Chapter Edited: Enjoy!

Prologue: The other heroes

The world loved the Justice League; how could they not? The League had powers, they had strength. They fought against the super-villains and kept the world safe from harm. They work together to solve the problems of the world, proving that it takes more than just one hero to save it. They stand for truth, liberty, and justice; they stand against evil. People know that they can trust them. So hey, who doesn't like people in tights with superpowers and free autographs?

But there's group of heroes, ones known to only the people they come in contact with, and remaining rumors and legends to all others. A group of heroes who can remain hidden for years to the outside world, escaping notice of all save for those they reveal themselves to. If their deeds came to light, the people's current admiration for the Justice League would pale in comparison to the admiration they would receive.

These people are the Bat-Clan.

It started as nothing more than one man's ambition to protect the city, his home, from the gangs and the villains that plagued it. But when he took in a small child, his little bird, it changed. And the clan grew as well. From being the Dark Knight to the Dynamic duo, it was now a group of dozens of people, all working together silently to protect the ones they love, the human species they are a part of, and the planet they call home.

Loved by only the cities they protect, the governments they had worked with, and the people they had protected, they don't have any 'powers'; not ones that people would considered as superpowers. They hold respect from all who believe in them, even from some of the villains they fight against. They work in the shadows of the world, sometimes helping others without them even knowing. They are unwilling to let others help them, however, reluctant to let their secrets come into the light. Very few have the skills to become a Bat, but for those who did and were found, they were trained immediately to become one of the most skilled people on earth.

They can evade anyone for a long period of time. They have no 'super-powers', but they have their intellect, their strength, and their willingness to save others.

But they also have other quality, one that stands out in each of them differently, and one that makes the Bat Clan so much different from the other heroes.

It was the quality to understand loss. It was the quality to take in someone who'd suffer from loss, from having anything precious to them ripped away by life, leaving them alone in the darkness, with nothing to hold onto; because every single Bat had felt that loss. Every single Bat had plummeted downwards, feeling lost and confused, hurt and neglected by the world. They had grasped the hand of the darkest night, and had felt it bring them down. But they had been pulled back up by a Bat, forming a bond thicker than blood. And after such a bond had formed, how could any Bat break away? How could they dare to leave behind the people who were more than family to them?

It was these very qualities that gave them another member; another brother-in-arms.

It was these qualities which made Dick Grayson stop when he heard crying outside of an ally in Blüdhaven. It was these qualities which made Dick go inside the ally and discover a young boy just nine years old. It was these qualities which made him pick up the boy, and take him to the hospital. It was these qualities which made him give the boy another chance at life, a better life. It was these qualities which made him adopt the boy, Wally West, as his son and trainee.

After Wally healed, Dick trained him to be a Bat, a brother-in-arms. A desire burned in Wally, just as it had burned in the other Bats, a desire to save others from the monsters of the world they lived in. Just a year after his training completed, Batman formally made him into a Bat, also the second Bat with powers; Strike.

Now, six years after Wallace Rudolph West became Walter West Grayson, Strike continues to work alongside with Nightwing and Mistress Magic, his mentors. Together, the three strike fear into the hearts of every villain they come across, wherever on the planet they met.

Wally never thought about talking to his living relatives, a mom who neglected him, a father who's in jail, and an aunt who never had time. He never thought about seeing them again; he rarely even thinks about them. With his new family, one whom he knows will always have his back, he doesn't need to think about his blood family again.

But Fate has other plans; for when the enemies of the rivals unite, then the rivals will clash. And eventually, they must come together, for the sake of their families, their friends, their world, and their own sanity.

The Bat Cave was silent. The Dark Knight himself stood in front of a natural alcove hidden by a display of old costumes. There was no light in the little hook, but with night-vision in his mask he read the file easily enough, as he had the past several times.

Birth Name: Wallace Rudolph West

Legalized Name: Walter West Grayson-Wayne

Age Found: 9 years

Current Age: 14 years

Location Found: Alley between Dunkin' Donuts and Jane's Thrift Store on Alistair Street

Found time: 21:45 EST

Found Condition: Swollen black eye (right); three fractured ribs (left side); two broken ribs (right side) with punctured right lung; broken arm; broken leg; slightly-fractured skull; severe blood-loss; broken hip; infected cut on left arm; high fever due too cold and infection; malnutrition; concussion

Admittance to Doctor Alisha Gupta's Private Clinic: 00:30 EST

Initial Conclusion: Death within the next two hours if not one hour. Medical reason unclear; biology and experimentation may play a role

Action Taken: Impulsively given an untested injection created with Lazarus Pit waters and the Syrup; administered by RJGW

Final Condition: Healed within the next five days

Final result: After five days: still malnourished; permanent scar on hip; tumor in brain

Current problems: Drapetomania, permanent scar on hip-can be used as identifying factor; tumor in brain

*Note: tumor in brain prevents certain emotions from reaching certain levels ie extreme sadness or extreme happiness. Life-threatening consequences; medication given by Dr. Gupta alleviates side-effects of tumor. Multiple surgeries to no avail.

