In the years they'd spent on the job, Batman and Wonder Woman had experienced more than their fair share of strange occurrences. Alien invasions, breachers from other Earths, even time travelers. But meeting their own offspring from the future? That was a new one. Of course, Batman didn't fully believe it at first. Ever the skeptic, he made a point of taking blood and saliva samples from their "son" and thoroughly testing and retesting them against their own DNA using every test known to man—and a few known to Kryptonians. All told, thanks to WayneTech's advanced DNA sequencing, the results came back in a little over an hour, long enough for word to get around the manor that the rehearsal would be postponed to the following week.

At present, Diana was reassuring Clark and Lois that everything was fine and seeing them and the rest of the guests off. Bruce made a few token appearances as lord of the manor, but spent most of the time waiting in the cave, where he was keeping Jason under tight watch. The moment the sequencer beeped in completion, he straightened up and rolled up to the Batcomputer, staring intently at the monitor. His eyes widened at the results.

99.9% match…damn.

He let out a long, tired breath and ran a hand through his hair. He'd been hoping against hope that it was a lie, to be honest. Knowledge that he and Diana would eventually have kids of their own, or a kid at least, was somewhat exciting, but the fact that he had seen fit to visit them in the past—on a mission of assassination no less—told him something had gone wrong. And if he'd learned anything from the Justice League's token experiences with time travel, it was that knowing too much about your future was a very bad idea. Which, in hindsight, was probably why he'd tried to just kill Cheetah and get out.

Speaking of whom, she'd been hauled out of Gotham to a STAR Labs containment cell by the Flash minutes after they'd subdued her. Apparently, she tried to break out on the way, but Batman's new shock cuff design proved more than a match for her pain threshold. Jason hadn't said a word since seeing their dumbstruck expressions in the warehouse, retreating into himself in a way Bruce had only ever seen in the mirror. The longer he stared at his son from the future through the camera feeds to his cell, the more he began to see the similarities between them, and Diana as well.

Jason's skin tone was a light olive complexion, closer to Diana's than his own; and with facial structure like his, the kid couldn't be much older than sixteen. His eyes mirrored both of them, though they were notably on the dark side, almost grey if seen in the right lighting. His build was very similar to Dick's, lean and tall—around 5'10"—but heavily toned, from what little he could see through the armor's undersuit. Which brought up another matter entirely. Jason's equipment was a fascinating blend of modern science and ancient forging, with all the bells and whistles he'd expect from a WayneTech combat suit, but an aesthetic flair that harkened to ancient gladiators—or perhaps knights.

Considering his own moniker, he figured the latter was the intention.

The click of the elevator doors opening at his back alerted him to his fiancé's arrival. He reached a hand up when he felt her arm draw around his neck, her chin gently resting on his head.

"Has he said anything?" she asked.

His head shook slightly. "Not a word since we brought him back."

Diana frowned. "That tends to happen when you throw someone in a cage."

Bruce shot her a look. "We knew next to nothing about him when he appeared. We still know next to nothing, other than the fact that he's borne of our genes and claims to be from the future."

"Considering the perfection of his timing, both on that rooftop and during the rehearsal, I'm inclined to believe him."

His lips pursed as he returned his eyes to the feed. "So am I. Which brings us to our latest dilemma."

"What do we do with a child that's not supposed to be here?"

…

"You don't look so tough."

Jason's blue eyes blinked twice before he turned his head toward the source of the voice, a shorter teen in a domino mask dressed like a traffic light. "Right back at 'ya," he replied with a frown.

Robin arched an eyebrow and crossed his arms. "Father says you're his progeny. Strange; I thought Prince was too pure for such dalliances."

He blinked again. "Who?"

He sighed as if talking to a particularly slow parrot. "Diana Prince, soon to be Diana Wayne."

"Oh." Jason felt his cheeks heat without his permission. "She is."

"…a clone, then? Created by splicing their DNA?"

He snorted and leaned back on his hands. "Ever the avid conspiracy theorist, aren't you Dami?"

Robin's eyes widened just enough to be noticed.

Jason sighed. "Not a clone, or a homunculus. Born the old-fashioned way, a little less than a year from now."

"Time traveler. That explains a lot.'

"Yup. Now if you don't mind, I'd like a brief reprieve before I get reamed out by—"

He sighed hard when a new, heavier set of footsteps cut him off.

"Too late," Jason muttered, turning himself to face the de-masked Batman and Wonder Woman.

Bruce brought a hand up to the keypad outside his cell (which was constructed of depleted Promethium) and opened the door, permitting himself and his bride-to-be entry. Bruce took a chair right across the cell from him, while Diana opted to sit next to him.

Jason gulped, seeing the intense looks in their eyes, and bit his lower lip briefly before leaning toward Diana and embracing her tightly. Taken aback, she was stunned and frozen for a moment before gently cradling his head, which was laid on her shoulder.

"Sorry," he muttered as he straightened up and cleared his throat. "Had to do that."

