Batman 50

Posted originally on the Archive of Our Own at http://archiveofourown.org/works/38136640.

Rating: General Audiences

Archive Warning: No Archive Warnings Apply
Fandom: Batman - All Media Types
Characters: Bruce Wayne, Selina Kyle, Dick Grayson, Damian Wayne, Alfred
Pennyworth, Jason Todd, Barbara Gordon, Jim Gordon, Tim Drake,
Robin Abbey
Additional Tags: it all comes out, Truth, Till Death Do Us Part, COVID, Family,
relationships, Adjustment Period, party time, changes, we'll make it work
Language: English
Series: Part 76 of My Version of Events
Stats: Published: 2022-04-03 Completed: 2022-07-14 Words: 87,109 Chapters:
10/10
 Batman 50
by Titch360

Summary

The fiftieth issue of Batman was billed as an event decades in the making. The end result
was...lackluster, at best.

Here is my interpretation of what should have happened.

 Chapter 1

Batman 50

Chapter 1

Alfred smiled as he opened the front door of Stately Wayne Manor.

“Good afternoon, Commissioner Gordon, Mrs. Gordon. Your arrival has been widely
anticipated.”

Jim looked confused, “Are we late? The invitation said the party was for dinner, but Barbara
said to come early.”

“You are right on time, sir,” the butler said, closing the door behind the couple, “Master
Bruce wished to speak with you before everything began. This way, please.”

Alfred led the Gordon’s to Bruce’s study, where they found three happy couples seated
around the room. Bruce sat at his desk, with Selina sitting on the edge of the desk. Next to
the desk, Damian sat in a chair, with Robin sitting in his lap. Barbara had parked her
wheelchair next to the couch, where Dick sat, leaning over the arm of the couch to hold
Barbara’s hand.

The three pairs looked up as the door opened, and Alfred said, “Commissioner and Mrs.
Gordon, sir.”

“Thank you, Alfred,” Bruce said, “Jim, Barbara, please come in. Have a seat.”

“We aren’t interrupting anything, are we,” Jim asked as he and his wife sat down.

Barbara smiled, “No, Daddy. I wanted you to come over early because we have an
announcement.”

“A couple announcements, actually,” Bruce said.

Dick spoke up and said, “Mrs. Gordon, I don’t believe you know everyone.”

“No, I don’t,” the woman said.

Bruce turned to look at the woman, “I’m sorry, Barbara. This is my fiancé, Selina Kyle.”

“Nice to meet you,” Selina said with a smile.

Bruce continued, “And this is my son, Damian, and his girlfriend, Robin.”
Damian stopped himself from interjecting that he and Robin were engaged, remembering the
conversation he had with his father around Christmas. He didn’t need the looks from Dick
and Selina to stay silent.

“Mrs. Gordon,” Damian said in greeting.

“So, what’s going on,” Jim asked.

Dick and Barbara looked at each other with giddy smiles, and Barbara said, “We’ve finally
set a date for the wedding.”

Mrs. Gordon gasped and said, “Well, it’s about time.”

“It’s been, what, a year and a half,” Jim asked.

“Something like that,” Dick said.

“Well, what’s the date,” Jim asked, “Are you going to do a double wedding with Bruce and
Selina? Yours is coming up at the end of the month, right?”

Dick shook his head, “No, we’re not doing a double wedding. That might have been easier,
though.”

“We chose August thirtieth,” Barbara said, “It’s a nice, round number. We’re just going to do
something small. Nothing like what Bruce and Selina have planned.”

“That’s great, kids,” Barbara said.

Bruce sighed, “That’s the easy part. As our families will now be joining, it’s time you were
let in on the family secret.”

“I knew there had to be a family secret,” Jim said, “I knew it. You’re too secretive for there
to be nothing going on.”

“Let him talk, dear,” Barbara said, “It’s obviously important.”

“It is,” Bruce said. He leaned forward and met Jim’s eyes, “This isn’t easy to tell you, and
just because I’m telling you doesn’t mean it can go any farther than this room. This isn’t
something that can be spread around.”

“You know my job, Bruce,” Jim said, “That’s an oath I can’t violate. If it’s as serious as
you’re sounding, maybe it’s for the best that we don’t know.”

Bruce took a breath, “Your job is exactly why you need to know. This is…not going to be
easy for you to hear. It isn’t easy for me to say. I’ve never said this out loud before.”

“It’ll be okay, Bruce,” Dick said, “I’m pretty sure he already knows, or at least suspects.”

“Fine,” Bruce said, then turned back to Jim, “Jim, this is going to sound crazy, but I’m…
Batman.”
“No, you’re not,” Jim said quickly, before he had a chance to really think about what he had
been told.

Bruce nodded, “I assure you, Jim. I am Batman.”

Jim shook his head, “No, that’s not possible.”

“Why would I make something like that up,” Bruce asked. Jim didn’t answer, so Bruce asked
calmly, “Why isn’t it possible?”

“The kid’s engagement party,” Jim said, trying to make sense of his thoughts, “Batman and
Robin busted a prostitution ring while I was at the party. Dick was singing to Barbara when I
got the call. Damian was playing the piano, and you were standing next to me. Batman and
Robin were still at the crime scene.”

Bruce shook his head, “That was a ruse we put together, to throw you off the trail.”

“I wasn’t ready to tell you, Daddy,” Barbara said, “I’m sorry.”

“I called in a favor,” Bruce said, “That was actually Superman and Superboy impersonating
us, so we could be in two places at once.”

“Wait. We,” Jim asked, his confusion growing.

“Batman and Robin,” Bruce said.

“And Father and me,” Damian continued, “You were a little too suspicious after my knee
surgery.”

Jim shook his head, his face slack in shock, “This can’t be.”

Damian held out a hand, palm up, to Dick, “I told you he wouldn’t believe us, Dick.”

Dick rolled his eyes as he slapped a twenty-dollar bill into Damian’s hand.

Bruce leaned forward and asked, “How can I help you believe this is the truth, Jim?”

Jim just shook his head, staring at the front of Bruce’s desk.

“You have to show him, Father,” Damian said, “I told you all along; the only way he will
believe it is to see it.”

Jim looked up at Bruce, at a loss for finally seeing the wizard behind the curtain, “You’re
really Batman?”

Bruce nodded, and Jim turned to Selina, “Does that make you Batgirl?”

Selina smiled, “I…actually…was on the other side. I’m retired, but I was Catwoman.”

Jim nearly jumped out of his chair at the reveal, and Bruce said quickly, “She’s paid her debt
to society, Jim. You can look it up. She did five years in federal prison. She doesn’t do that
anymore.”

“I would hope not,” Jim grumbled. He took a breath before turning to Damian, “Would that
make you Robin?”

Damian smirked, “The current, and best, Robin.”

Robin smiled and said, “He’s so Robin that he found a girl named Robin to date. Believe me,
it wasn’t any easier for me when I found out, Mr. Gordon.”

Jim turned a hard stare at Dick, “What does this make you?”

Dick gave an easy smile, “The first Robin, and the current Nightwing.”

“He was the little one in the short shorts,” Barbara said with a smile.

Jim’s glare at his daughter nearly matched the Batglare. “You knew? You knew, and you
didn’t tell me?”

Barbara weathered the glare and nodded, “I couldn’t tell you.”

Jim turned to glare at Bruce, “And why couldn’t she tell me?”

“Don’t blame Bruce, Dad,” Barbara said sharply, “I couldn’t reveal his secret because it was
my secret, too. Selina wasn’t Batgirl, I was.”

The study fell silent, waiting for Jim’s reaction to the news. Barbara was shocked silent,
staring at her daughter.

It took a minute, but Jim found his voice, “You were Batgirl?”

“Until I was shot, yes,” Barbara said.

“Did you lie to us,” Jim asked, “Were you shot while being Batgirl?”

Barbara shook her head, “Not while out, but as a result of being Batgirl.”

Barbara’s mother gasped, “Do you know who shot you? Did you remember?”

Barbara nodded, “I always knew. The Joker shot me. He wanted me to report him as the
shooter, so the city would blame you, Dad, for the rise of Batman on the Gotham streets. I
didn’t.”

Jim stood and growled, “Barbara, I’d like to speak with you in private.”

Bruce stood and said, “Jim, Barbara, stay. We’ll leave. Barbara, bring them downstairs when
you’re done.”

“Dick, go,” Jim said angrily.

Barbara didn’t take her eyes off of her father when she said, “Dick, stay.”
Bruce closed the door to his study and walked away, holding Selina’s hand. He sighed and
said, “I thought he’d take it better than that.”

Damian shrugged, “He hasn’t called for our arrest yet. That’s a good sign.”

Bruce looked down and said, “Thank you, Robin, for teaching Damian self-control. There
was nothing constructive you could have added to that conversation, son.”

“I know,” Damian said, “Do you think the Gordon’s are going to stay for dinner, now? That
should really be decided before my friends get here.”

Selina smirked, “Don’t want a police raid interrupting your party?”

Damian rolled his eyes, “It’s not a party. It’s just a dinner to commemorate my college
graduation, and Robin completing her first year of college. I don’t do parties anymore; not
after my sixteenth birthday. And yes, I would prefer as limited a police presence as possible
tonight. Graduation presents shouldn’t include bail.”

Selina winked at Damian, “That all depends on how good a party we throw.”

“Again,” Damian said in an exasperated voice, “Not a party.”

Bruce shook his head, “We said we’d meet them in the cave. Let’s go wait for them.”

Bruce and Selina walked in front of Damian and Robin, heading for the Grandfather clock
entrance to the Cave. However, when turning down the front hallway, Damian nearly fell
over backwards. Bruce, catching the movement out of the corner of his eye as he turned the
hands of the clock, turned to face his son.

“You okay, Damian?”

Damian was staring at something Bruce couldn’t see as he seemed to cringe and hide behind
Robin.

Robin sighed and said, “Seriously? This again? It’s not going to hurt you.”

“What isn’t going to hurt him,” Selina asked.

Robin rolled her eyes, “Spider.”

Selina walked closer and found a small spider hanging from the ceiling by a slender silk
thread.

She stared at the teen in stunned shock as Damian whimpered, “It almost touched my face.”

“Let me get this straight,” Selina said, “The League of Assassin’s secret weapon, the brave
and fearless partner of Batman, is scared of this little spider?”

Damian’s eyes widened in disgusted shock as Selina caught the spider in her hand. “Don’t
touch it! It could bite you.”
“It’s a Daddy Long-Legs,” Selina said, “It’s harmless.”

“That’s just what it wants you to think,” Damian said, unable to take his eyes off of Selina’s
hand, “It’s a spider; none of them are harmless.”

Selina smirked as she took a step closer to Damian. Damian took a step back and asked
nervously, “What are you doing?”

“I pretty much own you right now, don’t I,” Selina asked, sticking her hand closer to Damian.

“You know I don’t leave my room without at least one knife on me,” Damian said shakily,
“Come any closer and you will forfeit that hand.”

Selina sighed as she brought her hands together in a loud clap, squishing the spider. She
showed her palms to Damian and asked, “There. Happy?”

“No,” Damian said.

“What will make you happy,” Selina asked, “I got rid of the spider.”

“If Father will agree to fumigate the Manor, to get rid of them all, then I’ll be happy.”

Bruce sighed as he opened the clock passage, “We talked about this, son. There isn’t a pest
control company in the country with a tent large enough to fumigate the Manor. You’re just
going to have to take them out individually.”

Selina shook her head as the group headed down to the cave, “I can’t believe, out of
everything that you’ve faced in your life, it’s spiders that scare you. Doesn’t one of the kids
on your team have the power to turn into animals?”

Damian nodded, “Yes. Garfield.”

“What if he turned into a spider,” Selina asked.

Damian gave a full-body shiver before saying, “He won’t do that.”

Selina looked at Damian thoughtfully, “Can he not turn into a spider?”

“He can,” Damian said, “but he knows better.”

“Why,” Selina asked.

Damian stopped and stared seriously at his future step-mother, “Because he did it once and
crawled on me, and I nearly killed him. He knows that he won’t survive, if there is a next
time.”

Selina shook her head, “Robin, your boy is a wimp.”

“Yeah,” Robin said as she angled her head to kiss Damian’s cheek, “but he’s my wimp.”
One Hour Later…

The elevator bell chimed as the door opened, catching the attention of the cave’s occupants.
Dick pushed Barbara into the cave, followed by Jim and Barbara. The elder Gordons seemed
overwhelmed at the subterranean space.

Bruce approached Dick and asked quietly, “Well?”

Dick took a nervous breath, “He’s understandably upset. They both are.”

“We expected that reaction when you decided to tell them about Batgirl,” Bruce said.

Barbara nodded, “Mom can calm Dad down. I explained everything to them. It’s just going
to take some time for them to come to terms with everything.”

“How did they react to Oracle,” Bruce asked.

Barbara shrugged, “Oracle doesn’t go jumping over roofs, so they were more accepting of
that. Apparently, Oracle is still a mythical creature in law enforcement, like Batman used to
be.”

“How likely are the police to show up at our door soon,” Bruce asked.

“They won’t,” Dick said, “I didn’t get to say much in that room, but I was able to get across
how bad outing us would be. I’m pretty sure he understood that.”

“Good,” Bruce said.

On the other side of the Cave, Damian and Robin approached the Gordons. “Welcome to the
Batcave, Commissioner,” Damian said.

Jim was having a hard time keeping his jaw from sagging, “It’s all true. How did I not see
this?”

“We go to a lot of trouble specifically for this to not be seen,” Damian said.

Jim looked down at Damian, “I bet you do.”

“Deep down, you knew,” Damian said, “You’ve seen too much circumstantial evidence to be
totally in the dark.”

Jim shook his head, “I didn’t know.”

“You didn’t want to know,” Damian said, “Father was able to charm you along the way
somehow, and you didn’t want to think of him as Batman.”

“It’s not an easy thing to think about,” Robin chimed in, “It’s hard to reconcile seeing the
people we love doing the things Batman and Robin do.”
Jim stared at Robin for a second, then glanced over at his daughter. Barbara said to Robin,
“You’re right. It’s not easy, when it’s someone you love. How did you get over it?”

“Who said I’m over it,” Robin asked back, “I hate seeing Batman and Robin mentioned on
the news, and knowing that it’s Damian and Mr. Wayne out there. However, I know just how
hard they’ve both trained, and I’ve seen how careful they are.”

“You’ve seen,” Jim asked in shock, “How?”

“Does my name sound familiar to you, Commissioner Gordon,” Robin asked, “Robin
Abbey? My sister and I were kidnapped by The Penguin almost four years ago, when he
tried to blackmail my Dad’s oil company. Batman and Robin rescued us. I saw Robin beat
down several bad guys to save me. They are incredibly talented.”

Jim looked back at Damian, “So, you rescued a pretty girl and used her vulnerable state to
force a relationship, Damian?”

“Aww, you think I’m pretty,” Robin asked softly.

Damian rolled his eyes, “Robin and I met a couple months before the kidnapping, and were
dating long before they were kidnapped. That was when she found out that I’m Robin,
though.”

Jim looked around and asked, “What happens now?”

“That’s between you and Father,” Damian said, “We aren’t going to stop being Batman and
Robin. Hopefully, you’ll now understand why we do what we do.”

Jim looked around again, then asked, “Can we look around a bit?”

Damian smirked, “I’m sure Father will give you a tour. Just be careful what you touch down
here. Everything’s safe…if you know what you’re doing.”

Robin rolled her eyes and elbowed Damian in the stomach, “Don’t say that, Damian. He’s
nervous enough as it is.”

“What,” Damian asked, rubbing his stomach, “Father will tell him the same thing. He told
me the same thing my first time down here.”

Bruce walked up to the group with Dick and Barbara and asked, “Everything okay over
here?”

Jim looked up at Bruce and said, “This is all so much to take in. I still can’t look at you and
see Batman.”

“That’s the idea,” Bruce said, then switched to Batman’s voice, “How about now? Does this
make it more believable?”

Jim physically took a step back in shock, then said, “Yeah. That helps. Wait, why do you
always sneak up on me, then?”
Bruce smiled as he switched back to his normal voice, “Because it’s fun.”

Dick and Barbara took Jim and Barbara to look around the locker room, while Bruce
approached Robin and Damian, “Thanks for doing that, you two. He needed extra help in
coming to terms with this.”

“He still does,” Damian said, “It will be interesting the next time he has to put the signal up.”

“You’re right,” Bruce said, “He might think twice about calling us now. I think we can
explain everything else, if you two wanted to go back upstairs.”

“We’re waiting for my friends,” Damian said.

The computer announced the early arrival of the Kent family, and Damian cringed, “That’s
not going to be so easy to explain.”

“Hey, D. Hi, Robin,” Jon said, bouncing over as Bruce walked away. Jon gripped Damian’s
shoulder, then pulled both Damian and Robin into a short hug.

“You seem awfully happy today, Jon,” Damian said once Jon let him go.

“Of course,” Jon said, “I’ve only got one more week of Junior High.”

“Is that why you’re early tonight,” Damian asked.

Clark shrugged as he walked up and patted Damian’s shoulder, “It’s never been a problem
before.”

Damian glanced over at the locker room, the last place he had seen the tour group, “It might
be one tonight.”

“What’s going on,” Clark asked as Dick lead the group back into the main cave.

Jon gasped, “It’s the police!”

“What,” Clark asked.

Damian spoke quietly, “Dick and Barbara set a date for the wedding. That involved telling
her parents…everything. The white-haired man is Barbara’s father, Police Commissioner
James Gordon. He is still getting used to the fact that Father is Batman.”

“Should we leave,” Clark asked.

Damian shook his head, “No. It’s just going to take some careful explanation. He came here
expecting dinner, not to meet the civilian incarnations of the Justice League. I don’t think it’s
a good idea to try to explain the Zeta Tube to him right now.”

Alfred approached the new arrivals and offered his greetings. “Good evening, Mr. and Mrs.
Kent, Master Jonathan.”
“Hello, Alfred,” Lois said, “Sorry we’re early.”

“You three are always welcome,” Alfred said.

“How is it going over there,” Damian asked quietly.

“I believe it is easier for Mr. Gordon to see your father as Batman than his daughter as
Batgirl.”

“Maybe we should have come in through the front door,” Clark said.

Damian shook his head, “He’s going to have a hard time with it, no matter where you came
from.”

“Damian,” Bruce called out from near the Bat Computer, “Come introduce your guests.”

Damian took a breath, hiding his nerves a little better than Jon did, “Let’s go.”

Damian and Robin walked up to the computer, with the Kent’s following, and said, “Mr.
Gordon, Mrs. Gordon, may I introduce Clark and Lois Kent, and their son, Jonathan.”

“Nice to meet you,” Mrs. Gordon said.

“Where did they come from,” Jim asked.

Damian looked up at Dick, “Did you explain the Tube?”

Dick nodded, “We’ll show it to them later, but we gave a brief explanation.”

Damian nodded and said, “They came from Metropolis.”

Jim was eyeing Jon suspiciously, “Okay.”

Clark gave an easy smile and said, “Commissioner Gordon, I know this is a lot for you to
take in. You seem to be learning a lot of secrets tonight.”

“Yes,” he said, “It’s a little overwhelming. Damian said you’re from Metropolis, and you
have access to this cave. What does that make you?”

“Superman,” Clark said.

Jim froze for a second, “Superman?”

“Yes, Mr. Gordon.”

Jim looked over at Lois, “Does that make you Wonder Woman?”

Lois smiled, “No, I’m just Lois Lane-Kent. I leave the heroics to these two.”

“These two,” Jim asked.

Damian hitched a thumb at Jon, “Superboy. You met him last year. I don’t know if she’s
coming, but you might meet the real Wonder Woman tonight.”

Jim and Barbara looked like their minds were on overload. “This is too much,” Jim said, “I
need to sit down.”

Bruce nodded, “Let’s go back upstairs. Damian…”

“We’ll wait down here for everyone else,” Damian said.

The adults started to walk away, and Damian reached out and grabbed the back of Jon’s shirt.

“Where do you think you’re going,” Damian asked.

“Upstairs,” Jon asked nervously.

Damian shook his head, “You don’t want to be part of that conversation. Come on, sit
down.”

“There’s only two chairs,” Jon said.

Robin sat in Damian’s lap as Damian smiled and said, “You say that like it’s a problem.
Relax, Jon. We’ve got a while before everyone else gets here.”

Jon took a seat, and Robin asked, “Did you think anymore about what we were talking about,
Jon?”

Jon looked nervously at Damian before saying, “Yeah. I think I’m going to do it.”

Damian smiled, “You’re finally going to ask Irey out?”

Jon’s eyes couldn’t possibly get wider as he gave a betrayed look to Robin, “You swore you
wouldn’t tell him!”

Robin looked down at Damian, “I didn’t tell him. How did you know that?”

Damian looked up at Robin, “We don’t have secrets, Robin.” Damian looked at Jon and said,
“Robin told me that you two had been talking over Facebook, which I’m fine with. You tell
me almost everything, Jon, so for you to go to Robin, I knew it must be something about a
girl. I’m also very observant, Jon. I’ve seen the way you look at Irey. I’ve seen how you
two sit next to each other at every training and meeting. I’ve seen how you go easy on her
when you’re sparring. And…I talked to Irey about this same topic almost a year ago.”

Jon found a way for his eyes to get wider, “You…you talked to Irey…about how I feel, when
I never told you how I feel?”

Robin looked down, “That’s not nice, Damian.”

Damian shook his head, “I didn’t talk about how you feel, and I didn’t bring up the topic.
Irey brought it up, and we talked about how she feels.”
Jon’s eyes got wider still, “How she feels?”

“When did you do this,” Robin asked.

“Like I said, almost a year ago,” Damian said, “When Irey and I took a monitoring shift, and
I gave her your email.”

“I thought so,” Robin said, “So, you’ve known this was going on for a while?”

Damian smirked, “I knew how Jon felt before Jon knew. She’s been waiting for you to make
a move, Jon.”

Jon blinked a couple times, “Wait, she wants me to ask her out?”

Damian nodded, “She didn’t want to push you too fast. She understands that you’re younger
than her, and she doesn’t want to scare you off. But she’s interested in exploring a
relationship.”

Jon looked down, “You said she was interested a year ago.”

Damian wrapped his arms around Robin as he leaned forward, “She was still interested when
I talked to her a couple weeks ago. She’s waiting for you to make the first move.”

“Wow,” Jon said, then looked up, “What should I do?”

“Make a move,” Damian said, “If you’ve been talking to Robin about this, you obviously
think you’re ready.”

“What kind of move,” Jon asked.

Robin looked down at Damian, then smiled, “Do what Damian did to me.”

Jon blushed, “I can’t do that.”

“She’s talking about our first meeting,” Damian said, “I walked up to her and started talking.
You and Irey are already friends, so the hard part is done already. All you have to do is talk,
and see where the conversation goes. Just be yourself.”

Robin looked down again, “Just what did he mean when he said he can’t do what you did to
me, Damian? What did you tell him?”

Damian smirked, Robin gasped, and Jon giggled.

“He’s just a kid, Damian,” Robin said, “Why did you tell him that?”

“I didn’t give him details,” Damian said, “I told him it has happened. Not anything more
specific than that. Also, Jon is thirteen, which is a year older than I was when we first started
dating, and just about the same age I was when we first…”
“Stop,” Robin said, blushing. She leaned down and whispered in Damian’s ear, “You were a
lot more mature than he is.”

“Which is why I didn’t give him details,” Damian said, “He’s not going to be me, and Irey
isn’t going to be you. They both want to try a relationship. I think they should.”

“Weren’t you nervous,” Jon asked, “going up to Robin the first time, D?”

Damian shook his head, “No, I wasn’t nervous when approaching Robin. I was supremely
confident in what I was doing…until she turned and looked at me. Then, I got nervous.”

“Why,” Robin asked.

“You’re the most beautiful person I’ve ever met,” Damian said, “I wasn’t looking to fall in
love that day, just to pass a couple minutes talking to someone. It was a society party, that’s
what was expected of me. My whole life changed when I first looked into your eyes. I was
nervous because it took me a few seconds to remember how to speak. Then, I grew even
more nervous, once I remembered how to speak, because I didn’t want to say something that
was going to drive you away. I didn’t want to screw it up. I still don’t.”

Robin smiled, then turned to look at Jon, “Damian and I had our first official date a week
later. He was so nervous that he couldn’t even look at me.”

Damian’s cheeks darkened, “Yes, I was. I wanted everything to be perfect. I had to start by
not throwing up all over myself.”

“Okay,” Jon said, “How do I start?”

Damian thought for a second, “Remember when Jai asked Lian out?”

Jon smiled, “In the middle of our meeting?”

“Yeah,” Damian said, “Don’t do that. Just talk to her. Let her know that you want to try
being more than friends. Take it slow. With your parents, you’re going to have to move
slow.”

“I’m nervous,” Jon said.

“Why,” Damian asked, “You talk to Irey all the time. If you want help, I’m here for you.”

“The way you were there for Jai,” Jon asked, “You were kinda…blunt, with him.”

Damian nodded, “I was, because we had been talking about Robin, and I was missing her and
wanted to change the subject. He’s my friend, but you’re my brother. I want this to work for
you.”

“Isn’t this a little strange, D,” Jon asked, “I mean, you setting us up. Irey has never hidden
the fact that she had a crush on you.”
“Yes. Had,” Damian said, “She also doesn’t hide the fact that she doesn’t feel that way
anymore. I never felt that way, and she understands that. She will always be my friend. You
will always be my brother. I think you two are a good match.”

Jon smiled, “So, when do I talk to her? I don’t know when we’re ever alone together.”

Damian looked up at Robin. Robin met his eyes with a smirk, then turned to Jon and said,
“Leave that to us.”

“To you,” Jon asked, surprised.

“Yes, to us,” Robin said with a smile, “Your brother and sister.”

“Be observant for an opening,” Damian said, “We’ll set something up.”

Jon’s eyes widened, “Tonight?”

Damian shrugged, “It’s either that, or pick up your phone and call her.”

“I think I want to talk to her in person,” Jon said nervously.

“It’ll be harder that way,” Robin said, “but also more honest and heartfelt. You can do this,
Jon. We believe in you.”

“Thanks,” Jon said with a nervous smile.

Five minutes later, the computer announced the arrival of Garfield and his mother, followed
quickly by Lian and Roy.

Roy walked up to Damian and asked, “Is Wally here yet?”

Damian shook his head, “Not yet. You know the West’s are never on time.” Damian smiled
at Lian, then asked, “Are you trying to facilitate a date, or prevent one?”

“I actually just need to talk to Wally,” Roy said, then looked down at his daughter, “I don’t
mind if she dates that kid, just as long as they don’t move as fast as you two. Jai is going to
have to run, and keep running, if he proposes to my daughter at fifteen.”

“Dad,” Lian exclaimed, “He hasn’t even kissed me yet. We are nowhere near getting
married.”

Damian looked at Lian strangely, “Really? He hasn’t kissed you yet? Haven’t you two been
dating for, like, six months?”

Lian rolled her eyes, “We’ve kissed. It’s just…I start it. He hasn’t initiated yet. Okay, lover
boy, when did you first kiss Robin?”

Damian shrugged, “At the end of our first date.”

“Really,” Lian asked in shock.

Damian nodded as Robin said, “It was a good date.” Robin held her hand up to the side of
her mouth, like she was telling a secret, “Damian’s a really good kisser, too.”

The computer announced the arrival of the West family, and Damian said, “There he is,
Harper. I told you, they’re always late.”

Jai headed straight for Lian, who said quickly to Damian and Robin, “At least you two get
actual dates. We only get to see each other at Team Meetings.”

Jon waved nervously at Irey, and Damian whispered, “Watch for your opening. If you can’t
make one on your own, Robin and I will set one up.”

“Set one up,” Jon said softly, “I’m too nervous.”

Robin patted Jon’s shoulder as she stood up and whispered, “We’ll take care of it.”

After Dinah and Diana arrived, Damian led the group towards the stairs. He stopped on the
first step and turned to address the group behind him.

“Hey, everyone. First off, I want to thank you all for coming tonight. It’s…it’s nice to have
good friends.”

Robin squeezed Damian’s hand as Garfield said, “Family, D. Family.”

Damian nodded, “Second, I should warn you about what you’re about to walk into.”

“What kind of party is this,” Linda West asked.

“It’s not a party,” Damian said, “What I’m warning you about is…a bit different. You see,
Dick and Barbara announced the date for their wedding today. I’m sure they will make an
announcement during dinner, so act surprised.”

“Should you really be telling us this ahead of time, Damian,” Diana asked.

Damian nodded, “Yes, because announcing the date involved telling Barbara’s parents. Not
just telling them the date, but telling them everything. You see, Barbara’s father is James
Gordon, Gotham City’s Police Commissioner, and just about two hours ago, he learned that a
man he has known for almost thirty years is Batman. That was a shock, but not as big a
shock as finding out that his daughter used to be Batgirl. He did not take that one well. He
didn’t come here today to meet the Justice League, but that is what’s happening. Now, he’s
not going to blow our cover, but he’s going to give everyone some suspicious looks. If you
feel comfortable telling him, it’s okay to tell him who you are. He will probably ask. He can
be trusted.”

Dinah and Diana shared a shocked look at Damian’s vote of confidence in the man.

“I just wanted to let you know what’s going on,” Damian said, “If we walk into a tense, silent
room, that’s why. Let’s go.”
The group entered the Manor and headed for the sitting room. Damian and Robin stopped in
the entryway as the doorbell rang. Damian waved the group on as he headed for the door.

Opening the door, Damian gave a smile, “Hello, Dr. Thompkins. Thank you for coming.”

Leslie smiled as she walked into the Manor and hugged Damian. “Hi, honey. Did you give
Alfred the day off?”

Damian shrugged as Leslie hugged Robin, “I was passing by the door when you rang the
bell. My friends just got here.”

“Am I late,” the doctor asked.

Damian shook his head, “You’re right on time.”

Alfred approached behind the small group and said, “Good afternoon, Doctor. May I take
your sweater?”

Leslie handed the garment to Alfred and said, “Hello, Alfred. I’m glad you’re here. I need to
ask you and Damian a favor. Damian, I need you to come in next week for a physical.”

Damian looked at Leslie strangely, “What for, Dr. Thompkins? I had my annual physical just
after my birthday. Did something show up on a test that you didn’t tell us about?”

Leslie looked nervous as she said, “No, nothing like that. I…I hired another doctor to join
the practice. She starts on Monday. She’s fresh out of residency, and will be handling a lot
of my pediatric cases. I…well, I’m a little nervous, after what happened with the last doctor I
hired. I was hoping you would have an appointment with her, and tell me if you get any bad
feelings about her.”

Damian smirked, “I’m the last interview for this doctor, then?”

“You could say that,” Leslie said with a smile, “So, what do you say? Can I schedule you for
an exam? I’ll be observing the exam, too.”

Damian was thinking hard, “I think we can make that work. When do you want to set this
up?”

“Can we do Wednesday,” Leslie asked.

Damian looked up at Alfred. Alfred nodded, “We can fit that into our schedule.”

“Great,” Leslie said, “Thanks.”

Robin was surprised that Damian was going along with this, and said so, “You’re agreeing to
see a doctor? I thought you were tired of doctors.”

“I am,” Damian said, “but I can do a favor for Dr. Thompkins. She has done more than her
share for us.”
“Won’t your Dad get concerned about why you suddenly need to see a doctor,” Robin asked.

Damian shook his head, “No. I’ve got a plan.”

“Want to share,” Robin asked, taking Damian’s hand.

“Yes,” Damian said, “but later. Don’t worry, it’s a good thing.”

“Let’s go join the party,” Leslie said with a smile.

Damian rolled his eyes, “How many times do I have to tell people that this isn’t a party?”

Later…

After a fun and lively conversation in the sitting room, which introduced the Gordons to the
Justice League, the group moved to the dining room for dinner. The meal went well, and as it
was winding down, Bruce stood and addressed the gathering.

“Everyone, thanks for coming today. We have a lot to celebrate in this family right now, and
I’m glad you all are here with us. Selina and I will be getting married at the end of the
month. Dick and Barbara’s announcement took all of you by surprise, and I’m glad they
finally set a date. Robin, you finished your first year of college; very successfully, I’m told.”

Robin winked at Damian, “I can’t let Damian hog all the good grades.”

Bruce smiled and turned to Damian, “And Damian, our newest graduate. Congratulations,
son. I’m very proud of you.”

“Thank you,” Damian said, blushing at being the center of attention.

“So, what’s next for you, Damian,” Clark asked.

Damian looked across the table at Mike Abbey and asked, “Is now a good time to reveal our
surprise?”

Mike nodded, to the shock and confusion of the other attendees, “Go for it, Damian.”

Damian looked around the table, stopping the arc of his head when he was looking at his
father, “I got a job.”

The entire table gasped. None of them even knew that the teen had been looking for a job.

“Why did you ask Mike if it was okay to say that,” Selina asked.

“Because Mr. Abbey hired me,” Damian said.

“To do what,” Bruce asked, looking more at Mike than Damian.

Mike smiled, “It’s kind of an interesting story, actually. Damian got a business degree at the
same time I had an opening for a financial analyst.”
Bruce looked confused, “Why is that interesting? Did you create a job just to employ
Damian?”

Damian took over the explanation, “It’s interesting because, if I was eighteen, he wouldn’t
have had the opening. When you canceled the intern program due to the virus, Mr. Fox told
me that he would have to hire a full-time employee to take over for the work the interns did
for him. He told me he wished he could just hire me, but I’m only sixteen.”

Mike nodded, “A couple weeks ago, one of my analysts in my Gotham office called me and
informed me that she found a great new opportunity that paid more than I was paying. She
has a family to care for, and her husband lost his job due to the pandemic, so I couldn’t stand
in the way of her taking it. Turns out, she’s working for you now, Bruce.”

Bruce smiled, “I steal your employee, so you hire my son?”

“Funny how things work out,” Mike replied with a smile.

“I start a week from Monday,” Damian said.

“Why didn’t you tell us earlier, Kiddo,” Bruce asked.

Damian smiled, “I wanted to have something to say when someone eventually asked me what
my post-college plans are.”

“So, financial analyst,” Jason said, “What does that really mean?”

“From what I understand,” Damian said, “It’s a fancy title for a bookkeeper.”

“Are you sure you want the Squirt for that, Mr. Abbey,” Jason asked.

“Why am I going to do something to damage my fiancé’s father’s company, Todd,” Damian

asked, “This is exactly what I was doing for Father’s company during my internship.”

“You’ll have a few other responsibilities,” Mike said, “I’m going to need you to do some
field inspections for me, too, every now and then.”

Gina smiled, “Good. That means I don’t have to do them anymore. He answers to me; right,
Dad?”

Mike smiled at Damian, “That’s right. Gina runs my Gotham office. Still want the job,
Damian?”

“Yes, I do,” Damian nodded, “You want to make sure I can provide for your daughter, right?”

Mike glanced at Bruce, then said, “I don’t think that is something I’ve ever been concerned
about.”

Irey leaned over to Robin and whispered, “I have to use the restroom.”
Robin nodded at the signal the girls had arranged earlier. Irey was ready for Robin and
Damian to set them up. Under the table, Robin reached over and gave Damian’s thigh two
quick squeezes, the signal they had agreed on.

“Do you remember where it is,” Robin asked, just loud enough to be heard by Irey and
Damian.

Irey gave a small blush and asked, “Can you show me?”

Robin leaned over and kissed Damian’s cheek, “Be right back, Lover.”

“Okay,” Damian said, “Dessert should be soon.”

Robin and Irey walked out of the dining room as smaller conversations sprang up around the
table. Damian stared intently at Jon until the younger boy looked over. Damian moved his
wrist slightly, making sure that Jon looked at his watch, then flashed two fingers. Jon’s eyes
widened a bit, and he gave a small nod.

Unknown to Damian, Bruce caught the silent messages and smiled, figuring he knew what
might be going on, and wondering how much conspiring had gone into the upcoming event.

Clark turned to look at his son. Jon’s heart rate had sped up quite a bit in the last ten seconds,
and Clark was concerned. Before he could ask his son what was going on, Bruce met Clark’s
eyes and shook his head.

“Hey, D,” Jon asked, “Is there another bathroom I can use?”

“Sure,” Damian said, “I’ll show you.”

“Why don’t you just use the one in Damian’s room, Jon,” Bruce said as the boys stood up,
“You know where that one is.”

Damian passed by Bruce and murmured, “Stop it. You know what’s going on.”

Clark turned to Bruce as soon as the boys were gone and asked, “What’s going on, Bruce?”

Lois elbowed Clark and said softly, “Don’t you pay attention to anything? Stop being so
dense. Jon is growing up. Damian and Robin are playing matchmaker. Don’t listen in on
them, either, Smallville.”

Damian took Jon to the den, where they found Robin standing in the hall, alone.

“You have three minutes before people start getting curious,” Damian told Jon softly, “Don’t
waste time. Our fathers already know what is going on. Go. She’s waiting for you.”

Jon took a nervous breath and tried to smile, “Thanks, D.”

Jon walked into the den and found Irey sitting on the couch, nervously fidgeting. Jon sat
down next to the girl and said, “H-hi.”
“Hi, Jon,” Irey said softly, “Um, enjoying the party?”

Jon smiled, “Damian keeps saying it isn’t a party. I’m having fun, though. How about you?”

“I’m…I’m having fun.” Irey’s tone suggested otherwise.

Jon sighed and leaned forward, resting his elbows on his knees, “I’m sorry, Irey.”

“What for,” Irey asked, with her nerves getting the better of her.

“I’m sorry I’m so bad at this,” Jon said, “It’s you. I’m comfortable around you. I don’t know
why I’m so nervous now.”

“Why are you nervous,” Irey asked nervously.

Jon couldn’t look up, “Because I like you, and I don’t know how to tell you that.”

Irey gave a sharp gasp, “You like me?”

“Yeah,” Jon said, too nervous to look at Irey.

“What’s wrong with how you did it,” Irey asked, with a weight lifting off of her shoulders.

“What do you mean?”

Irey smiled, “You just told me that you like me. I like you, too.”

Jon looked up, slack-jawed, and whispered, “You do?”

“I do,” Irey said, “I’ve been hoping you liked me. I was waiting for you to say something.”

Jon gave a dazzling smile as he started breathing easier, “I’ve liked you for a while now. I
didn’t know how to bring it up.”

“How did you decide to tell me,” Irey asked.

“I’ve been asking Robin for advice,” Jon said, “Not our Robin, his Robin.”

“I’m glad you did,” Irey said softly.

The pair sat nervously for a second before Jon asked, “What do we do now?”

Irey reached out with a shaky hand, taking Jon’s slightly sweaty hand, “We follow Damian’s
and Robin’s advice, and take things slow.”

Jon gently squeezed Irey’s hand, “Okay.”

“There is one thing we need to decide now, though,” Irey said, “Do we want to try to hide
this, or are we okay with people knowing?”
“Damian said people already know,” Jon said, “We don’t have to, like, make a formal
announcement, though.”

Irey nodded, “So, we admit it when people ask?”

“It’ll be embarrassing, and people will make fun of us,” Jon said, “Might as well get that over
with. They stopped making fun of Jai and Lian. They’ll leave us alone after a while.”

Irey looked at their hands, then smiled at Jon, “Can I call you my boyfriend now?”

Jon blushed a deep red, “Only if that makes you my girlfriend.”

Meanwhile…

Damian smiled widely in the hall outside of the den. Robin raised an eyebrow, and Damian
whispered, “They did it.”

Robin grew a smile, “Good for them.”

Damian caught movement out of the corner of his eye, gave a small gasp, then backed Robin
up against the wall and kissed her deeply. Not that she was complaining, but Robin was
confused by the kiss.

Damian flinched sharply and turned at the sudden pain in his ear. Selina was standing behind
him, and had flicked his earlobe.

“Oh, Selina, it’s just you,” Damian said, “I saw dark hair and thought you were Mrs. Kent.”

Selina smiled, “You don’t have to cover for them. Pretty much all of us know what’s going
on.”

“How do you know they weren’t covering for us,” Damian asked.

Selina rolled her eyes, “Because you two would have gone to your room, not the den.”

Robin looked at Damian and asked, “Kissing me was just a cover?”

Damian smirked, “Well, not just a cover. It was a plan, though. Selina is the only person in
the house who would see us kissing like that and not run to another part of the house. That’s
probably why she was sent.”

“You don’t have to cover for us,” Jon said nervously from the door of the den.

The trio in the hall turned and smiled at Jon and Irey as they stood in the doorway, still
holding hands.

“Thanks for doing this,” Jon said, “but we decided to be open about this.”

“It’ll cause less problems,” Irey said through a bright smile.

Damian grew a warm smile and said, “Congratulations, you two. I’m really proud of you
both.”

Jon looked down, staring at his hand, holding Irey’s, “I wouldn’t have done it without you
two. I was too scared, even though I shouldn’t have been.”

Irey hugged Robin and Damian and said, “Thanks.”

“Are you going to announce it,” Robin asked.

“No,” Irey said, “but we’re not going to deny it.”

Jon hugged Robin, then Damian, then asked, “What’s going to happen when we go back to
the dining room?”

“Nothing,” Selina said, “That’s what I came to tell you. We moved to the sitting room.”

“You’ll get some looks,” Damian said, “Some knowing smiles. Both of you will have long
talks with your parents when you get home. After that, you two get to figure out what your
relationship will look like. That’s the fun part. Just remember, you both want this. There’s
no reason to be nervous now. This is the start, and it looks like a good one.”

Jon and Irey looked stunned at the speech. Robin nudged Damian softly before grabbing his
hand.

“You’ll have to move slow,” Robin said, “but Damian’s right. There’s no reason to be
nervous. Just talk to each other, and you can get past anything.”

Damian smiled, “Let’s go, before we miss dessert.”

The group headed back to the sitting room, and Selina whispered in Damian’s ear, “Hey, I
want to talk to you, Kid.”

“Can it wait,” Damian murmured, “I don’t want to miss the reaction when they walk into the
sitting room.”

Selina nodded, and they hurried up behind Irey and Jon.

Jason looked up and smirked, “Feel better?”

Dick elbowed Jason, while Barbara reached over and punched his leg.

Jon blushed furiously, and Damian thought Clark was going to melt Jason with eye lasers.
Jon then looked down as Irey held his hand. He looked up and said, “Yeah, I do feel better.
Thanks for asking.”

The new couple walked over to the window seat and joined Jai and Lian.

Damian turned to Selina and asked, “What’s up?”

Selina smiled, “Are you a training group or a dating group now?”

“Seems a little bit of both, these days,” Damian said with a smile.

Selina motioned for them to move away from the sitting room. They stepped across the foyer
before Selina said, “I’m surprised at how you handled that.”

Damian smiled, “Those two have needed to do that for a year now. They belong together;
they just needed a push.”

“Are you okay with all of this happening at your party,” Selina asked.

“Not a party,” Damian said, “I don’t do parties anymore. Also, I hate being the center of
attention.”

Selina laughed, “How can you say that with a straight face?”

“There’s a difference in being the center of attention and being seen,” Damian said, “I need to
be seen and acknowledged, but I don’t need the spotlight.”

Selina thought back on the year that she had known the teen, then nodded, “That’s a good
explanation. Look, I really just wanted to say that I’m proud of you. You’ve come a long
way, kid.”

“Thank you, Selina,” Damian said, “Really, thank you. That means a lot.”

“Today seems to be a day for new beginnings,” Selina said, “I was hoping to make one of my
own.”

“Okay,” Damian said.

Selina eyed the boy, “No objections?”

“Not today,” Damian said lightly.

“I’m going to hug you, Damian.”

Damian stared at the unmoving woman for a minute before asking, “Was that general
information, or an actual plan?”

“I was waiting for your objection,” Selina said.

“I wasn’t going to object,” Damian said.

Selina’s eyes widened. Wait. He actually wants a hug? From me? “Okay, then,” Selina said
as she stepped forward and wrapped her arms around Damian’s shoulders. Her eyes widened
in shock as Damian instantly returned the hug, laying his head on Selina’s shoulder.

The pair stood comfortably silent, until Bruce’s voice interrupted their moment.

“What’s wrong,” Bruce asked, with concern filling his tone.

“Nothing’s wrong,” Selina said.

“Are you sure,” Bruce asked.

Damian turned and looked up at Bruce, “Nothing’s wrong, Father.”

Bruce smiled at the pair, “Well, this is still your graduation dinner. We’re holding the cake
for you.”

The trio entered the sitting room, joining in on the existing conversation as Clark said, “Only
two months until your wedding. Doesn’t give you two a lot of time to plan.”

Barbara shrugged, “We’ll have been engaged for two years by then. We know what we
want. It’ll be small.”

“How small,” Lois asked.

“We’re only inviting family,” Dick said.

Wally’s jaw dropped, “Dude, seriously?”

Dick rolled his eyes, “Come on, Wals. After all this time, do you really think you aren’t
family? Do you think I don’t consider every person in this room to be family? You’re my
best man. Of course, you, Linda, and the kids will be here. All of you will.”

“If the courts were open,” Barbara said, “We’d just go down to a Justice of the Peace and get
married that way.”

“Damn virus,” Dick muttered.

“So, why the short notice,” Linda asked, “or, is there a rush that you haven’t announced yet?”

Jim and Barbara stared pointedly at their daughter, who said, “I wish. To be honest, I don’t
even know if I can have kids.”

“It’s just time,” Dick said, “We’ve been dancing around this for years. It’s time.”

Damian patted Robin’s shoulder in passing before sitting next to Garfield, who was sitting
next to his mother.”

“Are you alright, Gar,” Damian asked softly.

Garfield glanced over, then asked quietly, “Are Jon and Irey really dating now?”

Damian smiled, “Looks like they’re going to try it.”

“And Jai and Lian are dating,” Garfield said, “and you’re engaged to Robin. I’m the only
one on the team without someone.”

“You’ll get there,” Damian said, “We all got lucky. Dating, and finding the right person, is
not as easy as we made it look.”
Garfield looked down, “No one wants to take a chance on the green guy. They think I’m
toxic, or contagious, or something.”

“Because they don’t take the time to look deeper,” Damian said. He reached over and patted
Garfield’s chest, “In here. There’s so much going on in there. One day, you’ll meet the right
person, who will look past Beast Boy, and will be so glad to meet Garfield.”

“It’s easier for you,” Garfield said.

Damian nodded, “It is. You’re right. That just means the extra work you have to put in will
make it mean more.”

Garfield met Damian’s eyes with a small smile, “You’re not going to let me feel bad about
myself, are you.”

Damian matched the smile, “No, we aren’t. You have friends. Sometimes, that’s better, and
more important, than a lover.”

Alfred wheeled the cake in on a trolly and said, “Here we are, everyone. Sorry for the delay.
Master Damian, Master Dick, since this is your gathering, you may hand out the slices.”

Dick smirked at Damian, “Come on, Little Brother. Let’s get this going.”

Dick took cake to the Gordons, then to the elder Wests. Damian served his team, then
Robin’s parents.

When he finally took a piece to Robin, she smirked and said softly, “It’s about time you got
to me.”

Damian winked, “You aren’t a guest anymore. You live here now. According to Alfred’s
teachings, guests come first.”

Dick and Damian served the rest of the room before Dick asked, “Did we forget anyone,
Alfred?”

“I do not believe so, Master Dick,” the butler said.

Damian held up a piece of cake to Alfred and said softly, “Please, Alfred. It’s a special
occasion.”

Alfred smiled at the teen and took the small plate, “If you insist, young sir.”

Damian smiled as Alfred took a bite. Half of the room was stunned at what they saw. Most
of them had never seen Alfred eat before.

After another hour, the gathering began to break up. Leslie was the first one to leave, and
had Damian walk her to the door.

“So, how are you going to do the visit on Wednesday?”

Damian smiled, “I explained that already. I have a job now.”

Leslie angled her head, “Pre-employment physical?”

Damian nodded, “It’s as good an excuse as any.”

Leslie pulled Damian into a tight hug, “I guess it’s too late to bring this up, but don’t grow up
too fast, honey. Take your time to grow up. Spend more time with the kids on your team.
They’re good for you.”

“Thanks, doctor,” Damian said, “I’ll try.”

“And, enjoy the upcoming weddings,” Leslie said, “Take notes. It’s only a year and a half
until yours, right?”

“Right,” Damian said, “I’ve never been to a wedding before. I’ll have to take notes.”

The Next Day…

Bruce stuck his head into the den, where he found all of his children watching television. He
walked up behind the couch and patted Damian and Robin on the shoulder.

Bruce leaned down and asked quietly, “Hey, can I talk to you two for a minute?”

The young couple followed Bruce to his study. Bruce picked up an envelope from his desk
and handed it to Robin.

“What’s that,” Damian asked.

“My mail,” Robin said.

“If you’ll notice,” Bruce said, “it’s not being forwarded. It is addressed to Robin, at this
address.”

Damian shrugged, “Of course, it is. She lives here. Where else would her mail go?”

Bruce sighed, “You know, when you told Robin that she wasn’t a guest anymore last night, I
thought it was cute. Then, I thought back. Robin, you came here for a two-week quarantine
and never left.”

“I told you she wouldn’t,” Damian said, “Not until it was safe. It still isn’t safe out there.”

“I understand that,” Bruce said, “but you changed her mailing address to the Manor.”

“Of course,” Damian said, “She lives here now.”

“Don’t you think you should have run this by me first,” Bruce asked.

“She’s been living here for three months,” Damian said, “Why is this a problem now?”
Bruce took a deep breath, “I guess it isn’t a problem. I’m just not sure how I feel about you
two living together. Especially under my roof.”

“I would think it would be less of an issue to have us here, as opposed to somewhere else,”
Damian said, “Anyway, you let Selina move in.”

“Selina and I will be married by the end of the month,” Bruce said, “Did you think she would
still live in her apartment after we get married?”

“You let Barbara move in,” Damian pointed out.

“Dick and Barbara are engaged,” Bruce said, “They will be married by the end of the
summer.”

Damian took Robin’s hand, turning it slightly to let the ring on her finger catch the light,
“Robin and I are engaged. We got engaged before you and Selina.”

“You are also underaged,” Bruce said.

“Robin’s eighteen,” Damian said.

“And you’re sixteen,” Bruce said.

Damian took a breath, trying to calm himself down, “And you are still seeing me as the baby
you never got to hold, not as the college graduate who will be starting a job that will give me
the ability to support my fiancé soon.”

Bruce released a breath, “I’m sorry. It’s just…none of my kids got to be kids, or got to stay
kids. This all seems like it is happening too fast.”

Damian took another breath, “You’re not really upset about Robin living here. You’re
starting a new family, and you see this as your existing family moving on. You don’t want to
let go. Like you said, Dick will be married by the end of the summer. I’ll be married in
another year. You don’t think you spent enough time with any of us, and it’s making you
sad.”

“Where did all that come from,” Robin asked.

Damian smirked at the girl, “I pay attention in my therapy sessions.”

“You’re right,” Bruce said softly, “I don’t want to lose any of you.”

“Who are you losing,” Robin asked, “Didn’t Damian tell you our living arrangements for
after we get married?”

“He didn’t want to hear it,” Damian said.

Robin glanced at Damian, then took a step closer to Bruce, “After we get married, assuming
we go back to school, I’ll still have at least another year of classes before I can graduate. If
we go back to on-campus classes, I’ll go back to the dorms, and Damian will still be here. If
we stay online, then we will both be here, Dad.”

Bruce’s eyes widened, “Dad?”

“It’s not the first time she’s called you that,” Damian pointed out, “Just the first time you’ve
noticed. We’re moving to the north wing, just like I tried to explain when I brought Robin
back from New York in March. You don’t need to worry about losing us. You need to worry
about whether you are going to give me a new brother or sister, or if you will settle into
grandparent mode for your grandkids.”

“Grandkids,” Bruce asked incredulously, glancing back and forth between Robin and
Damian.

Damian realized what he said, and followed it up with, “The ones you will be getting after
we’re married. There is nothing happening on that front for a long time…at least, from us.
You should ask Dick and Barbara what their plans are along that line.”

Robin sighed, “You’re trying to make him feel better about me living here, Damian. For the
love of god, don’t even think the word grandkids.”

Bruce thought for a second, then said, “I don’t think we ever had that conversation. Not
seriously, at least. What would you think if you had a new brother or sister?”

Damian looked up, “Does Selina want to have kittens?”

“I don’t think she’s opposed to it,” Bruce said, “but we aren’t sure yet.”

Damian shrugged, “Jon is the youngest person I’ve ever spent time around. I don’t know
anything about babies. Are you asking because you want to know how I would accept a
sibling, or because you and Selina are old and want to have someone else raise your next set
of kids?”

“Watch your mouth with that age talk,” Bruce said, “but that is a possibility, given what we
do.”

“I can’t give you an answer, Father,” Damian said, “but I will think about it, and I will keep
an open mind.”

Bruce shrugged, “That is more than you were willing to consider a year ago.”

Damian nodded, “I was wrong a year ago.”

Robin looked at Damian with her jaw gaping in shock, “Did you just admit to being wrong?
I don’t think I’ve ever heard that before.”

“Yes, you have,” Damian said, “I was wrong in my judgement of Selina.” Damian looked up
at Bruce, “Just like you are wrong in thinking Robin living here is a bad thing.”
Bruce shook his head, “The situations are hardly interchangeable, but I agree. It would have
been nice to be informed before Robin took up residence, but I’m not going to kick her out.
How do you fit all of your stuff in your room?”

“Robin has more stuff than I do,” Damian said, “It wasn’t that hard to make room.”

Bruce gave a small smile, “Well, I guess I’m more comfortable with this than I thought.
Welcome home, Robin. I’ll have to get a key made for you.”

“Thanks,” Robin said.

“I already did that,” Damian said, “I also asked Alfred to order a gate transponder for her car.
Mr. and Mrs. Abbey are going to have it shipped when they go back to Alaska.”

