Disclaimer: Don't own anything but the writing and some plot ideas.

BETAED by FATEISoverrated, because she has the patience to deal with my stories and and edit these monstrosities.

Meeting the Others

Taking Wally home was a whole other fiasco. Until the papers were signed, Bruce kept the entire story about his newest adoption hush hush. Everything took a little longer than expected, and he'd reached into the two week mark before he was able to take Wally home. He called Alfred after Iris said her good-byes to Wally and promised to come visit once her internship at GBS ended. Alfred took the news in stride, and went about preparing a new room close to Master Richard's. He'd vaguely informed Tim and Jason about the situation, before having to deal with paparazzi and going about getting Wally his things and doing all the adoption paperwork. It was only his experience with the system that made the process go by so quickly.

Wally had never been on a plane before. Despite his confusion, he'd leeched close to Bruce and followed him through the airport. The paparazzi had gotten a few pictures, but thankfully, Bruce had been holding Wally and the boy's face never made the papers. He didn't want his new youngest to be recognizable to Gotham's scum just yet. Aboard their private jet, Damian had fallen asleep for the three hour journey back to Gotham. Wally had sat patiently in his seat beside Bruce, but during the take-off, he'd whined about his ears hurting and Bruce let him out of the seat and onto his lap.

That's where Wally remained as he continued to color. The raggedy bear-toy of Wally's seen as much of a make-over as the boy himself. It was now stuffed properly and looked like a healthy bear toy, and to Bruce's horror, dressed in a Flash costume. It had a name now. Flash-Bear. Likewise, Wally had gotten his hair cut, and brand new clothing. He was dressed smartly in a green shirt with a puppy-face on it, and jeans, with his now shorter hair, cut with bangs that didn't get in his eyes. The boy looked twice as adorable from their first meeting, and the perfect face of a boy from a rich and healthy family, instead of a household of neglect.

"Mister Bruce," said the boy, looking up at Bruce finally after coloring for a bit.

Bruce had been studying Wally, trying to figure out why the boy was so comfortable around Bruce Wayne in their first real private interaction. All their interactions thus far had been colored by the uncomfortable presence of a social worker, which left Damian the job of interacting with Wally. Damian had been sold on the boy as soon as they'd gone into the clothing store and the boy had asked the clerk for a Nightwing shirt, 'Cause Nightwing helped the Flash so the Flash shirt needs a Nightwing shirt.' The minute the clerk said there was no Nightwing shirt, he asked Bruce for one. Alfred was sewing it five minutes after that demand.

He was hard pressed to say no to Wally. Much like Dick, Wally was open and adorable, but far more innocent. The abuse he'd witnessed hadn't gotten to that fragile and innocent center the boy had. All of Bruce's children had been tainted by darkness in their lives in one way or another. Wally had not. And Bruce inwardly promised to not let that happen to the boy.

"Mister Bruce," repeated the boy again, and Bruce realized he'd been lost in his thoughts.

"Yes Wally? And you don't have to say Mister, just call me Bruce," said the older man kindly.

"Er, this is going to sound weird and all, cause you talked different the first time we met, but why were you dressed weird and talking weird when you came to my house that night before the lady in the red suit took me away from daddy?" asked Wally.

Bruce gaped at the boy on the inside, his face blank otherwise. How had he connected Matches Malone to Bruce Wayne?! Nobody has ever done that before. Bruce was at a loss for words, as he struggled to find an appropriate answer to that question.

"How- Why do you think that was me?" asked Bruce, deciding denial was the easiest way out of this situation.

"Well, I didn't at first," said Wally solemnly, "But you guys feel kinda the same. You seem like the kind of guy who knows about carrot pulses and stuff, and I thought maybe you were that kind of guy. Plus, you and that guy were the only ones who've ever wanted me so I thought you were the same."

He looked so dejected and upset at that thought that Bruce awkwardly wrapped his arms around him. Five kids and he was still figuring out the basics of hugging. Six now. He sighed as he tried to answer that question.

"I was the same guy Wally," said Bruce softly, "And you can't tell people that, because I could get in trouble. But just because Matches Malone and Bruce Wayne are the same guy, and we both liked you, doesn't mean other people don't. Damian likes you. Iris likes you too. We want you in our lives, because we like you Wally."