Bruce eyed them for a moment longer before speaking. "Like you had to kill Cheetah?"

Jason snorted ruefully. "Right for the jugular, huh? Guess some things never change."

"We just want to understand what brought you here," Diana added soothingly, with a hand on his back.

His lips pursed tightly. "This wasn't supposed to happen."

"But it did, so talk to us."

When he still refused to speak, Damian strode into the room and pilfered Diana's Lasso before she could snatch it back and snapped it around his neck.

"Father asked you a question," Robin almost snarled.

"Damian, that's enough," Bruce scolded icily as Diana snatched the golden cable from his hands.

The Wayne heir crossed his arms and cast Jason a glare. "He's wasting our time. I'm not convinced he isn't an impostor, a plant to get our guard down. He's given us no reason to trust him."

"Other than stepping between us and Cheetah's fire?"

Damian snorted. "Neither of you was in any real danger. Kent would've grabbed the bullet headed for you, and she could easily have caught the one targeting her."

A quiet voice stopped their argument short.

"You first met when the Batwing was shot down and nearly crashed into the Washington Monument."

Three pairs of eyes snapped to the quiet teen sitting on the cot.

"Mom scolded Dad for being so reckless when she pulled him out of the cockpit." Jason's lips twitched with a nostalgic smile. "He threw her a smirk when she tossed an alien ship into the pillars of the Lincoln Memorial not an hour later."

Bruce blinked and eyed him curiously.

"Their first date was all over Gotham; he practically gave her a tour of the city's high life. The second ended in a local pizza joint on 13th Street." His smile faded a bit. "He threw her out of his life when she found out who he was." Jason looked up just enough to catch Bruce's eye. "It was the first time you ever admitted to being scared when Gotham was under siege and she showed up to help you anyway. She dueled Talia al Ghul for you and won, overcame having her powers stripped by the very gods who bestowed them, and helped you and the League save a whole other world from tearing itself apart.

"You proposed to her in a hospital bed, while she was comatose and Scarecrow laid waste to the city; left the ring on the table as a promise to be there when she was ready. You didn't know until after the crisis was over that she'd heard every word." Jason smiled wider. "And you only found out because when you walked through the door, she was wearing that ring on her finger." He gulped hard as memories came rushing through his head like a flood. "You sang jazz to break a curse on her," his gaze turned to his mother, "and you fought one of your own sisters to save him from a male-targeting neurovirus."

Jason looked at both of them, back and forth, his gaze eventually settling on Robin. "I know my parents like I know my own name…just like I know yours, Damian." His head shook. "I'm not a plant, and I'm not a lie." He frowned deeply. "Just trying not to break reality."

Bruce ran a hand over his face and sighed hard. "And while we appreciate that, the very fact that you're even here presents a significant problem."

"I know."

Diana's lips pursed. "Why are you here? And what does it have to do with Cheetah?"

Jason gulped hard. "In…in the future…the time I came from…" he looked between them, "you're both dead."

They stopped short, speechless. He picked up the slack.

"Murdered."

Diana blinked. "By Cheetah."

He bowed his head and nodded slowly.

"And you thought if you could kill her before that happened—" Bruce began.

"I know, I know, manipulating the timeline for personal gain—"

"Never ends well," Diana interrupted. "Just ask Barry Allen."

Jason snorted derisively. "I did, and he said I should do it."

Bruce scowled. "I seriously doubt it, considering what he went through after Flashpoint."

Jason's jaw tightened as he looked away. "I couldn't do nothing."

"I understand that urge, that thirst for vengeance. But even if you had succeeded, you would've lost in the end."

He huffed. "Nonsense. You'd still be alive."

"But you wouldn't," said Diana. Her head shook, eyebrows knitted in concern. "At least, not this version of you."

Jason smiled sardonically. "Perfect then. You both get to live, and you never see a timeline where your son grows up to become a murderer. It's a win-win."

"Jason," Bruce scolded.

He shot to his feet, blue eyes blazing furiously. "I did not come all this way to give up now!"

Diana stood with him, a calming hand on his arm. "Then don't."

Every Wayne in the room stared at her in confusion.

She frowned. "But resorting to cold-blooded murder is not the way. If our survival means sacrificing a part of your soul, it simply isn't worth it."

Jason's jaw tightened visibly. "It is to me."

She put a hand on his cheek, smiling warmly. "I know it feels that way. I've stood where you stand more times than I can count. But it isn't just you who will be affected if you go through with this."

Bruce stood up on his left. "She's right. If and when you're born, we'll never be able to look at you the same way. Every memory we have will be tainted by what you became."

Jason stared at them, slowly turning his head to look back at an intently watching Damian.

A cold, detached voice accompanied agonized pants as a perpetual drip sounded in the background. "Tell me, on a scale of one to ten, how much does this hurt?"

Manic, incoherent screams answered.

The cold voice continued. "Excellent. Now, this next part is very important." A few clicks sounded before he continued. "When I do this—"

The screams returned, twice as loud as before. The cold voice became hard and laced with venom.