Bruce sighed, “Damian, have you two ever thought of just acting like kids? You don’t have
to have an answer to all of my questions before I ask them.”

“We have our moments,” Damian said with a small blush, “If I don’t plan ahead, you’ll say
I’m not taking this seriously, and say that we’re just playing around.”

“Playing around isn’t always a bad thing,” Bruce said, “Thank you for placating my feelings,
though. I’m surprised you two didn’t just move permanently to the north wing.”

“We will,” Damian said, “After we’re married.”

The Next Evening…

“Here, kitty, kitty, kitty.”

Selina rolled her eyes as she climbed into bed and cuddled into Bruce’s side, “You know, that
was cute twenty years ago. It’s getting less cute now.”

“Sorry,” Bruce said with a smile, “You know that Jason will never stop calling you that,
though.”

“I know,” Selina said, “How did your talk go with Damian yesterday?”

“Pretty good,” Bruce said, “but, at the same time, not how I expected. Did you know that
Robin is living here now?”

“Sure,” Selina said.

Bruce shook his head, “Not just staying here for the duration of the lockdown. Actually
living here. As in, changed her address, add her name to the answering machine, this is home
now.”

“I kind of figured,” Selina said, “Didn’t you know?”

Bruce sighed, “I guess I didn’t want to think of my sixteen-year-old son moving in with his
girlfriend.”

“She moved in here,” Selina said, “Under your roof, across the hall from you. It’s not like
they got an apartment in town, or something. Second, he would probably not be happy if you
didn’t refer to her as his fiancé.”

“That was one of the arguments he used about her living here,” Bruce said, “All the other
engaged parties live here, why can’t his fiancé move in.”

“You have to admit, he’s calmer when he’s around her,” Selina said.

“He is,” Bruce agreed, “He also said something that made me think.”

“What was that?”

Bruce turned to face Selina, “What are our plans in the way of children?”

Selina’s eyes widened a bit, “I wasn’t expecting that.”

“Damian asked if we were going to give him a brother or sister, or if we were going to settle
into the role of grandparents.”

Selina sighed heavily, “I’ve always wanted a daughter, but with everything we’ve been
through, and our age, I don’t know if we can, or should. I mean, let’s face it, B. We’re both
turning fifty this year. That’s a little old to have a new baby.”

“I didn’t want to think about that,” Bruce grumbled.

“You’ve got four great sons,” Selina said, “We can stick with them. Besides, I don’t know if
I can even have kids.”

“We can try, just to check,” Bruce said playfully.

Selina rolled her eyes, “Don’t you think, if you got me pregnant, that Damian would take that
as an approval to get Robin pregnant?”

“He knows better than that,” Bruce said, “Our agreement has always been that I will be a
father-in-law before I’m a grandparent. He did say that he would keep an open mind to us
having kids, though.”

“Was there a stipulation in that agreement about who,” Selina asked, “At the end of August,
you will be a father-in-law, to Barbara. Don’t you think you should make it clear to Damian
that Robin needs to be the daughter-in-law before they give us grandkids?”

Bruce’s eyes widened, and he said softly, “I never thought of that. That’s a hell of a
loophole.”

“Is it one that Damian has thought of,” Selina asked.

“I don’t think so,” Bruce said uncertainly, “Robin has started calling me Dad, though. I’m
too young to be a grandfather.”

Selina smiled, “You’re really not. You just don’t want to think of yourself as getting older.
We’ll make great grandparents.”

“I’m looking forward to that,” Bruce said, “but not yet.”

“I guess this is a good time to point out that I’ve never changed a diaper in my life,” Selina
said.

Bruce smiled, “Neither have I. I think I want to learn, though.”

“As a father, or a grandfather,” Selina asked.

Bruce sighed, “I’m not sure. Damian said something else that made me think, too. I never
got to hold any of my babies when they were babies, and that is something I regret. I mean,
that is something I can’t get back with them.”

“You don’t think the boys would be jealous of a new baby, do you,” Selina asked.

Bruce looked down, “A year ago, I would have said yes. Damian definitely would. Now,
I’m pretty sure he’d love being a big brother.”

The couple fell silent for several comfortable minutes, before Selina said softly, “He’d be a
good big brother. The few times I’ve seen him with his friends makes that perfectly clear.
Don’t take this the wrong way, but I think he’ll, eventually, be a better father than you.”

Bruce sighed, “He’s had plenty of examples of what not to do. I don’t want to be a
grandfather yet, but I can’t wait to see my son as a father.”

Selina laid her head over on Bruce’s shoulder, “Then, it’s decided. We parent the kids we
have, and we spoil the hell out of our future grandchildren.”

Bruce gave a small smirk, even though a part of him felt eminently sad inside at the thought
of not even trying to have more children, “We’ll be better parents. Then, we’ll earn the right
to be grandparents. And, you’re right. We’ll spoil the hell out of our grandchildren.”

Selina glanced up, “You’re not sad at not having more kids?”

“I am,” Bruce said, “but, we’ve made so many mistakes…I’ve made so many mistakes as a
father. When I look back, I’ve been a terrible father to Damian. Sure, I love him more than
anything, but there is so much more I could have done to protect him in the years I’ve had
him. I’m amazed he stayed.”

“He got the parent he wanted,” Selina said softly, “The two of you might have had to mold
yourselves to each other, and it might have taken longer than you wanted, but you are truly
father and son. With how you described how he was when you first met him, that is a major
accomplishment.”
Bruce thought for a second, then leaned over and kissed Selina’s cheek, “Thank you, Sel.
We’ve still got a long way to go, but at least we can go together.”

A/N: Here is the start of a new one, and as you should be able to tell from what has
happened so far, there are going to be a lot of changes coming up. Like most of my
stories, I originally planned to complete this whole story in one long chapter. Once I
started getting most of my ideas out on paper, I decided to write an outline, to see where
I wanted to go. My current outline is planning for ten chapters now. They will
probably be shorter chapters than this, and I’m still trying to decide where I want to
break up what I’ve already written to make chapters.

So, what do you think of the revelation? Commissioner Gordon had to know
eventually. How do you think I handled it? What do you think of the other
relationships I’ve proposed? Is there a future here? I want your honest opinions,
please. How am I doing? You know how to let me know.

Any inconsistencies between this work and others I’ve written in the past come from the
fact that most of what I’ve already written for this story was started almost four years
ago. Yes, I’ve been sitting on this story idea for that long.

There’s more to come. Don’t know when chapter 2 will be ready. I’m still dividing
what I’ve written so far into chapters, so I haven’t started the second chapter yet. That
said, of the ten chapters I’ve planned, five of them are already started, with one of those
completed, one nearly completed, and the other three with good chunks done.

Let me know what you think so far.

Thanks for playing along.

 2

Batman 50

Chapter 2

“Robin! Robin, talk to me. Are you okay?”

Robin took a deep breath and gave a groan as he picked himself up from the alley pavement.
Batman was hovering over the recently fallen sidekick.

“Did you get them,” Robin asked.

Robin was working his arm around, trying to relieve a kink in his shoulder, as Batman said,
“Yes, I got them. They’re tied to a dumpster at the end of the alley.”

Robin shook his head to clear out the cobwebs, “What happened?”

Batman took a breath, “You chased your suspect into the alley. As soon as you passed this
door, his accomplice stepped out and hit you. He must not have expected me to be so close.
He panicked and ran when he saw me. I got them both.”

Looking around, Robin asked, “What did he hit me with? Baseball bat?”

Batman reached down and picked up a piece of wood, “Two-by-four. Did he hit your head?”

Robin shook his head, “Shoulder. That’s going to be sore tomorrow.”

“You better hope it doesn’t leave a bruise,” Batman said.

Robin sighed, “Robin is used to seeing bruises on me.”

The Dynamic Duo walked over to the captured criminals, and Robin asked the one he had
been chasing, “Well, was this worth it? What were you thinking?”

“Hey, man, this is police abuse,” the man said.

“We aren’t police,” Robin replied flatly.

“Black Lives Matter, you know,” the man spat at Robin.

Robin snorted a laugh, “You are the second whitest person we’ve caught tonight. You have a
French accent. You’re far whiter than I am. Also, no, they don’t. Lives don’t matter.
Everyone gets a life. What matters is what you do with your life. Is this what you want to do
with your life? Is this how you want to be remembered? As just another common criminal?”
“I’m fighting for freedom,” the man claimed.

“You’re stealing to line your pockets,” Batman countered.

“I’m making a statement,” the criminal persisted.

“By adopting a slogan to excuse your crimes,” Robin asked. “By committing crimes while
claiming their title, you take away from what they are trying to do, and perpetuate the
stereotypes against them.”

“Just what were you trying to steal, anyway,” Batman asked.

The criminal looked down, “Word on the street is that store just got a shipment of Lysol and
Purell. Do you know how much that stuff goes for on the street right now?”

“I do,” Batman said, nodding, “An attempted burglary charge. Is that what you wanted to get
out of this?”

The man looked up with fire in his eyes. “That’s not all I got.” The man started coughing in
the direction of the Dynamic Duo, then gave Batman an evil grin. “I got COVID, and now,
so do you.”

Robin rolled his eyes, “We’re wearing masks, you idiot.”

“Good luck getting a hospital bed,” the man said, “I’m going to be the hero of Gotham. The
man who rid the city of Batman.”

“Shut up,” Robin said in frustration. He kicked the man in the chin, forcing his head back
into the steel dumpster hard enough to render him unconscious.

“Was that really necessary, Robin,” Batman asked.

Robin sighed, “It’s difficult to win an argument with an intelligent person. It’s impossible to
win one with an idiot. He was an idiot, and he’s giving me a headache.”

Robin turned to look at the second man, who so far had stayed silent, “What about you? You
have anything to say?”

The man had hoped that his presence would be forgotten by the vigilante duo. He was
shaking when he said, “I, um, I’m v-very sorry I hit you.”

“Well, it’s a good thing you hit me as hard as you did,” Robin said, “If I’d been able to get up
before Batman caught you, I would have made you regret not only hitting me, but regret your
decision to get out of bed this morning.”

“Do you know this man,” Batman asked.

The man looked over at the unconscious criminal, “He’s my brother-in-law.”

“Whose idea was tonight,” Batman asked.

“His,” the man said, “I didn’t want to do this, but it’s hard to provide for our families right
now. He got laid off last week. I think I’m next.”

“Where do you work,” Batman asked.

“Powers Industrial,” the man said, “They’re cutting everyone. I don’t think they’re going to
survive the lockdown.”

Robin glanced at Batman, thinking about the fate of a main in-town rival to Wayne
Enterprises, and wondering what that might mean for the family company.

Batman caught the glance and asked, “What do you think, Robin?”

“Did they get away with anything,” Robin asked.

“No, Robin.”

Robin thought for a second, then sighed and pulled a knife from his utility belt. The man
gasped and cringed away from the Boy Wonder, until Robin cut the zip tie around his wrists.

The man looked up in shock, and Robin said, “With the virus getting worse, and increased
crime rates around town, you would have been out by morning, anyway. Remember this. It
is your one and only free pass. If you two had stolen so much as a paperclip tonight, I
wouldn’t be letting you go. If you do this again and we catch you, and we will catch you, I’ll
personally make sure you do hard time. You better not be lying about having a family to
support, either.”

“I’m not,” the man said nervously, pulling a phone out of his pocket to show a picture of him,
a woman, and a toddler.

Robin nodded, “You have someone to support, and a reason to stay out of jail. Don’t make
me regret this.”

“I…I won’t, Robin.” The man looked down, “What about my brother-in-law?”

Batman cut the other man loose, and said, “You have until the police show up to get him out
of here. Stay-at-home orders and lockdowns mean stay at home.”

The man nodded and hefted his brother-in-law. He looked at Robin and said, “I just have to
know. The second whitest person you arrested tonight?”

Robin snorted a laugh, “We caught him breaking into a car. This guy was phosphorescent.
He was nearly glowing. Not a good thing for a thief working at night.”

Batman and Robin returned to the Batmobile, and Robin sighed as the canopy closed. “How
many more people are going to cough on us to try to get us to let them go?”

“We have to take it as a serious threat, Robin,” Batman said, “Given the law of averages,
eventually one of those people will have COVID.”
“That’s why we have the masks, right,” Robin asked.

Batman thought he heard a nervous undertone in Robin’s question. “Yes, that’s why we’re
taking precautions.”

“How sure are we about these masks,” Robin asked, “I don’t want to have to spend another
two weeks in quarantine. I wouldn’t be able to take Robin with me, if we got exposed while
on patrol.”

Batman thought seriously for a second, “Maybe we should leave the north wing isolated, just
in case.” He glanced over at Robin, “How’s your shoulder?”

Robin worked his arm around, “It’ll be okay.”

“You better hope it doesn’t leave a bruise,” Batman said.

Robin shook his head, “Robin doesn’t give me too much trouble over bruises anymore. She’s
used to them.”

“That new doctor you’re seeing on Wednesday isn’t,” Batman said.

Robin’s eyes widened under his mask, “I didn’t think of that.”

“We’ll put some bruise cream on your back when we get home,” Batman said, “I’m sure
you’d like Robin to take care of that.”

Robin gave a smile, “Yes, I would. Oh, the signal is up.”

After missing several calls from the Commissioner due to bad weather and location, Batman
had installed a transmitter in the Batsignal that sent a notification to the vigilantes when the
signal was activated. A light on the Batmobile’s dash had turned on, indicating a need from
the police.

Batman drove towards Police Plaza, and said, “This should be interesting.”

“Has Nightwing spoken to the Commissioner since the dinner,” Robin asked.

Batman glanced over, “It was only two days ago, Robin.”

Robin met Batman’s glance, “I talked to my in-laws since then. No reason he couldn’t.”

Batman almost smiled, “He’s letting Oracle make the next moves. At the very least, Jim was
much calmer after dinner. Maybe he won’t be too upset to see us.”

Robin thought for a second, “Do you think we’re responding to an actual emergency, or a
renewed interrogation?”

Batman released a breath through his nose, “Could be either. Be on your guard.”
The Dynamic Duo appeared in the three seconds Commissioner Gordon took his eyes off of
the skyline to take a sip of coffee, and only decades of experience with similar situations kept
the older man from jumping in fright.

Gordon sighed and shook his head, “At least some things don’t change.”

Gordon turned off the Bat Signal as Batman and Robin approached.

“What do you have for us, Commissioner,” Batman asked.

Commissioner Gordon eyed the taller man, “Is that all you have to say to me? After
everything I learned about you the other night?”

“I don’t know what you’re talking about, Commissioner,” Batman said.

“God, you don’t give anything away, do you,” Gordon said in exasperation.

“It’s not our nature,” Batman responded flatly.

“It couldn’t have been easy for you to call us tonight,” Robin said, trying to break up the
growing tension, “but was there a reason you called us tonight?”

Gordon gave Robin a hard stare for a long second before releasing a breath and saying, “No,
it wasn’t easy calling you. I spent most of the day wondering if I should smash the
Batsignal.”

“I wish you wouldn’t,” Batman said, “It was very expensive, and would be difficult to
replace.”

Gordon looked over at Batman, “Are you saying you can’t afford it?”

“I didn’t say that,” Batman said, “but I also don’t believe in wasting things unnecessarily.”

“Anyway,” Robin said, “how would you explain it to the Police Commission? I’m sure such
an act would raise a lot of questions.”

“It would,” Gordon grumbled. The man shook his head, “I don’t know if I can continue
doing this. I’ve asked you to do a lot over the years.”

“We offered,” Batman said, “Just like we’re offering to help with whatever you have going
on tonight.”

Gordon nodded, “Well, unfortunately, I need your help. This is probably something we could
have handled internally, but I’ve got so many officers out with COVID, I just don’t have the
manpower to mount the investigation. Let’s go.”

Gordon led Batman and Robin into the building and into the elevator. Pressing the button for
the bottom floor, Gordon said, “We’ve got some bodies over the last few days. Cause of
death is eluding us at the moment.”
“What is the suspicion,” Batman asked.

“We know that the deaths were overdoses,” Gordon said, “We just haven’t been able to
isolate the drug yet. The lab is so backed up with COVID issues, I haven’t been able to get
the tox screens back yet.”

“Why call us for this,” Batman asked.

Gordon sighed, “If this is some new, untraceable super drug, I don’t want it spreading across
the city. The six bodies it has claimed so far are enough. You have connections with the
underworld that our Narcotics Detectives don’t. I was hoping you had heard something.”

Batman shook his head, “I haven’t, actually.”

“Drug busts have been down the last couple months,” Robin chimed in, “People are too
scared of the virus to experiment lately.”

Gordon glanced at the duo, then said, “Speaking of the virus, can you honestly tell me that
you feel comfortable taking him out in the city at a time like this, Batman?”

Batman knew that Gordon was referring to taking Robin, his teenaged son, into a potentially
hot zone. “Our masks are specially engineered through the Justice League. I’ve been
ensured that they are more than adequate.”

“Speaking of which,” Robin said, “You should be wearing a mask, too, Commissioner.”

“I do,” Gordon said, “When I leave the building. We get our temperature checked every time
we enter the building, and get a full test every two weeks. Anyone who shows symptoms is
sent home immediately. That’s why I’m so understaffed.”

“I’m sure you could borrow Nightwing,” Robin said, “he has police experience.”

Gordon’s look soured as the elevator doors opened. The trio walked down the hall to the
morgue, and found a stack of bagged bodies, ten high and three deep, against one wall of the
morgue.

Batman eyed the covered corpses while trying to hide his disgust, “Is that the best way to
store bodies, Jim?”

“I can’t think they would stay viable for too long, if you just leave them out like that,” Robin
said.

Gordon shook his head, “Those are just the ones that have been brought it over the last six
hours. They are processed and sent out to funeral homes as quickly as possible. Our poor
coroners have been working sixteen hour days for the past two months. Two have died from
exposure to contagious bodies. Our coroner vans and private hearses have been running non-
stop. We’ve got a refrigerated tractor trailer coming in the morning for overflow storage.
It’s…it’s all we can do, for now.”
The trio fell silent for a moment, and Batman could see the exhaustion in the older man’s
face. “Which bodies are we here to see,” Batman asked, far more gently than Gordon was
used to hearing from the caped vigilante.

Gordon pointed to three stainless steel tables in the center of the room, “These three. There
are three more, but I think the bodies have already been claimed.”

Batman and Robin approached the tables. Turning on the overhead light over one table,
Batman looked over at Jim and said, “Commissioner, I have to insist you put a mask on. If
you’ve had medical examiners die just from being in the same room as those bodies, you’re
putting yourself in danger by being here.”

Robin approached the man and said softly, “Oracle and Nightwing would be very upset if
anything happened to you.”

Jim put on a mask as Batman and Robin started examining the bodies. “No outward signs of
heavy drug use,” Batman said, “Skin appears healthy, eyes are clear, teeth are intact.”

“Here, Batman,” Robin said, “Needle marks.”

“Tracks, Robin,” Batman asked.

Robin shook his head and pointed to the body’s upper arm, “No. It looks more like an
injection.”

Batman looked over at the Commissioner, “Have these bodies been examined by the medical
examiner yet?”

Gordon shook his head, “We don’t have the full report yet. The Medical Examiner has only
done the preliminary so far.”

“You said you’re waiting on a tox screen,” Batman said, “This isn’t where they drew blood
from, is it?”

“I don’t think so, Batman,” Gordon said, “but it’s been a long time since I’ve done forensics.”

Robin had moved on to the second body, and called out, “This one has one, too.”

Gordon looked where Robin was pointing, then felt his own shoulder. He mused, “The last
time I got a flu shot, that’s just about where they gave me the vaccination.”

Robin looked up at the older man, “Do you think a doctor did this?”

“I’m not going to jump to any conclusions,” Gordon said, “especially not before we have a
full tox screen and the medical examiner has a chance to perform the autopsy.”

“What is it you want us to look for, Commissioner,” Batman asked.

“Like I said before, you have better connections with the underworld than we do,” Gordon
said. The man turned to Robin and said, “I don’t want to hear it, Robin. I know just how bad
that sounds. We need a better informant network.”

“I wasn’t going to say anything, Commissioner,” Robin said.

Commissioner Gordon sighed, “I’m sorry, Robin. I’m still having a hard time, here.”

“I understand,” Robin said.

“Could you two work your informants and see if there are any new drugs or drug shipments
in town,” Gordon asked, “That might help narrow down…something.”

“Where were the bodies found,” Batman asked.

“Eastern Financial District,” Gordon said, “Close to the Harbor.”

“Okay, we’ll take a look,” Batman said.

The Dynamic Duo left the building and headed in the direction of Gotham Harbor. They got
back in the Batmobile, and Robin sighed as the canopy closed.

“Yeah, that was uncomfortable,” Robin said.

“I’m sure it wasn’t any easier on him, Robin,” Batman said, “It was probably easier on us
than him.”

“It’s a good thing Nightwing wasn’t with us,” Robin said, “Did you see his look when I
mentioned Nightwing?”

“That’s not our concern tonight, Robin,” Batman said, “Commissioner Gordon and
Nightwing will have to come to their own arrangement. Our concern tonight is finding out if
there is a new drug wave in town.”

“Where should we start,” Robin asked.

“Gordon suggested the Harbor,” Batman said, “Is there any reason we shouldn’t start there?”

“Well, where, though,” Robin asked, “The Harbor is a big place. Do we start at the civilian
harbor or the shipping ports? We could be searching for days off of a vague hint like ‘The
Harbor’.”

Batman hadn’t wanted to think about that possibility, but now that it had been posed, it was a
good question. “That’s fair, Robin. We should check our sources. I just wish we had better
sources around the harbor.”

Robin glanced over, “You never found anyone to replace Freely?”

Batman hid his sigh over his former informant, who had become collateral damage, and a
target for his known connection to Batman. “I haven’t been able to find someone as reliable
as Freely.”
“Interesting way to describe a convicted criminal,” Robin mused.

“He saw the error of his ways, over time,” Batman said, “I don’t see you coming up with any
ideas, Robin.”

Robin glanced out of the window as the Batmobile sailed through Midtown. He smirked as
he said, “I have an idea. Let me out.”

“What are you talking about, Robin,” Batman asked.

“You wanted me to come up with an idea on where to find information,” Robin said, “I have
one. Let me out.”

“Here,” Batman asked.

“Go up another block and wait for me,” Robin said, “I won’t be long. I think I just saw a
potential informant.”

Batman shrugged internally, but pulled into an alley and allowed Robin to leave the car. As
curious as he was, Batman stayed put, trusting his partner.

Robin ascended to the roof of an office building and started working his way back along their
path from a much higher altitude. Robin had caught sight of someone in an alley, and hoped
he hadn’t been seeing things. If he was right, this could work out for them.

Robin descended silently into an alley behind a dumpster and spied a familiar man standing
just in the shadows, watching warily. Yep, just as I thought. He obviously saw the Batmobile
pass by. He must think he’s in the clear. We didn’t slow down until several blocks away, so
he has no reason to think we saw him.

The Boy Wonder snuck to within ten feet of the man before speaking. “Slow night, Benny?”

Benny, a street-level drug dealer that Robin had run into several times in the past, literally
jumped out of one of his shoes in surprise at the voice behind him.

Benny turned and glared at Robin, “What the hell? How the hell did you do that?”

Robin smirked under his mask, “That was nothing.”

“Man, why are you bugging me,” Benny asked dismissively.

“Can’t I just check in,” Robin asked innocently.

Benny shook his head, “Man, I got nothing to say to you, Robin. Get out of here, before I get
mad.”

“Are you sure about that, Benny,” Robin asked, “I can help you out.”

“What do you care,” Benny asked, “What are you going to do, arrest me again? I did five
months because of you. I don’t want anything to do with you.”
“No, Benny. You did five months because of you,” Robin said, “You didn’t have to deal to
that kid, and you sure as hell didn’t have to shoot at me. You should be happy you were
dealing with me. If it was Batman, you’d still be in the hospital.”

“What do you want,” Benny asked, as if speaking with Robin was the last thing he wanted to
be doing.

Robin sighed, “I don’t care that you deal drugs, Benny. If an adult wants to mess themselves
up, that’s their business. I only care when you deal to kids. Don’t sell to kids, and I won’t
have any problem with what you do.”

“I don’t need a lecture from you, Robin,” Benny said.

“It’s not a lecture,” Robin said, “just some advice. I come with a warning, too. Now is not a
good time to be dealing closely with people. I might not like what you do, but that doesn’t
mean I want to see anything happen to you.”

“You really expect me to believe that you’re worried about me, now,” Benny scoffed, “Five
months of my life were wasted because you Narc-ed.”

Robin slowly walked closer to the dealer, reaching into the back of his utility belt, and setting
Benny on edge even more than he already had been. “You don’t have to believe me, if you
don’t want to. Batman and I don’t do what we do to make life hard for you. We do it to
make the city safer, for all of us. Believe it or not, that includes you.”

Robin pulled three blue, medical-grade face masks from his belt and held them out to Benny.
“I really don’t want to see anything bad happen to you, Benny. If you’re going to be dealing
to random people, there’s a good chance that some of your customers are going to be infected
with this virus. Batman and I were at the city morgue earlier tonight. I would feel better
knowing that you aren’t among the corpses they have stacked up there. There were…more
than I wanted to count. More than I wanted to even think about counting. I know you have
family out there. None of them want to have to claim your body from the morgue.”

Benny stared at the offered masks skeptically. Robin sighed, “They aren’t poisoned, or
tainted, or tampered with in any way. They don’t have some sort of tracking device
implanted in them so I can track you. They’re just masks. If you’re going to be around
people, you might as well have more protection than that gun in your pocket. A nine
millimeter won’t stop the Coronavirus, but a mask might.”

Benny stared at the masks for another silent minute before hesitantly reaching up and taking
the masks from Robin’s hand. Protective gear was a hot commodity around town lately, and
the only reason Benny hadn’t been wearing a mask tonight was because he hadn’t been able
to find any. He couldn’t even steal one, because there were none to be found in the stores
around his apartment.

“Th-thank you, Robin,” Benny said quietly.

Robin gave a short nod, “Make sure you use them, okay?”
“I…I will.”

Benny looked around uncomfortably, not knowing how to react to the small kindness from
someone who had arrested him several times.

Robin took a breath, “How much do you need to make to give this up for the night and to go
home, where I’m assuming it is at least a little safer?”

“Anything, really,” Benny said, “it’s been a slow night. Why?”

“How would you like to sell something other than drugs,” Robin asked.

Benny cracked a smile, “What do you want? My shoes?”

Robin shook his head, “No, I’m not in the market for used footwear. Knowledge is power,
and I’m hoping you know something that I don’t.”

“I ain’t no snitch,” Benny said.

Robin smirked under his mask, “History would prove otherwise. Your cousin is still in jail, I
believe. He doesn’t know that we got the location of his grow from you. You have had
information in the past, and I need information.”

“What’s in it for me,” Benny asked.

“That all depends on what you have to tell me,” Robin said, “but Batman pays informants
well, and the better information you have, the better we pay.”

“What if I don’t know anything,” Benny asked.

Robin shrugged, “It’s up to you, but the longer we stand here and talk, even if you don’t tell
me anything, the more chance there is of someone seeing us, and assuming you are a snitch.
If people are going to think you’re a snitch, you might as well be paid as one.”

“What sort of information are you looking for,” Benny asked.

Robin took a breath, “I already told you that Batman and I were at the morgue earlier. We
were there because the police have found a couple bodies recently that weren’t victims of the
virus. It was some sort of overdose, but the labs are so backed up that the police don’t know
what killed them yet. They all had injection marks on their arms, but not in places where
junkies would normally shoot up. Have you heard of any new drugs on the street?”

Benny shook his head, “Man, I only sell weed.”

“I didn’t ask what you were selling,” Robin said, “I asked what you’ve heard. You’re out
here more than we are. You must have heard something.”

Benny looked hesitant, and asked, “No one will know?”

Robin shook his head, “Do I look like the sort of person who is going to go testify in court?”
“I don’t want anyone to know I talked to you.”

Robin nodded, “Benny who?”

Benny looked around before speaking softly, “Word is there is a new guy dealing. He’s
getting a lot of word of mouth that he’s got stuff people want. Stuff that no one else has.”

“Like what,” Robin asked.

“I don’t know what it really is,” Benny said, “It ain’t drugs, though. I ain’t the only one
who’s scared of this damn virus, everyone is. Someone comes along and says not to worry
about it, people get curious.”

Robin looked at Benny strangely, “Wait, are you saying someone is dealing a vaccine? I
didn’t think one existed.”

“I don’t know what he’s selling,” Benny said, “All I know is he’s pulling down the
Benjamins like it’s going out of style.”

“Who is he,” Robin asked.

Benny shook his head, “Don’t know a name. Word on the street is to ask for V.”

“Where do you ask for V,” Robin asked.

“Manufacturer’s Row,” Benny said, “Don’t ask me where, though. I don’t go over there.
Too…organized…for me.”

Robin thought the emphasis was a little strange. Then, he thought about the area. Is Benny
saying what I think he’s saying? Is this the work of one of the organized crime families?

“Organized, you say,” Robin asked.

“You didn’t hear none of this from me,” Benny said.

I didn’t think he’d know this much, Robin thought. I think Benny can be added to our list of
informants.

“Didn’t hear what from you,” Robin asked.

“Exactly.”

Robin released a breath as he pulled four hundred dollars out of his utility belt with one hand,
and a grapple gun out with his other. He handed the money over to Benny, and watched the
man’s eyes nearly pop out of his head at the amount.

“Go home, Benny,” Robin said, “It’s not safe out here.”

“Oh, man,” Benny whispered, still staring at the money.

Robin fired his line, then said, “I told you that we pay well for information. Knowledge is
more valuable than drugs. Keep an ear open. If I need information in the future, there’s more
where that came from.”

Benny looked up, but Robin had already disappeared.

Several minutes later, Robin took his seat in the Batmobile again. Batman didn’t look over at
his son, but asked, “Where are we going?”

Robin glanced over, “What? You mean you didn’t follow me and listen in?”

Batman shook his head, “You’re more than capable of making decisions on your own. How
did it go?”

“Better than I thought,” Robin said, “I’ve got a general location.”

“Okay,” Batman said, closing the canopy, “Where are we going?”

“Manufacturer’s Row,” Robin said, “I’m guessing northeast end, since that’s closer to the
harbor.”

Batman pulled out of the alley, and Robin said, “I didn’t expect him to have so much
information. I think we found a new informant.”

“Who is it,” Batman asked.

“Benny,” Robin said.

Batman glanced over again, “The dealer? I’m surprised he was willing to talk to you, with as
many times as you’ve arrested him.”

“He didn’t want to, at first,” Robin said, “I guess people aren’t out buying drugs lately,
though. He needed the money, and like I said, he knew more than I thought he would.”

“What did he know?”

Robin released a breath, “That we aren’t looking for drugs, or a normal dealer. It’s
supposedly a new guy. Goes by ‘V’. He claims he has a vaccine for the virus, and is selling
enough to be noticed by dealers all over the city. He must be big, if someone as small-time as
Benny has heard of him.”

Batman’s eyes widened under his cowl, “A vaccine, huh? That would explain the location of
the needle marks on the bodies.”

“Batman, we need to be careful,” Robin said, “Benny seems to think this V is part of one of
the organized crime families.”

Batman huffed out a breath, “Just great. Just what we need; a mob connection.”
Robin thought silently for a minute before musing, “The big Pharma companies are
scrambling to try to come up with any sort of vaccine for this virus. Do you think it’s really
possible that one of Gotham’s mob families was able to get their hands on something before
the government?”

“If it’s leaving bodies in its wake,” Batman said seriously, “then I’m not exactly in a hurry to
try it out. In fact, that’s all the more reason to track this down. Desperate people will stick
anything in themselves, if they think it will provide a little protection.”

The Batmobile turned north on Harbor Front Road and headed in the direction of the civilian
harbor. Robin looked around at the empty streets and said, “I can’t tell you the last time I
was over here without being at the harbor. Where should we start looking?”

“We’ll turn inland again when we’re north of the harbor,” Batman said.

“Which of the families do you think would be most likely to pull something like this,” Robin
asked. “I can’t see it being the Falcone’s. Thorne and his group don’t really come this far
north, after the Falcone’s slapped them down a couple years ago. Who else works this part of
the city?”

“The Zambrano’s, the Lee’s, and the Obruzzo’s can all be found in this area,” Batman said,
“They all have factories in Manufacturer’s Row.”

“Now, the big question,” Robin posited, “Which of them are hard-up enough for money to
pull something like this?”

“That is the big question, Robin,” Batman said.

Robin released a breath, “I’ve never dealt with the Lee’s or the Obruzzo’s before. I know that
the Zambrano’s cover is a construction company. What do the others do?”

Batman liked that he could still teach Robin something, every now and then. The Boy
Wonder very rarely was unaware of something, to the point of asking for information.
Batman considered that it could just be something to pass the time while they drove to their
potential location, but he liked the thought of teaching Robin again.

“The Lee’s run a chain of restaurants and laundry services,” Batman said.

Robin snorted, “That’s a little stereotypical, isn’t it? Wait, they run Lee’s Chinese Laundry?”

“All thirty-six locations,” Batman said, “Along with all fifteen Wan Ho’s restaurant
locations.”

“And what are these fifty-one businesses covering,” Robin asked.

“I’m not sure I should tell you, Robin,” Batman said hesitantly, “It might color your
perspective on the case.”

Robin sighed and stared down at his lap, “So they are covering up a prostitution ring?”
Batman really didn’t want to answer, “Human trafficking, sex tourism, prostitution, escort
services.”

“Underage,” Robin asked in a growl.

“They aren’t known for checking ID’s when they import workers from China.”

Only the mention of China was able to take Robin’s mind off of wanting to track down every
member of the Lee organization and making them pay for their deeds.

“China,” Robin asked, “The virus came from China. They’d have a reason to want to find a
vaccine, and possible connections to overseas labs, where a vaccine could be in the works.”

“That’s all speculation, Robin,” Batman said, “We can’t make leaps like that without
evidence.”

Robin released a large breath, “You’re right, Batman. What about the Obruzzo’s? What do
they do?”

Batman was relieved that Robin was able to control his fury on his own. “The Obruzzo’s
stick to your standard Mob businesses. Loan sharking, money laundering, protection
rackets. They’ve also dealt in narcotics in the past.”

“So, they could have someone trying to pass off just about anything as a vaccine,” Robin
asked.

“I guess we’ll find out,” Batman said, “We’re approaching Obruzzo territory.”

Batman slowed the Batmobile to turn off of the main road, heading west into Manufacturer’s
Row. Following World War Two, when Gotham City began an industrial renaissance, the
city’s factories had all congregated along Sawyer Avenue, a twelve-mile stretch lined with
massive manufacturing facilities. They held prominence in the city for twenty years, but had
eventually all been shut down. Manufacturing in the city had moved to smaller facilities over
the years, which had mostly been around the northern end of the harbor, to make acquiring
raw materials more cost effective. Manufacturer’s Row was no longer a straight line carved
out of the city, but a rough rectangle. However, due to the history of the factories in the city,
the ‘Row’ moniker had stuck.

Batman and Robin were heading deeper into the north end of a complex of buildings, all of
which were controlled by the Obruzzo family. Originally from the south of Italy, the family
had now been in Gotham City for five generations. They controlled four square blocks, and
held influence over six more in the area. They weren’t as large, or as dangerous, as the
Falcone family or the Thorne organization, but they also weren’t to be taken lightly.

“Keep your eyes open, Robin,” Batman said. “Even with this virus, there has to be
something that will give us a clue.”

“Right,” Robin said, staring out his side of the car.

After a couple minutes of seeing nothing, Batman started getting frustrated. “Anything,
Robin?”

“The streets are quiet,” Robin observed.

“We can find more on foot than in the car,” Batman said, “Let’s stop and see what we can
find.”

“Don’t stop,” Robin exclaimed as Batman turned down an alley.

“What,” Batman asked.

“Don’t stop,” Robin repeated, “Don’t slow down. Keep moving. Keep driving. Head back
to the harbor.”

“Why, Robin,” Batman asked, “There’s no one out here to see us.”

“There doesn’t have to be,” Robin said, “Didn’t you notice?” Batman shook his head, so
Robin continued, “There are security cameras on every building we’ve passed. They’re
covering the alleys, too. We can’t stop safely here. We’ll be spotted on a camera. I’m sure
we’ve already been spotted, and someone is tracking us.”

“I wondered why we didn’t see any sentries,” Batman mused. He kept driving through the
alley, then turned back in the direction of the harbor. “Good thinking, Robin.”

Several minutes later, Batman pulled into the docks and parked between two storage
containers. “Did you see any cameras on the rooftops?”

“I didn’t see any, but I wasn’t really looking at the roofs,” Robin said.

“That’s how we’ll go in,” Batman said, “If there are cameras on the roofs, they will most
likely be pointed at the street below, not on the roofs themselves.”

The Dynamic Duo headed back into the city, but this time they traveled on foot, by Bat Rope,
and over the rooftops.

Eight blocks inland from the harbor, Batman signaled Robin to stop and take cover. The pair
knelt down near the edge of a building, and Robin scanned the sky.

“What did you see, Batman,” Robin whispered.

“You were right about the cameras,” Batman whispered back, “They’re everywhere.”

“Has there been some organized crime gang war that I don’t know about,” Robin asked,
“This much surveillance means either something is going on, or something was going on, and
they don’t want it to happen again.”

Batman was scanning the building fronts with his monocular, “I don’t see any signs of a
classic gang war. Then again, I don’t usually track the Obruzzo’s for a reason. They, frankly,
aren’t big enough to cause too many problems.”
“I mean, they have more cameras aimed at this block than the Federal Reserve does next to
City Hall,” Robin said, “They have to be up to something. You don’t even have this many
cameras around the manor.”

“Maybe it’s something to think about,” Batman mused. “Let’s go a block or two south and
see if this level of surveillance is all over Obruzzo territory, or just in this area.”

Batman and Robin zip-lined across two minor streets, hoping they weren’t being observed by
the numerous cameras lining the surrounding buildings. Everything was just as it had been
on their first street. No people around, but cameras everywhere.

“Something obviously happened, for there to be this much surveillance,” Robin said quietly,
“We should ask the Commissioner if something is going on around here.”

Batman thought for a second, “That isn’t a bad idea, Robin. I think you’re right. Something
must have happened around here.”

Batman started taking pictures of the local buildings and the camera locations, to show
Commissioner Gordon that he wasn’t just being paranoid over a couple cameras. When he
focused in on an alley across the street and a building over, he found something he wasn’t
expecting.

The inhale of breath from Batman was barely audible, but to Robin, it sounded like a deep
gasp of shock. Robin looked over and asked, “What is it, Father?”

“Let’s go, Robin,” Batman said, drawing a grapnel gun from his belt, “Alley across the
street.”

Robin looked and gave his own barely-heard gasp. In the alley Batman had pointed out,
there were two bodies just barely visible in the shadows of the buildings. The Dynamic Duo
descended to ground level, no longer caring about the cameras as they investigated the
bodies.

Batman and Robin approached a middle-aged man and woman. The man was propped up
against the wall, while the woman was lying in the middle of the alley.

Batman shook his head and mumbled, “Two more for the coroner.”

Robin leaned in closer, “They’re still breathing, Batman.”

The surprised the dark knight, but he didn’t outwardly show it. The man and woman were, in
fact, still breathing, but barely. Their shallow respirations barely moved their chests under
their clothes.

Robin knelt down next to the woman and patted her cheek. “Hey! Are you still alive? Can
you hear me?”

It took a minute, but the woman was able to open her eyes. She didn’t seem to recognize the
youthful vigilante in her dazed state.
Robin looked up at Batman, “Drugs or virus?”

Batman shook his head, “I’m not sure. Do you have any smelling salts in your belt?”

“I might,” Robin said.

Batman handed a vial to Robin before the teen could search his belt. Robin took it and
opened the vial.

“Be prepared to move, just in case,” Batman warned.

Robin waved the vial under the woman’s nose. It took a full minute before she recoiled back
from the smelling salts. Her mind seemed a little clearer, and she blinked a couple times at
Robin.

“Are you okay,” Robin asked.

“Where am I,” the woman slurred.

Robin looked around, “You’re in an alley off of Paley Drive. Not exactly the best place for a
nap.”

“I don’t know why I got so tired all of a sudden,” the woman said.

“Did you take something,” Batman asked.

The woman was barely awake, but still looked offended, “I’ve never done drugs in my life.”

Robin looked up at Batman, then back at the woman, “Did someone attack you?”

“No,” the woman said, “I…I don’t think so. My husband and I were out getting…a shot.”

Robin’s eyes widened under his mask, and he ventured, “Did V hook you up?”

The woman nodded drowsily, “That man is a saint. Who would have thought they would
come up with a vaccine so soon, and give it away for only ten dollars a shot?”

“Did he say where he got it,” Robin asked.

“I think he said he got it from a relative in Russia.”

Robin took a breath, “You know, we’ve been trying to get in touch with V for days. We want
to help him get this vaccine to more people. Do you know where we can find him?”

“Vin,” the woman asked, “He was up the street at the pharmacy.”

“Does he work there,” Batman asked, making note of the new name for their possible source.

“Well, not at the pharmacy,” the woman said, “He set up behind it. It’s all on the up and up.
He gave us our shots, and sold us another dose for tomorrow. He said we wouldn’t feel too
good for a couple days, but once we get over the side effects, we’ll be immune to the
Coronavirus.”

The woman closed her eyes and fell asleep again with a blissful smile on her face. Batman
walked over to the man and checked his pockets while Robin checked the woman’s purse.
They both found syringes with a clear liquid in them.

“This must be the new miracle cure,” Robin said.

“Let’s get back to the Cave and test this,” Batman said, “Who knows what this actually is.”

Batman and Robin put the syringes into padded pouches in their utility belts and stood.

“Shouldn’t we go down to this pharmacy and check out this woman’s story,” Robin asked.

“We’re going to have a hard enough time getting back to the Batmobile without going deeper
into Obruzzo territory,” Batman said.

Batman called an ambulance for the man and woman, wondering if one would actually show
up before dawn, and the Dynamic Duo headed back to the car.

They had most of the city to cross before they could get back to the Cave, so Robin grabbed
the in-car tablet and accessed the Batcomputer’s remote link.

“What are you looking for, Robin,” Batman asked.

“Known information on the Obruzzo Crime Family,” Robin said, not looking up from the
screen. “I’ve never dealt with them before, but we might have more contact with them in the
future, if they are behind the bodies Gordon showed us. I want to be ready.”

The car fell silent again for most of the trip back to the cave. Batman was closing in on the
Cave entrance when Robin said, “Hey, listen to this. I found a list of known Obruzzo
associates in the computer. One of the people on the list is Vincenzo Obruzzo.”

Batman nodded, remembering when he put the list together, “Paolo Obruzzo’s grandson. He
was hardly the heir apparent when I was compiling information about them, a few years ago.
His older brother was the one I thought would take over the family.”

Robin consulted the list, “Carlo Obruzzo?”

“That’s him,” Batman said.

Robin followed a link as Batman stopped the car in the cave and opened the canopy, “He’s
dead, Batman. Looks like he died four of five months ago in a drive-by shooting. The
murderers haven’t been caught yet. That could explain the added security and surveillance in
Obruzzo territory.”

Batman nodded slowly, “Someone took out the next leader of the family. No wonder there
was no one on the street after dark. They don’t want to risk losing another key family
member.”
“I think we need to look closer into Vincenzo,” Robin said, “The woman on the street said
Vin, and we were looking for someone going by V. It fits, Batman.”

“It does,” Batman said, “We’ll add it to our investigation file. Good find, Robin.”

Robin gave a small smile as he peeled his mask off and replaced the tablet in the Batmobile’s
dashboard. Damian climbed out of the car and his smile widened as he saw Robin standing
by the Bat Computer.

Bruce pulled his cowl off as he saw what his son was smiling at. “Shower first, son,” Bruce
said, “We were around a lot of people on the street tonight.”

“Right, Father,” Damian said.

Father and Son headed for the locker room. Robin followed, but stopped outside of the
locker room.

“Let us get a shower first, Robin,” Bruce said, “We were around people, and a lot of virus
corpses.”

Robin gasped and asked, “Are they just lying in the streets?”

“We had to go to the morgue tonight,” Damian said, “I’ll tell you all about it in a few
minutes.”

Bruce and Damian passed through to the showers and began washing the city off of
themselves. Both felt relieved as the warm water coursed over their bodies. They didn’t
know if bathing actually was enough to kill the virus on their skin, if it indeed was on their
skin, but psychological reassurance was just as important as scientific evidence.

As they dried off, Bruce said, “I’m going to run the liquid from those syringes through the
lab. Why don’t you have Robin rub some bruise cream on your back?”

Damian had forgotten about the incident with the potential robbers earlier in the evening, but
nodded at the reminder. “Sounds like a good idea, Father.”

“You two can go to bed when you’re done,” Bruce said, “I don’t think the analysis will be
done tonight.”

“If you say so, Father,” Damian said. He pulled his pajama pants on, but left his shirt off. He
would just have to take it off for Robin to rub the cream on his back. “Am I getting a
bruise?”

Bruce took a close look at Damian’s upper back, then shook his head, “I don’t see anything
out of the ordinary, but might as well play it safe.”

Father and Son walked back into the locker room to find Robin standing with her arms
crossed over her chest, glaring at the doorway to the showers with narrowed eyes.

“Why did you say bruise,” Robin demanded, “What happened?”

She heard us? Damian looked up at the half commiserating, half amused look on Bruce’s
face and knew he would get no help from his father in this situation.

Damian took a breath, and a couple steps closer to Robin, “We stopped a couple guys from
robbing a store tonight. While they were running, one of them got the drop on me, and hit
me from behind.”

“You let a guy punch you,” Robin asked.

Damian tried to hide his cringe, knowing how bad this was about to sound, “He hid in a
doorway. I was trying not to let the lead guy get away. He swung a two-by-four at me, and
hit me with a lucky shot.”

“Did they get away,” Robin asked.

“Not at first,” Damian said.

“What does that mean?”

“We eventually let them go,” Damian said, “They never would have served time for
attempted robbery, so it didn’t do anyone any good to have them locked up. Father and I
scared them. Hopefully, they get it through their heads how bad an idea tonight was.”

Robin released a breath, “Let me see.”

“I was going to do that anyway,” Damian said, taking Robin’s hand and walking to the
Medical Bay. He turned on the light and pulled out a container of bruise ointment, “I didn’t
think of it while we were out, but Father did. I have that appointment with the new doctor on
Wednesday. I can’t show up with fresh bruises. Tonight, will probably be the last time I
patrol until after the appointment. Can you please put some bruise cream on my back?”

Damian turned his back to Robin. The girl leaned closer to Damian’s back and looked for
marks. He could feel the tickle of her breath on his skin.

“Where did he hit you,” Robin asked, “I don’t see any marks.”

“That’s good,” Damian said, “Alfred added extra padding to my uniforms the last time he had
to make me larger ones. I guess it’s doing its job. The guy hit my upper back. Left shoulder
blade, mostly.”

Robin took a closer look at the area, but still didn’t see any markings, or any bruises starting
to form. Knowing Damian would still ask her, and knowing that the cream would help to
reduce the size of a bruise, if one started to form later, she opened the container and applied a
film of ointment to Damian’s back. She couldn’t see the smile on her boy’s face as she
rubbed his back, but she knew it was there from the relaxed posture of his shoulders.

“Anywhere else,” Robin asked.

“You can rub me anywhere you want,” Damian said softly.

Robin rolled her eyes, still a little angry that Damian potentially got hurt on patrol tonight.
She knew that she would have to get used to it, if they were going to live together, and
eventually be married.

“I meant injuries,” Robin growled softly.

“No,” Damian said, “no other injuries. We should wait a few minutes, for this to dry, then
apply it again, for best results.”

“You just want me to touch you some more,” Robin said with a wry smile.

Damian turned with a matching smile on his face, “You say that like you weren’t planning on
touching me again tonight.”

The wry smile softened into a demure smile, “Well, not outside of our bedroom.”

The couple sat on one of the exam tables, and Robin leaned her head against Damian’s
shoulder. “Did anything good happen on patrol tonight?”

Damian nodded, “I don’t know if it was intentional, but Father seemed to let me take lead
tonight. He’s been doing that a lot lately. He let’s me decide where we go and what we look
into. He’s asking my opinion more. It’s starting to feel more like an equal partnership,
instead of the normal Batman and Robin, where Batman leads and rules with an iron fist. I
like it.”

“That sounds great,” Robin said, “Did anything else good happen?”

“I think I found us a new informant,” Damian said, “He’s a drug dealer I’ve arrested a few
times before. He’s not a bad guy, really. He gave us some good information on a new
situation on the street. Looks like someone is selling some drug and trying to pass it off as a
Coronavirus vaccine. It’s killing people. Father is testing a sample of it in the lab right now.”

Robin gasped at the news, “A vaccine? Do you think it’s real?”

“No,” Damian said, shaking his head, “Not if the bodies in the morgue actually died from
this.”

“People will do almost anything to get rid of this virus,” Robin said.

“Except for following the stay-at-home orders,” Damian said, “Crime rates are up since the
beginning of lockdown. The Governor is an idiot for rolling back the orders. People are
going to die because of it, but all he cares about is tax revenue. He wants people back at
work, no matter how dangerous it is.”

“Has Wayne Enterprises taken a hit in profits from this,” Robin asked.

Damian shook his head, “I’m not up on the day-to-day anymore, but Father hasn’t been
acting how he normally does during stock dips, so I’m guessing we’re doing okay. I should
probably pay more attention to the business, since it will be mine, one day.”
Robin smirked, “You might want to pay attention to your current job, instead of your future
job.”

Damian leaned his head over to rest on top of Robin’s, “You’re right. I haven’t even started
my job yet, and I’m already thinking of my next one. Has your dad said anything about
Abbey Oil suffering from the situation?”

“Not that I’ve heard,” Robin said, “but I don’t work there. I guess you’ll have to give me
updates after you start. Are you excited?”

“I think I’m a little nervous,” Damian said, “I’m not used to being on the bottom. Even as an
assassin under Mother as a child, I still had the power to order people around. It will be a
learning experience. One week to go until I start.”

The couple fell silent for several long minutes. They just sat, leaning on each other, just as
comfortable with the silence as they were with the conversation.

After fifteen minutes, Damian took a breath and said, “That should be long enough. Put
another coat of the ointment on my back, then we can go up to bed.”

Robin smirked as Damian turned his back to her. “How about a please?”

“Please,” Damian said, looking over his shoulder.

“You can do better than that,” Robin joked.

Damian slid off of the exam table, dropped to a knee, and took Robin’s hand in his. “Please,
oh angel of mercy. Please do me the favor of relieving my anguish with your balm of
healing. Please cover me with your grace and keep me from further aggravation. Hide my
inequities, save me from myself, and keep the specter of official inquiry at bay from my lack
of forethought. I beg thee, dear maiden. Only you can protect what we have tried to build
from being torn asunder.”

Damian began kissing Robin’s knuckles as she rolled her eyes. “Holy crap, I’m marrying a
drama queen.”

Damian stood again. “You said I could do better. Was that better?”

Robin smirked, “Your goddess didn’t say you could rise, peasant.”

Damian dropped to a knee again playfully, “My humblest apologies, my lady.”

“Now, you may rise,” Robin said. Damian stood up again, and Robin’s smirk grew, “Nope,
changed my mind.”

Damian knelt again and released a breath, “You do remember that one of my knees is fake,
right? This is fun, but it isn’t always the nicest thing on my knees.”

“You started it,” Robin said. “Okay, stand up. Let’s get this done. It’s getting late.”
Robin applied another layer of the bruise cream to Damian’s back, then washed her hands
while Damian pulled his shirt on. The couple left the Medical Bay, and were surprised to see
Bruce heading for the computer. The man waved the teens over.

Damian and Robin approached, and Damian asked, “What’s going on, Father? I thought
you’d be in the lab for a while.”

“So did I,” Bruce said, “Turns out we’ve seen this concoction before.”

Damian’s eyes widened, “You’re kidding? The computer figured out what it is already?”

Bruce nodded, “This isn’t a vaccine at all; just someone preying on a fearful population.”

“Is this going to be the cause of death of the people we saw at the morgue tonight,” Damian
asked.

“Most likely,” Bruce said, “I need to call the Commissioner and tell him what we’re dealing
with.”

“What is it,” Robin asked.

“Two compounds that aren’t usually found together,” Bruce said, “The ‘vaccine’ consists of a
mixture of Vodka and Fentanyl.”

“That lady did say that she thought the vaccine came from Russia,” Damian mused before the
color drained from his face, “Wait, Fentanyl? That means…”

Bruce nodded, picking up from where Damian left off, “Yes. Those two people we came
across in the alley probably died before the ambulance could get to them. The concentration
of the drug in the injection was fairly high. I’m fairly certain this was the cause of death for
the people at the morgue.”

“Cameras or no cameras, we need to take Obruzzo down tomorrow,” Damian growled.

“No, Damian,” Bruce said, “I’m handing this over to Gordon and the police. We have more
than enough evidence for a major crimes investigation. Homicide, Vice, and the Organized
Crime task force all have a stake in this now. They can pick up Vincenzo Obruzzo first thing
in the morning.”

Damian still looked like he was fuming. Bruce lowered his voice, “I know how you feel,
Damian. You did good work tonight. I wouldn’t have been able to get that lady to talk the
way she did. You were able to put her at ease enough to give us a clue. We didn’t know what
we were dealing with, and you basically solved this whole thing. It was your informant and
your questioning that put us where we needed to be to figure out what’s going on. I’m going
to tell Jim that this is your bust.”

“It’s not our bust at all, if the police are bringing in Obruzzo,” Damian said harshly.

