Like any other night Batman, Robin (Damian) and Nightwing were patrolling the city when a cry for help rang out. The three flew down and found a small family cowering by a wall as a gang closed in around them. Nightwing and Batman stepped in and took out most of the gang while Robin tied them up and contacted the police. After all was said and done the trio parted ways.
Dick Grayson had long since gotten used to having two younger brothers, Damian being the youngest filled the roll nicely now as Robin. Tim was Red Robin now but he patrolled on his own time. It was weird not seeing him when he would go to the manor. As he watched his father and youngest brother leave he heard something near by. Feeling his belt for his communicator radio he walked over to the adjacent alley and heard the sound again. He knew this ally was one where most homeless people came, but he never thought that one of them would have young children.
In the darkness of the ally and by the slight rays of moonlight Dick saw two prone figures lying under a cardboard box. Walking over he asked.
"Are you two alright?" No answer came, he slid the box away to find the two were quite pale and looked to have been in their early thirties. He could see it in their sunken faces they had been gone for hours now. Died holding each other, but what brought him over here in the first place?
Looking around further there was a baby crib made out of boxes, looking inside his heart clenched as a small boy of at least 2 years old was crying weakly in his make shift bed. Reaching down Dick scooped him up. He picked up his phone and called in the boys parents deaths after telling the police that he was taking the child he found to Dick Grayson, son of Bruce Wayne who did not live far from his current location.
Once home Dick set out to clean the boy up a little, sitting the child on the kitchen counter he used the Dial hand soap and a wash rag and tried to clean as much of the dirt and grime off the boy as he could. The clothes the child wore was tattered and old. He knew he had to seek help for this one, there was no way he could do this alone.
Dick sat down at his small dining room table with the child in his lap and asked. "What should I do with you?"
The little boy looked up at the strange man that had saved him. "Where is Mommy and Daddy?"
Dick felt tears welling up as the child said that. "They are gone, little man."
The little boy fumbled with the rip in his over sized, dirty pant leg and said. "What you name?"
Smiling at the young child Dick replied. "Richard. Do you know your name?"
After a few moments, the child spoke again.
"Gabe."
"Well, Gabe it's nice to meet you, listen I am going to take you somewhere in the morning. I know some one that can help."
Gabe looked up at Dick with frightened brown eyes and said quickly. "NO pwees! No wan bye bye!"
The boy's light hair was long and messy around his face as he shook his head pleading with his new found friend.
"I already talked to the police little guy, since my father is well known in this town they gave me permission to take you in. I guess Bruce now has a grandson."
Little Gabe looked up at Dick and fumbled with the dark jacket he wore. "Me no bye bye?"
Dick shook his head. "No little man. Listen it's late, time for bed. I need to make a phone call so I need you to be a good boy and go to sleep."
It took almost an hour to get little Gabe to sleep, but once his eyes closed and he was fast asleep with pillows and blankets surrounding him. Dick called the one man he knew could help him out.
"Dick, this better be an emergency." The tired voice of his surrogate father came across the line.
Pausing Dick told him. "Bruce, it is kind of an emergency. I need you to come over here, not as Batman. I'm at my apartment."
The sleep washed away from his voice as he said quickly. "On my way."
Fifteen minutes later there was a knock on the door. Bruce entered upon Dick opening, the worried father asked.
"What's wrong?" Bruce asked looking around for a sign of trouble.
Dick looked up at his father and told him softly. "You know how you found Tim in that warehouse?"
Bruce was confused at the topic but went with it. "Yes."
"Well..." Dick lead his father to his room and pointed to his bed.
Bruce looked at the dimly lit room and saw pillows in a circle in the center of the bed. Walking over he saw light hair sticking out and a small sleeping face.
"Is that a baby Dick?"
Dick looked between the child in question and Bruce. "After you and Damian left... I heard crying in the alley across the street. Going over to check it out I found... a couple dead under a cardboard box they were using as a blanket. In a larger box that was being used as a crib, I found him. He can talk thankfully and told me his name is Gabe."
