds out who the child could have been. Richard Grayson, the last survivor of a family taken down in a tragedy and the newest child to Bruce Wayne's collection. It's another few days before he sees the newest Dynamic Duo, jumping across rooftops with barely a beat missed between the two. The newest Robin flies and tumbles through the air. The effect on Tim's mind is conflicted, the need to rip and tear apart the representation of what he lose equals that of ripping Bruce apart for bringing someone else in that could be broken as well. The role of protector he once was entwined with that of the bloody avenger he has become. Its only the fact that revealing himself so early would destroy his plans that he stays in his shadowed corner.

The next night though, he knows his time hidden is up. Things were supposed to be easy, take out the dealers and make it look like a death delivered from rivals, definitely not the Red Robin. But he was too slow getting out, the dealers were more prepared than he thought. It took too long, their gunshots much louder than his knife and silenced pistols. Things like that always seem to attract the wrong type of intruders, even in Crime Alley.

The Black shadow that was once comforting, now a massive bleak formless terror from his twice ravaged mind. "I thought you said you were not coming back to Gotham."

"Thought I'd come back to see the sights." Tim said as if he was commenting on the weather. "Make sure Big Ol' Batsy hadn't put anymore children through hell."

Damian's fist clenched and his shoulders tighten, making Tim wish he could see his face contort under his ever present hood. "Drake..." His voice was a warning and a plea.

Tim knew this. Knew the first Robin better than anyone on the planet. Even before what happened, Tim was figuring out all the buttons on Damian. Years, and many teachers later, Timothy Drake could tear even Damian apart with a few words. "I guess I was too late on that though." A smirk came across Tim's just-too-pale face, "The boy's tiny. What does Bruce expect him to do? Distract the thugs and villains just long enough for Batman to swoop in and save the day?"

"He's not part of this." Damian said, hoping the finality in his voice would catch on. "He is under our protection, that's it."

Tim let out a laugh, flat and with no real melody. "So they haven't told you. Thought you'd be the first one Daddy told." Tim paused before continuing, "Though maybe Daddy has a new favorite. Little Wing seems to work better than you did."

Damian growled, restraining himself. "Told me what? And live Robin out of this."

"Robins always apart of this, Birdie." Tim started to walk around Damian, watching him like a vulture circling a dying animal. "I saw him the other night. The kid was out on his own and Robin picked him up in the Batwing. Wouldn't be surprised if Daddy-dearest inducted him in the club then and there."

Damian watched Tim circling, a knife in one hand and a gas pellet ready in the other. "Why should I believe you?"

"Believe me or not." Tim said, "But let Robin know the Baby-bird didn't take out that guy." Tim was gone as the words reached Damian's ears, leaping from the side of the building with the sound of a grapnel reverberating through the eerily quiet streets.

Damian swore under his breath and relaxed. He was not really thinking he would see Drake that night. It was just a whisper of a whispered Robin that he had been seen, and the gunshots had already brought him here. But Tim was back... And even if he was lying, something Damian knew he'd not do (sure he twisted the truth a bit, but a liar he was not), he really needed to speak with his father. And Jason had told him Dick wanted to see him, reasons apparently too trivial to say over the phone.

Chapter Text

Dick rubbing his eyes for the third time that night, stifling a yawn. "I believe it is time you went to bed, Master Dick." Alfred said with a fond smile on his face as he looked over the top of the book he was reading. The two had retired to the library when Alfred had finished cleaning the kitchen and found that Dick seemed determined to spend the night waiting for the other two occupants of the Manor.

"I'm not tired Alfred." A yawn muffled most of Dick's reply, which seemed to fustrate the boy. "I wanna make sure Jason and Bruce come home..."

"Master Bruce and Master Jason will be okay." Alfred replied standing up and putting his book on the side table. "Though I am sure that both of them would be upset that you stayed up waiting rather than get a good night's rest. Jason did tell you he'd show you around the cave tomorrow, did he not?"

Dick crossed his arms over his chest and pouted. "Yes..."

"And I'm sure you wouldn't want to be half awake all day because you didn't get enough sleep." Dick's pout had deepened and he was standing up as Alfred started moving to the doorway.

The two moved in relative silence as they made their way to Dick's room. Dick, being tired and a bit grouchy that he had lost to Alfred about bedtime, was trying to not talk or yawn. As Alfred was tucking Dick into bed, the boy finally spoke. "You'll wake me up if something happens to them, right?"

"Of course." Alfred said, humoring the boy. "You'll be the first to know."

Dick pushed himself further into his pillows and closed his eyes. He must of been more tired than he thought, as he seemed to instantly fall asleep.

Damian stood in the Cave, watching the camera feed from the Manor showing a small Richard Grayson shuffling his way into Jason's room. Really, if that child did not start sleeping the whole night in his own bed who knows what would happen to the already fragile sleep schedule of the Wayne household. Not to mention the hilarity of Bruce finding a small boy curled up in his bed, seeing how that had never happened before. With the boy heading to Jason's room, it seemed like a logical turn of events.

 The small rumble that meant that the arrival of the Batmobile made Damian pivot on his heel in time to see Jason jump out of the car. Jason did not see him, and as life should have it he was in a one-sided argument with Batman. "Seriously, B, I'm sorry. How was I supposed to know that the guy would pass out from that kick."

"You have been trained to know better, Jason." Bruce replied, noticing Damian standing by the Bat Computer as soon as he left the car. "This conversation can wait until tomorrow, go upstairs and go to bed."

"No!" Jason said, only noticing Damian after he started to stomp his way to the computer. "What are you doing here?" He asked the older male with a inquisitive glare.

"I need to speak with my father, Todd." Damian replied, returning Jason's look with a noncommittal glare. "And there's something you should take care of in your room. That is if you don't want a new roommate."

Jason looked Damian questionably but was beaten to the punch by Bruce. "Jason, go upstairs." The order left no room for argument, even though Jason was in no mood to listen. Giving out a groan of frustration, Jason stomped to the uniform cases to change before leaving.

Father and son looked at each other, seemingly conversing through similar glares. Stomping on stairs and a slammed door signaled Jason's departure from the cave. "Father, Drake is back."

Pain was visible on Bruce's face as the words hit him. "Why?" Is all Bruce asks, looking away from Damian to the case with Tim's Robin suit. "Why has he come back?"

"He didn't say." Damian answered, voice commanding as he brought Bruce's attention to himself. "But he had an interesting story, about a little boy Robin took away in the Batwing. Why didn't you tell me that Grayson knows?"

Bruce looked away from Tim's memorial case, "It was of no concern to you. Nothing has changed."

"Do you really believe that father?" Damian's voice did not increase in volume, but became lower and commanding. "When has anyone ever been able to walk away after knowing what it is we do?"

"Damian." Bruce responded with a warning.

"No Father, you are going to listen." Damian stepped forward. "I did not say anything when you brought in Drake, nor with Brown; and look what happened to them." Damian paused, "I should have put my foot down then but I did not. After what happened to Drake... God, forgive me, I should have stopped you from taking in Todd." Damian paused, and continued with his voice rising with each word. "I should have never let anyone else take up that accursed name or costume! But I failed..."

"Damian." Bruce said again, stepping to his son. "What happened to Tim... That had nothing to do with you."

"No, it has to do with you and your crusade." Damian growled, "And like all crusades, it is paid for with the blood of children. Grayson will not be added to that blood debt."

Bruce took off his cowl before he next spoke, his voice taking a commanding tone much darker than that he had used with Jason earlier. "Damian, stop right now." Taking a calming breath, he continued. "Dick is not going to be part of this. He was never going to be, that has not changed, even if he did find out." Stepping toward's his son who stood barely an inch shorter than him he put his hand on the other's shoulder. "What happened to Tim and Stephanie will never happen again, I won't let it. Not to Jason, you, or Dick."

"You can't promise that Father. Nor can you keep Grayson from any of this." Damian looked his father in the eyes. He could see the pain, the self-hatred, that has long been associated with the memory of his failures. But what he didn't see was the conviction that should follow his words. Even Bruce knew that his promise to keep Dick from this life was hollow, fate was too clear that Dick would join them in their crusade. "I just hope that you can protect him better than the rest of us."

Damian stepped back, turn on his heel towards the stairs back that led to the house. "I'm going to stay for a few days, to keep an eye on things. I'm sure Drake being back means something will escalate." With that he was gone to the shadows, leaving his father with the ghosts of the past.

Chapter Text

***Damian's Apartment, 3 years ago***

"What are you doing here Brown." Damian asked, glaring at the blonde haired girl standing in his doorway.

Stephanie looked up at the older male, her eyes red rimmed. "I didn't want to be alone..." Her voice was scratchy like she had been crying recently, though Damian had no reason to insult her on this. Tim's body had been confirmed just days before and they were waiting for the body to be sent before they could arrange for the funeral service. Damian moved from his doorway to allow the other to enter. The apartment was uncharacteristically messy. A table had been thrown, the contents still scattered across the floor. Stephanie sat on the couch, looking around, "Really wish Timmy was here to see this... He wouldn't believe you could be upset that he's..." Stephanie could not finish her statement as her shoulders shook and she buried her head in her hands.

Damian went to the kitchen, getting a glass of water for his guest. Returning to living room, he saw Stephanie had not moved from her spot but was not clutching a throw pillow to her chest. "Drink this Brown, don't want you to shrivel up cause you can't stop crying." Damian said halfheartedly as he put the drink in front of her.

Stephanie tried to take a calming breath before taking a drink. After a few minutes she calmed down a little bit. "It's so weird to think he's gone." She finally said, her voice a little wet from tears though she did not seem like she was going to let the waterworks out just now. "I mean, he was never really back after the Joker... But now he's really gone, there's no fixing death."

Damian just nodded, trying not to think of the Lazarus Pit or any of the other stories he grew up hearing of such miracles. Even in the League of Assassins, death was a finality and to tamper with that was blasphemy. "He's in a better place Brown."

"How can you say that!?" Stephanie yelled at him, her eyes calling for his death. "How could you wish him dead after everything..."

"Because, Brown," Damian started, trying to keep any emotions from his voice. Taking a seat on the opposite side of the couch, he continued. "Look at what he was. What he became. Do you think he wanted that? Why do you think the first thing he did when he had the smallest glimpse of sanity was leave?"

"Are you saying he wanted to die?" Stephanie asks, her voice small and quiet. She was now curled away from Damian, knees pulled up to her chest.

"I can't say." Damian responded as he looked at the ceiling, mind going to places darker than his voice would suggest. "But he's not suffering anymore."

"Do you just not feel anything?" Stephanie asked, pulling Damian out of wherever his musings led him as a solid hit was delivered near his sternum. "How can you be so clinical about this? This is Tim were talking about, not some faceless nobody." She threw her fist a few more times, thumping Damian on the chest with each hit.

Damian grabbed her wrists, stopping her assault. "I know Brown." Damian growled out, "How could I not know? I brought him to father, I let him be Robin..." Damian's was cut off as Stephanie's lips met his for a second.

Damian looked at the blonde in front of him as she stared back at him, possibly trying to figure out why she did what she had just done. For whatever reason she had for kissing him, she did not seem to be questioning herself. "Brown," Damian breathed, releasing her wrists, "you're pathetic." A second later he bridged the gape between them to press a kiss to her lips.

***Six months ago, The Batcave***

"Damian Alexander Wayne! Who the hell do you think you are!? What right do you have not to tell me..." Stephanie called from the staircase leading to the Batcave, her angry footsteps echoing in the otherwise quiet cave. Damian was sitting at the computer, re-watching footage, Stephanie stopping dead when she saw the figure on the screen. "Is that him... My God, that's Tim." Her voice was just above a whisper, her hands covering her mouth.

Damian ripped his eyes from the screen to spin his chair to look at Stephanie. "Yes Brown, that is Drake, or Red Robin as he's calling himself now."

Stephanie's eyes did not leave the screen as the footage played Red Robin taking down a group of criminals, ending with bullets to their heads. Even as her brain screamed for her to look away, told her this was not Tim. Not her Timothy, who laughed as he waited outside her window. Who said he loved her the night that she thought her world was ending. The Tim who left and never came home, forever gone. Definitely not the man on the screen, not the man killing without remorse. "What happened to him?"

"He never died." Damian said, watching Stephanie's reactions. Stephanie had changed since that night that seemed so long ago, the night that they found comfort in one another. She was stronger, able to stand on her own even without Damian or Bruce. Spoiler and her information network were an asset to the entire hero community. Her reactions tonight though reminded him strongly of the lost girl standing at his front door, not the woman she grew up to be. "He went to my grandfather. They faked his death and put him in the Lazarus Pit."

"Lazarus Pit?" Stephanie spoke as if she was dazed, "The thing Ra's uses to stay alive..."

"Yes, Grandfather thought it would clear his mind. Clear up whatever that Clown put in there." Damian ran a hand through his hair, "Seems that it was not that easy. Drake's mind is clearer, but he's different. Meaner."

Damian would never say he loved Stephanie, he knew she was not his to love. She gave herself to Tim, heart and soul, so long ago and even with this new development he doubted she would ever get them back. That being said, Damian did care for her, not matter how much she angered him or drove her insane. Each night that she came to him because she could not take being alone, each stolen kiss they shared; all stored for future reference whenever she finally lets herself move on. "Why did he come back? Why after all this time?"

"The Joker." Damian ground out, "He took that psychotic piece of filth, beat near death before he confronted father. There was an explosion and he hasn't been seen since." He shut off the computer and stood. "That was yesterday. Father is out looking for him now, though I suspect he is long gone."

Stephanie stepped forward, wrapping her arms around Damian's chest. His right hand circled around her waist as the left ran through her hair. "He's alive Dames." She whispered. "Tim's alive Damian."

Damian put his nose into the top of Stephanie's hair, inhaling the familiar scents of her shampoo. Strawberries. "Brown, you're pathetic."

Chapter Text

"Dami!" Dick cried as he entered the kitchen and saw Damian sitting on a bar stool eating his breakfast.

Damian turned in time to catch Dick before being enveloped into the ten years old's. "Good morning Grayson." Damian replied as he plied himself free from the monkey grip, "Alfred made muffins, they're on the counter."

Releasing the older man, Dick ran to grab a plate and two muffins before climbing into the seat next to Damian. Damian looked at the boy as he felt eyes burning holes into his side, Dick was watching him like a hawk. The intense stare was a bit off putting, considering it was coming from a boy just a little more than half of his height. "What are you look at kid?"

"Are you really..." Dick stopped and motioned for Damian to lean closer. When the older's ear was a few inches from Dick's face, the younger finished his sentence, "Blackbird?"

Damian straightened almost ramrod straight, looking at Dick. "I am."

"Cool." Dick said before starting to devour his breakfast.

Damian looked at Dick as he heard someone approaching. "Alfred! Jason! Bruce! Where is everyone? Seriously..."

A blonde whirlwind of energy seemed to burst kitchen. "Alfred had to take father to a last minute meeting and Jason is probably still asleep." Damian answered after both of them paused to look at the other. "Alfred made some muffins if you want one."

"Oh..." Stephanie said, looking away to the tray full of assorted muffins. "Sweet, blueberry." Stephanie turned around, eating the muffin as she looked at Damian and finally noticed. "Who's the little cutie?" She smiled at Dick.

Dick smiled back after swallowing a mouth full. "My name is Dick, and who are you?"

Stephanie made some sound that Damian swore was a mixture of a squeal and a hawk screech as she stepped to stand across the kitchen bar from Dick. "Stephanie Brown, I hope this loser isn't giving you a hard time." She said, pointing a finger at Damian. "He can be a big butthead sometimes."

"It's all right Stephanie, I like Damian." Dick responded looking between the two, "Though he wasn't very nice to me when I first met him."

"Was he now?" Stephanie said, eyebrow raised as her eyes laughed at Damian. "How could you be mean to such an adorable child? Do I need to sic Cass on you?"

"No, that is not needed," Damian replied, though Stephanie knew well enough to know that the threat was being taken at least a little bit seriously. "As the kid said, we're good now."

"That's good." Stephanie smiled and looked back at Dick who was beginning on the second muffin on his plate.

"Who's Cass?" Dick asked between bites, "Is she your dog or something?"

"No, sweetie," Stephanie laughed, "She's my roommate, but she can kick Dames's butt quicker than anything I've ever seen."

"That was one time Brown." Damian growled, eyes narrowed. "And I distinctly remember you nearly losing in less than a second against her yourself.”

