I'm not sure to continue this...but here's some anyways enjoy. I've been busy lately, so it may take me a while to update. Not my best work...

The city was bustling with activity, enough to make a fool believe that Gotham wasn't as bad as it truly was. The nightlife was when the demons played. The day time was bearable.

Damien trembled in excitement, the buzz of city life around him. The anticipation making his eyes wild and his skin prickle.

Bruce, Stefanie and Tim stood near anxious, excited. People pushed past.

Stefanie had flowers clutched to her breast, using her body as a shield against the crowd, her eyes scanning the street. Tim, near Bruce, was searching the people as well. Their eye's sparkling in excitement, glittering in admiration.

There was a chuckle behind them and they all spun. The sparkle disintegrating as they saw who it was. It was Jason. The rogue brother.

He was leaning, arms crossed loosely across his chest, a brick wall on his back, a cigarette hanging crooked in his lips. He chuckled again and removed the cigarette with two fingers puffing smoke obnoxiously into the air. His leather jacket pooling around his sides.

Bruce did not look pleased. He pushed through the crowd dragging his family behind him on an invisible current and stopped in front of his son, the crowd parting like a wave around them.

"What are you doing here?" Bruce spoke, his words sharp, his eyes narrowed. Jason replaced the cigarette and it trembled as he spoke.

"Same as you, waiting for Dickiebird…After all, out of all of you he's the one I hate the least." The crowd thinned.

"I wish I could say it was good to see you-" Jason interrupted Tim with a harsh laugh

"Same to you…Replacement" Their eyes narrowed in unison. Damien wandered back the curb, his face lighting up.

"There he is!" Damien shouted joy leaking through his voice, a grin splitting his face, his finger thrust across the street. The argument was forgotten as everyone spun to look. Dick was walking down the sidewalk opposite them, pushing through people. His hands shoved deep in his pockets, his walk easy, carefree. A crooked smile that could light up the world.

The bat family smiled as their oldest stopped by the curb and waved at them across the traffic. Dick's hair was messy, un-combed, but his clothes immaculate. Jeans and a tight white t-shirt. Richard had always been one for simplicity.

When the street light turned red, he started out. Weaving through the idling cars, Damien was there to meet him at the edge of the curb.

"Little D!" Richard removed his hands from the depths of his pockets to embrace his brother, Damien protested, but quickly gave in to his brother's clingy hug. Stephanie gave a joyous laugh and ran up to him, shoving through the thin curtain of bodies, crushing the flowers between them as she threw herself into his arms. He set her down and gave a small salute to Bruce.

Dick stumbled as Jason pulled him by the shirt into a rough hug,

"Good to see you, big bro" Richard nodded, Bruce's eyes sent a warning to Jason not to touch his son. Jason shrugged it off.

Dick had looped a loose arm around Tim's shoulders. By passers stared at the reunion and Bruce nodded to a few to get them moving

"We have a big family don't we?" Richard said looking around at the smiling faces, Tim squeezed him to his side, the siblings chuckled.

"Too big" Bruce said, his eyes wandering slightly to Jason, Richard sent his father a small glare and rattled his head back and forth, his hair swinging at his earlobes. Stephanie handed over crushed flowers and Richard took them graciously, burying a hand in her hair.

"Common cheapo" he nudged his father with his boot, his little brother still clinging to him and his hand still lost in a mop of blonde hair "you haven't seen me in a year and you're not even going to treat me to lunch?" Bruce smiled and Richard shook his siblings off him.

"What did you have in mind?"

"Coffee, I defiantly want coffee" Bruce smiled and Richard felt Damien take his hand.

Dick insisted he wanted no place expensive. At first Bruce complained but Dick shot him a look of 'please, Daddy?' and Bruce complied. They chose a Steak and Shake a few blocks away, Dick was swinging Damien's hand in his own as they walked. The crowd was thinning considerably, as only a few other people wandered by now and then.

"Look!" They all halted and looked at Stephanie who was peering in a store front window. It was a book store. Jason hung back awkwardly as Damien released Dick's hand to see for himself, Tim and Bruce joined them. Her finger made a smudge on the window as she pointed out a novel on display.