"—can you still laugh?"

Jason blinked hard and shook himself off before turning to face his parents' eager stares. With a small sigh, he calmed himself and nodded. "Fine. I'll find another way."

Diana smiled. "Better."

Bruce's lips pursed as he threw her a sideways look, a telltale sign that they'd be having a separate conversation in private. His focus returned to Jason a moment later. "In the meantime, I think it's for the best if you stay out of sight as much as possible."

He arched an eyebrow. "You want me to stay down here?"

"He means out of the public eye," Damian explained. "Did the same thing to me when I first came to live here."

Jason blinked. "Oh. Then…guest room?"

Bruce quirked a small smile. "I'll have Alfred make it up while we grab something from the kitchen."

Diana threw an arm around his shoulders as they escorted him toward the elevator. "With all the running around you've been doing tonight, I'm willing to bet you've built up quite the appetite."

A fierce rumble from his stomach answered before he could.

At that, Diana laughed, Damian rolled his eyes, Bruce smirked, and Jason turned beet-red before smiling. Throughout their journey to the elevator—and a change of clothes—Jason's eyes kept dragging themselves back to Damian, a frown fighting for control of his features. His periodic gazes did not go unnoticed, either by the subject, or the man who fathered both of them.

…

"So…this is just about the weirdest family meeting ever. Even weirder than the one that brought you home. Sorry, Dami. I know you wanted to hold onto that one."

Damian's reply of, "Shut up, Drake," was uttered through clenched teeth and brought a chuckle to two of the older "kids" in the room.

Diana smiled at their antics, Tim kept grinning at having pushed Damian's buttons, and Bruce just pinched the bridge of his nose to stave off his growing headache. While Tim and Damian were going at it, and Dick was sending Bruce silent (grinning) reassurance from across the room, Jason looked Barbara up and down, his eyes settling on her legs.

She caught him looking in her peripherals and smirked. "See something you like?"

"What?" He blinked and blushed, coughing awkwardly. "Uh, no. I'm just…uh, the brace?"

Barbara smiled ruefully. "Yeah, I won't be doing any ballroom dancing during the reception, but it's good enough for the basics."

Jason's head shook. "No, I mean, why aren't you using the Helix-5?"

Her red eyebrows shot up. "The what?"

"Proprietary spinal implant tech developed by Helix Dynamics, designed specifically to restore limb function to paralytics. It was their flagship product, and if my memory is correct—which it always is—they should've released the first prototype for human trials about…" he looked up in thought, "four, five months ago?"

She stared at him blankly.

He shrugged. "Just saying. You should check it out. Something to consider."

Barbara exchanged a dumbstruck look with Dick before returning her attention to Jason. "Thanks for the advice, kid; I'll give it a look."

"Sure," he replied awkwardly, returning his attention to the bickering match promptly ended by a stern word from Bruce.

All attention snapped to him and the woman reclining at his side.

"Thank you," he said. "Now, I called you all here to discuss the obvious elephant in the room. I'd like to introduce Jason Thomas Wayne, who'll be staying with us for a while."

"Well," Dick interrupted, "with you." He smirked. "Some of us have actual jobs, Bruce."

"Of course," he replied, unfazed. "As most of you would already have guessed, he isn't exactly from here—meaning he isn't from this time. As of right now, it's been deemed too hazardous to send him back, which means we need to establish him in the here and now." His eyes shifted to Barbara's chair. "Oracle, I'd appreciate it if you could—"

"Fabricate a birth certificate and proof of citizenship, got it."

"With a very specific story to go with it." Bruce glanced at his fiancé, who nodded to him. "Diana and I have been discussing the specifics, which still need some ironing out, but once we have all our facts straight—hopefully by the end of the week—I will be unveiling to the press the newest member of the Wayne family."

"A week?" asked Damian.

Oracle shrugged. "It'll take half that time to put together a fake profile for him."

He arched a black eyebrow. "It took father several months to acknowledge me publicly."

Bruce's eyes darkened. "Lessons learned, Damian." His attention shifted back to Jason. "Do you have any input you'd like to add?"

He just stared at Bruce dumbstruck. "I—what? I barge into your lives from almost two decades into the future, and two hours and one conversation later…that's it? You just let me stay?"

Damian's muttered, "My sentiments exactly," was not as subtle as he thought it was.

"Right or wrong, you're here now," Diana replied, "and you've made it very clear you have no intentions of returning anytime soon. You saved our lives tonight, and you are our family."

Bruce took her hand in a show of solidarity. "It's the least we can do."

Overwhelmed, Jason gulped and nodded, staring at the portrait of Martha and Thomas Wayne on the far wall. Alfred came in while he was lost in thought, catching Bruce and Diana's attention with the logistics of Jason's sleeping arrangements. The others, with the exception of Damian, scooched closer to him to talk.

"I gotta know," said Tim, "how did they pick your name?"