Bruce laid a hand on Damian’s shoulder, “All that matters is that we solved the crimes. We
don’t know how many bodies are attached to this fake vaccine, or how many people we are
saving by getting this off the streets. The police have the better resources to launch a large-
scale takedown of this whole organization. If you and I went after the Obruzzo’s, there’s a
good chance that we’d miss a lot of them, and it would make it harder for the police to come
in behind us to mop up. Leaving it to them allows them to do the job they are paid for, and
gives a better chance for this all ending at once. None of that takes away from the fact that
you solved this.”

Damian took a breath as Robin took his hand, “I guess so, Father.”

“Did you want to call the Commissioner,” Bruce asked.

Damian shook his head, “No, Father. He’s more likely to take the information seriously if it
comes from you.”

Unfortunately, for Damian’s mood and self-esteem, that was a correct assessment, and Bruce
knew it. He nodded and placed the Batphone on speaker before placing his call.

“I was just about to leave for the night, Batman,” Commissioner Gordon said in a yawn.

“No, you weren’t,” Bruce said, shocking Robin with the Batman voice. She wasn’t used to
hearing it from her future father-in-law.

“Why wasn’t I going to leave,” Jim asked, “It’s almost one in the morning.”

“You asked us to solve your mystery for you,” Bruce said, then looked over at his son,
“Robin solved it.”

“Robin solved it,” Gordon asked, “How?”

Batman said, “You told us to check our informants for leads. It was Robin’s informant who
led us to the solution.”

“And, what is the solution,” Gordon asked.

Bruce gestured at the phone. Damian huffed out a breath before saying, “The drug is being
sold as a vaccine for COVID. Obviously, it’s fake.”

“Robin,” Jim asked.

“Commissioner,” Damian said.

“Isn’t it past your bedtime?”

Damian rolled his eyes, “It’s not like I have school tomorrow.”

“It’s being sold by the Obruzzo Crime Family,” Bruce said, interrupting the commentary,
“Tell your officers to be very careful. The Obruzzo’s have cameras covering every inch of
their territory. They’ll know you’re coming. This seems to be spearheaded by Vincenzo
Obruzzo. He’s operating behind a pharmacy on Paley Drive.”
“Thank you, Batman…and Robin,” Gordon said, “Any idea what Obruzzo is actually
selling?”

“It’s a mixture of Vodka and Fentanyl, so don’t let your officers come into contact it,” Bruce
said.

“That’s quite a combination,” Gordon said, “I’ll get my officers on this right away. Thank
you again.”

The call ended, and Bruce turned to look at his kids, “I think this is case closed.”

“One of our shorter cases,” Damian said.

“That doesn’t mean it’s any less important,” Bruce said, “You did good work tonight, son.
Why don’t you two head up to bed. It’s late.”

Damian nodded and wrapped an arm around Robin’s waist, “Good night, Father.”

“Good night, Father,” Robin echoed, bringing a smile to both men’s faces.

A/N: I wanted to include some Gotham COVID Bat-investigations. I hope this works
for everyone. Thanks to booklady for the suggestion of someone selling fake vaccines.
It made me remember a meme I had seen in the early days of COVID. The caption said
‘Drug companies are spending millions on vaccine research. Meanwhile, in Russia…’
The picture attached was of a guy filling syringes from a vodka bottle. I had to look it
up to know for sure, but injecting alcohol straight into your veins is not likely to kill
you, so I had to add something else to the cocktail to make it get the attention of the
police, and Batman.

As for the new characters mentioned in this chapter: Benny had a couple appearances
in Not What it Seems. He’s a character of my own invention. Freely was a character I
invented a long time ago as an informant for Batman. He had appearances in several of
my stories. I killed him off in Hero Hunt. Vincenzo Obruzzo and the Obruzzo Crime
Family are also characters of my own invention. I’m not sure if they will be seen again.
I’m making this up as I go.

Next chapter should start some of the wedding preparations, and will also have the new
doctor’s appointment. It might also have more COVID patrolling. I haven’t decided
yet.

Please let me know what you think so far, and if you think I’m going in the right
direction. Comments make my day and can change the direction of a story, if I like
what you suggest better than what I originally planned.

Thanks for playing along.

 3

Batman 50

Chapter 3

Wednesday…

“Are you sure this is a good idea, Master Damian,” Alfred asked, “I know you saw the recent
increase in virus cases on the news.”

“I have a much better immune system than Tim,” Damian said from the back seat of the car
with a smirk, “Even so, I’m a little nervous.”

“Then why are you agreeing to an unnecessary examination,” Alfred asked, “Mr. Abbey told
you that a pre-employment physical is not necessary.”

“I know,” Damian said, “but Dr. Thompkins asked and, well…she’s kind of like you and
Robin. She does a lot for us. If she’s going to ask me for a favor, I’m not going to say no;
just like I wouldn’t say no to you or Robin.”

“That is very kind of you, Master Damian.”

Damian shrugged, “It’s hard to say no to someone who has literally helped reassemble your
body.”

“That is true, young man,” Alfred said with a smile as he pulled into the parking lot outside
of Leslie’s clinic. “Did you need me to accompany you inside, Master Damian?”

“Normally, you wouldn’t ask,” Damian said, “but I don’t blame you for not wanting to go
into the building, Alfred. I had wanted you to observe the exam, but I don’t know how
crowded it will be in there. You can wait in the car, if you feel more comfortable out here.”

“Thank you, Master Damian,” Alfred said, “Master Dick will sleep easier, knowing I did not
go into the office.”

Damian smirked, “You know, I thought Tim would be the one who would overreact to the
virus, not Dick.”

“Master Timothy would be more apt for nerves in this situation,” Alfred agreed as they
parked in a nearly empty parking lot outside of the clinic. “If I may say, you seem a little
nervous yourself.”

Damian took a breath, “I’m not sure about this new doctor. I just keep thinking about what
happened with the last doctor she hired. I’m just wondering what I’m setting myself up for
here.”
“If you go in with that attitude, it will only end poorly,” Alfred said, “You know nothing
about this doctor, other than Dr. Thompkins thinks she might be a good fit for the clinic.”
The butler paused, then asked, “Is that why you wanted my company on this visit?”

Damian nodded and said quietly, “Yeah.”

“I see,” Alfred said, “Your father and I were wondering why this didn’t turn into an outing for
you and Miss Robin.”

Damian looked down, “I don’t want Robin to see it, if this turns into Doctor Molester 2.0.”

“I’m sure you have nothing to worry about, Master Damian,” Alfred said.

“I hope so,” Damian said, reaching for the door handle, “Still, keep your phone by you. I’ll
call if anything happens.”

Damian got out of the car and walked up to the door of the building. He was surprised when
he pulled on the door handle and found it locked. Damian looked down at the handle, then
found a speaker next to the door.

Damian pressed the button, and a voice asked, “Can I help you?”

“I have an appointment at eleven,” Damian said.

“Of course,” the voice said, “Can I get your name, please?”

“Damian Wayne.”

The door buzzed, and the voice said, “Come right in.”

Damian walked into the nearly empty waiting room and headed over to the receptionist. Her
desk was surrounded by a plexiglass barrier.

“What’s with the locked door,” Damian asked.

The receptionist smiled at Damian and said, “We don’t take walk-ins anymore, since COVID
hit. That’s the only way to keep our lobby safe.”

Damian nodded, “I get it. Can’t be easy running a medical office right now.”

“It’s not,” the receptionist said, “Please, have a seat. There is one patient ahead of you.”

Damian was taken back to an examination room twenty-five minutes after arriving at the
clinic. He walked into the exam room and smiled at Dr. Thompkins, even though it wasn’t
seen under his mask.

“Hi, Damian.”

“Hello, Doctor,” Damian said, glancing over at the room’s other occupant, a young woman.
Damian got the feeling that she wasn’t too much older than himself, but also that she looked
younger than she actually was.

Leslie followed Damian’s eyes and said, “Damian, this is Dr. Mara Kaspersky. Mara, this is
Damian Wayne.”

Damian caught the flash of recognition at his last name. “Hello,” Damian said with a nod.

Damian was trying not to appear nervous, but he got the impression that Dr. Kaspersky
picked up on his nerves.

“It’s okay to feel uncomfortable around a new doctor,” Dr. Kaspersky said, “so feel free to
ask me anything.”

The young doctor had been introducing herself to every new patient she saw that way, and
had so far gotten very few questions. She didn’t expect any from this patient, but Damian
wanted more information.

“You seem kind of young for a doctor,” Damian said.

“That’s because I am,” Dr. Kaspersky said with a smile that could be seen even with her
mask in place, “I graduated high school early, which allowed me to graduate college and
medical school early.”

“How early,” Damian asked.

“I graduated high school at sixteen,” the doctor said.

This time, Dr. Kaspersky caught Damian’s smirk, “Are you going to graduate high school at
sixteen, too?”

“No,” Damian said, his smirk growing, “I graduated high school at thirteen.”

“Impressive,” Dr. Kaspersky said, shocked at the fact, “When will you graduate college?”

“A couple weeks ago,” Damian said, “Dual major in Business Administration and
Engineering.”

Dr. Kaspersky nodded and asked sarcastically, “So, if you’re a Wayne, when are you going to
take over Wayne Enterprises?”

Damian shrugged, “Whenever Father decides to retire.”

Dr. Kaspersky’s eyes widened, “Oh. I didn’t know you were part of that Wayne family.”

“I didn’t know there were other Wayne families in Gotham,” Damian said.

Dr. Thompkins stepped in and said, “Yes, Mara. Bruce Wayne is Damian’s father.”

“I see,” Dr. Kaspersky said. She turned back to Damian and asked, “Did you have any other
questions before we get started?”
“Where did you do your medical residency,” Damian asked.

Dr. Kaspersky was a little surprised at the question, “St. Ignatius Hospital, in Metropolis.”

Damian looked confused at the answer, “Why did you come to Gotham City, if you had a
position in Metropolis?”

Dr. Kaspersky shrugged, “Gotham City is home. I was born and raised here.”

“Well, I guess that is a good reason,” Damian said, nodding slowly.

“How about we get started,” Dr. Kaspersky said, “What brings you in today?”

“Pre-employment physical,” Damian said, “I just got my first job.”

Dr. Kaspersky said, “All the news reports lately are talking about how places are having to
lay off employees.”

“Yes,” Damian said, “I got lucky.”

“I suppose that is the benefit of having a family business,” Dr. Kaspersky said, “Cuts out
some of the H.R. needs. Then again, why would your dad require you to have a physical?”

“I’m not working for Wayne Enterprises,” Damian said, “I got a job with Abbey Oil.”

“Never heard of them,” Dr. Kaspersky said while taking Damian’s temperature with a
forehead thermometer.

“It’s my fiancé’s family company,” Damian said idly.

Dr. Kaspersky looked at Damian skeptically, “Fiancé? Isn’t that wishful thinking at your
age? Dr. Thompkins did tell me that you’re only sixteen.”

“No,” Damian said, shaking his head, “I proposed on her last birthday.” Damian trailed off in
thought. His jaw sagged a bit as he said, “No, the one before that. Robin just had a birthday.
Wow, we’ve already been engaged for a year. That went fast. We’ll get married after I turn
eighteen.”

“What’s her name,” Dr. Kaspersky asked.

“Robin,” Damian said with a soft smile.

“I see,” Dr. Kaspersky said, “Can you roll up your sleeve, please? Let’s get your blood
pressure.”

Leslie interrupted with a smile as Damian was reaching for his sleeve, “You might want to
wait on that for a couple minutes. I’ve seen them together, and nothing gets Damian’s heart
pumping like talking about Robin. I guarantee your reading would be very high, right now.”
“Okay,” Dr. Kaspersky said, “Moving on. Can you please strip down to your underwear, so
we can get your height and weight?”

Damian’s eyes narrowed, and he started to lean away from the woman, “No.”

The response took Dr. Kaspersky by surprise. No one had ever said no to her as a doctor
before, and she wasn’t ready for the icy response. “I’m sorry?”

“I said no,” Damian said, “I’m not doing that.”

“We need to get an accurate weight, for the record,” Dr. Kaspersky said.

“I’m fine with an inaccurate one,” Damian replied.

“It’s okay, Damian,” Dr. Kaspersky said with a smile, “I’m a doctor. You aren’t going to
show me anything I haven’t seen before. You aren’t going to shock me.”

“You’re also a stranger,” Damian said, “Anyway, you’ve seen my chart. You should know
why this bothers me.”

“Damian,” Dr. Thompkins interjected, “Remember what’s going on here today. I wanted Dr.
Kaspersky to treat this visit as if you were a new patient, visiting the clinic for the first time,
with no medical records. She hasn’t seen your chart.”

Damian stared at both doctors silently. Leslie sighed and asked, “Can you excuse us for a
second, Mara?”

“Sure,” Dr. Kaspersky said, walking to the other side of the exam room.

Leslie whispered to Damian, “What’s really going on here, Damian? Do you have some new
injury that I don’t know about?”

“No,” Damian whispered, “I’m not comfortable with this.”

“Are you getting any of those feelings about her,” Dr. Thompkins asked nervously.

“No, I’m not,” Damian said, “I’m…I’m just not comfortable with this. She seems like a nice
person. I don’t want to scare her. She knows who I am. I don’t want my back to end up on
the front page of GMZ.”

“She won’t do that, Damian,” Dr. Thompkins said.

“I hope not,” Damian said softly, “She’s really not that bad.”

Leslie gave a bright smile and asked, “You like her?”

Damian ignored the question, “I also don’t want to have to answer all of her questions when
she sees my scars.”
“If she starts asking too many questions, I’ll inform her that everything is already
documented in your chart,” Leslie said, “Please, Damian, go along with this exam. For me?”

“I still don’t like this,” Damian grumbled.

“But,” Dr. Thompkins asked.

Damian sighed, “But I promised. If I tell her to stop, you have to make sure that she stops.”

“I will,” Leslie said before turning and nodding at Dr. Kaspersky.

Damian leaned over and untied his shoes as Dr. Kaspersky took a couple steps closer. “I
understand, Damian. It’s okay to be uncomfortable in a situation like this.”

“It isn’t really the situation,” Damian said, “I don’t mind an examination. You’re just a new
person.”

“I’m not that new,” Dr. Kaspersky said with a smirk, “I’m older than you.”

Leslie was very surprised that the comment drew a small, snorted laugh from Damian.

Dr. Kaspersky thought Damian was a normal teenaged boy, and was nervous about lowering
his pants in front of a stranger, but his jeans came off without so much as a backwards
glance. She couldn’t help noticing the pronounced blush on Damian’s cheeks as he pulled his
t-shirt over his head.

Damian walked over and stood on the scale in a way that kept him facing the doctor the
whole time. Okay, he either doesn’t trust me, or he doesn’t want me seeing his back, Dr.
Kaspersky thought. I’ll see whatever he’s hiding in a second, unless it’s just a trust issue. He
has to know that.

“Okay, let’s get that height and weight,” Dr. Kaspersky said, walking up to the scale.

Damian looked down and flushed bright red in embarrassment as Dr. Kaspersky got closer.
That was when she noticed the deep scars on his chest and shoulder. I think I get it now. He
didn’t want me seeing his scars. Normally, a teenage boy would show off scars. Those must
have some bad stories behind them.

“Stand up straight, please,” Dr. Kaspersky said softly as she lifted the arm of the scale to
measure his height. “Five feet, eight and a quarter inches. Let’s get your weight now.”

Dr. Kaspersky moved to set the weight on the balance, and was confused when Damian
turned to keep facing her. She gave the teen a soft smile, “I promise, I won’t do anything
behind your back.”

Damian didn’t respond, and as Dr. Kaspersky was adjusting the scale, she said idly, “I don’t
suppose you want to tell me how you got those scars on your chest.”

“Not particularly,” Damian grumbled.

“Damian,” Dr. Thompkins said from across the room, “It’s better that she finds out now.”

Dr. Kaspersky glanced at Dr. Thompkins in confusion. Damian sighed and, biting his lower
lip, slowly turned his back to the doctors.

The gasp was expected, but not as pronounced as Damian thought it could be.

Taking a deep, suddenly uncomfortable breath, Dr. Kaspersky said, “I see. Well, then. Um,
one hundred fifty-six pounds even.”

Dr. Kaspersky walked over to the counter to write down the measurements.

Damian started speaking softly, several seconds later, “I lived with my mother until I was ten,
in another country. She didn’t want to be a mother, and proved it every chance she got. Not
all of these scars are from her, but a good majority are. If you’re thinking of filing a child
abuse report on her, don’t bother. It won’t do any good.”

“Why wouldn’t it do any good,” Dr. Kaspersky asked softly.

“One,” Damian said, “Dr. Thompkins already tried. My mother doesn’t live in this country,
and none of your reporting agencies can touch her.” Damian looked down, “Two, she’s
already in jail for all of her other crimes, serving a life sentence. A child abuse report won’t
keep her in jail any longer or add anything to her sentence.”

“I’m surprised that news like that hasn’t hit the tabloids,” Dr. Kaspersky said.

“It’s not newsworthy,” Damian said in a haunted voice, “The world is better off forgetting my
mother ever existed.”

The exam room fell uncomfortably silent for a long minute. Dr. Kaspersky slowed down her
note taking, to give Damian a minute to compose himself. So, he’s an abuse victim. I can see
why he was uncomfortable earlier. Unfortunately, I’ve dealt with many abuse victims in the
past. Maybe I can turn this around. Dr. Thompkins did tell me that this was a test. Let’s see
what I can do to keep from failing.

“Do you feel up to continuing,” Dr. Kaspersky asked softly, breaking Damian out of his
trance.

Damian glanced up, remembering where he was, “Oh. Um, sure.”

Dr. Kaspersky took Damian through a battery of range of motion tests; tests that Damian
could complete without the doctor being too close to him. Damian passed the tests easily.

“Everything looks good, so far,” Dr. Kaspersky said, pulling a stethoscope from her pocket.
“I’d like to listen to your heart and lungs now. Is it okay if I touch you to do that?”

Damian glanced at the doctor for a second before saying, “Yes.”

Dr. Kaspersky put the tips in her ears and held the head of the stethoscope to Damian’s chest,
making sure that only the tool touched Damian’s skin. “Thank you. Deep breaths, please.”
Dr. Thompkins smiled at how the exam seemed to be going, and walked out of the room.

“I’m going to listen to your lungs now,” Dr. Kaspersky said, “I need to be behind you. I’ll
tell you where I’m going to touch before I do anything. Okay?”

Damian nodded, and the doctor walked around behind Damian. “Upper back, left side. Deep
breath.”

Damian didn’t flinch when the stethoscope was pressed to his back, which surprised the teen.

“Upper back, right side.”

Damian took another couple breaths, surprised that he was getting more comfortable with this
exam.

“Lower back, left side. Bottom of your rib cage.”

Damian took another breath. Dr. Kaspersky then asked, “Did you get a sunburn recently?
Your back is kind of red.”

“Sunburn, no,” Damian said, “Burn, yes. I took my fiancé to her senior prom last year.”

“How long have you two been together,” Dr. Kaspersky asked.

“Four years,” Damian said with a relaxed smile, “We met when I was twelve. We’ve been
together ever since. Anyway, Prom Night, after the dance, her parent’s house burned down.
It was an electrical fire. We were caught in the house in the fire. I had second and third
degree burns to forty percent of my body, and we both spent a month in the hospital. My
back used to be much redder than it is now.”

“That must have been terrifying,” Dr. Kaspersky said.

“Yeah,” Damian said in a haunted voice. “Anyway, that strange-looking area on my right
shoulder and the white patch on my side are skin grafts. There is another one to the left of
my spine, just below my rib cage, but that one is harder to see.”

Dr. Kaspersky looked at the areas, but didn’t try to touch them. She walked back in front of
Damian again and said, “Okay. Can we get that blood pressure now?”

Damian held out his left arm with a nod. The reading was taken quickly, and Dr. Kaspersky
made another note.

Dr. Kaspersky turned to Damian and said, “You are in excellent health, Damian. I would like
to do some strength tests next. They will require touching you again. Is that okay?”

Damian tried to hide his hesitant look, “Where will you be touching?”

“Your arms,” Dr. Kaspersky said with a smile.

“I guess that’s okay,” Damian said.

“Okay,” Dr. Kaspersky said, “Now, what you’re going to do is hold your arms out directly in
front of you, palms down. I’m going to push down on your wrists. Without bending your
arms, try to keep me from lowering your arms. Got it?”

Damian nodded and held out his arms, and surprised the doctor when she couldn’t budge his
arms.

“Good,” Dr. Kaspersky said, “Hold your arms straight out to your sides. We’re going to do
the same test.”

The test was repeated, and again, Dr. Kaspersky struggled to move Damian’s arms.

“Alright, this last one is a little different. You’re going to hold your arms down at your sides
and try to lift them out to the side. I’m going to try to hold your arms down.”

Damian was able to lift his arms with only a little difficulty.

Dr. Kaspersky nodded, then went to make a note. “You’re very strong. Do you exercise, or
work out?”

“Yes, I do,” Damian said.

“You must work out a lot,” Dr. Kaspersky remarked.

“It gives me something to do when my fiancé and I aren’t together,” Damian gave a smirk,
“and it gives her something to look at and feel when we’re together.”

Dr. Kaspersky caught the look on Damian’s face and asked, “This is a standard question that I
was going to skip, but are you sexually active?”

“Yes, we are,” Damian said, “And before you ask, we know about safe sex, and we use
condoms every time, and we had a pregnancy scare a couple years ago when one broke, and
we both have been tested for STD’s and tested clean, and we are both faithful and exclusive
partners.”

“Sounds good,” Dr. Kaspersky said.

Damian blushed a bit before admitting, “Dr. Thompkins, Father, and Alfred all sat me down
and had three very serious, very embarrassing conversations with me when Robin and I
started getting serious. That was a very uncomfortable couple days.”

Dr. Kaspersky nodded, idly wondering who Alfred was. “Well, we’re done here. You can
get dressed now.”

“How am I,” Damian asked as he pulled his pants back on.

“You’re probably the healthiest person I’ve ever examined,” Dr. Kaspersky said, “Where
should we send the report?”
“Oh,” Damian said, pulling his shirt over his head, “You can just file that in my medical
chart.”

Dr. Kaspersky looked confused, “What about your job?”

Damian looked over as he was tying his shoes, “Didn’t Dr. Thompkins tell you that this exam
was a test?”

“Yes,” Dr. Kaspersky said, “to see how I handled a patient without medical records, and to
see how I handled nervous patients…and she told me not to tell you that. Sorry.”

Damian smiled, “Don’t apologize. I know exactly the kind of patient I am. There was
another test going on here, though.”

“Oh,” Dr. Kaspersky asked, “What was the test?”

Damian took a breath, “You aren’t the first partner Dr. Thompkins has ever taken on. A
couple years ago, she hired another doctor. I had broken my ankle that summer, and came in
for a check-up and an x-ray. The new doctor came in, and we were surprised, to say the
least. There was something about him that I didn’t like. I couldn’t describe the feeling, but I
was very uncomfortable around him, and I wouldn’t let him examine me. I told Dr.
Thompkins what I thought was going on, and she told me to stop being rude and to give him
a chance. Two days later, he was arrested for molesting patients.”

Dr. Kaspersky gasped in shock at the revelation.

“He was molesting patients in the x-ray room,” Damian continued, “If I’d let him do my x-
ray, he would have tried to make me his next victim.”

“How awful,” Dr. Kaspersky said.

Damian released a breath, “The only thing we could figure was, because I was molested as a
child, I was able to detect warning signs. I caught it when no one else did. Dr. Thompkins
has been nervous about hiring another doctor ever since.”

“So, she wanted you to see if you got any bad feelings about me,” Dr. Kaspersky asked.

“Don’t be offended,” Damian said, “Dr. Thompkins only wants the best for her patients. I’m
sure she didn’t think you were actually going to molest anyone. She was just nervous. I
think this means that she wants you to work out here.”

Damian got up and headed for the door. Dr. Kaspersky asked, “Um, did I pass the test?”

Damian turned back and gave a small smile, “So far. I’m sure Dr. Thompkins will tell you
that every appointment with me is a test, though.”

Damian was heading back to the lobby when Leslie called him into her office. He shut the
door behind him as Leslie was asking, “How did the rest of the exam go?”
“You made a much better choice in partners, this time,” Damian said, “I didn’t feel like I was
stuck in a room with a predator.”

“Good,” Dr. Thompkins said, “Do you have a new doctor, now?”

“I’d prefer for you to remain my doctor,” Damian said with concern lacing his tone.

“How about if I was on vacation, or if the office was busy,” Leslie asked, “Would you see her
then?”

Damian thought for a second, then said, “Yes, I’d have no problem seeing her.”

Leslie released a relieved breath, “I’m glad to hear that. What won you over?”

Damian looked down, “After she saw my scars, she changed her approach. I think she
realized that I have a complicated history. She asked for my permission before touching me.
She talked to me during the exam, and told me what she was doing when she was standing
behind me. That…that went a long way towards helping me feel comfortable.”

“Thank you, Damian,” Leslie said, then lowered her voice, “So, should she know
everything?”

“That’s really up to Father,” Damian said, “Maybe sometime in the future.”

Leslie nodded, “Okay. So, how comfortable are you?”

“I’d still prefer for you to be my doctor,” Damian said, “but I would be okay seeing Dr.
Kaspersky, too. If Robin needs a new doctor, or when we have our future kids, I’d be okay
with them seeing Dr. Kaspersky.”

Dr. Thompkins’ eyes widened in surprise at the glowing recommendation from the teen.
“You just made my day, Damian.”

Damian nodded, “Oh, I told her why I was really here today.”

“Why,” Leslie asked.

“She wanted to know where to send the notes from the exam,” Damian said, “I told her about
your last attempt at hiring a partner. She was suitably horrified.”

“Oh,” Leslie said, “Well, thanks. You saved me from having to explain it. I guess the next
time I’ll see you will be at the wedding. Take care of yourself, and don’t forget to put your
mask back on before going back out into the lobby.

Damian left the office, and was replaced by Dr. Kaspersky a minute later.

“You snuck that one in on me, didn’t you?”

“I told you that the exam was a test,” Leslie said, “I just didn’t tell you all of the tests.
Damian told me that he told you about Dr. Fong.”
“Is that the last doctor,” Mara asked, “He didn’t tell me a name.”

“Did he also tell you that he was one of Dr. Fong’s victims,” Leslie asked.

“No,” Mara said in shock.

Leslie nodded, “Damian doesn’t want to see himself as a victim, and he wasn’t as assaulted
as the other victims, but Dr. Fong did touch him.”

Leslie handed over a thick folder, “Damian is, possibly, the most complex patient we have in
the practice. He is definitely the pickiest, most opinionated, and most outspoken. If he
doesn’t like something, or someone, he will not hesitate to speak up. That comes from his
history, and the fact that he is now in a situation where he is encouraged to speak up. You
saw his scars. He didn’t want you to see them, at first. Every scar has a story, and most of
them are abusive.”

Mara leafed through the file, and asked, “I asked him if I passed the test. He just said ‘so
far’. What does that really mean?”

Leslie smiled, “Damian doesn’t trust people. Not easily, at least. He’s been hurt a lot, and it
takes a lot for him to feel comfortable around new people. Today, you made him feel
comfortable. He didn’t complain when I walked out of the room. He went along with your
examination. He told me he would feel comfortable seeing you again. Most importantly, he
said he’d be okay with you seeing Robin and their future kids.”

“Robin is the fiancé, right?”

“Yes,” Leslie said.

“So, he’s okay with others seeing me,” Mara asked.

Leslie shook her head, “You don’t understand, because this is the first time you’ve met
Damian, and you haven’t seen him around his family, or his fiancé, yet. Damian is absolutely
committed to Robin. Her care and wellbeing are more important to him than his own. If you
lined everyone Damian cares about up in front of a firing squad and told him that he could
only save one, he wouldn’t even think twice before saving Robin. Saying he would be okay
with you being her doctor is probably the highest praise he can give. You won over my most
difficult patient, Mara.”

“I know that’s a good thing,” Mara said, “but is that a good thing?”

Leslie smiled gently, “He can be the most difficult patient, but he can also be the sweetest,
kindest person you’d want to meet. I think you’ll see that over the coming years.”

Mara looked up from the file, “Over the coming years?”

Leslie nodded, “Your probation period is over, Mara. Welcome to the practice.”

Later…
“Was it as bad as you thought it would be?”

Damian looked up as Robin walked into the room. While Damian had gone to his
appointment, Robin had gone to visit her sister. Damian had been home for a couple hours
before Robin walked into their bedroom.

“She seems to be a competent doctor,” Damian said, rising from his chair to hug Robin.

Robin eyed Damian for a second, then asked, “How would you feel about her becoming my
doctor?”

Damian shrugged, “If you need a new doctor, I guess she’d be okay.”

“Wow,” Robin said softly, “You really liked her.”

Damian released a breath, “She made me feel comfortable. She knows how to handle people
who have a…complicated past. Dr. Thompkins made a much better choice in partners, this
time.”

Robin nodded, “Looks like I’ll have a new doctor, the next time I need to see someone. If
you liked her this much, she must be impressive.”

The couple looked towards the door as Alfred cleared his throat from the hallway. Damian
looked at the man strangely before asking, “Alfred, when have you ever needed permission to
enter my room?”

“Far be it for me to intrude on your alone time, Master Damian,” Alfred said.

Damian looked at Robin, figuring that Alfred thought he might be interrupting something.
“If we wanted alone time, we would have closed the door, or gone to another part of the
house. What’s up, Alfred?”

Alfred stepped into the room and addressed Robin, “Good afternoon, Miss Robin. I was not
aware that you had returned already. How was your afternoon?”

Robin smiled at the butler, “I only got back a few minutes ago. It was fun. I forgot how
much fun it is hanging around with my sister. My roommate at the dorms was nice, but it’s
completely different with Gina.”

Damian smirked, “How did you like driving my car?”

“I was a bit nervous,” Robin said, “I figured out that it has been almost a year since I’ve
driven anything, and your car is a lot more powerful than my car. I got there and back with
no problems, though.”

“Well, Father added you to our insurance policy for a reason,” Damian said.

Robin turned to look at Damian, “Wait, he actually added me to your insurance?”

Damian nodded, “On Monday. You also got added to the family health insurance policy,
too.”

“Isn’t that a little sudden?”

“We can’t have you unprotected, if you’re going to be living here,” Damian said. He turned
back to Alfred and asked, “What’s going on, Alfred? Did you want us for something?”

Alfred cleared his throat, “As you are aware, we have quite the important event happening at
the end of the month. If I were to set out a list of chores, would you be willing to assist me in
completing them?”

Damian didn’t answer immediately. On the one hand, he had told Alfred earlier today that if
the butler were to ask him for a favor, he would never say no. On the other hand, he was still
on the fence about how he felt about the whole wedding. He had decided, with a lot of help
from Robin and Dinah, his therapist, that he was not going to stand in the way of Bruce and
Selina’s wedding. That didn’t mean he felt excited about the event.

How do I answer that question, Damian thought to himself. Even though I should know by
now, I don’t know how I feel about everything yet. Is helping Alfred get the house ready for
the wedding condoning the marriage? Is refusing to help the same as saying I don’t want
them to get married? Do I even not want them to get married? It’s really not my decision,
after all. I know Father wants me to be happy for him, and I really think I’m happy that he
found someone who makes him happy. Selina isn’t all that bad. She’s far more interesting
than those society whores Father used to go around with. Am I overthinking this? I think I
am. Alfred didn’t ask me if I’m okay with Father getting married. He asked me to help him
get the house ready. Whatever he puts on that list is stuff that he will have to do himself, if I
don’t help him. This will make things easier on him, and that is something I can get behind.
It really has nothing to do with Father, Selina, or the wedding. This is about helping Alfred.

Damian took a deep breath after a much longer than necessary pause, “Sure, Alfred. I’ll help
you with whatever you need.”

Both Alfred and Robin seemed relieved by the answer.

“Thank you, Master Damian,” Alfred said.

“I’ll help, too,” Robin chimed in, “Summer school doesn’t start for a few more weeks. I’ve
got nothing but time.”

“That will be very helpful, Miss Robin,” Alfred said, “I shall leave a list of chores for you in
the morning, young sir. Thank you again.”

Alfred left the room, and Robin gently took Damian’s hand. “Want to go for a walk,” Robin
asked softly, knowing that physical activity and movement would help Damian process
whatever thoughts were furrowing his forehead.

“Yeah,” Damian said softly.

Later…

Red Robin approached Batman’s side absolutely silently as the elder vigilante crouched on
the roof of a warehouse in the northern part of the city. It didn’t matter how quiet Red Robin
was, Batman still knew he was there. Even if he had been able to float, the Dark Knight
would have still known he was approaching.

“What did you find, Red Robin,” Batman asked softly.

Red Robin knelt at Batman’s side, “It’s empty. No people anywhere. The pallets are still
inside.”

“How about security systems,” Batman asked, “Cameras?”

“One over each door,” Red Robin said, “They’re monitored offsite. Any idea what they’re
hiding in there?”

“We’ll find out soon,” Batman said, “Look, a truck is approaching.”

Batman and Red Robin stared intently as a small box truck from a local moving company
approached the warehouse. A man got out of the truck, looked around, pulled a paper from
the inside of the truck, read over the paper, looked around again, then got back in the truck
and drove off.

Batman released a nearly-silent breath, “False alarm.”

“Maybe,” Red Robin said, “It’s a little late at night to be moving. However, using a rented
truck, with the rental company’s logos painted on the side, is a pretty stupid way for a
criminal to get caught.”

“Stay alert, Red Robin,” Batman said.

Red Robin glanced over at Batman quickly, then asked, “Why did you ask for me to join you
tonight, Batman?”

“I wanted your assistance with this bust,” Batman said.

“Why me, though,” Red Robin asked. Batman didn’t answer for a second as they watched a
private security car drive past. Red Robin released a breath before saying, “We’ve noticed.
We’ve all noticed. It’s okay. We don’t mind.”

“You’ve noticed what,” Batman asked, looking around, thinking Red Robin might have seen
something he missed.

Red Robin nearly smiled at the question, “We’ve all noticed the fact that you’ve taken Robin
on patrol nearly every night for the last three months. Which explanation is the right one?
We’ve placed bets. Who won?”
Batman released a small sigh, “I don’t know what you’re talking about.”

Red Robin’s smile grew, “Nightwing’s guess is that you are trying to bond with your son.
You didn’t handle his quarantine well in March. We all saw you standing in the hallway
outside of the sealed off door, leading to the north wing. We all know how much you wanted
to be able to be up there for him.”

Batman gave a soft grunt, merely indicating that Red Robin had been heard.

Red Robin continued, “Red Hood thinks you are taking Robin out more because of Robin.
She moved in, and you are actively trying to fight against becoming a grandfather. His
thought is that if you tire Robin out before you bring him home, he won’t have the energy to
make a baby.”

The line of Batman’s mouth compressed at the thought Red Robin put into his head.

Red Robin nodded at the non-reaction. “I, on the other hand, think it has nothing to do with
Robin. You’re getting nervous about your wedding, and you’re still not sure how Robin feels
about everything. He’s assured you that he’s okay with the wedding, but you’re wondering if
he’s okay with what comes after. A wedding is one thing, a marriage is something else. He
gets along with…Catwoman…but he is no closer to seeing her as a mom now than he was a
year ago.”

Batman finally looked over, and Red Robin stared at the exposed chin for a long second.
“It’s all of them, isn’t it?”

Batman growled, but said softly, “Yes.”

Red Robin nodded slowly, “I get it. I really do. What you’re doing isn’t easy. You’re also
doing what’s best for him. You really are. Robin is happy. He is soaking up the extra
attention. It’s good for him.”

“How do you feel about all of this,” Batman asked softly, “She’s becoming your mother,
too.”

“Don’t take this the wrong way, but I’ve never thought of her that way,” Red Robin said. “I
love her, and I think you two go well together, but I’ve never had that same ‘new mom’
feeling that Nightwing gets. I…I don’t…” Red Robin released a breath and looked down, “I
don’t know how to say this without it sounding hurtful.”

“Just be honest, son,” Batman said.

Red Robin sighed and spoke just above a breath, “Janet Drake is my mother. I’ve…never
needed or wanted another one. Does Se…Catwoman even know you adopted me?”

“I’m…pretty sure she knows,” Batman said.

“I’m just not at the point in my life where a new parent will make much of a difference,” Red
Robin said. “I’m glad you two are getting married, and I welcome any relationship she wants
to have with me, and if I ever have kids, she could be a good grandmother, I just don’t know
how comfortable I would be thinking of her as a mother. Like I said, I’m not at that point in
my life.”

Batman took a deep breath through his nose, “Thank you for being honest with me.”

I think I hurt him with that explanation. “I’m sorry, B. We’ve all spent so much time
monitoring how Robin feels about her, I never considered my own feelings. I think I want to
spend more time around her, see if she realizes that she’s going to be a mother to all of us, in
one form or another.”

“You don’t have to do that for me,” Batman said.

“I’m doing it for me,” Red Robin said, “I’ve always enjoyed her company, B. Maybe, if this
virus ever goes away, we can add her in to the next family vacation.”

“She’d enjoy that,” Batman said, “How do you think Robin would react to that?”

“I think the next few weeks will answer that question,” Red Robin said, “Getting back to my
original question: where is Robin tonight?”

“It was suggested that he needed something physical to clear his mind tonight,” Batman said,
“I spoke with Robin after dinner, and she told me about a conversation between Robin and
Agent A early this afternoon. Agent A asked Robin to help with getting the house ready for
the wedding, and Robin got that look where he starts overthinking things. He agreed to help
out, but it took nearly two minutes for him to be able to answer the question. I knew we
would be on a stakeout tonight, and I would spend more time listening to him growling and
sighing than watching our target if I kept him with me. Nightwing and Red Hood took Robin
to Crime Alley to chase down some drug dealers and petty criminals.”

“That ought to get him to calm down,” Red Robin said, then pointed out an approaching
truck. “Here we go.”

A stake bed truck was approaching the warehouse from one direction, while an older model
BMW sedan was approaching from the other. The vehicles stopped with their front bumpers
almost touching, and the drivers got out to discuss their deal.

“They obviously don’t care about the cargo being seen,” Red Robin said, “We don’t bust
open bed smuggling trucks often. What are we even staking out, Batman?”

“Stolen medical supplies are bringing a premium lately,” Batman said, “If the tip is correct,
these were stolen from the harbor before they could be routed to Blackgate Prison. Gordon
said they’ve had a growing number of COVID cases in the prison. They think the guards
brought it in.”

Red Robin nodded, “Should we get closer?”

The two drivers disappeared from view as they walked into the warehouse to inspect the
merchandise. Batman nodded and said, “Let’s get closer.”
The previous Dynamic Duo moved as one, silently covering the distance from their
observation point to the roof of the warehouse in question. The maneuver was simple,
something Batman had done hundreds of times with all of his sidekicks over the years.
However, he now noticed a difference as his third son crouched at his side. The first three
Robins moved with a fluid grace and silence that the current Robin couldn’t quite match.
They had taken after Dick’s Robin, learning the lessons of an acrobat to move fluidly and
silently. Damian’s Robin was able to be just as quiet, but it felt different to Batman. The
current Robin’s movements betrayed his training. Dick had been trained to be smooth, to put
on a show, and in turn to know when and how to hide parts of his performance. Following
his example, Jason and Tim had worked diligently to attempt to be just as smooth. Damian,
on the other hand, had learned how to move and control his body long before he had ever
heard of Dick. His moves were designed to set himself up for an attack, whether it was an
assassination or getting the drop on a Gotham criminal. There was a subtle difference, along
with a hint of menace, in the way Damian moved.

Spending the last three months patrolling almost daily with his son had allowed Batman to
observe Robin closely. Robin moved much in the same way Batman did, all dark energy and
brooding intensity. He found it somewhat refreshing to be patrolling with someone with a
lighter touch again.

“Where did you get these from?”

“You know better than to ask something like that.”

“Are they the real thing?”

“What do you care? You’re just going to flip them on the street for a quick buck.”

“They’ll move quicker if I can get some information about them.”

“Open a box. See if you like them.”

Batman and Red Robin looked at each other at the overheard conversation. Batman asked
softly, “What is in the boxes, Red Robin?”

Red Robin shook his head, “I don’t know. I didn’t go inside the warehouse earlier, and I
wasn’t able to see any writing on the boxes.”

The first voice sounded from inside the warehouse again, “I don’t know about this. You saw
what happened to Obruzzo yesterday. The news said he was selling a fake vaccine.”

“These are the real deal,” the second voice said, “You’re helping out the city. So what if
you’re making a quick buck on the side.”

The first man took a deep breath before asking, “How much?”

“How much for how much?”

“All of it.”
The vigilantes could hear the smile in the second man’s voice, “We can do both pallets for
one hundred.”

“Now, Batman,” Red Robin asked.

“Wait until the money changes hands,” Batman said.

Red Robin pulled smoke pellets from his utility belt, readying himself, and listened closely to
the exchange.

The warehouse was silent for a second before the second man exclaimed, “What the fuck is
that?”

“Come on, I’m going to lose count. Don’t distract me.”

“What is this shit?”

“You said one hundred. Let me count it out. Eighty, eighty-five, ninety…”

“One hundred thousand. One hundred thousand dollars, dumbass.”

“Who the hell carries one hundred thousand dollars on them?”

“Someone doing serious business,” the second man said, “Someone who wants to see the
sunrise tomorrow.”

A sigh preceded, “I don’t have that much on me. How about a wire transfer?”

“We can do that, but you better have the funds.”

“Now, Red Robin.”

Red Robin dropped the smoke pellets from the roof to break just in front of the still-open
door of the warehouse. Batman and Red Robin dropped to the ground, then jumped through
the cloud of smoke. Both parties in the warehouse were reaching for their waistbands to pull
hidden guns. Still moving forward, Batman and Red Robin rush the two men and quickly
knock them out, using swift nerve strikes before the weapons could be brought to bear. The
men crumpled to the ground, unconscious.

“Which one do you think is which,” Red Robin asked.

“They were counting money,” Batman said, “See which one of them doesn’t have a wallet on
them.”

Instead of checking the men, Red Robin walked over to the closest pallet and found a wallet
set out on top. Red Robin checked the ID while Batman examined the merchandise.

“That one,” Red Robin said, “The one in the blue shirt. He was the one buying. The one in
the black must have been the seller.”
Batman picked up a box from the pallet and gave a dissatisfied grunt, “Face masks. Two
pallets of stolen face masks.”

“You said these were supposed to be for Blackgate Prison,” Red Robin asked.

“That’s what Commissioner Gordon said earlier,” Batman said.

Red Robin opened one of the boxes, and nearly dropped it after he pulled one of the masks.
“What the hell is this?”

“What is it,” Batman asked.

Red Robin held up the mask, “Are they trying to encourage safety or purge the prison? This
isn’t a face mask, it’s a Kleenex with ear loops.”

Batman took the mask from Red Robin, and was a bit surprised when it fell apart in his
hands. “You’re right. These won’t protect anyone. I don’t think we were told everything
tonight. See if you can get an identity of the seller. Gordon didn’t have information on that.”

Red Robin walked over to the fallen men and began searching them. Batman and Red Robin
looked up as a couple uniformed police officers walked into the warehouse.

“Batman? Red Robin? What are you doing here?”

Batman turned to the speaking officer and said, “Commissioner Gordon called us in to
investigate rumors of stolen medical supplies.”

The man sighed, “I’m Sgt. Okana. We’ll take it from here.”

“How did you know to get here so fast,” Red Robin asked.

“You weren’t the only ones watching for this deal,” Sgt. Okana said, “You just got here
before us.”

“What’s going on here,” Commissioner Gordon said, walking into the warehouse.

“I’d like to know that, too,” Batman said, “These medical supplies are fake.”

“What,” Gordon asked in shock.

Red Robin took one of the masks over to the Commissioner before crouching to search the
still-unconscious men. Gordon walked over to Sgt. Okana for an update.

The comm in Batman’s cowl activated, and Red Robin’s voice came through in a whisper.
“Batman, we’ve got a problem here.”

Before Batman could ask what the problem was, three large black SUV’s approached the
warehouse, catching everyone’s attention. Eight men in suits walked into the warehouse and
looked around.
The lead man called out loudly, “Stop what you’re doing. Agent Wilkins, FBI. This is our
crime scene now.”

Commissioner Gordon approached the man, shaking his head, “I don’t think so. This is our
bust. You have no jurisdiction here.”

“You can’t override a federal case, Commissioner,” Agent Wilkins said.

“And you are required to let us know when you’re operating in town,” Gordon said.

“It seems like there is a lot of animosity here,” Batman whispered into his comm, for Red
Robin’s ears only.

“That’s because of what I found,” Red Robin whispered back.

Sgt. Okana walked up next to Commissioner Gordon, “This is our bust, Agent Wilkins. We
worked hard on this one. Let us take our suspect. You can have the medical supplies.”

“Not going to happen,” Agent Wilkins said, “You are being officially ordered off the
premises, now.”

Commissioner Gordon spoke up, “Where is your Special Agent in Charge? Get your SAC on
the phone or get them down here, and we’ll work this out, but this isn’t your case, Agent
Wilkins.”

Agent Wilkins pulled out his cell phone to place a call.

Batman sidled up next to Red Robin and asked, “What did you find? Why is this turning into
a federal case?”

Red Robin gave a small smirk, “This was a trap; a fake buy.”

“Obviously,” Batman said.

“You don’t get it,” Red Robin said, “The buyer is an undercover cop. The seller is an
undercover FBI agent. I found both of their credentials when I searched the suspects. Both
sides are trying to keep their men out of jail, without revealing that both sides are working a
sting.”

Batman released an exasperated sigh and walked over to the two men in charge. Agent
Wilkins noticed the vigilante, and said, “Hey, I said no one moves. Where do you think
you’re going? Just because the local police tolerate your interference doesn’t mean the
government does.”

“If you’d take a second to talk, instead of getting into a pissing contest over jurisdiction,
you’d see that you are both on the same trail,” Batman said. Batman pointed at the federal
agent, “Your undercover agent tried selling fake, stolen medical supplies,” Batman turned
and pointed at Sgt. Okana, “to your undercover officer. There’s no case here, just a
misguided undercover operation.”
The three men in charge stared at Batman in shock for several long seconds before Gordon
turned to Sgt. Okana and demanded, “Why wasn’t I notified that this was one of our
operations? I wouldn’t have requested Batman look into this, if I knew this was covered.”

Agent Wilkins hung up his phone, sighed, and asked, “The buyer is your man?”

Sgt. Okana nodded, “We’ve been working this for weeks. There’s been a lot of fake medical
supplies hitting the town lately.”

“You wanted another success after getting those fake vaccines off the streets, and taking
down that organized crime family,” Agent Wilkins asked.

“Of course,” Commissioner Gordon said, “If the seller is your man, why didn’t you let us
know you were working an operation in my town?”

“We don’t need your permission,” Agent Wilkins said.

“If you’d informed us, this whole episode wouldn’t have happened,” Commissioner Gordon
pointed out, “I’ll be speaking with your SAC in the morning about this.”

Agent Wilkins sighed, then looked around, “Wait, where did Batman go?”

Commissioner Gordon looked around, finding Batman and Red Robin gone. “They left.
They do that.”

A/N: Okay, not my best work. This honestly sounded better in my outline. Either way,
here it is. All the new characters are of my own creation. Yes, I stole *adapted* that
little interaction from Lethal Weapon. It seemed to fit. I invented Dr. Mara Kaspersky
for another story, and thought it might be a good idea to introduce her, but I didn’t
quite know where to put her in. She was a last-minute addition to this story that will be
seen again in the future. Don’t worry, I’m not killing off Dr. Thompkins.

This is still very much a work in progress, so please let me know if I’m going in the right
direction, or if there would be anything you’d like to see added to this one.

Thanks for playing along.

 4

Batman 50

Chapter 4

Damian yawned as he padded out of his bedroom. It hadn’t been a good night for sleep in the
Manor last night, and Damian was pretty sure he’d try to sneak a nap in after breakfast.

He wasn’t watching where he was going, and didn’t see his father standing in the middle of
the hallway. He gently bumped into the man, and was tired enough that he didn’t try to back
up or feign anger at the hallway obstruction.

Damian just leaned into the man, using his chest as a pillow, as he yawned and said, “Good
morning, Father.”

Bruce looked down at the teen before taking a quick step back and crossing his arms over his
chest. “Good morning? Is that all you have to say?”

“Too tired to come up with something else,” Damian said sleepily.

“I don’t want to hear about you being tired,” Bruce said sharply, “I want to hear how you
explain last night.”

“Why do I have to explain,” Damian asked.

Bruce sighed, “I only ask one thing of you, Damian, and that is to be respectful. That
includes thinking about other people, and their needs. All of us needed sleep last night. No
one appreciated you and Robin keeping us awake. You two are generally more considerate of
those around you. Why was last night an exception?”

Damian had woken up enough to understand what his father was asking now. He crossed his
arms over his chest, matching his father’s pose, and said, “Oh, that. Last night wasn’t an
exception.”

“Are you two going deaf, then,” Bruce asked, “This has never been a problem before. I’m
trying to be okay with Robin living here, but if this keeps up, I’m going to seriously
reconsider things.”

“Father, it wasn’t us,” Damian said.

“What do you mean, it wasn’t you?”

“You’re talking about the incredibly loud fucking, and moaning, and bed creaking that was
going on for most of the night, right,” Damian asked, “That wasn’t us. It was Dick and
Barbara. They kept me up all night, too.”
“Are you telling me the truth, Damian?”

Damian rolled his eyes, “Robin isn’t even here. You can go and check our room, if you
want. Robin spent the night at her parents’ house last night. She’s going dress shopping with
her mom today, and they wanted to get an early start. It’s a good thing Robin isn’t here. She
wouldn’t be able to look at Dick or Barbara today without blushing, if she heard what was
going on last night.”

Bruce thought about the explanation for a second, then remembered that he hadn’t seen
Robin at dinner last night. “She didn’t come home after spending the day with her parents
yesterday?”

“No, Father,” Damian said, “I took her over there yesterday afternoon, while you were still
working. She spent the night there. She’s going to call me later this afternoon, and I’m
going to go over there for dinner. We’re spending the night at her parents’ house tonight.
We’ll be back sometime tomorrow. If you want to be mad at someone, try being mad at
Dick.”

Bruce released a breath, “I’m sorry, Damian. We just heard sounds coming from across the
hall and assumed.”

“If you think it was bad from across the hall,” Damian grumbled, “You should have heard it
from next door. Robin and I know to go to another part of the house when we’re going to be
loud. I would expect the same courtesy from you and Selina, if the need arises.”

Bruce gave Damian a quick hug, then left one arm wrapped around Damian’s shoulders as
they walked towards the stairs, “I’m sorry I snapped at you, son. How about we get a cup of
coffee and start the day over.”

Damian nodded, “It’s understandable, blaming the loud sex on the horny teenagers. Believe
me, I want you hearing me and Robin making love about as much as you want to hear it.
This is going to get either interesting or annoying over the next few years, isn’t it?”

Bruce took a breath, “Three couples living this close together? I’m going to need to have a
talk with Dick.”

“I wish you would,” Damian said.

Bruce nodded slowly, “We might need a bigger house.”

Later…

Bruce cringed as the video call rang over his laptop, but he only had himself to blame. After
all, Bruce had agreed to sit for an interview with the Gotham Gazette.

Bruce took a deep breath and put on a society party smile as he accepted the call. A middle-
aged woman with frizzy, graying hair and oversized glasses was sitting too close to her
camera, startling Bruce on the inside. He was too practiced in society etiquette to show it on
the outside.
“Good afternoon,” Bruce said genially.

“Hello, Brucie,” the woman said, “Maribel Voight, Gotham Society Reporter. Thank you for
taking the time to speak with me today. Oh, you’re alone?”

Bruce wasn’t alone, but no one else would agree to appear on camera with him. Selina was
sitting on the other side of the desk, and Dick was sitting on the couch. “I’m afraid it’s just
me today.”

“I was hoping to meet your fiancé, so I can introduce her to the city,” Maribel said in a near
pout.

Bruce shook his head, “I’m afraid that’s impossible right now. She’s at her final dress
fitting.”

It wasn’t exactly a lie. Selina had attended that appointment this morning.

“That’s too bad,” Maribel said.

Bruce shrugged, “You picked the interview time. Selina couldn’t cancel her appointment.
The next available one wouldn’t have been until after the wedding.”

“Speaking of the wedding, I’m hurt, Brucie,” the woman put on a pout that made Bruce want
to both cringe and laugh, “The wedding is at the end of the month, and I still haven’t received
my invitation.”

Bruce shook his head, “Maribel, you work for a newspaper. You know what’s going on
around the world right now. We’re still reviewing and finalizing the guest list, but if this
surge of cases gets worse, it might end up just being immediate family only.”

“Have you considered live-streaming the wedding,” Maribel asked, “The city would love to
see the marriage of the man who used to be Gotham’s Most Eligible Bachelor.”

Selina snorted at the title, which Bruce had to cover with a cough. “Sorry about that.
Damian’s cat is wandering around. I think I swallowed a hair.”

Maribel seemed to want the redirection in the conversation, “Can we start calling Damian
Gotham’s Most Eligible Bachelor now?”

“He would not like that,” Bruce said, shaking his head, “He doesn’t consider himself a
bachelor.”

“So, the girlfriend rumors are true,” Maribel asked.

“They’re hardly rumors at this point,” Bruce said, “He and his girlfriend have been together
for years. Your competitors have been running stories about them for a long time. They’re
really cute together.”

“Getting back to the wedding,” Maribel said, “How about the live stream? I can talk the
paper into hosting it.”
“I’ll talk it over with Selina,” Bruce said.

Selina was glaring and shaking her head vigorously on the other side of the desk. Bruce
didn’t react to the gesture.