"And you haven't really sparred with her since," Stephanie countered, "Mr. I-Was-Born-to-Fight-So-I-Can-Totally-Take-On-One-Little-Girl."

"Woah! There’s someone like that?!" Dick smiled, "Does that mean you're a superhero, too?"

Stephanie look at Dick and then Damian, who nodded as the unspoken question was communicated. "You could say that kiddo."

"Which one are you? I know Damian is Blackbird and Jason is Robin and Bruce is Batman... Are you Batgirl?" Dick asked excitedly.

"Well, I used to Batgirl and was Robin for a little bit." Stephanie answered, "I'm Spoiler now... More like a Ninja-Spy than a crime fighter nowadays."

Dick smiled, "Really? You're a ninja? That's the coolest."

"Not really," Damian answered as Stephanie stared daggers at his forehead. "She mostly just sits in front of a computer unless she can't get someone else to do her dirty work."

"Not true, Cass is just more effective at infiltration than I am." Stephanie said, annoyance clear in her voice. "And I happen to remember you needed my help way more than I've needed yours."

"That's because it's more 'effective' for you to get information." Damian said, standing up and looking down at Stephanie.

Stephanie's response was cut off by the arrival of the resident red-haired teenager walking into the kitchen. "Just great, will you two please get a room." Jason groaned as he padded his way barefoot to tray of muffins, grabbing one seemingly at random. "It's too early for your stupid little tiffs."

"It's almost 11 o'clock Jace." Stephanie responded, “And it's not a ‘tiff’, it’s Damian’s stubborn ass that causes ninety percent of all the problems.”

“So, its a lovers’ quarrel then?” Jason replied, taking a bite of his muffin now that the conversation was making him more alert. “Either way, I just wonder why you’re subjecting poor little Dickie here to it. Can’t be good for the kid’s psyche.”

Stephanie and Damian glared at the current Robin. Their relationship, or whatever the nameless thing the two shared could be called, was not necessarily common knowledge. Or at least it was not talked about. They were both fairly sure that Bruce and Alfred knew, but as long as the mission was not interfered with or they were not too obvious about it, no one spoke about it. That was, at least, until Jason found out about it. Not that Jason acted out around the other ‘grown ups’, but he did like to push their buttons. It did not matter if things were tense since Tim’s return. (Which of course Jason knew nothing about, because honestly he would rather just not know anything).

“Wait, they’re dating?” Dick finally asked after a moment of staring.

“No, Little bird,” Jason laughed, “They’re not dating.”

“Oh.” Dick said.

“Weren’t you going to show Dick the cave today, Jason?” Damian says, more or less to get the two out of the kitchen.

Jason groans once more as Dick jumps from his chair and runs his plate to the sink. “Yeah, Jay. You were going to show me the Bat Cave! Hurry up, let’s go!” Dick grabbed Jason’s muffin free hand and started to pull him out of the kitchen as Jason put the rest in his mouth.

“He’s going to try and kill you six ways to Sunday for that.” Stephanie as the two left the kitchen, Dick’s excited voice slowly fading as they headed upstairs to, apparently, get dressed.

Damian scoffed, “He’ll have to train more to even try and kill me.” He leaned against the counter, arms crossed over his chest.

“You know I hate it when you talk like that.” Stephanie replied, mirroring Damian’s stance from the other side of the kitchen. The kitchen became silent as the unspoken reason was brought to Damian’s mind.

Damian moved his eyes away from Stephanie when he spoke next. “Why are you here, Brown?”

“I found some data linking back to Tim.” Stephanie said with a breath. “I wanted to talk to Bruce about it. See if he’s seen anything.”

“I saw Drake last night.” Damian’s shoulders tense as Stephanie looks at him with wide eyes.

“What did he say?” Stephanie puts a hand on the counter to steady herself. For the last several months she’s had multiple programs (from facial recognition to satellite imagery) looking for the lost Robin with nothing. “Why is he back.”

Damian fights the urge to step closer, to wrap Stephanie in his arms and comfort her. “He didn’t say.” Damian swallowed sharply, “He just let me know that he knew about Grayson and then he left. What information did you have?”

“Just some video footage of him going across town.” Stephanie let a small smile form on her lips. “It almost looked like he wanted to be seen, the stupid bastard.”

Chapter Text

The first time Tim thought about leaving was about a month after his 'rescue'. It was a bright day sunny day, and he was in the gardens with Stephanie. Golden Stephanie with her hair loose around her shoulders illuminating her face, laughing as a ladybug crawled up to her elbow. Tim was lost in thoughts of being that bug, just crawling along a surface because it was there. No worries, no demented clown's voice in his head laughing.

"Tim?" Stephanie says a few moments later, closer than Tim thought she was. Her nose was just inches from his, knees bumping his from their seated position, and if it was anyone else he was sure he would have lashed out or punched them. But never Stephanie, he could never hurt her.  "Where are you, Timmers?"

"Huh?" Comes from his mouth before he thinks, and a sad smile forms on her lips. Tim wishes he was not the cause of that sadness. "I'm right here Steph."

"I know." Stephanie says. Her hand lightly, almost painfully hesitantly, touches his arm. The light touch goes from his elbow to his hand before her hand becomes entwined with her. "Just don't leave me again." Her voice is even, but Tim knows the sadness leaking out.

"As long as I can, I won't." Tim says back, and he knows his smile is wrong when Stephanie's eyes recoil for the smallest of an inch. The promise is as hollow as Tim fells as Stephanie lets her forehead rest on his shoulder.

She breathes deeply and sighs. Tim's brain may not be right, he knows he has lost days at a time. He's woken up restrained more times than he can remember, Bruce or Damian with bruises fresh or days old from his hands. But that sigh, the emotions expressed in the simple directed inhale and exhale, is so sharp in his memory. He was a burden like this, how much longer could he stay like this before it drove him to something he was not. Until he became something so irreversible he could never come back to even this. A broken boy and the girl who could not let him go.

She finally lifts her head, a genuine smile on her face as she chuckles almost silently. "I almost forgot." She moves to stand, offering her hand to Tim when she was on her feet. "Alfred packed a picnic for us. Let's grab it and go to the big oak tree down the path, I'm famished."

Tim takes her hand, the unnatural paleness of his skin (a final gift from the Joker's jokerization process) a contrast from her slightly tanned hand. He stands and they begin their trek back to the house, Tim wondering how much longer he could hold on to days like this.

It was later that night, a rare moment when he was left alone. Not that he was ever alone, not anymore. Alfred was just a few yards away, in what direction Tim could no say but he knew he was never within a short sprint from wherever Tim was; and Batman and Blackbird were on patrol. Stephanie had gone home to her mother, she had started to patrol less often since school had resumed. That left Tim to stay in his room, sleep alluding him as it always had. Now, though, it was from fear of memories rather than his brain overworking and refusing to shut down.

A puzzle, something to dissect and put back together. That was what he needed, but he was, in more or less words, forbidden from the Batcave. All past cases were available to him in the form of files, nothing new ever passed the lips of the former Dynamic Duo. The files on hand had been solved and picked through, reevaluated and re-tested, theorized, and scrutinized until Tim could recite them all by memory if he tried. He needed for something to change, the stagnate world he resided was killing him.

It was then that it hit him. Of course, the thought had been offered by Damian. In those horrible first days of his 'return', and even with his limited memory, the screams and threats that ripped the fragile air of the Batcave. The offer of the waters of the Lazarus Pit, Damian saying that his grandfather would allow if he returned. The fact that Damian would offer himself for Tim was the ultimate testament that he should not; Damian would become lost if he went back to that. Bruce put his foot down at that, forbade his son from even mentioning it. It was not worth it, sacrificing Damian for something that had only a theory of helping. Damian meant more than Tim could, Tim was just a replacement of something greater than he could ever be. But Tim was not Damian. He had nothing to lose if he sought out Ra's al Ghul, gave himself to him for the chance of clarity.

As it was, Tim knew that he would never be Robin again. His wings were clipped the moment the first drops of liquidated Joker gas hit his bloodstream. Even the poisonous madness from the Pit would be preferable to the living death he was subjected to.

The only thing holding him back was Stephanie. Stephanie who in another life he could see himself marrying and being with forever. In this life though, they had Batgirl and Robin. Partners in every sense. Now they, though, he was a hindrance. He could never give her any life but as his caretaker, and she deserved much more than that.

Looking out his window, the distance lights of Gotham with its constant waves of law and disorder. Forever in a state of flux from peace to disaster. His city that held him close and eventually chewed and spit him out.

A stutter of a breath escaped his lips as he found the urge to let himself laugh. His plan would be difficult, just getting out of the Wayne estate would be more difficult than almost anything he ever attempted. But Tim knew he could do, could outsmart Batman and Blackbird. He had done it for years before he became Robin, and that was as an untrained child. Now he was a broken bird, and he knew he needed to break out of this gilded cage. Maybe he could learn to fly again.

***Two Month's Later, Nanda Parbat***

"So, the Broken Bird has finally freed itself I see." Ra's al Ghul said, looking at the intruder held between two of his guards. The boy was breathing heavily, the marks of a fight hard won shown across his torn clothing and bruised face. "What can I do for you, Young Detective."

Timothy Drake was no stranger to the Demon's Head. The young boy who had taken up his grandson's mantel may not have held the fighting prowess of Damian or father, but his intelligence was a formidable opponent even to the centuries old assassin. As the boy caught his breath, Ra's was almost taken back by the wildly insane look he was given. "Think you're clever, don't you Raz? You with all your henchmen and century's old rituals," A laugh escapes his lips, insanity and evidence of the rumored ravaging of his mind evident. "Can't give you everything now, though. Lost your grandson to a man who runs around scaring two-bit criminals dressed like a giant rodent."

"Why have you come to me, child?" Ra's takes a step from his throne, taking Tim's face into his hand. Tim struggles against the hold of the men holding him back, their holding due to their bulk. Ra's had known that the boy was taken by the clown, had known from his daughter that the Detective had gotten him back. He did not know the depths of his injuries though, not until he saw the too pale skin and the insanity in his eyes. Ra's had gone up against the Batman and this Robin, had been impressed with the child's potential. What he saw before him was a dimly veiled mockery of that potential.

Tim laughed, his whole body shaking as relaxed into Ra's touch. "What, great Demon's Head? Want to hear me say it? Why not, I'm sure you've seen this moment for years. Batman's Robin coming to you, giving unto you their loyalty for a chance at immortality within your ranks?" The laughter died, "Damian spoke so highly of you, even as he called you a fool in the next breath. For what it's worth though, he wanted to do this rather than me."

"I am no here to play childish games." Ra's snapped back, letting go of Tim's face and taking a commanding step back. "Why have you come to this place?"

"The Lazarus Pit." Tim spat out, "My service for a chance to clear my mind. That is, if you think it's worth the trade."

"We'll see, Young Detective." Ra's looks to the two brutes restraining the boy, "Take him to a guests' room. Bring him whatever he needs, within reason. He is not to leave without my say so."

"Yes, sir." The two respond in unison, and drag Tim out. The laughter that trails behind him making The Demon's Head shiver.

 *** One month later, Sarajevo***

"Are you sure this is what you want?" Talia asks as she stands on the hillside looking over to the burning remains of an abandoned warehouse.

"Yes," Tim responds, head hidden under a hooded sweatshirt. He looks at his companion, "I'm trusting you to keep this quiet. Especially with your son and beloved. They cannot know about this until I want them to."

"You can trust my father and I to your confidence." The older woman responds, looking at the boy who had successfully erased his identity from the world. "Though I do not wish to understand why you wish to do this. I'm sure my son and Bruce would gladly allow you to come back to them."

"I promised myself to you father, Talia, for the use of the Lazarus Pit." Tim says, turning away from the other. "I'm also the only one who can do this. There are lines Batman can never cross, a darkness that even he cannot go into and return from. But me? As Robin I thought that I too could not go there as well, but after everything that line became erased. I'm going to do what he can't, Talia. Even if I become damned..." Tim stops and turns, the green glint in his once pure blue eyes startling Talia for just a moment, "It means that maybe the world is that much safer."

Chapter Text

Stephanie dropped into the server room with a learned grace, landing in a crouch as to survey the area before moving. She let out a held breath as she saw she was alone.

She was not out in the field very often anymore, and as much as it pained her to acknowledge that Damian was right when he said she did more desk work now that fieldwork, it was true. Infiltrating this level of Lexcorp was something that needed to be done hands on, and no matter how much better at just about everything Cass was compared to Stephanie, this particular mission was hands on. Stephanie knew she was going to be in the proverbial doghouse with her roommate for using the fact that the other could barely read.

Shaking her head as she plugged in her handheld into the correct server, she downloaded the server code that would give her access to the files. Making sure that Luther stayed out of Gotham's future with a few leaked scandals was definitely worth a few rough training sessions with her quote, unquote protege.

It was not until she got back on top of the rooftop that anything seemed out of the ordinary. Thinking back, Stephanie should have realized that things were off. A criminal mastermind setting up shop in Gotham, the home of Batman and his cohorts, and there being little or no security probably should raised red flags. Stephanie did not know what to blame: herself, being out of practice, or being one of those nights.

The moment she made it back to the roof, there was a figure. Shrouded in black and red, the figure was in the metalwork for the billboard on top of the new Lexcorp Gotham branch. Stephanie paused as she noticed the figure, just barely able to press the tracker/silent distress beacon on her belt before the figure jumped down towards her.

Maybe only a few inches taller than her, with a definite lift from his boots, the figure moved with a finesse and easy grace that Stephanie exactly who she was dealing with. It was the same gait that she remembered from years before, the practiced ease that would drive her insane as they ran across rooftops together, her with great care to not fall and him soaring almost carefree.

"Didn't think I'd run into you here." Tim said with a mocking tone, much different than what Stephanie remembered of his voice.

Stephanie's heart drummed in her chest, freezing her entire body as Tim spoke. It was almost like being hit by Mr. Freeze's ice gun, which even with an insulated suit was brisk; the way her body did not response to her defensive instincts. Her mind just shouted at her, 'This is Tim! He's back, don't let him get away'. "Well, I'm just full of surprises aren't I." She tries to make her voice light and free of the panic that is rising up in her chest. When Tim had first returned he had put Damian out of commission for almost a week and the later attack on Jason at the Titan's tower left the boy with a new scar along his hairline.

Tim watched her shrug and took a single step forward. "That's for sure," Tim grinned, an eerily empty chuckle falling from his lips. "Don't look so scared, Steph. I'm not here to hurt you. You see..." Unable to finish his reasons, Tim soon found himself on the ground from an attack from behind him.

"You will not touch her." Cass said as she landed between Red Robin and Spoiler.

"Ah, Cassandra." Tim's voice was full of false pleasantry as he picked himself up. "I was wondering when you were going to show yourself."

Stephanie saw Cass's eyes narrow as Tim spoke, "Leave." She orders, ignoring Stephanie as she tries to get her to stand down with a hand on her shoulder.

"Cass." Stephanie whispers lowly. She really wanted to know what Tim was going to say. Tim is taking a step backwards as he raises his hands in surrender.

"I'm not here to fight." Tim says after a few steps back, "Just let Batman know that a storm might be on its way. And be sure to tell him that it has nothing to with me." Tim pulls himself into the billboard's metal works and disappears around the side.

Cass turns around quicker than Stephanie has time to process, and before she can think she receives a lightest punch to the shoulder. "What were you thinking?" She asks, voice low and slightly scary. "You looked like a rabbit in headlights."

Stephanie straightens up and glares at Cassandra, "I had it under control, we were just talking."

Cass shook her head. "He was unstable. I could not... read him." She paused as turned, hand pressing the button to speak on her commlink, "Yes, Blackbird. I found her."

"What the hell were you thinking Brown?" Damian's voice carries more than he thinks, allowing Tim to hear him from his hidden perch on the next rooftop without even the use of his long range listening device. Neither of his former teammates are in costume, but are both on the rooftop of Stephanie's building. Apparently their arguing had upset Cassandra enough that they had to leave.

Stephanie's stance is defensive, arms crossed as she glares at the taller, older man in front of her. "Like I knew he was going to be there Damian." She responds with a clear bite to her words.

"You still went in there without backup." Damian demands, hands clinched at his sides in tight fists. Tim can't see either of their eyes, but from the tone alone he could guess that Damian's eyes are narrowed in anger to mask the fear he felt for the other.