Wally listened, a little confused. If Mister Bruce and Mister Matches liked him, why didn't his mommy? Why'd she go away? Why did his daddy think he was dumb? Would Mister Bruce eventually think he was dumb too? Would he give him away? What about all the new brothers? Damian said they were okay, but what if they didn't like him?

"Everything will be okay Wally, I promise," said Bruce in a soothing voice, and Wally found himself able to believe it for just that minute.

Back at Wayne Manor, the boys were restless as they waited for their father to bring home the newest addition to the Wayne family. Tim already stalked all the news outlets for pictures. Dick was super excited about having a little brother, contrary to everyone's expectations. He explained it by saying that he'd always been the littlest, so now he wanted to be the big brother.

Even Stephanie, Cass's best friend, came over for a bit of the day. She'd been bouncy and happy as she jumped around, regaling the world with stories about the streets of Gotham. But that wasn't distracting enough. She'd been gone for an hour now, unable to stay past her curfew of six o'clock. The group was waiting for Wally, who'd be home any minute now. Tim set an alarm. As soon as the door opened to the house, they'd jump Bruce to see Wally. But the wait was taking forever!

WHEE! WHEEE! WHEEEEE!

It rang through the house, a screechy sound. Tim disabled it with a click of his mouse, before running away from the computer to the front door. Dick has been waiting by the stairs, and the little acrobat flipped off the rails and raced ahead. Cass was downstairs, the smartest of them all, and in the kitchen with Alfred. She and Alfred were at the front door before anyone of them else.

"Where is he?!" yelled Dick, sounding all too much like the excited five year old he was.

"Cool your jets Dickie-bird," said Jason, as he slid down the banister of the steps, wearing only a pair of gym shorts and socks as he balanced his arms to the side, grinning before he flipped over the steps.

Through out his impressive manoeuvre, Tim had studied the newest member to the Wayne family. Wallace Rudolph West. The almost-four-year-old in Bruce Wayne's arms had stared at Jason in awe, his green eyes widening to the size of dinner plates. Tim expected a shy little boy with a beaten down ego, as per most abuse cases.

Instead, the first thing out of Wally's mouth was, "How'd he do that?"

"Years of training, Master Wallace," said Alfred, "Dinner is ready Master Bruce. Let us acquaint ourselves with our newest family member at the dinner table."

And like that, Wally ended up seated in a booster seat beside Dick at the dinner table. Cass was already swayed by the little boy's open demeanor and easy to read body language. He'd followed Jason to the table with an obvious worship in his eyes. Jason had crowed in delight. And now, at the dinner table, he was giggling away with Dick. They were talking about pranks Dick had pulled on Bruce and Jason and Damian.

Tim felt uncomfortable with the kid. It was standard protocol that the brothers didn't get along with every single one of them. Tim's mortal enemy was Damian and vice versa. Jason hated Tim until Dick came along. Damian hated all of them but Dick and Cass. Dick had a love-hate relationship with Jason. If Wally got along with all his brothers thus far, then it stood to reason that Wally and Tim wouldn't get along.

After dinner, Dick whisked Wally away to show him all his toys. A friendship and brotherhood that would be for the ages. Jason went with them, despite his claims that he wasn't a baby. Probably to continue showing off to the impressionable Wally. Damian hid himself in his room. Most likely to call Colin and brag about his mission. Or maybe he'd cave into his feelings and pour his heart out to Colin. But from Tim's observations, they'd get together around prom and Colin would be the one who ended up resolving their sexual tension.

Cass disappeared to call Steph and share all the details about her new baby brother. They'd talk for hours, leaving Tim alone. At least he'd be able to patrol tonight. He headed to his room and began to fiddle with his Robin gear. He was upgrading his bo staff to electrocute like a taser. Damian thought he was weak for even using the bo staff, but he liked it anyways. After about an hour of fiddling, there was a knock on his door.

"Who is it?" called Tim, though there was only a handful of people that knocked in this family. Bruce. Alfred. Cass.

"It's Dick and Wally!" called Dick.

Tim grunted and the two came in, looking flush and excited. They were already wearing matching pajamas, Dick's in blue and Wally's in green. They were even holding hands. Alfred would have lots of camera film to use on the newest dynamic duo in the house. With a wry smirk at the thought, Tim beckoned them inside.