“Brucie,” Maribel said, “Let’s talk about Selina. You’ve been on the Gotham Social Register
your whole life. Why is this not a society wedding? Why are you marrying a woman you’ve
only known for a year, who has basically no presence in the city?”

“That’s not true,” Bruce said, “Selina and I actually met in high school, and have kept in
touch over the years. She’s traveled a lot over the years, which kept her moving around, but
she would stop in every few years. If she’d been ready to settle down twenty years ago, I
would have married her then. I’m just glad she’s ready now.”

“Have you been waiting for this woman,” Maribel asked.

“I think my history of short, whirlwind relationships and the fact that I have a teenaged son
prove that I haven’t been waiting around,” Bruce said, “We’re in love. There’s no reason not
to go ahead with anything.”

“You do sound happy, Brucie,” Maribel said, “but aren’t you worried about what all the other
women are going to say?”

Selina eyed Bruce dangerously, wondering how he would answer the question.

Bruce shook his head, “No, and there have been no other women for a few years. Just
because we got engaged in December doesn’t mean Selina and I haven’t been together
longer. It’s been over a year for us, and I had pretty much taken myself off the market for
another couple years before that.”

“What about Damian’s mysterious mother, that none of you ever talk about,” Maribel asked,
“Doesn’t she have anything to say about you getting with another woman?”

Bruce started breaking through Brucie, but the man was able to hold himself in check.
“Seeing that she abandoned Damian on my doorstep and disappeared, she doesn’t get a say in
how I live my life. We weren’t married. She hasn’t tried to contact us in years. We don’t
know where she is. We don’t even know if she’s still alive. It’s a painful subject for my son,
and I’d prefer if that didn’t get reported to the city.”

Maribel paled a bit at the last sentence. The entire journalistic community knew how harshly
Bruce had dealt with GMZ. She didn’t want her interview to be what brought a lawsuit
against the Gotham Gazette.

“Of course, Brucie. That will stay between us. How does everyone in the house feel about
the upcoming wedding?”

Bruce took a breath, “Well, the verdict is still out on that. It’s not easy, adding a new person
to an established family. We all get along. Feeling out a new situation takes a while. We’re
not on any time limit here, though. We have the rest of our lives to work everything out.”
“Any message you want to send out to the city,” Maribel asked.

“Not particularly,” Bruce said, “Just thank you for all the support and well-wishes we’ve
received over the years. It really does make a difference.”

Maribel nodded, “Well, thank you for your time today, Brucie. Good luck combining
families.”

“Thank you,” Bruce said with a smile, “We’ll make it.”

“Let Damian know that I’d love to interview him, one day,” Maribel said.

“I’m going to have to say no to that one,” Bruce said, “He’s only sixteen. I want him to be
able to grow up out of the spotlight as much as possible. He’s told me several times that he
prefers to stay out of the spotlight, too.”

“Well, you’ve done that,” Maribel said, “You’ve kept him pretty well hidden. Very few
people around the city even know what he looks like.”

Bruce smiled, “He’s very shy. Even after living here for as long as he has, he still has a hard
time with all the attention we garner.”

“Thank you for your time, Brucie,” Maribel said, “Maybe we can schedule another interview
for after the wedding? I’d love to talk to you, and Selina, and Damian, all together.”

“I’ll let you know if we can work that out, Maribel,” Bruce said, ending the call and closing
his laptop. Bruce leaned back with an exhausted sigh.

Dick smiled and said, “Good job, Brucie.”

Bruce rolled his eyes, “Isn’t your break over? Don’t you have to get back to work?”

“This is actually a pretty slow time for Contracting,” Dick said.

“Well, go make a deal, or something.”

Dick smiled and left the room. Selina shook her head, “You aren’t actually thinking of doing
another interview, are you?”

“We’ll see what the article looks like first,” Bruce said.

He took a deep breath, and Selina asked, “What’s wrong?”

“I was hoping they wouldn’t bring up Damian’s mother. I might have said too much. She
sounded like she’s going to start looking for Talia.”

“Is that such a bad thing,” Selina asked, “It’s not like she’ll actually find her.”

“It would be a bad thing only if the truth gets out,” Bruce said.

“Which truth,” Selina asked.

Bruce looked at the door, making sure it was closed. He leaned forward and said softly, “All
of them, including the one Damian can never know.”

Selina looked at the man strangely. She would freely admit that she didn’t know everything
about her future step-son; she probably didn’t even know enough to feel as comfortable
living across the hall from Damian as she did. The revelation that Bruce is keeping a secret
from his son that is large enough for him to sound as nervous as he did caused Selina’s blood
pressure to rise.

“Should I know this,” Selina asked apprehensively.

“I don’t know,” Bruce said, “Maybe you can help me make a decision.”

Selina thought for a second, then nodded.

Bruce took a deep breath, “When we left Talia at that prison, I asked the warden to send me
updates on her, from time to time. I figured, one day, Damian might be able to heal enough
from what she did to him to want to know what’s going on with her. The last update I got
from the prison, which I got just before his birthday, is the last update we’ll ever get. Talia
was killed in a prison riot.”

Selina gasped deeply in shock. She couldn’t find her voice for several seconds, before finally
asking, “Why can’t Damian know that? She is his mother. He deserves closure.”

“Because of when it happened,” Bruce said, “That would be his first question, even before
asking how she died. You didn’t see how she looked when we took her to prison. She wasn’t
going to recover from what he did to her. She was taken straight to the prison hospital when
we got there, but she was never going to be the same. Damian knows that. He knows exactly
what he did to her. On the way to the prison, Wonder Woman asked me if it wouldn’t have
been more merciful to have turned our backs and let Damian kill her; she was that far gone.
Even if she was alive at the prison, there is no way she would have been able to defend
herself. Damian might not believe the riot took place, and that I’m just making something up
to try to make it easier on him.”

“Isn’t that exactly what you’re doing,” Selina asked.

“Damian keeps a lot inside,” Bruce said, “I don’t want him thinking that he killed his own
mother. I don’t want to see what that knowledge would do to him.”

“My god, Bruce,” Selina gasped, “He deserves a chance at closure. I don’t know if he would
grieve, but he deserves a chance to come to that decision on his own.”

“That’s what Wonder Woman said,” Bruce said.

Selina’s eyes widened, “Other people know about this?”

Bruce nodded, looking down, “Superman and Wonder Woman. They’re split on what we
should tell Damian. Wonder Woman feels he should know, to be able to honor the warrior
spirit that existed in his mother. That’s her culture, after all. She also thinks it will help his
healing process. She’s always been a big supporter of his emotional turnaround. He stopped
being a killer and started being a leader. She’s been in his corner for a long time, even if he
doesn’t know it. Superman, on the other hand, is thinking like a father. He is also a big
supporter of Damian, but thinks keeping this from him will spare him the pain of coming to
terms with losing a parent. Damian already lost her once. He shouldn’t have to suffer the
pain of losing her again. Also, if Damian knows, it will eventually get back to Jon. That
night, Jon was the one who stopped Damian from killing Talia at Mount Justice. Damian
openly calls Jon his little brother. If he were to learn that she died anyway, Jon will think he
was too late, and it will hurt his confidence. Both boys will suffer. They don’t deserve that.”

“He’s your son,” Selina said, “What do you want to do? What do you think will be best for
him?”

“I want Talia to fade from memory,” Bruce said, “I want her to disappear and never be heard
from again. I want Damian to forget. I know he never will, because that’s how his mind
works, but there is always a chance. He’s grown so much since she’s been gone. He’s finally
starting to heal, after everything she did to him. This will destroy all of that, if he finds out. I
can’t do that to him.”

“He’ll hate you, if this ever gets out,” Selina said, “If you keep this from him, and he finds
out, it will destroy any trust you’ve earned from him.”

“That’s why the only place this is recorded is in my head,” Bruce said, “I wiped any mention
of the communications from the prison from the Bat Computer completely. This is only in
my head.”

“In our heads,” Selina said, “You’re trusting me with something huge right now. This could
blow up in our faces.”

“I know,” Bruce said, “but if I can keep him from that pain, if we can keep this quiet, then he
can live his life without worrying about her. He can move on. It’s been almost a year, and he
hasn’t mentioned her once in all that time. This is for the best. I can’t force him to go
through that pain. He’s been through enough. I can’t protect him from everything, but I can
protect him from this.”

“I hope you know what you’re doing,” Selina said.

“So do I,” Bruce agreed.

“What do I do,” Selina asked.

“Nothing,” Bruce said, “Don’t act any different around him. Don’t look like you’re keeping
a secret. Forget this conversation ever took place.”

“You’re setting me up to fail here,” Selina said, “If he ever finds out that I knew before he
did, he’ll cut me out completely. We’ve just started getting along.”

“We can do this, Selina,” Bruce said, “If we act like nothing is wrong, he’ll have no reason to
suspect anything. Any nerves we have right now can be chalked up to pre-wedding nerves.
This will all blow over.”

“I hope you’re right.”

Later…

Bruce felt a bit like he was being called to the principal’s office as he and Selina sat down
with Alfred at the kitchen counter, several hours after the conversation in Bruce’s study.

Alfred looked back and forth between the couple before saying, “Master Bruce, Miss Selina,
as your wedding is quickly approaching, it is time that you two were more involved in the
planning of the ceremony.”

Selina nodded, “Of course, Alfred. What can we do? What should we do?”

“I have taken the liberty of setting certain plans in motion,” Alfred said, “The ceremony will
take place in the Ballroom. Master Damian, Miss Robin, and Master Dick have been drafted
in preparing the room for the day.”

“What did you have to do to convince them to help out,” Selina asked, “I’m still not
anywhere close to Damian’s favorite person.”

“It was not a difficult task at all, Miss Selina,” Alfred said, “I merely explained the event, and
they were quick to offer their assistance. Master Damian was quite interested in maintaining
the dance floor.”

Bruce smiled, “Is he riding the electric floor buffer?”

Alfred almost cracked a smile at the thought. While he didn’t show it, both Bruce and Selina
could see the smile. “I believe he is more interested in preventing Master Dick from doing
just that. I am getting daily reports from the caterer and the wait staff, to see if they will be
able to provide their services for the day.”

Bruce nodded, “Are we sure that it is a good idea to still have the big ceremony? I just told
the newspaper earlier that we were going more for friends and family. People watch us. Is
this the responsible thing to do?”

Alfred pulled out a bundle of papers, “This is the original guest list, which I assembled in
December, when you first got engaged.”

Bruce and Selina looked over the list in shock. It was five typed pages, two columns of
names per page.

“We can’t have all these people in the house,” Bruce said in shock at the size of the list.

“I don’t even know most of these people,” Selina said.

“Yes, Miss,” Alfred said, before pulling out a second list, “Here is the revised guest list,
which I put together last month.”
This list was only one page, but still looked like a lot of names.

“That’s still a lot of names,” Bruce said.

“You will find, sir, that even the minimum of friends and family is a larger list than you might
think,” Alfred said.

Bruce thought for a second, then mused, “Even just inviting the Justice League would turn
into dozens of people, when you add in spouses and kids.”

“You will find that the second list is mostly Justice League members and family,” Alfred
said, “Please peruse the list and see if there is anyone who should be added or removed.”

Bruce and Selina looked over the list for a long minute before Selina looked up and asked,
“Lucius and Tanya Fox? Does he know that you’re Batman?”

“He might suspect, but I don’t think he knows for sure,” Bruce said.

“Won’t this pretty much confirm it to him,” Selina asked.

“I’m wearing a tuxedo to the wedding, not the Bat suit,” Bruce said, “I don’t think Lucius
would sell our secrets to the press. It would be bad if he found out, but it would be safer with
him knowing over society people.”

“Who are George and Jean Haskell,” Selina asked.

“Jean is my secretary,” Bruce said, “She’s worked for me for almost thirty years. It would be
insulting if we didn’t invite her.”

“Does she know about Batman,” Selina asked.

Bruce shook his head, “She’s in the same boat as Lucius. No one is coming to the wedding
in uniform. I think we can ignore mask business for one day.”

“I’m just looking out for conversations,” Selina said, “Can’t you see Lucius or Jean asking
people how they know us?”

“Most of the League have their own stories,” Bruce said.

Selina pointed to a name on the list and asked, “How do you explain them?”

Selina’s finger hovered over Megan and Garfield Logan.

“Damian’s friends,” Bruce said.

Selina raised an eyebrow, “And the fact that he’s green?”

“I’m sure we’ll come up with something,” Bruce said.

Alfred looked at Selina, “Miss Selina, is there anyone you would like to add or remove from
the list?”
Selina shook her head, “Just my maid of honor. When you’re the only child of dead parents,
who has spent most of her life on the other side of the law, you don’t make too many
friends.”

“Have I met your maid of honor,” Bruce asked.

Selina shook her head again, “No. Her name is Pamela. I met her when I was living out of
state about ten years ago. She’s the closest thing I have to a civilian friend, who isn’t still in
prison. I already invited her. I need to call her, to make sure she knows that we’re still going
ahead with the wedding.”

“Does this list look acceptable,” Alfred asked.

“The Justice League and a couple of my coworkers,” Bruce asked, “I guess it’s okay.”

“Very well,” Alfred said, “The invitations will go out tomorrow. The officiant has confirmed
he will be here in person. If that changes, he has confirmed a back-up. The ceremony will
start exactly at three PM. I have asked that, since there are no religious or cultural
obligations that need to be met, the actual ceremony be fairly short.”

“Thank you for that,” Selina said, “Nothing against ceremonies, I’m just still not used to
formal occasions.”

“Of course, Miss,” Alfred said, “After the ceremony, the two of you will be taken for
pictures. I have Master Timothy and Master Jason setting up a picture venue in the grounds.
Master Timothy has offered to take the official pictures. You remember his affinity for
photography, sir. Mr. West has been recruited as videographer for the ceremony and the
beginning of the reception. He has offered that as a wedding present.”

Bruce cringed, “Please note ‘no gifts’ on the invitations. It’s not like we need anything.”

Alfred grinned, “I have already taken the liberty of notating that, Master Bruce. Now, while
the pictures are being taken…”

“Wait,” Bruce interrupted, “Do we have more than one photographer? I want at least one
family photo with all of us: Me, Selina, and the boys.”

“I shall take that one, sir,” Alfred volunteered.

Bruce shook his head, “No. You are not a butler on my wedding day. You’re family. You
need to be in the picture, too.”

“We can do one with Barbara and Robin, too,” Selina said, “One big, happy family.”

That would get Damian to be happy about everything, Bruce thought. I think Selina is
thinking the same thing. I shouldn’t have to wonder if my son approves of my wedding this
close to the date.

“I suppose there will be someone else at the wedding who knows how to use a camera,”
Alfred said. “As I was saying, as the pictures are being taken, the wait staff will be setting up
the ballroom for the reception. I’m afraid it will not be the all-night affair the city is
expecting. The string quartet could only give us four hours.”

“That’s okay,” Selina said, “I’m fine with short. This is about the wedding, not the
reception. Everything you’ve planned sounds great, Alfred, but all that really matters is that
we’re getting married.”

“Yes, Miss,” Alfred said, “It will have to do, but we will make it as nice as possible. After
the pictures, we will have the first dance. Do you have a song in mind for that?”

Bruce and Selina looked at each other and shrugged. “I don’t think we’ve talked about that,”
Selina said.

Alfred nodded, “I assumed as much. I can make a few suggestions, if you like?”

“It should probably be something special to us,” Bruce said, “I don’t think we have a song,
though.”

“While I was not there for the event, I understand that your parents’ first dance was to an
arrangement of Sinatra.”

“We’ll think about it,” Selina said.

“There is the tradition of the second dance being a father/daughter, mother/son dance,”
Alfred said, “As both of your parents are deceased, we can skip that tradition.”

Bruce and Selina eyed each other, and Selina said, “We have sons and daughters. If we
include them here, it might make up for them not having a more active role in the wedding.”

“So, you are sticking with Miss Pamela and Master Dick as the only attendants?”

“I’d love to have all four boys up there,” Bruce said.

Selina continued, “But short of a jail break, I don’t have enough friends to cover everyone.
Even if I asked Barbara and Robin, that still leaves us one short.”

“I think the boys are okay with that,” Bruce said, “Remind me to sit down with them to make
sure, though.”

“Very well, sir,” Alfred said, “Dinner will be served after the two dances. Would you like
there to be speeches during dinner?”

Both Bruce and Selina said, “No!” at the same time.

“No speeches, no newlywed toasts, nothing like that,” Bruce said.

“I believe you have just broken Master Dick’s heart,” Alfred said with a smile, “Last I heard,
he had already begun writing a speech.”

“He’ll get over it,” Bruce said.

Selina looked like she was in deep thought, “Okay, if the wedding starts at three, and the
band can only give us four hours, does that mean that everything will be done by seven?”

“Would you like the evening to go longer, Miss Selina,” Alfred asked, “Arrangements can be
made.”

“I guess I haven’t been to too many weddings,” Selina said, “I don’t know what I expected.”

“This is our wedding,” Bruce said, “We can have whatever we want.”

“If there was not a global emergency, the party would indeed go all night,” Alfred said, “As
things stand today, keeping the event short and the guest list limited will give the news less to
complain about.”

“That’s a good idea,” Selina said.

Bruce nodded, “Yeah. The less the press has to say about us, the better.”

“Is there anything we should do to help out,” Selina asked.

Alfred smiled, “Yes. You two need to show up at three o’clock on the day of the wedding,
and give this party meaning.”

Two Days Later…

Alfred walked into the ballroom to check the progress of his young charges. He had been
told that the ballroom would be wedding-ready by the end of today by Damian and Robin.
While he knew that there wasn’t much that needed to be done to get the space ready, Alfred
wanted to make sure the task was being done acceptably. Alfred didn’t want to think that
Damian would give less than his full effort, but he knew that the teen was the least excited
person in the house for the upcoming event.

As it turned out, Alfred found that he didn’t need to worry. The room gleamed in the late
afternoon light cast through the westward-facing windows. From his position at the door,
Alfred couldn’t see a thing out of place. At least, nothing that wouldn’t be cleaned up by the
end of the day. A ladder, several brooms and mops, and five buckets were leaning against the
wall. Other than the cleaning supplies, the Ballroom looked ready to host a party.

Walking forward to stop at the edge of the dance floor, Alfred spotted his two youngest
charges standing on the other side of the room, staring out of the large windows.

“Very good,” Alfred said, catching Damian’s and Robin’s attention.

The pair turned away from the windows and walked over to the butler. They answered a
question for the older man when they walked straight across the dance floor to stand in front
of Alfred.

Alfred looked down at the pair with a smile, “I couldn’t have done a better job on the
Ballroom myself. I am very happy with your efforts. Your father will appreciate them, too.”
“Thank you, Alfred,” Damian said, “All we have left to do is put the supplies away and we’ll
be done.”

“Can I assume that you did the dance floor yesterday, if you’re standing on it today,” Alfred
asked.

Damian nodded, “That was the first thing we did. I knew it would take the longest to do.”

“How often do you wax the floor like that, Mr. Alfred,” Robin asked.

Alfred shook his head, “Very infrequently, Miss. In fact, the last time it was done was almost
four years ago. Master Damian spent an entire day making it was ready for your first dance.”

Robin glanced over at Damian with a soft smile, “That’s why you wanted to get the dance
floor ready this time?”

“It had to be done right,” Damian said, “and Alfred has more than enough to do. If you and I
did it, we could keep Dick from messing it up.”

Alfred looked around, “Where is Master Dick?”

Damian shrugged, “No idea. I insisted on dividing the tasks, to keep him from screwing up
our work. He wasn’t happy when I told him he couldn’t touch the floor, but he got over it
when he interpreted that as permission to swing from the chandeliers while he was cleaning
them. He also did the windows.”

Alfred looked around, “Well, everything looks to be in perfect shape. I believe the room will
only need a quick sweeping the day before the wedding.”

Damian nodded, “We should lock the door, to keep people out of here until the room needs to
be used.”

“I believe just closing the door will be enough,” Alfred said.

Robin looked around, “That will keep the animals out of here.”

Damian shrugged, “Not really. Jason has an opposable thumb. He knows how to open
doors.”

Alfred just barely stopped himself from rolling his eyes at the comment, “Your brother knows
that he will have to repair anything he messes up.”

“I thought you two were doing better,” Robin asked.

“Somewhat,” Damian said, concerning Alfred and Robin that things might be regressing
between the brothers.

“What else do you need us to do, Mr. Alfred,” Robin asked.

“I think this is good for now,” Alfred said, “There will be more as the day approaches, but
this is a good beginning.”

“Speaking of things that need to be done later, I had an idea about the setup of the room.”
Damian pulled a sheet of paper out his pocket and unfolded it. Turning to stand next to
Alfred, Damian pointed to the drawing he had made of the ballroom. “Father told me
yesterday that the guest list had been drastically reduced.”

“It has, young sir,” Alfred said, “If everyone who receives an invitation shows up, I believe
we will have roughly fifty people here, instead of the close to six hundred on the original
invitation list.”

Damian nodded, “Right. Since we have far fewer people coming now, the layout of the room
can be changed. This place is big enough that everything can be set up all at once, making it
easier for the staff to get everything ready.” Damian pointed to the bottom of the sheet, “This
is the area we are standing in now. We can set up the altar, or pedestal, or whatever they’re
having right around where we’re standing right now. We set up the chairs between here and
the door; since we don’t need six hundred chairs anymore, they will all easily fit in this front
area. They also won’t have as far to walk down the aisle. We can use the dance floor as a
dividing area, and set up the tables on the other side of the dance floor, near the windows.
Once the ceremony is over, the staff won’t have to set up the tables, if they’re already there.
They would only have to move the chairs from one side of the room to the other.”

“That is an excellent idea, Master Damian,” Alfred said, “and one I had been considering
myself. Thank you for taking the time to draw this out. Might I have that, Master Damian?
The plan will make things far easier to explain to the staff when they are setting up for the
wedding.”

Damian handed the sheet to Alfred, and spoke just a bit softer when he said, “Glad I could be
of help.”

“You are being quite helpful,” Alfred said, then grew a small smile, “Now, you two have
done more than enough for now. Master Damian, your requested dinner is ready.”

Damian smiled at the news, but Robin looked at Damian in confusion, “Dinner? Isn’t it a
little early?”

“It is,” Damian said, “but I told you this morning that I had something special planned. It’s
date night.”

“Should I get cleaned up,” Robin asked.

“We can wash up,” Damian said, “but our plans are informal. Ready to have some fun?”

“I can’t wait,” Robin said with a smile.

The couple walked out of the ballroom, not seeing the smile on Alfred’s face.

Later…
Selina looked around the mostly empty dining room before asking, “Are we the only hungry
ones tonight?”

Bruce shrugged, “I guess so. Dick and Barbara are having dinner with her parents tonight.
Jason and Tim should be down soon.”

Alfred walked in with plates to serve the couple, and Selina asked, “Alfred, what was in the
basket? I saw Damian leaving the kitchen earlier with a picnic basket. Is he eating elsewhere
tonight?”

“He went ahead with that, huh,” Bruce asked.

“Yes, sir,” Alfred said, “Master Damian was very helpful in preparing the ballroom. I felt he
earned his little plan.”

“Little plan,” Selina asked.

Bruce smiled at the woman, “He’s taking Robin stargazing.”

“It’s a little early for that,” Selina said, “I last saw him two hours ago. You can’t exactly go
stargazing in the middle of the afternoon.”

“You can, if you have access to a space station with a large, transparent-walled corridor,”
Bruce said.

“They’re having dinner in space,” Selina asked.

“Damian likes making the big gestures,” Bruce said.

Selina looked critically at Bruce, “Why have you never taken me on a date like that?”

“Because Damian has more time to think of romantic dates than I do,” Bruce said, “At least,
for now. Once he starts work, I don’t think he’ll have any free time.”

Bruce looked over at Alfred and asked, “Was he able to finish the ballroom?”

“He and Miss Robin did far more than I thought they would,” Alfred said, “He also came up
with a design for the layout of the ballroom for the ceremony. I shall share it with you later.
Please, enjoy your dinner.”

Two Days Later…

Alfred sighed heavily as he hung up the phone, and subsequently hung his head. Bruce was
concerned at the state of his butler as he walked into the kitchen.

“Alfred,” Bruce asked gently, “What’s wrong?”

Alfred took a breath before turning to face his employer, “That was the caterer. He was
hoping for a final headcount, to know if he can still provide services for you.”
“The invitations only went out three days ago,” Bruce said, “No one has received them yet,
much less had a chance to RSVP.”

“That is what I told the caterer,” Alfred said, “I told him how many people were invited. We
will just have to have leftovers for a while.”

Bruce released a breath, “I hate to order food for fifty, only to have twenty show up.”

“I have no doubt that far more than that will accept the invitation,” Alfred said.

“Why did he need a final headcount so soon,” Bruce asked.

“He is not sure he will have available staffing to cook the food or deliver it on the day,”
Alfred said, “He has three employees out with the virus, and isn’t feeling too good himself.
He said, in no uncertain terms, that if the wedding was for anyone other than you, sir, he
would have canceled their services for the engagement.”

Bruce thought for a second before asking, “What is our back-up plan, if the caterer has no
choice but to pull out?”

“I have been buying extra ingredients and supplies every time I go grocery shopping,” Alfred
said, “If the caterer has to cancel, I shall enlist Master Damian and Miss Robin to assist as my
sous chefs. We will have to change the menu a little, but it is not impossible.”

Bruce shook his head, “I’d rather you not be put in a position to do that, Alfred.”

“We will do what we must, to make this a successful day, Master Bruce.”

Bruce looked down for a second, then asked, “Have there been any other needed changes?”

“Actually, yes,” Alfred said, “I received a call earlier from the officiant. His back-up is now
no longer available. We are working out a way to do the ceremony virtually, if necessary.
The officiant is doing everything he can to remain healthy, but his day job is as the Chaplain
at Gotham General Hospital. As you might expect, he is quite busy these days.”

Bruce cocked his head to the right, “How did you find the guy, Alfred?”

Alfred smiled, “He is a good friend of Dr. Thompkins. She made the introduction.”

“I see,” Bruce said, “If things are going to change this soon after setting plans in place, I’m
starting to wonder if the wedding is such a good idea.”

Selina walked into the room as Bruce was completing his sentence, “It’s a little early for cold
feet, B.”

Bruce looked over, “It’s not cold feet. It’s logistical snags. The officiant and the caterer
could possibly be backing out.”

“I see,” Selina said, taking a deep breath, “Well, we’ll deal with it, if things happen. We
don’t need anything big. I’m sure we’ll all enjoy the party Alfred is putting together, but we
can go as small as we need.”

Alfred started to wonder if he was inflating the occasion to a much larger size than his
charges wanted. Alfred had wanted a large, elaborate wedding for Bruce since the man had
been a teen, but he had never actually asked if this was what Bruce wanted.

“Master Bruce, Miss Selina, I believe I started planning the event without asking for your
input. You have mentioned the size of the wedding several times, Miss Selina. Would a
smaller event be more to your liking? Would you like for me to roll back the plans?”

Selina released a breath, “I’m only going to get married once. I’d love a big wedding, but
this might not be the right time to do it. Unfortunately, I can’t see this virus getting better any
time soon. I think we should continue with the plans until we’re forced to change them.
Everything I’ve seen so far looks good. I’m looking forward to the day.”

Alfred nodded, “Very well, Miss. We shall continue until things need to change. I have set
contingency plans in place, in case things need to change. Hopefully, we will get enough
advanced notice of changes.”

“Thanks for everything you’re doing, Alfred,” Bruce said, “I really appreciate it. We
appreciate everything.”

“You are most welcome, sir,” Alfred said with a slight bow.

“Was there anything else we need to know right now, Alfred,” Bruce asked.

“No sir,” Alfred said, “I shall keep you informed of plans as they happen.”

“Thanks, Alfred,” Bruce said as he and Selina headed for the door to leave the kitchen.

“Are you going out tonight,” Selina asked.

Bruce shook his head, intwining his arm with hers, “No. I’m actually not done with work for
today yet. I was just getting something to drink before going back for a meeting. I have
some early meetings tomorrow, too. I’ve been feeling a little worn out lately. Batman can
take a night off. I think the boys are going out, though.”

Selina smirked at the man, “Why don’t you get to your meeting, and I’ll get you the drink
that you didn’t get from the kitchen.”

Bruce blushed a bit as he realized that he went into the kitchen for one thing, but got
distracted so easily. “Thanks, Sel.”

A/N: I don’t think this chapter turned out quite how I wanted it. It rambled a little
more than I thought it would. I guess I didn’t have as many ideas for this chapter as I
thought. This was supposed to show some of the difficulties in planning a wedding
during a pandemic. Things were always going to change, and they are going to change
more as the story goes on.
Let me know if this makes sense at all, or if I’m going in the completely wrong
direction. This chapter feels a little lost to me. Let me know if you feel the same way.

Thanks for playing along.

 5

Batman 50

Chapter 5

Nightwing soared through the Gotham night sky, bouncing between sky scrapers and over
apartment buildings. His natural fluid grace belied the actual physical activity involved in
such movements. He made it look so easy, that observers might not believe he had trained
for a lifetime. They might not believe that the lines that carried the vigilante across the city
as smoothly as a swimmer gliding through water weren’t a part of his body. Those who
might catch a glimpse of the man on security videos might be led to believe he was the result
of CGI and special effects.

Nightwing was living up to his name. At the moment, he was the literal embodiment of
Nightwing: the bird who took flight and soared through the dark. At times like this, he felt
free.

With as free as he felt, he was also alone. Looking around as he soared over a wide
boulevard, Nightwing found his companion for the evening was nowhere to be seen.
Nightwing stopped on the roof of the Wells Fargo Tower and looked back on his direction of
travel. It took a good thirty seconds before tonight’s patrol partner appeared, and another
twenty seconds before Robin landed at his side.

“You feeling alright, Baby Bat,” Nightwing asked, “You used to have no problem keeping up
with me.”

“I can’t do that anymore,” Robin grumbled.

“Are you okay,” Nightwing asked, “Is your shoulder bothering you?”

“No, it’s Father.”

“Where,” Nightwing asked, looking around.

Robin shook his head, “He doesn’t like the chances you take, swinging around like you do.
He wants me to be a little safer. So, I can’t move as fast as you do.”

“Bats isn’t here,” Nightwing said with a smile, “I won’t tell.”

Robin sighed, “No, you don’t get it. Father redesigned my grapple guns. They don’t retract
as fast as yours do anymore. I literally can’t move as fast as you do.”

“Why would he do that,” Nightwing asked, “That could be dangerous. If we all move at one
speed, and you move slower, it could make you a target.”
“He adjusted his to move at the same speed as mine,” Robin said, “He originally did it so it
wouldn’t be such a shock on my shoulder when I started patrolling again.”

“Does your shoulder still bother you,” Nightwing asked.

Robin shrugged, “Every now and then.”

Nightwing sighed, “You should have told me, Little Brother.”

“I’m not the one out here trying to do a Superman impersonation.”

Nightwing gave a smirk, “No, you’re doing a Batman impersonation. Pretty good one, too.”

Robin looked around, then asked, “Well, what’s your excuse?”

“What do you mean,” Nightwing asked.

“Father has been taking me out nearly every night since March,” Robin said, “Now, you can’t
seem to patrol without me for the last several nights. What’s going on?”

Nightwing sighed as he pulled Robin over to sit on the edge of the building. “Would you
believe me and just leave it at I love you and want to spend time with you?”

“No,” Robin said, looking down, “because that isn’t a complete sentence. What you meant to
say was you love me and want to spend time with me while you can, before you get married
and don’t have time for me anymore.”

“No,” Nightwing said, “That is absolutely not true.”

Robin stared at Nightwing silently. Nightwing nodded, “Not completely true. Look, you
know what’s happening. You know what’s going to happen in the future. You and me and
Bruce have found our soul mates. We’re bringing them into the family. It’s natural that
we’re going to spend more time with them. Just look at you and Robin. You two are
attached at the hip almost constantly when you’re together. Yes, we’re going to spend less
time together. It’s natural, with what’s going on. That doesn’t mean my feelings for you
have changed. You’ll always be my Little D. There will always be time for you. Maybe not
as much as now, but I honestly think you won’t need me as much in the future.”

“That doesn’t answer the sudden interest in me now,” Robin said.

“I just want to be sure that you’re going to be okay,” Nightwing said. “There’s a lot going on
right now, and more is coming in the near future. You’re outwardly handling things, but I
know how much you hold inside. I don’t want you getting to your blowing point. That won’t
do anyone any good.”

Robin looked down, “Thanks, Nightwing. You’re right, this is a stressful time. I don’t know
how everything is going to work out, and I’m…nervous.”

“You’re so much better at handling these changes than you used to be,” Nightwing said, “Just
let yourself work through your feelings, and we all will get through this with no problems.”
Robin leaned over against Nightwing’s side, and the duo fell comfortably silent for a couple
minutes.

Robin released a breath, then asked, “What are we doing tonight? We need to get something
done before I have to go home.”

Nightwing glanced over, “I thought your curfew only counted when you were out with
Robin, not out as Robin?”

“It does,” Robin said, “but tomorrow is my first day of work, and Gina will give me hell if I
show up half-asleep.”

Nightwing smiled, “The working man, at last. Won’t she go easy on you?”

“I don’t want her to go easy on me,” Robin said, “I don’t want them thinking they made a
mistake in hiring me.”

Nightwing released a breath, “You’re sixteen. Would you please act like it?”

“No,” Robin said in a half-pout.

Nightwing’s smile grew, then he turned his head at the sound of an approaching siren. Both
brothers watched a police car pass the building, and Nightwing asked, “Shall we?”

Robin pulled a grapple gun from his utility belt and said, “Sounds good to me.”

The Boy Wonder pushed himself off the side of the building and free-fell for a couple
seconds before launching his line and allowing himself to be pulled across the street.

Nightwing appeared at his side several seconds later, and asked, “I thought you said you
couldn’t do that anymore?”

“No,” Robin replied, “I just can’t do it as fast. The line shoots out at the same speed. It just
doesn’t retract as fast.”

“I see,” Nightwing said.

The vigilante duo crisscrossed across the boulevard, traveling from building to building as
they followed the police cruiser a rather short distance. Only three blocks from their starting
point, the vigilantes stopped on the roof of an apartment building and stared over the edge
into an alley. There they found the police handcuffing a man.

Nightwing nodded, “Another drug dealer off the streets.”

Robin released a sigh and said quietly, “Let’s get out of here.”

Robin walked away from the edge of the building, and Nightwing followed, asking, “What’s
wrong? You like seeing justice served.”

“I do, but not this time,” Robin said, “We can’t be seen here.”
“Why not?”

“That was Benny,” Robin said.

“You know him,” Nightwing asked.

“I’ve dealt with him before,” Robin said, “I don’t want him seeing us and thinking we turned
him in.”

“Again, why not,” Nightwing asked.

Robin looked up, “I recruited him as an informant. He’s the one that gave us the tip on the
fake vaccine. I thought he would take my advice and lay low for a while. If he sees us while
he’s getting arrested, he’ll think we had something to do with it. I don’t want to burn an
informant.”

“No one saw us,” Nightwing said, nodding. “Can I give you a piece of advice?”

“Sure,” Robin huffed out.

“Don’t get attached to informants,” Nightwing said, “They’re only loyal as long as your
money lasts. Just because you’re paying them for information doesn’t mean you’re the only
one paying for information. A smart informant knows that the fact that you are looking for a
specific piece of information could be information for someone else. Batman and I have had
several informants sell us information, then turn around and sell the fact that we’re looking
for someone or something to the person we’re looking for. You always have to have a leg up
on an informant. You have to be holding something over them that makes it against their best
interests to rat on you. Informants are, by definition, untrustworthy.”

“I know that,” Robin said, “Batman had that talk with me years ago.”

“Which was all academic, until you started cultivating your own informants,” Nightwing
said, “You care less when you are using someone else’s informants. When they’re yours, you
start to get attached, as you seem to be with Benny. What’s the history between you two?”

“I’ve arrested him six times for dealing in the past two years,” Robin said.

“Don’t you think that should be an indicator of the type of person he is,” Nightwing asked.

“I know what type of person he is,” Robin said before releasing a breath, “I guess you’re
right. I’d like to think that we can help him.”

Nightwing nodded, “You did help him, once. Just like he helped you, once. That is the
informant relationship. It’s transactional. You need to think of informants like retail
employees. Yes, it’s good to be nice and polite to get the best service, but in the end, you’re
not there to be friends. You’re there to get something from them, and they are there to get
payment for their services.”

Robin nodded, “Right. Let’s go find something else to do.”

“Sure,” Nightwing said, “Just remember, all we saw was him being put into a car. We don’t
know what the charge is, or if he is even in trouble.”

“He was in handcuffs,” Robin said, “I’ll have to check the arrest report tomorrow, to see what
he is actually in for.”

Nightwing looked up and found the Batsignal shining above the city. He smiled and said,
“Well, let’s go see what Dad wants.”

Robin glanced over as he pulled his grapple gun from his belt, “Do you call the
Commissioner Dad now?”

Nightwing winked at Robin under his mask. Robin still saw the gesture. “In-laws are fun,
but B takes it a lot better when I call the Commissioner Dad than when you call Mr. Abbey
Dad.”

The Duo flew off into the night.

Soon After…

Nightwing and Robin landed on the roof of Police Plaza just as the Commissioner turned off
the Bat Signal. Batman was already there, standing next to Commissioner Gordon.

Robin nudged Nightwing, who looked down to see a smile on Robin’s face. “I was wrong,”
Robin said, “This will be fun.”

The boys walked over to the adults, and Nightwing smiled, “Hey, Pops.” He turned and
winked at Commissioner Gordon under his mask, “Pops.”

“Nightwing,” Batman said, “What’s going on?”

“We were in the area,” Nightwing said, “Saw the signal. Thought we’d be neighborly.”

Batman glanced at Robin, who took a place at his side silently, then turned back to
Commissioner Gordon, “What’s the emergency, Commissioner?”

Gordon looked around, “Do we want to wait? See if anyone else shows up?”

“We’re the only ones out tonight,” Batman said, “Why did you call us?”

“We have a bit of a growing issue at Arkham Asylum,” Gordon said.

All three vigilantes flinched, and Batman said, “We’ll head right over. Is it a breakout
attempt?”

“In a manner of speaking,” Commissioner Gordon said, “This is more information than
urgent request. A number of inmates are filing for compassionate release.”

“You gotta be kidding me,” Nightwing said.

“You’re telling me someone actually has compassion for Arkham inmates,” Robin asked.

“It’s a self-led effort,” Gordon said.

“You’re doing this,” Robin exclaimed.

Nightwing grabbed Robin’s shoulder, “He means that the inmates are pushing for this
themselves. I’m sure Commissioner Gordon wants to keep them locked up for as long as
possible.”

“Oh. Sorry, Commissioner,” Robin mumbled.

“It’s okay, Robin,” Commissioner Gordon said, “This is a new one for all of us. This might
be the first time they’ve tried legal means to get released from Arkham.”

“They’re using the excuse that being locked up with COVID is cruel and inhuman
punishment,” Batman asked.

Gordon nodded, “That seems to be the ploy.”

“Because they’ve never done anything cruel or inhuman,” Nightwing scoffed.

“Do you think they have a chance of getting out,” Robin asked softly.

“I’ve heard of this being used in jails across the country,” Gordon said, “Some inmates have
been released. None with the records of Arkham inmates, but there is precedent for release.”

“Some lawyer actually took up this case,” Nightwing asked.

“Our former District Attorney is handling the legal paperwork,” Gordon said.

Batman and Nightwing both turned to stare at Robin. Robin looked back and forth between
the men and asked, “What? Why are you staring at me?”

“You don’t know who he’s talking about,” Batman asked.

Robin shrugged, “Another crooked lawyer or politician. Gotham’s full of them.”

Batman released a breath, “Robin, Gotham’s former DA is Harvey Dent. You’ve met him.”

Robin thought for a second, then gasped, “Two Face?”

“Yes,” Batman said.

“He’s filing legal paperwork,” Robin asked.

“Yes,” Gordon said.

Robin looked a bit shocked, “Are you telling me, after everything he’s done, that he hasn’t
been disbarred? He’s still a legally functioning lawyer?”
“Everyone is entitled to a legal defense,” Batman said, “You don’t have to be a lawyer to file
legal paperwork or act in your own defense.”

“I know, but,” Robin trailed off for a second, “Can he actually get out this way?”

“I doubt it,” Commissioner Gordon said, “I don’t think anyone will actually take his request
seriously.”

“Is this request only for him,” Batman asked.

Commissioner Gordon shook his head, “No. He filed on behalf of all the big names in
Arkham.”

“How big,” Nightwing asked.

“Besides himself, Two Face has submitted release requests for The Joker, Harley Quinn, The
Penguin, Firefly, Scarecrow, and Zsasz,” Gordon said, “Obviously, we don’t want any of
them getting out.”

“I think them trying to get out at a time like this just proves that they really are crazy,”
Batman said.

“How so,” Gordon asked.

“You’ve seen their cells at Arkham,” Batman said, “They are encapsulated in their own
environments. Each of them has their own air filters. The only personal interaction they
have with anyone is when the staff slides their meals through the slot in their door, and even
then, they can’t actually see or talk to the person. There is very little chance of a guard
passing COVID on to them.”

“Has there been any cases at Arkham,” Nightwing asked.

“No,” Gordon reported, “but there have been several cases at Blackgate. None of these
release requests have come from Blackgate yet, but I can see some of them being approved
with Blackgate inmates more than Arkham inmates.”

“When will this request be reviewed,” Batman asked.

Gordon shook his head, “Not anytime soon. With the courts closed for all but the most
serious cases, I doubt this will be taken seriously.”

“Then again,” Robin interjected, “People these days seem to think that the criminals are
heroes, and should be deified. I can see people around Gotham having pity on these
criminals and demanding their release.”

Batman and Commissioner Gordon stared at each other, both realizing that Robin’s comment
was likely. “The bad guys have always had their fans,” Gordon said.

“Is there anything we have to do about this right now, Commissioner,” Batman asked.
“I don’t think so,” Gordon said, “This was more for your information.”

“Is there anything we need to take care of tonight,” Batman asked.

“It’s actually pretty quiet tonight,” Commissioner Gordon said, “I just wanted you to know
what’s going on.”

Batman nodded once, then turned to Nightwing and Robin, “You boys can head home. You
have an early day tomorrow, Robin.”

Commissioner Gordon sent a small smile at the youngest vigilante. “Big plans, Robin?”

Nightwing ruffled Robin’s hair, much to the disappointment of the Boy Wonder, “He’s
joining the workforce tomorrow.”

Commissioner Gordon nodded, “Well, good luck, Robin. I look forward to hearing how it
goes.”

“Thank you,” Robin said softly before he and Nightwing jumped off of the side of the
building.

Commissioner Gordon crossed his arms over his chest, “If I didn’t know better, I’d say that
he sounded just a bit nervous, Batman.”

Batman spoke softly when he said, “Robin doesn’t get nervous. He’s not always Robin,
though.”

Heading away from the building, Robin sighed loudly. Nightwing glanced over, then asked,
“What’s wrong, Baby Bat? I highly doubt that the release requests will be taken seriously.”

Robin shook his head as the brother vigilantes got on their motorcycles and started heading
for home, “It’s not that. I don’t think they have much of a chance of getting out, either. It’s
just…this was a wasted night. We didn’t actually do anything. We stopped one carjacking,
then responded to the signal, which turned out to be information, not a crime. We weren’t
needed out here tonight.”

“We both knew that this would be a short night,” Nightwing said.

“Even on short nights, we usually do more than we did tonight,” Robin pointed out.

Nightwing and Robin sailed through an intersection, and they both noticed a van pulling up
outside of a storefront. A quick look and a nod brought both Nightwing and Robin to a stop
before they turned back to the street they had just passed. The vigilantes parked in an alley
behind the building in question and quickly ascended to the roof. Peeking over the edge,
Nightwing and Robin saw two men screwing bolts into the brick wall.

“What the hell are they doing,” Robin asked softly.

Nightwing leaned out a little further, to try to get a better view. “There is an ATM mounted
in the wall there. I think they’re doing something stupid.”
Robin sighed as the two men attached chains to the eyebolts they had drilled into the
masonry. “Should we stop them now, or after they pull the bumper off of their van?”

The two men hurried quickly back to the front of the van. Nightwing was squinting to see
what they were doing. “It doesn’t look like they attached the chains to the bumper. They’re
going inside the van.”

The van roared to life, and the driver floored the accelerator. The rear tires spun, kicking up a
cloud of smoke as they gave off a squeal, but the vehicle didn’t move. Quickly, the driver
stopped, backed up until the rear of the van was just a couple inches from the wall, and tried
again. The van shot forward a couple feet until the tension on the chains halted the van.

Looking down, the vigilantes stared in shock as the wall around the ATM seemed to bow
with the stress of holding a five-thousand-pound van at bay.

“I hate to say it, but their plan might actually work,” Robin said. “Let’s stop them, before
they get away with an ATM.”

“Yeah,” Nightwing said, “Let’s go.”

The brothers stood up as the van driver backed up to the wall again for another run. He hit
the gas again and ran to the end of his chain. There was a tremendous crack, and the van shot
forward. Nightwing gasped, thinking they acted too late. Looking closer, that wasn’t the
case.

Nightwing and Robin dropped to the ground below and ran across the street to the van.
Apparently shocked by the van suddenly finding itself unattached to the wall, the driver
didn’t let go of the gas pedal, shot across the street, and t-boned a parked car.

Nightwing ripped open the driver-side door while Robin opened the passenger door to find
two nearly dazed men, working to extricate themselves from the airbags.

The driver sighed as he looked over and spotted Nightwing slowly shaking his head at the
now-criminal.

“Shit,” the driver mumbled.

“Do we even need to tell you that you’re under arrest,” Nightwing asked.

“Please, don’t hurt us,” the passenger was saying to Robin. The teenaged vigilante looked
like he wanted to hit something, and the passenger was picking up on the vibe.

“Whose stupid idea was this,” Robin growled.

“We both came up with it,” the passenger said, “We both got laid off of our jobs. We have
families to support.”

“How are you planning on doing that from a jail cell,” Robin asked sharply, “Even just trying
to steal an ATM is an automatic felony. You would have earned less time waiting for the
armored truck to come and refill the ATM and robbing him than attacking the ATM directly.”
A tense silence fell over the men for a long second before Nightwing released a breath and
asked, “Are either of you hurt?”

Both men shook their heads, despite the fact that both of their noses were still bleeding from
getting hit with the airbags.

“Alright, get out,” Nightwing said. Both men climbed gingerly from the van and were zip-
tied to the van doors. “Robin, call it in.”

Robin walked across the street to inspect the actual damage to the ATM as he activated his
radio. “Batman, are you still with the Commissioner?”

“Just left, Robin,” Batman answered, “I thought I told you two to go home?”

“We were,” Robin said, “We ran across a burglary in progress and stopped. Two guys tried to
make off with an ATM in a van.”

“Where are you,” Batman asked, “What do you need?”

“Nightwing and I have them in custody,” Robin said, “We need jail transport, a tow truck,
and a couple officers to process the scene.” Robin glanced at their prisoners, then said,
“They should probably be examined before they head to jail. Maybe an ambulance, or
paramedics, or something.”

“What did you do to them,” Batman asked.

“We watched them crash their van when their plan backfired,” Robin said, trying not to read
too much into the implication that Batman thought his son had beaten the criminals. “The
airbags deployed, but they are both bleeding slightly and look pretty sore.”

“I’ll call it in,” Batman said, “Where are you?”

Robin glanced at a street sign, “Near the corner of Baltic and Yosemite.”

“You’re close,” Batman said, “I’ll be there in a minute.”

Nightwing joined Robin in looking over the damage the criminals had caused. A couple
bricks had been pulled out of the wall façade, and there were significant cracks in the
masonry. The ATM itself was still in place, because it wasn’t actually attached to the wall. It
was attached to thick steel beams sunk ten feet into the ground and running the entire height
of the three-story building. There was no way that the van was ever going to pull the ATM
out of the wall without bringing half of the wall down on top of the van. That was how the
wall was designed.

The brothers followed the chains back to a square steel tube support structure. The criminals
had built a frame out of steel tubing, welded it into the back of the van, and wrapped the
chains around that for their theft attempt. The first attempt had bent the tubes and cracked
the welds holding the structure into the van. The second attempt broke the rest of the welds,
and the structure stayed in place as the van rocketed forward. It was a good idea, but the
designers of the ATM mount had thought of it first, and designed their rig of much stronger
materials. The most that would have happened, if the criminals had been successful, was a
large chunk of decorative masonry would have been ripped out of the wall, revealing the steel
support structure underneath.

“These guys need to go back to welding school,” Nightwing said as he examined the frame.
“This might have worked, if they welded it better.”

“I don’t think it was the welds,” Robin said, pointing to the ends of the steel tubes. There
were flat sheets of metal, which had ripped out of the van. “I don’t think that is support
steel. They welded this thing straight to the body of the van, instead of the frame. I bet we’ll
find holes in the roof and floor of the van, if we look in the back.”

Nightwing gave a short laugh, “I bet you’re right. Welding structural steel supports to sheet
metal. Did they think this would actually work?”

“They tried it,” Robin said, “So, obviously.”

The Batmobile arrived at the scene a handful of seconds before a patrol car. Nightwing and
Robin explained the situation to both Batman and the officers before Batman released his
sons from the scene.

As they again mounted their motorcycles, Nightwing flashed a smile at Robin, “Feel better
now?”

“What,” Robin asked.

“Now you can say we did something on this patrol,” Nightwing said.

Robin nodded, “I guess we did.”

“Let’s go home.”

The Next Day…

Damian stuck his head through the less-than-impressive office door of Abbey Oil’s main
headquarters. The building itself could have fit in the lobby of Wayne Tower, with plenty of
room to walk around to the elevators. The office didn’t have to be big; just big enough for
the people to do their work. Damian had known coming in that Abbey Oil was a small
company, despite its large profit streams.

Damian stepped into the building and found Gina Abbey standing in the lobby, with her arms
crossed over her chest, shaking her head and clicking her tongue. “Late on your first day of
work. Not a good look for you, Damian.”

Damian kept his eye roll in check, remembering that Gina was now his boss. “You can thank
your gate guard for that. He didn’t believe that I’m working here starting today.”
Gina smiled, “He called me. We’ll get you a parking permit for your car. Welcome to Abbey
Oil, Damian. Let me show you around.”

Damian looked around the otherwise-empty lobby and commented, “I must not be the only
one late today.”

Gina shook her head, “We don’t have a receptionist out here normally. All our visitors are
screened by the gate guards. We don’t get many calls, either. There’s a camera out here that
will alert us if someone enters the building, but that doesn’t happen a lot.”

Gina opened the door at the back of the lobby and walked through. Damian followed the
woman, who said, “Here is our office space. I know, it’s not as big or as clean as you’re used
to, but it gets the job done. Remember, we’re the front office for an oil field. You should
expect to get dirty. It’s nice that you thought to dress up for the job, but it’s not necessary on
a normal work day. On any normal work day, there’s only three of us in the office. You
don’t have to impress anyone here. Dress in something you feel comfortable wearing, that is
somewhat office appropriate, and that you won’t mind getting dirty.”

Damian nodded, “Okay, I can do that.”

“It’s usually t-shirts and jeans around here,” Gina said, “but at least make sure it’s a nicer t-
shirt.”

Gina and Damian stepped into the office area, and Gina said, “This is the office area. It’s
small, but it works for us.”

She trailed off as a door opened on their right. Mike Abbey and a woman walked out of the
office. Mike smiled at Damian and said, “Oh, good. You’re here. Perfect timing.”

Gina smirked, “Actually, he was late.”

“Only because the guard wouldn’t let me in,” Damian said.

Mike nodded, “I was just telling Linda about our new hire. Linda, this is Damian, our new
bookkeeper. Damian, this is Linda. Linda is our office coordinator. She pretty much runs
the whole show. You two are going to be working closely together.”

“Hello,” Damian said in a little softer tone than his normal voice.

“Nice to meet you, Damian,” Linda said with a smile, “I hope you know your stuff. I’m not
going to go easy on you. We haven’t had a bookkeeper for a few weeks. I hope you can get
up and running fast, to get our backlog whittled down.”

“I’ll do what I can,” Damian said nervously.

“How far did you get, Gina,” Mike asked.

“We just walked in the door, Dad,” Gina said, “I’m still showing him around the office.”

Mike nodded, “Let me know when you’re done. Damian, welcome aboard.”
“Thank you, Mr. Abbey.”

Linda took a step closer to Damian as Mike returned to the office and closed the door. “I
hope you know that I was kidding earlier,” the woman said, “I’m not going to put any
pressure on you. Take as much time as you need to get comfortable. We’re like one big
family here. You’ll see.”

Damian seemed to relax a bit, then angled his head and asked, “Are you related to the
Abbey’s, too?”

Linda shook her head with a smile, “No. Figurative family. I didn’t think Mike had a son or
nephew. Are you related to the Abbey’s?”

Damian gave a smile, “Not yet.”

Gina shook her head, “You remember when I told you about Robin’s incredibly doting and
completely whipped fiancé? This is him.”

Damian rolled his eyes, “I prefer ‘dedicated’ to ‘whipped’. Or, maybe ‘devoted’. Don’t you
think your sister deserves someone who makes her happy, and is willing to keep doing that
for the rest of our lives?”

“Yeah, yeah,” Gina said, “Come on, loverboy, let’s get your tour done, so you can get to
work.”

Gina pointed to the door Mike had disappeared into, “That’s Dad’s office. It’s usually
locked, since he’s usually in Alaska. No one goes in there unless Dad’s here.”

Damian took a step closer to Gina and asked softly, “Was Linda in trouble?”

“What do you mean,” Gina asked.

“Called into the boss’s office first thing in the morning?”