Stephanie throws her arms up, taking the two steps between them to be in Damian's face. "I went into a building I knew to be relatively empty to get into a server room that had two points of entry. Cass knew exactly where I was going to be and what time I was going to be out." Her voice is low, Tim only hearing due his tech.

"You knew he was out there." Damian's reply is clipped. "He's dangerous, why can't you see that."

Stephanie backs away, eyes scanning Damian for just a moment. "I know that. How could you think I don't remember what he did to you. To Jason and Bruce." She pauses, "I alerted Cass the moment I saw him. He didn't even get close... He just gave me a message for Bruce."

Damian sighs, "Yeah, you told me. What did he mean by 'a storm is coming'?"

"I have no clue." Is the reply as Damian steps closer, nudging Stephanie's elbow with his hand. "He was sure to say it wasn't him though. Why would he want to warn us though?"

"Who knows." Damian replies, pulling Stephanie closer into a tight embrace. His voice starts to fade as puts his nose, "You need to be more careful Brown..."

The exchange between the two becomes too quiet to hear, Tim shutting of his surveillance technology as something grips in his chest. He knew that the two had grown closer in his absence, and while he did not hold it against them moving on after his 'death' it still hurt. Hurt to know that life could move on without him, that he could be replaced in every way. Packing up, he grabbed his gear and left before he did something regrettable. It was not his place to be here. He warned them. So maybe he can finally shut up the voice telling him to stay. Stay in a place he is clearly not needed.

Chapter Text

Part 1: A Father’s Choice

Bruce rubbed his eyes as he walked from his bedroom to the kitchen. Having no meetings or company functions for the day, the rush of caffeine from his usual morning coffee was a bit delayed. He almost wished he a coffee machine in his room, though, when he walked into the kitchen to the sight of Dick and Jason eating some kind of sugary cereal he was certain Alfred had not bought. The smell of processed sugars seemed stronger than they actually were as the two boys wolfed down their ‘breakfast’.

“See, I told you Dickie.” Jason smiled between bites of the cereal, “Gargoyles do come out during the day, too.”

Bruce wanted to groan, he had not ever even thought of Jason corrupting the newest addition to their household when he took him in. Dick was still a child, and the way he latched on to Jason and Damian was sure to bring disaster; if only to the fragile balance of the household.

“Bruce isn’t a gargoyle,” Dick protested, actually putting his spoon down to cross his arms and turn towards Jason. “Old Jack said that the Gargoyles in Gotham came out at night. I was just wondering if you’ve ever seen one.”

“Gargoyles are just statues that people along time ago thought would protect the city and buildings from demons or something like that.” Jason laughed, seeming ignoring the look of annoyance from the kid sitting across from him. “The stories told now are probably about Batman or Blackbird.”

“But there were stories from a long time ago.” Dick seemed adamant about this being real, Bruce was almost amused watching from the counter, happily nursing a strong cup of black coffee.

The interactions of his children to the young acrobat both amused and worried Bruce; particularly with what he was going to do with Dick once the Zucco case was taken care of. The original plan was to return him to the circus and let things move on, but upon finding newspaper clippings and the beginnings of an investigation in the boy’s room things changed. Letting him know he was Batman, that Jason and Damian were Robin and Blackbird, was an unplanned element and Bruce wondered if it was the right choice. The kid could have a better life than this, unlike the other children that were brought into this life he had a place to go besides the Batcave.

Bruce was pulled from his musings as something Jason said caught his attention. “... There may not be real gargoyles in Gotham, but there are the Owls.”

Bruce knew the nursery rhyme, was not surprised that Jason knew it as well. It was something shared all over Gotham, but it had not been brought up in the Manor since Bruce had returned from the hospital after being locked in that room. The Court of Owls was just a myth, but even now it made the hairs on the back of Bruce’s neck stand up.

“Owls?” Dick had forgotten about his cereal, seemingly fascinated by whatever his brain was constructing from where the conversation was coming from.

Jason smiled turned to a smirk, “Yeah, the Owls. They’re supposed to be this group of people that have guided Gotham since the beginning from the shadows.”

“Woah, that’s cool.” Dick’s voice was way too enthusiastic for Bruce’s liking. He may have closed the case on the Court due to their non-existence, but he would rather not have to answers. “Like some kinda secret spy movie.”

Jason laughed, but Bruce spoke before he could reply. “Don’t listen to Jason, Dick. The Court of Owls is just a nursery rhyme to scare small child into behaving. They aren’t real.” Jason tried to make a protest that he was just kidding, but was quickly silenced by a look from Bruce.

“Oh,” Dick had a small frown on his face as he looked at Bruce. “What’s the nursery rhyme?”

“Beware the Court of Owls, that watches all the time, Ruling Gotham from a shadowed perch, behind granite and lime. They watch you at your hearth, they watch you in your bed. Speak not a whispered word about them, or they'll send the Talon for your head.” Bruce said, a bit of hesitance in his voice as he reached the end.

Dick looked as if he was contemplating what he just heard. “That’s not a very nice nursery rhyme. I can see how it scared people. Why wouldn’t they want anyone to talk about them though?”

“It was probably added so kids wouldn’t go looking.” Jason shrugged, standing up and grabbing his and Dick’s bowl. “Just think of some kid trying to find the Court. Better to put in a warning than to risk a nosy brat poking around.” Depositing the bowls into the dishwasher, Jason turned around. “I mean, real or not, children can be pest to adults, isn’t that right Boss?”

“That’s right chum.” Bruce chuckled, reaching over to muss up Jason’s hair. “And where did you get the cereal? I’m sure Alfred didn’t get it.”

“Stephanie got it for the kid.” Jason shrugged, “Some reason it came up and she brought it this morning.”

“Stephanie is here?” Bruce asked, as it was news to him. Of course, Stephanie was a constant in the activities of Batman since she had started to mess with her father’s operations. Even after being fired more times than Bruce could even remember and everything else, the girl was making a name for herself. How she reshaped herself after the lost of Tim just showed that she was stronger than even Bruce thought. There was also maybe just a little bit of pride that other heroes were starting to rely on her Spoiler Network for intel sharing.

Jason made a face that Bruce did not feel like trying to interpret. “Her and Cassandra went to the Cave. I think she was going to update a file or something for Damian.”

Bruce nodded, “Any other visitors I should know about?”

“Well, Alfred is entertaining Superman and his clone in the parlor and I think I saw Flash raiding the pantry.” Jason counted off on his fingers, the grin on his face telling Bruce that he was a bit too much fun with the joke.

“Wait, Superman is here?” Dick jumped from his chair in excitement.

Bruce grabbed the boy’s shoulder before his could bolt from the room, “Superman is not here, Jason was thinking he was being funny.” Bruce gave Jason a look that told him he was going to be running laps during training before looking back at Dick. “But I’m guessing you like him?”

“Of course, he’s Superman!” As if that was not answer enough, Dick continued. “He can fly and run really fast. I saw him once when we were in Metropolis, he even waved at me.” And then almost as if he remembered who he was talking to, Dick added, “Batman is really cool, too.”

Bruce ran a hand through his hair, “It’s okay Dick, Superman’s powers can be impressive.” He almost debated if he should go into the diatribe about how dangerous the alien could be.

“Come on kiddo,” Jason said as Bruce stopped talking, almost as if he knew what Bruce wanted to rant about. “Alfred said that the old apple tree in the back had some ripe fruit, let’s go see who can get the biggest one.”

Bruce straightened up and smiled, “Just don’t knock too many out of the tree…”

“I know B,” Jason interrupted as they were leaving, “Do you really think I’d pass up some of Alfie’s pies?”

Bruce made an agreeing grunt and watched the two leave. The question on what would happen to Dick burned in his mind even stronger after watching his and Jason’s interaction. It would be cruel to make the kid leave if he wanted to stay in the end. Shaking his head, he decided to go to the Cave to check in with Spoiler and Batgirl. Particularly after their recent run-in with Tim, being a solid team seemed more necessary than ever.

 *Meanwhile in the Court of Owls*

“Bruce Wayne is becoming a nuisance.” The man at the head of the table spoke to his associates, everyone at the old wooden table wore identical owl mask. “Like his ancestors, he thinks that this city can survive through those at the bottom. His funding of Batman Incorporated is just another mark against him as well as the apparently coincidental situation of him taking in one of candidates for a new Talon.”

A voice from further down the table came as one of the Owl-masked figures stood. “Not all of us feel that Bruce Wayne is necessarily against us, Grandmaster. If we just convince him that to join us…”

“A Wayne has not been part of the Court in almost 200 years!” The Grandmaster’s voice rose, filling the room as he slammed his hands into the table. He straighten after a moment, speaking with a much calmer voice. “Bruce Wayne has proven himself to be one that would be more detrimental for the court than an asset. His continued efforts to ‘better’ the parts of Gotham that should just be allowed to destroy themselves is like keeping alive a rabid dog. Sometimes it is best to just kill the lame instead of letting it suffer.”

The man to the right of the Grandmaster stood. “This all being said, I call for a vote.” Picking up two cards, he continued, “As always, there are two choices. The white card will be for sending an invitation to Bruce Wayne; the Black card will be to send our Talon for his life.”

Chapter Text

Part 2: The Hunter’s Dance

Cass laid in the grass, partially hidden by the shadows and angles of the Manor. The cool grass was calming as she let herself drift into the feeling of wind rolling across her body. Even though it was her choice, learning to read was like running headlong into a brick wall reinforced with a tungsten, no matter what Stephanie said.

The sound of laughter alerted her to the presence of others and she straightened herself into a sitting position in time to see Jason and a boy she guessed was Bruce’s ‘house guest’, Dick. Both boys were comfortable around the other, Jason seeming to want to impress the kid who in turn wanted to show off for Jason. The dynamic interested Cassandra, who rarely got the opportunity to observe such a relationship, usually spending time with Damian and Bruce if not with Stephanie.

It almost seemed like Cass was going to stay hidden from the boys, who were climbing into the apple tree in leaps and bounds. The smaller boy made it higher than Jason, the smile on his face gleeful as Jason grumbled loudly about the other being lighter.

Cass was almost starting to think that she was going to go undetected by the boys until she heard Dick call out, “Jay, who’s that girl.”

Jason searched for Cass as she sat up, pulling her knees to her chest. “Oh, that’s Cassandra.” There was a pause as Dick said something that Cass could not hear. “Hey, Cass, you wanna pick apples with us?”

It was not unusual for Jason to invite Cass to participate in his activities. Stephanie apparently thought it was ‘cute and thoughtful’, body language implying something that escaped Cass’s gasp of human emotions. The fact that Dick had after hidden himself in the branches of the tree, a sign of shyness that seemed out of character from what she had been told about.

Cass stood up, not feeling like speaking loudly and knowing that her movement would indicate her intentions clear enough, and made her way to the tree. She was hoisting herself to sit on a low branch when a dark head swung just above her own.

“Hello, my name is Dick.” Dick seemed suspended upside down, hand extended to shake hers as his hair hung just beyond his head. “It’s nice to finally meet you Cass.”

Cass smiled, Dick’s open expressions lining up with what Stephanie had told her about the child better than his earlier hiding episode. “Hello, Dick…” Cass put her hand out and it was taken by Dick’s small hand. The skin was rougher than she would have thought of a child having, but it also told of frequent training of some sort. “... It’s nice to meet you too.”

Dick cocked his head to the side, curiousity clearly expressed in his features, probably due to her unpracticed speaking pattern. Cass knew her voice was soft, a bit too soft if you asked Stephanie, and that sometimes she spent too much time thinking on how to construct sentences. Cass let a small smile come to her lips as Dick pulled himself up and moved to sit on a branch closer to her. “You’re Stephanie’s roommate, right? She told me that you beat Damian.”

“I do live with Stephanie.” Cass nodded, “Damian is easy to read, was not too hard to take out.” Dick did not need to know that a few days before that sparring match Damian had upset Stephanie.

“That must mean you’re really good.” Dick was in awe, his face open and  the smile seemed to shine.

Cass shrugged, “I guess…” Cass still was not used to be complimented on her fighting abilities. It was something so entwined to her being, like speaking for others, that it did not feel like something to have pride in.

Silence stretched for a second before Dick looked up and pulled himself up to grab an apple. The fruit was bright, the red of his skin seemed to glow as light hit it. “Do you want an apple? They’re really.” Dick smiled seemed to question if he had said something wrong.

Cass took the fruit with a smile that seemed to reassure the boy, as Dick smiled brightly as Jason sat on a branch just behind the boy. “I guess you win, this time kiddo.”

While defeat was written on Jason’s face temporarily, Dick’s triumphant demeanor seemed like it was going to stay for a long while. “Told you the biggest ones were going to be on top.”

“Yeah, yeah,” Jason humored the boy, looking to Cass. “So, why aren’t you with Steph?”

Cass shrugged in reply, “She was busy and… I got a headache.” While she was getting better at reading, sometimes seeing too many words and figuring their meanings was too big of a chore.

Jason leaned back, Dick watching the conversation as he swung back to hang from his knees. “I’m sure Bruce and her are talking about boring things. That is if Damian isn’t down there, then things will be way more boring.”

“Damian is not here.” Cass said, slightly confused on Jason’s statement but letting it slide as she took a bite of the apple given to her by Dick. The fruit was sweet, maybe a bit too sweet really, but it was still good. “We started to read your book.”

Jason’s eyes widened. After he had learned that Cass was starting to read novels, albeit rather slowly, he had suggested Pride and Prejudice. Stephanie had laughed a little at Jason when he had suggested it, though agreed to let Cass decide herself. After learning that A Tale of Two Cities was a bit harder read, the apparent favourite book of a friend (for maybe Jason was her only one, if you consider Stephanie more of a caretaker) seemed appropriate. “How far have you gotten?”

“Chapter...3?” Cass replied, for though she did remember most of what she read, no page break between chapters confused her. “The rude man said something mean about Elizabeth.” Cass really did not like that character, he seemed rude and arrogant. Stephanie had had to explain why his state was rude, but afterwards she was vaguely reminded of Damian whose mouth sometimes spouted things she wanted to punch him for.

“His name is Darcy,” Jason laughed, seeming more at the statement rather than at Cass. “He is a bit rude, but don’t make any reservations about him just yet. There’s a lot more book to read.”

Cass kind of huffed to herself. Her inability to read written words like anyone else her age was something she would like to change, but she could not see herself not being about to read body language. The resources Bruce had provided her and Stephanie were helpful, but she knew it would never be the same if she had been taught ‘normally’.

“CASS! JASON! DICK!” Stephanie’s voice called out a moment later, getting closer with each name she called.

Dick was the first one to spot the blonde woman as she approached, flipping off the branch with a practiced ease and calling back out to her. “We’re over here Steph!”

Stephanie made her way to the group, looking up at Jason and Cass as she returned a hug from Dick. “I see you two are sitting in a tree, Jason.”

Cass tilted her head, trying to comprehend the statement as Jason’s face went a tinge bit red with embarrassment. “It isn’t like that at all!” He protested, going a bit too fast as he climbed down the tree. A branch hooked snagged his shirt a bit on the way down.

Stephanie had a mocking look on her face as she continued to tease Jason, Dick giggling at her side apparently understanding Stephanie’s jab at the other boy. “Sure Jay.” Was all she said as Jason stomped away.

“You can watch him now, you harpy.” Jason called out as he went towards his house.

“What was that about?” Cass asked as she landed onto the ground. She could read people, knew just about every human expression the body had; but sometimes certain interpersonal interactions stumped her.

The older woman laughed, ruffling Cass’s hair until it was swatted away. “It’s nothing Cassie, just a bit of payback.” Stephanie paused, “Oh, that reminds me. Alfred had made lunch and he wanted me to find you lot.”

***Later that night, Secret Training Room of Steph and Cass’s Apartment***

“You need to block better.” Cass said as she spun behind Stephanie, grabbing her arm and pinning to her back, letting go and backing away as Stephanie tapped out.

Stephanie’s face was red from exertion, breath a bit taxed as she took a drink from her water bottle. “You can counter anything I could do, my block is good enough most of the time.”

Cass shook her head, trying to frame what she wanted to say so that she would not upset the other. “Not everyone is a untrained thug.” She paused, Stephanie’s body stance telling her that the conversation could go south at any moment, but she finished before the other could have a say in edgewise. “Tim’s training is like Damian’s... you would not stand a chance.”

The topic of Timothy Drake had not come up in conversation since the run-in just under two weeks before. It had been skirting under everything though, even Damian showed up both in and out of costume sometimes twice a night to make sure things stayed quiet. “What is with you and Damian being obsessed with him all of a sudden?”