"Please tell me you called this in?"
"Yea I did. Nightwing told the Commissioner that he was taking the boy to Bruce Wayne's son Dick Grayson who lived near by so, Commissioner Gordon told me to take the kid because the orphanage didn't have room at the moment. So this is only temporary."
Bruce felt pride welling up. "So you took him in."
"Yes, much like how you took me and Tim in. While I was waiting for you to get here I kept finding myself coming to check on him. He's only been in my care for a couple hours..."
Bruce knew the feeling all too well. "You feel it don't you. The connection? I felt it too... Something unknown to me drew me to that circus the day I found you. And something drew me to that back alley behind the wear house where I found Tim on it's roof. And both times just with in hours I found my self worrying about both of you. Alfred told me it had something to do with being kindred spirits? I never understood what he meant."
Dick chuckled softly and told him. "You just felt connected to us because our parents died the same way. For little Gabe here... well his parents died in their sleep from the looks of it. I am gonna talk to Gordon in the morning and follow up on it. I want to find out more about my little house guest. If I do choose to make this permanent you do know you will be a grandfather?"
Bruce smirked at him and said. "Had to happen one day. I will see what I can do about getting you some supplies so you can take care of him. He can't share your bed all the time. I think I have some things in the basement of the manor... alright storage closet! Don't look at me like that!"
Bruce wasn't being loud as the baby was sleeping. But seeing the look Dick gave him made him laugh. The Batcave was the basement...
Bruce left after half an hour and came back a short time later this time with a sleepy Damian at his heals.
Damian set a box down and without looking at Dick went and laid down on the couch, Dick shook his head and asked. "Did the kid get much sleep before you dragged him out of bed?"
Bruce looked over and told Dick. "He woke up when I had to go into his room to get access to the attic behind his closet. Alfred reminded me about the crib that was in there, Damian fell asleep half way across town. After he insisted on coming with me."
Dick shook his head and looked back at the items that Bruce brought over. "So where is it?"
"In the truck outside."
The two men went outside and retrieved the baby crib that was once Bruce's crib as a baby. Once the child was tucked safely into the crib Bruce told his surrogate son.
"Come by the house tomorrow, you can leave him with me while you work."
Dick frowned and asked. "Had much experience in toddlers?"
"Nope, you?"
"Not really."
Damian was now fully awake and looked into the baby crib. "So who's baby is he?"
Dick stepped up beside his little brother and told him. "An unfortunate couple who died tonight. They were homeless but that's all I know. I'm calling Commissioner Gordon in the morning to see if he's found anything else out about him. Maybe he has more family."
The following night Batman and Robin were patrolling the area once more where baby Gabe was found. Robin looked around the area and behind the dumpster found a bag containing some papers and photos in it. An old newspaper clipping caught his attention. Looking up he saw Batman's shadow.
"Batman! I found something!"
Batman looked over and came to Robin's side.
"What is it?"
Robin held a clipping from a newspaper that was telling a story about circus performers. "Wasn't Grayson in the circus?"
Batman held the paper and paled it was the couple Dick had told him about. "We're going home. Now."
Tucking the clip in his belt they hurried the few blocks to the batmobile and speed off back to the Batcave. Once there Bruce called Dick.
"Dick, you and Gabe need to get to the Batcave on the double."
Dick was silent for a moment on the other line and then responded. "On our way."
Bruce typed in the name of the circus and brought up the Flying Grayson's column and waited for Dick to arrive.
Once he arrived Dick set Gabe down and asked. "What did you find?"
Bruce turned his chair to face Dick as he stepped out of the elevator and told him. "He was born 2 years ago... you and he are the only two survivors of the Grayson family. The line ends with him."
Turning Dick looked up at the photo of a man and woman on the screen holding their infant son.
Damian was sitting on the floor keeping watch over Gabe when he asked his brother. "Did you know there was another family out there called 'The Flying Grayson's'?"
