Bringing My Children Home

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Disclaimer: I am only borrowing the Bat family to practice my art.

Here we meet Damian. I hope he comes across both as a sympathetic and antagonistic character.

Chapter Four

Tim

It was early in the morning for a bat. Tim, however, had woken early. The previous evening had been a quiet, spring night in Gotham. He had stayed home from patrol the night before, for a training session with Stephanie.

Bruce had spent the first two weeks training Stephanie in the important network, communications, reports, and administration of being a Bat. For the most part the two weeks was spent together, figuring out how to work together after almost two years of rejection. Jason, in the meantime, undertook to instruct her further in martial arts with Cass as an assistant. This left Dick and Tim to teach her deduction, while Babs and Tim were undertaking the technological aspects.

There was no regret on ending their dating relationship. In fact, Tim felt more comfortable with her now that they were only friends. Although she had never pressured him, he had always felt like he was failing as a boyfriend. In a way, the relationship had been to protect her since Bruce would not.

Now that Bruce had taken Stephanie in, Tim did not need to find ways to make things available to her. She was getting it from Bruce. He loved her for certain, but was relieved he did not have to play the part of boyfriend. Cass had suggested it was because Tim did not have any good role models.

He certainly did not want to be the playboy Bruce pretended to be, always holding women at arm's length. Alfred was of no help either, since he had never gone on a date in Tim's memory. (Probably in Bruce's memory either) Jason flirted a little with Donna Troia, but he had made no move to get into a relationship. As for Dick, Tim had tried to emulate him, but it did not work for Tim.

To be honest, Tim wondered why he had ever thought trying to play the charming, ebullient man would work for him. It did not actually work for Dick. Dick had been in more relationships than Bruce. (Real relationships, not the pretend dates Bruce used as his Brucie Wayne cover) None of his exes hated Dick, but neither did they trust him with their hearts.

Dating, Tim decided, needed to wait a little longer.

His lack of patrol the evening before had left him with more sleep than usual, so here he was at 8 am, seated at his desk in his room, reviewing his recent missions with his Young Justice friends, who were looking to reform the Teen Titans. Bruce had grudgingly permitted Tim to finally share the Bat secret with his friends, after Jason and Dick had demanded that Tim be given more freedom. It had gone a long way toward healing the breach between Robin and the others of the disbanded Young Justice.

An alert skittered across his screen, one of the alerts for the possible entry into the country by an Al Ghul. An investigation into the alert revealed it was for Talia, which was surprising. Talia rarely traveled in a traceable manner. She had many aliases. Not Bruce, not Tim, not even Barbara had been able to track them all down. This alias was one she knew was known to the Bats. She had landed at the Charles Kane airport only three minutes ago.

Talia al Ghul was in Gotham, using an alias she knew would get their attention.

Bruce

Gotham's richest man had woken up just a few minutes before his third son's text alert woke the rest of the Bat Family up. He had been examining his day's schedule. Tim and Stephanie had been in contact with Crystal Brown the day before. She had not yet agreed to go into rehab, still on the fence about it. She had signed over parental rights to Bruce, and had taken refuge in her strait-laced aunt's home. It had been more uncomfortable than the one Bruce had blackmailed the Drakes into accepting. Crystal had gained nothing, but given her daughter away to keep her out of danger.

Unlike his other children, Stephanie had the opportunity to stay in touch with her mother.

He had been mentally cataloguing Spoiler's weaknesses to determine where to work on her training next, when Tim's text popped up on his phone, warning that Talia was in Gotham. Talia was a bittersweet thought. Twelve years ago, right before he became the Bat, he had believed he had fallen in love with her. When he had refused to join the League of Assassins, he had offered Talia a home with him. She had refused.

There was now a decade of bad blood between them. He did not know the extent of her part in the deception of Jason's death. Even if he still warmed at the thought of their happy year, he knew better than to give her the benefit of the doubt. While she was not her father's equal, she was easily among the five most intelligent women he knew.

If she was coming to Gotham, there was something major in the works.

Bruce heard Jason yelling at Tim for waking him up with the text. Naturally, Tim had recognized the threat and alerted the entire bat network. Perhaps even part of the Justice League. When the Wayne patriarch emerged from his bedroom in clean, casual clothing, he found Cass and Stephanie were just down the hall, standing by Tim's doorway. Tim was talking.

