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Bruce Wayne looked over his empty, extravagant ballroom that was covered in empty champagne glasses and half-eaten plates of food. The room stretched almost two football fields, decorated in assorted Gold and Silver decorations. A massive painting of the colonial map of Gotham stretched almost the size of the room. He shuffled through the mess, removing his black bow tie, and sighing to himself. He could still hear the loud buzz of obnoxious conversation from the party ringing in his ear.
He'd prefer it be a ringing from a strike to the head.
He stared out one of the giant bay windows to his massive garden. He remembers a soft moment of Alfred and Dick chasing away gophers from the Alfred's personal tomato garden. The thought brought a small smile to his face. He heard a small cough and yawn from behind him.
Damian Wayne was seated at one of the tables with his first adopted son, Dick Grayson. Both of them dressed in black tie for the giant New Year's Eve party, but were quickly dissolving themselves. Removing a bow tie seemed to vex Damian more so than defusing any bomb.
"Father, Why do We have to throw these grand parties for subjects who don't care for a single mouth of Gotham?" he moaned.
Dick chuckled and shuffled Damian's hair, a move in which Damian hated.
He growled at him. "Cheer Up, Kid. These things get better as you get older." Damian shot him a look.
"Why isn't Tim here, and I have to be here?"
Bruce walked towards them, feeling overwhelming tired as well.
"Damian, We must keep up appearances. Hide in plain sight. Not all the guests are as bad as you think. Tim is out patrolling, you know that. It isn't my favorite task I want to do with my time, but it is needed. For the mission."
Both Damian and Dick rolled their eyes.
"The never-ending mission." They both said in unison.
Bruce crossed his arms and stared them both down. Alfred interrupted quickly.
"Master Bruce, I think it is time for Master Damian to get some rest. School starts in two days, and We must get him back to his normal sleep cycle. Miss Gordon is still down in the Batcave, and requested your attention as well."
Both Damian and Dick both perked up at the idea of possible action that evening.
Their tiredness disappearing. Bruce quickly squashed Damian's hopes.
"Damian, you need to get some sleep. This will be none of your concern, follow Alfred, and get to sleep. Dick, you are welcome to tag along, but Bludhaven can have their hero back tonight."
Dick stretched and shrugged. "Curiosity has woken me up, plus I haven't seen Babs in weeks."
Damian looked extremely annoyed as Alfred pushed him upstairs, glancing back at his father with a furrowed brow. Bruce gave him a knowing look, wondering how his son could somehow be more stubborn then he was. Dick and Bruce made their way through the library into the secret door, down to the Bat Cave.
The sound of rapid clicking could be heard as they made their way down. Dick whispered to Bruce.
"Did you put her up to this? To be down here all night?" Bruce shook his head.
"I gave her an invitation. She insisted on being Tim's back up for the night. She's also been researching a lead on a possible crime-ring of mass weapons. I told her to take a night off...join the party.."
Dick cut him off quietly, turning down the narrow stairs. "She doesn't go out as much since..."
The two fell silent. The sore spot that was there. The wound that seemed to never heal. The two finally made it to the main computer, where Barbara was typing away like a machine.
Dick tried not to glance down at the new wheelchair, it always made him twitch. Her hair was up in a messy bun, several pens sticking out of it. Her glasses made her eyes have a piercing glare. Even in her dark attire, her presence made the batcave brighter.
Bruce, much more use to the sight, placed his hand on the shoulder of her chair.
Barbara didn't glance up at them, too focused to break her eyes from the screen. Two trays of uneaten food were to her right.
"I think I found something about that mass production of tech coming into Gotham. It is definitely weaponized material. Someone is building something."
Straight to business.
"My informant sent me this data, linking this Scientific Production Company, called Metempsych, located in India. It is sending material through customs, with improper stickers and permits. The size, weight...all wrong."
"Someone is paying it to get through customs unchecked."
"Exactly. I crossed referenced the production company with investors, politicians...anyone for a match. I found nothing...Until this."
Barbara pulled up a video of Lex Luthor shaking hands with an Indian Scientist at a function event in Sweden.
"Well...Golly, Isn't it?" Dick smirked.
"Yup, Luthor has a sub-company he owns that doesn't bare his name, so he can make purchases on the DL." Barbara's voice started to get a little higher, the more excited she got.
"Why Gotham? Doesn't he try to stay clear of here. Wayne's territory and all?"
Bruce stayed silent, quietly piecing together Barbara's information.
"Gotham is almost the same size as Metropolis. But our regulations and building use is...sloppier? That's why I am guessing what he is building, he doesn't want a certain Red-caped someone to find out."
Bruce broke his silence.
"What does Metempsych also research?"
Barbara turned and looked at Bruce. "Planetary Geology."