She had never met Tim before the other night, though she knew what had happened to him. She knew that he was still a broken part of Stephanie’s emotional state, but she never thought that she would have to deal with anything like this. “He is dangerous… Unpredictable and trained by the League.”

“So were you,” Stephanie snapped back, wiping her face.

Cass sighed, trying to not let it known that Stephanie’s comment had hurt. “Yes… But I will not kill.”

Something seemed to snap in Stephanie’s mind and Cass soon found herself enveloped in a tight hug. “I’m sorry Cass… It just hurts sometimes.”

Cass nodded, allowing the contact as it seemed to help both her and Stephanie alike. Pulling back as Stephanie loosened her hold, Cass took a step back. “I know… And I just want to keep you safe.”

Stephanie smiled, taken a breath as she allowed herself to relax. “I guess I have to accept that. One more go?”

Cass nodded, flexing her fingers as they both moved into position.

***Meanwhile, in the Court of Owls***

“The vote has been counted,” The man who had called the vote just hours before said as he pulled out an envelope which contained the results. Opening the envelope, he nods. “The Court has spoken. Bruce Wayne will die.”

There seems to be a cheer as a door opens and a shadowed figure walks through, kneeling before the members of the Court as he reaches the center of the room. “Talon,” the figure looks up as he is addressed by the Grandmaster, “Bruce Wayne has been sentenced to death. You are to watch him and report back about his comings and goings. Stay vigilant, for he has protectors in Batman Incorporated. The Court of Owls is to remain in the shadows.”

“Understood, Grandmaster.” Talon speaks, voice hollow and gravelly from disuse.

“Also, Talon.” Grandmaster adds before he could pick himself to leave the room. “Mr. Wayne has in his custody a child. This child is the prime candidate to replace you when your time to join the others will come. Find a way to bring the child to us, alive.” The last word has infasict added, Talon straightening up slightly from the tone. “You are dismissed, Talon. Do not fail us.”

“As the Court commands, so shall be done my Masters.” Talon replies, straightening. Turning on his heel, he leaves the room.

Chapter Text

Part 3: Confrontation of Ghosts

The night was cold, not something unusual for Gotham in October. The night air smelt of smog and whatever mixture of garbage escaped from the many dumpster littering the alleyways. It was a quiet night, as if the Gotham criminal element knew that it would be futile to do anything, like something big was building up and all the mice were scattering before they could be scooped into the air. Tim just fought the ever growing feeling in the back of his mind that he should just skip town and be done with everything.

Tim knew he could not do that though. Something was boiling under Gotham, something ancient and evil. The first clue Tim got was Ra’s pulling all of his operatives out of the city, something that Tim had never seen or heard of happening. Ever. Anything that had The Demon Head retreating was something that had to be dealt with.

Tim had no clue what it was, Ra’s was not that forthcoming with his information since Tim had effectively blew up that bridge. It made things easier though, finding out whatever was happening with Gotham without his constant threats. Ra’s never outright put a hit on him though, just left him to roll over the idea of following him. It was only a matter of time though, demons can only be patient for so long.

The only problem in Gotham was Batman and his allies. Tim was not sure what the old man thought about his return, for he purposely avoided seeing Bruce. Damian and Stephanie were one thing, they were less likely to let Bruce go on a full on manhunt. Staying away from Robin was just common sense, he knew he had hurt the kid who had done nothing more than take up a mantle. If anyone was to be blamed and haunted, it should be Bruce; his pathological inability to take that last step of ridding crime will result in the death of more before anything was resolved.

Brooding over the edge of a rooftop, something catches Tim’s eyes. It’s faint, just a glint of light off of metal. It’s enough though to giveaway a costumed figure scaling a building with more finesse than even Damian or Bruce. Even in the darkness, Tim knows that the costume is not in any database. He had memorized that information even before he had sought out the League of Assassins, not that he ever betrayed that information to Ra’s.

The figure made it to the top of the building quicker than Tim knew to be possible, suggesting that the newcomer was either a meta or in some other way enhanced. Even if it was a hero, an unknown like was not safe for anyone. Tim sighed, knowing that if he did not even try to make contact, he would still feel some guilt if something were to happen later.

The figure turned around as Tim made it to the next building, furthering the idea that this was some kind of enhanced being. Working with someone who had super-hearing and sight and then keeping yourself hidden was an exercise of skill. This person, male from the cut of his form fitting armor (for the costume was much too enforced to be simply cavalier cover with a steel cloth mesh). Goggles covered his eyes, knives sheathed across his chest (not too friendly looking, Tim so hoped he had not run into a new villain), and on his hands were metal claws.

The man tilted his head in a rather avian manner, studying Tim. Unmoving, he speaks with a growly voice that could easily rival Batman. “Leave, child. This does not concern you.”

Tim scoffs, making himself relax just enough that he can move however he would need to. “No children here.”

“The Court will not take this insolence,” The figure reached for a set of knives from his chest sheats, one in each hand. Tim takes out his bo staff, extending it to full length.

“The Court?” Tim asks as he pushes himself into the air to avoid a frontal attack. It was never smart to fight without knowing your opponent, the only advantage that Tim show himself having the advantage of looking weaker than he was.

The man rounded on Tim as he landed. “I suppose since you will die tonight child,” There was evident malice and bloodlust in the man’s voice, knife seeming to gleam in the moon. “The Court of Owls, any child in Gotham knows the rhyme.”

Tim’s mind snapped into attention as he felt the blade stab into his side. The impact, deadly in its execution, was lessened by his body armor but the blade still sunk into his skin. Tim felt himself become dizzy, some kind of poison in blade. Forcing himself to stay upright, Tim’s world starts to go black. “The… Owls…”

“Is very real child.” The man that could only be a Talon says to Tim, knocking him to the ground with his own staff. “Beware the Court of Owls, that watches all the time. Ruling Gotham from a shadowed perch, behind granite and lime… Speak not a whispered word of them, or they will send their Talon for your head.” Talon’s face is in front of his, “Sleep now child, it will be over soon.”

Tim’s eyes flutter involuntarily as the Talon leaves, muscles almost unresponsive as he reaches for his belt. His fingers feel thick and useless as he fumbles for the antitoxin, but he hits a button that puts him into the Bats’ communication system.

He had hacked it months ago, back when he had first made his presence known. The breach never seemed to be noticed, at least before tonight. Seconds after Tim hears his commlink connect to the others, Stephanie’s voice comes into his ear. “This is a secure network. Whoever is there, get off or your entire system will be fried.”

“Steph…” Tim croaked out, body seeming to shut down. His fingers no longer seemed to want to respond to him, feeling more like heavy sausages than limp noodles.

There’s a pause on Stephanie’s side before she replies, half frantic. “Tim? How did you get on this line… Nevermind, I don’t want to know.” She takes a breath, as it seems to click that maybe something is the matter. “Why are you…”

“Poisoned,” Tim responds, trying not to give into the numb feeling. “Talon… Parker Row.”

“I’m sending Blackbird,” Stephanie says and a moment later more voices are heard. Tim fades in and out as the others converse, only pulled back whenever Stephanie starts yelling in his ear, “... Don’t you even think about leaving me again Tim. I swear, if you die I’ll bring you back just to kill you myself.”

“... Sorry…” Tim says as his eyes became heavy.

“Tim? Tim!?” Stephanie’s voice is panicked, flooding through the comm. Tim wants to tell her it's okay, but he doesn’t seem to have the strength. “Hold on, BB’s almost there…”

Tim felt stiff as he awoke, strapped down to a table by his wrist and ankles. Twisting himself to find where he was, he felt a sharp pain from his side and he fought to muffle a gasp of pain.

It seemed no matter how inaudible he tried to stay, someone heard him. Clicking footsteps, as if from proper dress shoes were coming towards him over a stone floor.

“You are safe in the Cave, Master Timothy.” A familiar English accent says, Tim’s mind connecting his words to what he saw. The Cave, that made sense. Stephanie said Damian was going to get him. So why not take to opportunity to kidnap him?

Tim’s throat felt rough, like he really needed a glass, or ten, of water. “Wa’er?”

“Of course, sir.” Alfred responds, prompt as ever as he produces a bottle of water. Helping Tim sit up he lets him take a few sips, he speaks again. “I’ve kept her out, but Miss Stephanie is very adamant about seeing that you are well.”

Tim groaned, really not looking forward for any conversation with anyone in the cave. “Fine.” Best to get this over with, Stephanie would probably worse that Bruce.

“Very good sir.” Alfred stood up, as if these were the events he wanted to happen.

Tim sat himself up, getting himself comfortable when Stephanie turned the corner. She did not look happy, pissed was probably the best way to describe her. She was older, more beautiful if Tim was going to be honest with himself. She stopped right in front of his bed, hands on her hips. Her glare could probably put Batman to shame. “Timothy Jackson Drake, what the hell do you think you’re doing?”

Oh, shit. He was so not read for this.

Chapter Text

Part 4: Reversals of Fate

Jason knew there was something they were not telling him. For one, he was forbidden from entering an entire section of the Cave, something that had never happened before. Sure, Bruce and Damian kept things from him, but never like this. For the first time in the three years as a resident of the Manor and the two and half years as Robin, it was like they did not trust him. A part of his brain knew that it was not mistrust of him, but everything else screamed that he was out of the loop because they did not think he was good enough.

That’s why right now he was in the vent system, squeezing his way to where he should not be. Bruce and Damian were out on patrol, and he had actually gotten Dick to do something on his own for at least the next hour. The Cave was empty, save for whatever was being hidden, and the ventilation system was the quickest way to get to that area. It had been a while since he had used this means of moving through the Cave, and he knew it would probably be the last with how tight of a fit it was.

He finally made it just above the area when voices started to come up from below him. One he recognized as Stephanie’s, though it was louder and more angry than he had ever heard it; and that includes the time he had put a (realistic) fake spider just under the seat of her car for an April Fools prank.

“You actually think I believe that load of bull?” She said, speaking to someone hidden from Jason’s limited line of sight.

The reply was from a strained voice, definitely male and familiar but Jason could not place from where. “Believe whatever you like, it’s the truth. Just because I’m still here doesn’t mean I will stay.”

Stephanie threw her arms up, moving out of Jason’s sights allowing him to see some kind of medical set up. “Christ, Tim. Do you really think that you aren’t needed here? Do you not know what you did to us when you left?”

Tim? Jason frozen, even his breathing seemed to stop as the name connected with memories and data. Bruce would not have him in the Cave, would he? Not Tim Drake, the Red Robin. The Robin would was supposed to be dead, but came back. Why would Bruce let him in here, and why keep that from him. He had his own feelings about his predecessor, all of which ending with being beat down by him in some rage filled desire to hurt Bruce.

He was almost too distracted to catch the other’s reply. “What would I have had if I stayed? You were able to move on past me, same as I did.”

“Forgive me if I find that hard to believe.” Stephanie said, the sound of footsteps meaning she or Tim were moving around. “I just came by to check on you, I have to go.” There was the soosh of one of the cave’s doors opening and closing, and then silence.

Jason’s brain started to process what was going on. With Stephanie leaving the room, leaving Tim, meant he was for some reason confined to the room. Which in thinking made more sense than Bruce allowing him full range of the Cave and its systems, but something made Jason’s blood run cold. It was like he was two moves behind an enemy, in an unknown playing field.

“I know you’re up there, why don’t you come down.” Tim’s voice calls out, less strained than before but still there is something in the way that he talks that plays at the back of Jason’s mind.

Jason debates moving back, just pretending he was never here; but if he did that he would never get any answers. That is unless Tim rats him out to Bruce, and then it would be a different kind of questioning. Jason moves the grating from the vent shaft, moving so he could swing down. He was glad he had worn his mask, even if he just wore black cargo pants and a long sleeve shirt. The mask gave him something to hide behind, because Robin was definitely more prepared for a confrontation than Jason Todd right now.

Landing with a crouch, Jason was surprised to see Tim hooked up an IV drip. His face was paler than what it looked like in the rare photograph in the Manor. He was the first one to speak, Jason backing up a fair distance after he stood up. “If it isn’t the little Pretender.” His smile is a little off, like he’s fighting something. “Not so little anymore, though.” A small laugh leaves his mouth before he grimaces.

“What the hell are you doing here?” Jason asks, keeping distance but trying to read anything off the situation. The IV fluid is clear, so probably some kind of saline or medicine.

Tim’s smile stays on his face, though it seems more or less sane compared just a moment before. “You must be a delight for Alfred, mouth like yours. He always disapproved of Damian’s condescending comments, must outright wash your mouth out.”

“I’m not here to talk about Alfred.” Jason snarls, fighting himself to keep his distance. Even if Red Robin was obviously injured, or at least drugged up, he was dangerous. “Just tell me why you’re here.”

Tim moves so he’s sitting on the bed, and Jason notices his left arm is cuffed to the side of the bed. He relaxes as the vigilante speaks. “Bruce didn’t tell you? Is that why you were in the vents?” He laughs, a disturbingly disarming sound. “He’s just full of secrets, though he probably thinks he’s keeping you safe. But it’s the opposite isn’t it, Little Wing? We’re both the same, can’t leave well enough alone.”

“I’m nothing like you.” Jason steps closer, eyes drilling holes into Tim’s face.

“Sure you are, we all are. You, me, Damian, and Baby Bird.” Tim shrugs, “Tell me, has the little one been told yet?”

“Leave Dick out of this.” Jason growls, grabbing the front of Tim’s t-shirt. “You’ll stay away from him, or so help me…”

“What?” Tim interrupts, an unspoken dare in his voice. “You’ll kill me, Little Wing? What would Batman think of his little Robins killing each other?”

“I’m nothing like you.” Jason spits, eyes narrowed. He did not even realize that he had pulled Tim to his feet, his left side straining from where the cuff was being pulled. “But you better fucking believe you’ll…”

“Robin, stand down.” A new voice calls, making both Tim and Jason to jump back and straighten. Jason turns and sees Damian. The other is in black body armor, cape and hood gone but otherwise in his Blackbird uniform. “You were told to stay away from here Jason.”

Tim’s the first to reply, sitting back down as his face grew paler. “Don’t blame the Little Birdie. You remember what’s it like when Bruce tells us not to do something.”

“Shut up, Drake.” Damian says pointedly, looking squarely at Jason. “You were told to stay away from here, were you not.”

“I was.” Jason says, lowering his head. Any defiance to Damian, particularly when he was Blackbird, was possibly worse than showing defiance to Bruce. “But you could have told me it was him. Trust me, if I knew that I would have stayed as far as fucking possible.”

“Todd.” Damian’s only warning for Jason to watch his language. “Do you really believe that?”

“No.” Jason says after a moment of reluctance. “So what? You going to tell B. I was down here?”

“Father won’t need to know about this.” Damian says almost too quickly, “But you will have extra training sessions until further notice.”

Jason groans, though this was probably the best option he has. Training sessions, even with Damian, were better than being benched. “Of course. Now why is he here?” It was just asking for trouble asking Damian, but might get the information now that he’s been caught.

Damian sighs, glaring at Tim who’s just watching them with a bemused expression before he talks. “Some person saying he was a Talon stabbed me. The blade was poisoned, BB here was kind enough to get me. Then they looked me up.” Tim’s voice is so nonchalant.

“Wait, wait, wait.” Jason shakes his head, “A Talon… Like the Court of Owls?”

“Yes,” Damian nods, “Father and I have been looking for any more leads, but it’s cold. Just nursery rhymes and hearsay.”

 “Jason!” The sound of someone calling his name pulled Jason out of his musing as he looked up and saw Dick hanging upside down from a tree. “Jay, are you listening to me?”

It was the next morning, after Jason found out that Tim was being held in the Cave. Damian had kept his word about not telling Bruce that he knew Tim was there, but he was unofficially on house watch until further notice. The very thought that the rogue former-Robin was just under his feet made Jason nervous, but he could not let on that he knew the other was there. “Sorry Dickie, I was distracted. What were you saying?”

“Damian said he wanted to teach me how to fight.” The very statement made Jason want to go and scream at the first Robin, but he knew it was probably best. If the Court was real, shit was going to hit the proverbial fan before anything got better.

Jason just nodded, “I see. How do you feel about that?”

Dick flipped out of the tree, landing near Jason with more finesse than his small body should be able to exhibit. “I don’t know. It’d be cool… But why?”