Damian looked up to see his brother shake his head no as he stared at the screen. Gaining his father's attention he told them. "Mother mentioned that she knew of some Grayson's when she lived here before I was born. Not you Richard but his parents. She said that his father was your uncle."
Dick looked over at little Gabe then back to the photo and walked up closer to the large screen. He could feel hot tears welling up in his eyes.
"Yes, I knew about them... my dad had a brother... they hadn't spoken in years. When my parents died was the last time I had heard from them."
The last part was said with a bitter tone. Damian raised his brow and asked. "Guessing the two brothers didn't get along?"
Dick looked directly at the screen at the man who looked just like his father, he could feel his anger rise deep in his chest, but with it was sadness for little Gabriel who had so recently lost his parents. Without looking at Damian he answered.
"They were rivals, always had been. Uncle George and my dad never saw eye to eye. My dad ran away when he was 18 and joined the circus. He was so good at the trapeze that they called him 'The Flying Grayson'. Then he met my mother and I was born. That's when my uncle came back to find my dad. I remember just before they died, my uncle had told dad that this was no life for me. He wanted me to be put in the orphanage if my parents were not going to leave the circus."
Dick looked down at the computer desk and made a fist, it still angered him even after all these years. He felt Bruce put a comforting hand on his shoulder.
"Dick? Are you alright?"
Bruce looked into his surrogate son's eyes and saw the pain there. Pain that had been hidden away for years.
Damian asked innocently. "Is he the reason they are dead now?"
Dick looked directly at his youngest brother and for a moment wanted to shout in anger, but then remembered that Damian would have been a toddler back then. Calming his breathing he spoke firmly.
"No, a man called Tony Zucco sliced the trapeze line just before our act. My father tried to help with funding and in turn made bad deals with bad people. I don't know if my uncle had anything to do with it or not... it's a little too late now to ask him."
Bruce turned to his eldest son and asked. "Are you sure you still want this responsibility? Caring for a child is not easy."
Dick looked between his father and his cousin he said. "Yes. I want this. I am the only family he has left."
Damian stood next to his father and said. "So does this mean that when I retire from being Robin that he's the next one?"
Dick picked up his cousin and told Damian. "He's too young right now. Besides, it's going to take a long time to train him to be a good sidekick."
"What are you going to do with him while you're out on patrol?"
Bruce smiled at that question and came up with an idea. "How about until Alfred to feeling better I let you boys handle patrols? I can stay here and watch over Gabe and help out. Dick maybe until we get this all sorted out you should stay here at the manor? I can go with you to get your things as well as the things we took to your apartment the other night."
Dick smiled at his surrogate father and replied. "Thanks, Bruce, that's not a bad suggestion until I can figure out what I am doing."
Bruce reached for the toddler and held him in his arms. Gabe reached up and grabbed at Bruce's nose and clapped when he missed. The small toddler seemed so happy given his predicament. Bruce could see that he and Dick had the same shade of blue eyes, granted his hair was lighter in color. But this innocent little boy needed them now.
"Given his living arrangements he sure is a happy kid. Doesn't seem scared at all at being around strangers." Damian observed.
Dick smiled at his cousin and then at his brother. "I was the same way. I guess it comes with growing up around a lot of people who care about you. When he's a little older I will start to bring him to the training room and start his training."
Damian looked confused up at his father and brother. "Father? Why can't Gabriel start his training now? I thought that is what warriors do? Start at an early age?"
Bruce handed the toddler back to his son and got down to Damian's eye level. "Damian, your mother taught you to be a ruthless assassin at much too young of an age. I had a talk with her and she told me your training began when you were 8 months old. You never had a proper childhood, now Gabe is only 2, if we train him for anything it will be to go to the bathroom outside his pants. For now he will have a normal life, or as normal as one can get in this family."
Dick chuckled at that just as Gabe said. "Dickie! I hungwy!"
Bruce told his son. "Go on upstairs, we will be up shortly."
Dick headed upstairs, Bruce noticed the far away distracted look on his youngest sons face. "Is something wrong Damian?"