"- there appears to be about five people traveling with her. I haven't matched who they are yet, but I've got a tracking program watching her in the airport. Once she gets through Customs, we will know where she travels next."

A bleary-eyed Jason stalked up behind Bruce, dressed only in a ratty pair of sweat pants, with his shirt in his hand. It appeared he had forgotten about it, for he just kept holding it as he joined the small crowd at Tim's bedroom door. Tim finished his explanation of what he had done since receiving the alert. He quickly repeated his findings on where Talia was coming from to Bruce and Jason.

Bruce found nothing to add to Tim's preparations.

"What do you think she is doing in Gotham today?" Jason yawned, draping his shirt over Cass's head as he stretched. With a smirk, Cass put the shirt on over her tank top and shorts. "I was going to take Blondie and Silent out this morning to let them go shopping without the attention you, Dick, or even Tim would draw."

"I've not noticed that Stephanie is destitute of clothes since Cass and Babs took her shopping a couple weeks ago," Bruce remarked. "In time, she will need more formal clothing, but I believe your shopping will be postponed. Talia is never blunt. She wants me to know she is here. It is very likely we will see her today."

"Shall I prepare a luncheon in case of her visit?" Alfred interjected from where he was waiting at the top of the stairs for the sleepy group.

"Yes. I trust you remember her preferences from her last drop in," Bruce said wryly. It had been eleven years ago that Talia had dropped in, that time unexpectedly. She had been furious with Bruce for taking in orphaned Dick Grayson. When Bruce pointed out that she had refused his offer to be part of his family, she had stormed away, predicting Bruce would be sorry for taking in a child of no name, of no family.

After Jason, she had not come to his house, but had berated him the first time they met after that.

Neither Cass nor Tim had drawn such a reaction. Cass was too well respected as the Weapon of David Cain and Lady Shiva. Tim, being a Drake, had both family, name, and fortune, besides the distant relationship to Bruce himself. In the al Ghul culture the distant relationship would be enough to warrant Bruce's actions. So, it was likely that the news that Stephanie had been moved to the Waynes on a permanent basis that was bringing her.

"I believe she may be upset with my decision to make Stephanie part of the family," he explained to his children who were gathered around the breakfast table. Dick had dropped a text to offer his services or support when it became known what Talia wanted. Dick was also the only one who knew of Bruce's youthful relationship with Talia.

"Is this the whole Ra's thing? Didn't he offer you a place in the League? Were you supposed to marry Talia to be his family?" Jason was suddenly wide awake. "Is your betrothed mad that you are making a family without her?"

Even Tim looked eager for the explanation. Stephanie and Cass were giving each other looks which promised a good gossip over Bruce's relations with the al Ghuls. There was little hope that Jason would not tease, and as soon as Stephanie felt secure in her place, she would be joining him. Cass would just look knowingly at him. Tim, who was supposed to be his smartest child, would come up with strangely innocent questions.

"Er, no. Talia and I did have a relationship while I trained with the League, but that had nothing to do with her father. It probably would have become political if I had agreed to Ra's desires. I did ask Talia to leave and come help me in Gotham. She refused," Bruce said.

He spent the next quarter of the hour attempting to explain how a man, notorious for not asking for help, would ask the daughter of a criminal to help him fight crime. Stephanie found it tragically sweet, Cass found Talia to be a fool, Tim went down rabbit trails of what Talia could have been, and Jason referred to Talia as Bruce's betrothed from that moment on. The questioning ended when Tim's alerts informed them that Talia had made it out of the airport and into a limo.

It took a half hour for her to get through morning traffic and into the posh neighborhood. When they knew she was heading for the manor, Jason and Cass took Stephanie off to 'train', while Tim joined Bruce in his study to review their League of Assassin Protocols.

When the dark limo was granted entrance at the gate, Tim joined Bruce in heading for the door. Alfred appeared in stately butler mode. The seriousness of these three was contradicted by the wide grins of his nearly twenty-year-old son and the two sixteen-year-old girls coming down the hall behind the butler. Training Stephanie had apparently been about dressing her up as a high society daughter, with some of Cass's designer clothing. Cass had also been dressed up, although Jason had only added a gray t-shirt to his ensemble.