Jason shrugged, knowing full well why but unable to say. “If you’re going to stay here, it’d be better that you could defend yourself.” Bruce had brought the offer up the day before, leaving the decision up to Dick but everyone knew the kid might very well choose to stay. He seemed to fit right in with everyone, and with him knowing it seemed like the right choice for them all.

“Does that mean I’ll be Batman’s sidekick too?” Dick asked, face showing a youthful excitement that Jason remembers himself having at the thought of becoming Robin. That seemed like a lifetime ago.

“I don’t know.” Jason said truthfully, though choosing his words carefully. “If he lets you, it’ll be months of training before you would know.”

Dick just nods, the idea sinking in and Jason wished he had said something different. “How long?”

Jason shrugged. “Six months of intense training, and then tests until he decides you’re ready.”

“And then I’d be a Robin?” Dick asks, completely enamored with the idea and Jason thinks he could be sick. He did not want Dick to be Robin, or for anyone else for that matter. He had taken the name in some twisted sense of remembrance for the boy who died and the world seemed to forget. Now though, Robin was a tainted name. Damian had no choice in the matter, Tim wanted to be Robin, and Stephanie, for her short tenure, was Robin by necessity. Jason was losing any reason to continue the name, save for that it was now his.

“Maybe.” Jason said with a sad smile, “If you prove yourself, I’ll give it to you.”

Dick seemed to catch the sadness in Jason and sat by him. “Than who’d you be?”

Jason shrugged, throwing an arm around Dick’s shoulders to pull him closer. “Don’t know, but you’ll have to prove yourself kiddo.” He ruffled the boy’s hair with his other hand before lightly pushing him aside to jump up. “And from the looks of it, that’ll not be for a long time. Now how about you show me that flip you just did one more time.”

Dick jumped up after Jason, running back to the tree and climbing it like a ladder.

Chapter Text

Part 5: The War Begins

Stephanie is sitting at the computer, trying not to wince as Jason hits the mat once again and is pinned down by Damian. The train session has been going on for almost an hour and she can only count on one hand the times that Jason had not ended up on on the ground. It was not like Damian was trying to seriously injure the boy, it was just the way he taught. Dick is positioned a few feet away, eyes wide as he stopped his own exercises to watch the two on the mats.

The fact that Damian was using his time, actually staying to make sure the two had his instruction made the whole situation almost surreal. Not that Damian was not involved with Jason’s training from almost the start, it was just something reminiscent of a past long gone that had Stephanie distracted. Days long gone, after she had been taken truly into the fold, when she was where Dick stood and watched Damian doing almost the same things with another Robin. The irony that Tim was only a short distance away was not lost on her.

“You need to have better control, Todd.” Damian huffed, getting back to his feet and pulling Jason, almost unwillingly, back to his own. “You’re too distracted. Calm down and think.”

Jason almost visually pushed himself away, maybe the only person besides Damian not outwardly showing anything from the beating he seemed to be taking. “Don’t tell me what to do.” He almost growled, going after Damian once more with punch that was easily blocked, followed by a kick that made some purchase at the older man’s thigh.

Damian was off by maybe after a breath before Jason’s next assault came, followed by a series of punches from the both of them. This current round of sparring, if you asked Stephanie, was much more intense than the last. It was only because she knew Damian so well that she knew the smirk on his lips was more akin to being proud than of any type of scorn. Jason was an excellent fighter, if he was given the right motivations.

The size difference of the two, now maybe somewhere between six to nine inches and less than fifty pounds, was Jason main obstacle at taking down the original Robin. Damian was too skilled to be taken by a sweep of his legs, and Jason’s size made him just a bit more agile. Neither showed signs of stopping, blow for blow being exchanged between the two. With nothing but their bodies as weapons, both were formidable in their own rights.

A back handspring from Jason put some distance between the two, giving both of them a moment to circle and size up the other. Stephanie took a moment as the two paused to get a good look at Dick. This was maybe the second session the boy had had, Stephanie had not been by since the day before the last and was using that as an estimate, so he was set up with some wooden practice dummies to hit. The kid looked so small, hands wrapped and taped and gears on his shins, that if it was not for what was happening she would have screamed at Bruce and Damian for allowing him to do any of this. As it was, it was probably safer for him than ignorant.

The sound of skin smashing against skin brought her back to Damian and Jason, the sight almost comical as Jason ducked under Damian’s kick and grabbed his leg, twisting his body to get the other to slam into the ground. There was a definite grumble from Damian as Jason backed away, both of them breathing heavily. After a moment, Stephanie saw Damian stand up. “Much better. See what happens when you study a situation rather than react to it.”

Jason was leaning against a pillar, breathing slower but still taxed. “Yeah.” He huffed, moving to grab a water bottle just a few steps away.

Stephanie turned back to the computer as it beeped, typing in some more search parameters before finally something definitive popped up. A corrupt businessman had been found dead in his home, throwing knives pinning him to the wall. “Damian, I found something.” Stephanie called out, typing away at the computer to find more information.

“Todd, work with Grayson.” Damian’s voice said, a note in the back of her mind as she accessed the initial police homicide reports. Photos of the scene were gruesome, though the body was nowhere near brutal. The only blood not on the body was a message next to the body, the first blatant clue they have gotten since Tim’s distress call.

“Enemies of the Court Beware, We Come for You Next”

“So, they’ve made their first play.” Damian’s voice was a low growl, making Stephanie jump slightly as she realized he had made it behind.

“It appears so.” Stephanie said, “Why would they make it so obvious?”

“Tt” Damian breathed, the sound familiarly meaning that he was stumped. “Either it’s a clever copycat or they’re calling us out.”

Stephanie turned around, looking away from the reports. Damian was leaning on the console next to her, eyes scanning the photos and reports with a studious gaze. “We need to let Bruce know.”

“Father is in the middle of the Pacific evacuating an island with the League.” Damian said after a moment. “I’ll take Cain, you and Todd will continue to monitor for anything else.”

“Damian…” Stephanie started, but was soon interrupted with a patented Damian stare and another more annoyed scoff.

“I’ll let Father know, but if all we have is this he is probably needed elsewhere.” Damian said, eyes scanning the photos once more before turning from the computer and looking right at Stephanie. “Cain and I can handle this until Father and the League are done. Todd is probably the second best person with computers, have him help you dig into those records you found. Maybe he can find something the rest of us missed. Tell Batgirl to meet me at the station and contact the Commissioner, I want to talk to him.”

Damian turned towards the boys before Stephanie could protest further, walking in their direction. Stephanie was unable to hear what he told them but soon Jason was at the secondary console and Alfred appeared to take Dick back upstairs. There was silence before Damian’s bike roared out of the Cave.

“Where’s the files on the Court?” Jason asks as the computer booted up, sitting back in the chair. The seriousness in his voice in certain situations made Stephanie almost forget that the kid was only fifteen. After his growth spurts in the last few months, she just saw the small child that bounced around the Cave bringing back something she never thought would be back in their lives. The childish laughter was starting die down, but Jason was definitely good for them all.

“It’s in my server, saved under C.O.O.” Stephanie said, before something clicked and she turned to the boy. “How do you know this is the Court of Owls?” As far as she knew, Bruce and Damian were not tell Jason just yet what was going on. It was Bruce’s decision, just until they had something definite. No need to worry unnecessarily he had said.

Jason shrugged, pulling up the files. “Detective, remember? I also know you guys have Tim hidden away too.” His voice was even, but Stephanie at least thought she knew the other well enough that she could a slight hitch in his voice.

“Bruce hadn’t wanted us to tell you until we had something more than speculation.” Stephanie began, knowing that Jason would probably be upset but knew that truth already.

Jason voice is distracted as he next speaks, clearly reading through what information Stephanie had gathered. “That’s what Damian said. Load of bullshit if you ask me.” They were silent as they both worked. Stephanie found nothing more, even as an hour passed and new reports from the police came in. “Holy shit.” Jason said, “Steph, look at this.”

Wheeling over to Jason, looking at a file on one of Bruce’s ancestors, Stephanie had no clue what she was supposed to be seeing. “The Alan Wayne case? Even Bruce couldn’t find anything.”

“Yeah, guessed that.” Jason said, pulling up something else. “But I’m sure he grew up knowing about his crazy great-grandfather. Even Batman can be biases at times, and I’m sure no one thought to cross reference it with other city events.” Pulling up archived newspaper clippings from the same week as Alan Wayne’s death, something familiar came up. “Haly’s Circus was in town that week as well.”

“Haly’s is old, Jay. Coincidence at best.” Stephanie said, no knowing what thread Jason was pulling up as more old newspaper clippings littered the screen. Each showed mysterious deaths and disappearances, Haly’s Circus being in Gotham, and even one magazine article about The Overlords of Gotham. “What is this Jason?”

“Don’t know yet.” Jason sighs, biting his thumb as he thought. “But it’s something. Haly’s isn’t involved, but every twenty years or so something big happens whenever they come to town. Once or twice is a coincidence, but the same thing for over a hundred years? And when Haly’s started in Gotham…”

Stephanie seemed to understand what Jason was trying to say, at least in some sense. “So.. If Haly’s is involved, how? How is it all connected?”

“I don’t know.” Jason replies after a moment, and then pulled up a few more articles. “But it all seems to start here, the disappearance of Burton Crowne’s grandson. That’s just months later the first murder with throwing knifes occurred.”

Stephanie looked the articles, dates seeming to line up with Jason’s explanation but for a few things, the biggest being Haly’s Circus. “But how does Haly’s fit in?”

Jason just started typing away, bringing up a list he had obviously typed up. “This is a list of all the times Haly’s Circus has come to Gotham.” The dates were sporadic, every few years coming into the city, though it probably made more sense if other tours and cities were in the mix. Such a high profile organization, each visit was documented well enough for the dates to be accurate though. “And this is a list of every knife murder that looked even vaguely like tonight’s, most victims being more well off so better documented.” Another list lined up with the Haly’s list, few dates lining up except where the list of homicides began and ended. From around 1920 to 1950, there were over 100 mysterious deaths in Gotham that were swept under the rug. Probably more that weren’t documented.

“But that ended over sixty years ago.”

“I know,” Jason said, pulling up a final document. “But look at this list. It’s a list of weird deaths involving the circus’ performers. Car accidents, drownings, fires. Every time a body was either destroyed beyond recognition or lost.”

“You’re pulling at straws here.” Stephanie said after a moment. “It’s too circumstantial.”

“Or that’s what it’s supposed to look like.” Jason said, sitting back. “Just think, young acrobats. Trained from birth basically, it’s only a small stretch to train them to be assassins later in life and give them to the Court.” Jason looked like he hated himself, but he continued, “Circus society has its own structures, maybe killing can be twisted for a better purpose.”

“What are you saying Jason?” Stephanie said, looking at Jason with a critical stare. “Do you think Haly’s Circus is a assassin training ground.”

Jason was unable to answer as alarms blared in Cave, Alfred rushing down pulling Dick behind him, as heavy steel doors closed off the Cave. “Master Jason, Miss Stephanie we have intruders.” Alfred said, breathing heavily as Dick stared at them with wide eyes. “The Manor has been overrun.”

 ***The Court of Owls***

“All the Talons have been awaken.” The Grandmaster said from his perch at the center of the balcony overlooking the rest of his Court. Each member had been gathered for the first time in over fifty years. “Our night has arrived, we shall take back our future Talon. With Wayne’s private police force, that detestable Batman Incorporated, distracted by our bread trails, we shall hit him where it will hurt the most.”

They was a cheer from the masked spectators, each returning to their poised position as the Grandmaster raised his arms before speaking once more. “Wayne has inadvertently evaded our attempts to stop him, but tonight our Talons shall hit his home, taking from him what he has attempted to take from us. Tonight Gotham’s brightest Son shall lose everything he holds dear, and in his grief we shall end him; and if the time comes that our newest Talon is ready and Wayne yet lives, the boy he tried to take from us will end the line of Wayne forever.

The cheers this time were deafening, the Grandmaster welcoming it as a shadow from behind him moved, heading to join the other Talons on their assault on Wayne Manor.

Chapter Text

Part 6 The Bird’s Song

Dick had been in the kitchen with Alfred when the alarm had gone off, grabbing things to help the older man prepare dinner. Dick stopped in his tracks, turning to Alfred who was pulling up a monitor hidden in the wall to show a group of costumed men jumping over the closed gated to enter the Manor’s grounds.

Everything seemed to slow down and speed up as Alfred grabbed a shotgun from somewhere and grabbed Dick’s hand, rushing them towards the Cave after hitting some buttons on the panel near the monitor. The lights of the Manor turned off as metal sheets covered the windows. Alfred moved faster than Dick ever thought the man capable of as they descended to the Cave and alerted Stephanie and Jason of the situation. Both of them silently springing into motion, Stephanie pulling up the feed of the upstairs and Jason grabbing circular disk and what looked like bird shaped boomerangs and a staff he threw to Stephanie when she turned around.

“They just got into the Manor.” Stephanie announced, moving away from the computer to allow Alfred access as she turned to Jason, “I sent a distress signal to Damian and Cass, as well as Bruce.”

Jason nodded, looking at Dick with what was probably meant to be a reassuring look before grabbing a mask from the wall. “It should take them time to find the Cave entrance, that is if they don’t know what to look for. Which I guess depends on why they’re here.”

Stephanie nodded, looking once more at the shadowed intruders. “They look like what Red Robin said that the one who attack him was wearing.”

Dick was confused at the statement, wondering who Red Robin was and the fact that he had been attacked. It was not like he expected any information to be given to him, but it made him wonder what Batman and the others truly went up against. And if this was why Damian had decided he needed to be trained. “Who are they?” He finally asked, standing in the middle of the Cave as the others seemed to move with purpose.

No one stopped as Alfred answered, voice as firm and proper as ever. “That is unclear Master Richard, but do not worry you are safe here.”

Jason scoffed, the tone unfamiliar to Dick who had spent the last few months with the older boy and thought he knew him well enough to decipher his vocal tones. The other did not speak though until he was near Dick, moving silently enough that his presence made the younger boy jump slightly. “Everything should be fine, but just in case take these.” Jason handed him to dark, thick sticks.

Damian had called them staves, had shown Dick some basic moves with them after the boy had told him about the choreographed fights he had learned at the circus. “Can they really get into the Cave?” Dick asked, looked from the staves to Jason with what he really hoped was not a scared expression.

Jason smirked, “The Cave is maybe the most secure location on the planet. They’d have to be better than some of the members of the Justice League to even get past the lockdown doors. Bruce made them to be Superman-proof.”

Dick heard the false bravado in Jason’s voice, the tone similar to when the boy would reassure him that nothing could stop Batman and Robin. The tone had always made Dick wonder what Jason was not saying, but now was not the time to question what it could mean. He just nodded to Jason, taking the staves and turning one in his right hand. Jason smiled back, turning to Stephanie who had pulled a purple hood over her head. “What are they doing now?”

Stephanie was on a tablet, tapping at things and replying without looking up. “They’re searching the bedrooms. They’re in the main wing now, one is tearing apart Bruce’s study.” She paused, eyes wide. “They’re removing books from the shelves. Does not look like they know to look for the entrance. Are they here after Bruce?”

Jason moved to Stephanie, looking over her shoulder at Dick as she turned to listen to whatever the other boy had to say. His presence was completely different now, more commanding and strong and making Dick once again question if he really knew Jason. Beeping from the computer made everyone in the room look up in alarm, but the voice coming through was more reassuring than cause for more panic.

“Cave this is Batman, received your signal.” The gravelly voice coming through was so different than the one that Dick had come to associate with Bruce that it took a moment to remember that Batman and Bruce were one and the same. “What is the situation?”

Alfred replied to the message, making Dick think of a walkie-talkie conversation rather than a phone call. “This is Penny-One Batman. Intruders have entered the main level, though they seem to not be looking for an entrance to the sub-level.”

Batman’s reply was so even in tone, it made Dick wonder for a moment if the other was truly worried. “Is there an I.D. of the intruders?”

The very thought though that the other did not care was prosperous, Dick convinced himself in the next moment. it would be dumb for Batman to not worry about them. Alfred and Jason were his family, and Stephanie seemed to be somewhere along that line as well. “Spoiler concluded they look like whoever attacked Red Robin.”

“Who is all there?” Batman’s next reply was a little more worried, though still rough and gravelly like his earlier tone.

“Robin and Spoiler were in the Cave before I set off the alarms. Black Bird and Batgirl went into Gotham to investigate a possible lead.” Alfred replied, tone slightly changing as he spoke next. “Sent a signal to them at the same time as you, but have yet to hear from them.”

