The following morning Conner heard knocking on the bedroom door. He nearly forgot he was not at Mt. Justice.

"What!" He shouted to the person knocking nonstop on the wood.

Once the door popped open Dick announced. "Hey Conner, Bruce said to get up and head to breakfast. Then hit the training room after that."

Groaning the young superhero climbed out of bed and changed into a black t-shirt and blue jeans. He didn't like waking up early but he knew he had to. Making Batman mad was bad enough, he didn't want to find out the consequences of making his alter-ego mad. Dick had left shortly after seeing that Conner was getting up. Conner's thoughts drifted to the younger boy, the kid had a difficult start in life. Like himself, he had once been alone in this world. Granted that didn't last long but still it was something in common.

He was grateful for his good memory as he walked through the manor on his own this time. He looked around at the statues, pictures of Bruce's family along with old expensive looking paintings. He nearly passed the dining room as he looked up at the chandeliers that lined the high ceiling. Bruce was sitting at the head of a very long table with Dick sitting on one side and an empty spot on the other.

Bruce smiled at the boy when he entered the room. "Good morning, I trust you slept well?"

Conner nodded as he took his seat at the table, Bruce knew from the times of having Clark over that the boy was most likely going to carry on one-sided conversations this early in the morning. Like father like son neither did mornings.

Alfred brought in the morning newspaper as he set down two cups of steaming hot chocolate for the boys and a cup of coffee for Bruce. Conner looked at his cup curiously as Dick blew on his to cool it off. He followed the motion but didn't take a drink yet. He tried to make sure he didn't blow the contents of the mug all over Dick with his powerful lungs as he blew.

"How are you this morning Master Conner?" Alfred asked with a smile.

Conner looked into his cup curiously again before saying with a grumpy voice. "Just fine, thank you. What is this?" He asked smelling the contents of the mug.

They didn't ever have hot chocolate at the mountain so Conner had never seen it or smelled it before. Dick spoke up at Alfred's confused look. "It's hot chocolate, you'll like it. You like chocolate milk so you will like this. Think of it as hot milk with chocolate in it, Alfred makes the best."

Giving the cup a cautious look he softly blew on it to cool it down some more before taking a sip. "Hmm, this is pretty good. Thank you, Alfred."

Smiling Alfred told him pleased. "Your very welcome young sir. I shall have breakfast out shortly. Is there anything in particular that you like Master Conner?"

Shrugging Conner told him. "Normally I just have whatever the others are having, most of the time it's cold cereal or whatever concoction that M'gann came up with that she managed to burn."

Nodding in understanding Alfred told him. "I see, well you are in for a treat today then. I shall return shortly."

Conner was not used to being waited on, and he was definitely not used to a good hot breakfast. Bruce spoke from behind the newspaper. "Looks like there was a breakout at Arkham last night."

Groaning Dick asked. "Who this time?"

Conner frowned as he listened. "Joker again, I wish they would do a better job at keeping an eye on him," Bruce told his son.

"So I guess I know who we are going after tonight," Dick told his father.

Nodding Bruce continued to read, after a moment Bruce told his son. "Dick, when we go out, wear your long green tights instead of your shorts. We are expecting colder weather tonight."

Saluting his father over his breakfast Dick made no reply verbally as he continued eating.

Conner asked curiously after the exchange. "So who's Joker?"

Dick explained. "It's one of the super villains here in Gotham, he's a real mad man. We arrest him almost on a weekly basis, the police keep sending him back to the insane asylum but he keeps breaking out. In my opinion, they need to just chain him to the freakin wall! Never underestimate him, he is tricky. Remember those rules I told you about back at the mountain, they will be enforced big time tonight. I am not allowed out of earshot when it comes to Joker."

Bruce had looked over at Conner and noticed a questioning look in the boy's eye. "Joker has kidnapped him before, tortured him for hours before I could find him. With his acrobatic skills, I thought he would do fine on his own... I nearly lost him that night because even I underestimated that mad man. Dick's not complaining about that rule, he knows what can or will happen if he gets captured."

Dick snorted and told Bruce. "It was only 45 minutes! How did you come up with hours!"

Bruce sent him a look before answering. "You will be a father one day Dick Grayson, and I pray that you never have to find out what it's like to have your son missing for 45 minutes and not know where he is. And remember you were only just 10 at the time, I was still battling the Justice League to keep you going as a vigilante."

"Wasn't that when Superman found out about me being Robin?" Dick asked.