The Limo rolled to an easy stop in the circled driveway. Two well-dressed men emerged. The Bats all quickly catalogued the number of possible weapons on both. Though they appeared to be nothing more than valets, they moved with the confidence and grace of the Assassins. One opened the door.

Tall, slender, beautiful Talia al Ghul stepped out. She wore a green cheongsam with a pale-gold cardigan to ward off the late spring morning's chill. Her dark eyes glanced up the vast stairs leading to the main entrance to Wayne Manor. There was amusement on her face when she saw the entire group of residents gathered. Then she turned to the car.

A boy exited the limo. He was young, no more than eleven or twelve. He was well built and handsome, with the light olive skin of his mother. It was his other features that made Bruce freeze. His hair was the dark of Bruce's father, and his eyes were the blue of Bruce's mother.

"Holy son of batman," Jason said irreverently.

Damian

"What is this, Talia?"

The tall man who spoke was clearly Bruce Wayne, Damian's father. The eleven-year-old had seen many pictures of the man. Mother had spoken of Batman often. She had promised Damian his father's name, his father's respect, his father's power. The only threat to this was the rag tag set of children, with whom Father had surrounded himself.

"Bruce, this is your son. I thought you would be pleased to have one of your own blood. You certainly enjoy being a parent to those not of your blood," Mother said.

The biggest of the group at the top of the stairs snorted. Father cast him a glare before looking back at Mother. Clearly Todd was not a great threat if he so easily annoyed Father. Neither were the girls. Cain was possibly a real physical threat, but her speech disability put her below Damian. As for the girl whose entrance into Father's home had sparked mother's decision to move up her plans for Damian meeting his father, she was nothing.

Pennyworth was not even in the threat assessment. He would serve Damian as he served Father.

This left only the slender teenager at Father's shoulder. Timothy Jackson Drake. The only real rival Damian had. None of the others came from good blood, or had any traceable relationship to Father. Naturally Damian had been instructed on all of Father's riffraff, but special attention had been paid to this one. Drake had done what the others had not, by forcing Father to take him as Robin. He had excelled at Robin.

He also was related to Father through the Kane family. Mother had speculated that the reason Jack and Janet Drake had given their son into Bruce Wayne's care was because Bruce meant to make Tim his true heir. Grandfather had said Father was as likely to give the circus performer his wealth as any of the others, but admitted that it was possible that Father would groom Timothy to be his heir since Drake was like Father.

"Could you really have kept this hidden from me for almost a dozen years?" Father asked.

"Of course. My father always drew your attention from me. I am a mere fly compared to him. You never did look at me as a woman again," Mother replied. "His name is Damian. He's come to take his place as your son and heir."

While Cain and Todd looked down at the boy with great amusement, both Drake and Brown stiffened slightly. Good. They knew he was the real Son.

"Are you not going to let your own son, and the mother of your son, enter your home? I can understand your suspicions. However, we both know it will be easy for you to learn the truth. Altair, Desmond, bring Master Damian's suitcases inside," Mother ordered.

Now all four of Father's pretend children tensed up, their eyes going to Father. For a moment, Damian believed they were afraid of losing their stolen home. This was soon disproved. All of them relaxed as soon as Father stepped aside to permit the entry. They had merely been waiting to see if Father would let Damian in.

Aware of his Mother's severe gaze, Damian swallowed his seething. He would soon prove his right. Mother had had him trained for as long as he could remember. She had given him the strength and knowledge to defeat them.

Talia offered her hand to her son. Damian took it, his rage quieting at this unexpected pleasure of touch from his Mother. It was a strong sign of affection and protection. While at his strong Mother's side, Damian could hold his head above those who had been abandoned, neglected, given away. That he could keep the attention of his Mother was a sure sign of his rights.

"Shake your father's hand, Damian," Mother instructed, when they were on the same level as Father. Damian stuck his hand out in the proper aggressive way of the West. Father hesitated for a moment, but his eyes softened, and he took Damian's sturdy, calloused hand in one of his large, powerful hands. Now, Damian had gained attention from both parents.