Hearing that they had not made contact with Damian or Cass worried Dick, though he did not know what they were looking into. He really hoped it had nothing to do with whomever was moving about the Manor above them. “Keep me updated. Volcanic activity is disrupting the League’s teleporter, will get to you as soon as I can. Stay safe.”

“Of course Sir.” Alfred said, “Penny-One out.” Alfred ended the communication, hit a few buttons before going back to studying the intruders and their movements.

Dick took a deep breath, sitting on the mat and pulling his knees to his chest. Crossing his arms over them, he never let go of the staves but just let the weight of them hang off his hands. He relaxed slightly as Stephanie sat by him, nudging him with her shoulder to get him to look at her.

“It’s going to be fine, Dick.” Her voice was more sure, though still making Dick think that he really did not know the people he was in the room with. Could smiling Stephanie really stop these people from hurting them? Could Jason, who on more than one occasion fell asleep in the grass when he was supposed to be watching him, keep them all safe? And Alfred, who made the best cookies in the world, could he really be of much use?

Dick just nodded though, “Nothing stops Batman and Robin.”

A hand ruffled his hair as he heard Jason chuckle, the first sound that seemed to belong to the older boy he knew. “Just heard from BB and Batgirl, they’re on their way here. The Goons found one of the auxiliary tunnel systems, I’m taking Dick further back into the Cave to one of the safe rooms. Stay here with Alfred.”

Stephanie stood up, “I’ll keep you updated.”

“Sounds like a plan.” Jason nodded, reaching down to pull Dick to his feet. “Come on Dickie-bird.”

Dick got to his feet, Stephanie going back to where Alfred sat at the computer. Jason started to walk down a corridor, pocketing some more of the circular disks and a what looked like a foot long metallic pole from a table as he passed. Both were silent until Jason started to speak, a commanding note to his voice that made Dick not want to question the other. “When we arrive, I do not want you to talk. This person is a liar, don’t believe anything that comes out of his mouth. You understand me?”

Dick nodded, not speaking until Jason turned his head to look at him. “I understand, who are we seeing?”

Jason inhaled slightly, silent for about two steps and then answered. “He’s called Red Robin. He was Batman’s sidekick before me.”

“Like Damian?” Dick asked, shutting his mouth with a click after speaking.

Jason shook his head. “No, not like Damian. Like I said, he’s a liar, don’t listen to him. Stephanie would kill me for taking you here, but it’s the safest place in the Cave right now.”

“Oh.” Dick said, shivering slightly from the cold air that now surrounded them. They were more underground than the main Cave level, moisture dipping in small droplets from the ceiling. The fact that there had been more people to be called Robin than Jason, Damian, or Stephanie had never been told to him. For that’s who this person would have to have been, Batman’s only sidekicks were Robins.

Jason stopped outside a door, turning to crouch down so he was eye to eye with Dick. “I want you to stay in here, no matter what you hear. Steph and I can take care of ourselves, but it would be much easier if we know you’re safe.”

Dick nodded, “I understand.”

“Good,” Jason said standing and turned to press a combination into a keypad. “Remember stay quiet.” He said before hitting the last digit and the door opened.

Inside the room were some chairs and a small table covered books and papers adjacent to a bed. The thing, or well person, that caught his eye was a boy sitting on the bed with eyes that followed both him and Jason as they entered the room.

The door shut before the boy spoke, his voice much older sounding than what he looked. “Hello Pretender, looks like you brought a guest. Tell me, is this the Little Bird Bruce brought home?” There was something in this new boy’s voice that made Dick want to squirm, something scary that just made his watching eyes and messed up hair that much more noticeable.

“I’m not here to play games, Red.” Jason spat, voice once again making Dick wonder if he really knew Jason. In just the last hour or so, because in all honesty Dick was unsure on just how long it had been since all of this had started, he had heard seen and heard Jason being completely different people. The first was his normal self, the carefree friend he had come to know; the second him training with Damian, determined and angry; the third, him taking command; and lastly this time, as he pulling Dick even more behind himself and audibly snarled at the other boy.

From behind Jason’s back, Dick could see the other boy move. “Neither am I, Little Wing. Though I am curious on why you’d bring him here. What has Daddy gone and done now?” A glint of metal showed Dick that ‘Red’ was cuffed to the bed.

Jason moved forward, pushing Dick back just a bit in a way that made him think he was supposed to stay back. “Who or whatever attacked you is in the Manor.” Jason began, voice deep with some kind of emotion that made want to get out of the room. “Batman is with the League and…” Jason stopped, clenched his fists, and began again. “As much as I hate to say it, this is probably the safest place.”

“How’d you figure that out?” ‘Red’ said, smile on his face less manic and more thoughtful.

“Whoever these creeps are, they’ve hurt you already.” Jason said, grounding out the words. “I highly doubt you’d let it happen a second time, that is if they could get in here in the first place.”

The other boy laughed, “Such a gamble, Pretender. What makes you think I’d agree to this?”

Jason pulled the other to his feet, his height and weight an obvious advantage over the other. “You don’t have a choice, do you? Right now, the way I see it you have two choices, either do this or I’ll leave you wrapped up all nice and pretty for our new friends.”

Jason’s voice, his tone, even the manner in which he talked made Dick think of what the carnies would say about Gotham. About the laughter that followed a bird who would turn into a boy. A ruthless boy who could leave you bloody in just minutes. While he was still at the circus, with his family, his mother and father would tell him not to listen. That it was stories and rumor, and that some people knew such things from ill experience. What he never expected was for that to be Jason, who was always so ready to laugh and play. Damian he could see without much persuasion. Jason was right in front of him, and even now he was doubting if this was really him.

“Such anger young one.” ‘Red’ chuckled and paused, working to get Jason to put him down before saying more. “I’ll watch the Little Bird. And don’t worry, Jason. I don’t hurt defenseless children.”

Jason scoffed, stepping away and going towards Dick after setting the small pole and disks on a table. “He can’t break those cuffs, so stay out of his range. Stay here and I’ll get you as soon as things are done.” He whispered, pulling Dick into a hug before going to the door. “I’m trusting you Tim. Hurt him and you’ll regret it.” The venom was back in his voice and Dick could not help but stare at the boy on the bed across from him as they were left alone in the room. Eerily enough the other was looking at him as well, with the light making his eyes look less green and more blue with each second.

Dick was not sure if it had been ten minutes or ten hours that he sat in the same place, watching Tim as the other watched him. He surprisingly had sat still the entire time, almost too scared to move. Neither of them had spoken to the other.

“So you’re Bruce’s new lost little orphan.” Tim, ‘Red’, honestly Dick was not sure what to call him. The other boy was pale, like some of the performers that spent no time in the sunlight, and his black hair and blue eyes stood out in stark contrast.

Dick flinched as the words came out of the others mouth, opening his mouth and then closing it before actually saying something. “Bruce is letting me stay with him after my parents died.”

Tim, for Dick decided a name was better than a color to identify a person, just nodded. “Bruce always did like a good orphan story.” The white of Tim’s teeth were startling, but maybe the only non-unsettling thing about the other.

Dick nodded, shrugging as the other moved to get a better sit position on the bed. “Who are you to Bruce? Jason said you used to be Robin.” Well, actually he said he used to be his sidekick, but Batman only ever had Robin and Batgirl. He kind of doubted the other boy had been Batgirl.

Tim laughed, a sound more normal than the manic expression earlier. “Yes, kid, I was Robin before Jason.”

“Oh.” Dick breathed. He knew the identities of the others of the Manor, but he was never told their history. He knew Damian was the first and Stephanie was before Jason… But to learn there had been another made him think of his and Jason’s conversation days before. Was this why he was so sad?

A nod was Tim next movement a few moments later as Dick thought through the new information. “I’m surprised that Little Wing would bring you here. He must be really worried to let you anywhere near me. So tell me Little Bird, is the situation really that desperate?”

Dick shook his head, wondering what he was supposed and not supposed to tell Tim. Jason had said that he was a liar, but did that mean Dick had to be one as well. “People are in the Manor… It’s just Jason and Stephanie in the Cave, Damian and Cass and Bruce were on their way last I knew…”

Tim ran his free hand through his hair, glancing at the door. “That bastard.” He breathed, looking beyond Dick as his eyes raked back to where he was. “He knew something was out there and he left them to this? Does he really want a dead nest?” He pulled his arm violently from where it was restrained, “Do you want one of them to die, Bruce!? Was I really not enough?!” He shouted to no one in particular, making Dick curl up at the anger and venom in his voice. The green was back in Tim’s eyes, unnaturally creeping over the blue in such a way that he knew it was not natural.

The continued wrenching of his arm made Dick think of some of the animals at the circus, particularly the new or old ones who slowly started to lose it. The animalistic scanning of the room made Dick really wish Jason had not put him in here. Had the other really thought him safe in a locked room with the other. And what did he mean that he was not enough? “Red... Tim… Calm down, please… You’re scaring me.”

“Oh, I’m scaring you Baby Bird? The ghost that they all want to hide is scaring the hatchling?” Tim smiled, twisted and haunted. “Well, good. This is no place for children…” A banging from above dragged away Tim and Dick’s attention, both set of eyes going to the door. “Shit.” Tim breathed looking at Dick. “What was it that Jason put on the table.”

It took Dick a moment to figure out that Tim was talking to him before he went to look. “Some round disks and a metal stick, why?”

Tim just nodded, “Dick I need you to listen carefully.” There was a forced calmness to Tim’s voice, like someone talking to a scared animal. When had the situation switched on Dick like this? “These intruders are bad news, if the others haven’t arrived they are in big trouble up there.”

“But Jason said they’d be fine!” Dick cried, turning and clenching his fists at his side. “Jason said you’re a liar and I wasn’t to listen to you.”

“Jason lied.” Tim said sternly, right hand sweeping past Dick in the table’s direction. “He knows they’re in up to their eyes, why else would he leave weapons for me?”

Dick was stumped, why would Jason leave anything for the handcuffed boy if they were going to be fine. “How do you know these are for you?”

“There should be a small release on the ‘metal stick’, it’s a expandable pole.” Tim said, “My weapon of choice when I was Robin. The others are like throwing stars. Nostalgia was always Bruce’s worst attribute.”

Dick pressed the button on the stick, watching it extend far more than what seemed possible. Picking it up, he was amazed it was as heavy as it was. “What do you want me to do?”

“Right now? Nothing.” Tim replied, his look alone making any protest on Dick’s tongue die immediately. “Jason wants me to keep you safe, he was not wrong that he and Stephanie can keep each other safe. And they have Alfred, they’re fine. So we’re going to stay here and you’re going to look for a key for this damned handcuff before I end up wrenching my arm off.”

***Talons***

The Talons searched the Manor finding nothing. A few of the group had descended into a cave system that the group had only a small knowledge of. The entire army met in front of a metal door, stronger than anything they had encountered before.

“Break down the door.” William Cobb commanded, standing behind some of the lesser Talons as they started to bombard the door with explosives. “Wayne’s children are probably hiding here.”

The door finally gave way, the Shadows of the Court descending into darkness only to be met with a bombardment of disks that dissolved into a goop and electricity.

Chapter Text

Damian raced back to the Cave the moment he received the distress beacon. He knew he should not have left the others alone, not with Father out of the country. He was the one that was supposed to be protecting them, if anything happened…

“They will be fine.” Cassandra’s voice cut through the thick atmosphere of worry Damian had surrounded himself in, soft and soothing even through the comlink. “Stephanie is smart and Jason is strong. They will take care of each other.” Damian tightened his grip on the handlebars, Cassandra’s grip tightening around his ribs as the bike when off road to get to the Cave entrance.

The sounds of a battle met just further into the Cave. Abandoning Damian’s motorcycle in a hidden alcove, the pair continued to the Control Room separately, Cassandra through the air vents and Damian on foot in the shadows.

Damian knew every nook and cranny of the cave system underneath his home. Every tunnel that connected to Wayne Manor were imprinted into his memory, until he could navigate his to the now abandoned Drake manor in absolute darkness. The shadows hide him from view as he comes to the battle taking place just below where he sleeps.

Anger feels his mind, fueled more as he sees both Jason and Stephanie fighting back to back. The enemies surrounding them are in matching armor, almost exactly as he had sketched from Tim’s brief description the one time he was cooperative in his pseudo-captivity. There are fifteen in Damian’s direct sightline: nine of them surrounding Spoiler and Robin, two are held together with the patented ‘Goop’ from Spoiler’s Gooparang, three are trying to break their way through the door that leads to the holding cells and the Cave’s auxiliary control room, and lastly, a single enemy is sprawled on the ground covered in ice crystals. What he doesn’t see though is Alfred or Dick. The obvious answer is that they are beyond the heavy metal door that is currently under assault.

Out of the corner of his eye, Damian see Cassandra positioning herself in position to strike at least three of their friends’ assailants. It's in the half second that Damian’s eyes are off the intruders that he finds himself being thrown and pinned to the ground. Damian was able to get his legs under his attacker and kicked her off, running and vaulting over a group of two more on his way to aid Jason and Stephanie, now joined by Cassandra.

Static came through his comlink as he neared the group. “ ...Tes..ing Zzzt… Ca… ar… me? This is… ‘Nyone, testing can anyone hear me ?”

“Penny-One this is Blackbird can you read me?” Damian said, dodging an attack and finally making it to his teammates; getting into a defensive position as he spoke.

Alfred voice flooded through his ear and Damian felt a small inkling of hope. “Blackbird, thank heaven you have arrived. The intruders cut out our communications, how are Robin and Spoiler?”

“We’re still here Penny-One.” Jason’s voice came from beside Damian as he flipped over Stephanie to perform what should have been a knockout blow. “They aren’t staying down, have you found anything?” Cassandra and Stephanie moved to cover the hole Jason left in their defenses as Jason settled to cover the area just left of Damian.

“ The enemy has a faint radioactive signature. Not dangerous level, mind you. And their body signatures are much lower than average .” Alfred told them, “ I’ve taken the liberty of lowering the Cave’s temperature. Do they seem to being any slower than when they first arrived? ”

“They’re slower,” Stephanie answered, fending off a trio of the armored fighters with Cassandra. “I know we’re insulated because of the suits, but what about Red Robin and Dick? They’re both going to freeze down there.”

Damian ducked below a headshot and kicked the legs out from beneath the would be assailant. “What did you left Red Robin with the kid?” Damian said angrily, dodging another attack.

Jason landed a jab on his opponent, shaking his hand during his short reprieve. “Seemed the safest place for him to be.” Jason said defensively. “Tim will rather fight these guys rather hurt Dick.”

Damian groaned, “And what about after? Do honestly think that Drake will just let everything go?” Damian was starting to be able to see his breath. The intruders were slowing down, some almost at a walking pace now.

Jason shrugged, throwing an exploding Wing-Ding at a new group of attackers. “Haven’t thought that far ahead. I was more worried about keeping the kid safe.”

Tim flexed his wrist as Dick finally unlocked the restraint holding him to the bed. The temperature in the room was starting to drop rapidly, the boy shivering as he moved to the other side of the room away from the older boy. “What now?”

Tim grinned, flashing white teeth in a smile that seemed to wide. Looking at the door and then the air vent, a plan forming in his head before he shook his head. “The Cave’s heating system has been turned off, probably to slow down the enemy.” He paused and caused under his breath, “The air vents are probably too cold to move that way.”

A pounding sound came from outside the door, Dick’s shivering probably now a combination of the lower temperatures and the new sense of impending doom. Taking a deep breath, Tim grabbed the staff, extending it to full length as he grabbed a blanket. “Cover yourself, first opening you see I need you to run. Find an empty room, and for the love of God stay quiet and do not get caught.”

Dick nodded as the sound of pounding became louder. Whoever was outside was definitely outside the door now. Repositioning his hold on the staff, Tim fell into a fighting stance with a grin on his lips. The door flies open with a bang, the same Talon who had stabbed his just days before standing at the door.

“Where is the child?” The gravelly, dead voice speaks and Tim hopes for the life of him that the kid listens to him. The figure before him is maybe even more impressive in the light, metal uniform glistening with the light reflecting from every blade strapped to his chest. “Surrender him to me and you will be allowed to live, child.”