"Thomas is a pretty clear reference to Bruce's dad," Dick chimed in, "but Jason? Like, Jason of the Argonauts?"

Jason smirked. "That was what Mom always said, though…" his head shook slightly, "I never really bought that." His eyes turned to Bruce and Diana and focused on their linked hands. His lips turned in a small frown. "A part of me always figured they named me after the son they lost."

A sobered silence fell over the three around him, Dick especially morose.

Jason smiled and shook his head. "Aaand look at me. Already bringing down the mood."

"You said they lost him," Dick interrupted, tone intent. "Do you mean…they lost him again, or…"

Jason's head shook. "The once was enough. By now you all know he came back, but he came back…different." He smirked and leaned back on his hands. "He mellowed out over the years…" a shrug, "eventually." He chuckled softly. "Though he's still kinda like the weird cousin everyone loves but no one likes to talk about."

That got a small laugh from the trio. Damian had long abandoned conversation for one of the thick books that lined the walls of the study. Jason eyed him intently, gaze shifting over his features as if searching for something.

No screams had sounded through the chamber for almost twelve full hours, only low, despairing moans of pain. The slap of a glove against flesh caused a crack that broke the silence.

"Broken already?" asked the cold voice. "Honestly, I expected more of you. Not sure why. You were never anything but a deranged sadist, a coward who had no power but manipulation."

The moaning victim made no reply, nor had he for weeks.

"Batman's greatest mistake was ever showing you mercy. This city needs a better example."

A sickening crack echoed against the backdrop of dripping water.

"Master Jason!"

Jason tensed and jumped in his seat, looking up at the portly British gentleman who had snapped him out of his thoughts. "Yes, sir?"

He arched a graying eyebrow. "Sir?" Alfred cleared his throat. "Your bedroom has been made up and is ready for you at any time."

"Um, thank you." Jason cleared his throat and stood up slowly.

Dick rose with him. "Leaving already?"

"I uh…yeah." His lips pursed, eyes briefly darting to Damian again. "Not that I don't appreciate the warm welcome, but after everything that's happened tonight, I'm not exactly in the mood to play twenty questions."

Barbara stood with Tim's help. "Understandable. You and I can go over the details of your cover tomorrow morning when you're ready."

He just nodded and waved goodbye to the rest of them, following Alfred upstairs to the residential suites. The butler escorted him to a door made of ebony wood, and his jaw dropped slightly as Alfred turned the knob and opened it. Jason stepped through slowly, huffing a small laugh when he saw the extravagant furnishings, complete with a wall-mounted TV and walk-in wardrobe.

"Just like I remember," he said in a near-whisper. Jason smirked, raising his hands to frame an empty space on the far wall. "Just need to mount an obsidian block right there and I'll be all set."

"Obsidian, sir?"

Jason smiled and shook his head. "Long story." He turned to the older man. "Thank you, Alfred."

He gave Jason a small bow. "I live to serve, Master Jason. The washroom is—"

"A left down the hall, I remember."

"I've set out the requisite toiletries for you to take care of business. If you need anything else, please do not hesitate to ask."

Jason smiled widely and nodded, standing there for a moment before pulling Alfred into a tight hug. Alfred froze up and awkwardly held him back until Jason pulled away.

"I missed you," was all Jason said.

Alfred blinked and hummed briefly. "Well, I won't be going anywhere, sir."

"Right," he replied with a nod and smile. "Good night, Al."

"Good night, young sir."

When the door finally closed, he turned toward the inside of his room, tossing one of the pillows over the other and falling face-first into the stack. He turned over and faced the ceiling with a deep frown and a hard sigh. His mind raced with the countless issues and implications of his continued sojourn in the past, and a long groan rumbled out of him while his palms jammed into his eyes.

"Jace, what the hell did you get yourself into?"

…

"I know what you're going to say."

Bruce arched an eyebrow at Diana's back as she donned a nightgown for bed. "Then I assume you have a counterargument prepared?"

She cast him a frown over her shoulder. "You know he won't back down. We've both seen that determined look in his eye."

He crossed his arms. "You could've tried a little harder to convince him."

Diana put her hands on her hips. "Would that have stopped you?"

Bruce blinked and sighed as he shuffled under the covers and stared at the ceiling. "Probably not, no."

She sank in next to him, laying her hand on his chest and head on his shoulder. "Even if we had managed to send him back to his own time, he would've found a way to come back."

"And had he tried to influence events he'd already engaged in, it would've created a temporal paradox that could warp reality itself." Bruce sighed, knowing she was right. A frown creased his lips. "Then there's his reason for coming in the first place."

Diana's lips pursed. "Yes. It sounds unlikely, to be sure, but I detected no deception from him."

"Neither did I. Still, for Cheetah to have gotten to both of us…"

"Makes no sense, I know. Even tonight, we could've matched her ourselves, easily. And I doubt you'd have slowed that much, even sixteen years down the line."