"Yes, he knew you only as Dick before, I thought he was going to fry me when he found out I was allowing a child to go out into the field. I kept reminding him how old he and I both were when we started out but he through back that you were not even a teen yet. I won in the end but still, the point is that arrogant bastard needs to learn that I know what's best for my own son." Bruce said hotly.

Conner fought not to laugh at Bruce's words about Superman. He took a drink of his now cooling hot chocolate to hid an amused grin that had formed on his face. Bruce glanced over and saw the boys amusement.

"Find that funny Conner?" Bruce asked with humor in his voice.

Conner almost didn't trust his own voice to respond. "Just a little, has he always been like this Bruce? Cold and uncaring?"

Bruce wanted to tell the boy no, but something in the boy's face made him rethink the question. In the past several months Superman has been nothing but cold to the boy, hateful even.

"To be completely honest, no... I don't know what exactly is going through that man's mind half the time. He was cold towards me for the longest time when we first met, although trust was the biggest issue between us. Still is on occasion, I can understand somewhat why he is so cautious with the world. He was bullied when he was your age, kids teased him because he had super strength and ripped his locker door of its hinges without meaning to. Or could run faster and jump higher than anyone. When we met I knew who he was even if he was in civilian form. I caught him changing once when I was in Metropolis on busyness as Bruce Wayne. I went and changed too when I saw he was actually losing a fight against his adversary. He couldn't decide if he wanted me to help or kick my butt, ignoring me for the most part he went about the fight.

We got into a heated argument that got me sent half way across town with only one punch. I figured out then that the Man of Steel had a temper from hell. He found me of course and literally through me back to Gotham. But when it happened that we were forced to team up again, this time in Gotham, things were different and he opened up slightly. Lex had exposed him to Kryptonite and he was very weak. Lex had injected him with liquid Kryptonite, so it took a while to work it out of his blood stream. I took him to the Batcave to try and help flush it out of his system, he figured out then if I wanted him dead I would have just left him there to die at the hands of Lex Luther."

Conner listened silently before asking. "Does he really hate me? Or is it like you said, he just doesn't trust me yet?"

Bruce folded his paper back up and laid it down beside his plate before answering. "I think it more has to do with trust than anything. I'm not sure how I would react if I was cloned and then faced with raising the clone in the end. I can't speak for him when it comes to that since I don't know how I would feel about it either."

"It's not like I asked for this to happen..." Conner told him softly.

"I know, but it will be alright," Bruce told him softly.

He studied Conner for several moments before Bruce asked him. "You're curious about my reasons for bringing you here."

Looking up he asked. "I thought only aliens could read minds?"

Dick laughed and said to his friend. "He's Batman! You can't hide anything from him!"

"There's that, and the fact that you mumbled the question. Superman isn't the only one with good hearing. You don't have to be from Krypton to have that ability." Bruce told him good-naturedly.

Taking a drink of his coffee he told the boy. "Conner, I brought you here to show Clark that he can trust you, if he sees that I trust someone then nine times out of ten he will trust that person too. I have fought with him for months and I was running out of ideas. There really is a mission, and we are leaving in a week for Rome. But I want Clark to see that he has nothing to worry about. In the past we have not only become best friends, we are close to being brothers. Granted he's older than me, but only by a year, I think. I know we are very close in age. Or at least I think we are, he doesn't even know his age really, traveling from Krypton to Earth takes some time. And I am not sure how old he was when he arrived. I talked to his adopted parents a couple of times and they told me he looked about 2 or 3 years old when his ship crashed in their cornfield. We don't know how old he was when his planet was destroyed. He could have just been born for all we know.

Anyway, he has always had trouble with trust, anyone who has ever known him to have superpowers has tried to kill him. And learning he had a clone that was supposed to replace him... well that could hamper his judgment on trust somewhat. After eight months and you have not tried to hurt him, he has no reason to believe you will harm him at any point in time. He's being stubborn plain and simple. Or an arrogant jackass take your pick."

Both boys laughed at Bruce's last statement. Conner had to ask once he stopped laughing. "He's not coming with us is he?"

"I haven't decided yet, that was what I was talking to him about yesterday when I came to get you boys when he wouldn't allow you to leave. I told him if he chooses to tag along he pays his own way and the fact on a reporter's salary good luck with that. The fact I know how much he makes a month doesn't help his cause any. IF I choose to allow him to tag along I might not be that cruel and make him pay. But we will see, I can be a bit of an ass too if you tick me off enough times."

Alfred came in just then with breakfast, placing the plates in front of them. Conner looked down at his and asked. "What is this?"