Gina smiled, “Linda has worked for Dad for a long time. They were probably just talking
and catching up.”

Damian nodded, “Okay.”

Gina walked over to a door to the left of the office, “This is Linda’s office. You’ll be here a
lot. You two are going to be working close together to get the job done. Linda does her
work, then passes it off to you for record keeping.”

Walking to a corner office, Gina said, “This is my office. I like having an open-door policy,
so you can always come to me if you have questions. Any questions so far?”

“Not yet,” Damian said.

Gina walked up to her desk and picked up a card and a key. Handing them to Damian, she
said, “Here is your parking permit. Hang that from your rearview mirror when you come in
and the guard won’t give you any problems entering the lot. The key is for the office. If you
get here early or have to stay late, you can open the office, or lock up at night. I’ll go over
the alarm system with you later. Dad’s is the only office with a lock, so we don’t need to
worry about keys for our offices. So far, so good?”

Damian nodded, then followed Gina to the door next to her office. She smiled as she opened
the door. “This is your broom closet…I mean, office.”

Damian stepped into the room and had to agree with Gina’s description. It was just about the
same size as the closet in Damian’s bedroom at Stately Wayne Manor. A desk was set
against the left wall, facing the door. There was just enough room on the right side of the
desk for a person to walk past without having to turn sideways and scoot by. There was a
chair in front of the desk, a chair behind the desk, and a double monitor setup on top of the
desk. The back wall of the office was lined with filing cabinets.

“Cozy,” Damian commented.

“You’ll get used to it,” Gina said, “but you might want to leave the door open, in case you’re
claustrophobic.”

“This is about the size of my closet at home,” Damian said.

“Feel free to decorate in here, if you want,” Gina said, then smirked, “I wouldn’t recommend
hanging clothes in here, though. The office is small enough already.”

Damian stared blankly at Gina, “That was a joke, right?”

Gina sighed and said flatly, “Yes, Damian. That was a joke.”

Damian stared for another second before giving a smirk and a quick wink.

Gina rolled her eyes and said, “Come on, let’s finish your tour.”

Gina pointed to the door next to Damian’s new office, “This is the storage closet. All of our
office supplies, kitchen supplies, bathroom supplies, cleaning supplies are in there. Feel free
to use anything you need.”

Damian opened the door and felt his jaw drop. “This is bigger than my office.”

Gina smirked, “I know.”

Damian shrugged as he closed the door.

Gina led Damian to the far corner of the office and pointed at two doors, “Door on the left is
the Ladies Room. Door on the right is the Men’s room. You seem to be in luck. As the only
man working in the office, you get a bathroom to yourself.”

Damian looked at Gina strangely, “I can’t be the only man who works here.”
“The guards at the gate have their own restroom,” Gina said, “The guys working the field are
too far away to come to the office for a bathroom break, and they have their own
accommodations. Unless Dad is here, or there is a board meeting here for some reason,
which is very rare, you are the only guy who will regularly be in the office.”

“Oh. Okay.”

“That also means that you are responsible for cleaning the men’s room,” Gina said. “I
usually clean the Ladies room. It’s only fair that you clean up after yourself, if you’re going
to be the only one using it.”

“I guess that’s fair,” Damian said.

Gina had been expecting more of an argument from Damian, but it didn’t come. She led
Damian down the hall and pointed to a door, “This is the conference room. If the board of
directors comes here for a meeting, this is where they will be. I’ll be very surprised if you
ever have any interactions with the board. I’ve worked here for a few years now, and I’ve
only met them a couple times.”

“Does the board even know that your dad hired me,” Damian asked.

Gina shook her head, “They won’t be interested in day-to-day activities, unless we start
losing business. Your position isn’t one that the board will even be aware of, until they need
to see records for a meeting.”

“Then, you normally do the hiring here,” Damian asked.

“That’s one of my jobs around here,” Gina said.

“Did Dad hire me behind your back,” Damian asked.

“He asked my opinion first,” Gina said, “I didn’t have any objections, with the caveat that I
get to torment you occasionally.”

Damian sighed, “You would have done that whether he said it was okay or not.”

“Now you’re getting it,” Gina said with a smile, “By the way, when did you start calling him
Dad?”

“In March,” Damian said, “I can’t keep calling him Mr. Abbey for the rest of my life. I’ll try
not to call him Dad at work, though.”

“Not in front of other people, at least,” Gina said. “I’m resigned to the fact that you’re going
to be my brother, so I’ll let it slide.”

“You’re resigned to the fact,” Damian asked, “I thought we had a better relationship than
that.”

Gina smirked, “I mean, come on. Robin can do better. Your family is only the richest family
in the state. You’re nowhere close to the richest people in the country. You’ve got a long
way to go if you’re going to be the best. You always say Robin deserves the best.”

“I’ve never said that I was the best,” Damian said, “but Robin is the best. She has to be, to
have put up with me for so long.”

Gina reached out and squeezed Damian’s shoulder with a smile, “This is going to be fun. I’m
glad you’re here, Damian. I always thought you had more of a personality than you normally
show. I get to see a side of you that even Robin doesn’t normally get to see. Let’s go.”

They walked to the end of the hall, and Gina opened the door, “This is the break room. You
can use the refrigerator and the microwave all you want. The water cooler is open for use,
too. Just replace the bottle if you empty it. You might want to consider bringing your lunch
to work from now on. As I’m sure you saw on your way in this morning, we’re pretty much
in the middle of nowhere. The closest restaurant is a McDonalds a couple miles away. Other
than that, there is really nothing within close range for a daily lunch.”

“Sounds like a good idea,” Damian said.

Gina turned to Damian and said, “So, that’s the office. Any questions?”

Damian shook his head, “No.”

“Okay,” Gina said, “Time to get to work.”

Gina and Damian walked back to the teen’s new office, and Gina motioned for Damian to
enter the room first. Damian walked in, and Gina followed. “Okay. This is your first day of
work at your first job. That means you have a lot to learn. Your first couple days here are
going to be a lot of studying. We’re going to start with company information, policy and
procedure, and regulatory guidelines. That’s your desk now, so have a seat and get the lay of
the land.”

Damian walked around the desk and sat down. On the desk, a completely full, three-inch
three-ring binder sat facing him.

“That’s your orientation binder,” Gina said, “Your only job today, or for as long as it takes, is
to read that binder. That will tell you a lot about the business and what we do. Get started on
that.”

“Okay,” Damian said, opening the binder.

“I’ll be back in a little while with your employment paperwork,” Gina said, “That will give
you a little break from the mind numbing reading you will be doing today.”

Gina left the office as Damian started reading. She walked over to Mike’s office and
knocked on the door.

“Come in.”

Gina opened the door and smiled at her dad, “Well, he’s on his way. I got him started on the
Policy and Procedure book. That should keep Damian busy for a while.”
Mike nodded as Gina sat down on the other side of the desk.

“Did he have any questions,” Mike asked.

Gina shook her head, “His response was ‘not yet’.”

Mike smiled, “Think he’ll have second thoughts about working here?”

“No,” Gina said, “I think he’ll do everything he can to excel at this job, because it will make
you happy, which will make Robin happy.”

“How do you think he’ll do in an office,” Mike asked.

Gina shrugged, “It’s hard to judge off of the first day. I think I’ll be able to answer that
question in a week or so. Did you give Linda a head’s up on Damian’s background?”

“Like what,” Mike asked.

“Like the fact that he’s Bruce Wayne’ son? We already told her that he’s Robin’s fiancé.”

“Why don’t we leave it up to Damian if he wants to tell her who his family is,” Mike said,
“He told me that he doesn’t like capitalizing on the family name.”

Gina smiled, “He didn’t use his family name to get a job here. He used ours.”

Mike chuckled, “I guess so. Did he fill out his HR paperwork yet?”

Gina shook her head, “Not yet. I wanted to get him started on the handbook first. I’ll have
him do the paperwork as a break in an hour or two.”

Mike nodded, “Sounds good. Get to work, daughter. Don’t forget that I’m treating the office
to lunch today.”

Later…

Mike stuck his head into the small office just before noon. He smiled at the teen, who was
staring intently at the binder in front of him.

“How’s it going?”

Damian looked up from the book, a little less blearily than Mike thought he would. “Hello,
Mr. Abbey. I didn’t think there would be so much to study for a bookkeeping job.”

“You have to know about the business, even if you aren’t involved in the other parts of the
business,” Mike said, “There are a lot of regulations on the oil industry, and you, as the
bookkeeper, will have a hand in keeping us in compliance.”

Damian nodded, “That makes all of this reading worth it.”

Mike looked at the binder and was amazed with what he saw. “Did you read all of that in just
the last three hours? I thought that book would take you two days to get through. You might
get that done today.”

“I’m trying,” Damian said.

“Well, it’s break time,” Mike said, “Come on, I’m taking the office out to lunch. My treat.”

“Thank you, Mr. Abbey,” Damian said as he stood and stretched, “I am getting a little
hungry.”

Later…

“What are you still doing here?”

Damian looked up from his desk as Mike walked into the office. “I wasn’t done with the
book yet. I just finished, so now I can start actual work tomorrow.”

“You finished that whole binder in one day,” Mike asked as he sat down on the opposite side
of the desk.

Damian shrugged, “It wasn’t any thicker than most of the text books I had in college. I read
most of those in a day each.”

“You were supposed to leave an hour ago,” Mike said, “You don’t have to work overtime on
your first day just to impress me.”

“I just wanted to get this done,” Damian said.

“Okay,” Mike said, “I’ll go over the computer system with you tomorrow morning, and you
can start actual work tomorrow afternoon. Actually, I’m glad you stayed late. We can talk
about something pretty important.”

Damian leaned forward and asked, “What is it?”

“A part of your job that no one talks about,” Mike said, “Your predecessor did this at my
request, too, so it isn’t a big deal. Just a secret between us working in the office. I run my
business above board. I don’t want there to be even a hint of impropriety in our dealings. I
guess the whole thing with the girls’ kidnapping and The Penguin trying to extort my
business put me on edge, and I’ve been wary ever since.”

“That’s understandable,” Damian said.

“A couple years ago, I noticed some inconsistencies in our records. I talked to our last
bookkeeper about it, and she was just as confused as I was.”

“What kind of inconsistencies,” Damian asked.

“Product records,” Mike said, “Product was moved without proper clearances. Shipments
went out twice, or sometimes not at all. End of month reporting always came out normal, so
it wasn’t easy to spot. I never caught what was happening or who was doing it, but I want to
make sure nothing illegal is going on.”
“Do you think that might have been planted evidence from when The Penguin tried to get
your pipeline,” Damian asked.

“I never thought of that,” Mike said, deep in thought. “That was around the time I started
noticing the inconsistencies. I haven’t seen them since.”

“Do you want Father and I to look into it,” Damian asked softly, “We have contacts that can
make the search, and the culprit, disappear.”

Mike smiled, “Any investigating will be done during the daytime, thank you, and won’t
involve capes. All I need you to do is keep a second set of books.”

Damian looked at Mike strangely, “I thought you wanted this taken care of above board?”

“It is,” Mike said, “You aren’t doing anything illegal, or even immoral. I’ll walk you through
it tomorrow. All you have to do is your job. Your job is to enter invoices in our system and
file the hard copies. What I’m asking you to do is to do your job twice. After you enter the
invoices in the official system, I want you to enter the same information into a separate
spreadsheet. You aren’t altering or changing any information. You are only making two
copies of the same information. Think of it as a redundancy. The company has access to the
official record, but only you and I have access to the second spreadsheet. This way I can
review a day-to-day, unfiltered, unaltered log of company activities. I compare both records
to see if there are any discrepancies. Can you do that for me?”

“I guess that doesn’t sound too bad,” Damian said.

“Good,” Mike said, “You really aren’t doing anything wrong, and it might just help us catch
someone, if anything shows up different. I’ll walk you through everything tomorrow. Now,
it’s time to go home. I’ve kept you late enough as it is.”

Damian nodded as he stood up from the desk and stretched. Man and teen locked up the
building and stopped next to Damian’s car.

“I see Gina gave you your parking permit,” Mike said, “Good. Go home. I’m sure Bruce
and Robin are anxious to know how your first day went.”

Damian nodded, then looked down and said, “I will. Um…thank you for taking a chance on
me, Dad.”

Mike smiled brightly, “It’s not a chance. I know you’ll do a good job, son. Say hi to Robin
for me.”

Later…

“I’m going to have to have a talk with Mike about your hours.”

Damian stopped in the hallway as Bruce walked out of the kitchen.

“Hello, Father,” Damian said.

“You left before the sun came up this morning,” Bruce said, “You should have been home
hours ago. Did something happen?”

Damian shook his head, “No, Father. It’s an hour drive each way to the office. I stayed late
to finish up what I was doing.”

“What were you doing,” Bruce asked with a soft smile.

“They gave me a 500-page policy manual to read over,” Damian said, “I wanted to finish
that.”

“Did you get it done,” Bruce asked.

Damian nodded, “I did.”

“Good,” Bruce said, “Now, you have the hardest part of any job to do.”

“What’s that,” Damian asked.

“Going back,” Bruce said. “The hardest day of any job isn’t the first day. It’s the second.
You got a little taste of what the job is like today. Tomorrow, you get down to work. That’s
the real test.”

“I’m ready,” Damian said.

“I don’t doubt it,” Bruce said, giving Damian a quick hug. “Now, go upstairs, get cleaned up,
and grab your fiancé.”

Damian smirked at his father, and Bruce rolled his eyes hard, “Not like that. Dinner is ready.
I’m sure she would like to eat tonight.”

Damian started to walk away, but stopped after a step. “Oh, just a quick question. Do I have
a bank account, Father? Gina was asking for account information, to set up direct deposit for
my paycheck.”

Bruce nodded, “You have a savings account. Actually, I think you have several accounts. I
can get you the information for one of them. Or, if you want, we can open another account
for you.”

“Do I have one that I can access,” Damian asked.

“No,” Bruce said simply, “Remember our agreement. Your allowance stops at eighteen. I
want you to save what you’re earning at your job for now. Wasn’t the whole reason you took
this job to start saving up for your future?”

“Yes, Father.”

“It’s your money,” Bruce said, “No one will have access to it until you turn eighteen. I’ll
cover anything you need until then. Does that work for you?”
“I suppose so, Father,” Damian said, “It’s not like I have an abundance of bills to pay.”

“Even though you two can’t go out now, with the lockdowns, I’ll still cover your occasional
date night with Robin,” Bruce said.

“Thank you, Father.”

“Now, go,” Bruce said, “I want to eat before you have to go to bed. I’m sure you want to be
awake for work tomorrow.”

After Dinner…

“So, you didn’t tell us,” Selina said as the family relaxed in the den, “What do you think of
the work?”

Damian shrugged, as much as he could without dislodging Robin’s head from his shoulder, “I
don’t know yet. All I did today was read through the Policy and Procedures and Orientation
manuals. I start actual work tomorrow.”

“Is Dad going to keep you all day tomorrow, too,” Robin asked.

Damian snorted, “He might. Gina said they haven’t had a bookkeeper in a month. I was told
that I have a pretty big backlog of invoices to get through.”

“How fast do they want you to get caught up,” Bruce asked.

Damian shook his head, “I’ve been told to only do what I can. No overtime. At least, not a
lot.”

“Do you think you’ll like it,” Selina asked.

“I think so,” Damian said, “Seems like a fairly relaxed environment. There’s only three of us
in the office normally. I have the smallest office in the building, but that’s okay. I barely had
a desk at my internship.”

Bruce smirked, “That’s how it goes. There’s no favoritism in my company.”

“Bullshit,” Damian said with a smile, “If there was no favoritism, I never would have gotten
my internship.”

“Okay, not a lot of favoritism,” Bruce said with a growing smile. “Favoritism might have
gotten you in the door, but the rest was up to you. You earned your place through your work,
and I know you will do the same thing for Mike.”

The conversation trailed off as Alfred walked up behind the couch and asked, “Will anyone
be needing anything else tonight?”

“We’re good, Alfred,” Bruce said, “Is everything okay?”

“Are you alright, Alfred,” Damian asked, “You seemed a little distracted during dinner.”
Alfred sighed, “You are quite perceptive, Master Damian. I am trying to figure out logistics
for our changing event, and need to make a few new plans.”

Bruce and Selina cringed as they turned to face Alfred. Bruce asked, “What happened now?”

“I got a call this afternoon from the caterer,” Alfred said, “He had to, regretfully, pull out of
the wedding.”

“You said you were preparing for that, if it happened,” Bruce said.

“Yes,” Alfred said, “but I was hoping I would be planning for nothing. This will add quite a
bit more to the wedding preparations. Some of our plans might need to be changed.”

Robin looked at Damian before sitting up and saying, “I know this is sacrilegious around
here, but ask for help. I’m sitting here all day with nothing to do, when I could be helping
you. Put me to work, Alfred.”

“I couldn’t ask that, Miss Robin,” Alfred said, shaking his head.

“I know,” Robin said with a smile, “that’s why I’m offering. You don’t have to ask. I’m the
only one around here who isn’t working. I have a few weeks until summer school starts.
Frankly, I was pretty bored today, on my own. I’m not the cook that you or Damian are, but I
know my way around the kitchen. Let me help make this easier for you. If Damian wasn’t
working, the both of us would be helping you. Just put me in his place.”

Alfred looked at the girl for a long second before saying, “Thank you, Miss Robin. I
appreciate this more than you know. We will get this wedding back on track.”

A/N: Here is another slice of life along the way. This marks the half-way point of this
story, and I think it is coming along pretty well. I don’t think there are any big shocks
coming up here, just a story I’ve wanted to write for about four years now.

As this is the half-way point, I’ll give a little update on the rest of the story. I’ve started
chapter 6, but haven’t gotten too far in it yet. Chapter 7 is a little more than halfway
done. Chapter 8 is completed and ready to post. Chapter 9 is about a third done, and
will probably be pretty long. Chapter 10 is completed and ready to post. The part of
chapter 9 that I have written was actually the first thing I wrote for this story, back in
2018. It will be nice to finally be able to post it.

I’m hoping to get this story completed by the end of July, but that might not happen.
We’ll see if I can get it done earlier.

Please let me know what you think so far. Your comments make my day.

Thanks for playing along.

 6

Batman 50

Chapter 6

“Whatever you’re planning, it’s not a good idea.”

Selina stopped behind the couch in the front sitting room, with her hand poised above
Damian’s head. The teen hadn’t turned around, and Selina had approached absolutely
silently. She was absolutely shocked at being caught.

She sighed as she dropped her hand to her side and asked, “How did you know?”

Selina walked around the couch to sit next to Damian.

The teen said, “I’m Robin. You think I can’t feel when someone is sneaking up behind me?”

“You’re allowed to have fun, too,” Selina said.

“I also don’t react well to being grabbed by surprise,” Damian said.

“Right,” Selina said, deflating a bit, “but, speaking of Robin, it’s not often I see you without
her.”

“She took Titus out for a walk,” Damian said.

Selina smirked, “Giving her your responsibilities?”

Damian shook his head, “I’m leaving soon. Tim and I have our tux fitting appointment.”

“Why didn’t all of you go at the same time,” Selina asked.

“The tailor asked that we come separately,” Damian said, “He doesn’t want more than two
people in his shop at a time.”

“When does everyone else go,” Selina asked.

“Dick and Jason are there now,” Damian said, “Father and Alfred were supposed to have
their appointment this morning. Father was hoping that we could all go together, and maybe
just wait in the parking lot if the tailor doesn’t want all of us in the shop at once, but I had to
work today.”

Tim walked into the sitting room and smiled at future step-mom and future step-son having a
normal conversation.
“Ready, Damian,” Tim asked.

Damian looked up and nodded, “All set. Excuse us, Selina.”

Selina nodded and watched the brothers walk out of the sitting room.

In the garage, Damian tossed a set of keys to Tim. Tim caught them and looked at them
strangely before asking, “What’s wrong with taking my car?”

“A while ago, you told Father that you wanted to drive everything in the garage at least
once,” Damian said, “I know for a fact that you didn’t get to drive this one.”

Tim looked at the keys again. “Is this your car?”

Damian nodded, “You picked it out. It’s only fair that you get to drive it. You know you
want to.”

Tim smiled. He did want to drive the newest car in the garage. Tim just figured he’d have to
beg for the opportunity.

“You’re okay with this,” Tim asked.

Damian shrugged, “You won’t be the first person to drive it. Father and Robin have both
driven it. It’s just a car.”

“A car that I happen to know you like very much,” Tim pointed out.

“Yes, I do,” Damian said, “Thank you for picking it out.”

Tim walked around to the driver’s side and opened the door. He groaned as he lowered
himself into the low-slung vehicle. “Oh! Your car is low.”

“What’s wrong with you,” Damian asked, eyeing the man.

Tim looked over, “Are you telling me that you aren’t sore after last night?”

Damian was indeed sore, but he had always been good at hiding pain. Tim and Damian had
patrolled together last night. They were both doing a shorter patrol, because both had to
actually leave the house to go to work today. They ended up going together, to make sure
both got home at a decent hour.

On patrol, a very large man, who had been very high on PCP, decided to resist arrest. Robin
had hit the man with just about every non-lethal form of attack he had at his disposal, but it
didn’t seem like the man even noticed. When Red Robin showed up in the alley, the
drugged-up man lifted Robin and threw him like a frisbee at Red Robin. The brother
vigilantes went down hard, and the only reason the man didn’t get away was because he
stopped to gloat that the bats couldn’t do anything against him.

The gloating gave the bats enough time to take a breath and get back to their feet. With a
single look, the brothers decided on a plan. They both drew their Tasers, landed their prongs
in the middle of the man’s chest, and held down the triggers until the man hit the ground. It
took the full battery charges from both Tasers to bring the man down, but they got a danger
off the streets.

“Yeah, I’m sore today,” Damian said, “Makes me glad I have a desk job, and can sit all day.”

“Is the job all you hoped it would be,” Tim asked.

Damian nodded, “So far. I’m still learning how to do everything.”

“Could be worse,” Tim said, “You could be flipping burgers at McDonalds or making coffee
at Starbucks. I love you, Damian, and you can do anything you set your mind to, but you are
not built for a job in customer service. I can see you getting fired from customer service jobs
left and right.”

Damian thought about it for a second, then nodded, “Yeah, you’re probably right.”

The brothers arrived at the tailor shop, and were surprised to find Bruce and Alfred standing
outside.

Bruce smiled as Tim and Damian approached, “Hello, boys.”

“Father,” Damian greeted.

Tim looked around, “Hey, Bruce. Is something going on?”

“What do you mean,” Bruce asked.

“I thought your appointment was this morning,” Tim said, “Why are you and Alfred still
here?”

Bruce shook his head, “It got moved to early afternoon. The tailor is running behind. Dick
and Jason are in right now. Alfred and I are done. You two are next.”

“If we’d known that, we all could have come together,” Tim said.

“It would have been far easier to come straight from work,” Damian said, “instead of going
all the way home, then coming here.”

“It was a last-minute change, and I didn’t want to bother you at work,” Bruce said, then
smiled, “Robin told me you won’t even answer her calls when you’re at work.”

“I’m still learning the job,” Damian said, almost sheepishly, “I also don’t have a phone in my
office, and we don’t have the best cell reception out there. I want Mr. Abbey to know that
I’m taking this seriously.”

“It’s only been a week, kiddo,” Bruce said, “Ease your way into it.”

Damian smirked, “When have I ever done that?”

Bruce smiled, “Mike has had nothing but good things to say about your work, so far.”

Damian looked up strangely, “Is he sending home report cards about me?”

Bruce blushed slightly, “I’m taking an interest in my son, and my eventual replacement.
Anyway, Mike calls me. I’m not reaching out to him for daily reports.”

Damian’s eyes widened, “He calls you daily?”

“Mike and I were friends before you started working for him, or dating his daughter. I’m
sure he’ll stop calling so much once he goes back to Alaska,” Bruce said, “It was nice of him
to let you off early today for this.”

“He didn’t,” Damian said, “I went in early. I can work basically any hours I want. As long
as the work is getting done correctly, it doesn’t matter the specific hours worked. Since it’s
such a long drive out there, I’ve been trying to work seven to four, to avoid traffic.”

“Sounds like a good schedule,” Bruce said.

“I worked six to three today,” Damian said, “to get off early enough to make it here for this.”

The door of the tailor’s shop opened and Dick and Jason walked out of the store.

“Next,” Jason called out as he and Dick approached the group.

Tim looked at Damian and said, “Let’s get this over with. I’ve never liked getting measured
for suits.”

“Why not,” Dick asked, leaning on Damian’s shoulder.

“I’ve never liked this guy pawing at me,” Tim said.

Bruce looked concerned, “What do you mean, pawing at you?”

“He…takes his time with my measurements,” Tim said, “Always has. Drags his hands over
me, stares at me. He always wants to take extra measurements of my pants.”

“Does he do this with any of the rest of you,” Bruce asked.

Dick shook his head, “Not that I’ve noticed.”

Jason also shook his head, “He barely wants to get close enough to me to take my
measurements.”

Damian shrugged, “It’s been years since I was measured for a new tuxedo, but nothing like
that stands out in my mind.”

“Keep watch while you’re in there,” Bruce said, a little perturbed that he was just hearing
about this now, after decades of taking his sons to this tailor.

“Okay, Father,” Damian said as he and Tim headed for the shop.
Inside…

A late middle-aged, slim man, roughly Tim’s height, with neatly coiffed hair and an
impeccably tailored suit, brightened up as soon as his latest clients entered his shop. If he
had not been wearing a face mask, both Tim and Damian would have been able to see his ear-
to-ear smile. Both boys could easily see that the smile was aimed at Tim. Now that Tim had
pointed out the behavior, it was impossible to miss.

“Timothy! Damian! Welcome back! My, Damian, you have grown so much.”

Damian shrugged, “It’s been a while since I needed a new tuxedo.”

The man barely acknowledged Damian’s comment and turned his entire attention to Tim.
“Timothy, my favorite client. You don’t come visit me nearly enough.”

Tim tried to smile, “Haven’t needed a new suit in a while.”

The man seemed to pout, “I wish we didn’t need to wear these masks. I want to see your
face.”

“I don’t have a good immune system,” Tim said, “I catch everything. I don’t want to catch
this virus. Sorry, but I have to keep my mask on.”

“Well, we don’t want you getting sick,” the tailor said, “Let’s get started, shall we?”

Later…

Tim and Damian walked into Stately Wayne Manor almost two hours later. Tim looked
thoroughly exhausted and defeated, while Damian was smirking sharply.

Bruce met the boys in the hallway entering the house from the garage. “Well?”

“Please don’t make me do that again,” Tim begged.

“Was it that bad,” Bruce asked.

“YES,” Tim said vehemently.

Bruce turned to Damian, “How bad was it really?”

Damian snorted a laugh, “Tim did not exaggerate. He begged Tim to get undressed for
‘proper’ measurements. Robin doesn’t even touch me as much as that guy touched Tim, or in
that many places.”

Bruce’s jaw dropped, “How did I not see this before? Why didn’t you say anything before,
Tim?”

“He’s never been this bad before,” Tim said.

“What’s the verdict,” Jason asked, walking up to the conversation.

“That tailor is hot for Tim,” Damian said, “He wasn’t even trying to hide it. I’m actually a
little nervous about how my tuxedo is going to come out.”

“What do you mean,” Bruce asked.

“He measured me in three minutes,” Damian said, “The rest of the time was spent feeling
Tim up.”

“You were there for two hours,” Bruce said, shocked, “How could he possibly measure you
in three minutes.”

“It might have been five,” Damian said, “but I was definitely an afterthought. Don’t be
surprised if I show up to the wedding in a toga. That might be all he remembers of my
measurements.”

“I’m going to go take a shower,” Tim groaned out, “I’ll see you on Monday.”

Tim trudged away from the conversation.

The men watched him go, and Bruce said quietly, “It must have been bad, if Tim wants to
spend the weekend in the shower.”

Damian leaned in and spoke softly, “I don’t know how Tim put up with that treatment. I
would have tried to stab the guy, if he was feeling me up like that.”

“Tim hasn’t had a girlfriend in a while,” Jason said, “Maybe he’s touch starved.”

“The tailor did say that he would give us Tim’s tuxedo if Tim modeled for him,” Damian
said.

Bruce looked interested, “Something to think about.”

Damian shook his head, “He didn’t say model for the shop. He said model for him. I don’t
think he wants to see Tim in a suit.”

Jason smiled, “Not in a tuxedo, at least. Maybe a birthday suit?”

Damian cocked his head to the side in confusion, “How is a birthday suit different from a
regular suit?”

Bruce found that he could still be amazed at the things that his son didn’t know. “What do
you wear on your birthday, Damian?”

“I guess that depends on what kind of plans you have,” Damian said.

“He means, what did you wear on your first birthday,” Jason clarified.

Damian still looked confused, so Bruce said, “You weren’t born wearing a three-piece suit, or
some sort of uniform. What do you wear when you’re born?”
Damian thought for another second, then his eyes widened, “Oh! Right…birthday suit.”

Jason reached over and ruffled Damian’s hair, “You’ll catch on one of these days.”

“Go get cleaned up, son,” Bruce said, “Dinner will be soon.”

The Next Day…

Bruce and Selina stopped in the hall, watching the door of the den. They had been walking
towards the room to find a space and a couple minutes to relax on this Saturday morning.
They were pretty sure that was where the rest of the family would be, and they wanted to see
what was going on.

Bruce and Selina stopped to not interrupt anything. Robin was leading Damian out of the
den, smiling back at him and curling a finger at him seductively. Damian had a wide grin on
his face as he followed quickly after the girl. They both disappeared down the hall without
looking at who else might have been around, heading for the north wing of the Manor.

Selina smiled, “Do you think they’re just getting started, or finishing up?”

“I’m pretty sure someone else in the den told them to get a room, and they felt that was a
good idea,” Bruce said.

“Kinda obvious, aren’t they,” Selina asked.

Bruce shrugged as they headed for the den again, “Damian has a full-time job now. They
don’t get to see each other during the day anymore. I’m pretty sure they did this kind of
thing a lot while the rest of us are at work.”

“Damian did say that he was tired at dinner last night,” Selina said, “Maybe he was too
tired?”

“Getting used to a work schedule isn’t easy,” Bruce said, “He’s only been working for a
week. Once he gets used to everything, they’ll adjust their schedule, and we probably won’t
see things like that again. Damian has always tried to be pretty discrete about their
relationship.”

Bruce and Selina entered the den to find Dick and Barbara giggling, Tim shaking his head,
and Jason smirking. Selina turned to Bruce and said, “Your guess must have been right.”

Bruce sat down on a couch, looked around the room, and said, “It was you, wasn’t it,
Barbara?”

“What was me,” Barbara asked innocently.

Bruce raised an eyebrow at the woman. “We saw them flee the room. It was your suggestion
that they go somewhere more private, wasn’t it?”

The boys laughed as Barbara said, “Darn right, it was. I love them, but I still have a hard
time seeing Damian as more than the little kid I first met.”
“The kid you met almost seven years ago,” Dick said, “As much as you don’t want to see it,
he’s grown a lot.”

“I know,” Barbara said.

“Did you just want them to go away,” Selina asked, “or was there more to it?”

“We were wondering why they suddenly dropped out of the conversation,” Tim said.

Jason continued, “When we looked over, it looked like they were trying to suck each other’s
faces off.”

Bruce sighed, “What was the conversation about before that happened?”

“We were talking about the wedding,” Dick said, “and your plans for after the wedding.”

“Are you planning our lives now,” Selina asked.

“I just pointed out that all of them are now going to have a step-mother,” Barbara said. “It’s a
new experience.”

Bruce sighed, “That seems to be Damian’s sticking point in this whole situation. Robin must
have noticed that he got uncomfortable with the topic, and went overboard in helping to calm
him down.”

“He’s had a year to get used to Selina, and six months to adjust to the fact that you two are
getting married,” Jason said, “What’s his problem?”

“He just doesn’t like me,” Selina said.

“That can’t possibly be it,” Dick said, “I know for a fact that he likes you. He’s just
stubborn.”

“I think it’s more than that,” Barbara said, “I just don’t know what yet.”

It is more than that, Bruce thought, I just wonder which of my theories are true.

“We spend a lot of time talking about how this whole wedding is going to affect Damian,”
Bruce said, “but Barbara’s statement is true, too. Damian isn’t the only one this is going to
affect. How are you boys feeling about this?”

“All of us have spent more of our lives without our mothers than we spent with them,” Dick
said, “I’ve always been open to you being my new mommy, Selina.”

Selina snorted a laugh, “That still sounds creepy, Dick.”

“I’ve been saying it for almost twenty-five years, Selina,” Dick said, “You’d think you’d be
used to it by now.”

“Jason,” Bruce asked.

Jason shrugged, “My mom taught me how to smoke and steal and abandon her son in
exchange for drugs. Are you going to teach me anything new, Selina?”

Selina smirked, “I’ve got ways to steal things your mother never could have thought of.”

Jason matched the smirk, “Works for me. You’ve got the job.”

Bruce sighed, “How about a serious answer, Jason?”

“You’ve always been a lot more fun than the society bimbos Bruce hung out with before,”
Jason said, “It’s about time someone made a dishonest man out of him. I’m with Golden
Boy; this is going to be fun.”

“We’ve already had this talk, Bruce,” Tim said.

“We have,” Bruce said, “Have you given it any additional thought?”

Selina turned to look at Tim with a bit of concern on her face, “Is there something I should
know?”

Tim released a breath and looked down at his lap, “Did Bruce tell you about me? About what
he did?”

“What did he do,” Selina asked.

Tim looked up again, “Bruce became the temporary legal guardian of Dick, and the
permanent legal guardian of Jason. He didn’t do that for me. Bruce adopted me. Full, legal
adoption. In the eyes of the law, I am Tim Drake-Wayne, Bruce’s son. Damian isn’t the only
legal step-son you’re getting in this deal, Selina.”

Selina’s eyes widened a bit, “I don’t think I knew that.”

“W-what do you think about that,” Tim asked nervously.

Selina gave a bright smile, “I think it’s incredible, Tim. Why did Bruce ask if you had
thought about things?”

“Because I don’t know if this is going to change anything for me,” Tim said, “I’m sorry, but I
don’t feel like I’m at a point in my life where I need a parent.”

Selina took a breath, then nodded slowly, “I understand. That doesn’t change anything for
me, Tim. I still love you.”

“I love you, too, Selina,” Tim said, “I think I always have.”

“Well, you might not need a parent,” Selina said, “but if you ever want one, I’m here for
you.”

“Thank you,” Tim said after a second, “I think that might be a better way to look at this
whole situation, for me. I think I’ll take you up on that offer.”
Dick reached over and ruffled Tim’s hair, “Good boy, Timmy.”

Bruce nodded at his sons, then looked at Selina, “Well, do you think you can handle being a
step-mom of four?”

“Is it four,” Selina asked.

“Of course, it’s four,” Dick said.

“I know that it’s you four,” Selina said, looking around the room and making sure her gaze
stopped on Barbara, to let her know that she is included in the count, too. “Do you think that
it might possibly be six eventually?”

Bruce released a long breath, “Work at it. I know that part of him wants this. Including
Robin will help Damian get acclimated faster.”

“I just wish I could hear that from him,” Selina said softly.

Later…

The laughs emanating from the den helped ease a little of the tension in Alfred’s shoulders as
he walked into the room. He had been looking for the family, and was a little surprised to
find just about all of them together in one place.

“Oh my god,” Barbara gasped between peals of laughter, “Dad told me about that one! I
can’t believe you actually stole Detective Montoya’s badge without her noticing. Did you
ever use it for anything?”

Selina nodded with a smile, “Yes, blackmail. B caught me a couple days later with three
hundred carats of loose diamonds that just happened to fall out of the back of an armored
truck.”

Bruce rolled his eyes, “They fell out of the armored truck loader’s hands when you flashed
him.”

“We work with what we have,” Selina said proudly, “Anyway, I was sitting in the back of a
police car when Detective Montoya comes to the window to ask some preliminary questions.
I was well aware that losing a police badge and credentials is taken more seriously than
losing a gun, and causes a much larger investigation. I told her that I could get her badge
back for her, if she opened the car door and let me go. She didn’t want to, but trusting me
was a better option than an IAB inquiry for her, so she let me go. She got a slap on the wrist
for losing a suspect, I got to walk free, and she got her badge back.”

“Wait,” Jason said, “You had it on you?”

Selina shook her head, “I mailed it back to her. I mailed it to her apartment, so she didn’t
have to explain how it showed up back at the office. She could say she made a mistake and
lost it at home. She also owed me a favor, after that.”

“Letting you out of custody wasn’t enough of a favor for you,” Bruce grumbled.
“You know me better than that, B.”

Bruce sighed, then looked up, “Care to join us, Alfred? We’re just swapping embarrassing
stories.”

“I’m sure you’ve got plenty about Bruce that none of us have heard,” Dick said with a smile.

“Perhaps another time,” Alfred said, “I actually came with an update, and to ask a favor.”

“What favor,” Jason asked.

“Why don’t I like the sound of ‘update’,” Bruce asked.

Alfred tried to hide his sigh, “I just got off the phone with the rental company.”

“We have to stand for the wedding now,” Jason asked.

“Yes, and no,” Alfred said, “I was informed that we are the only engagement in the near
future for the rental company. As so many others have canceled their engagements and
parties, your wedding is the only reservation still on the books. They are more than willing
to keep our reservation, but they currently have no drivers available to provide services.”

“What does that mean,” Tim asked.

“The tables and chairs are sitting at their storage facility, waiting to be used,” Alfred said,
“but they have no one to deliver them.”

“That could be a problem,” Bruce said.

“That was my original thought,” Alfred said, “however, the rental company is willing to
make a compromise. If we can find a way to pick up the tables and chairs ourselves, they
will take the delivery fee off of our total, and allow us to keep the tables and chairs for as
long as we would like. As they have no other reservations, and I already reduced our order to
reflect the smaller guest list, we are really only looking at sixty chairs and a dozen or so
tables.”

Bruce looked at his sons appraisingly, “That’s not the bad update I thought it could be.”

“No, sir,” Alfred said, “it isn’t as bad as it could be. They could have canceled the entire
reservation, instead of allowing us to pick them up ourselves.”

Jason looked like he was starting to understand what Bruce was saying, “Wait a minute…”

Dick nudged Jason, “Come on, Little Wing. It’s not so bad. We could use some exercise.”

“But it’s hot out,” Jason whined.

“A little sweat never hurt anyone,” Bruce said.

“I’m not going alone,” Jason said.

“Of course not,” Bruce said, “You’re all going.”

“How many trips is this going to take,” Jason said, “I know that you’ve seen that gas prices
are going up.”

Bruce smiled, “I think we can afford it.”

“You’re just taking advantage of me because I drive a truck,” Jason said.

“We have two trucks,” Dick said, “If we’re lucky, maybe we can get everything in one trip.”

Damian and Robin walked into the den, with Robin held tightly under Damian’s arm.
“What’s going on?”

Jason looked at the entering pair and said, “You better not have tired yourself out, Squirt.”

Damian bristled at the name, but he was in too good of a mood to attack his older brother.
Robin squeezed Damian and said with a smile, “Nope, he has plenty of energy.”

Damian blushed a little as Dick stood and said, “Good. Alfred has asked for our help this
afternoon. You did want this done today, right, Alfred?”

Alfred nodded, “If possible, sir.”

Damian looked up at the butler, “What did you need, Alfred?”

The entire room knew that Dick had phrased the request as something to help out Alfred,
instead of mentioning the wedding, to get Damian to agree without question.

“A quick trip to the rental store to pick up the tables and chairs,” Alfred said, “They no
longer have delivery drivers, due to the virus. Our agreement has been suitably altered to be
equitable for everyone involved.”

“Think you can help us out,” Tim asked.

Damian thought for a second, “Yeah, sure. Can Robin come, too?”

“That’s up to her,” Dick said, “Want to do some heavy lifting, Robin?”

Robin gave a small smile, “I can do that.”

“How are we going to do this,” Damian asked.

Dick looked at Alfred and asked, “Do you have a list of what we need to pick up?”

“I do,” Alfred said, handing an invoice to Dick, “The rental company also has our order ready
and pulled aside. The owner will be at the shop until four-thirty.”

Jason checked his watch, then said, “It’s almost two now. We should go, in case we need to
make more than one trip.”
The children walked out of the den, leaving the adults and Barbara behind.

“That went a lot smoother than I thought it would,” Barbara said.

“Same here,” Bruce said.

“He did seem rather agreeable,” Alfred said.

“He spent the last hour…relaxing with Robin,” Selina said, “I guess she knows how to put
him in a good mood.”

“I guess so,” Alfred said knowingly before walking out of the den.

Selina followed after the butler, heading in the opposite direction, to the bathroom.

Once they were alone, Barbara asked Bruce, “Are we just not mentioning the fact that Dick
didn’t say anything about Selina or the wedding to Damian when proposing the activity?”

“It’s still a touchy subject with him,” Bruce said, “I’m going to sit him down before the
wedding, to make sure he’s still okay with everything. He keeps telling me that he is, but
seems resistant to discussing the wedding at any other time.”

“I guess there is only so much that Robin’s influence can cover with him,” Barbara said.

Meanwhile…

The group walked into the garage, and Damian asked, “How are we doing this?”

“We’re going to load up the trucks and bring the tables and chairs back,” Jason said.

“Is everything going to fit in your truck,” Damian asked.

“Probably not,” Dick said, “That’s why we’re taking your truck, too. We’ll try to get
everything in one trip.”

“My truck,” Damian asked.

Tim tossed a set of keys to Damian, then pointed at the large black truck, sitting next to
Jason’s smaller, blue truck.

“Wait, that’s your truck,” Robin asked, “Why didn’t I know that before?”

“It’s not really my truck,” Damian said, “It’s really Father’s. I picked it out, though. I don’t
think Father has driven it more than a couple times.”

“Have you ever driven it,” Robin asked, somewhat nervously.

Damian nodded, “A few times.” Damian opened the passenger door to let Robin into the
large vehicle, then asked Jason, “Do I just follow you, then?”

“Try to keep up,” Jason said with a smirk.

“We bought the truck with the push bar for a reason,” Damian answered, “We can make your
truck into a short bed without even scratching the paint on my truck.”

“Let’s get this over with,” Jason said, “It’s too hot today already.”

Damian walked around the truck to get into the driver’s seat, and was surprised when Tim
climbed into the back. “Tim?”

Tim smiled as he put on his seat belt, “I guess I’m taking after you, Damian. I’ve had about
enough of Jason for today.”

Damian smiled as he started up the engine. Robin could barely catch the comment when
Damian whispered, “I love this thing.”

Half an hour later, the truck convoy pulled up outside of the rental store, and found the place
staffed by only one man. They approached with a smile, while the man backed up.

“Can you please put on masks if you’re going to enter my store,” the man said, “I’ve had
eight employees catch this damn virus in the past month. I’m the only one left.”

The family masked up, and Dick stopped at a social distance, “Hi. Alfred Pennyworth sent
us to pick up his reservation.”

A flash of recognition showed in the man’s eyes, the only part of his face that was visible
over his mask. “Oh, right. Do you have a truck?”

“We have two,” Jason said.

“Good,” the man said, “I’m Bill. I told Mr. Pennyworth that I would let you borrow one of
my trucks, if you needed it. I guess you don’t.”

Dick and Jason eyed each other, and Dick said, “Alfred didn’t mention that part, did he?”

“He did not,” Jason said.

Bill nodded at the older brothers, “If you want to drive around back, I can help you load up.”

A minute later, Jason and Damian backed the trucks up to a rear warehouse. After a quick
strategy discussion, they decided the tables would be loaded into Jason’s truck and the chairs
would be loaded in Damian’s truck. The stack of tables was loaded with no issues, but
figuring out how best to tie them down took Dick and Jason as long to complete as it took
Tim and Damian to load the stacks of chairs in the second truck.

Bill smiled at the brothers, “That was faster than my normal workers load our truck. Think
you guys might want a job?”

“Maybe on the weekends,” Dick said with a smile, “Our jobs keep us pretty busy.”

“You let me know,” Bill said, “Anytime you want extra work, I’m sure we can figure
something out.”
Damian approached the man and asked, “Think we can borrow these chair dollies? That will
make unloading at home much easier.”

Bill nodded, “Sure, no problem. Just bring them back when you bring the tables and chairs
back.”

“No problem,” Dick said, “You’re sure it’s okay for us to keep the tables and chairs for a
couple weeks?”

“I don’t have any other business right now,” Bill said, “I’ve worked with Mr. Pennyworth
enough to know that my chairs and tables are probably safer at his place than in my own
warehouse. Just get them back whenever you can.”

The group loaded up in the trucks again, and Damian said, “I think I’m going to start driving
this more. Maybe, with the diesel engine, I won’t have to stop for gas every other day.”

Tim smiled from the back seat, “Don’t tell Jason that.”

“Why not,” Damian asked.

“When we were talking about what car to get you for your birthday, Jason said we should just
give you the truck,” Tim said.

Damian nodded slowly, “Right. We can’t allow Jason to think he was right.”

“So, it was either your car or the truck,” Robin asked.

“There were several options floated during discussions,” Tim said, “I thought your car would
suit you best.”

“It does,” Damian said, “I love my car. It just needs a bigger gas tank.”

“What else could you have had,” Robin asked.

“Bruce had a Mercedes in mind,” Tim said, “Dick thought you might want to copy him, and
proposed a Porsche. Jason then countered with one of the Porsche SUV’s.”

“Father keeps trying to give me one of the Range Rovers,” Damian said, “but he keeps
wanting to give me the red one.”

“Is that the one you took to New York to pick me up,” Robin asked.

“Yeah.”

“What’s wrong with that one?”

Damian shrugged, “Nothing, really. I just don’t want a red car.”

“I’m sure Bruce would have it painted, if you asked,” Tim said.

“Probably,” Damian said, “that just seems like kind of a waste.”

“I don’t know,” Robin said, “I like that one.”

“Don’t say that at home,” Tim said with a smirk, “You say that around Bruce tonight, you’ll
find the title transferred into your name by tomorrow.”

“Hey, if you ever need to go anywhere while I’m at work, you know that you’re free to use
any of the cars in the garage, right,” Damian asked.

“I don’t know about that,” Robin said, “I don’t know if I would be comfortable with that.”

Damian continued, “Your parents aren’t going back to Alaska until next month. Who knows
how long it will take to ship your car here? Father will tell you the same thing. You’re a
member of this family now, it’s about time you take advantage of some of the perks.”

“Are you one of the perks,” Tim asked with a laugh.

“Not really,” Damian said, “but I am more than willing to let Robin take advantage of me
whenever she wants.”

“Could you please focus on driving, Romeo,” Tim said, “I’d like to avoid any accidents
today.”

The group arrived back at Stately Wayne Manor and unloaded their vehicles. The brothers
found that it took far longer to unload the trucks than to load them. Everything was taken
straight to the ballroom, where Alfred was waiting to divide up the labor. Dick and Jason
were assigned to unload the trucks while Tim, Damian, and Robin worked to set up the tables
and chairs.

Two hours later, after some additional shifting and changing of plans, Alfred brought out the
linens and place settings. Another hour later, the ballroom was just about wedding ready.

Bruce and Selina stood in the doorway, looking over the preparations with contented smiles.

“They really did a good job,” Selina said.

“I’m impressed,” Bruce nodded.

Alfred approached the couple, and Selina asked, “Is everything ready?”

“I am sure there will be minor adjustments made until the day,” Alfred said, “but the main
layout is complete. Are you satisfied with the setup?”

“I like it, Alfred,” Bruce said.

“Looks good, Alfred,” Selina agreed.

“Thank you, sir, madam,” Alfred said, “I believe the house is ready for the wedding.”
A/N: As you can probably tell, I ran out of ideas for this chapter. That’s why it is on the
short side, and why it doesn’t really move the story forward. But the house needed to
be prepared for the wedding.

Yesterday was my birthday. I tried to get this out yesterday, as a gift to you all, but I
just ran out of time. If anyone can guess which number birthday this was for me, you
will win the chance to read the next chapter of this story in the comfort of your very
own home.

Please let me know if there is anything you would like to see in this story that I haven’t
covered yet. Out of the four remaining chapters in this story, two are still unfinished,
and I am willing to consider adding in things. Let me know.

Thanks for playing along.

 7

Batman 50

Chapter 7

Alfred’s sigh was heard throughout Stately Wayne Manor.

While the exhalation had been happening more often from the elder, with the stress and
difficulty of planning a wedding, then the added stress of often changing plans, this one
seemed a little deeper, a little more heartfelt.

While the noise didn’t necessarily bring the family running to check out the issue, it did cause
concern. Instead of running, Bruce walked over to the man.

“Is everything alright, Alfred?”

The butler sighed again before turning to face his employer, “I’m afraid not, sir. Again, your
plans are changing.”

Bruce’s eyes widened a bit, “What changed now? I thought everything had already
changed.”

Alfred shook his head, “There was one aspect which had remained unchanged. One thing I
was hoping would stay the same and bring a level of civility to the event.”

Damian walked up behind Bruce with his hands in his pockets and asked, “What happened?
Did Jason decide to come to the wedding?”

“I do not find that particularly amusing, Master Damian,” Alfred said sternly.

“Neither do I,” Bruce agreed.

Damian smartly hid his eye roll, since Bruce was watching him intently for a long second.

Bruce turned back to Alfred and asked, “What happened, Alfred?”

Alfred released another sigh, “The string quartet has dropped out of the wedding. According
to their manager, the entire quartet is in the ICU with COVID. Two are on ventilators. It
does not look like they will survive their infection.”

Bruce gasped, “That’s horrible.”

Damian nodded slowly, “It is. I’m sorry I made a joke, now.”
“Yes, it is horrible,” Alfred said, “I took the initiative to forward their check to their manager,
with the express intent that it be put towards the quartet’s medical care. Their manager tried
to refuse, but I made sure he was quite aware of how upsetting it would be to us if he didn’t
allow us to help out this way.”

“I hope you increased the agreed-upon amount,” Bruce said seriously.

Alfred nodded, “I quadrupled the amount, sir. They are an excellent band. It will be an
incredible tragedy if they were to not survive this.”

“Is this the same quartet we’ve used for society parties in the past,” Damian asked.

Bruce nodded, “Yes. They were doing us a favor by keeping the booking for the wedding.”

Damian sighed, “They are very good. Is this damn virus ever going to give the world a
break?”

Bruce reached out and squeezed Damian’s shoulder. They had all had the same thought at
one time or another. “That’s why we’re taking so many precautions, son,” Bruce said softly,
“Things will get better eventually. They have to.”

“How much will the world have changed by then,” Damian whispered, “How much will we
have lost by then?”

Bruce looked up at Alfred, hoping for some assistance with this sudden lack of confidence
from his son. Alfred was just giving the teen a compassionate look at the soft questions.

“Everything will work out, son,” Bruce said softly.

Damian took and released a slow breath, “I know. We’re doing all we can. That doesn’t
mean we’re doing enough, or making anything better.”

“There’s only so much we can do, kiddo,” Bruce said, “This isn’t our problem to solve. We
can only help. We keep ourselves healthy, which allows the doctors and researchers to focus
on the sick. We do what we can to clean up the streets, which allows law enforcement to be
able to respond to other emergencies. This isn’t a good time in the world. I don’t feel any
better about going out than you do. In fact, I feel a lot worse about it. I have to watch you
leave the house everyday to go to work, not knowing what you might be exposed to while
you’re out there.”

“We’re staying safe at the office,” Damian said, not knowing before that Bruce was
concerned about him. “It’s only the four of us, and after Mr. Abbey goes home, it will only
be the three of us. We have our own offices. I’m really the only one who moves around
during the day. I have to go to Linda’s office to pick up the invoices to record, but I don’t
usually see her when doing that. She leaves them in a box outside her office door. Mr.
Abbey got us air filters for our offices, and if we have to be together, we wear masks. We
don’t even leave the office to go to lunch. Alfred has been nice enough to pack me a lunch,
or I pack one myself, if I go in early. We don’t usually take lunch at the same time, so we
usually aren’t sharing the break room.”
Bruce smiled at his son, “Thanks for putting my mind at ease. That really does help, but I’m
always going to worry about you. I’m your father; that’s my job.”

“Thanks, Dad,” Damian said softly.

Alfred looked between father and son before saying, “I believe that brings us back to our
original problem. What can we do, aside from having a silent wedding?”

“Right,” Bruce said, releasing a breath, “The wedding is in two weeks. I can’t think we’d be
able to hire another quartet, or band, or orchestra, or whatever, in that short of a time. The
fact that no one opted out of coming to the wedding means we’re already over county
population restrictions. Our only saving grace is that most of the guests will be arriving by
Zeta Tube, instead of driving in. We won’t have a flood of cars coming, so we can probably
keep speculation and observation off of us for the day. I don’t think the paparazzi know
when the wedding is actually scheduled.”

“I have seen no additional press scrutiny regarding the wedding,” Alfred said.

“That means that live music is out then, right,” Bruce asked.

“Unfortunately, I believe so, sir,” Alfred said.

Bruce cringed, “I hate the thought of hiring a DJ. I don’t think Selina or I want a ‘pop’
wedding.”

“I quite agree, sir,” Alfred said.

“Can’t we give the DJ a specified song list,” Damian asked, “If they stray from the list, we
can withhold payment.”

“I don’t think that would go over well,” Bruce said, even thought he liked the idea.

“Yeah, but it’s your wedding,” Damian said, “It should be your decision as to exactly what is
done, right?”

“It is,” Bruce said, “but that doesn’t answer the first question. We’ve never hired a DJ for
any of our parties in the past. We’ve always wanted to set our society parties apart by only
having live music. I don’t know any DJ’s, and I think we might have the same problem of
finding one on short notice like this. Working a party and working a wedding are two
massively different things. I’m pretty sure it would take more time and preparation than
we’re giving them, whoever we find.”