Dick stood by the curb and looked over at Jason who had stopped by the edge of the window, not near enough for the gawking family to notice him. They made eye contact and Dick gave him a small reassuring smile.

A dark, figure in a hoodie caught Jason's attention. He was sitting on a bench a few feet from his brother, his form shifting nervously in the shadows. Jason's eyes narrowed.

The figure stood and started walking. Damien's voice rose in excitement as Bruce offered to buy the book and Jason turned to look at the commotion of Stephanie jumping in excitement. Jason turned back to the figure, the cars buzzing by in the street.

Dick reached down and picked up a piece of trash throwing it in the garbage besides him the flowers swaying in his grasp. Jason's eyes searched for the figure.

It went bustling past Dick, turning and roughly shoving his brother. Jason made a chocking sound, his eyes rounding as Dick stumbled falling into the path of a car. His hairs stood on end as a horn blared. Jason shouted

"Hey!" after the figure who was running madly down the path, shoving people away. The book was forgotten as Bruce, Stephanie, Tim and Damien turned in a swoosh, their eyes assessing the situation. It took them a second to realize what had happened and then Stephanie's hand flew up to cover her mouth as she screamed her brother's name.

"Dick!"

Jason's eyes flew back to his brother as Richard, who was on his ass on the pavement, was pushing himself into a sit, dazed. Jason knew he wouldn't get there in time. "Grayson, move!" he bellowed at his brother his fingernails cutting into his palms.

They watched fearfully as Dick launched into action, scrambling to his feet and back pedaling as a car roared past with its horn blasting through the afternoon. Dick missed another vehicle by an Inch, still dazed.

As soon as Richard stumbled close enough, Tim grabbed him by the collar and dragged him up on the curb, they both fell backwards, heaving. The flowers had been dropped in the streets and crushed by the traffic.

"Whoa" Dick breathed staring at the passing cars "that could have been messy" he scrambled to his feet, Tim helping him up. Dick spun harshly as Bruce grabbed his shoulder and looked him in the eye. Firing questions like bullets

"Are you all right, did you hit your head, did you see the guy's face?" his siblings lingered in a close circle around him as their father cupped Richard's cheek in his palm to check his pupils. Turning it side to side to examine his son's head.

"Dad I'm fine…really it just dazed me" Richard pulled away from his father, Damien attacked Dick's arm and held to tight, his face pale at the close call.

"What the hell, Jason!" Bruce roared turning to face his son who was lingering behind them. Tim looked Richard over, a second check for injuries his older brother may have sustained. Richard gave him a small smile. Tim's brow furrowed in lingering worry.

"Why didn't you help him!?"

"I don't know, why didn't you!?"

"I wasn't close enough! You were!"

"And yet the Replacement, who was standing right beside you, got there first!"

"I was-!"

"Shut up! Just shut the hell up!" eyes flew to Richard who was shaking, his fists curled in rage, Damien squeezed his brother's arm, Richard glared at Bruce

"What the hell is wrong with you?" Bruce gave him a look of disbelief

"Me?"

"Yeah you! Leave Jay alone. For God's sake, Bruce! It's not his fault, this is Gotham! things like this happen all the time. The guy just wanted my wallet!" there was an awkward silence

"He swiped your wallet?" Damien asked, his voice innocent, Dick gave an exaggerated pocket pat to price it was empty.

"Leave each other alone, for Christ's sake! I just want to go eat already!" Jayson shifted uncomfortably, then shook his head

"Sorry, Grayson. Maybe I'll catch up with you later" he pulled a grappling hook from his pocket and aimed in upwards. In public. Tim wrestled it away and looked around anxiously

"Are you nuts? People could see!"

"So…?" Richard stomped his foot, his voice shrill

"I just want to eat!"

"Aw, come on, Timmy! You know their fries are the best!" Tim laughed and stole some fries from Richard,

"I'm not disagreeing with you there, big bro" Damien laughed and stole some from Dick's plate as well

"All right, all right you two! Just 'cause they're great doesn't mean you can take mine!" Richard playfully protected his plate.

Jason picked through his food glaring at Bruce who was in turn glaring back. Stephanie flipped a page in her book.