Bruce gave Dick a questioning look but didn't ask as he replied to Conner. "They're waffles if you like something sweet then this is it."

Conner took a bite and his eyes immediately lit up. "Wow, those are good."

Dick smiled proudly and told him. "Told ya."

Breakfast was silent as the three ate, afterward, they went down to the Batcave for training. Bruce turned to the boys once they got to the bottom of the stairs. "Dick, go change. Conner follow me."

Dick ran to the changing room as Conner looked up at Bruce. "Where are we going?"

Grinning Bruce told him. "I have something to show you."

Leading the young man to the costume room Bruce hit a button on a panel and the hiss of a door revealed a version of the Superman costume.

"I had this made for you, it's like Supermans but with you in mind," Bruce explained softly.

Conner noticed first that the pants and shirt were connected like a jumpsuit and would allow him to move freely. The sleeves on the shirt were long and he noticed the straps on the back.

"What is this here?" Conner asked curiously.

Bruce told him. "That will enable you to glide through the air. Go put it on and I will show you how to use it."

Conner nodded and did as he was told. Once dressed he came back out in his new uniform. He wasn't uncomfortable at all, and it didn't feel much different than what he had been wearing before. Bruce looked the costume up and down and told the boy.

"Looks good on you. How does it feel?"

Conner looked down and told him. "Great. Fits real good."

Robin looked up at his father and asked. "So when do we go back to the mountain and get Wolf?"

Looking down at his protegee Batman asked him. "Who's Wolf?"

"My pet sir..." Conner replied back, eyes downcast.

Batman could sense the hurt in the boy's words. This animal meant the world to him, or he was his world as the case may very well be. Making up his mind quickly he replied back.

"Boys, we are going to be gone for almost 2 weeks, we can't take him with us, so, I will make you a deal. You two behave yourselves for the entire trip and the first thing we do when we get back will be to go to the mountain as a group and get him."

Conner's head snapped up and a wide smile was plastered on his face, Dick was equally excited. "Thank you! You won't regret this!"

Batman lets a small grin come to his serious face before saying. "Alright, see that I don't we will figure out living arrangements for him after training."

Conner, you need to aim lower! Dick concentrate on your opponent." Bruce stood on the edge of the mat while the boys were sparring. Conner kept trying to swing at Dick who kept doing leg sweeps to knock Conner on his butt, it was clear that the younger boy wasn't paying enough attention to what he was doing.

Conner could feel himself becoming frustrated at the younger boy, he threw his fist out just as kick came within range. Dick was glad he was wearing his armor because the next thing he knew he was flying into the far wall of the training room. Hitting the wall hard enough to knock the wind out of him he fell to the floor. Looking over where Conner stood he could see the guilt building up in his eyes.

Bruce raced to his son's side and asked. "Are you OK Dick?"

Unable to speak Dick nodded his head, after a second or two he managed to say. "Yea, I'm fine. Taken harder hits than that before."

Conner snapped out of his shock and walked slowly towards Dick. "I-I'm sorry... I didn't mean too..."

Bruce put his hand up and told the older teen. "It's alright Conner, he just got the wind knocked out of him. I saw what happened it was an accident."

Conner stepped back and told Bruce. "I am just going to cause everyone trouble. I shouldn't be here."

Standing up Bruce walked up to the teen and told him firmly. "Where is that hard headed, stubborn young man that I knew from the mountain? What has gotten into you? You're never negative, or at least not this bad. Dick will be fine, he just got the wind knocked out of him."

Dick's chest burned, he knew that his kevlar was protecting his chest but he knew he would have a wicked bruise in a couple of hours. He also knew a hit from Conner would be equivalent to a bullet hitting him so he wanted to spar safely. Right, about now he wished he had Kryptonite to weaken him. Once he got his wind back he looked up at his father and Conner. He could see the concern in Conner's face and could only imagine what the boy must the thinking.

Standing up on shaky legs Dick told him. "Conner, I'm fine. Come on, I'm ready for round two!"

Bruce turned then and told his son. "No, we are taking a break for a bit. We need to find a way to have the two of you train without any permanent damage happening."

The boys followed Bruce upstairs, no one said a word. Bruce was deep in thought about a solution to training Conner without injury to his opponent. He knew Kryptonite would kill him, no he needed to weaken him not hurt him. Once in the hall of the manor, he turned to the boys. "Go play a game or something for a while boys, I need to do some research."

Dick looked up at his father and asked. "Can I show him the grounds? Getting out in the sun for a while will help."