"But if he believes it, then he must have his reasons." He fell silent for a while. "Diana, I don't plan on dying anytime soon, but encouraging our future son to alter past events…" he sighed hard, "it goes against all of my instincts."

"His past is our future, Bruce. Besides, we both know time has its loopholes. Perhaps with a little more at his disposal, he might find one than can save us and preserve the timeline—without turning him into an assassin."

"Either way, this is going to be one hell of a chore to explain, to everyone."

Diana scooted down to look up at him, her chin planted in his pecs. "You plan on telling the rest of the League the whole story?"

Bruce winced. "Not sure. I can only imagine the lip I'll get from Clark and Barry."

She arched an eyebrow at him, a wry smile tugging at her lips. "Since when has the Batman run from an argument?"

He snorted. "Since my wedding was crashed by our own kid."

"Technically, that's Cheetah's fault." She curled her arms around him and cuddled tightly. "And this was just the rehearsal."

A sigh. "I know, but the closer we seem to get to the date, the more obstacles we seem to confront."

"Yeah…" she grinned and looked up at him, "maybe we should elope."

Bruce huffed a laugh. "I would if I didn't know how big of a gasket Alfred would blow."

Diana laughed and squeezed him a bit. "Now that's an argument I know you'd run from."

"Do you blame me?"

"Not a bit," she chuckled. "A lecture from that man could make Doomsday cry." They both fell quiet, sitting in darkened silence for a while before Diana's soft voice broke it. "Everything's going to be okay, Bruce."

She felt him smile against her forehead when he pressed his lips to her skin. "I've only ever believed that since I met you."

A profound warmth spread through her chest as she shuffled up to kiss him gently before returning to using him as a pillow and letting him stroke her hair to sleep.

…

"Date of birth?"

"April 1st."

Oracle stared at Jason over her glasses. "Seriously?"

He grinned and chuckled, leaning back in his seat. "From what Dad told me after the fact, that's exactly what Dick said."

Barbara's head shook as her fingers flew over the keyboard of a hi-tech laptop. She and Jason had been building his fabricated identity for the better part of two hours. According to his cover, Jason Thomas Wayne was the product of an old relationship sixteen years earlier, specifically with Diana Prince. Her public identity was well-known as an enigmatic foreigner who'd lived and traveled all over the world. That one of her residences coincided with Bruce's travel path during his years-long world tour would hardly be considered a stretch.

According to the story, Jason was conceived not long after they met and raised on foreign soil, outside the public eye to spare him the media circus that comes from being a Wayne. Bruce secretly supported him while visiting periodically—adding another explanation for his frequent foreign trips—and Diana raised him full-time. For the last few years, after Diana moved to Gotham, he was attending a boarding school in London to prepare him for his move to the city, which was scheduled to coincide with the wedding. He would be attending the Wayne Enterprises-funded Gotham Academy as soon as possible (much to his annoyance), and presumably be filled in on some of the ins and outs of the family business.

The only question now was whether he would be an active part of the other family business.

Wonder Woman and Batman operating out of the same city while Bruce and Diana were "going steady" was enough of a coincidence. Having a new member of the Bat Family arrive just as Jason was unveiled to the world would only add more suspicion and attract more theories. Thus far, he hadn't expressed an opinion on joining the "team" one way or another. Considering the specificity of his mission, it seemed at first glance that his intention was to limit his footprint on the timeline as much as possible. Although, having him take a public role as a Wayne family heir would certainly seem to contradict that. Still, with all the media attention constantly surrounding Bruce and Diana, not to mention the circus of their wedding, keeping him hidden indefinitely would be all but impossible without sending him somewhere outside Gotham City.

And Bruce had no intention of letting Jason out of his sight.

Jason was at least trying to think of other ways to fulfill his mission. Apart from permanently eliminating the threat of Cheetah, he couldn't see many options that would assure his victory. The only other alternative he could think of off the top of his head was waiting until the very day they were fated to die and intervening. However, that raised a slew of other variables and uncertainties that made him ever more nervous. Most prominently, just how much of a difference he could make if Cheetah had grown crafty and powerful enough to take out the Batman and Wonder Woman…at the same time. That was the primary reason he hadn't designated that night as his destination for the time jump. At any rate, should he have to wait that long, he would have sixteen years to figure it out.

"All right, finishing touches are just about…done." Barbara looked up from her laptop to nod at Jason while handing him the computer. "Give it a last once-over."

He accepted it and furrowed his eyebrows in concentration as he read through the profile she'd constructed. Jason's eyebrows steadily hiked upward the more he read, his fast-moving mind processing the construct at about four times the rate of a normal human thanks to his inherited abilities from both sides of the gene pool. Oracle had been extremely thorough in making him a "real" person on paper and online. Though he'd expected nothing less from this time's premier information broker and hacker. He looked up at her after finishing with a small nod.

"Looks good."

Barbara smiled. "Still got it. I'll give Bruce and Di one last look, then get to setting it up."

"Thanks."

She started to wheel away, but stopped short and looked over her shoulder at him. "Must be weird, living in this time."