Tim turns the staff around, eying his opponent before laughing. “I don’t think so.” Staying defensive, he really wished he had some kind of armor. One knick from those knives had put him out in minutes, meaning that any strike he took now would result in his death. “See, I have this thing about giving children to murderers. Call it a fluke, but I just don’t swing that way.” He is jumping out of the way as the Talon strikes at him, using the staff to put more distance between him, as he finishes his little speech.

“Foolish child.” The Talon threatens, pulling two knives from his chest armaments. “Wayne was a fool for taking what was ours; but you and your ilk are completely insane for standing by him.” Tim has to knock away one of the knives before it can hit the center of his chest. The Talon moves slower than their last encounter, but the days of recovery and confinement are not helping Tim either. “My brethren have already taken care of the forward guard, you can still surrender and I will let you live. Just tell me where the child is.”

A chuckle escapes Tim’s lips as he gets behind his enemy, who is becoming seemingly lethargic with the increasing cold. “I highly doubt that, Talon .” A double strike, the first to the the right wrist and the second to the back of the head, resound with a satisfying crack each. “You see, it was a mistake to strike at their home.” Tim could hardly feel his fingers at this point, pins and needles intensifying as he moves his fingers to reposition his hold to be more offensive.

The Talon’s movements are almost like slow motion as he spins. “The Court of Owls cannot be stopped. We will have our Gray Son, and I will make sure I am the one to slit all of your throats.” A too slow strike misses Tim by a mile, “And I’ll make you watch, screaming as my brothers and sisters…”

The end of the threat is never heard as the Talon is covered in ice in mid strike. Tim’s blood is still boiling from adrenaline and whatever parts of the lingering madness from the Pit escaped his control, rising his weapon towards the panting at the doorway. A falls from his lips as Dick’s voice calls out to whoever their rescuer is.

“Stephanie! Steph, thank God. I was so worried” The boy’s voice sounds shaken, maybe a bit watery from unshed tears.

Tim stands still, reigning in his aggression as he sees Dick run into Stephanie’s arms. The purple of Spoiler’s cape wrapping around the boy as she crouched down to hold the boy. “It’s okay Dickie.” Stephanie says before speaking soft, sweet nothings into Dick’s hair. Looking up, her piercing blue eyes look to Tim, all the gratitude and softness that Tim thought had left the world.

Cassandra seemed to appear behind her, face unreadable as she stood behind the pair at the doorway facing Tim. “Bruce is in route. Alfred wants everyone together.” The statement is obviously meant for Tim, and he nods.

Dick does not look up, head laying on Stephanie’s shoulder as she stands up holding him still wrapped in her cape. “Tim too right? I don’t wanna leave him.”

Stephanie’s places a kiss into Dick’s hair. “Of course, Tim is coming too.” She looks at Tim, who again nods. “Now come on, it’s freezing down here.”

Tim kicks at the icicle that is the now fallen Talon. “What about the big bad?” To be honest he is surprised that Stephanie outright froze the man, particularly with Bruce’s no killing rule.

Stephanie looked at Tim. “They aren’t alive. Alfred doesn’t know if it’s magic or science, but the only way to stop them is extreme cold.”

“Which explains why I can’t feel my fingers.” Tim responds sarcastically, retracting his staff to its compact form.

“Yeah…” Stephanie says as they start down the hallway, Cassandra bringing up the rear and Tim just slightly in front of Stephanie. “Sorry about that. We lost communications and Alfred had to make the decision on the fly.”

Tim shrugged turning the corner and stopping short, making Stephanie bump into him and Dick making a sound of displeasure. Tim is struck silent as he glares at the large man in black, a figure he had yet to see in his entire imprisonment. “Bruce, it is good to see you again.”

“Tim…” Bruce’s reply is like a pained sigh, his face like it is seeing a ghost. Which Tim laughed because in a way it was. This was the first time in years that Bruce was able to see Tim’s face. A paleness that even the Pit could not cure, but in almost every other way still the same.

Chapter Text

Part 8: Flying Lessons

Damian moved Dick to hold him with one hand as he unlocked the apartment door. The boy had finally fallen asleep curled up to Damian in the car as Alfred drove them to the downtown loft. The boy was uncharacteristically subdued after they had all gathered in the Cave in the aftermath of the attack. For once in his life Damian missed the excited chatter that normally accompanied the young boy now drooling into his shoulder.

With a sigh he pushed the door open, Titus looking up from his bed near the electric fireplace on the far side of living room. The old dog got up to sniff at the boy as Damian moved to lay him on the couch. Alfred moved over to examine the new arrival. “Titus, Alfred, this is Grayson. He will be staying with us for a little bit.” His voice was a whisper as Alfred moved to curl back up on the arm of the couch above Dick’s head and Titus sniffed once more at the boy before sitting on the couch cushion at feet. Damian left the sleeping child in the care of his pets as he went to grab a blanket for the boy.

After tucking the blanket around the boy, Damian sat in the chair facing the couch watching the boy. There was a bit of puffy red around his eyes, though he seemed peaceful in his sleep now surrounded by the large black dog and the small black and white cat. Both animals seemed to be asleep. Damian wiped a hand down his face as he remembered how the boy has not spoken in almost an hour.

They were all back in the Cave, Stephanie and Cassandra moving around the staring match between Tim and Bruce. Dick must have whispered something to Stephanie because they stopped just short of reaching Damian who was finishing up restraining the now unconscious Talons with reinforced handcuffs.

Jason was getting checked out by Alfred, arm wrapped in bandages and in a sling. His wrist was possibly sprained and his shoulder had been wrenched from an earlier strike from one of the assailants before Damian and Cassandra had arrived. The teen seemed more annoyed at being fussed over than the actual injuries, but gave Dick a small smile as the boy clung to the other’s uninjured side. He said something Damian did not here but it earned him a hand on his hair and Jason reassurance.

Finally, Bruce said spoke, turning to the group as Tim walked to a corner using the wall to support himself. Tim seemed to keep himself visible to the group, but made himself shut off from approach. “Does anyone know why this attack occurred? What were they looking for?” They was an obvious strain in Bruce’s voice as he spoke, Damian hearing the uncertainty in his father’s voice as he moved to make sure everyone in their ‘family’ was relatively alright.

Dick moved into Jason’s side, Cassandra moving closer to him as she read the emotions the boy was giving of in his body language. Tim, visibly using the wall to support himself, was the one to speak. “They were wanting your Little Bird. They called him their ‘Gray Son’.” Tim’s voice was strained from fatigue, whatever poisons he had been infected with now out of his body but the effects still slowing him down. It was probably the only thing keeping him from bolting. That and his lack of shoes and transportation.

Jason’s good arm was around Dick, who whimpered something like an apology into his side. The poor boy was obviously traumatized, if not just scared from the situation. Damian was not really sure, he never really spent an extended period of time around children his age and he was definitely not any model for normal childlike behavior. “They said the same to us.” He said, pointedly not looking at Bruce who had all but yelled at the teen for putting Dick in Tim’s care.

Damian was upset about Jason’s decision, but he could see the battlefield mentality that led to it. He was really just amazed that Jason even thought of it. After the confrontation just days before in Tim’s isolation room, Damian believed that Jason would keep as much distance between himself and his predecessor as possible. “So they were after Grayson, but why are they after him? If they truly were Talons of the Court of Owls, what would they want with a boy?”

Jason cleared his throat, looking at Alfred and moving his head towards Dick. Alfred seemed to get whatever message directed towards him. “Come with me, Master Dick. I think there’s some coats and blankets in the auxiliary room.” The old gentleman looked at Tim and added with a sad smile, “And maybe we can find some shoes for Master Timothy.” Dick nodded and removed himself from Jason after a smile and nod from the teen.

After the two were out of sight, Jason stood up going to the computer. He typed with his free hand as he spoke. “I’ve found some correlation between Haly’s Circus and some murders that could possibly fit an M.O. for the Court.”

A dozen or so newspaper clippings and some word documents with what looked like different timelines came onto the screen. Bruce moved to read over his protege’s shoulder. “This looks convincing Jason, but…”

“Come on, Bruce.” Tim said suddenly, arms crossed and looking slightly ill. “They were after the kid, they explicitly said the Court wanted him. What more information do you need?” Cassandra looked back and forth between the two, both their aggression making her visibly tense. “I would be looking for wherever the leaders are holed up and strike…”

Bruce seemed to appear before Tim, hands clenched at his sides as ‘Batman’ loomed over him. Damian honestly thought it looked a little pathetic that Tim could make such a rise with Bruce in his current state. Not that he did not think doubt that Tim could cause some kind of damage even in his condition. He stopped doubting what Timothy Drake would do long before the boy even became Red Robin. “Father, Drake might be right.” Damian said, trying to defuse the situation. “The Court may have just sent the Talons against Bruce Wayne, with Batman Incorporated they have to know that you would have some type of security to send such a force. Or they could know the truth, either way they will not stop; and we cannot stand around on our hands waiting.”

Bruce backed away from Tim, glaring at both him and Damian before collapsing in his chair. “You’re right Damian.” He said after a deep breath, “But I want you to take Dick to your apartment. It’s not registered under anything that could lead back to you or any of us. And if this is truly the Court of Owls, they may be less likely to have another full assault in the middle of downtown Gotham.”

“Of course Father.” Damian conceded as Alfred and Dick reappeared, Dick wearing a coat at least two sizes too big and carrying a few folded blankets in his arms. He gave one to Stephanie and Cassandra before going to Jason who pulled the boy onto his lap and wrapped them both in the other. Alfred went to Tim with another coat and a pair of loafers Damian recognized as possibly the boy’s from before he had left them.

Damian moved over to Jason and Dick, Jason having turned off the evidence against Dick’s former home and trying to get the kid to talk with small reassurances. Damian made sure he did not sneak up on the two, Dick looking just a small bit brighter than when he had been carried in by Stephanie. “Grayson, Father wants me to take you to my apartment for the night. Are you okay with that?”

Dick looked at Jason and then Damian, “What about the others?” He seemed truly concerned about everyone else, and Damian felt a small smile form on his lips without his meaning to.

“They’ll be fine.” Damian said in a way that he hoped reassured the boy. “Father has some things he wants some help with and they’ll stay in the Cave…”

“But the bad guys got into the Cave!” Dick said loudly, Damian sure everyone was looking at them now.

Jason hugged the kid in his lap to his chest. “We’ll be fine kiddo. It’ll make us feel better though knowing that you’re safe.” He released Dick before continuing, “And I’ll come over first thing in the morning and Stephanie can come too and make waffles.”

Dick seemed to mull over the idea and then nodded, “I’m go with you Dami.” Damian would for the life of him understand why Dick insisted in calling him ‘Dami’ rather than ‘Damian’. If he was honest, he was sure it was both Jason and Stephanie’s fault, but without proof he had no way in knowing.

Jason let the boy down, Dick insisting that Jason keep the blanket. As soon as Dick made sure Jason was covered in the blanket, he slipped past and hurried to Tim. Tim was now sitting on a cot pulled from one of the medbays, Alfred checking him over as Tim stared at a wall.

“Master Dick, I’ll drive you and Master Damian into town as soon as I’m done with Master Timothy’s check up.” Alfred said, Damian hanging back as Dick pulled himself on the cot next to Tim as Alfred continued taking Tim’s pulse without missing a beat. It would probably take an earthquake to actually make Alfred stop trying to keep them all put together. It seemed even the fallen Robin was still included in this manner.

Dick sat silently for half a second before smiling at Tim. “Thank you for keeping me safe.”

Tim looked at Dick with a questioning look, making Damian think this was probably the first time someone besides maybe Alfred had spoken to Tim without some kind of hidden anger or fear. “It was nothing Little Bird.”

Dick cocked his head to side, looking at Tim. “Why do you and Jason keep calling me a bird?” If the situation was different, Damian may have laughed. Right now though, he just smiled at Dick’s innocence.

Tim shrugged as Alfred released his wrist and grabbed a thermometer from a table. “Don’t know.” Alfred ran the device over Tim’s forehead causing the other pause. “Would you rather I called you something else?”

Dick seemed to contemplate the question before shaking his head. “No, it’s fine.” Alfred backed away write down whatever Tim’s temperature was and Dick takes the opportunity to hug Tim. The former Robin stiffens up instantly, Dick letting go after half a second. “I don’t know why they are mad at you or what you did, but I don’t think you are all bad.”

Tim was still stiff, looking at Dick like he had grown two heads and a mustache. Damian was not sure how the situation was going to go and finally approached the small group. Tim seemed to take Damian’s approach as a way to change the situation and smiled a bit too wide. “Hello Damian.” He said almost too calmly.

“Drake.” Damian said, “I hope Grayson isn’t bothering you.” Dick kind of looked like he had taken a cookie from Alfred’s cookie jar.

“Nope.” Tim said, looked at the kid with a softer smile who looked a little less guilty and then looked back up at Damian, his face now completely seriously. “The Little Bird is just thanking me.”

Damian nodded, wondering if there was a single person Dick could not charm. “Damian, I think Brown and Cain wanted to say farewell, I don’t think Pennyworth has much left to do.”

“I actually just finished with the check up, Master Damian.” Alfred answered, “Master Dick should have time to say his farewells while I update the young Master’s file and then we can head out.”

“Thanks Alf.” Tim said, sounding for the first time like the kid he once was.

Alfred nodded and left, Dick jumping down a second later to see Stephanie and Cassandra. “Don’t let Bruce change him.” Tim said all of a sudden, confusing Damian for half a second. “The Little Bird, he doesn’t deserve Bruce’s darkness, or any of this for that matter.”

Damian nodded an agreement, but did not reply. The first and second Robins stood there for a moment, the tension between them palpable but not aggressive until Alfred informed him it was time to leave.

Chapter Text

Damian awoke to the feeling of something curled at his back. The shape was just off enough that he knew it was not Titus, and he knew it could not be Stephanie as who or whatever was in his bed squirmed closer to him. As soon as they stopped moving, Damian quietly moved himself away. He sighed almost fondly as his eyes landed on Dick laying curled up in the blanket Damian had covered him on the couch earlier that night.

Laying back down, this time facing the boy, he noticed Alfred curled above the boy’s head on the pillows, bright eyes opening with annoyance. The small cat looked at Damian before making a puffing sound and his head back down.

Dick seemed soundly asleep, curled in a small ball. In the dark room, Damian could not see the boy’s face and wondered for a moment if he had woken from a bad dream. Carting a hand through the boy’s hair, he relaxed back into his pillow. Dick squirmed closer to Damian, just barely pushing into his chest, letting out a content breath.

Damian shook his head, closing his eyes. He really could not find it in himself to make a fuss about Dick finding his way into a bed that was not his. At least for tonight he would let it slide.

--------

Damian watched from the sitting room as his kitchen was invaded by Stephanie, the smell of waffles making it way through his loft. Jason was with Dick in loft petting Titus. The sounds of laughter made him smile, the moment making him think about how he could so easily forget they were all still so young.

"Boys, breakfast is ready!" Stephanie called out, a smudge of flour on her cheek. She smiled at Damian as she went turned back, presumably to get the food to the table.

Laughter made Damian look towards the stairway as Dick slid down the banister, Jason running after him. Titus barked happily behind the two boys, tail wagging in a way Damian had not seen in quite sometime from the older dog.

Dick jumped from the his perch with a natural grace before coming to Damian, now standing, grabbing his hand. "Come on Dami!" Damian allowed himself to be taken by the hand to his dining room table where a full breakfast was waiting for them; Stephanie plating a large serving of eggs on each plate, a pile of fresh waffles being set in the center of the table by Cassandra.

"Dig in, boys." Stephanie smiled, sitting down as the others joined her.

Jason was the first to grab a waffle, getting a second for Dick before pouring an unnecessarily large amount of syrup on his waffles. A strange serenity invading Damian's mind at the domestic scene, for the moment all of their problems were washed away by the overly sweet pastries. Grabbing his own food, he could not help but feel a sense of foreboding.

Jason had told him that Bruce was still looking for any answers, Alfred managing to get his father to sleep for a small while as test were running. Everything had come back inconclusive, every test that the Cave had access to ineffective to find anything more about the invaders or their home. Nothing more about the enigmatic enemy they now knew was truly the Court of Owls

Jason had been less than forthcoming, but he could only guess what Tim was doing. He only hoped that things had remained civil between his father and predecessor

Damian almost missed Dick sneaking a sausage link under the table to Titus.

----

"You look tired." Tim smirked from his chair, Alfred's orders that he could not move from his spot seeing how he refused to sleep. "Old age getting to you, Bruce?"