"Whatcha doing- Tim?" asked Wally, hesitating and sending Dick a questioning look about the name. Dick beamed back, so Wally smiled widely.

"Working on my new staff," said Tim with a shrug, "It's not quite ready for patrol tonight."

"What's petrol?" asked Wally curiously, as Dick lead him over to Tim.

"Patrol," corrected Tim, "And it's when me and Bruce and Damian scour Gotham at nights."

"Why?" asked Wally, looking curiously at Tim and Dick.

"Cause that's what Batman and Robin do silly," said Dick with an air of all-knowingness to him.

"Be nice," said Tim absently, before pausing and glancing at Wally. From the way the boy's jaw dropped and the stare he was sending of absolute confusion, Tim realized what Dick didn't. Wally hadn't quite known that family secret just yet.

"Dick, go call dad," said Tim, pinching his nose as Wally began to ask questions at a mile a minute that Tim wasn't really paying attention to.

"Dad didn't tell him?" asked Dick, sounding confused, but at a second look from Tim, he was gone.

"Wally," said Tim, holding the boy's shoulders steady as he tried to figure out how to explain this, "Er- Surprise."

"What did he mean by Batman and Robin?! I thought Bruce was only Mister Matches! Are you Batman?" asked Wally, looking scared.

Tim raised an eyebrow. He was definitely going to ask Bruce why Wally knew about his alter ego as Matches Malone and not about Batman tonight during patrol. Only Damian and Bruce, and probably Alfred knew the full story of Wally's adoption. He was definitely going to fix that tonight.

"Look, I know this must be confusing," began Tim as gently as he could, "But Bruce is indeed Batman, and I'm Robin. Damian was Robin, but now he's Nightwing."

"Tim, I'll take over," said Bruce sternly, "Take Dick to bed."

And Tim was just too glad to oblige.

Two hours later, Tim was suited up for patrol with Bruce that night. They were sailing over the city, as Bruce regaled Tim with the tale of Wally's adoption. Down in the Bat Cave, Jason and Cass were listening over the comms as they monitored the police alerts and bat signals. Alfred would take over when it was their bed time.

Upstairs, Wally trudged to Dick's room. He'd had a nightmare that Batman hadn't come to his house and he was with daddy but mommy had left and nobody wanted him anymore. His head hurt and his new room was too big and scary. He didn't remember where everyone's room were from when Dick was showing him around.

"Dick," said Wally, approaching the sleeping older figure in the bed of the house.

"Mmm," said the boy, opening a blue eye, before sitting up to see Wally, "Wally? Wassamatter?"

"I couldn't sleep," confessed Wally, "And I don't know where anyone else is."

"Probably in the cave," said Dick, as he rubbed his eyes, "Did you have a nightmare?"

"No," said Wally nervously, before he glanced at the ground, "Flash-Bear was too scared in our room so I brought him here, is that okay?"

"Yeah, it's fine," said Dick with a wide smile, "I'm your big brother now, and that means you have to come to me when you're scared, okay?"

"Kay," said Wally with a blush.

"Do you want to sleep here tonight?" offered Dick, scooting over in his bed and holding the blanket out.

Wally scrambled into the bed beside Dick, letting the blanket drop around him. Dick wrapped an arm around the smaller boy. His new best friend. His new little brother. Wally snuggled closer to Dick, as he quietly said, "Can I stay with you and everyone else forever?"

"Course you can," said Dick sleepily, "Why wouldn't you?"

"Daddy didn't like me, and neither did mommy. She even left me," said Wally with a shrug, his eyes wetting with tears as he remembered waking up and being taken away.

"Well they're stupid," said Dick firmly, "I like you. Bruce likes you. And Bruce is Batman! He knows who's cool."

"Like the Flash?" asked Wally shyly, "Do you think Bruce knows the Flash?"

"Bruce knows everyone. He knows Superman even! I bet he knows Flash too," said Dick with a yawn, "And if Bruce likes them, and he likes you and me, then we're as cool as Superman and Flash!"

"Wow," said Wally, squeaking in delight at Dick's profound knowledge, "Really?"

"Really," confirmed Dick, and Wally nuzzled closer, letting Flash-bear drop to the side. His eyes shut with that knowledge, and he was at peace.