He shrugged. "Not really. Gotham doesn't change much in sixteen years. Wayne Manor is still too large and empty, criminals are still superstitious and cowardly, and most people are still stupid."

Barbara arched an eyebrow and shook her head with a huff. "And there's the cynical Wayne paradigm we all know and love."

Another shrug. "Just pointing out the relative facts of the matter. We're the best in the business because we're a cut above the rest. No shame in acknowledging that."

She tilted her head in acknowledgment. "Yet it's just as important to understand your limitations."

Jason leaned back on his hands. "Something that's as-yet undetermined."

"That right?"

He smirked. "I guess we both have a lot to learn about me."

"Hm. I'll be right back."

"'Kay."

Jason leaned back in his seat, grabbing a nearby tablet and scrolling through the news feed of the social media account Oracle had set up for him. In an attempt to be better apprised of the goings on around the world in this time, he had insisted on being connected to national newsfeeds and global trends. Any one of them could provide him with the loophole he needed to save his parents…or lessen his stress a bit. A small smile tugged at his lips as he scrolled past a puppy howling at his owners as if speaking, his finely-tuned ears picking up nearly silent footsteps from behind. He waited for them to get closer before verbally confirming the identity he suspected.

"Morning, Damian."

His steps stopped short for a moment before he kept moving and seated himself in an armchair across from Jason. "How did you know?" he asked with absent curiosity.

Jason blinked as he kept reading his tablet. "Your stride hasn't changed in sixteen years."

"Hm."

Damian was silent a while, but Jason could feel his eyes on him.

"We have history together in your time," Damian stated blankly.

Jason looked up at him with a wry smile. "We grew up together, so yeah." His head tilted. "Or, well, I grew up around you, at least. The age difference kinda prevented us from technically growing up together, if you get my drift."

"I do." Damian's green eyes narrowed at him. "Though I actually meant we have bad history together."

Jason blinked slowly and met his gaze coolly. "We have our disagreements, like all brothers." His eyes narrowed just slightly. "Some more vehement than others."

Damian kept on staring, arms crossed. "You don't trust me."

"Seems to be part of the Wayne family inheritance."

He smirked. "That makes two of us then."

Diana's entry broke up their staring contest as she made her way toward the pair. "You two getting along?"

"Well he hasn't started swinging at me yet," Damian replied.

"And he hasn't tried to strangle me again," Jason countered.

"You mean last night with the Lasso?" The green-eyed teen flashed him a devilish smile. "Trust me, if I'd been trying to strangle you, you'd have known."

He crossed his arms defensively. "If you'd been trying to strangle me, you'd be eating through a straw."

A hard sigh snapped both of their attentions to Diana, who was looking down at them with a scolding air, hands on her hips.

Jason cleared his throat. "Point made."

She shook her head in exasperation. "Do I need to put you two in time out?"

"No," Damian replied dismissively, "I got all the answers I needed." He stopped on his way out to fix Jason with an appraising look. "I sincerely hope you enjoy your stay, however brief it may be."

"Much appreciated," Jason replied with about as much enthusiasm as a sloth.

They shared one last look before Damian left the study and the time traveler alone with his mother. Jason felt more than heard her sit on the arm of his chair.

"…I'm used to him being…older," Jason admitted. "Though he's still as prickly as always."

Diana's lips pursed tightly. "Damian is a…challenging person to get to know. He was already Robin when I came to live with Bruce and…did not take the change well. It took him a long time to open up to me, but he did." She nudged his shoulder. "He will to you too. You'll see."

"My mother." Jason smirked and shook his head. "Ever the optimist. I guess some things about you don't change either." He chuckled and looked up at her. "Actually, there's almost nothing that changes about you. Certainly not your appearance."

She smiled. "One of the few perks of immortality." A sad undercurrent laced her smile.

"There's a look I know well."

Diana stared at him blankly.

"It takes you almost thirteen years to come to terms with Dad's mortality."

"But…I do?"

He smiled comfortingly. "Eventually, yes."

She frowned and nodded slowly. "I actually came in here to ask if you wanted to take a look at the school you'll be attending."

He arched an eyebrow. "Like, a tour?"

"Yes." Diana stood. "You game?"

Jason sighed hard and rolled his eyes as he rose from his seat. "Might as well. Better than hanging around with short, dark, and brooding."

Diana laughed. "Be nice."

He smiled and tagged along next to her as they made their way toward the front door, where a limo was waiting. Alfred opened the rear passenger door when they drew close, permitting Jason and Diana to join Bruce in the back. They exchanged a silent nod before Jason turned to face the window and stared out into the empty expanse of trees and clouds as they pulled away.

…

Jason had arrived on a Saturday night. With the speed of their adaptation to his presence, Bruce had managed to procure a tour of Gotham Academy while the campus was mostly empty. At present, the vice principal was ushering them from the classrooms to the open courtyard that served as both entrance and nexus to the rest of campus. The VP, a balding man with soft eyes, was explaining the quality of the Academy's intermural sports and the opportunities that would be available to Jason with his family's "resources." He couldn't possibly have cared less but politely smiled and nodded along.

