The usual disclaimers apply here: I don't own them
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While Alfred and Barbara were getting the room adjoining Tim's ready for Katsuro's arrival, Selina knocked on Tim's bedroom door the next morning. She'd noticed the apprehension Tim's face the night before and had a good idea of what his feelings for the new brother probably were. Her kittens couldn't hide anything from her. She hoped thought that Tim
"Yeah?" a groggy voice called.
"Tim, I was wondering if you wanted to go with us to pick Katsuro up from the Kents'?"
Tim lay in bed turning the idea over in his mind.
I don't want him to be here, but he's coming anyway. He's going to need someone other than Bruce and Selina by his side. Plus, I am curious to actually see what Bruce's son looks like.
"Yeah, I'm coming, Selina."
She sighed with relief. Tim's cooperation meant that things would flow more smoothly.
"We'll be leaving in an hour so be ready."
"Okay." Tim hesitated for a moment before saying, "Thanks for asking me."
"Your welcome."
"Bruce, Tim's coming with us."
Bruce looked up from his newspaper folded to the business section, and Selina took a moment to admire the view. The sun coming through the bay windows of the breakfast room set off the cobalt glints in Bruce's eyes and hair. It also highlighted the slight bruises beneath his eyes, a testament to the fact that he'd probably stayed up brooding the night before, rather than going right to sleep after patrol.
Bruce looked a little surprised at Selina's announcement."I didn't think he'd want to. He tried to hide it last night, but I could see that he was less than enthusiastic about Katsuro."
"True, but you have to look at it from his perspective. He, Dick, Jason are the adopted sons, now you have a 'real' one. Who's the most likely son to be replaced?" Bruce nodded slowly at her explanation.
"Do you think he's doing okay? I know that it's natural for him to be withdrawn since he's grieving, but he's got to snap out of it sometime-"
Selina's eyebrow rose half an inch and asked, "Does he, Bruce, does he really? Did you snap out of it?"
"No, Selena, you know I didn't, but I don't want to him to be like me. I don't want any of them to be like me. They deserve better."
"Better, Bruce? I really don't think it gets any better than me," Selena said with a smirk.
He sighed, even as the corners of his mouth turned up a bit.
"You know what I mean. I don't want them to waste years of their lives living in the past, ignoring their present and the people standing in front of them."
Bruce sighed again and rubbed his hand over his face. He was reminded of the years of his silence after his parents death, and then the years of his obsession, the years he couldn't see the blessing of the family in front of him. He didn't regret becoming a crimefighter, he didn't regret protecting the people of his ciy, but he did regret letting The Mission take first place above everything. The truth was that his parents would not have been proud of the fact that he let it control him instead of controlling it. The angst, the standards so high that even the best at what they did could never live up to them, the self-blame, and the the pushing away the people he loved had gone on too long, much too long. And even though Tim had the right--the need--to grieve the death of his father, Bruce wouldn't let him wallow in it the way he had.
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AUTHOR'S NOTE
Sorry this update is so short but I needed to put *something* up because it's been so long since I've updated. Hopefully more will be coming, but don't expect it too soon.