I officially have the sequel to my older one-shot, Forget. This continues it, and there will be a few more parts each coming up as their own individual works. I'm not sure when the next one will come out, but I do know what it'll be about, thanks to an amazing idea I got from a reviewer.
When Mikey is thirteen when they go to visit Trini. She goes to college in Gotham, which is arguably the most crime-ridden city in the world. It's exciting. It's not the first time he's been to the city in his memories. They go a few times a year to visit Trini. Still, every time he goes he's strangely excited.
On the way to see Trini in her dorm, Mikey sees someone looking at him out of the corner of their eyes. It's not really that unusual though. People always notice him when he's with his family. He supposes it's because he looks so different from them.
At the dorm, Trini introduces them to her new dorm mate, a girl named Stephanie. Stephanie is blonde and tall with scars on her hands and blue eyes. Something about her is familiar. He can't put his finger on what.
Stephanie greets them politely and asks if it's okay for her boyfriend to come over. They all agree. It's not like that will hurt them. Besides, Trini told them over the phone how nice Stephanie's boyfriend is.
About thirty minutes later a man comes into the dorm. He's about Stephanie's age with black hair and blue eyes. He smells like coffee. When he sees Mikey his eyes grow so large that Mikey thinks they may fall out of his head.
Still, other than that brief moment, Tim (Stephanie's boyfriend's name) is nice and normal. Well, he's Bruce Wayne's adopted son, so not normal, but close enough. He doesn't try to flaunt it, at least.
When Warner asks how Stephanie and Tim met, they share a smile.
"I hit him on the head with a brick," Stephanie says lightly.
Tim smiles at her. It's slightly sickening. "Yeah, I've still got the scar too."
Stephanie laughs. "You scared me! What else was I supposed to do?"
Tim shakes his head. For some reason, it reminds Mikey of someone. He just can't remember who.
Everyone laughs and then Stephanie and Tim leave to go visit Tim's brother. Mikey, Warner, Trini, mom, and dad leave to go to a restaurant they have reservations for. It's not anywhere special, not really. Just a normal, slightly expensive, restaurant.
After it's over they drive Trini back to her campus and go back to Metropolis.
"Bruce, I found Damian," Tim says breathlessly.
Bruce stiffens in his chair and turns around to face Tim very slowly. He must look a mess, with hair flying everywhere and tie undone. He's sure he looks slightly crazed too.
"What?" Bruce asks flatly.
"I found Damian," Tim repeats. "Stephanie's roommate has an adopted little brother. Bruce, the kid looks just like Damian."
"It can't be, Tim. The Joker said he killed-"
"The Joker lies all the time, Bruce!" Tim exclaims. "Is it really so hard to believe that he lied about this?"
"There were no signs he was alive," Bruce says flatly. "No proof. Chances are the child just looks like Damian."
"Bruce," Tim says pleadingly. "Just listen. Stephanie's roommate, her adopted brother is around thirteen years old. He has black hair and green eyes. Stephanie told me that the boy was found in an alley with no memories and crazy scars three years ago."
"This doesn't prove anything," Bruce says. He sounds tired. He looks tired. "I'm sorry, Tim. I know losing Damian hit you hard. It hit all of us hard."
Tim groans aggravatedly. "Just… look up Michael Robertson. That's his name. Look it up and tell me I'm wrong."
Bruce does because even if he thinks Tim is crazy he's still Batman and he still double-checks everything when it comes to Damian. It's a gift and a curse, one that Tim seems to have inherited, blood or not aside. He watches Bruce's face as the man scans the computer screen and the file on Michael Robertson. It's telling.
Bruce is just as surprised as him. And the tidy list of scars confirms just as well as any DNA test. What other child could have a scar up his spine and over his heart? What other child could speak so many languages, whether he remembers learning them or not?
They'll still check DNA because Bruce is nothing if not thorough, but Tim already knows what the DNA is going to say. They both do. There's no way this boy isn't Damian. Not with the other overwhelming evidence.
There are other issues to figure out. Other things they need to solve. Like what to do next. Damian is happy. The little brat smiles and laughs like a normal kid. He's on his school soccer team, for goodness sake. They can't just take him from that. Not without ruining what little chance Damian has at a childhood. Even if it's without them.
So what's he supposed to do? Bruce won't know either. None of them will. They can't take him from this family that's become his. They can't just tell him who he is. They can't do anything, really. Nothing that's right, at least.
It's all hitting him. What's going on and what he's going to have to tell Bruce in a moment. Because Tim can't in good conscious ruin this for Damian, Mikey.
"I'm right, aren't I, Bruce?" he asks.
Bruce takes a deep breath. His eyes are still glued to the screen.
"I think so, Tim. We'll have to do a DNA test, just in case. But you're right."
He sounds happy, for the first time in three years. Tim's about to take that from him. He hates himself a little bit.
"We need to leave him," Tim says quietly.
"What?" Bruce asks, frowning deeply. He's confused, Tim has no doubt. Especially since Tim has been the one who's so sure Damian is still alive. He's been the one pushing to find him.
"Bruce, he's happy. He has a childhood. The one you would've wanted for him if it hadn't been for Talia." Tim pauses and takes a deep breath. "Why wouldn't we let him have it? We can keep an eye on him, let's just let him have this."
Bruce looks at him reproachingly. "He's my son."
"And he's my brother," Tim snaps. "I just want him to be happy. No matter how cool superheroes are, do you think if I was able to I wouldn't just walk away from all this? He has a second chance here. Let's not blow it for him."
"So what, we just let him grow up without his father?" Bruce asks, standing up and facing Tim.
"You haven't seen him yet, Bruce. He's adopted. We can't just take him back. Besides, he loves his family. And how will it look for us, saying that he's your kid who went missing years ago and showed up in another city? Your kid who shows signs of abuse?" Tim asks. "We need to face it, Bruce. He's not ours anymore. You think if we asked he wouldn't choose the family he remembers?"
Bruce suddenly slumps back down and into his chair. His shoulders are lax and he looks defeated.
"I miss him too, Bruce. All of us do. But… this is better. If he ever remembers, because Stephanie's roommate says that sometimes he remembers small things, he'll come find us. If he doesn't, we can tell him when he's eighteen." It's a reasonable plan if nothing else. No matter how much Tim hates it.
Bruce nods, already back in detective mode. "Until then we keep an eye on him. And you get me a DNA sample, just in case."
"No problem, Bruce," Tim says, because it's really not. He's not here with them, but he's out there. He's alive and doing well. And that's better news than either of them ever expected after the Joker told them he was dead. Better news than Tim's ever expected if he's honest with himself.
He can just imagine when he tells Dick. The way his elder brother's eyes will light up again. And that makes this all worth it, even if they don't talk to him again for another five years.