Their tour guide had no idea who he really was, aside from the fact that his first name was Jason and he was an honored guest of the Waynes. Bruce had made sure he wouldn't ask too many questions to avoid having a leak before they were ready to break the story their way.

They made their way to the gym, which contained an Olympic-sized pool and various other amenities that only Wayne money could pay for—and usually only Wayne money could afford to use. However, Bruce had ensured for years that the school maintained a generous scholarship fund complete with outreach to lower-income sections of the city and underprivileged students who showed potential. It was a few of these who occupied the halls and were sorting out flotsam in their lockers when the VP showed Jason the setups he could use. One group of girls spotted them and looked over curiously before returning to their hushed conversation.

Jason squinted at them when he saw one, a petite older blonde with puffy eyes and running makeup. The other two didn't seem to be antagonizing her, so he figured their topic of conversation must have been the stressor. She caught sight of his perusal and excused herself from her friends to amble down another hallway. Seeing that the VP was in an intent conversation with his parents and that all three of them were distracted, Jason slipped away quiet as a mouse and followed her, finding the girl with her face buried in her locker, hurriedly and aimlessly shuffling around its contents as if in a daze. She was crying openly now, her shoulders shaking with quiet sobs his ears picked up when he got closer.

"Hello?"

She jumped and whirled to face him, eyes wide and body tense.

Jason waved at her nonthreateningly. "Hi. Sorry, didn't meant to startle you."

The girl gulped and began wiping at her running makeup. "Sorry."

He shrugged and drew a few steps closer. "For what?"

She glanced over at him and huffed. "No one wants to see a crying girl."

Jason frowned. "Correction, no one likes to see a girl cry." He smiled a bit and laid on a pinch of the old Wayne charm. "Especially not the pretty ones."

She gave him a disbelieving "really?" look, her streaked makeup forgotten in her incredulity. "Are you serious?"

He grinned. "Got you to stop crying, didn't it?"

The girl huffed and rolled her eyes, cracking a small smile. "I'm Stephanie." She held out her hand. "Stephanie Brown."

His eyes widened slightly before he took it firmly, applying gentle pressure. "Jason."

She arched a blonde eyebrow. "Jason…"

"Prince," he added, thinking quickly.

Stephanie nodded and shook his hand. "Quite a grip you got there."

"I like to keep in shape. Prevents you from becoming a target."

She snorted. "You sound like you have some experience."

Jason shrugged. "Maybe a pinch. You?"

Stephanie turned back to her locker and began sorting out the mess she'd made. "You could say that."

He jerked a thumb at the hallway she'd just left. "Not from those two, I hope."

She blinked and looked over her shoulder at him. "Ash and Gail? Hell no. They're the nicest rich kids I know."

Jason chuckled. His smile slowly turned to a frown. "Then why were you so upset?" He paused for a moment, seeing her tense. "If you don't mind me asking."

Steph shot him a look, glancing down sheepishly. "Look, I appreciate the pick-me-up, but I'm already in a relationship…" she chewed her lower lip, "kind of."

He held his hands up and barely held back a smirk. "I understand completely. That's about the last thing on my mind right now. I just—"

"Hate to see pretty girls cry?"

Jason smiled. "Pretty much."

She ran a hand through her hair in thought before sighing hard. "It's…this one friend I have, her name's Lindsey. I'm worried about her. She hasn't shown up at school in days."

He frowned. "By your tone, I'm guessing that's unlike her."

"Very. She's not exactly a straight-A student, but she works her ass off, pardon my French."

"You're excused. Any idea where she might be?"

Steph shook her head. "None. Her parents don't know either—well, foster parents, that is."

His brows furrowed. "She's an orphan?"

Another head shake. "Not exactly. Her birth parents…" a sigh, "ugh, why am I even talking to you about this?"

"Because I'm good with words and I might be able to help."

She crossed her arms. "You? Help how?"

Jason let a smirk play over his lips. "Let's just say if I don't make it to the top of that list of nicest rich kids you know, I'll definitely be top five when we're done." His expression sharpened. "I have resources, and scavenger hunts were always my strong suit."

Her lips pursed tightly as she thought about it, eventually opening her mouth to reply when a feminine voice from behind him cut her off.

"Jason!"

He whirled around to face his approaching parents. He gave them and the VP a nod. "'Sup?"

"You left without a word," Bruce pointed out, his eyes drifting to Stephanie with the same look of recognition Jason had suppressed a minute earlier. "And made a new friend."

When Jason turned back to her, she was staring at him slack-jawed and looking between him and his mother. "Prince. As in that Prince."

Jason smiled wryly. "You know my mother?"

Stephanie glanced rapidly between him and Bruce, who was giving her the deadest stare. "Well…I don't think I could forget Bruce Wayne's fiancé. Her face has been all over the news for months."