Bruce thought about it, he looked out the window and saw the bright yellow sun beaming in; it suddenly occurred to him.

"That's fine, but no sparring. Oh and Dick, make sure you bundle up the temperature has dropped somewhat," Bruce told them. He turned and went down the hall to his study.

The boys took off for the front door, Bruce watched them turn the corner to the stairs. He knew they would be alright, but he needed to contact Superman. Boy Scout could drive him nuts sometimes but right now he needed his advice, hopefully, he would be willing to share information.

Digging out his cell phone he dialed his 'other' partner in crime up. "Hey, I need to talk to you. I have some questions would you mind coming over?"

Within seconds, he could hear the clock move down the hall and footsteps coming his way. The study door opened to reveal Clark Kent standing there.

Bruce chuckled slightly at the fast response, Clark had not answered him on the phone but rather flew right over in his human guise.

Clark didn't seem angry or worried as he stepped into the room and took the offered seat across from Bruce.

"What's up? You never call me unless you need something." Bruce looked outside his study window at the clear blue sky and then back to his friend.

"Next to Kryptonite what was your second weakness?"

Clark gave him a strange look but answered. "Red Sun, why?"

Not answering the why part of the answer Bruce replied. "What does Red Sun do exactly?"

Not entirely sure of where this was going Clark humored his friend. "Well, I guess I am more human than Kryptonian. I can't fly, use my super strength, heat vision or anything else. I'm virtually powerless. But it doesn't hurt me. Why are you so curious Bruce?"

Bruce looked back outside and saw Conner hoisting Dick up to a tree branch and gave a small smile at how happy the boys seemed. Conner was letting his guard down to somewhat.

"Conner and Dick were sparring just a little while ago, there was an accident... Dick's alright but Conner knocked the wind out of him when he sent him flying into a wall. I hate to think of what could have happened if Dick had not been wearing his kevlar to protect his chest. He's going to have a bruise tomorrow if he doesn't already. But next time he may not be so lucky. I need to know how to teach Conner to fight without hurting someone. He felt so bad he I think he wanted me to send him back to the mountain but I refused. He needs to be trained, and guided."

Clark's eyes grew wide at what Bruce told him. "I'm glad Dick's alright, but what can I do? I don't want to train him..."

"I'm not asking you to damn it!" Bruce stood up then and faced the window watching Dick do flips off the tree and onto the ground using Conner as a spotter.

"You don't want the responsibility to be a mentor that's fine, but, I will not stand by and watch a child that needs guidance be neglected of such an obvious need." Bruce turned and gave his old friend the famous 'Bat-glare'.

Clark got the point and told him. "If you're so sure about this, then I think I know someone who has the technology to create a form of Red Sun. I will bring it to the cave, and help you set it up. But I'm still not sure about this Bruce..."

Shaking his head he motioned for his friend to come over to the window. "Does that look like a weapon to you? Something to fear?"

Clark got up from his seat and stood at the window looking out at the lawn of Wayne Manor. He saw Dick teaching Conner how to do flips off of the tree, due to Conner's strength there was a dent forming on the side of the old oak from the teen kicking off of it to flip in the air. As the two men watched the boys laugh and play around the tree Clark was seeing Conner in a different light somehow.

"You really trust him?" Clark asked without looking away from the scene.

Bruce turned to look at his friend and replied with a serious tone in his voice. "If I didn't, then I would not have brought him here, revealing mine and Robin's identities. I would not have offered to train him or even take him with me to Rome in a weeks time."

Clark glanced over at his friend and considered his words. "You're going to need an alibi for that, are you keeping his name Kent or faking it?"

"I'm adding a hyphen and adding Wayne to it," Bruce answered turning back to the window.

"Conner Kent-Wayne? Has a ring to it. But you will need a passport to take him out of the country. You can't fake that Bruce."

Bruce turned and sat back down. "I know, that's why we are leaving in a week and not immediately. I have to come up with some kind of background for him."

Clark gave him a smile and stood there facing Bruce. "Then why not say that he's my cousin, that he was abandoned by his parents and you found him while on a business trip out east. I was present when you adopted him and made him your son. With that story in mind let me worry about the passport I don't want anything looking fishy for you. People already suspect that I am Superman, the last thing they need is a multi-millionaire being Batman."

Bruce looked up at his old friend and told him. "You would do that for him?"