"You think he has the green stuff?" Dick interjected. Bruce nodded. It made sense, the puzzle coming together.
"Any leads to where the materials are being shipped to?"
Barbara nodded. "Jason tracked the shipments to a newly developed tanker, that also functions as a lab. It was marketed and taxed as a genetics lab, but I truly doubt that's what they do there. The materials that We've found, have the begins of a bomb, Bruce. A big one."
Bruce became very still. Hearing Jason's name and the possible chance of a massive bomb being built in his city by Luthor boiled his blood.
Barbara read his train of thought.
"Bruce, Jaso-"
"Take him off this assignment. I'm on it now."
Barbara flinched at his tone. She wanted to address the issue now, before it could be brushed underneath the giant Wayne family rug.
"I needed him, you were busy with Penguin and his heists the past few weeks-"
Bruce cut her off.
"There are other members of this team, this family. He can't-"
Barbara turned her entire chair on him. Her voice waving.
"I couldn't just wheel around the shipyards with out getting any attention? You were busy, Dick was busy...Tim has the Titans. Damian is a child."
Bruce glared down at her.
"He doesn't listen or follow a code that I can stand behind."
Barbara turned back to the computer. Her head bowed.
"I'll call him off."
Barbara even flinched at her own words. She always caved when it came to Bruce. Her respect never changed, even in this moment. She understood him, like how she understood Jason. The other members of the family clashed with Bruce, but not her. This moment was a rare one, for him to raise his voice to her. In a way, she appreciated it. Bruce never babied her. That's why she had been around Bruce more and more. He never acknowledged her disability. He still treats her as if she were wearing the cowl.
Bruce became very still, but Dick sighed ruffling his hair.
"Well...with that issue aside..."
Dick's voice trailed off towards the end of the sentence. Barbara felt a chill and wash of tired. The lack of sleep, the long hours, the computer screen. It all had come down on her. Zero strength to fight for Jason, but she'd bring it up with Bruce later. In private, the two communicated better. Bruce has to show force around the rest of the team.
"Luthor is in town this week, he may have even made an appearance at your party.."
Bruce gave Barbara a look.
"He usually declines Wayne's invites."
"That's what I figured he do, I have been scanning the area of the tanker for radiation, electrical waves...hell mystical waves. Nothing has really sparked an interest. A tiny pick up of gamma ray, but not enough to be dangerous."
Bruce paused. "Has it been increasing?"
"Slightly, maybe 1 Gy, every three days."
Bruce looked over at Dick, who shrugged.
"Are you still able to patrol tonight?"
Dick nodded.
"Sounds like a snoozefest, but I wouldn't expect anything different from you."
Bruce ignored Dick's usually banter.
"Suit up."
He stalked off to the changing area to get into his suit.
Dick leaned down and gave Barbara his charming smile
. "Hey Babs, How do you work for that work-nazi?"
Barbara smiled back at him, raising her eye-brow.
"Hello, Richard."
"How's my favorite girl?"
Barbara clicked on the computer, breaking eye contact.
"I don't know, Kori and I don't talk that much."
Her tone was playful, not a hint of jealousy of Dick's current relationship.
"See, this is why you'll always be the favorite."
Dick briskly walked toward the changing area.
Barbara called after him.
"Glad, I made the ever growing list."
"Ouch, Babs. That's a burn that not even Firefly could give."
Bruce emerged as Dick entered.
His full suit was on, but the cowl.
He approached Barbara.
"Barbara, I will need you to stay on commuincation. Send Tim home, he's been out there for almost 12 hours."
"I sent him home an hour ago."
"Good, I need you to keep me updated on the rays as we get closer. Any changes may indicate a sensitive build."
"Got it."
Bruce looked down at Barbara, who was looking up at him.
Her eyes were so trusting, begging for something he couldn't quite place. It hurt him that she couldn't be at his side. The two had finally created a perfect flow to their crime-fighting style. He knew she could handle herself, and she fought him less than Dick ever did.
She even seemed to calm the storm that was within Jason.
Tim loved her like a big sister he never had.
Even Damian would become silent when she spoke, a sign of respect that he gave to few.
Barbara was their glue in a strange way. It may have been Bruce's destiny, but Barbara knew how to keep the family together.
"Barbara..." Her face became confused. She couldn't quite read his face. His hand was tight on her shoulder.
Dick emerged from the changing area, decked out in his Nightwing outfit.
"Ready Bats?"
He headed toward the batmobile, not noticing the exchange between the two.
"We'll talk later." Bruce muttered out.
"Don't miss me too much, Babs!"
Nightwing jumped in, Bruce behind him.
"Oh I am so missing you now."
Barbara smirked to herself, but quietly praying to herself.
"Please be nothing" she muttered to herself.