“I can start making inquiries, sir,” Alfred said.

Bruce nodded, “I’m pretty sure we need to solve this within the next day or two. Let me go
tell Selina what’s going on. Maybe she has a friend somewhere that can help.”

Damian’s eyes widened at Bruce’s comment about a friend helping, “What if we didn’t have
to look too far?”
“What do you mean,” Bruce asked.

“I think I might know someone,” Damian said.

Bruce stared at his son, “You know a DJ?”

Damian nodded, “Someone who has been training to work parties as a DJ. He wants to do it
as a side project. Also, he’s already invited to the wedding.”

“Who is this person,” Bruce asked.

Damian looked up, “Garfield.”

Bruce looked suspicious, “Is this just a hobby for him?”

“For now,” Damian said, “at least, as far as I know. This could work. He’s already invited to
the wedding, so we wouldn’t be adding anyone else. He comes from a show business
background, so he would be able to at least try to be entertaining. He’s scared to death of
you, so he wouldn’t want to mess anything up.”

“Wait, wait, wait,” Bruce said, waving his hands, “Garfield is scared of me? How will that
help?”

“All of the kids on my team are scared of you, in one way or another,” Damian said, “Batman
can be intimidating. Some of them are still having trouble separating you from Batman. Jon
and Jai, of course, have been around you enough that they aren’t scared of you anymore, but
Garfield and the girls haven’t spent enough time around you as you yet to not be scared.”

Bruce sighed, “I guess that makes sense. How long has Garfield been a DJ?”

“He started in December, so not too long,” Damian said, “I don’t know if he has had any
gigs, but he at least has a digital setup. He showed it to me in January, when I spent that
week with him. I’m sure he’s more than capable of following a playlist.”

Selina walked up to the trio and looked around before asking, “What’s going on? Sounds
like an in-depth discussion out here.”

Bruce looked over at Selina, “Oh, good. I was just going to come find you. There is
something we need to talk about.”

Selina sent a furtive glance at Damian, which the teen noticed. She was wondering if
Damian’s recent good mood regarding the wedding had gone away, much like their up and
down relationship over the last year.

“What’s going on,” Selina asked, not trying to let on that she suspected the teen of possibly
plotting something.

“Alfred had some bad news for us today,” Bruce said. He had also caught Selina’s glance at
Damian, and wondered what exactly she was thinking. “The string quartet has pulled out of
the wedding.”
Selina gasped, “What? Why? What could their excuse be at this late date?”

“Near death,” Bruce said, “Alfred told us that all four members of the quartet are in the
hospital with COVID. Not all of them are expected to survive. Even if they got out today,
they would probably have to be in some sort of quarantine until after the wedding. I doubt
any of them are in any condition to play, even if they were to get out of the hospital.”

“That’s terrible,” Selina said.

“We went with horrible for our adjective,” Damian said with a small smirk.

“Well, it’s both,” Selina said, “Is there anything we can do for them?”

“Not unless you have a cure for COVID up your sleeve,” Bruce said. “Alfred went ahead
and paid their manager quite a bit more than their usual fee, with the express purpose that it
be put towards their care. I’m assuming that treating COVID is expensive, and that anything
would help.”

“Well, that’s something,” Selina said.

“It also leaves us with the potential for a silent wedding,” Bruce said, “I highly doubt we
could get another quartet, or musical group, in the time we have before the wedding, and one
that would be willing to play a wedding during a deadly virus.”

Selina glanced over, “Are we checking virus tests before people are being allowed into the
house? You know how easily Tim catches colds. He’s had four just in the last year that I’ve
been back in your lives.”

Bruce nodded, “The League and League families get tested at least once a month. Dr.
Thompkins is tested weekly, since she’s working in her clinic. I talked to Lucius and Jean
about getting tested last week. They both will be before the big day.”

“Good,” Selina said, “So, what was the discussion about, then?”

“Finding a way to not have a wedding without music,” Bruce said, “It seems like our only
hope will be finding a DJ, but Alfred and I have never even thought about looking for one
before.”

“Don’t look at me,” Selina said with a smile, “I don’t exactly host parties.”

“Not yet,” Bruce said, smirking.

Selina rolled her eyes, “What I mean is, I don’t know any DJ’s, especially not ones who
would play wedding music.”

“Well, Damian might have a solution for us,” Bruce said.

Selina looked at the teen, “Are you going to learn a skill?”

“Not that I couldn’t, but I think we have a better option,” Damian said.
“What’s that,” Selina asked.

Damian took a breath, “Garfield has been teaching himself to be a DJ, as a side job, to make
a little money.”

“Garfield, as in, your friend Garfield,” Selina asked.

“Yes,” Damian said, then pointed out, “The green guy.”

“Do you think he would do it,” Selina asked.

Damian was surprised by the quick acceptance. He thought she would at least mock him a
little for suggesting his friend, instead of looking for a professional. “We can ask and find
out.”

“Is he coming to the wedding,” Selina asked.

“Yes, Garfield and his mother are coming to the wedding,” Damian said.

Bruce smiled, “We didn’t have one person who got an invitation reply no, Sel. In fact, I bet,
if we advertised the upcoming wedding, we could probably sell tickets to the press and local
socialites.”

“Please, no,” Selina said flatly. She turned back to Damian and asked, “When are you going
to call and ask?”

Damian pulled his phone from his pocket and said, “I can call now, if you like?”

Selina nodded, “Yes, please. I don’t like the frequency that these problems with the wedding
have been popping up. I’ll feel better once everything is in place again.”

“I think that goes for all of us,” Bruce said, holding Selina’s hand.

Damian opened his phone, and caught the smile on Selina’s face as she saw the picture of
Robin that served as Damian’s wallpaper. It was a picture of Robin that he took while at
Prom. Damian couldn’t help but smile at the older girl in her dress, and he was still disturbed
that the dress had been lost in the fire.

Damian selected Garfield’s contact and placed the call on speakerphone. It was answered on
the second ring.

“Hello?”

“Hello, Garfield,” Damian said.

“Hey, D,” Garfield greeted in an exuberant tone, “How are you? I haven’t seen you since you
started your job. Are we going to start training again soon?”

“I sent you a message yesterday,” Damian said, “We have training this Saturday.”
“Awesome,” Garfield said, “How’s the job going?”

Damian shrugged, “I’m still getting used to it. I had gotten used to sleeping in when I was in
school. Most of my classes were in the afternoon. I like it, though. It feels like I’m doing
something important. Even if it is just paperwork, I’m still getting something done.”

“That’s cool,” Garfield said, “So, what’s up? What’s going on?”

“I wanted to talk to you about Father’s wedding.”

Garfield’s tone dropped, and he sounded distinctly nervous when he asked, “What about it?
Is something going on? I…I’m still…in-invited, right?”

Damian smirked, “Of course, you are. What, did you think we were going to uninvite you
because you’re green, and people might stare?”

“It wouldn’t be the first time that’s happened,” Garfield said glumly.

“Well, that’s not happening now,” Damian said, “In fact, I have a very important question to
ask you. Are you still trying to be a DJ?”

“Yeah,” Garfield said.

“Have you ever done any actual parties, or events, or whatever DJ’s do,” Damian asked.

“I did a couple parties before the lockdown,” Garfield said, “They went pretty well.”

“How would you like a job,” Damian asked.

“Doing what,” Garfield asked suspiciously.

“We need a DJ for the wedding reception,” Damian said, “The string quartet we had booked
had to drop out, and we’re a little pressed for options. I know it’s short notice, but you would
be really helping us out if you could do it.”

“Oh, wow,” Garfield said softly, “That is not what I expected you to say when I saw you on
the caller ID. What would I have to do?”

Damian looked up at Bruce, who leaned over and said, “It should be pretty simple. We just
need something played when Selina walks down the aisle, then when we walk out after the
ceremony.”

“Mr. Wayne,” Garfield asked nervously.

“I’m sorry, Gar,” Damian said, “I should have told you that you’re on speakerphone.”

“That’s okay,” Garfield said.

Bruce continued, “Then, we need music for the reception, the first dances, and something soft
to play during dinner.”
“That doesn’t sound too bad,” Garfield said. “Um, you said you had a string quartet booked
before. What kind of music did you want me to play?”

“Music that a string quartet, or an orchestra, would play,” Bruce said, “We’re looking for a
dignified occasion, not a rave.”

Garfield sounded like he was deep in thought when he said, “Hmm, I don’t think I have
anything like that.”

“That’s an easily solved problem,” Damian said. He glanced up at Bruce and Selina, then
said, “Why don’t you come over tomorrow and we can go over the song list and what you
would need to do for the wedding. Any specific songs that Father and Selina want for the
wedding, we’ll buy for you. We’ll also get you some additional tracks for background
music. We have a sound system in the ballroom, so all you would need to bring for the
wedding is your laptop, or whatever you have your music on.”

“Let me talk it over with Mom,” Garfield said, “but I don’t think that will be a problem.
We’re already going to be there. I guess it’s only fair that you put me to work.”

“We’ll pay you for this, of course,” Damian said, “I told you; this is a job.”

“What do you say,” Bruce asked.

Garfield took a breath, “This sounds amazing. I’ll do it. I hope I don’t screw it up. I’d feel
awful if I ruined your wedding.”

“That won’t happen,” Damian said, “We trust you, Gar. Come over tomorrow, and we’ll
work out the particulars.”

“Sounds good,” Garfield said.

“There is one absolute requirement for this, Garfield,” Bruce said.

Garfield swallowed nervously before asking, “W-what’s that?”

“You absolutely must remain healthy for the next two weeks,” Bruce said with a smile, “If
you get sick and have to drop out, I don’t know what we’d do.”

“Tim would have to play music on his phone, I guess,” Damian said.

“I-I’ll do my best, Mr. Wayne,” Garfield said.

“I know you will, Garfield,” Bruce said, “We’ll see you tomorrow.”

Damian hung up his phone, and was surprised when Selina pulled him into a tight hug.

“Thank you, Damian,” Selina said, “I was pretty nervous there. I’m glad you had a solution
for the problem. I feel better now.”

“I’m glad,” Damian said while blushing bright red.

Bruce smiled and winked at his son before he and Selina walked away.

Two Days Later…

Bruce sighed heavily as he hung up the phone in his study. He had just finished a late
meeting, which really hadn’t gone anywhere, but at least there was a possible plan forming
soon for ways to keep Wayne Enterprises relevant in the changing world.

The man was rubbing his temples to try to ward off the headache he could feel forming
behind his eyes when his study door opened. Damian walked into the room, looking slightly
nervous.

The teen was looking down and fidgeting when he stopped roughly halfway between the door
and the desk. “Hello, Father,” Damian said softly.

What’s wrong with him? Did something happen at work, or is it something else? I can’t see
Mike firing him, even if he burned down the entire oil field. I bet this has something to do
with the wedding.

“Hey, kiddo,” Bruce said, “How are you doing?”

“Um, okay, I guess,” Damian said, still not looking up.

“Are you sure?”

“I have something on my mind,” Damian said.

“Did you want to tell me what it is,” Bruce asked, turning away from his desk.

Damian finally glanced up, “Can we talk, Father?”

Bruce rose from his desk chair and walked around the desk, “Of course, kiddo. You know
I’ll always make time for you. At least, I’ll try to make time for you.”

“That’s…that’s kind of what I want to talk to you about,” Damian said, looking down again.

Bruce rested a hand on Damian’s shoulder, “What did I miss? Did I do something wrong?
Did I ignore you? If I did, I didn’t mean to. Come on, let’s sit down and talk about it.”

“No,” Damian said quickly. Bruce flinched at the tone, but Damian continued, “I mean, no to
sitting. Can we take a walk? I always think better when I’m moving. It helps me settle my
mind.”

Bruce nodded slightly. He had noticed that Damian had picked up that personality trait from
Dick, “Of course, son. Let’s go.”

Father and son walked out of the study together, and Bruce was a little surprised when
Damian turned right. Normally, they would have turned left, to go back to the used parts of
the Manor. Turning right took them on a path deeper into the house, towards the unused
sections, and eventually the north wing, if they chose to walk that far. Bruce was somewhat
curious about their path.

Going this way could mean several things. He either has a lot to talk about, or what he has
to say he doesn’t want overheard by anyone. He could just want us to talk alone. We aren’t
going to run across anyone going this way. I don’t think Selina has ever been to the north
wing, and I don’t think she would venture up there alone. I bet this has something to do with
her, and Damian is taking us to the one place in the Manor where he is sure to not find
Selina.

They rounded the first corner in the hallway before Damian said, “Everything is ready for the
wedding, right?”

“As far as I know,” Bruce said, “losing the string quartet was the last thing I heard, but you
fixed that problem. After talking to Garfield yesterday, I think everything is going to work
out now.”

“Good,” Damian said softly while nodding.

“How is work going,” Bruce ventured, trying to eliminate a possible issue that could be on
his son’s mind.

“It’s going well,” Damian said, “I’ve just about got the hang of everything. I’ll have their
backlog of work caught up by the middle of next week.”

“Just how much work did they save for you,” Bruce asked.

“They didn’t have a bookkeeper for a month,” Damian said, “In my time there, Linda has
been generating between thirty and fifty invoices a day. If she did that every work day, that’s
between six hundred and a thousand invoices to be entered. Depending on the invoice, it
takes me between ten and twenty minutes to enter one invoice. I tend to enter invoices for
two hours, then file what I’ve entered, then start over. I didn’t think Abbey Oil did that much
business, but I guess they do.”

“Sounds like Mike is keeping you busy,” Bruce said.

Damian shrugged, “I hardly see him while I’m working. He’s doing…whatever he does.
You would probably know more of what a CEO does than I do.”

Bruce smiled, “You’ll learn, one day.”

Damian looked up, “You really think so?”

“That’s the plan, isn’t it,” Bruce asked, “I think you’ll find your way behind my desk before
too long.”

“When are you planning on retiring,” Damian asked.

“I don’t know yet,” Bruce said, “I like what I’m doing, and I want you to learn a lot more
before you take the big chair. You’re still young. You’ve got a lot ahead of you. You’ve
only been an actual employee of anywhere for a little over a week, and you’re still a year and
a half away from being able to join the family company.”

“How will that work,” Damian asked, “Mr. Fox filled the spot he wanted me to take, because
he couldn’t have an empty position for two years. I understand that. At the same time, I
don’t want him to fire someone just to give me a position. That would undermine me before
I even start with Wayne Enterprises. It’s not like we can ask the lady who I replaced to go
back to Abbey Oil when I turn eighteen.”

“No, we can’t do that,” Bruce said, “We’ll just play it by ear for now. Who is to say that a
position won’t open up before then? Who is to say that you will want to come over to Wayne
Enterprises the day after your eighteenth birthday? I know you. You aren’t going to abandon
Abbey Oil just because you can work for Wayne Enterprises. You’ll at the very least stick
around to train your replacement. We’ll always find a position for you at the family
company. You’re in no hurry to get there.”

“I guess not,” Damian said, “If nothing else, the Tower is a much shorter drive than going to
the oil field.”

“It really takes you an hour to get there every day,” Bruce asked.

Damian nodded, “We’ll have to take a drive out there one day.”

Bruce grinned, “I’d like that. I want to see where my boy works.”

Damian sent a small grin at his father, and Bruce was happy that Damian’s mood seemed to
have improved. “Is this helping you, son? You seemed so sad in my study.”

Damian looked down again, “I’m sorry about that, Father. I was just feeling a…a little
down.”

“I’m surprised you didn’t go to Robin,” Bruce said, “She has never failed to cheer you up.”

“No, she has never failed,” Damian agreed.

Bruce understood what wasn’t being said. Robin would have no problem cheering him up,
but that isn’t what he was looking for. He wanted to know if I would find a minute for him,
where the two of us could be alone. He wants to test the waters, to see if I’ll still have time
for him. If I can make time for him now, then I should still be able to make time for him after
the wedding. How can I prove that to him? Sure, I want to always have time for him, but I’m
getting married. I want to spend time with Selina, too. Is he still jealous of her having my
attention?

For the first time since they started walking and talking, Bruce looked around to see where
they were. Their roaming had brought them to the main hallway of the north wing.

Bruce stopped and gently grabbed Damian’s shoulder. He turned the boy to face him before
pulling him into a hug, which was returned quickly. “We need to do this more often,” Bruce
said softly, “Let’s start to make this a regular thing. Just you and I, taking a walk and
talking.”

“I think I’d like that, Dad,” Damian said softly.

Bruce released his son a minute later, but kept an arm wrapped around Damian’s shoulders as
he looked around the north wing again.

“Do you and Robin come up here a lot,” Bruce asked.

“When we want to be alone,” Damian said, “We’re going to start redecorating up here soon.
I think we’re going to start with new furniture. Everything up here is…not that comfortable.”

“What did you two do during your lockdown,” Bruce asked, “I know you didn’t put a TV up
here. You were cut off from the library and the game room. You couldn’t even go to the
gym. You two never went to the pool. Weren’t you two bored?”

Damian smirked, “Do you really want an answer to that question, Father?”

“Probably not,” Bruce grumbled.

“We did exactly what you’re thinking, but we used protection,” Damian said, “I think the fact
that it’s been three months and Robin still isn’t pregnant should tell you that we’ve been
safe.”

“Thank you for that,” Bruce said, “I’m not ready to be a grandfather.”

“We worked on homework for almost the entire second week of quarantine,” Damian said, “I
had a lot to do to graduate, and I was able to get a lot of it done while we were locked up.
Robin had a lot of work of her own to get done. We really did study a lot.

“When we weren’t studying, or cuddling, we would take walks,” Damian said, “The north
wing is actually bigger than the south wing. We had a lot to explore. Robin and I made plans
of what we want to change up here, to make it a home. We might not have children yet, but
we plan on having several. There’s a lot that needs to be done to make it livable up here
again.”

“If I can help you with that, just let me know,” Bruce said.

“You can,” Damian answered quickly, “The first thing we need to get done, other than new
furniture, is to have the entire north wing electrical system rewired. It amazed me that the
washing machine didn’t trip the breaker every time we washed our clothes.”

“That’s a smart upgrade,” Bruce said, “I don’t think it’s something I would have thought
about.”

Damian looked down again, “Well, you weren’t almost killed in an electrical fire. Neither of
us want to take a chance of that happening again.”
Bruce nodded, “I’ll look for an electrician, once things start clearing up with this virus. We
can get that done before you two move up here.”

“Thank you, Father,” Damian said.

“Was there anything interesting up here that you two found,” Bruce asked.

“A lot,” Damian said.

“Why don’t you show me something, since we’re up here?”

Damian nodded and led Bruce towards the stairs, “The residence wing up here is huge; much
bigger than the one in the south wing. The second floor is just as big as the first floor.”

“Where did you two sleep,” Bruce asked.

Father and Son climbed the stairs, and Damian opened the door to the first room on the left.
“This will be our bedroom. It worked for while we were up here, but that bed needs to be
replaced before we can live up here full time.”

Bruce walked over to the ancient mattress and laid down. He grimaced, and tried rolling
over. He then rolled the other way before sitting up and asking, “You two slept on this for
two weeks?”

“I told you our complaints of back pain were from the bed,” Damian said, “You laughed at us
and didn’t believe us when we talked and told you that.”

“I apologize, Damian,” Bruce said, “This mattress should be in a museum.”

“Or a torture chamber,” Damian said.

Bruce smiled as he stood up, “That would be a good place for it, too. So, this will be your
and Robin’s bedroom?”

“Yes, Father,” Damian said, “We’ll work on the rooms directly across the hall, too. Those
will be our kids’ rooms, once we have kids.”

“You said kids, as in plural,” Bruce asked.

Damian nodded, “I know you don’t want grandkids now, but would you be okay with four
grandkids in the future?”

Bruce’s eyes widened, “You two want to have four kids?”

“That’s how many we agreed on,” Damian said, “We definitely don’t want just one. Our
future kid needs to have a sibling, so they aren’t alone. For as much as you’ve wanted me to
have friends, I’ve always spent more time around family. Robin has been raised the same
way. It’s not always possible, or even a good idea, to have outsiders around here, so multiple
kids are a must.”
“Any special reason you decided on four,” Bruce asked.

“Well, we want two boys and two girls,” Damian said, “We haven’t really talked about what
to do if we end up with three and one, one way or the other, or if we will keep trying until we
have at least two of each. Who knows how many kids we’ll actually end up with?”

Bruce looked down the hall, seeing a multitude of doors along the hallway. “Just how many
of these rooms are you planning on filling?”

“As many as we need to,” Damian said, “We’re breaking the Wayne Curse. Robin and I are
in total agreement on that. I will be the last Wayne only child. Our family tree will no longer
be longer than it is wide.”

Bruce gave a warm smile, both for the feeling that thought sent through him and for the
contentment that was radiating from Damian like sunlight. “I believe you can do it, son, and
I look forward to seeing it happen…after you’re married.”

Damian nodded, “Robin wants to graduate college first, and I think that’s a good idea.”

Bruce smirked, “Is that why she’s taking summer school classes?”

“She wants to get out as soon as possible,” Damian said, “Not just to get married or start
having kids. She is feeling like she wants to move beyond college soon. I think she had a bit
of a hard time accepting it when she realized that she was finishing her first year of college at
the same time as her younger fiancé was graduating. When she moved to Alaska, I felt like I
was being left behind. I think she’s feeling that, now that I’m on a career path and she’s still
in school.”

“I know you’ll support her in everything,” Bruce said.

“Of course,” Damian said.

Damian looked around at the landing before waving for Bruce to follow him down the hall,
“I want to show you something, Father. I found this while I was getting the house ready for
quarantine. Robin really liked it, and I think you will, too.”

“What is it,” Bruce asked.

“The third floor,” Damian said, “This house is incredible, Father. There’s so much here. We
actually miss out on a lot by staying in the south wing all the time. Robin loved what I
found. I think we’re going to be up here a lot after we move up here.”

Bruce smiled, “You found the observatory?”

Damian stopped in the hallway, “You knew about it?”

“Yes, I did,” Bruce said, “I’m sorry I never took you there. I would take Dick there, from
time to time. It was…a simpler time, back then. I’m sorry to say that I had far more time
then.”
“Well…I guess that’s okay,” Damian said.

“Are we going to the third floor to see the observatory,” Bruce asked.

“Among other things,” Damian said, “Robin and I really like the area up there. I want you to
see what we’re planning for the space.”

Damian is happy, and he wants to show me something. He never wants to do that, usually. I
can go along with this. Anything is better than how sad he looked in my study.

Father and Son climbed the next set of stairs to the darkened third floor, and Bruce said, “We
should have brought a flashlight, or something. Are there lights up here?”

“No need, Father.”

Suddenly, strings of lights suspended from the ceiling flared into life, revealing far more than
Bruce was expecting.

“Surprise! Happy Wedding!”

Bruce’s jaw dropped as he found he wasn’t alone in the space. There were several tables and
chairs set up around the open space, with food and drinks available. More surprising was the
group of men smiling and applauding the man.

Bruce turned to a smiling Damian and asked, “What’s going on here?”

Dick walked forward and hugged Bruce, “It’s your surprise bachelor party, Bruce.”

“I told you that I didn’t want a bachelor party, Dick,” Bruce said.

Dick gave a bright smile, “That’s why it had to be a surprise. Come on, we all want to
celebrate you. I promise, there are no other surprises. No strippers popping out of cakes or
embarrassing videos and speeches. Just a little get-together, because we like you.”

Jason shoved a glass of whiskey into Bruce’s hand and said, “Come join the party.”

“Whose idea was this,” Bruce asked.

Dick raised his hand, “Mine. It’s my job, as your best man, to make sure you, as the groom,
are taken care of. Everyone helped, of course.”

Clark stepped forward and shook Bruce’s hand, “I have to say, Bruce, I never thought you’d
get to this point. I figured you were a terminal bachelor.”

“He was,” Wally said, “Now he gets to know marital bliss. You’ll get used to it, Bruce.”

Mike walked forward and slapped Bruce on the shoulder, “I always figured the kids would
get married before you did, but I’m glad to be proven wrong.”

The party moved away from the staircase as conversations sprang up around the room.
Dick approached Damian and asked softly, “Did you have any problems getting him up
here?”

“No,” Damian said softly, shaking his head, “My plan worked. Maybe a little too well.”

“What do you mean,” Dick asked.

“Well…it was nice,” Damian said, “having his attention all to myself. Even if it was just a
ruse, we had a good talk.”

Dick smiled and squeezed the back of Damian’s neck, “There’s no reason to think it will
never happen again. I guarantee he will want to do it again, if it was as good a talk as you
said.”

“It really was,” Damian said softly as they went to join the party.

“How did you sneak everyone in here,” Bruce asked.

“You’ve been locked in your office all day,” Dick said, “Wasn’t that hard.”

Bruce looked over at Dick, “Did you ask Lucius to request a late meeting to distract me?”

“No,” Dick said, “That was a real meeting.”

“A really useless meeting,” Bruce grumbled. He then looked up, “How did you get out of
that meeting, Dick? The Head of Contracting probably should have been on that call.”

“It wasn’t a contracting issue,” Dick said, “Contracting wasn’t needed for a discussion of
existing contracts.”

“Tim was on the call,” Dick said, “We didn’t cover Foundation matters, but he was on the
call.”

“Someone had to keep track of you,” Tim said, entering the main area from a side room.

“Did you set up an office up here,” Bruce asked.

Tim shook his head, “No, I just set up for the meeting. I like working from my room. Most
days, I don’t even get out of bed.”

Clark shook his head, “Tim, I’m going to need you to talk to my editor. Your workspace
sounds too good. I need that same deal.”

Tim smiled at Clark, then asked Bruce, “What do you say? Think we can buy out the Daily
Planet?”

Bruce looked over at Clark, then said, “If I was going to buy out a media outlet, it should
probably be a local one.”

“GMZ,” Jason asked.

Bruce shuddered, “Only to burn it to the ground.”

“Could you, Father,” Damian asked with a bright smile, “For me?”

Bruce cringed, then sighed, “Did you have to say that? Now I have to look into it.”

The men around the room laughed, but wondered in the back of their minds if Bruce was
being serious.

Mike nudged Damian and said, “I’m surprised you haven’t asked for some sort of workplace
accommodation, Damian.”

Damian shrugged, “I like our office. I don’t like the drive, but I like the office. It’s a good
place to work.”

“Did you start your job,” Wally asked.

Damian nodded, “Almost two weeks ago.”

“I was wondering why Jai hasn’t tried to sneak over here lately,” Wally said.

“Maybe some weekend after the wedding, we can work something out,” Damian said.

Clark smiled, “I’ll send Jon over, too. Bruce, you need to get used to the pitter patter of little
feet around the house.”

“That was my job,” Dick said, “I was the only one to pitter patter around here.”

“Is that true, Damian,” Wally asked with a smile.

“I don’t do that,” Damian said.

“He has yet to pitter or patter,” Dick said.

“I’m saving that for my eventual children,” Damian said, “With Dick as an uncle, they’ll
know how to pitter patter before they can walk.”

“And how to growl before they can talk,” Jason said, “with you as a father.”

Surprising everyone, Damian didn’t respond to the comment.

Alfred took a step forward and said, “Gentlemen, there is food and drinks over here, if
anyone would care to partake.”

Bruce looked over at the butler and said, “Alfred, you don’t have to serve everyone. I think
I’d like you to be a participant in this.”

Tim waved the elder man over and said, “Yeah, come on, Alfred. I bet you’ve got amazing
stories about Bruce that none of us have heard.”
“Oh, very well,” Alfred said, walking over to the seated group. He stood next to the circle
and asked, “Have any of you heard about Master Bruce’s first marriage?”

The room fell into a shocked silence, until Damian asked, “You were married before,
Father?”

Alfred smirked at the look on Bruce’s face, “Oh, yes, Master Damian. Have you not told the
boys about this, Master Bruce?”

“What are you talking about, Alfred,” Bruce asked.

“Have you forgotten, sir,” Alfred asked, slightly mocking his employer, “It was quite a while
ago. I suppose time takes it effects on all of us. Let me see if I remember everything.”

Alfred paced around the group, having fully captured everyone’s attention, “It was quite a
long time ago, and only lasted for a short period. I believe you were six, Master Bruce. Are
you telling me you have forgotten Heather Porterfield?”

Bruce gasped at the name. He had, in fact, forgotten Heather Porterfield.

Damian turned to glare at his father. “You are forcing me to wait until I’m eighteen to get
married, when you got married at six?”

“It wasn’t a real marriage, Damian,” Bruce said.

“No,” Alfred agreed, “but it was quite cute. The Porterfield’s lived a couple miles down the
road, and were good friends with Master Bruce’s parents. The summer of your sixth year,
you and Miss Heather were quite inseparable. I was taking you over to her parent’s house or
picking her up to play here daily. The two of you would spend hours wandering the grounds,
playing games, swimming, and just enjoying being children. You would spend hours
drawing pictures for her.”

“That must be where you get your artistic talent from, Damian,” Dick said.

Alfred smiled, “It was quite amusing, the day I found you two making rings for each other
out of paper and flowers. You two said you wanted to get married, so I married you myself.
You were so proud when you told your parents over dinner that night that you and Miss
Heather were married. They played along, of course. You were so happy, that summer.”

“What happened,” Mike asked.

Alfred sighed, “Mr. Porterfield worked in International Finance. His company expanded
overseas, and he was asked to head up their European operations. The family moved to
France at the end of the summer. As far as I have heard, they are still there. You were quite
sad for a few days, Master Bruce, but you got over it by the time school started.”

Bruce leaned back in his chair, “I haven’t thought about Heather Porterfield in forty years,
Alfred. I wonder how things might have turned out, if they hadn’t moved.”
Alfred looked somewhat guilty when he admitted, “Mr. Porterfield contacted me after your
parents were murdered, and offered to take you in. I sometimes wonder what might have
happened if I had agreed to that. They were not going to move back to Gotham, but would
have allowed you to move to France to live with them.”

Bruce stared at the older man for a minute before saying softly, “Thank you for not agreeing
to that, and for not telling me about it until now. Back then, I might have jumped at that
opportunity, but I wouldn’t have what I have now. My current life, and my sons, are not
worth a six-year-old’s crush.”

The room was smiling warmly at the story, then turned as they heard footsteps coming up the
stairs.

“I swear, this place is a labyrinth,” Jim Gordon said as he entered the third floor, “Sorry I’m
late. I didn’t know this part of your house existed.”

“That’s okay, Jim,” Bruce said, “It’s been decades since I’ve been up here, too.”

Alfred was back to butler mode, “There is food and refreshments on the table, if you would
care to have anything, Commissioner.”

Jim grabbed a drink before taking a seat, “Did I miss anything?”

“Not really,” Bruce said, “We just got started a little bit ago. What’s the plan for this party,
Dick?”

Dick shook his head, “No plan. Just a get together with friends and family, to celebrate the
upcoming wedding. I know, it’s a weeknight, and you didn’t want a bachelor party in the
first place, so this can go on for as long or as short as anyone wants.”

Later…

The party lasted all of two hours, which was just enough time for a weeknight gathering.
Everyone present had to work the following day, and this was always meant to be a short
occasion.

While the rest of the group left through the Zeta Tube, Mike Abbey and Jim Gordon walked
together towards the south wing, discussing their daughters joining the family.

Damian was helping Alfred clean up the third floor when Bruce tapped him on the shoulder.
Damian looked up, and Bruce asked, “How much of getting me up here was an act?”

“Some of it,” Damian admitted, “I really did want to take a walk with you. Just talking, the
way we did, was nice. I want us to keep our promise, too. Let’s make that a thing.”

Bruce gave a soft smile, “I like that idea. We don’t have a thing, but I think we do now. I’ll
always be here for you, my son.”

“I’m starting to understand that, Father,” Damian said softly.

Alfred handed a stack of plates to Bruce, while Damian took the drinks and Alfred picked up
the remaining food. “I believe that tonight can be deemed a success, sirs.”

“It can,” Bruce said, “This was nowhere close to what I thought Dick would plan for a
bachelor party, which is why I didn’t want one. I can handle something like tonight, though.”

“I am glad to hear it, sir,” Alfred said, “I believe we now must just wait the remaining two
weeks until the wedding. Are you nervous, sir?”

“I’ve wanted this for a long time, Alfred,” Bruce said. “How about you? Are you nervous,
Alfred?”

“No, sir,” Alfred replied, “This is long overdue.”

“Kiddo,” Bruce asked, nudging his son.

“What do I have to be nervous for,” Damian asked.

Both older men could tell that there was more that went unsaid, by the tone in Damian’s
rhetorical question. The teen walked away before Bruce could question him further.

One Week Until the Wedding…

After an evening Justice League Meeting that lasted far longer than it should, Bruce yawned
his way up the stairs of Stately Wayne Manor. He was looking forward to a long sleep, but
tonight wasn’t going to play out how he hoped.

As Bruce crested the top of the stairs, he found his future daughter-in-law pacing the hallway,
looking quite disturbed.

Bruce approached and asked softly, “Robin? What’s wrong?”

Robin looked like she was just barely holding back tears, “Oh, Dad. It’s Damian.”

“Is he alright,” Bruce asked.

“I think so,” Robin replied.

“Are you two alright,” Bruce asked nervously.

“We’re fine, Dad,” Robin said.

Bruce released a nervous breath, “Oh, good.”

“Something’s bothering him,” Robin said, “and he’s not ready to tell me yet. He’s been
having trouble sleeping the last couple nights. He wakes up in the middle of the night and
has trouble going back to sleep. Tonight,” Robin’s voice hitched, and she had to force herself
to continue, “He left.”

“What,” Bruce exclaimed.

Robin nearly fell into Bruce, looking for support. “He woke up, sat for a minute, then got up
and walked out of the room. He said he’d be back. I want to help him, but he isn’t talking
about what’s wrong.”

Bruce hugged Robin for a minute, providing the comfort she was seeking.

“I know you aren’t going to want to hear this,” Bruce said, “but I don’t think you can help
him, right now.”

“What do you mean,” Robin asked, looking up as she wiped at her moist eyes.

Bruce released a breath, “I’ve been seeing this coming for a while, now. I should have had a
talk with him a couple days ago. You know how well Damian handles change. A lot is
changing right now, and it’s all hitting him as he tries to process everything. Let me go talk
to him. I think I can help.”

Robin gave a silent nod as Bruce walked away. Dick, who had been watching from his door
after hearing voices in the hallway, walked up to Robin and hugged the girl. “Don’t worry,”
Dick said softly, “Bruce will be able to take care of everything.

Downstairs…

It was too late at night, and Bruce was too tired to mount an extended search for Damian.
Instead, he planned to follow a hard and fast rule in the Manor. If you want to find Damian,
follow the pets. Bruce was hoping to find one of the four-legged residents and follow them
to his son. He also figured that Damian would have gone to his Nest, and headed for the
back hallway.

He didn’t have to go that far, though. Passing the den, Bruce heard a jingle that sounded
familiar. Looking into the room, Bruce found Damian sitting cross-legged on the couch.
Titus was laying on the floor in front of Damian. Alfred was curled up in Damian’s lap. The
house’s newest addition, Selina’s cat, Isis, was scratching at her chin and kicking her collar,
causing the jingle that caught Bruce’s attention.

Bruce released a breath as he walked into the den and sat down in a chair across from the
couch.

“You’ve got a very concerned fiancé upstairs,” Bruce said, “She doesn’t like it when you
don’t talk to her, and before you say that it isn’t her problem, she loves you more than
anything, which makes your problems her problems.”

Damian sighed and looked down as Isis laid down next to his leg. “I want help,” Damian
said softly.

“Just not from Robin,” Bruce asked.

“She doesn’t have the answers to my questions.”

“How do you know, if you don’t ask,” Bruce asked.

Damian looked up, “I know, because the questions aren’t for her.”

Bruce met Damian’s gaze, “They’re for me, aren’t they?”

Damian nodded.

Bruce matched the nod, “Why don’t you tell me about this dream that’s keeping you up at
night?”

Damian closed his eyes and spoke softly, “You have a beautiful wedding. You and Selina
look so happy. Everything goes great. The next day, I go down to breakfast, and there are
three children sitting at the table, with cat ears.”

Bruce smiled, “Cat ears?”

“Dreams don’t have to make sense,” Damian said defensively.

Bruce nodded, and Damian continued, “You walk in from the kitchen with a cup of coffee
and sit down.”

“Do I have cat ears, too,” Bruce asked with a smile.

“And a tail,” Damian said, “Selina walks in next, dressed as Catwoman. She smiles at me
and says ‘I’m glad you’re here, Damian’.”

“That sounds good,” Bruce said, “Do you have cat ears, too?”

Damian ignored the question and continued, “She then says ‘I don’t have to track you down,
now’. She then hands me a suitcase, tells me you don’t need me anymore, and kicks me out
of the house.”

Bruce sighed, “We’ve been over this, Damian.”

Damian looked down and mumbled, “I know.”

“Selina is not stealing your life, your home, or your father from you.”

“I know,” Damian mumbled again, “We haven’t talked future plans, though.”

“You’re right, we haven’t,” Bruce said before standing up.

“Where are you going,” Damian asked.

“To get Selina,” Bruce said, “We’re going to clear this all up right now.”

“Wait,” Damian said, “Dad, wait.”

Damian stood up quickly, angering his comfortably purring cat, and hurried over to his
father. Damian looked lost, and Bruce pulled him into a tight hug.
“It’s going to be okay, son,” Bruce said softly, “I want you here. I want my son. Your mother
made a mistake when she threw you away. I’m not about to allow that to happen again.”

That was one of the most comforting things Damian had ever heard, but it didn’t answer all
of his questions.

“Wait here,” Bruce said, “I’ll get Selina.”

Several minutes later, Bruce and a drowsy Selina walked into the den. Damian watched the
pair cross the room while petting Alfred, who had resettled in Damian’s lap as soon as the
teen sat down again.

Selina smirked and said, “Thank you for this audience, Don Corleone.”

Damian rolled his eyes as Bruce said, “We’ve been having a talk about what the future is
going to look like around here.”

“This talk had to happen at one in the morning,” Selina asked.

“Please, Selina,” Damian said, “This is really bothering me. I just want to know what life is
going to look like around here after you two get married.”

Bruce caught Selina’s smirk, but didn’t think to remind her that this was a serious
conversation.

“Well,” Selina said, “I didn’t want to bring this up until after the wedding. Not much is going
to change. I’ll be here, now. We didn’t want to say anything yet, but I’m two months
pregnant with twins. We’re going to need the extra space for the kids, so we’re going to need
your bedroom. Bruce and I also have three other kids that I never told him about. They all
will be moving in after the wedding, too. I went out and found you a studio apartment in
Bludhaven. It’s not the nicest neighborhood, but you’re tough, right? They also don’t allow
pets, but you should be fine there on your own.”

Damian’s face was beet red as he shot off the couch again. “I come to you with a serious
problem and you make fun of me? If you can’t take one important conversation seriously,
then to hell with you!”

“Damian,” Bruce said firmly, “That’s enough. Selina, read the room. This is very
important.”

“No, Father,” Damian said sharply, “I’ve done everything you’ve asked of me, and more.
You asked me to give her a chance. I gave her a chance. You asked me to get to know her. I
did. You asked me to adjust to her being around more and more. I did. You asked me to
accept her living here. I did. You asked me to be happy for the two of you getting married.
I’m trying. You asked me to start treating her like family. I’m trying. You didn’t tell me that
she’d be a female Jason. I’ve bent over backwards to accommodate you two. Is it too much
to ask to have a serious conversation just one time?”
Bruce called after his son as the teen headed for the door, but that isn’t what caused him to
stop. Robin stepped into the opening and said, “Freeze.”

Damian immediately stopped. He stood for a second, staring at Robin, before he seemed to
deflate. Robin grabbed his hand and gently said, “Okay. You had your say. You vented your
frustrations. Now, you’re going to go back in there, sit down, and listen to her responses like
a grown-up.”

Selina tried to hide her smirk at Damian being led back to the couch like a toddler, but Bruce
saw the look.

Robin sat down next to Damian and took over the conversation. “You got to have your say,
Damian. Now, Selina gets to respond. Selina, it’s late, and I’m tired. This topic is causing
Damian to lose sleep, which is causing me to lose sleep. This is not the time to screw
around. This is the time for a frank, truthful conversation. Now, Damian asked you a serious
question, and he isn’t the only one interested in the answer. Think you can try to give one?”

Bruce had a hard time not laughing at the turn of events. He and Selina had talked a couple
times about her possibly acting like a mom for Damian. Now, it turned out that Damian
didn’t need one. He had already found someone who could act like a mom.

Selina released a breath and looked down at her lap, “I’ve known you for a year now,
Damian. I should be able to read your moods better by now. I should know when I can joke
with you and when I can’t. Bruce and I have had that talk, about our future, and you’ve
asked us about it before, but I don’t think we ever told you the result of our talk. I’m just still
confused on why you’re taking this so badly.”

“Is it wrong to want to know what’s going to happen when you’re thrown into a new
situation,” Damian asked, “Especially one as big as the aftermath of a wedding?”

“No, I suppose not,” Selina said.

“So, can I assume that you are not pregnant,” Damian asked.

“No, I’m not pregnant,” Selina said, “Nor do I plan on getting pregnant. Anything is
possible, but we aren’t planning to have kids of our own.”

That answer seemed to surprise Damian, “You two aren’t going to have kids of your own?”

“No,” Selina said, “but if we were, there’s no way we’d want to raise them without their big
brother around.”

Robin squeezed Damian’s hand as Selina confirmed what he had hoped, that he still had a
place in his home.

“You still want me around,” Damian asked softly.

“Not all the time,” Bruce said, “but most of the time.”

Damian rolled his eyes and said sarcastically, “Thanks, Dad.”

“Kiddo, even if Selina wanted to get rid of you, which she doesn’t, I wouldn’t allow it. This
is your home. We are your family. The four of us have a lot of years left together. We’re
going to all do our best to make a family.”

Damian glanced up, “The four of us?”

Bruce nodded, “We accepted a while ago that keeping you around means keeping Robin
around. I like having the both of you here. You two make a great couple. Everyone who has
ever seen you two together says so. And, a couple years from now, when you two are old
enough and married, if you two wanted to make up grandparents, I think we’d like that.”

Damian gave a wry smile, “If you wanted us to get started on that last part, we could…”

“Hold up,” Robin interrupted as Selina had to hide a laugh, “First of all, we’re here to discuss
how things are going to go after they get married. Are you satisfied with how that
conversation went?”

“I guess so,” Damian said.

“You realized how far off you were in thinking they were going to throw you out after the
wedding,” Robin asked.

Damian released a breath, “I just want to be needed.”

“I always need you,” Robin said, kissing Damian’s cheek.

“You know, Robin,” Damian said softly, “You know how hard it was, how long it took for our
relationship to get to this point. How much it took for Father and I to become Father and
Son.”

“I do,” Robin said, “and so do your dad and Selina. No one is taking that away from you.”

“Why does everything have to change all at once,” Damian asked in a sigh.

Bruce and Robin’s eyes met, and Bruce said softly, “You aren’t losing a father or a brother.
You’re gaining a step-mom and a sister-in-law. This is a good thing.”

“It is a good thing,” Robin echoed, “Don’t think we haven’t noticed that you like Barbara
more than Gina.”

“I love Gina,” Damian said.

“I know,” Robin said with a soft smile, “but you love Barbara more. You’ve known her
longer and have more in common with her. It’s okay. We understand.”

Bruce leaned forward and asked, “Did we answer your questions, Kiddo?”

“Yes,” Damian said.

“Were they the answers you were hoping for,” Robin asked.
Damian looked up at Selina and asked, “You two really aren’t going to have kids of your
own?”

“Do you want a little brother or sister,” Selina asked.

Damian shrugged, and Selina said, “We did talk about it. We aren’t against it, but it’s not
something we’re trying for. Those little feet next to you are probably the only ones I’m
bringing into this house.”

Damian looked down at Isis, who was curled up on the couch with Alfred. “I’m glad they get
along.”

“You never know, with cats,” Selina said.

“They can be territorial,” Damian said.

Selina sighed, “Yes, we can, but we can also be loving and caring when we want to be, too.”

The room fell silent for a minute before Damian squeezed Robin’s hand and asked, “What
was second?”

“What do you mean,” Robin asked.

“You interrupted my train of thought to get us back on task,” Damian said.

“Oh, right,” Robin said, turning to face him, “Damian, I love you, and I can’t wait until we
can fill this house with children, but I am not ready now. I’d like to finish college before we
start having kids. It will just make things easier.”

Damian gave an overdramatic sigh, “I guess I can live with that.”

“Anyway, we promised your dad,” Robin said, “Married before kids.”

“You’re not one to break your word, kiddo,” Bruce said.

“I know what we agreed to, Father,” Damian said softly.

“So, are we good now,” Bruce asked.

“You know how my mind works, Father,” Damian said, “I think we’ve covered this issue, for
now. Um, something else just occurred to me, though. You said you aren’t having kids.
What about Robins?”

“What about me,” Robin asked.

Damian shook his head, “I don’t mean you, Beautiful.”

“He means him,” Bruce said, then released a breath, “I never planned on taking in any of
your brothers.”

“Or planned on having me,” Damian said.

Bruce nodded, “Unfortunately, that’s true. Just because you weren’t planned doesn’t mean
you’re unloved.”

“I was planned,” Damian said, “It just wasn’t your plan. Seemed to work out okay, though.”

“I think I’m good on sidekicks,” Bruce said, “I won’t say that nothing will happen in the
future, but it’s not a plan, and I wouldn’t bring someone in without talking to you first.
Frankly, I think I’m too set in my ways to be able to train a new sidekick.”

Selina leaned forward and asked, “How do you feel about having the next sidekick, Robin?”

Robin didn’t look happy at the thought, but said, “That will be a very long conversation, but
it’s one we don’t have to have for a while. I’ve seen what Batman-ing does to you two. I
don’t want prosthetic kids.”

Bruce smiled, “Dick used to call it ‘Batman-ing’. I always thought it was kind of cute that he
turned me into a verb.”

Selina gave a warm smile, “He was adorable back then, wasn’t he?”

“Dick was eight when he started as Robin, right,” Damian asked.

“Nine,” Bruce said.

“I bet you were just as adorable at nine,” Robin said, squeezing Damian’s arm.

Damian rolled his eyes, “Yep, that was me exactly. Mommy’s little mass murderer. Just a
chip off the old block.”

“You were a good-looking kid, Damian,” Bruce said. “You two should ask Alfred to see the
picture albums tomorrow.”

“We have picture albums,” Damian asked.

“You’ve seen them before,” Bruce said.

“Yeah,” Damian said, “but I didn’t know we had any that were more recent, or included
pictures of me.”

“You’d be surprised how many pictures Alfred has taken over the years,” Bruce said, “All
that spy training taught him how to take pictures without being noticed.”

“I’d like to see those,” Robin said.

“So would I,” Selina agreed.

“Something for tomorrow,” Bruce said, “Have we answered everything, Damian?”

“For now,” Damian said.

“Will you come to someone if you find more questions,” Robin asked, “I don’t like when you
don’t talk to me. You scared me tonight.”

“I’m sorry,” Damian said quietly, “You didn’t have the answers I needed to hear, though.”

“I know that,” Robin said, “That doesn’t mean we still can’t talk about what’s bothering you.
I can’t help you if you don’t talk to me.”

“Alright,” Bruce said, “This is enough for one night. Go back to bed. That goes for you too,
Dick.”

Dick stepped into the doorway and smiled sheepishly at Bruce, “Not as sneaky as I thought,
huh?”

Bruce smiled, “I’ve heard you tip-toeing around this house for twenty-five years, Chum.”

“Just wanted to make sure everything was okay,” Dick said, “Good night.”

Dick walked away from the den as Damian and Robin stood up. Damian wrapped his arms
around Robin, but was looking at Selina when he said, “Sorry. I’m sorry I’m having such a
hard time with this. I really am trying.”

Selina smiled, “I know. I can tell that you’re trying. Think you’ll be okay with me by the
wedding?”

Damian contemplated the question for a second, “I don’t think it’s you. I don’t find you
nearly as annoying as I used to. There’s a big difference in Father having a girlfriend and
Father having a wife, though. I’m…I’m trying.”

Bruce nodded, “All I’ve ever asked of you is to try, kiddo.”

“What are you two doing tomorrow,” Selina asked.

Robin smiled, “We’re going to spend the afternoon with my parents.”

“Oh,” Selina said, “Well, have fun, then.”

Damian and Robin left the den. Bruce reached over and squeezed Selina’s hand, and they
both watched as Alfred and Isis trotted out of the room, following Damian and Robin.

“Maybe I should be the concerned one,” Selina said.

“What do you mean,” Bruce asked.

“Damian keeps asking if he’s going to be replaced,” Selina said.

“And we aren’t going to get rid of him,” Bruce replied.

“Of course not,” Selina agreed, “At the same time, though, he has effectively stolen my cat. I
only ever see Isis anymore when Damian is in the room.”
Bruce smiled, “That is one way to get closer to Damian.”

Selina glanced over, “Bribe him? I seem to remember him threatening to throw me off of the
roof of a building when I tried that once before.”

“Why don’t you point it out to him over breakfast,” Bruce asked.

“Maybe.”

“What did you want the kids for tomorrow,” Bruce asked.

Selina released a breath through her nose, “I was hoping to get Robin alone, to see if she can
help me get closer to Damian. He is so completely at ease around her. There’s got to be
something she knows that I don’t.”

“There is,” Bruce said, “Damian is completely wrapped around Robin’s little finger. She
could ask him to do anything and he would do it. Move out and never see any of us again?
As long as she stays with him, he will disappear from our lives. Stand on the roof of City
Hall and dance to ‘I’m a Little Teapot’? Just turn on the music and watch him go. Chop off
his right arm? He knows how to write with his left hand. As long as it makes Robin happy,
he’ll do it.”

“So, if Robin asked him to be nice to me, he’d do it,” Selina asked.

Bruce shook his head gently, “Sel, she already did. Do you honestly think your relationship
would have advanced as far as it has, with everything you know about him so far, if you
didn’t have Robin’s seal of approval? Without her influence, he’d still be calling you ‘Ms.
Kyle’, and would not have been nearly as accepting of you moving in here.”

Selina’s face fell, “It’s all been her influence, then?”

“What do you mean,” Bruce asked.

“There’s been a few times lately when I’ve run across him around the house,” Selina said,
“He hasn’t looked too happy to see me. Does he only tolerate me because Robin asked him
to?”

Bruce sighed, “That’s a possibility, but do you need more than that right now?”

“I’d like more, yes,” Selina said, “I don’t want to live across the hall from someone who
resents me.”

“I honestly don’t think he resents you,” Bruce said, “He’s guarded. He always has been. He
doesn’t open up easily, but you’ve done a lot to get close to him. You’re closer than you
think.”

“How much closer,” Selina asked.

Bruce gave a soft smile, “Damian was the first one I showed your engagement ring. He was
far more approving than I thought he’d be.”
“Was he approving because he was approving,” Selina asked, “or was he approving because
you already bought the ring?”

“We have the rest of our lives to figure that out,” Bruce said, “We’ll be married this time next
week, and if there are still issues and concerns after that, we can address them then. I don’t
think there will, though.”

Selina shrugged, “He’s your son. You know him better than I do.”

“That can change,” Bruce said, “Come on, let’s go back to bed.”

A/N: It seems like I’ve hit a productive streak this week. It helps that I took some
vacation time to rest, and found some good ideas. It also helps that I’ve been working
on this story on and off for four years, and already have big chunks of the remaining
chapters written.

I’d love to hear what you think about this one so far. Even though this is only chapter 7
out of 10, we’re coming to the conclusion rather rapidly. Chapter 8 is completed and
will be posted on Sunday. I’m still working on chapter 9. Chapter 10 is completed and
will be posted soon after chapter 9. So, I really only have one chapter to complete, since
9 is already in the works.

Let me know your thoughts and opinions. Your comments make my day.

Thanks for playing along.

 8

Batman 50

Chapter 8

The Day Before the Wedding…

The Manor was spruced up in anticipation of the wedding even though the guest list had been
pared down to the bare minimum. Alfred was going all out for the event, an event that he
thought might never come for Bruce. Alfred couldn’t have been happier if Bruce was his
own flesh and blood.

Everyone had helped put the finishing touches on the decorations, and they just had to wait
one more day for the big event. Now, the nerves were starting.

Damian knocked on the door to Bruce’s study before walking into the room. The teen
walked over to the couch, where Bruce was sitting.

“Alfred said you wanted to see me, Father?”

“I did,” Bruce said, nodding, “Sit down.”

Damian took a seat and asked, “What’s going on, Father?”

Bruce reached over and squeezed Damian’s knee, “I just wanted to talk to you. It’s a big day
tomorrow.”

“Are you all ready, Father,” Damian asked.

“Yeah, I think so,” Bruce said, “You don’t feel bad that you’re not in the wedding, do you?”

“No, Father,” Damian said, shaking his head, “It’s fine.”

“I wanted to have all four of you up there,” Bruce said, “Selina couldn’t find enough
bridesmaids to have all of you. I’m sorry.”

“Don’t be, Father,” Damian said, “I don’t know how comfortable I would be, standing in
front of everyone.”

Bruce sighed, then asked, “Are you okay with the wedding, son?”

Damian looked down, “You obviously care deeply for Selina. She hasn’t done anything
objectionable, despite how I’ve treated her in the past. She doesn’t seem like she’s going to
run away again.”
“That’s not what I asked, Damian.”

Damian glanced up, “Are you happy, Father?”

“I am,” Bruce said, “I’d like you to be a little more than resigned to the fact that I’m getting
married.”

Damian looked down again, “I am. I’m still…worried…about my place in your new family,
but…”

Damian trailed off as Bruce wrapped an arm around Damian and pulled him into a hug.
“Son, we want you here,” Bruce said softly.