Clark looked back at the window then to Bruce again. "Not for him Bruce, for you. My opinion still stands that the boy is a ticking time bomb ready to go off. I can't get past that, maybe some day but not right now. I will also see what I can do about finding some sort of Red Sun to help with his training. You can yell at me all you like but it's not going to change my mind. Besides... I wouldn't be able to raise him properly. You have more experience in raising children."

"I have adopted only 1 child Clark, I find that to be hardly enough experience. I'm still learning every day. But I do see your point, but I have been thinking about something... you don't have to answer now. But you are technically Conner's father... Would you be willing to allow me to adopt him if this all works out in the end?"

Clark was stunned by his friend's request. "So this trip you're taking him on... is this a test to see how he would work out in your world? A test to see how he and Dick would work out as... as brothers?"

"In another word yes, that is exactly what I am doing. I have been watching him for some time now, he and Dick get along very well. The missions they have been on, Dick gets along better with him than Kid Flash when on missions. At the mountain, however, he is closer to Wallace then he is to Conner. I hoped by isolating Conner, by bringing him here I could see for myself Dick's true feelings for the older teen. I've watched them from the Watch Tower and they speak to each other but Wallace will distract Dick and lead him away before the boy gets two words in. Of course, Conner acts out when this happens so clearly the boy wants a friend, he wants to belong. That yearning is there, so I am just trying to let it happen naturally by not really forcing it. It may appear that way, but I am trying to not force the issue."

Clark considered his friend, his long time friend. They had known each other for years, he knew Bruce well enough to know that when he sees a child in need he wants to help right away. With only the child's best interest at heart. He knew he couldn't care for Conner the way he needed too, not financially or any other way.

"If it's my blessing that you're wanting then yes. You can adopt him, that is if this works out."

Bruce gave him a slight smile and told him. "Thank you..."

"Excuse me, sir, lunch will be ready within moments," Alfred said from the doorway. Looking at his watch it occurred to Bruce how late it was getting.

Alfred noticed Clark and asked. "Would you like to join us, Master Kent?"

Clark looked over at Bruce then back to Alfred. "Sure, but I can't stay long I have some work I have to get done today."

Smiling Alfred replied. "Very well sir." and left the men alone in the study. Bruce stood up and opened the study window the cool afternoon breeze rushed passed him.

"Richard! Conner! About time for lunch come on back in and get ready!" Bruce told them.

Both boys looked up at them, he lowered his voice when he noticed Conner flinch. Bruce looked back at Clark and said. "Forgot about the super-hearing..."

Clark chuckled and told him. "You'll get used to it. You won't have to raise your voice around Dick anymore since you'll be having Conner around."

Bruce shut the window and the two men walked downstairs. They met the boys coming in the front door. Bruce told them. "Conner sorry for hurting your ears, I had forgotten you having super-hearing."

Conner gave him a half grin and replied. "It's OK. Dick told me you must have forgotten about it. I wish I could control it better, though. Last night I kept hearing water running in the pipes, and bats squeaking in the cave!"

Bruce looked over at Clark and told Conner. "I am sure that will come in time, now, you two go get washed up for lunch and meet back in the dining room."

Once they were gone Bruce asked. "How long does it take to control super-hearing?"

The men walked into the dining room and talked as they waited on the boys. "Well lets put it this way, I slept with earplugs in my ears for quite a while when I was Dick's age. I still didn't have full control even when I started college. So it takes a lot of time to control it, tell you what I will get some earplugs for him too. That should help him sleep at night and still be able to hear at normal levels at night in case there was an emergency."

Both men laughed as they took their seats, Bruce sat at the head of the table while Clark sat to his left. Clark and Bruce talked quietly while they waited on the boys. Bruce knew pretty much everything there was to know about his friend... But there were just some things he didn't know.

Dick and Conner were taking their time in the first-floor bathroom while they washed their hands and faces. "Why is Clark here?"

Dick shrugged and replied. "Heck if I know, I was outside with you."

"Should I use my super-hearing on them?" Conner asked softly.

"I wouldn't, Bruce doesn't like people to eavesdrop, and you can't control what your ears hear so don't do it on purpose or it will tick him off."

They were silent for a few moments before Conner asked. "You don't think they are fighting over me again do you?"

Dick dried his hands off on a towel while Conner took his turn washing his hands. "No, they looked like they were getting along. They have times where they fight but not all the time. Don't worry everything will be alright."

Both boys headed out to the dining room for lunch, they stopped in the doorway and watched the two men joke about something and laugh.

Bruce motioned for them to come on in the room. "Come on boys."

Alfred brought their lunch just then and they sat and ate in silence.

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