Diana smiled at her warmly. "Always happy to meet an admirer."

Stephanie looked back at Jason, who was vainly trying to suppress a gigantic teasing grin. It was at this point that Bruce took pity on her and excused himself and the VP to finally allow them to speak freely.

"You—you're—" Stephanie sputtered.

"I'm sorry," Jason chuckled. "The opportunity to mess with you was too good to pass up."

Diana gave him a mildly scolding look before returning her attention to Stephanie. "Ms. Brown. Good to see you again."

She frowned, looking between the two in confusion. "How is it I never knew you had a kid?" she finally asked Diana.

Diana sighed hard. "That is a long, complicated story."

"And technically," Jason interrupted, "they had a kid."

Steph's visible confusion practically tripled.

"Jason," Diana scolded, "stop tormenting the poor girl."

"What?" he whined innocently.

Diana sighed hard. "Suffice to say, you'll be hearing a great many things in the media that will come as a shock in the next few days."

"And I'm guessing it won't be the whole story?" she asked.

"I'd be happy to explain it if you can find the time to visit the manor, but it isn't something to be discussed out in the open like this. Or over the phone."

Stephanie nodded. "I understand. Is Tim back yet?"

"He came for the rehearsal dinner last night."

"Yeah, I heard that was a bust."

Jason held up a hand. "I take partial responsibility for that."

Stephanie eyed him curiously. "Anyway, I'll be there for the main event. Just with graduation coming up, senior year stress has been—"

Diana smiled and held up a hand. "Say no more. I think Tim will be all right as long as you make it."

"Seeing the big scary boss get married?" She smirked. "Oh, I wouldn't miss that for the world."

"Glad to hear it." Diana placed a hand on Jason's shoulder. "We should get going."

Jason hummed absently as they turned to leave Stephanie at her locker but looked over his shoulder with a frown and met her eyes. A small nod exchanged between them served as a silent promise to pick up their conversation again as soon as they got the chance.

"Did you know she would be here?"

Jason blinked and looked up at his mother at the question. "Who, Stephanie?"

"Mhm."

His head shook. "Didn't even recognize her at first. She looks…different in my time. A little less blonde…and a few more stretch marks."

Diana shot him a look.

Jason chuckled. "Suffice to say she and Tim have a very fruitful future ahead of them."

…

Jason spent the last bright hours of the day catching up on what he'd be studying come Monday. He was both pleasantly and unpleasantly surprised to find it was old material he could do in his sleep. Unpleasantly due to the fact that it would leave him with hours and hours of free time at school and nothing to do with it; pleasantly due to the fact that the free time he did have at home could be put to better use finding a way to fulfill his mission. Still, the more he thought about school, the more his mind kept drifting back to Stephanie and the friend she mentioned. Frowning hard, he closed down his tablet and stared at the ceiling of his room as he tried to quiet his mind.

I'm not here to sightsee, or to save the world. Mom and Dad are all that matters; everything else is just background noise.

But was it? The more he tried not to think, the more memories came rushing back to him.

…

"Why do you patrol every night?"

"Because trouble could strike at any time and waiting for it to happen puts more lives at risk."

"But…isn't that what the police are for? Dami says the Batman should focus on the threats they aren't equipped to handle."

"…your brother is entitled to his opinion, but I've learned over the years that looking solely at the 'big picture' is a mistake in the long run. Overlook the small things, the small people, and you'll miss something important. Something that could be devastating later down the line. But beyond that, my father taught me that everyone is important to someone. Even the smallest kindness you do for a stranger could change their entire life. A man you save from a mugger in a back alley today could become a leader in social change tomorrow. Or a woman you pull out of a fire could develop the cure for a dreaded disease.

"Weighty cause and effect aren't limited to the threats that parade around in costumes. And even if the person you help doesn't go on to do something world-changing, their life still matters. Everyone matters."

"You can't save everyone, Dad."

A hard sigh. "I know, Jason. But when it comes to being the Batman, failure is never an excuse not to try."

…

Jason sighed hard as his eyes slipped shut, stinging with unshed tears.

Even after the fact, you're still lecturing me. Damn you, Dad.

Another hard sigh passed his lips before he rolled over in bed and picked up his new phone. His fingers flew over the screen as he made a call, waiting for a confused voice on the other end.

"Hello?"

"Stephanie, hi."

"Jason? How did you get this number?"

"…"

"…right. Dumb question. Why the call?"

Jason's lips pursed tightly as he plugged in headphones while he activated his tablet and opened a notepad. "I want you to tell me everything you know about Lindsey."

AN: This initial chapter was a little slow, but I'm trying to keep this moving as smoothly as I can. A lot of characters and context to establish before things really pick up. I kept ambling about, trying to figure out a good format for the day-to-day of the story and I think I hit on gold format-wise: case files. Investigations will serve as the backdrop for almost every story arc, classic Batman style. After all, he was trained by the best. Not much else to say on this chapter, so I'll let it speak for itself.

Drake out.