Bruce's inner Alfred began to prick him and he figured he really ought to attempt to explain something to Tim about this whole situation first. Just pounding up the stairs with an eight year old on his back could be a bit of a shock. Besides he felt guilty in that he would now with this restart be parenting totally differently and there was no time like the present to begin. He reached over and punched the com to Tim's room. It dawned on him that Tim would be able to see what was going on but Bruce did not care. It was high time Tim Drake Wayne met the real Bruce Wayne. He adjusted the blanket around Dick and was reassured that he was breathing. The process was not beginning yet, and he was grateful that right now there was no pain.
"Tim, I'm sorry I went off tonight."
Bruce chuckled as Tim was so shocked he sprayed Coke on the monitor and nearly choked on his Dorito. "What?" Tim gasped opened mouthed, wondering if an alien was invading Batman's brain again.
"You were right Kid, I was wrong. I did screw up, as you so nicely put it, but don't use that language with me again young man. You are better educated then that."
"I was right, you were wrong?" Tim stated in disbelief. Ok he now was pretty convinced that some alien was taking over Batman's mind but he was also cocky and eighteen and was not going to pass up an opportunity like this, especially one that may only come around once in a lifetime. Tim got a big, smug grin on his face. "Did I hear you right? I thought you said something about me being right and you being wrong?"
Bruce grinned which he noticed really floored Tim, he wondered if he could make Tim fall off his chair. "My bring right, not me being right. Yes, cheeky monkey, you heard it right. If you don't start watching your grammar, I am going to have Clark sit down and give you a nice lecture on the joys of proper sentence construction."
'I think I'll fight Mr. Freeze in Speedos instead, thank you." Tim could not believe it when Bruce laughed. "Would the alien inhabiting my father, please leave now. Though it has been fun."
"Actually, an alien presence is leaving my body and this is who I am."
"Say what? Ok, now you are entering the realm of maximum freaky, Twilight Zone stuff. Is this some joke? Did Dick put you up to this? Man, I know supergluing the wasteband of his underwear while he was showering was mean, but this is trippy revenge, even for him."
"No, he did not put me up to this. I have to say, super gluing the waistband was clever Tim, but those weren't his underwear! Next time, look at the size tags before applying it."
"Ah Oops?" Tim looked uncomfortable and fidgeted.
"Anyway, first I have some news that will shock you. Now I need you to be quiet and listen to everything first, alright?"
"Hey, I know how to keep my mouth closed."
He went on to tell Tim exactly what the monitor told him. He knew he had only given Alfred a nutshell version but with Tim's bright and inquisitive mind, he felt he deserved all the facts as Bruce knew them. He watched Tim as his face went through many different emotions, some of which Bruce did not register, realizing painfully that his had been in mothballs for so long he did not know them.
"So, let me make sure I got this. My brother as I know him is going to die. During this time he is going to like lie in state or something like that to be 'repurified' and then 24 hours after he dies he is going to wake up. He will still be my brother but he will be eight years old and grow up all over again. So know I get to be the big brother?"
"Pretty much. You left out the part about my getting younger and healthy again."
"Ah, Bruce, no offense but you're my Dad. Not a direct baring on the family pecking order there, not direct on my life here. See now a switch in one of our ages, changing the sibling pecking order, oh wow, big shift and MAJOR impact on my life. Now I get to suddenly in 24 hours move from being picked on to being the picker upon. YES I get the remote control now. WHOO HOO. No more awful, horrible, bad B movies. Thank you there is justice in the world!"
"Was being the little brother all that horrible? Was he that bad of a big brother?"
"I forget you were an only child. No, not really. Just one of the benefits of having a sibling is that you have an instant reason for someone to pity you. No, I like having a big brother. I am going to miss this one. Dick was always there for me, even when I didn't want him to be. He could pick me up like no one else or put me in my place when my head would get swelled. He would always listen to me bitch, and he always took as good as he gave. I am going to miss that. I hope I can have a chance to be a big brother to him that he was to me."
"You still have Jason and Damien also."
"Don't remind me. The unrepentant psycho killer and the Goth depressive, well I got my work cut out for me helping you to make sure Dick grows up normal. Though seriously if either of them messes with my little bro they are dead meat. Now seriously, what can I do to help. What about a room?"
"Room? I figured he would just have his regular room."
Tim got a funny look on his face. "I think I better call Clark and Conner to help, maybe Lois. Dad, take a quick look at Dick, does he look eight? Do you really want an eight year old growing up in a 22 year old man cave with a naked girlie calendar? Lois might have a better idea between her and Alfred."
"Leave them to the room." Bruce said with a grin remembering the calendar he had bought Dick as a joke between them. "You are closer to his age than Alfred, you and Conner go and find him some toys, and yes you two can get some for yourself. You can take the gold mastercard, though I have a line of credit at FAO Schwartz."
"WHAT?! Hello, have I died and gone to heaven? A credit line at the mecca of all toy places is so awesome. Yes, though I pity him, I will get him a couple of educational toys so as not to 'neglect the educational maturation of the young master'."
Bruce laughed to hear the near spot on impersonation of Alfred. "Make sure to get him some circus or farm toys, he likes those."
"What about clothes?"
"Alfred is already taking care of that."
"NO, Dad, you can not be serious. Please tell me you did not put him in charge of Dick's wardrobe?"
"He dressed him fine before."
"That was fourteen years ago and I kinda doubt he was all that great at it. Dad, you have just condemned my little bro to a school fate worse than death – life looking like a DORK. Please, just let Conner and I pick out a few cool threads for him so every day is not a complete living hell."
Bruce chuckled, "All right, you win. But just enough so Alfred doe not become suspicious. Check to see if they have those ones still with the matching animal tags to tell you what will look good with what. It made dressing him when Alfred was gone much simpler."
"GIR-ANIMALS? Dad, you are hopeless. Those went out of style mercifully so long ago we would have to go looking at second hand clothing and consignment stores. If you make me do that, I will let the paper know that I have been sent to buy the sole heir to the Wayne Fortune his school wardrobe from Good Will. The Press will love that. I also figured you would not be changing your will which I think is way cool and right. Also, between you and me, do the right thing and adopt him right away this time? Say I better go and call Con before Clark blows one. Also Dad, you might be about ready to start, Dick don't look so hot. Gir-animals, that does it, I am NOT moving to Metropolis. Otherwise Dick will be in Arkham before he's ten. Yo Con, you are never going to believe this. Yeah, well you know my brother, no not him the cool one." Tim flicked off the Com.
Bruce smoothed back the ebony curls and placed a gentle kiss on his forehead.
"Rest easy son. I love you and see you when we wake." Bruce leaned back, closed his eyes, and fell asleep.