“I know,” Damian whispered, “I don’t know why this scares me so much. I’m not the one
getting married.”

“No, you’d be excited, if it was you,” Bruce said with a smile.

Damian turned his head, burying his face in Bruce’s shoulder. Bruce released a breath, “Can
I take a guess at what’s going through your mind?”

Damian nodded, and Bruce said, “This is a huge change. It’s been just us for six years. Now,
someone new will be here, even though there’s been three new people here for months.
Selina bothers you because she is becoming your new step-mom. She’s going to be in a
position where you would actually have to listen to her. Your mother threw you away, which
was her mistake, because she never got to know the wonderful person you’ve become.
You’re scared because you don’t want to do anything that might make us want to throw you
away, too. That won’t happen. I don’t want to imagine spending the rest of my life without
you.”

Damian took a shuddering breath and whispered, “I’m sorry, Father.”

“What for, son?”

“That I’m making so many problems for you,” Damian said, “I should be far more supportive
of you.”

“This is still new for you, kiddo,” Bruce said.

“I don’t want to be like this,” Damian said angrily, “I don’t want to be against everything all
the time. I’m…I’m not. I don’t know why I act this way. I’m…”

Bruce took a breath, “You’re scared, and it’s okay to be scared. What you need to do is
recognize what’s happening, and face it. Say it, son.”

“I’m scared,” Damian said quietly.

“What are you scared of?”

“I don’t want to be left behind,” Damian said, “Mother left me here to learn from you. I
always thought I’d stay here for a while, then return to Mother. Then, you were gone, and we
thought you were dead. Mother didn’t care. We called and told her, and I asked to go home.
She said she didn’t have the time to deal with me. I could have been here alone, and she still
wouldn’t have taken me back. That’s when I truly started feeling abandoned. It took a long
time to start to get over that, and it left me needy and neurotic. I can’t lose you again.”

“You’re not losing me,” Bruce said.

“I know,” Damian gasped, “and I’m happy that you found someone who makes you happy,
and someone who I’ve grown to like. I still can’t get over the feeling that everything will fall
apart around me again.”

“That’s a valid fear, kiddo,” Bruce said, “It really is. Think about what we’ve built around
us, though. We have a solid family now. Over the next couple years, we’re adding three
new, amazing members. There will probably be more in the future. In all of that, you and I
will always be father and son. I will always be there for you. This is just the beginning.”

Damian took a deep breath and squeezed Bruce a little tighter, “Thanks, Dad.”

The pair fell silent for a couple minutes before Bruce asked softly, “So, you like Selina?”

Damian looked up, “Yes, I do.”

“Do you ever plan on telling her that,” Bruce asked.

“It would just give her a swelled head,” Damian said.

Bruce smiled, “I think, maybe, it wouldn’t be the worst thing in the world, right now.”

“You could tell her,” Damian said, sitting back.

“So could you,” Bruce replied, “It would mean more, coming from you. Hey, would you like
a drink?”

“I am a little thirsty,” Damian said.

Bruce got up, walked across the study, and returned several seconds later with two glasses,
each containing an amber liquid. Damian eyed the liquid, noticing that they were both served
in the glasses Damian had bought Bruce at Disney World.

“What is this, Father?”

“Whiskey,” Bruce said.

Damian’s eyes widened, and he nearly dropped the glass, “Really? Didn’t you say I was too
young for alcohol?”

“It’s a special occasion,” Bruce said, “You’re under the supervision of a somewhat
responsible adult. You aren’t driving anywhere. One drink won’t hurt you. Be sure to sip it,
though.”

Damian held the glass under his nose, “Smells strong.”

“It is,” Bruce said, “Macallan 40. Single malt, aged forty years. Don’t spill it. At sixty-two
thousand dollars a bottle, that glass is worth more than a used car.”

Damian looked up, “You’re serving sixty-two-thousand-dollar whiskey in Disney glasses?”

“Would you prefer one of those red plastic party cups,” Bruce asked with a raised eyebrow.

“I suppose not,” Damian said.

Bruce sat down and took a sip of his drink. Damian watched for a reaction from the man,
and when Bruce didn’t give one, took a sip of his own drink. Damian almost immediately
started coughing as he swallowed the whiskey.

Bruce patted the teen’s back and said, “I said to sip it, kiddo.”

“I did,” Damian gasped.

“Slowly,” Bruce said with a smile, “Take a sip, let it sit on your tongue, then swallow it
slowly.”

Damian tried again, following Bruce’s directions. He didn’t cough this time.

“It’s a lot smoother when you aren’t in a hurry,” Bruce said, “What do you think?”

Damian took another small sip, and let the couple drops that he allowed past his lips to sit on
his tongue for half a minute. “It’s definitely an acquired taste,” Damian said softly, “Kind
of…woody? Smoky? Like drinking a liquid tree branch.”

Bruce grinned, “Maybe we can get them to put that in their advertising materials.”

“You’re right,” Damian said, “It’s smoother the slower you drink it. I could get used to this.”

“Not for a few more years, kiddo,” Bruce said.

“Then why are we doing this now?”

Bruce leaned back and threw an arm around Damian’s shoulders, “My dad was killed when I
was ten years old. I watched it happen, and couldn’t do a thing to stop it. That’s haunted me
for forty years. When I took Dick in, I finally started to see that life didn’t have to be the
dark existence I had thought it would be. I love Dick, but I always wondered what my own
son might be like. I allowed myself to wonder if I would ever have a son of my own. I love
Jason, I love Tim, but you are my son. I got you when you were ten, and it made me wonder
how things were going to turn out. I didn’t want your post-ten life to be like mine. There’s a
lot I never got to do with my father, and there’s a lot I didn’t get to do with you. Even the
things we’ve done together have very rarely been your firsts. I don’t want any more regrets
in my life.”
Damian took a slow breath as he thought about what he had been told. Why do I ask so many
questions? We were having a nice moment, and I had to question it. He could be doing this
with any of my brothers, but he asked for me. He wants me. I really like that feeling.

Damian scooted a little closer to Bruce and said softly, “We can always say that this is my
first drink. I think…I think it’s the one I want to remember as my first.”

I knew he’d understand, Bruce thought as he pulled Damian tighter into his side.

A long, quiet, comfortable time passed, and Bruce was surprised that it didn’t end when their
glasses were empty.

Bruce sighed and said softly, “I hate to bring this up, but how is tomorrow going to go?”

“What do you mean, Father?”

“Tomorrow is a very important day,” Bruce said, “I know that you’re aware of that. You’ve
told me that you are generally supportive of the wedding, and that you like Selina. That was
all academic before. How are things going to be, now that the wedding is here?”

Damian released a breath, “You want to know if the old me will make an appearance and ruin
your day?”

“Well, frankly, yes.”

Damian turned and leaned back into his father, with Bruce’s arm gripping tightly around his
chest. “It’s okay, Father. You can have the person doing the ceremony ask if anyone objects
to the wedding. I won’t say a word. I’ll admit, I’m nervous. I don’t know how this is going
to turn out, and I’m still not completely comfortable with Selina, but she makes you happy,
and I’m curious to see what’s going to happen. You two will find a way to make this work. I
want to see what happens. This will be a good learning experience for me.”

Bruce smirked, “To see what not to do as a married couple?”

“We don’t know that yet,” Damian said, “I’m, personally, hoping for the opposite. I want
you two to work.”

“I’m glad, kiddo.”

Damian smiled, “Anyway, I get something out of this, too.”

“A completed family,” Bruce asked hopefully.

“Well, that too, I guess,” Damian said with a shrug.

Bruce looked at the back of Damian’s head, “Dick isn’t bribing you to go along with this, is
he?”

“No, Father,” Damian said, “That isn’t necessary.”

“Okay, what do you get out of this,” Bruce asked.

Damian gave a soft smile, “After the wedding, I get to dance with Robin at your reception.”

“That’s it,” Bruce asked.

“I’m not as complicated as you make me out to be, Father,” Damian said, “I’ve learned to
appreciate the simple things. Dancing with Robin is simple, and it makes both of us happy.”

“That’s great, Kiddo,” Bruce said, “but do you think you could save a dance for Selina? I
think she would appreciate the gesture.”

Damian shrugged, “Wouldn’t be the first time I’ve danced with her.”

Bruce shook his head, “It still amazes me that you two were able to work together to save the
mayor, without talking to me first. I called you that night from Europe and you didn’t tell me
what was going on.”

“Alfred called you,” Damian said, “and we didn’t get the call from the Commissioner until
after we talked. I didn’t think I had time to run it past you. Anyway, Alfred went along with
the plan, so it couldn’t have been too poorly thought out.”

“She still has the newspaper photo of the two of you,” Bruce said, “Think you’d be willing to
take another picture with her tomorrow?”

“I think we can do that,” Damian said, “I’m not going to do anything to disrupt your day,
Father.”

“Thank you,” Bruce said as the door opened. Dick walked in and smiled at father and son as
they sat on the couch.

“There you are,” Dick said.

“Hi, Dick,” Damian said in a breathy tone.

Dick’s step faltered a bit at the tone, “Am I interrupting something?”

Damian gave a small shake of his head, and Bruce said, “No, just spending some time with
my son. Pour yourself a drink, Dick. While you’re at it, you can refill ours.”

Dick eyed Bruce, until two glasses were held out to him. Dick smiled, “Getting the young
one drunk, Bruce?”

“I’m not drunk,” Damian said softly.

“Dick,” Bruce said. He waited until Dick looked over, then said, “The good stuff.”

“Macallan 25, it is,” Dick said while nodding.

“Dick,” Bruce said, “Bottom of the cart. We’re serving the 40 today.”
Dick’s eyes widened, “The 40? Wow, you really are trying to get him started right.”

Dick poured the drinks and returned the glasses to their owners before pouring his own
drink. Bruce couldn’t help noticing that Dick’s pours were far more generous than his own
had been.

Dick sat down next to Damian, and Bruce said, “The goal here isn’t to get your brother
drunk, Dick. We’re just talking over a drink.”

“I see,” Dick said, “How many drinks behind am I?”

“Just the one,” Bruce said.

“Well, I should catch up, then,” Dick said with a smile.

Dick lifted his glass, but stopped short at the wary look on Damian’s face. “What is it, Little
D?”

Damian released a long breath, “Nothing.”

“That just means it’s something,” Dick said, “Tell us.”

Damian glanced at Dick out of the corner of his eye, “It scares me when you drink, okay? I
don’t want what happened last year to happen again.”

Dick took a compassionate breath, “Oh, D. I don’t want that to happen again either.”

“You’re a mean drunk,” Damian said.

“That’s why I’m not going to get drunk,” Dick said, “I’m only going to have this one.”

“What about tomorrow,” Damian asked.

Dick thought for a second, “Well, there’s the champagne toast. I can find something else to
drink tomorrow. I won’t be going out to get drunk. That’s exactly what I was trying to do at
the circus. I was trying to get drunk. I’m not doing that now.”

“Okay,” Damian said softly, taking a sip of his drink.

Dick watched his brother, and smiled when Damian didn’t cough at the strong liquor. “Hey,
not too bad. I nearly threw up the first time Bruce gave me a drink.”

“Dad taught me how to do it right,” Damian said.

“Good,” Dick said, taking his own small sip. “I’m not trying to get drunk, but knowing you,
you might want to, Damian.”

Damian glanced over and asked, “Why do I want to get drunk?”

“The three of us are going to be a little lonely tonight,” Dick said.

“I was always going to be lonely tonight,” Bruce said, “Selina doesn’t want to see me until
the wedding tomorrow.”

“What for,” Damian asked.

Bruce shrugged, “Tradition. It’s supposed to be bad luck for the groom to see the bride
before the wedding. Selina took over our room for preparations. I guess I’m sleeping in here
tonight.”

Damian nodded, “Okay, that’s why Father is going to be lonely. Why are you and I going to
be lonely, Dick?”

“Don’t you want to keep your father company on the night before his wedding,” Dick asked.

“If I did that, neither of us would be lonely,” Damian said, “You said all of us would be
lonely.”

“I did say that,” Dick said, “Selina is getting a little nervous.”

Bruce paled as he glanced over, “Cold feet?”

“I don’t think so,” Dick said, “It looks like her maid of honor hasn’t shown up yet, and she’s
worried if she’s going to show up at all.”

“Travel isn’t easy, right now,” Bruce said.

“The girls are trying to settle Selina down,” Dick said, “so they took her out.”

“Which girls,” Bruce asked.

“Barbara and Robin,” Dick said.

“That’s nice of them,” Bruce said.

Dick nodded, “I think Barbara said something about picking up Gina, too.”

“So, that will turn into Gina and Leah,” Damian said. He turned his head to look at Bruce,
“Why didn’t Selina ask Barbara and Robin to be bridesmaids?”

“She was going to,” Bruce said, “but when the Coronavirus picked up and we had to start
downsizing the wedding, Selina figured that would be too much.”

“How so,” Damian asked.

“For a while, we thought the wedding would end up being immediate family only,” Bruce
said, “Selina didn’t want more people standing at the altar than sitting in the seats. If she
hadn’t already invited her friend, I think we would have done without bridesmaids and
groomsmen altogether.”

“But I like being your best man,” Dick pouted.

“I know, Chum,” Bruce said, “Where did the girls go? Not much is open, thanks to the
virus.”

“You’ll probably find it funny,” Dick said, “I don’t think I should tell Damian, though.”

“Why not,” the teen asked.

Dick smirked, “Because they went to a COVID-safe strip club.”

Bruce and Damian stared at Dick blankly for a second.

“COVID-safe,” Bruce asked.

“Strip club,” Damian asked darkly.

“I don’t think I’m clear on the concept here, Chum,” Bruce said, “What is a COVID-safe
strip club?”

“I saw it on the news the other day,” Dick said.

“So, this was your idea, and your fault,” Damian growled.

“Barbara was sitting next to me when we saw the report,” Dick said, “It was her idea to go
there. Anyway, they rent out a warehouse that the patrons can drive into. You park around
the stage, or poles, or whatever they’re using, and watch. There are no food or drinks served,
and everyone is supposed to keep their windows rolled up.”

Dick looked thoughtful for a second, “Then again, if they keep their windows rolled up, I
don’t know how they tip the dancers. It’s hard to stuff a dollar in a G-string from six feet
away.”

“At least we know there won’t be any lap dances tonight,” Bruce said with a smile. Bruce
caught the simmering anger on Damian’s face, “I thought you two were open and
understanding about things like this, Damian?”

“When we were hundreds or thousands of miles apart,” Damian growled, “Not when we’re
living together.”

“There’s nothing to be jealous of, Damian,” Dick said.

“I’m not jealous,” Damian snapped.

“Yes, you are,” Dick snapped back in a mockingly disarming tone.

“I don’t like this,” Damian mumbled.

“Please be honest, and tell me why,” Bruce asked softly.

Damian looked down and spoke softly, “This is my worst fear, come to life.”

“What do you mean, kiddo?”

Bruce squeezed Damian’s shoulder, and the teen said, “Ever since we got really serious about
each other, I’ve been scared to death.”

“Of what,” Bruce asked.

“What if I’m not enough for her,” Damian asked, “Am I too young for her? Am I too
immature for her? What if she wants something else? Someone else? How do I not push her
away?”

“Calm down, kiddo,” Bruce said, “How long have you felt this way?”

“Since she first moved to Alaska,” Damian said, “I was really afraid I’d never see her again,
that she’d find someone new and move on.”

Dick shook his head and gave a sigh before saying, “I will never understand why you, of all
people, have no self-esteem.”

Damian looked down, “You spend the first ten years of your life being told that you’re
worthless, and let’s see how you turn out.”

“Believe it or not, Damian,” Bruce said, “I’m pretty sure she went with tonight for you.”

Damian glanced up and said drily, “I can’t wait to hear how you justify that one.”

“As insecure as you can be about your relationship,” Bruce said, “you love Robin more than
anything; and tell her everything; including what you told me earlier. You like Selina, and
you want our marriage to work.”

“Aww, way to go, D,” Dick said.

Bruce continued, “Robin obviously talked to Barbara to plan something to get Selina to relax,
and to get her in the right frame of mind to go through with the wedding. They’re out there
tonight to support Selina. The end result of that will be giving you a step-mom. You might
still have some misgivings about that, but you’re open to it. Robin knows that, and will do
whatever she can to give you that experience.”

Damian thought for a second, “Do you really believe that, Father?”

“It’s better than the alternative.”

“Which is what?”

“That she really is tired of you and wanted to see some naked men, to see what she has been
missing,” Bruce said with a smirk.

Damian released a breath, “I thought you were trying to make me feel better, Father?”

“I am,” Bruce said, “How else can we help you see that this isn’t something you need to be
worried about?”
Damian thought for a second, then looked down at his empty whiskey glass, “How much of
this whiskey do you have left?”

Later…

Robin slipped into her and Damian’s room just a few minutes short of midnight. She tried to
be as quiet as possible, but she knew Damian woke up as soon as she opened the door, if he
had been asleep at all. Damian was curled up into a small ball, lying on his side, facing away
from the door.

Robin might have been concerned by Damian’s lack of reaction to her presence if she hadn’t
run into Dick in the hall when she got home. The older brother had given her fair warning
about how badly Damian had reacted to the news of the trip to the strip club. He also
informed Robin about Damian’s drinking debut, and the fact that he was a little past tipsy
when Bruce had carried the teen to bed.

Robin changed and climbed into bed. She was going to give Damian a small kiss, but could
tell from his body language that he didn’t want to be touched right now. Giving a small sigh,
Robin laid back; not touching Damian, but close enough to feel each other’s body heat.

“Did you enjoy your night out,” Damian asked in a soft, small voice.

“To be honest, no,” Robin answered in a near-matching tone. “It was interesting to see how
they pulled off having a strip club in a parking lot, but that was the most entertaining part of
the night.”

“Sorry it was a waste of time,” Damian said.

“It wasn’t a complete waste,” Robin said, “I don’t get to spend a lot of time with Gina and
Leah, so it was nice seeing them again. They were far more entertaining than the
performers.”

Damian turned his head a bit, but didn’t turn to look at Robin. “How so?”

“Think about it,” Robin said with a smile, “We took two lesbians out to see male strippers. I
wish I’d thought of recording it. Their comments were comedy gold.”

Damian knew the sense of humor that his future sister-in-law had, and could imagine some of
the comments. “Did…did you…like what you saw?”

Robin could tell from the waver in Damian’s voice that they were heading into Insecurity
Land. “I’ll be honest, there was one stripper who was attractive. He was just getting off
when we got there.”

Damian turned over at the comment and gasped, “What?”

Robin’s eyes widened a little, “Of the stage. He was getting off of the stage. Not…getting
off. I wish he’d stayed around a little longer.”
“Because you liked him so much,” Damian asked. His voice lowered, “Because you want
him more than me?”

“When are you going to stop being jealous,” Robin asked softly, “I am never, ever, going to
want you out of my life. Yes, I went out to see them, but I came home to you. I would never
consider replacing you. You are not too young. You are not too immature. I only want you.
We’ve had this conversation many times, and the answers have always been the same. They
will always be the same. You’re the one I want. You’ve said it many times; I’m a beautiful
girl. I could have anyone in the world I want. What you keep forgetting is that I already
have the one I want, and it’s you.”

The couple fell silent for a minute, staring into each other’s eyes. Damian finally asked
softly, “If all of that is true, why did you want him to stay around longer?”

“Because the following act made all of us uncomfortable,” Robin said softly.

“What do you mean?”

Robin took a breath, “We got a program when we went into the area. I guess this strip club
has themed nights, and all the dancers dress in different costumes, depending on that night’s
theme. Tonight, was Hero Night.”

“Hero Night,” Damian asked, not really wanting an answer to his question, but also not able
to leave it alone.

Robin cringed, “Yeah. It was…it was somewhere between ridiculous and disturbing.”

“What sort of heroes did they have,” Damian asked.

“Your kind of heroes,” Robin said nervously, “They had their versions of the Justice League.”

“And…that made you uncomfortable?”

“Well, yeah,” Robin said, “I’ve met all of the real people that the dancers were
impersonating, and the only one I’ve ever pictured naked was you. The only one I’ve ever
wanted to picture naked was you. It was like those images were force-fed into my brain. I
didn’t want to see that. I don’t know how I’m going to feel, seeing these people at the
wedding tomorrow. It was bad enough when I saw Dick when I got home.”

“Please tell me you’re talking about my brother,” Damian asked.

“Yes, your brother,” Robin said, “It wasn’t easy to look at him, after seeing the Nightwing
stripper.”

“Wait,” Damian said, “Who else did they have?”

Robin really didn’t want to answer that question, but it was too late now. “I fully understand
how their Superman got his name. We only stared because it was almost inhuman. It was
hanging three-quarters of the way down his thigh. I didn’t think they got that long. I would
be scared if someone came after me with one that big.”
Damian was looking insecure again, and Robin scooted closer to him and rubbed her hand
soothingly over his chest, “You would have stared, too. You have nothing to be jealous
about, just because you’re smaller than him. You’re also a lot younger. You have never
failed to satisfy me. You are perfect for me. You leave me feeling good. He would have left
me crippled.”

“Who else did you see,” Damian asked after a long minute spent cuddling with Robin.

“I didn’t watch the next one who came on stage,” Robin said, “He was dressed as Batman,
and I…I just couldn’t. I love your father. I don’t want to think of him that way. I couldn’t
lift my head to look at him, but Gina’s jokes were just too good.”

“Like what,” Damian asked.

“Like the fact that the guy had to be at least six inches shorter than your dad,” Robin said,
“Gina kept asking how he didn’t trip over his cape when he was so short. He couldn’t have
been too much taller than you. He should have been the Robin stripper.”

“They had a Robin stripper,” Damian asked darkly.

Robin swallowed hard, getting to the part of the show that she really didn’t want to tell her
jealous and insecure fiancé about. “Y-yeah.”

“Was he better looking than me?”

Robin hated the almost scared tone in the question, “He looked completely wrong for
someone wearing a Robin costume.”

“Which costume design was it?”

“Kind of a cross between yours and Dick’s,” Robin said, “The shirt looked like Dick’s, but he
was wearing long pants, like yours.”

“And…you didn’t have any trouble watching a Robin stripper,” Damian asked.

“I couldn’t take my eyes off of just how wrong everything looked,” Robin said.

“How so?”

Robin took a slow breath, “Where to begin? Well, first of all, the Robin stripper was taller
than both the Batman and Nightwing strippers. He had curly light brown hair, which just
looked wrong on someone impersonating Robin.”

“Was he better looking than me,” Damian asked again.

Robin thought for a second, “I didn’t look at his face much, but from what I can remember of
it, no he wasn’t.”

“You couldn’t take your eyes off of his body?”

Robin shook her head, “Not for the reason you’re thinking. He was…big.”

“Oh,” Damian said quietly.

“No, not like that,” Robin said, “His muscles were…out of control. They weren’t even good-
looking muscles, like yours. They were body builder muscles. You could tell that he spent
more time taking steroids than working out. They were the type of muscles that are only
good for entering in body building contests. When he took his shirt off, he didn’t even look
human anymore. He looked like a cartoon character, like someone had drawn him and
brought him to life.”

Robin rolled over, laying partly on top of Damian as she ran her hand over his chest and
arms. Speaking softly, Robin said, “Your muscles have a purpose. They’re lean and
proportional to your body. They’re strong for the sake of usable strength. You can do things
with your muscles, and you earned every one you have through hard work. His looked like
he was wearing an inflated suit. They were oversized, and basically useless for anything
other than looking strong. I doubt he’s any stronger than you, if he’s stronger at all. He had
muscles for show, but I’d much rather have spent the night watching your body.”

“How about…down there,” Damian asked.

“It was kind of hard to tell,” Robin said, “His leg muscles were just as inflated as his arms.
Oh, and that rumor about steroids, and how they shrink things? It’s true. There really wasn’t
much to see, other than his muscles, which is another reason I wanted to stare at you all
night.”

Robin could tell that Damian was breathing a little easier after the explanation.

“So, the only good part of the night was seeing your sister, then,” Damian asked.

“No. Of course not,” Robin said, “Yes, seeing Gina was the best part. Being there to support
Selina was good, too. I really like her, Lover. I like spending time around her. She’s a good
person. Oh, and the way I couldn’t look at the Batman stripper, Selina couldn’t look at the
Robin stripper. She said it felt wrong to see him naked, much in the same way I said it felt
wrong to see the Batman stripper naked.”

“What do you mean,” Damian asked.

Robin spelled it out for him, “Even if it isn’t the same person, I was not comfortable seeing
someone representing my future father-in-law naked. Selina was not comfortable seeing
someone representing her future step-son naked.”

“That’s strange, since she’s already seen me naked,” Damian commented.

Robin’s eyes widened, “Wait, WHAT?”

Damian nodded, “Didn’t I tell you that?” Robin shook her head, so Damian continued,
“When we first met, and I was still trying to adjust after everything that happened with Dick,
Father talked us into sitting down and talking, to try to get to know each other.”
“Was this after you ran away,” Robin asked.

“Yeah,” Damian said guiltily, “Anyway, I was grounded, but Selina was going to come over,
and we were going to talk. She was obviously excited that I was giving her a chance, and
arrived early. I had just taken a shower, and was walking to my closet to get dressed. I was
rather surprised to see her standing next to my desk, staring at me in shock as I tried to cover
myself with a towel. She didn’t seem to have a hard time staring at a naked Robin then.”

“Well, the real one looks much better than the imposter,” Robin said sensually.

Damian released a breath and whispered, “I’m sorry.”

Robin was going to tell Damian not to worry about his reaction to her evening plan, but
looked up strangely as his breath passed over her face. “Wait, are you drunk?”

“A little,” Damian admitted.

“I thought you didn’t like alcohol,” Robin said, “Where did you get it?”

“Father wanted to have a drink with me,” Damian said. “He said it was another thing he
never got to do with his own father. I might have had a couple more than I planned.”

“Are you going to be okay,” Robin asked.

“I don’t see why not,” Damian said, “I didn’t drink enough to get really drunk.”

“Are you going to be okay for tomorrow,” Robin asked.

“I’ll be fine,” Damian said, “We’ll be fine, once we’ve gotten some sleep.”

Robin hadn’t stopped her hands from roaming over Damian’s body, and now moved further,
so she was laying on top of him. “There is one thing you should be glad about. Tonight’s
event has me wanting to see the real Robin strip, to make up for that imposter. I was teased
with a fake Robin, who couldn’t hold a candle to the real one. We can get some sleep later.
How about you make this night so much better for the both of us?”

A/N: Well, the wedding is next. Think I’ll go in the same direction as the comic?

By the way, the drive-thru strip club is a real thing. Or, at least, it was, at the beginning
of the COVID lockdowns. I saw a news report on it and had a good laugh. People
would drive through a building or an enclosed parking lot and look at the strippers,
kind of like people driving through neighborhoods looking at Christmas light displays.
I thought it fit the time for an impromptu bachelorette party.

And yes, at the time of first writing this chapter, a bottle of Macallan 40 was retailing
for $62,000. It could have gone up since then, thanks to inflation. I didn’t check for an
updated price. No, I have never had Macallan 40. I’m not about to spend 2/3 of my
annual salary on a single bottle of whiskey.
Please let me know what you think, so far. Comments make my day and give me ideas
for the future.

Thanks for playing along.

 9

Batman 50

Chapter 9

Wedding Day…

Bruce paced nervously around the front sitting room of Stately Wayne Manor. Very little in
making this day had gone right, which was why he was anxiously waiting for something to
go wrong. Everything had been adjusted and was in place, but Bruce wouldn’t feel better
until everything was over.

Dick sat in a leather wing chair, against Alfred’s orders, and shook his head sadly as he
watched Bruce do his best to wear a hole in his shoes.

“Bruce, relax, will you? Everything is all set. All you have to do now is wait for the next
hour and a half, show up in the ballroom, and make yourself Mr. Selina Kyle.”

Bruce stopped pacing and turned to stare at Dick, “If only it were that easy. When did you
start falling in on her side? You’re supposed to be my best man.”

Dick shrugged, “That night on patrol when I was nine and we chased her after a jewel heist
on Halloween. You took the stolen jewelry back to the shop and told me to let her go. While
you were gone, she took me trick-or-treating. It was probably the only time our uniforms fit
in out in public.”

Bruce gave a soft smile, “You never told me that before.”

“She told me that it was our little secret, and that the next time we caught her, she would buy
me ice cream,” Dick said, “Come to think of it, she still owes me an ice cream cone.”

Tim and Damian wandered into the sitting room as Bruce walked over and hugged Dick.
Tim nudged Damian and asked, “Okay, who do you think is going to cry first? Bruce or
Dick?”

Damian looked at Tim, “There should probably be a couple more names on that list.”

Tim shook his head, “No way. Alfred won’t cry at the wedding. After, yes, but not during.
Clark might, though.”

Damian smirked, “My vote is for Jason.”

“Your vote is for me to do what,” Jason asked, walking up behind Damian.

Damian turned quickly and found himself face to face with Jason’s chest. He took a quick
step back in surprise. “Whoa! Tim asked who was going to cry first. My money is on you.”

Jason rolled his eyes, “You’re wrong. You’re going to be the first one to cry. I’ll make sure
of that.”

Jason swiped at Damian, who ducked and dodged out of the way, to the other side of the
coffee table.

A new voice spoke up from the doorway, “Boys! Boys! This is not the time for those
activities. Armani is not meant for roughhousing.”

Bruce took one look at Alfred’s face and could feel his crest falling, “What is it, Alfred?
What’s wrong?”

Alfred tried not to let his true emotions show on his face as he said, “Everything is prepared
for the ceremony. We are only missing one thing.”

Bruce shook his head, “Don’t tell me, Alfred.”

Alfred told him, “I am unable to locate Miss Selina, Master Bruce.”

Bruce slumped into an armchair; his breath pulled from him like he had been gut-punched.
“No. No, I can’t…”

Dick gripped Bruce’s shoulder supportively, “She can’t have left. She has to be here
somewhere. There were no alerts on the alarms, so she has to still be on the grounds.”

Alfred nodded, trying not to let Bruce’s despair overtake him. “Boys, perhaps you should
begin a search of the Manor. Master Bruce, come with me, please.”

Springing into action, Dick said, “I’ll take the front hall.”

Tim nodded, “I’ll take the back hall.”

Jason followed in his odd-numbered brother’s footsteps, leaving the sitting room, “I’ll take
the upstairs.”

Alfred helped Bruce out of the room and down to his study for a stiff drink, leaving Damian
standing dumbfounded in the sitting room. For once, no thoughts were running through his
mind. He couldn’t formulate a cohesive thought, much less a plan of what to do next.

Unable to think of anything else, Damian turned and looked out of the bay window, staring at
the front drive. It’s awfully dusty out there today, Damian thought. I hope that doesn’t affect
the rest of today. Wait, the trees aren’t moving. There’s no wind out there. Uh-oh.

A thought had finally occurred to Damian, and he ran out of the front door, hoping it wasn’t
true.

Five Minutes Later…

Damian nearly fell to the ground in relief as he rounded the final bend in the gravel driveway
and caught sight of the cream-colored convertible. The car was stopped, the motor was off,
and the driver sat stock still, staring straight ahead. Damian watched for a minute, and when
nothing happened, he walked up to the car and sat down in the passenger seat.

Cat and Bird sat for a minute, not speaking. Damian was waiting for Selina to talk. Selina
was trying to figure out what to say.

Selina broke first with a huge sigh, and her chin dropped to her chest.

“I understand needing some air,” Damian said softly, “This family can be a bit much at
times. I still need time away, and I’ve lived here for almost seven years.”

Selina looked over at the teen, who was still staring straight ahead when he asked, “Are you
leaving?”

Selina shook her head, “I don’t know, Damian.”

“Yes, you do,” Damian said.

“How am I supposed to answer that,” Selina asked.

Damian said simply, “Honestly.”

Selina sighed again, “I love your father, Damian. I really do. I just don’t know if I’m ready
for all of this. I’m not just getting Bruce, I’m getting…all of this.”

Damian gave a small, hidden smirk, “What were you thinking, right?”

“Do you think this is funny, Damian?”

Damian turned to look at Selina, “I think I had the same thoughts for about a year after I
started living here. You’re not alone, Selina.”

Selina regarded the teen for several long seconds before Damian looked forward again and
said, “It’s ironic you would pick this car to make your escape.”

Selina shrugged, “It was closest to the garage door.”

“There’s a reason for that,” Damian said, “This car has a good deal of family history.”

“I know it’s not yours,” Selina said, “What’s the history?”

Damian smiled, “First, Alfred specifically moved this car out so it could be used today. Not
to run away, mind you. You see, my great-grandparents bought this car for my grandparents
to drive away from the church after their wedding. Alfred wanted you two to have the
opportunity to have that same moment.”

Selina’s jaw dropped for a second, “I’ve never heard you speak of anyone from Bruce’s side
of the family as family before. It’s always been ‘Father’s parents’ or something like that.”
Damian shrugged, “It’s a day for change. Do you want to tell me the real reason we’re out
here now? You’ve had a year to get used to all of this. What’s really going on?”

Selina shook her head with a sigh, “Damn, you’re good. No wonder that girlfriend of yours
likes you.”

“You’re not going to distract me by throwing Robin into the mix,” Damian said.

“It’s silly,” Selina said.

There was no joking in Damian’s tone when he said, “It was serious enough for you to steal a
car an hour before your wedding to make a run for it. What is it?”

Selina started in softly, “I look around here, at all the preparations that have been made, and I
see Bruce. There’s nothing wrong with that, but I want to be seen, too. I don’t even know
where I fit in around here. Hell, I don’t even know how most of you kids feel about the
wedding.”

Damian looked down, “Father still isn’t sure, either. That hasn’t caused him to run.”

“Bruce has a lot more support around here than I do,” Selina said, “Bruce has all of you. My
maid of honor didn’t even show up, because of the travel restrictions from the virus.”

“And you’re feeling all alone,” Damian said softly.

“Yeah,” Selina said, just as softly.

They were quiet for a minute before Damian asked, “So, what are you going to do? I mean, I
already know what you’re going to do, but when are you going to do it?”

Selina started to feel offended. How can he think he knows something that I don’t? “Alright,
smart ass. What am I going to do?”

“You’re going to go back,” Damian said lightly.

“What makes you think that?”

“Two reasons,” Damian said, “You stopped, and you stopped here. How long were you
sitting here, staring at the gate, before I caught up to you?”

“A couple minutes,” Selina admitted, “What’s so important about stopping here?”

“First of all, you’re on this side of the gate. Second, this is about as far as you can go without
someone in the house knowing about it. See those two short poles on the side of the
driveway there?”

Damian pointed to two short poles. If he hadn’t pointed them out, Selina never would have
seen them. “Yeah. What are they?”
Still pointing, Damian said, “The closest one to us houses a motion detector that trips the
alarm in the house. Father and Alfred always know when someone is driving in or out. The
second pole has another motion detector. That one reads the signal from the transponder in
the cars and opens the main gate, and trips another alarm in the house. Stopping here,
whether you meant to or not, tells me you really aren’t sure about leaving.”

Selina sighed before looking down again, “I’m not sure about leaving. I’m also not sure
about how everyone feels about me staying. I don’t want people to resent me for marrying
Bruce.”

Damian thought about the remark, but stayed silent for a second too long.

Selina shook her head, “I see. Fine, I’ll just come out and ask. How do you feel about the
wedding? How do you feel about me marrying your father? What’s your take on what’s
about to happen?”

Damian stared straight ahead for several long seconds before speaking quietly and
deliberately, “I never wanted another Mother.”

Selina flinched hard, but Damian continued, “No one would argue that I had a terrible
experience with the concept of female parentage. That woman did everything she could to
destroy me, in the name of family. Why the hell would I want to put myself through that
again?”

Selina was considering starting the car and heading for the airport. Damian didn’t want her
around after all, and she was starting to think the last few months of harmony were just an
act.

Damian continued, surprising Selina that he would say more, “Once I started having friends,
and meeting their parents, I realized that I don’t know what a mother is. I never had that
experience. Talia forced me to call her Mother. That doesn’t mean she actually was one.
I’ve changed since then, though. If Father can redefine what family means to him, I can
redefine what mother means to me. I mean the concept, not the person.”

Selina listened to the change in the teen’s tone. Wait, what is he saying?

Damian glanced over out of the corner of his eye, “I will never call you Mother. That word is
tainted for me. However…would it be the worst thing in the world if I…occasionally…
called you…M-m-Mom?”

Selina gasped deeply. Her eyes widened, “Did you just say…”

“Mom,” Damian interrupted in a firmer tone, with a blush darkening his cheeks.

“Wow,” Selina whispered.

Damian’s blush deepened as he turned to Selina and said, “You will never hear me sounding
like this again.” Damian paused for a deep breath, then looked up into Selina’s eyes, “Please
don’t leave us, Mom.”
A soft smile found its place on Selina’s face, “I’m not going anywhere.”

She reached out, took Damian’s hand and squeezed gently. “I still have the same problem as
before, though. I don’t want to stand up there alone.”

“Your maid of honor really didn’t show up,” Damian asked.

“She couldn’t get a flight,” Selina said, “It’s not safe to travel. I really don’t have friends in
town who could come for something like this.”

“I know that feeling,” Damian mumbled, “You can’t blame her for not wanting to travel.”

“No, I don’t,” Selina said, then smiled, “If this is truly how you feel, would you be willing to
switch teams for the afternoon?”

Damian’s eyes widened in surprise, “You want me to be your maid of honor?”

“We can forgo the maid part,” Selina said with a smile, “Bruce told me how you felt about
being left out of the wedding. That was my fault. I didn’t have enough friends to allow all of
you to be up there. Bruce wanted all of you up there. The consequence of a life of crime, I
guess.”

Damian gave a warm smile, “I’d be honored.”

Selina sent her soon-to-be step-son an evil smirk, “I think her dress will just about fit you.”

Damian gave a weary sigh, “Women’s clothing has never looked good on me. However, with
thirty-five minutes left before the wedding starts, we should get you back to the house and
into your dress.”

“Yes, we should,” Selina said, gunning the engine and swinging the car around. The tires
kicked up a spray of gravel as they headed back up to the house.

Stately Wayne Manor…

Damian eased the Manor’s front door open and stuck his head through the crack. Seeing no
one, he motioned Selina into the house. She had taken over Bruce’s bedroom for wedding
preparations, and headed up the stairs to change.

A hand landed on Damian’s shoulder and spun him around. Damian found himself face to
face with Dick.

“Where have you been,” the older brother asked.

Damian motioned to the top of the stairs, where Selina could be seen rounding the corner
towards the bedrooms.

Dick’s eyes widened, “You found her?”

“Everything’s okay, now,” Damian said, “Where are Robin and Mrs. Abbey?”
“They were headed for the ballroom the last time I saw them,” Dick said.

Damian nodded and hurried off in that direction, “Okay, let’s get them.”

Lisa and Robin Abbey were not in the ballroom. Instead, the mother-daughter pair were
found heading back into the house from the back yard.

“There you are,” Robin said, kissing Damian’s cheek, “We were just about to take our seats.”

Damian shook his head, “There’s no time for that. I need you upstairs, now.”

Lisa glared at the teen, “Really, Damian? Don’t make us rethink allowing Robin to live
here.”

Damian looked at the woman, shocked, “No, it’s not that. Please, I need both of you. Selina
needs help with her dress, and her maid of honor didn’t show up.”

The four walked back upstairs. Lisa said, “Sorry, Damian. I didn’t know what to think about
your comment.”

“It’s okay,” Damian said, “With our past behavior, it was a reasonable thought. We’re in a
time crunch, and Selina didn’t want my help with this. Can you two please help Mom get
dressed?”

Dick, Lisa, and Robin all froze in shock outside of Bruce’s bedroom. Dick’s smile threatened
to unhinge his jaw.

Robin took a small step closer with a hopeful smile, “Your Mom?”

Damian nodded, knowing what everyone was thinking, “The one I want, not the one I had.”

Lisa knocked on the door and asked, “How long do we have?”

Damian checked his watch, a birthday present from Selina, “A little less than half an hour.”

“Leave it to us,” Lisa said, pulling Robin into the master suite and closing the door.

Dick pulled Damian into the teen’s room and in front of the bathroom mirror, “Fix your hair
while I get some of this dust off of you. Did you mean that about Selina?”

“Yes, I did,” Damian said seriously as Dick began swiping at Damian’s tuxedo jacket.

Damian finished combing his hair and turned around. A couple last swipes, and Dick said,
“That will work.”

“Hey, you need to go and make sure Father is okay,” Damian said, “Tell him everything is
better now, and we should be able to start on time. Oh, Mom and I are working on a little
surprise for Dad. He won’t see me when he walks in, but I won’t miss anything. Just keep
him calm and let him know that everything is going to plan.”
Dick looked down seriously, “First of all, I love hearing you call them Mom and Dad.
Second, you know your father. I’m going to need details on this plan to satisfy him.”

Damian shook his head, “Sorry, it’s a secret. It is also Selina’s plan. He wanted me to bond
with Selina. I’m just following his orders, and hers. This is her idea, and something he will
absolutely love. It’s a surprise, though. Go on, do your ‘best man’ thing.”

Half an Hour Later…

Bruce stood nervously at the altar, silently fuming that things were going on behind his back.

All I have is Dick’s word that everything will be alright. I love Dick and Damian, but they
couldn’t have picked a worse day to try to pull something. Where is Damian? He swore to
me yesterday that he wouldn’t do anything to disrupt today. He better not be pouting in his
room that I’m going through with this. I don’t know if I should trust Dick’s word on this, that
I’ll like whatever is happening.

Bruce looked up and caught a strange sight. Damian stood at the door of the ballroom,
looking like he was trying to get Bruce’s attention. What is he doing?

Trying to be discrete, Bruce motioned subtly for Damian to take his seat, the only
unintentionally empty seat in the front row. The first two seats on both sides of the aisle had
been left intentionally empty, to honor both sets of deceased parents.

He’s not even looking at me, Bruce thought.

Dick eased over and rested a hand on Bruce’s elbow. “Chill, Bruce,” Dick whispered, “This
must be part of their big surprise.”

Dick then went and tapped the officiant, who finally noticed Damian nodding at him and
asked everyone to stand. The crowd stood and turned to the door. All eyes were on Damian
for a second, until he stepped aside and let Selina step into view. A gasp ran through the
crowd at the radiant bride, but a bigger gasp came from Bruce when Damian held out his left
arm, and Selina entwined it with her right. They walked slowly up the aisle, both smirking at
Bruce’s shocked expression.

The pair stopped when they were even with the front row of seats, and Damian took a step
forward to meet Bruce.

Bruce looked down, “Damian?”

“I never wanted another Mother,” Damian said softly, “but I never realized that I wanted a
Mom. Thanks for finding what I never knew I was missing.”

Bruce engulfed his son in a tight hug for a second before Damian took a step back and said,
“Go get your wife.”

Damian took another step back, and Bruce took Selina’s hand, wiping at his eyes with the
other as they approached the officiant.
Seeing Damian still standing in the aisle, the officiant asked, “Who so gives this woman to
this man?”

Damian had to clear his throat before saying, “On behalf of Richard, Jason, Timothy, and
myself, we all do.”

Bruce had tears on his cheeks as Damian moved over to take his place next to Selina,
standing in as the maid of honor.

Dick winked at the teen and mouthed, “Nice going, Little Brother.”

Damian gave an embarrassed smile as Selina handed him her bouquet, and the officiant
began the ceremony.

“Friends, we are gathered here today for the most joyous of occasions,” the officiant, Pastor
Nielsen, hospital chaplain at Gotham General hospital, and a close friend of Dr. Thompkins,
said, “The joining of two people in marriage. These days are full of hardship and strife, and
any chance to see a new light forming in our world needs to be celebrated and remembered.
When two people choose freely to come together, it brings joy and gratitude to those around
them. The fact that you chose to be here today to celebrate the joining of these two people in
marriage, with everything that is happening in the world today, just proves that love knows
no bounds, and that we can bring light to the world.

“Selina, Bruce, coming together at the beginning of your lives together is the easy part.
Making a life together, making it work, and making it last is where the real work begins. I
understand that the two of you have been circling around each other for many long years.
The fact that you have chosen this time to make a commitment to each other is significant.
Your love has been tested, your bond has been tried, and now you take that next step of faith.
I have married many couples over the years, and many I have silently wished would have
waited a little longer to make this commitment. Over the few times we have spoken before
today, not once have I had that wish for you. You both are coming to this new relationship
with your eyes wide open. You have taken the time to figure out what is important, and how
to live as one, and it is my privilege to be able to officiate this ceremony today.”

Pastor Nielsen glanced around the room before saying, “Marriage is a serious, honor-bound
commitment, and is not to be entered into lightly. Therefore, if anybody should have any
reason why these two should not be married, let them speak now, or forever hold their
peace.”

The room seemed to hold its breath for the several long seconds that the question hung in the
air. It was very obvious to several around the ballroom that Dick, Jason, and Tim were all
staring at Damian. The teen noticed the stares, but chose to ignore them. The only reaction
he gave was a blink to accompany his silence.

The room breathed again when the officiant did. “Do you, Bruce Thomas Wayne, take this
woman to be your lawfully wedded wife? To have and to hold, to love and to honor, in
sickness and in health, for as long as you both shall live?”
Bruce had been staring at Selina, and past her, to his son. He had been thinking that he still
wanted an explanation of what had happened so far. It startled him a bit to be addressed, but
he managed to answer, “I do.”

Pastor Nielsen gave a soft smile as he turned to Selina, who seemed to be paying more
attention to the ceremony than Bruce had been. “Do you, Selina Irina Kyle, take this man to
be your lawfully wedded husband? To have and to hold, to love and to honor, in sickness and
in health, for as long as you both shall live?”

“I do,” Selina said with a wide smile.

Pastor Nielsen smiled at the couple, “Do you have the rings?”

Dick and Damian both stepped forward and slipped rings in Bruce’s and Selina’s hands.

“The giving and receiving of rings is meant to symbolize your bond with each other,” Pastor
Nielsen said, “The ring is a perfect circle. It is complete. There are no holes or gaps. A ring
does not function when there are parts missing, as it is with any relationship. A relationship
cannot stand when parts are not there. Just as a table with a missing leg will fall over, a
relationship with a missing bond, a missing trust, a missing love, will not endure. As you
give and receive these rings, remember that they are but a symbol of your bond to one
another. You can build your bond on each other, and if you stay in the love that brought you
to this altar today, you can endure all hardship, and support each other for the rest of your
lives.”

Pastor Nielsen turned to Bruce and said, “Bruce, please place the ring on Selina’s left ring
finger and repeat after me: With this ring, I thee wed.”

Bruce slipped a gold band with an absolute rock of a square cut diamond on it onto Selina’s
hand. Selina’s jaw dropped as Bruce said, “With this ring, I thee wed.”

“Bruce,” Selina whispered in shock.

Bruce whispered back, “It was Grandma Wayne’s. It went with the wedding tiara that you
stole.”

Selina stared up into Bruce’s face. The man gave a wink and a smile.

Pastor Nielsen turned to Selina and repeated, “Selina, please place the ring on Bruce’s left
ring finger and repeat after me: With this ring, I thee wed.”

Selina placed a wide onyx band, which was edged in gold, on Bruce’s finger, and said, “With
this ring, I thee wed.”

Bruce smiled down at his ring, and Selina whispered, “Black and yellow seem to be your
colors.”

“Let these rings complete the bond that your hearts have begun,” Pastor Nielsen said, “The
path in front of you will not always be easy, but if you trust in one another, and rely on each
other in the bad times as well as the good, there is nothing that you can’t overcome. Your
love for each other will lift you to a higher state, and allow you victory on the road of life.
Rely on each other, and on those around you, your friends and family, and you can’t go
wrong.”

Pastor Nielsen spread his arms out to his sides, and lifted his voice, “By the power vested in
me, by the city and county of Gotham, and in the presence of these witnesses here today, I
now pronounce you Man and Wife. You may kiss the bride.”

Bruce took a step closer to Selina and, with a quake in his hands that only Selina could see,
lifted her veil.

Selina gave a soft smile and whispered, “Get this right, B.”

“We’re in front of people,” Bruce whispered back, “I can’t get it too right.”

Bruce leaned down, Selina leaned in, their lips met, and the ballroom erupted in cheers.
Bruce and Selina weren’t paying attention to the room. For the first time since Bruce
proposed, the couple felt like this was finally about them. They’d spent over a year heading
for this point, and now that it was here, it was all they hoped for.

Bruce pulled back slightly after several seconds and whispered, “Did I get it right?”

Even if he couldn’t see her smile, he could hear it in Selina’s whisper, “I don’t know. I
wasn’t paying attention. You might have to do it again.”

“I think I can handle that,” Bruce whispered before kissing Selina tenderly.

Selina released her breath several seconds later and gasped, “Yeah, that was perfect.”

“I thought so,” Bruce said as the wedding recessional started playing.

Brought back to their surroundings, the newlyweds walked down the aisle and out of the
ballroom, to the cheers of their friends and family.

When the couple was halfway to the door, Dick motioned to Damian. Damian wasn’t paying
attention to Dick, so Dick walked up to his brother and nudged him.

“Come on, let’s go,” Dick said.

“Go,” Damian asked.

“You didn’t come to the wedding rehearsal, so this is new to you,” Dick said, “After the
couple walks out, the wedding party walks out. That’s you and me. Let’s go.”

“Oh,” Damian said, following Dick out of the ballroom while hoping that he hadn’t messed
anything up.

Alfred had worked his way to the end of the aisle and signaled for Garfield to turn the music
down before speaking. “Ladies and Gentlemen, there will be a short intermission while the
pictures are taken. Servers will be around with drinks while you wait. However, I am
embarrassed to have to ask this of you. Due to the virus, we have been unable to secure
staffing to reset the ballroom. Would you all please be so kind to take your chairs to your
tables? Your table number was on your invitation. If you all would be kind enough to take
one chair to the other side of the room, we can get this reception started with as little delay as
possible. I am terribly sorry for the imposition.”

Clark stood and smiled at the butler, knowing the man well enough to know how hard it was
for Alfred to make that request. “It won’t be a problem, Alfred. Leave it to us, while you
join the family for pictures.”

Alfred inclined his head, “Thank you, Mr. Kent.”

Alfred walked out of the ballroom, and was followed a minute later by Tim, Jason, and
Wally. In the hallway, they found Bruce and Dick grilling Selina and Damian.

“I know Dick said you two were working out a surprise, but I didn’t expect that,” Bruce said.

“I don’t think any of us did,” Dick said, “How did this happen?”

Selina sighed, but the smile wouldn’t leave her face, “Pamela didn’t show up. I didn’t know
what to do. I’m embarrassed enough to admit that I was ready to run. I didn’t want to, but I
didn’t know what else to do.”

“Damian,” Bruce asked, “I’d like an explanation. How far in advance did you two plan
this?”

Damian checked his watch, then shrugged, “Oh, almost an hour ago. It was a last-minute
request.”

Bruce shook his head, “I still don’t understand all of this.”

Damian took a breath, “When Alfred told you that he couldn’t find Selina, it hurt you. I
didn’t expect what happened next.”

“What happened next,” Dick asked softly.

“I…I don’t know,” Damian admitted, “I saw that the announcement hurt you, Father. Once
everyone started looking for Selina, I realized that it hurt me, too. It was wrong, and I was
afraid that it was my fault. No one could argue that I’ve been pretty mean and dismissive to
you, Selina. I didn’t know how I felt about you until you asked me. I didn’t know that I
didn’t want you to leave us, even though I had been pushing you away.”

Selina gave a compassionate smile, “Even if I had left, it wouldn’t have been your fault,
Damian. I was overwhelmed, like I told you. Thanks for coming through for me.”

“So, how did you become the maid of honor,” Jason asked.

Bruce and Dick were cringing, wondering how Damian might take the phrasing of the
question, but the teen seemed to ignore it.
Damian shrugged, “It could have been any of us. I just found her first.”

“Where,” Tim asked, “How?”

Damian looked over, “It took a second for me to be able to do anything, after we split up to
look for Selina. I looked out of the front window and saw dust blowing on the driveway, but
there was no wind. The next thing I know, I’m running down the driveway. Selina had
stopped by the time I caught up to her.”

“Where did she stop,” Bruce asked.

“Inside the gates,” Damian said, “Almost to the sensor poles. She was sitting there, staring at
the gates when I found her.”

Selina picked up the explanation, “We had a nice talk. It helped me see that…things were
going to be okay.”

“She asked me for a favor,” Damian said, “Like I said, it could have been any of us. Any of
us could have looked for her outside. I only looked outside because I froze, and didn’t know
what else to do. If any of you had found her, I’m sure you would have been up there today.
Although, she probably would have made you wear the dress, Jason.”

“You’re just jealous because I look better in my tux than you look in yours,” Jason said.

“You only look better because the tailor only had eyes for Tim,” Damian responded.

The family laughed. They had all commented that Tim’s tuxedo looked the best out of all of
them, even Bruce’s. Bruce’s was supposed to look the best, because he was the groom, but
that hadn’t happened.

Alfred approached the family, followed by Barbara and Robin, and said, “Shall we get the
pictures taken? You have a room full of guests who are anxiously waiting to celebrate you.”

Bruce nodded, “Of course. Let’s go.”

The family walked ahead, but Bruce held Selina back a bit before asking quietly, “Was that
true? Would it have been any of them, if Jason or Tim had found you?”

Selina was watching the backs of her retreating new family, “I guess we’ll never know.”

From the tone of Selina’s comment, they both knew.

Shortly After…

Alfred stopped Bruce and Selina outside of the ballroom before they could enter to start the
reception.

Bruce stared at the man and asked softly, “What is it, Alfred?”

Alfred actually blushed a bit before saying, “Excuse an old man’s impertinence, sir.”
“No such thing as that in this house, Alfred,” Bruce said quickly.