Bruce was still in the cape and cowl, though the cowl hung around his neck. Bruce certainly looked older, now that Tim allowed himself to observe the man he once stupidly called his partner. He had been so much younger when he had approached Blackbird, Damian, all those years ago. So naive and stupid when he thought that nothing could touch him so long as he had Batman at his back.

Bruce Wayne was just a human, and so was he. None of them were anything but, and to deny that as they faced megalomaniacs and madmen was madness beyond anything they could ever face. The hope that they brought was so easily beaten back into the darkness.

"If you have nothing productive to add," Bruce finally spoke, voice gravelly and oh so /tired/  that Tim wondered how the man still held together, "I would suggest following Alfred's suggestion at getting some sleep."

It was so strange, if Tim was honest with himself he would think that Bruce maybe still could find it in himself to care. It had been almost an hour since Stephanie and the others had left to Damian's. Tim was almost happy that nothing further had happened in the night, that the small boy who really should not be part of any of this was not put in any further pain because of this.

"Not a chance, B." Tim smiled, leaning forward on the arms of the chair to look at Bruce's screen. "If you haven't noticed, despite whatever these Talons want, I owe them a good sucker punch to the face for trying to kill me."

Bruce's hands clench, his lips forming a single line as he exhaled sharply. "That's another thing I want to understand. Why are you doing back in Gotham? I thought after the last time you were done here."

"I can never be done with Gotham." Tim found himself saying as he looked to the Cave's ceiling. "Not when you allow it's scum to run loose."

Bruce made a move to turn to Tim, eyes bright with so many emotions that Tim at one point knew so well and never fathom. He spoke before his former partner could say anything though, pale blue meeting crystalline eyes. "Ra's knew something was coming. He pulled almost all his operatives from Gotham and Bludhaven almost all at once."

The steel behind Bruce's eyes seemed to soften by the smallest measurement. "There's been a large decline in his global operations. I had suspected that you had some part to play in that."

Tim was silent for a moment before nodding, "We had a disagreement about some of his... Ideas on how to deal with those who he wanted out of the way."

Bruce simply nodded, turning back to the computer to run yet another analysis of the Talons' blood. It was silence once more, Tim's eyes following the lines of results that appeared as the test ran. Something did not seem right as the blood analysis gave readings of metals normally not found in the human body.

"I've never seen that alloy before." Tim mused, leaning forward. "Can you see what it's composed of?"

Bruce nodded, isolating the metal without a missed beat. Tim wondered if Bruce was somehow using the situation as a way to get Tim to think he belonged again; but that would have been too much for the ever stoic Batman. Or at least Tim told himself as the computer started to separate the alloy into its base elements. Gold, silver, faint traces of copper. "Why is there Electrum in their blood? Sure humans have traces of gold and silver in the body, but never in those concentrations."

Bruce shrugged, looking at the read out once more. "The alloy is in the same levels in each Talon. Whatever the reasons, it very could be what kept our attackers moving long after they should have gone down."

Tim nodded, running what information he knew through his head. "The Talons' blood also suggest that they share no common background, and are possibly even much older than they appear. The mineral build up, besides the shared Electrum, in their systems suggest the oldest could have been before the 17th century and the youngest in the early 19th century."

"Resurrection is not something we've haven't seen before." Was Bruce's pointed reply, running through the blood analysis once more. "But even the Lazarus Pit leaves this kind of mark in the blood. Whatever was used on these people no one has seen before, or at least has not been documented."

"Unless you want to count the idea of zombies." Tim said half joking as he looked at the results once more before sitting back in his chair. He definitely was not at one hundred percent yet, and sitting in the cave was just making him even more antsy than normal. The screaming of the Pit rising even more than he had since he last had confronted Bruce.

Bruce seemed to be ignoring his last statement as he sighed, hand rubbing down his face slowly. Tim's mind went back to thinking just how tired the Dark Knight looked.

Chapter Text

The next few weeks were relatively quiet, July rolling into and then August with little incident like that when the Court had attacked the Manor. Zucco had fled Gotham, possibly to some island nation without an extradition agreement with the United States; and now Gotham's headlines were all over the fact that Bruce Wayne was officially going to take in Richard Grayson. The news seemed to interest every tabloid and newspaper in the greater Gotham area. Stories of the billionaire bachelor bringing another child into his home, either for good or ill reasons, were flashed everywhere and everyone seemed to have their own opinion.

One of the things that everyone agreed, was that Wayne had not thrown party or otherwise entertained the social elite for months. There seemed to be a call from certain sectors of society that called for Bruce to host some kind of party. There seemed to be no escape for Bruce from the vultures of society, and once Bruce's guardianship of Dick was established he finally set a date for a charity event.

------

Jason stood outside Dick's bedroom as the boy was being all dolled up by Alfred. A smile found his way to his lips as the boy tugged at the tie Alfred had just finished tying around his neck.

"Do I really hafta wear this Alfred?" The boy asked as he put on the suit coat Alfred held open for him.

Alfred chuckled under his breath, "I'm afraid so Master Dick. You can remove the jacket and tie as the night goes on, but for now proper formal wear will be required."

"Well, at least it's blue." Little Dick frowned at his reflection for a moment before running his fingers through his hair. "Will there be anyone my age around?"

"Master Jason will be in attendance," Alfred answered, looked at Jason with a slight frown at the older teen's less put together look. "Beyond that I'm afraid there may not be any other guest in your age group."

"Oh," Dick frowned, pulled at the sport coat. "Will there be a lot of people."

"Don't worry, Dickiebird." Jason finally said, pushing off the wall to fully enter the room. "You can stay with me the whole night. These things get pretty boring after everyone stops staring at the Wayne kids."

"Why doesn't Jason have to wear a tie?" Dick instantly protested, Alfred answering with only a sigh directed to his older charge.

Jason could not protest, he was dressed in slacks and a button-up shirt with a vest instead of a sport coat. The first two buttons were open and the collar slightly up. "This isn't my first rodeo Little Bird, and besides I'm the street rat. No one expects me to be dressed to the nines anyway."

Dick looked at Jason slightly confused, the frown on his lips turning into a pout. "Not fair."

"That's life kiddo." Jason laughed before moving next to Dick and whispered in his ear. "The moment there's a chance, we'll lose the tie. Okay?"

Dick nodded, "Will Dami be here tonight?"

Their 'oldest' brother left two weeks before to help with something or other with the older Titans. He called in when he could, but whatever he was working on was not necessarily shared with Jason or Dick. "Last I heard he said he was going to try and make it."

"I hope he can come." Dick said almost wishfully.

"As do I." Alfred said, "But for now we must be getting to the party, it will start soon"

-----

The event was as boring as Jason remembered. Most of the guests were middle-aged socialites with way too much time on their hands as they stood around looking at the finery of the event hall. Jason really wondered if the people really cared about the charity, this one being one of the Wayne Foundation's hunger relief programs. He was almost sure the people only came to this for the excuse to dress up and to gossip about Bruce taking in Dick.

The kid was maybe the most sought after person in the room, with Damian and his ever elusive presence in Gotham's gossip mills coming in second. Jason's novelty had seemed to wear off with the new addition to their family, but there was still the overbearing mother-types who just had to talk to him about how lucky he was that Bruce had taken an interest in him; as if he did not know that fact.

It was becoming annoying to avoid those type of people, and to keep them away from Dick. Not that Dick did not seem to be having too bad of a time. He was small enough that he was able to stay out of sight if he wanted to; Jason just knew that tongues became loose on questions that should not be asked when too many glasses of champagne have been drunk.

Jason had left Dick in a corner while he went to look for some appetizers the kid would like, and was returning when he spotted Dick talking to a rather annoyingly familiar red head.

"I didn't know you were going to be here, Harper." Jason greeted the two, causing Roy to jump and Dick to grin as he was handed the plate of sandwiches.

"Jaybird!" Roy greeted, throwing a hand around Jason's shoulder. "I was just looking for you. This is such a snooze fest; if this was Ollie's party someone would have thrown champagne on someone..."

Jason tried not to smile as what could be said was maybe his best friend prattled on. "And that's why Bruce never comes to Oliver's parties."

"Probably true." The younger boy answered, looking back at Dick who seemed to be looking suspiciously at one of the sandwiches before grabbing a different on. "Ollie had some business in New York, so we thought we'd come down to see you all. And I was curious about your new little brother. Shot me."

"Don't tempt me," Jason smiled and then looked back to Dick. "Something wrong with the sandwiches, Dickie?" Jason caught himself from adding 'bird' to Dick's nickname. Last thing he needed was Roy thinking his system of giving people pet names was spreading.

"I don't like cucumbers." Dick frowned. "Who makes a sandwich with just cucumbers on it?"

"No clue." Jason replied, sitting down by the boy on the floor and shortly joined by Roy. "Want me to find you something else?"

"No, it fine." Dick replied. "Who's Oliver?" Dick asked Roy as the other grabbed one of the offending cucumber sandwiches.

Roy swallowed his mouthful of food and then used the rest of the sandwich triangle to point at a blonde man with a goatee. "The guy over talking to Bruce. He adopted me a few years back."

"Oh," Dick nodded thoughtfully, "Is that normal? Being adopted by people like them?"

Roy laughed and rubbed the top of Dick's head affectionately. "No, not really. Ollie and Bruce are special, real good people the both of them."

"Bruce is the best." Dick agreed, making a face as he accidentally bit into a cucumber sandwich.

"Ollie's probably better." Roy muttered as he looked around, "Is Mr. Big-and-Scary here tonight?"

Jason wanted to laugh at Roy's slight discomfort around Damian. It was not necessarily anything antagonistic between the two, but they definitely do not get along. "Damian's probably trying to avoid his latest group of fangirls. Half of the city seems determined to get him to settle down with some nice girl."

"Those poor girls." A new voice interrupted with a laugh making the three of them look up.

Mia Dearden was leaning on the pillar behind them, somehow avoiding detection like some kind of gold clad ninja. "Hello Jason." See greeted with a smile, "and I guess the little cutie is Richard."

Dick smiled at the girl, a small apprehension now coming off of him at the newcomer. After a night of being clucked over it made sense. "I am, and who are you?"

If Dick was not as young as he was it may have come off rude, but Mia just chuckled and crouched down to their level. "I'm Mia."

"She's kinda my sister." Roy added, receiving a playful push from the older female.

"Dick meet Mia, Mia this is Dick." Jason quickly said to avoid any further interruption from Roy. "Mia's Oliver's other adopted child. Though I guess technically she's an adult now."

"And don't forget it squirt." Mia added, reaching over to ruffle Jason's hair. "It's good to meet you Dick, how's the night going."

Dick frowned, looking at Jason who gave him a reassuring nod. "It's fine... Everyone wants to talk to me though."

Mia laughed, "They like to do that, don't they? And I'm sure they ask a lot of questions they shouldn't, right?"

The boy nodded quickly. "Yeah... Are all adults rude like them?"

"Nope, just the ones who never been told better." Mia mused, "They think their money protects them from normal manners."

"You can say that again!" Roy said, maybe just a bit too loud.

"Shut up, Roy." Mia and Jason said at almost the same time, causing Dick to laugh and the loud mouthed red head to stuff another sandwich in his mouth.

Mia laughed, giving Roy a noogie. "Have you met Ollie yet? I can promise he's a little bit better than the others here; he definitely won't ask too many stupid questions."

"No." Dick answers looking to where Oliver and Bruce were still talking. The crowds seemed to be letting the two men talk to each other without an interruption. "Is he friends with Bruce?"

"Yeah," Roy answered before the other two, "their companies work together a lot. They're probably plotting on how to take over the world right now."

"Why would they want to do that?" Dick seemed confused at the statement. While he knew that Bruce was Batman, any other identity of the other heroes had not been shared with the boy. Not that Oliver tried to hard to hide he was the Green Arrow. What with that stupid goatee. It seemed to almost be a formality for him to /not/ say he was Star City's resident hero.

"Roy's being an idiot." Jason deadpanned, "If anything, they're plotting on how to stop Lex Corp from taking over anymore cities."

"Oh." Dick said.

A smile suddenly appeared on the boy's face as he saw something behind Mia. Jason was about to ask when Damian appeared in his peripheral.

"Todd, I know that Harper is your friend; but must you let Grayson be infected by him as well?"

"Damian." Mia greeted, standing back up to look at the oldest Wayne. "It's good to see you coming out of the shadows to rejoin the rest of humanity."

"Dearden." Damian said in reply to the blonde girl. It made Jason want to laugh as the small girl who barely came to Damian's shoulders gave him what could be described as a stare down. It made it look almost ridiculous in her golden dress that made her look even smaller than she looked in her hero uniform. "I hope the girls aren't giving you too much trouble."

Damian scoffed, "They are just an annoyance."

As Mia and Damian stared each other down, Jason almost missed Dick handing his plate of food to Roy and standing up. He moved towards to Damian and almost surprised the other man with a hug. "Dami! I missed you."

Damian stiffened for just a moment and then put his hand on the boy's shoulder. "I saw you twenty minutes ago." There was detectable annoyance in Damian's voice though he shot a glare at Mia at the face she made after Dick had called the elder Dami.

"See, I told you Brucie." A new, friendly but firm, voice spoke behind them, "The kiddos gather before we even have to suggest it."

Bruce chuckled, somewhere between his normal laugh and the facade he creates for when he has to be 'Brucie Wayne'. It's weird to Jason how easily Bruce and slip in and out of the persona. "Dick, can you come over here real quick? There's someone who'd like to meet you."

Dick detached himself from Damian and moved around the group to stand in front of Bruce. The older man pointed to the blonde man beside him. "This is Oliver Queen. Oliver this is Dick Grayson, my newest ward."

Oliver bent down to Dick's height and held his hand out for Dick to shake. "It's nice to meet you, Dick. I see you've met my children already."

"Yessir." Dick replied, taking Oliver's hand. "They are really nice."

Jason wanted to laugh. Alfred and Bruce had made sure Dick knew how to probably respond to the people Bruce would have to introduce him to. Honestly, Dick did much better than Jason himself had done; his parents being a world class act put Dick in situations where at least some manner of decorum had to be met. Rather, than you know, the bad habits ones pick up on the streets.

"I'm glad you find them to be so." Oliver looked at Mia and Roy with a crooked smile. "I personally find them to be a little bit disagreeable."

"Ollie!" The two mentioned children exclaimed, Mia adding, "You're the disagreeable one."

"See what I mean, no respect." Dick laughed at the exchange, looking completely at ease for maybe the first time all night.

"It's called being a parent, Oliver." Bruce added, his voice definitely trying to hide some laughter. "And Dinah doesn't count. Or maybe she does and it's just you. Who knows anymore."

Oliver pouted, Jason wondering for not the first time in his life if these really were the world's heroes. "So mean. And you're one to talk, not everyone has a wise old butler."

"While it nice to be able to make Queen look like a fool," Damian interrupted, "I believe it is about time to be getting Todd and Grayson home. It is getting late."

"That sounds reasonable." Oliver said before Bruce, a challenging look in his eye almost shouting 'See, Bruce, I can be responsible'. He turned to his own to charges and added, "Mia, you should probably take Roy back to the hotel as well."

A look shared between the vigilantes followed and Jason moved to help Roy stand up. "That's fine with me. Never really liked these things."

----------------------------------------------------------

"Do they really have to go out tonight, Alfred?" Dick pouted, slowly eating the small meal Alfred made the boy when he and his brothers had returned from the Wayne Foundation benefit.

Alfred was finishing polishing the silverware. "I'm afraid so, Master Dick. Apparently it was too important, but they shouldn't be out long."

"Can I stay up until they return?" Dick asked hopefully. It really ever happened, but sometimes if there was a slow night Alfred would extend bedtime long enough so Dick knew they were on their way home.

"I suppose I can allow it tonight." Alfred sighed, "But you will have to do extra studying tomorrow."

Dick thought the offer in his head. After his residency at the Manor had come to be an almost permanent arrangement, Bruce had started preparing him to be ready to enroll in school. Not that Dick had not been receiving schooling at the circus with the other kids, it just was not as comprehensive as what was being offered at Gotham Academy. With the tutors and Alfred helping Dick make up the learning gap, Dick was projected to be on par with his peers by the time school started in a few weeks.

"Okay, deal." Dick smiled. "Can I wait in the Cave? Steph is down there and I promise I won't be a bother." Dick started excitedly.

Alfred sighed, "I'll speak with Miss Stephanie. Why don't you grab your maths book so you can start on the book work."

Dick made a face but got up to grab his homework.

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