He glanced loftily at his rivals.

Only Drake looked a little uneasy. There was something cold about Todd as he looked at Mother. There was cautious curiosity in Brown's eyes. Cain's reaction was the worst. She looked at Damian with pity.

Cass

The boy expected immediate affection from his Father, and believed the simple handshake was proof of it. While Bruce had softened, so that he did not frighten the child, he was still tense and suspicious of the boy. Talia's body had betrayed no lie when she spoke. This really was Bruce's son. It angered Cass that a mother could keep a child from a father they knew would want the best for the child.

By hiding Damian, Talia had deprived both father and son of the bond that Bruce had known with his own father. Now there would be anger, regret, suspicion, distress. When Talia left Damian with them, as Cass was certain she would do, Bruce would not drive the boy out, but neither would he elevate his blood son above his other children. In time, he could come to love Damian, as he loved the others.

Damian would not understand.

When Bruce spoke fondly to Dick, when he glared in amusement at Jason, when he gave Cass his little hugs, when he checked on Tim every day, when he gave his time to repair what he had almost lost with Stephanie, Damian would not understand.

"I'm gonna call Dick, Cass," Jason whispered in her ear, as they let Talia lead the interloper into the home. "Keep an eye on Tim. Stephanie gets it, I think, but Tim might be afraid."

Even if Jason could not read people like Cass could, he was right. Stephanie had had a few brief thoughts that maybe Bruce would kick her out again, but had relaxed as she recalled his promises. It was Tim, whose own parents had never given him the simplest caress, who was tense with old worries that he did not fit in with Bruce's family. Cass took Tim's hand and squeezed it. She smiled at him reassuringly.

He briefly squeezed back, and let her hold his hand as they followed the invaders into the guest parlor.

"Perhaps one of your riff raff would care to show my servants where to put Damian's things," Talia suggested.

"Considering I had not planned on his arrival, there is not room prepared for him," Bruce pointed out.

"Well, Pennyworth will fix that up quickly."

"You mean to leave him here."

Talia looked calculatingly at her son. He straightened his shoulders and lifted his head high. Cass forced her hand to keep Tim's in a gentle hold. She could not reveal anger to Tim, because his insecurities would make him believe he had done something wrong.

"Well, if you insist on taking in every pathetic child that comes your way, you should at least know that you are depriving your own blood of his rights," Talia taunted.

Despite all his self-control, Cass read the distaste in Bruce's face. Damian did not see it, only growing prouder at his Mother's words. Cass wished, for a moment, that Damian would go back with Talia. Her family had just begun to be complete with Stephanie finally belonging. They did not need an arrogant, self-entitled boy to make things harder. It was an unworthy wish. Damian needed Bruce just like the rest of them.

"We've had a similar discussion before, Talia," Bruce snapped. "They are my children, even if I did not sire them, even if some of them don't carry my name. Even if Damian really is my blood, it does not give him any more rights than the others."

"That is why I will leave him. So that you can bond with your own blood and realize what you've been missing. No, I will not take refreshments. Damian, you will stay with your Father now. Do remember who you are," Talia instructed. She rested a manicured hand on her son's shoulder for a moment.

"Yes, Mother," Damian answered.

"Talia, you can't just drop him off…" Bruce began.

"Oh, I'm sure you will run the DNA tests before the day is over. All his accurate identification is in his smallest suitcase. There is a birth certificate, passport, health records, everything you need. I will likely visit on occasion, but he's yours now," She answered.

She gave Bruce a cold smile, before she turned to leave. Her eyes fell on Tim, and all of them saw the way she looked furiously at him. Tim did not flinch. Talia was merely another villain to the Robin. Even he felt pity for Damian, at that moment, and would very likely empathize with the smothered longing Damian could hide from everyone, but Cass.

"Talia, that's not how this works," Bruce ran after her. They could be heard arguing in the hallway. Eventually, their voices were out of range.

"Master Jason, I believe I could use your assistance in moving Master Damian's things to one of the guest rooms," Alfred said, into the quiet that fell on the room after that. "Master Damian, Miss Cass and Master Timothy will see that you have refreshments."

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