Alfred turned to Selina and asked, “Madam, might I make a small request of you for the
upcoming reception? Would you consent to wearing a small, family trinket?”

Selina had noticed that Alfred didn’t refer to her as Miss Kyle or Miss Selina, but Madam. It
would take a while for her to get used to that. “Sure, Alfred. What is it?”

Nodding, Alfred motioned for the couple to wait where they were. He returned seconds later
and held out a diamond-encrusted tiara that caused both Bruce and Selina to gasp in shock. It
was a family heirloom, worth millions, that had been passed down for generations within the
family.

At least, until Selina had stolen and sold it, over two decades ago.

“Alfred,” Bruce gasped, “Where did you get this?”

“How did you get this,” Selina asked, “I…I stole this years ago. I was able to live off of that
money for almost ten years.”

“Yes, I am aware of that, Madam,” Alfred said, “I am not without my own resources, as I am
sure you are aware.”

“How did you find this,” Bruce asked, “How could you possibly have found this, when it’s
been gone for so long?”

Alfred gave the barest hint of a smirk, “In actuality, sir, it has not. It was actually quite easy
to track Madam Selina after she left with the tiara. I am surprised you never tried to do it
yourself, sir. I found your fence and made him quite the offer; one he could not even
consider declining. The tiara itself was out of family control for less than a week, all told.”

“You’ve had this for the past twenty-four years, and you never told me you got it back,”
Bruce asked.

“Yes, sir,” Alfred said, “I was saving it for the right occasion. Today is the right occasion.”

“Are you sure you want me to wear this,” Selina asked softly.

“Of course, Madam.”

Selina turned to look up at Bruce. Bruce looked down with a wry smile and said, “It does
match your ring.”

Selina considered the thought for a second before removing her veil. Alfred positioned the
tiara on Selina’s head, then held up a mirror for Selina to see her new look. It very nearly
brought her to tears.

“Oh, Alfred,” Selina gasped, “This is too much.”

“Madam,” Alfred said, “I believe it is just right.”

“It looks great, Sel,” Bruce said.

Selina looked up at Bruce, then back at Alfred. “What kind of offer did you make to get this
tiara back?”

Alfred smiled again, “I might have fudged on its provenance a bit. A British accent and an
expired badge were enough to convince your fence that returning Her Majesty’s stolen
property would save us all from an international incident that would see him brought up on
capital charges in England.”

Bruce snorted a laugh, “You told him that this belonged to the Queen of England?”

“He was quite agreeable,” Alfred said, “and more than willing to do the right thing, if it kept
him out of the Tower of London.”

“No wonder he never fenced my items again,” Selina mused.

“Needless to say,” Alfred said, “I feel far more comfortable in turning this over to you now. I
am sure it will be around for future generations.”

“Thank you, Alfred,” Selina said with heartfelt gratitude.

“Now, Sir, Madam, I believe you have a wedding reception to attend,” Alfred said, walking
past the couple and into the ballroom.

Since there was now no actual wedding party, with the last-minute addition, it was quickly
decided that only Bruce and Selina would be introduced as they entered the ballroom. The
rest of the family trickled into the ballroom in ones and twos, and Alfred informed Garfield
of the small change in the order of things.

Accepting the small change with a nod, Garfield turned the music he had been playing down
and picked up a microphone. “And now, ladies and gentlemen, it’s time for the event you all
have been waiting for. Please direct your attention to the doors. It is my pleasure to
introduce to you for the first time, Mr. and Mrs. Bruce and Selina Wayne!”

The guests applauded as Bruce and Selina walked into the ballroom and took their place at
the head table. It was the only rectangle table set up for seating. The rest of the tables were
round. The head table was originally supposed to seat the newlyweds, the wedding party, and
their plus ones. Since the arrangement had changed, the head table had been reduced to one
table from two, and Dick and Barbara had moved to sit at the round table with Barbara’s
parents.

Bruce picked up the microphone that had been set by his place setting and spoke to the
assembled crowd. “Hello, everyone. Thank you for coming today. This day has been a long
time coming, and I’m just glad that it’s finally here. Selina and I really appreciate that all of
you decided to be here with us today, despite what’s going on in the world. I look around this
room and see our real friends. Today would have been quite different if there were no virus,
and the big wedding had been planned. I think I prefer this better. We could have had seven
hundred people here today for this. Even if we had that many people here, we would still
only care that you who are here today showed up. Thank you for helping us make today
special.”

While Bruce had been talking, the two wait staff who actually showed up for the engagement
were busy passing out drinks. Bruce and Selina were a little confused by this, because they
both had insisted on no speeches or toasts at the reception.

Dick brought two flutes of champagne to the front table and set them in front of Bruce and
Selina. He smirked evilly at the couple and said softly, “That was nice, Bruce, but you know
better. I know you don’t think you can get out of this that easily,” before slipping the
microphone out of Bruce’s hand and turning to the crowd.

Ignoring Bruce’s hushed cry of, “Dick! Wait!” Dick turned to the reception with a large
smile and said, “Ladies and Gentlemen, may I have just a minute of your time this
afternoon? Bruce and Selina both demanded that there be no toast during the reception, so I
made sure to ask Alfred to leave the toaster in the kitchen.” The crowd giggled as Dick
continued, “I’m sorry to say that you will have just plain bread with dinner. No toast.”

Dick took a couple steps away from the main table, to keep Bruce from reaching for the
microphone, “As you all know, we’re here today to celebrate the union of Bruce and Selina,
because they are all friends to everyone here. We all know what great people they are, but I
just want to take a quick minute to tell everyone what good people they are. Bruce took in a
scared, lonely eight-year-old, who had literally watched his whole world fall down around
him. It wasn’t easy on anyone. There was a lot for all of us to learn, but it worked. My life
ended when those lines snapped, but Bruce was able to pick me up and give me a second
chance at life.”

Dick took a breath before continuing, “I first met Selina about five or six months after Bruce
took me in, and even at nine years old, I could see how much Bruce loved her. Many of you
know that Halloween is my favorite holiday. I’ve always enjoyed dressing up in costumes
and pretending to be someone else. What many of you don’t know is that Selina took me
Trick-or-Treating for the first time ever in my life, that first Halloween. She had to leave
town for work soon after that, and it was a while before I saw her again, but I never forgot
that. I never forgot how comfortable she made a kid who was still adjusting to his new life
feel.”

Dick turned back to Bruce and Selina, addressing the next part of his speech directly to
them. “So, everyone, I don’t lift a glass to Bruce and Selina today, with standard hopes for a
long and happy life. I raise my glass to Mom and Dad. You weren’t my first, but I would be
nowhere without the both of you, and I’m glad you two are finally together, where you
belong.”

The assembled guests applauded as Dick raised his glass and took a sip. Bruce and Selina
walked around the table and both hugged the younger man. Selina’s weren’t the only tears in
the room.

Dick was beaming with an ear-to-ear grin as he asked softly, “That wasn’t so bad, was it?”

“No, Chum,” Bruce whispered, “That was perfect.”

“Think we should get your maid of honor up here to make a speech,” Dick asked Selina.

Selina glanced over at Damian, who was standing next to Robin, taking a sip of his own glass
of champagne, and said, “No. If he was my original plan all along, then maybe, but not with
giving him half an hour notice before the wedding.”

Bruce smiled, “He would slap you with the microphone if you asked him to do that.”

Dick nodded, “Then, let’s move this reception along. I believe it is time for your first dance.”

Dick turned and nodded to Garfield, who started playing the recording of Etta James’
rendition of At Last. The newlyweds spun and swayed on the dance floor as the crowd
looked on.

“Is this what you wanted,” Selina asked softly.

“What are you asking about,” Bruce asked, “The whole day, the song, or the chance for the
two of us to have a couple minutes alone?”

“Yes,” Selina said with a smile.

“I couldn’t be happier,” Bruce said, “I know everything is looking up now. We did it, Sel.
We finally got here. Everything else is just the icing on the cake.”

“I’m glad,” Selina said, laying her head on Bruce’s chest as they danced.

“How about you,” Bruce asked, “Is this what you wanted?”

“And then some,” Selina said, “You’re right. It’s all looking up now. We’re going to have a
great family, and a great life together.”

“I couldn’t agree more,” Bruce said.

The contented smile that found itself drawn on Bruce’s face was, perhaps, the most relaxed
look to ever alight on the man’s face that some of the guests had ever seen. They could tell
that this was a good match.

A similar conversation was taking place at the edge of the dance floor, where Robin and
Damian stood among the crowd, watching the newlyweds dancing.

“Are you okay with all of this,” Robin asked the younger teen.

“I really am,” Damian said softly, “I didn’t think I’d get to this point. Thanks for helping me
see that this is a good thing. It really is a good thing.”

“Are you going to go easy on your Mom and Dad now,” Robin asked with a smirk.

My mom and dad, Damian thought, I like the sound of that. “Why would I do that? They’d
think there was something wrong with me.”
Robin snorted a laugh as Jon approached the pair, “Hey, D. Hi, Robin.”

“Hello, Jon,” Damian said, “Enjoying the wedding?”

“Sure, this is neat,” Jon said, “This is the first wedding I’ve ever been to.”

“Same here,” Damian said.

“Hey, are you sitting with us,” Jon asked.

Damian looked around, “Where are you sitting?”

“At the kids’ table, I guess,” Jon said, pointing to a table near Garfield’s DJ setup, “The rest
of the team is sitting there.”

“We’re sitting with my parents,” Robin said, “Mr. Alfred made some last-minute seating
changes when we were setting up the chairs.”

“Oh,” Jon said.

“We’ll stop over there,” Damian said, “but you know how Alfred gets when his plans
change. We’ll eat where he set us, but go over to see the team after that.”

“Cool,” Jon said, then looked down curiously, “Hey, your drink looks different than mine.”

Damian looked at their glasses, then nodded, “That’s because it appears you are having
sparkling apple cider.”

“Yeah,” Jon said.

“Robin and I have champagne,” Damian said.

“Wow, really,” Jon exclaimed, “but, you’re, like, sixteen.”

Damian shrugged, “Robin and I aren’t driving anywhere, and Alfred is okay with it.”

“Shouldn’t you ask your dad, instead of Mr. Alfred,” Jon asked.

“I doubt he’d have anything to say about it,” Damian said with a smile, “He’s the one who
gave me whiskey last night.”

“Wow,” Jon whispered, then leaned closer to Damian, “Hey, you think I can try some.”

“You should probably ask your father,” Damian said, “You know he’s probably listening in
on our conversation.”

Jon and Damian turned to find Clark staring at them from across the room. The man
shrugged with a smile, and held up his hand, with his thumb and index finger held close
together.

Damian’s eyes widened a bit, and he handed his glass to Jon, “Just a sip.”
Jon took his first sip of alcohol ever, and had a hard time keeping his reaction in check. His
mouth scrunched up, and he gave a small cough before saying, “That’s…weird.”

“It’s not my favorite, either,” Damian said, “but it’s a lot better than the last champagne I
had. It’s just something you have to get used to.”

“Maybe I’ll wait until I’m twenty-one,” Jon said, handing the glass back to Damian.

The friends could hear a small laugh coming from the direction of Clark Kent.

“How often do you have alcohol,” Jon asked.

“Only on special occasions,” Damian said, “and that really only started in the past year. They
didn’t even let me drink at Father’s bachelor party.”

The song slowly faded away, and polite applause broke out for the newlyweds. Bruce walked
back to their table and picked up the microphone.

“Thank you, everyone. There is a tradition at weddings where the first dance is the bride and
groom, and the second dance is the Father/Daughter, Mother/Son dance. You all are aware
that our parents died long ago. We were ready to forgo that particular tradition, but Selina
had an idea. The tradition doesn’t exactly say who the father and daughter or mother and son
have to be. If you will indulge us, please. Robin, Damian, may we have this dance?”

Robin and Damian both looked shocked at the request, and looked around as they now found
themselves in the spotlight.

Dick, Jason, and Tim had been told about this request before the wedding, while Damian and
Robin had not. The older brothers were standing behind the young couple, and Dick asked,
“Well, what about it?”

“Did you know about this,” Damian asked.

“They wanted to find a way to include you two,” Tim said.

“Get out there, already,” Jason said, taking the champagne flutes from Damian and Robin,
“You don’t get the whole dance, Squirt, so make the most of it, before we cut in.”

Damian and Robin nodded at each other and walked out onto the dance floor. A slow song
started as Robin took Bruce’s hand. The man smiled as they started dancing.

“When did you decide on this,” Robin asked.

“A couple weeks ago,” Bruce said, “I was hoping that Selina would have a willing dance
partner when this part of the reception came up. I’m glad to see that she does.”

“Why me, though,” Robin asked.

“Because I couldn’t figure out how to dance with Barbara without it looking awkward,”
Bruce said, “We couldn’t figure out if I’d have to be in a chair, or if I’d have to carry her, or
what. Sel and I talked it over with Dick and Barbara. She thanked me for asking her, but
stated that she’d rather not have to figure that out. Barbara was the one who suggested you.”

“That was nice of her,” Robin said.

Bruce smiled, “Yes, but that wasn’t the only reason. You are a member of this family, Robin.
I’m very proud to call you my daughter.”

Robin gave a matching smile, “Thanks, Dad. When we start planning our wedding, we’re
going to have to have two of these dances. Wait, are Dick and Barbara having a reception? I
know they’ve said they don’t even want a formal ceremony.”

“That’s a good question,” Bruce said, “You should bring it up with them tomorrow.”

“I will,” Robin said, “If their wedding is in two months, then this is something that should
have already been planned.”

“Why bring up their wedding,” Bruce asked.

Robin smiled up at the man, “Because you won’t have a choice but to dance with Barbara
then.”

Meanwhile…

Damian and Selina circled silently as the music played. Selina could feel the nerves pouring
off of the teen.

“You had no problem dancing with me in February,” Selina said, “and there were a lot more
people watching us then.”

“They were mostly strangers,” Damian murmured, “and that was an act. It didn’t mean
anything.”

“Are you implying that this means something,” Selina asked nervously.

“Of course, it does,” Damian said.

“Are you having second thoughts,” Selina asked.

Damian took a deep breath, “No. No, this is just…all new to me.”

Selina smiled, “It’s new to me, too. I’ve never had a son before, no matter how many times
Dick has called me Mom. You and I have had the same amount of time to get used to this.
How about we work together, from now on?”

Damian finally seemed to relax a bit, “I’d like that.”

Selina released her nervous breath, “So would I. You really came through for me today. You
really have no idea how much. I didn’t know what to expect when I woke up this morning.
I’m glad this is working out.”
“Are you having second thoughts about staying,” Damian asked nervously.

“Not anymore,” Selina said.

A hand landed on Damian’s shoulder, and Tim spoke in Damian’s ear, “I know you aren’t
good at sharing, but give someone else a chance. You aren’t the only son here today.”

“No,” Damian said, in a tone that Tim and Selina would expect more from Dick, “Don’t want
to.”

Tim smiled widely, “You have no idea how much we’ve wanted to hear that from you.”

Damian sighed as he separated from Selina and allowed Tim to take his place. Not knowing
what else to do, as Bruce and Robin were still dancing, Damian wandered over to the edge of
the dance floor and watched.

“You’re not upset that someone else gets to dance with Robin, are you,” Dick asked as he
sidled up next to Damian.

“No,” Damian said, watching his father and his fiancé as they smiled and talked while
dancing.

“Good,” Dick said, “You and Selina looked good out there.”

“Are you going to take your turn, as Tim said,” Damian asked.

“Pretty soon,” Dick said, nodding, “You still okay with all of this?”

Damian released a breath, “Yeah. It’s just as surprising to me as it seems to be to everyone

else.”

“Not me,” Dick said with a smile, “I knew you’d let Selina win you over.”

The song ended, and another one started. Jason muscled Tim out of the way to dance with
Selina as Bruce waved Damian over. Damian approached, and Bruce grabbed Damian’s and
Robin’s shoulders.

“Thank you both so much for what you’ve done today,” Bruce said, “I promise, there aren’t
any other surprises we’re planning on springing on you. You two are ‘off-duty’, if you want
to put it that way. Enjoy yourselves, okay?”

“Thanks, Dad,” Robin said.

“Thanks,” Damian said, then looked down for a second, “Um…”

“What is it, Damian,” Bruce asked softly.

“I…I had that dream again last night,” Damian said.

“Is this really the time to get into that,” Bruce asked.
“Yes,” Damian said, looking up, “It was different this time. It started tomorrow morning. It
seemed like it was going to go the same, but when I got to breakfast, those other children
weren’t there. It was just you in the dining room.”

“Did I still have cat ears and a tail,” Bruce asked with a smile.

“Yes,” Damian said, “and Selina was still dressed like Catwoman when she came into the
dining room. She still said that she was looking for me, but instead of handing me a suitcase
and telling me to leave, she handed me a set of cat ears.”

“And,” Bruce asked nervously, “What happened?”

“I looked at them,” Damian said, “They were cat ears, but at the same time, they were bat
ears, like the points on your cowl. I looked at the both of you. Neither of you said anything.
I…I put the ears on. When I did, they all disappeared; my ears, your ears and tail, Selina’s
costume. We were just…us, after that. I woke up just after I sat down at the table.”

Bruce took a slow breath before pulling Damian and Robin into a tight hug. “What do you
think it means, son?”

“There’s nothing to think about,” Damian said, “I know what it means. I’m ready. I’m ready
to have parents, instead of just a parent. I’m ready for the two of you. I should have been
ready a long time ago, but I’m just too screwed up to get over myself. Thanks for giving me
the time to work myself out.”

Bruce looked ready to cry, “You just made my day, Kiddo.”

“I would hope that other things would make you happier today,” Damian said, “This is your
wedding, after all.”

“Of course, I’m happy for other things, too,” Bruce said, “but there was still that lingering
doubt in the back of our minds. Would it be okay if I told this to Selina?”

Damian nodded, “Of course. We’re going to be a family, after all.”

Bruce released a contented breath, “Yes, we are.”

The second song ended, and Garfield spoke, pointing out something that the guests had
missed. “Ladies and Gentlemen, if you will make your way back to your tables, dinner is
served.”

The servers had been hustling food out to the tables while the first dances had been
happening. Instead of heading directly for their table, Damian and Robin headed for the DJ
setup.

Damian patted Garfield’s shoulder and said, “Thank you again for doing this, Gar.”

Garfield released a breath and gave Damian a wide-eyed stare, “Sure, D. I’m so nervous,
though. I don’t want to mess it up.”
“You’re doing great,” Robin said, “You don’t have to be nervous.”

“We went over everything,” Damian said, “We set everything up in playlists. All you have to
do is start the Dinner playlist, and let it play while you get something to eat. Once it looks
like most of the people have finished eating, you start the Dancing playlist, and watch for the
signal for the cake cutting. After that, you put the Dancing playlist back on. No reason to be
nervous.”

“Thanks, D,” Garfield said, starting the next playlist.

Damian nodded, “Don’t forget to eat. You’re doing fine. We’ll talk to you later.”

Damian and Robin walked to their table, where they were seated with Robin’s parents, sister,
and sister’s girlfriend. Selina watched them walk across the ballroom, then turned back to
Bruce.

“He really said he was ready to have a family,” Selina asked.

“More specifically, he wants us as his parents,” Bruce said. “You and me.”

Selina shook her head, “He has a way to make the most mundane things sound like they are
the most important things in the world.”

“For someone who was raised to be completely autonomous, accepting a family is the most
important thing in the world,” Bruce said.

Selina took a bite of her dinner, then said, “Well, we did it. If things were different, and there
was no virus or travel restrictions, where would we be going on our honeymoon?”

“That’s a good question,” Bruce said, “We never talked about that. Where would you like to
go? We can plan something for when things get better.”

“I’ve never been to Europe before,” Selina said after a minute of thought, “I’d like to see
France and Italy sometime.”

“I think we can make that happen,” Bruce said, “We’ve got the rest of our lives, and you
happen to have married a very rich man. There is just about nowhere we can’t go, and just
about nothing we can’t do.”

“Then, how about something that just about no one can do,” Selina said softly, leaning in to
whisper in Bruce’s ear, “I want to see the Earth from orbit. Take me to space, B.”

Bruce smiled, “That is a plan. We don’t have to wait on that one, either. Just let me know
when you want to go. I’ll have to add you to the Zeta Tube computer. I think it’s okay,
now.”

“Do I need a uniform to go there,” Selina asked.

Bruce shook his head, “No, that’s not necessary. Damian has gotten away with taking Robin
there without a uniform…at least, I think he did. She’s worn his Robin uniforms before. I
don’t know if he made her put one on before going there. I know Barbara has never worn a
uniform to go there.”

“Well, we’ll work it out later,” Selina said.

The ballroom was alive with the sounds of silverware on plates and spirited conversations for
the better part of forty-five minutes. When the sounds changed to only include voices,
Garfield got up and changed the playlist to something better suited for dancing. The dinner
playlist had included classical music, while the dancing playlist leaned closer to smooth jazz.

After finishing their dinner, Bruce and Selina circulated around the room, greeting guests,
before heading for the dance floor.

Damian and Robin headed straight for the dance floor, but Damian stopped them and directed
Robin towards the table containing the only non-Justice League guests at the wedding.

“You two looked good out there,” Leslie Thompkins said with a smile as Damian and Robin
stopped at the table.

“Thank you, Dr. Leslie,” Robin said.

Damian smiled at the doctor, then turned to another couple at the table, “Hello, Mr. Fox, Mrs.
Fox. I told you I’d introduce you one day. Robin, this is Lucius and Tanya Fox, and George
and Jean Haskell. Mr. and Mrs. Fox, Mr. and Mrs. Haskell, this is Robin Abbey, my fiancé.”

Lucius gave a bright smile, “Well, it’s nice to finally meet you, Robin. Not a day went by at
Damian’s internship when he wasn’t talking about you.”

“Is that so,” Robin asked.

Damian smiled at Robin, “It was easier to talk about you in the office, instead of letting the
rest of the staff know they were working with the CEO’s son.”

Damian and Robin sat down at the table, and Leslie asked, “Were you taking notes for your
wedding, Damian?”

“I had a few other things on my mind,” Damian said, “Did you take notes, Robin?”

“Of course,” the girl said.

“I have to say,” Lucius said, “I expected this to be a much bigger event. How did you get
away with less than fifty people here, with Bruce’s place in high society?”

Damian shrugged, “These are the only people we invited. Father wanted it to be close friends
and family only.”

“Understandable,” Lucius said, “Did you get to invite anyone?”

“Other than Robin and her family,” Damian asked.

“I noticed that you weren’t sitting at the kids’ table,” Leslie said, “Those are all your friends,
right?”

“They are.”

“How did you get to invite so many,” Lucius asked.

“I didn’t,” Damian said, “They were the ‘and family’ part of everyone else’s invites. Them
being my friends is just a coincidence.” Damian pointed at Dick, sitting at a table with
Barbara, the Gordon’s, and the West’s, “The guy with red hair and the woman with black
hair, talking to Dick, are his best friend and his wife.” Pointing to the kids’ table, Damian
said, “The girl with red hair and the shorter boy with dark hair are Dick’s friend’s kids.”
Damian pointed to Jason, sitting at a table talking with Roy Harper, “The girl with dark hair
is Jason’s friend’s daughter.” Damian pointed to a third table, where Bruce and Selina were
talking with Clark and Lois, “The taller boy with black hair is Father’s friend’s son.”

“That just leaves the DJ,” Lucius said, “I saw you talking with him earlier.”

Damian nodded, “Garfield is my friend. His mother is at the table where Father and Selina
are talking; the brown-haired woman.”

Lucius looked uncomfortable when he said, “I couldn’t help noticing that he’s green.”

Damian looked the man unwaveringly in the eye and shrugged, “I don’t see the problem with
that. I mean, you’re black, he’s green. Both mean very little in personality and ability.”

Lucius laughed at the comparison, “Will you just turn eighteen already? The office is going
to be fun, once you get hired.”

“Not that it matters,” Damian said, telling the story that Garfield agreed with to explain him,
“but he’s always told us that it is a medical condition. It’s not contagious; just a pigmentation
abnormality.”

“I just have to know,” Jean said, leaning forward and speaking softly, “Is that your mother
over there?”

Damian’s eyes nearly fell out of his head with as wide as they got as he gasped deeply and
whipped his head around, “What? Where?”

Jean leaned back, shocked at the reaction, “The woman over there, talking to Tim.”’

Damian’s focus settled on the conversation in question, and he visibly relaxed at the sight of
his next older brother having a conversation with Wonder Woman.

“No,” Damian said, “That is not my mother, thank god. She most definitely would not be
welcomed in this house.”

“Then, who is that,” Jean asked, “You have to admit, you and her do bear a bit of a
resemblance.”
Damian looked at the woman, then nodded slightly, “I guess we do. I’ve never noticed that
before. That is Diana Prince. She’s a foreign diplomat. Father’s known her for longer than
I’ve been alive. I don’t think I’ve ever been told how they met. The blonde is Ms. Prince’s
niece, Cassandra. Tim and Cassie dated in the past, probably when Tim was my age.”

Damian took a closer look at the table across the room and saw that Tim was holding Cassie’s
hand. “Hmm, maybe they’re looking to start dating again,” Damian mused.

Robin looked up as Moonlight Serenade started playing on the playlist. Robin grabbed
Damian’s arm and said to the table, “Excuse us, but this is our song.”

Damian and Robin walked away from the table and took a corner of the dance floor.

“They’re a good-looking couple,” Tanya Fox said.

“They sure are,” Leslie agreed.

Bruce and Selina soon joined their kids on the dance floor. A song later, other couples made
their way to the dance floor, as well. Another song later, most of the party was dancing.

Robin was confused by the sudden smile that found its way onto Damian’s face. Robin
raised an eyebrow, and Damian inclined his head to the side before turning them so Robin
could see where he had indicated. At the very edge of the dance floor, barely even on the
floor itself, Jon and Irey were turning in a slow circle of a nervous dance. Irey’s hands were
on his shoulders, while Jon’s hands were near Irey’s waist. The two were nearly arm’s length
apart, and Jon looked like he was close to panic.

“Should we go help them out,” Robin asked softly.

Damian released a breath, “I don’t understand why Jon is so nervous. They’re getting a start
pretty much like we did. He told me that they talk every day.”

“Let’s go help them out,” Robin said, “I’ll take her, you take him.”

The couple danced their way over to the younger pair, only separating when they reached the
youths.

Damian’s voice was barely a breath when stood behind the boy and said, “Jon, I know you
can hear me. Breathe. There is no reason to be nervous. You two like each other. You
might even love each other. It’s okay to show it. This is the person you call your girlfriend.
Stop treating her like a random acquaintance you met at a school dance. People are
watching, but no one is judging you. Just relax. You asked her out. You asked her to dance.
The hard part is over. You don’t have to know what you’re doing; just do what feels natural.”

Robin was standing behind Irey, whispering to the girl, “Are you trying to push him away, or
dance with the guy you call your boyfriend?”

Irey’s eyes widened at the question, but Robin continued, “Make this easier on yourself.
Move your hands. Hold your hands behind his neck. It will pull him a little closer, and will
let you two hear each other a little better when you talk. We all know that you’re nervous. If
you two talk about it, you’ll be less nervous.”

Irey followed Robin’s suggestion and intertwined her fingers behind Jon’s neck. The boy
looked a little nervous when he found himself being pulled closer to the girl, but he followed
Damian’s suggestion and just went with it.

Damian and Robin smiled at each other before returning to dancing among themselves, and
quickly ignored the rest of the room.

Selina smiled at Bruce and said softly, “Well, how about that?”

“I’m surprised Damian could see anything other than Robin,” Bruce said, “He tends to get
tunnel vision when he’s allowed to focus entirely on her. How about we follow his usual
example. I’d like to focus on nothing but you. I’m sure we only have a little while before
Alfred brings out the cake. He spent a long time making it. I’ve never seen him work so
hard in the kitchen.”

“He wouldn’t let me see it,” Selina said, “I can’t wait to see what he came up with.”

Movement at the corner of his field of vision caused Bruce to look towards the ballroom’s
door. “You don’t have to wait any longer.”

Selina gasped as Alfred wheeled in the cake on a serving trolley. It was three layers,
immaculately frosted white, and topped with two small figures.

The newlyweds had stopped dancing, and were watching as Alfred wheeled the cake past the
dance floor.

“That looks amazing,” Selina gasped, “He really went all out for this.”

“I think I’ll insist he take some time off after the wedding,” Bruce said, “You’re right. That
looks great. It didn’t look anything like that the last time I saw it.”

Bruce and Selina were a little confused when the wait staff wheeled in two additional serving
carts. Both were loaded down with pre-sliced slices of cake, ready to be handed out to the
guests, so they didn’t have to wait for the cake to be sliced.

“How many cakes did he make,” Selina asked. “Why make the big cake for show, then
another cake to be eaten?”

“Because that’s how Alfred does things,” Bruce said, “Nothing out of place. Every
contingency planned out in advance.”

Selina smirked, “Do you think the bottom tiers of the cake are actually cake? Maybe he just
made it for show.”

“I guarantee that the lower tiers are not Styrofoam,” Bruce said. He took a deep breath,
“We’re going to have cake for months.”
Alfred looked up and nodded. Garfield turned the music down and announced, “Ladies and
Gentlemen, please gather around the head table. It’s time for the cutting of the cake.”

Tim and Wally were both taking pictures of the cake as Bruce and Selina approached. Tim
was snapping picture after picture as Bruce picked up a shining sterling silver knife. Alfred
motioned for Bruce to slice into the second layer. Selina held his hand as they cut into the
cake. The guests applauded as Alfred held up a small plate for the slice of cake that the
couple removed from the middle tier.

“Told you it wasn’t Styrofoam,” Bruce said with a smirk.

“Will you be using your fingers for the next part, sir,” Alfred asked.

“Next part,” Bruce asked.

Selina smirked, “You’re not going to cut a piece of cake and not feed me some of it, are
you?”

“Oh,” Bruce said while blushing, “I suppose not. I guess fingers will work, Alfred.”

“Yes, sir,” the butler said.

Bruce and Selina looked down to find the small slice had been cut into bite-sized pieces.
They each picked one up and popped it into each other’s mouths. The vanilla sponge cake
with strawberry filling under buttercream icing nearly melted in their mouths as the room
applauded again.

Taking the napkins from the butler, Bruce turned to Alfred and said, “You’ve gone way above
and beyond for today, Alfred. There’s no way we can thank you for all of this.”

“It is just my job, sir,” Alfred said.

Bruce shook his head, “No. This is far more than a job. This is the love of family. You
raised me, Alfred. You’re not my dad, but I don’t think Dad could have done a better job of
looking out for me. None of this would be possible without you. I…I’m trying to thank you
for stepping up when you didn’t have to.”

“No need to thank me, Bruce,” Alfred said, blushing at the poorly-worded sentiment, “As
you said, this is what family does for each other.”

Bruce’s jaw fell as, for the first time in his life, Alfred admitted and accepted his position in
the family. While the man was still in shock, Alfred walked away to oversee the distribution
of cake to the guests.

“Did…did he…did Alfred just…” Bruce couldn’t put his thoughts into words.

“He did for you what you did for the boys,” Selina said, “He’s always known how you feel
about him, even if you can’t put it into words. Just accept it. That man loves you.”

“We…” Bruce took a breath, then said softly, “I love him, too.”
“Then, let’s enjoy this party that he planned for us,” Selina said, squeezing Bruce’s hand,
“We can figure out how to properly acknowledge and thank him for this tomorrow.”

Several Hours Later…

The day had been judged a hit. The wedding had gone off without a hitch, the reception had
turned into a joyous affair, and everyone seemed to be genuinely happy for the newlyweds.
Now that it was over, Bruce and Selina had a few minutes to relax.

Still in his tuxedo and her gown, Bruce and Selina sat alone at their table in the ballroom,
eating cake. They had only had the small pieces that they fed each other at the cutting of the
cake. Now, they were both getting a full piece of Alfred’s marvelous creation.

“Well, Mr. Wayne,” Selina said with a smile, “Can’t say I’ve ever been to a better wedding.”

Bruce smirked, “Didn’t you tell me that you’ve never been to a wedding before, Mrs.
Wayne?”

“Sure, throw my words back in my face,” Selina said.

“This was a good day,” Bruce said, “The best around here in quite a while.”

“We pulled it off,” Selina agreed, “Alfred deserves a medal, or a raise. So do the boys.”

Bruce sighed, “Would have been nice of them to at least say good night before going to bed.
Maybe give their new mother a kiss or something.”

“We took care of that during the reception,” Selina said, “They’re all happy with this. We
can start a new life now.”

“Are you sure about that,” Bruce asked.

Selina sighed, “Bruce, I know you’re still concerned about how Damian is going to act going
forward. I’m not. I am convinced that there is nothing to worry about. For god’s sake, he
walked me down the aisle. I heard what he said to you, but you didn’t hear what he said to
me earlier. I was overwhelmed, and I was a minute from running away. He asked me not to
leave you. He wants us to be a family.”

“Then why did he disappear halfway through the reception,” Bruce asked.

Selina smiled, “You really haven’t been too observant today, have you?”

“I was paying attention to you,” Bruce said, “That’s what I am supposed to be doing today.”

“He didn’t disappear halfway through the reception,” Selina said, “Maybe three-quarters of
the way through. If you didn’t notice when he left, then you didn’t notice that his leaving
was your fault.”

“My fault,” Bruce asked, stunned, “What did I do?”

“Last week, you told Alfred that you wanted all of the boys to participate in all of today’s
experiences,” Selina said, “Alfred took you at your word, and opened everything up to the
boys. That meant that Damian was served everything the rest of your sons were. He joined
in the toast. He joined in with dinner. He was denied nothing today. I know your thought
was to make him happy and accepting, but it had an unintended consequence.”

“Which is what,” Bruce asked.

Selina gave a wide smile, “Bruce, Damian is drunk. I know he had a glass of champagne
during the toast, Alfred personally kept refilling his glass during dinner, at least three times
that I saw, the boys did a couple shots together during the dancing, and there was another
glass of champagne in his hand when the cake was served. That was only what I saw. Who
knows what else he drank when we weren’t looking?”

“You’ve got to be kidding me,” Bruce groaned.

Selina laughed, “He couldn’t even walk a crooked line when Robin took him out of the
ballroom. I’m assuming she took him to bed; I haven’t seen either of them since. Robin
didn’t look too sober herself. They were definitely holding each other up when I saw them
leave the party. I didn’t see her doing shots, but she had just as much champagne as Damian
did.”

“So much for Damian’s claims that he doesn’t like alcohol,” Bruce said. Selina looked
confused, and Bruce explained, “When he was with the Assassins, Talia would give him
alcohol. Mostly to get him drunk and put him to sleep, but also after difficult missions. He’s
had an aversion to alcohol ever since. I guess that went away.”

Selina leaned over and kissed Bruce, “Congratulations, Bruce. Our first act as a married
couple is to contribute to the delinquency of a minor.”

“Think we should check on them,” Bruce asked.

“No, I do not,” Selina said, “I’m sure Robin was able to get them into bed. If not, Dick will
put them both to bed. We’ll help them with their hangovers tomorrow. Other than that, now
is the time for us to focus on ourselves.”

Bruce wrapped an arm around Selina and pulled her closer, “I like the sound of that.”

A/N: Now THAT is how Batman #50 was supposed to end. At least, in my mind. For
those who don’t remember, Batman issue 50 ended with Selina leaving Bruce at the
altar, and the whole affair being forgotten within a couple issues. They could have done
much better. Here is my interpretation. I hope you enjoyed my interpretation. Yes, I
made up Selina’s middle name. I couldn’t find an official middle name for her online
anywhere, so I made up one of my own.

There will be one more chapter in this one, a short wrap-up of the story. It’s short, but
important. It’s been finished for a while, and will be posted in a couple days.
I’d love to know what you think of what happened in this chapter. Just to let you know,
the beginning of this chapter, up to the beginning of the wedding, was the first thing I
wrote for this story, back in 2018. I was writing plot points with no idea of how I was
going to make them work. Several things had to be changed to fit the end result of the
story, but I liked it enough to keep it after all this time. This is the only time I’ve ever
been thankful for COVID. Travel restrictions made my plot twist possible. At the time,
when I first wrote this, I had no idea how I was going to make it possible for Selina’s
maid of honor to miss the wedding. By the way, I named the original maid of honor
Pamela, but it is not meant to be Pamela Isley (Poison Ivy). The name just stuck when I
was writing this.

Thanks for playing along.

 Epilogue

Batman 50

Epilogue

Damian heaved a sigh as he walked through the front door of Stately Wayne Manor. He
pulled his mask off and hung it on the hook Alfred had placed on the inside of the entryway
closet door, then untied his boots and left them in the closet.

“Good afternoon, Master Damian,” Alfred said, approaching the teen, “How are you?”

“Tired,” Damian said, “No one warned me that working for a living can be so draining.”

Alfred smiled knowingly, “Things have always come easily for you, young sir. Frankly, it is
good to be challenged once in a while.”

Damian returned the smile, “The work isn’t challenging, just…draining.”

“When you are working for someone else, and have to perform up to their standards, instead
of your own, you will find yourself putting in more effort than you would think,” Alfred said,
“This will be excellent training for when you join the family company.”

“I’m already at the family company,” Damian said, “Just not the one we expected me to be
at.”

“There’s the working man,” Bruce said, approaching the conversation, “How was work?”

“Good,” Damian said, “but tiring.”

Bruce smiled, “I’ll let you in on a little secret. Get used to being tired. No matter how many
years you work, it doesn’t get any less tiring.”

“Is that supposed to be inspirational,” Damian asked flatly.

“No,” Bruce said, “It’s supposed to be realistic. You’re just starting out. You’ll get used to it,
but it won’t get easier.”

“It wouldn’t be worth it, if it was too easy,” Damian said.

Bruce nodded, “Good. Today was payday, wasn’t it? Your first paycheck, right?”

“Second,” Damian said, “I’ve been there for a month, now.”

“What’s Mike paying you,” Bruce asked, “I don’t think I ever asked you or Mike that. All
you ever said was that it was enough to support your fiancé.”
Damian shrugged, “Somewhat. It would be pretty tight, if we weren’t living here. Mr.
Abbey pays me twenty-five dollars an hour.”

Bruce’s eyes widened in surprise at the figure, “Really?”

“Yeah,” Damian said, “It will be tight, supporting a family on that, once we’re married. I’m
trying to save as much of that as I can.”

“Damian, I don’t think you realize how good a paycheck that is, especially for a first job.
That’s more than double the minimum wage. There are entire families that struggle to make
that much with two or three incomes.”

“If I may, sir,” Alfred said, then turned to Damian, “I didn’t tell you this, but that is just a
little less than what Master Jason makes, working for Wayne Enterprises. He has been in his
position for several years. You have been working for only a month.”

Damian gave an evil smirk at the thought that the butler had put in his head. Bruce eyed
Alfred, knowing that the butler had put out that little fact in order to put a smile on his son’s
face.

“Well,” Damian said, not quite hiding a smug tone, “I guess we’re paid what we’re worth.”

Bruce rolled his eyes, then said, “Hey, can I talk to you alone for a minute, Damian? It’s kind
of important.”

Alfred excused himself from the father/son conversation, and Damian asked, “What is it,
Father?”

“Let’s go to my study,” Bruce said, “There’s something we need to discuss.”

“Can it wait a few minutes,” Damian asked, “I’d like to take a shower first. Mr. Abbey had
me out in the field today.”

“Oh,” Bruce said, “That’s why you took the truck, instead of your car, today?”

Damian nodded, “Yeah. The work truck at the field isn’t working right now, so I
improvised.”

“That’s fine,” Bruce said, “Come to my study when you’re done.”

Damian walked into his bedroom and smiled at the sight. Robin was sitting at his desk,
typing on her laptop.

“Honey, I’m home,” Damian said jokingly.

Robin looked over with a smile before rising from the desk and giving Damian a hug.

“How was work? Is Gina being nice to you?”

“Good,” Damian said, “We had a good day today. Gina definitely likes being my boss, but
she isn’t holding it over me the way Jason would, if I worked for him. What are you working
on?”

“I’m writing a paper for my American History class,” Robin said, “Explain the lasting effects
of the Louisiana Purchase.”

“Are you asking me, or is that the topic,” Damian asked.

“That’s the topic,” Robin said, “I’m almost done, actually.”

“You didn’t have to take a summer class, you know,” Damian said.

Robin looked down, then glanced up, “It gives me something to do while you’re at work.
Anyway, you inspired me. Both you and Dad told me that I don’t have to worry about
getting a job while I’m in college, so I’m going to take as many classes as possible each
semester, and graduate as early as I can.”

“I would be very surprised if you were able to get a job this summer, with nearly everything
shut down,” Damian said, “There will be plenty of time to work when things get better.”

“If that’s how you feel,” Robin said, “then why did you go looking for a job?”

“That was a deal I made with Father a long time ago,” Damian said, “When we first talked
about me completing high school early, Father only agreed under the condition that I would
go to college after. Before the Pandemic, when I was planning my last year of college, Father
reminded me that I couldn’t work for Wayne Enterprises until I turned eighteen, and I would
need to find something to do to keep myself busy until then. That was even before my
internship there. I figured I could extend my internship into a year, instead of the normal six
months, but that didn’t work out. The job at Abbey Oil just fell into my lap, so I took it.”

“Speaking of fathers,” Robin said, “Your Dad asked me to tell you that he wants to talk to
you when you get home.”

“I know,” Damian said, “I saw him when I came in.”

“Oh. What did he want?”

Damian shrugged, “I don’t know. I asked him if I could come take a shower first. I was out
in the field today.”

“I thought that kiss tasted a little dusty,” Robin said.

“It must not be too important,” Damian said, “He said it was fine if I cleaned up first. Care to
join me?”

“Why do you ask questions you already know the answer to,” Robin asked with a smile.

Later…
Damian wandered into Bruce’s study with a small, satisfied smile on his face. Bruce shook
his head softly as Damian approached the desk and sat in one of the chairs.

Selina, who was sitting on the edge of the desk, smirked at the teen and said, “You must have
been really dirty, for your shower to take that long.”

Damian just smiled at the woman.

“Not even going to deny it,” Selina asked.

“No,” Damian said, then looked over at Bruce, “What’s going on, Father? What did you
want to talk about?”

“I wanted to show you something,” Bruce said, handing a paper across the desk, “It looks
like there is still someone working in the County Records department.”

Damian read over the paper and gave a slow nod, “Oh, you finally received your marriage
certificate. That makes it official, right?”

Bruce squeezed Selina’s knee, “Yes. In the eyes of the law, we are legally married now. I
guess I should point out that so are Dick and Barbara. Theirs arrived today, too. With how
slow things are processing through the government now, they thought it would be a good idea
to file theirs early. They’ll still have their ceremony at the end of August, but they are legally
married now.”

“Good for them,” Damian said, handing the paper back to his Father. “Those are legal
documents, and public record. Should we be watching out for increased paparazzi attention?
We just went from a house of bachelors to having two married couples, and one on deck.”

“You’re going to be on deck for quite a while,” Bruce said seriously.

Damian looked down at his lap, “We don’t have to wait for all that long. I did some research,
and…”

“NO,” Bruce interrupted firmly.

Damian looked up, “You don’t even know what I was going to say.”

Bruce leaned forward, “You were going to say that you found a statute in our state law that
allows for underaged couples to get married at the age of seventeen, if their parents will sign
off on a legal consent form.”

“Robin is eighteen,” Damian said, “So we would only have to get one consent form.”

“That’s true,” Bruce said, “but I’m telling you now that I won’t sign the form. Our
agreement was to wait until you turn eighteen.”

Damian looked down with a nod, “I at least had to try.”

Bruce leaned back, glad that Damian was backing down without an argument, “I’m surprised
you didn’t bring that up earlier.”

Damian shrugged, “It wouldn’t have done me any good before. I won’t be seventeen for
another three months.”

“You two get to live together,” Bruce said, “The only reason I’m allowing that is because
you’ve proved that she’s good for you. If I allowed you two to get married this year instead
of next year, you would start looking into having kids. Don’t you think you still have some
work to do on yourself before you start raising a family?”

Damian nodded, “I know I do. I can accept that, Father. So, was that all you wanted to talk
to me about? Your official proof of marriage?”

“No,” Bruce said, picking up another form from the desk, “Selina and I wanted your opinion
on something.”

Bruce handed the form to Selina, who looked nervous when she turned and handed it to
Damian.

“What’s this,” Damian asked, reading the form.

Selina took a deep, nervous breath before saying, “That is an adoption form.”

Damian looked up at the woman, “This has my name on it.”

“It does,” Bruce said.

Damian smirked, “You’ve been married for three weeks and you’re already tired of me?
Who is adopting me? Wait, I can take Robin with me, right?”

“This is serious, Damian,” Bruce said.

Selina met Damian’s eyes, “You once told me that I don’t want to be your mother. You also
told me that you don’t want another mother. I thought about that a lot, and I realized
something. You weren’t talking about mother, the position. You were talking about Mother,
the person.”

“Was I,” Damian asked distractedly as he read over the form again.

“When you said you don’t want another mother,” Selina said, “I think you really meant that
you don’t want another of your mother. You don’t want another Talia Al-Ghul, and that has
kept you from looking for anything else. The thought that you only deserve Talia Al-Ghul
has stopped you from seeing that she is the anomaly. That’s not how a mother is supposed to
act.”

Damian looked up warily, and Bruce could tell that Damian thought this conversation was
taking a turn for a direction he wouldn’t like. Bruce knew that Damian knew that everything
Selina had said was true, and in no way bad, but he wasn’t far enough removed from last
year’s events yet to see this conversation objectively.
“What are you trying to say, Selina,” Damian said in a light growl.

Selina caught the defensive tone. Even if Damian hated his mother, he still felt he should try
to defend her. He probably would always feel that way.

“You don’t have a lot of experience with mothers,” Selina said, trying to placate the teen,
“Yet, at the same time, you’ve got more than you think. You are comfortable around your
friend’s mothers, and you already act like Robin’s mother is your mother. Still, they are
other’s mothers, and they are just around for a little while. I think you are a little jealous of
your friends, because they have something you never had. I…I want to fix that.”

Damian angled his head, “I don’t get it.”

Bruce leaned forward again, hoping he could help the conversation, “To show, and to prove,
the permanence of our new situation, Selina and I talked about how to make this, to make us,
a family. You’re still treating Selina like a houseguest. She is my wife now. She’s not
leaving again.”

“I’ve accepted your presence here, Selina,” Damian said, “I even…like having you around.”

Selina smiled, “And I like being around you, too. That’s not enough anymore, though. You
might not have thought about this, but marrying Bruce legally makes me your step-mom.”

Damian looked up at Selina, “Well…I…I guess so.”

“That’s not going to work for me, kiddo,” Selina said, “If we’re going to be a family, then we
need to have more of an understanding.”

“So, you’re putting me up for adoption,” Damian asked with confusion in his tone.

Selina stood up and turned to stand facing Damian, “You told me that I don’t want to be your
mother. That was both true and incorrect. I don’t want to be Talia Al-Ghul, but I do want to
be your Mom. I never thought about having kids of my own, and Bruce and I decided we
aren’t going to try to have our own kids. We still have all of you, though.”

Damian cocked his head, “I still don’t get it.”

“Think of this as a safety precaution,” Bruce said, “Being Batman and Robin is dangerous. If
anything happens to me, someone needs to be around to take care of you.”

“I can take care of myself, Father,” Damian said, “and, Robin does a pretty good job of
caring for me, too.”

“I’m aware of that,” Bruce said, “but it’s my job to help plan for your future.”

“Are you forgetting that, technically and legally, you aren’t in a position to do that, Father?”

“Excuse me,” Bruce asked, a bit of a hostile tone entering his voice.
Damian cracked a smile, “Dick is still my legal guardian. He has been since I was ten years
old. That order was never rescinded after we found out that you weren’t dead.”

Selina turned a shocked expression to Bruce, who looked just as confused. He turned and
opened a file cabinet, and pulled out a thick manila folder. Flipping through several pages
before finding the one he wanted, Bruce’s jaw dropped upon reading what he found.

“What is that, Bruce,” Selina asked.

Bruce read from the paper, “I, Judge Harold Levin, of the Gotham City Family Court, do
hereby award permanent guardianship of the minor, Damian Wayne, to Richard John
Grayson, until such time that the abovementioned minor reaches the age of eighteen years.
This order goes into effect January fourth, 2014, and expires at midnight, October 12, 2021.”

“Wait, what does that mean,” Selina asked.

Bruce looked stunned, “I never read this fully. I saw the guardianship order, and I was proud
that Dick stepped up to take care of you. Why did he file for permanent guardianship?”

Damian looked down at his lap and spoke softly, “We thought you were dead, Dad. We had a
bag of bones that Superman swore used to be you. What else were we supposed to think?
Dick did that as a way to try to give us a chance at a normal life, after you were taken from
us.”

“You knew about this,” Bruce asked softly. Damian nodded, and Bruce said, “I didn’t know
that you knew that Dick filed for guardianship. Is…is that why you were so attached to him
when I got back?”

Damian couldn’t look up when he whispered, “Someone wanted me. No one…no one had
ever w-wanted me before.”

“Did you ever tell him that you knew,” Bruce asked.

Damian shook his head.

Bruce released a breath, “Dick wasn’t the only one who wanted you, son. He was just the
one who stepped up when you needed someone. He definitely isn’t the only one who wants
you now, and that’s why I wanted to talk to you today. I want you, son.”

“I want you, too,” Selina said, “That’s why we’re looking into the adoption aspect. No
matter what that guardianship form says, Bruce is your Father. I want to give you a Mom.”

Bruce held up the form again, “What this form says is that Selina Kyle-Wayne is stepping up
to take responsibility for you. This would make legal what I already feel, what she already
feels, and what we hope you will feel one day.”

Damian took the form and read it over again. The atmosphere in the study grew tenser the
longer Damian studied the page.
Not looking up, Damian asked, “So, if I sign this, and allow you to send it back to the court,
what happens?”

“You like being prepared and having plans in place,” Bruce said, “This is another plan for the
future. In the long run, with how careful we are and how many safety precautions we use on
a daily basis, this is really not going to change anything. If anything happens to me before
you turn eighteen, I have no doubt that you’d be well cared for. You’re old enough to take
care of yourself. You’re planning on starting a family of your own, after you turn eighteen.
This is just a…symbolic gesture, really.”

“This is my gesture to you,” Selina said, “You questioned my commitment to Bruce for a
long time. That just made me want to prove myself, and I think I have. Now, after making
my commitment to Bruce, I’m proving to you that I’m all in.”

“You did that,” Damian said softly, “when you stuck with Father after the way I treated you,
after the way I pushed you away. You came back, and you proved yourself.”

Selina stared at Damian in wide-eyed astonishment at the comment. She truly didn’t know
how to respond to what might have been the first compliment she had received from
Damian. For the first time, she understood Bruce’s advice on how to handle Damian, and
how she’d know when she was truly accepted by the boy. She knew now.

Damian glanced up, “You…you would r-really want to be my…my…Mom?”

“If you would have me as your Mom,” Selina said, taking a step closer to Damian, “I would
really want to be your Mom.”

Damian blinked against the rising heat behind his eyes while he grabbed a pen from Bruce’s
desk and signed the form. He then slowly stood up and closed the remaining distance
between himself and his new Mom.

“Thank you,” Damian whispered fiercely in Selina’s ear as he grabbed the woman in a tight
hug and held on like his life depended on it.

Being wanted is a powerful feeling, Damian thought, I don’t think I’ll ever get enough of it.

“Mom.”

A/N: (Please note that the content of this end note was written over 6 months ago, but
the information is still accurate.)

I know I wasn’t the only one who was disappointed in how the writers chose to end
Batman issue 50, with Selina leaving Bruce at the altar and everything continuing like
they hadn’t teased the wedding of the century for months on end. This is just my little
take on how I think it should have ended.

Speaking of endings, this is the end of my Timeline. If you will notice, there is only one
story listed after this. I know I’m going to get some complaints for this, but this is
effectively the end of my present continuity stories. I might go back here and there and
write something that will fit in with this timeline, but I’ve written everything I want to
in this Bat-era. I’m still deciding if I want to place anything else in my series “My
Version of Events”, or if I want to start a new series for future stories.

What does this mean? Am I done writing? Well…maybe. The only story I have
planned is going to be a long, continuing, ongoing story that takes place long after this
current timeline. It won’t be that futuristic, but it does constitute a fundamental shift
over everything I’ve written before. I will be creating many new characters and
situations for this story. Everything will be in line with my current continuity, but it
will be quite different. I guess you can consider this my Batman Beyond time skip.

That said, this is NOT BATMAN BEYOND! For the Star Trek fans out there, I liken
this new era for my stories as Batman: The Next Generation. For my Anime fans, this
is my attempt at Batman Shippuden, even though it will be more in line with a Boruto
jump. I would rather compare it to Shippuden than Boruto, because, even though it is
getting better, Shippuden was written much better than Boruto.

The first chapter will be up soon (possibly). (As I’m writing this note, I’ve completed
several chapters for this new work, but am still several stories away from putting out
anything that I’m talking about in this note. Actually, while writing this note, I just
posted the first chapter of Not What It Seems a week ago. I had an idea for the epilogue
of this story, and had to get it down before I forgot it. I write out of order, as I’ve said
many times in the past. As of this moment, for this story, I’ve only written the
beginning, with the graduation dinner, and Damian talking Selina into coming back for
the ceremony. Damian talking Selina into coming back for the wedding was the first
part of this story that I wrote, four years ago. The plot point of Selina’s maid of honor
not showing up came long before I had a Pandemic to blame for her absence. I write
scenes as they come to me, and piece them together later. It mostly works out.)

As always, please let me know what you thought of this story, and what you think of my
current plan, in general. Comments make me want to continue writing. Thanks for
sticking with me this long, it really means a lot to me.

Thanks for playing along.

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