"Hurry up" Bruce demanded looking at his watch "we don't want to have to walk in the dark" nobody denied that. "So Richard, you never did tell us what you were doing this past year" Richard's playfulness disappeared and he poked at his fries

"I was on a case" he said his voice strained, Even Stephanie looked up, her book forgotten.

"What kind?" Jason asked his mouth full,

"They're all the same" Richard shifted uncomfortably then perked with noticeable fakery. "Can I stay at the mountain tonight? I want to see Alfie" everybody knew he changed the subject and yet no one called him out on it,

"Please, dad?!" Damien and Stephanie pleaded, Bruce smiled in affection at his children, Richard stuffed more fries in his mouth and chewed loudly, Tim rolled his eyes

"Common Bruce. It's not like you kept Dick's room all made up or anything…" Richard paused with a smile breaking out on his face, he shoved the chewed up fries to the other side of his mouth with his tongue, his voice muffled through food.

"You did?" it came out 'ooh iiddd?" Tim nodded and crossed his arms leaning back in his chair

"Jason's too" the silence was deafening. Dick smiled down at his plate, he felt some walls of animosity crumble between his father and brother.

"Well good! We'll all stay there tonight! And play chutes and ladders!" groans of disbelief and exasperation echoed around the table, Richard looked confused "what do you prefer? Candy land? Life? Sorry? Twister?..."

"Dude" Jason breathed "can you get anymore gay?!" for a moment all seemed normal.

Richard was met at the door with a hug from Alfred, it nearly knocked him down the steps.

"Master Richard, how very nice to see you well and healthy!"

"Same to you, Alfie!" the embrace was long. Alfred let go and pushed open the door leading the family inside and into the living room. Richard went to sit but was stopped as Alfred grabbed his arm hurriedly

"Oh my!" his voice was overcome by concern. They all turned to look "have you been hurt? You've got a nasty bruise on your temple here" Bruce came over too look, he took his son's chin gently in his thumb and forefinger and turned it to look. A large purple welt was formed.

"I asked if you hit your head, Dick" Richard dropped down onto the couch. They watched their eldest stretch and yawn, eye's tired.

"Didn't know. Adrenaline must have been in high gear"

"Dick got mugged…they took his wallet" Tim explained, Alfred shook his head in worry.

"I'll get some cookies for the young masters…and Master Richard" he turned on his heels, Richard stiffened understanding the insult.

"Hey!" Soon merry chatter floated and consumed the room, Bruce noticed as Richard rubbed his bruise. He gave his eldest a small nudge and whispered, eyes kind

"Why don't you go take a warm shower? It'll help with stiff muscles" Dick nodded and excused himself. A steaming platter of cookies entered the room. Damien was the first to take one and nibble on it, as followed by the others.

Jason stared at the platter, his stomach prickling in awkwardness. Alfred smiled warmly and took a seat next to him.

"Peanut butter, your favorite" Alfred handed him one. Jason took it uncertainly and bit it.

"Thank you, Alfred"

A phone buzzed. Their eyes scanned the room, it came from the couch. Bruce dug in the cushions and drew out Richard's ringing mobile. They stared as its led screen flickered in time with the soft vibrations. Bruce answered it and put it to his ear.

"Hello?"

"Hey, Dickie! It's me!" Bruce eyed his children who were straining to hear "You totally forgot your wallet, man!" Bruce stiffened, his brow furrowing in confusion "So do you want it back? You don't have much in here. A couple of twenties, a family photo, an ID. Ooh, a movie ticket The Hangover. Classy, man. Hey you there?'

"Yeah, sorry"

"I don't think you want to catch a flight back out here, right? Haha" a secret joke "so I'm just going to keep it all right? Consider it payment for saving your live…like ten times. And patching up your fucking body after the Court got their hands on you…so we good? I'm going to keep your wallet?"

"Keep it" Bruce hung up his eyes glistening in confusion, the room was deathly silent. Upstairs Richard was searching for his board games, unaware his secrets were unfolding around him.

well, well, well. I'm not to proud of the writing but...blah.

Reviews PLUEASE!

-EACT