Biological and First Legal Family: Rudolph West was fined of the following charges: Child Neglect and attempted first degree murder. Mary West found guilty of Child Neglect and accessory to murder. Both jailed; parole in fifteen years. Aunt Katherine West could not be contacted during the arrests; last seen with the Biological father. Biological mother gave up all rights to child.

Custody: Currently in custody of Richard John Grayson-Wayne and Zatanna Zatara Grayson-Wayne as adopted son. If both legal guardians died before Wallace turns 21, legal custody will be handed over to Bruce Wayne, Jason Todd-Wayne, Alfred Pennyworth, Timothy Drake-Wayne (if he reaches 21 years old) or Barbara Gordon. In extreme cases custody will go to Talia Al Ghul

Current Legal Family members: Grayson-Waynes (Father-Richard John, Mother-Zatanna Zatara, Sister-Maria Sindella) Waynes (Bruce, Damian Al Ghul, Thomas, Anna) Timothy Jackson Drake-Wayne, and Jason Peter Todd-Wayne.

At the slight shuffle of noise, Batman didn't even turn around, only reaching backwards for the file.

"Hey Nightwing, how are you? Oh hey Batman, I'm fine, you know?"

The file was placed in his hands.

"So, did you bring the file I asked for? Oh you bet! I brought them in just like I always do every single year."

"Did Dr. Gupta have anything to add, off record?" a gruff, no-nonsense voice asked, pointedly ignoring the antics of the younger man

"Nothing new; just her unspoken disapproval, as usual" Nightwing, clad in his blue and black uniform, took his place right by the Dark Knight.

"Any headaches or nightmares recently?" Batman continued his interrogation.

"Nope," Nightwing replied. "The last known nightmare was six months ago and the last headache was from Maria's birthday party. But honestly, I think all the adults got a headache from that."

"It's unnatural for kids her age to scream that loud," Batman agreed. He closed the file. "Known nightmare?"

"He could be hiding them better now, or they're not so bad that he couldn't handle it alone. Either way, I believe it's no cause for worry."

"And…what about his drapetomania? Is he still running away from home?"

Nightwing tensed beside him "Yeah, but not before, after, or during missions or patrol. He doesn't take off from school as much anymore, only twice so far this school year."

"And when he does take off?" Batman questioned.

"You know what happens," Nightwing replied shortly "I already told you when he did the last time. Honestly, not a lot has changed in a day."

Batman nodded "Then there's nothing to be updated, so that saves me an hour of sleep."

As he returned the file into the cabinet (all important files were saved in paper) Nightwing added "And from Alfred yelling at you."

Both Dark Knight and the first Boy Wonder turned and walked into the dark, reaching the big 'Bat-desk', as dubbed by all but Batman.

"By the way, I forgot to congratulate you on your new relationship," Nightwing grinned, clapping his father on the shoulder. Batman ignored his immediately mood change "I'm glad you took my advice. But I gotta admit I'm curious. What did you tell her?"

"The truth," Batman slipped into the changing room, not bothering to ask how his oldest son knew. Agent A probably told him.

Nightwing leaned against the wall of old uniforms, wondering a boutwhat his adoptive father told him and still wondering why he didn't burn his very first uniform in the first place. He had no idea what little 9-year Dick Grayson was thinking. When Bruce Wayne stepped out, he was surprised (not really) to find his protégé still there. "What more do you want to know?"

"The details," Nightwing smirked "There isn't a gossiping magazine for this you know."

Bruce paused, and rubbed his forehead "I told her that I'm not the man I act around her. I have the tendency to take things for granted and to use people as pawns. Every member of the Clan I see as a soldier first, then a human being. I put my work above everything else. I can and will do anything in short of killing to accomplish the mission."

"And she still said she wanted to try to be in a relationship with you?"

"She said what I said was bullshit and I didn't know it yet."

Nightwing laughed. "She'll be good for you. You need to have a little more faith in your people skills" He ssmiled. "And it'll be good for Damian. He's needs a mother-figure in his life. Thalia's not exactly filling that role."

"Thalia's doing the best she can," Bruce defended. "And I have no intention of marrying her."

"She can handle Damian," Nightwing argued "Don't forget who she is, and don't you dare let Alfred lose that bet. He bet me that the two of you will get married. I said that you would break-up first before you proposed."

Bruce scowled, and turned away "Go home, or you're the one who'll get yelled at."

Nightwing sighed and shook his head "Alright, alright. Just know that Alfred's never wrong. The man practically raised you. Beam me back, will ya Scotty?" The Zeta-tube, a high powered machine developed by Star Labs and Wayne Technology (for only a highly select group), was right by the main computer. Bruce punched in the coordinates. Nightwing stepped in, and disappeared with a grin and a flash.

Bruce, on the other hand, allowed the darkness to swallow him, heading towards the stairs that will lead him home.