Damian looked up at his father questioningly. "Father, if his parents were in the circus, then why didn't they help him? Grayson always talks about how the circus is like a family."
Bruce sat in his chair to be eye level with his son. "Damian, people do strange things in this world, you of all people should know this. But some times those who we thought we could trust the most end up being the ones to hurt us. I am sure Dick is asking him self the same question about how the Ring Master could have turned away Dick's uncle and aunt and ignored them."
"You were referring to what my mother did to me, aren't you? How she trained me to... to kill you... I still do not understand why she did that."
Bruce knew that was a sore subject for the boy. "That is water under the bridge now, right now we need to focus on helping Dick. He has a great responsibility on his hands now and he needs us."
"Why don't we send the boy to the orphanage? He is young enough to get a good family, a family that doesn't consist of constant danger. He was homeless, mother told me that only children who came from poor families go to an orphanage. The way I see it, being homeless is about as low as you can get."
Bruce frowned deeply at his son. He knew the child was learning under his care but the more talks he had with him the more he found out just how much the boy had to learn about life.
Trying to control his rising temper Bruce stated firmly. "She is wrong Damian. Dick came from a low income family, now look where he is today. I took him in, not because I had to, but because I choose to give a child a life that virtually had none. Dick only knew what life was like in a circus, he was scared when he came here. My parents didn't raise me to believe any differently about classes of families. No Dick's family was not wealthy, that means nothing to me. Tim was a homeless child, abandoned by his father who took off and to only turn up dead a week or two later. You do not see me turning either boy away because of their family back ground. I could have denied you, Damian... I could have demanded a blood test to determine if you really were my son or not. But I choose to believe word of mouth. I will not turn a child away because of circumstances. You, Tim and Dick are my world and I would not change that for anything.
Gabriel Grayson is like my grandson now, and I accept him no matter what his back ground is. Dick knew that and that is why he brought him to my attention."
Damian knew his father was right, but he couldn't help but keep thinking that Gabriel would be better off in an orphanage. Bruce stood up and motioned for his son to follow him upstairs. Once in the kitchen Bruce couldn't help but laugh when he saw Dick covered in applesauce.
"Having fun Dick?"
Glaring at his father Dick shot back. "Would you just help me!"
Bruce laughed and got two wash rags, got them both wet then tossed one to Dick then walked over to the toddler sitting on his knees at the table.
"Damian, would you get some fruit out of the fridge please, we will give that to him."
Dick glared at Bruce and asked. "What did I do wrong?"
Bruce chuckled and told him. "He's not that young of a baby, he's 2 years old, he can eat solid food."
Taking the apple Damian handed him, Bruce, cut it up for the toddler to eat. Gabe picked it up and began eating it hungrily.
Damian watched as the boy began to eat quickly. "Wow, he sure is a pig!"
Dick lightly smacked his brother on the back of the head and told him firmly. "He probably hasn't had a decent meal in weeks. If you had not eaten in a while you would be eating this way too."
Damian watched as Gabe gobbled down the last of the apple then looked up at Dick. "I have gone hungry before... If I didn't train the way Grandfather wanted me to, or if I wasn't fast enough..."
"Then you know how he feels, don't judge some one Damian when you have been in that situation."
Damian looked up at his father who had spoken to him. Damian had left out the part where he was punished harshly if he failed to complete a task. Lack of food was hardly a harsh punishment compared to the punishments he received on a more physical note. He knew his father needed to know that, but in some ways, he just didn't want to tell him.
He watched his father as he was kindly tending to Gabriel, the small boy knocked over his small glass of milk. Damian felt a rush of worry but it was quickly put aside when his father laughed and cleaned up the mess quickly.
The memories Damian had been of harsh punishments if something as simple as milk was spilled. His hardened heart was melting slowly, but over the last few months, he still reverted back to his old ways of thinking and acting. With Dick and his father's help, he was trying to be a better person.
In time this small 2-year-old boy would help Damian overcome what happened to him in those years being raised as an assassin.
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