Notes: Yep, another chapter so soon after the previous. A big thank you to everyone who has reviewed, it really helps to focus on getting this done if I know you're waiting for it.

As Nameless has pointed out "if you bother to consider it, you will find what we call "Sentimental Damian."" (and thanks for your review!)

There is more 'Sentimental Damian' in this chapter as Damian makes attempts at understanding human emotions; he long ago passed Bruce in terms of understanding other people's emotions but he just doesn't make the effort with most people. (Also, a note for later in the story, Wally/Kid Flash is excluded from Damian's count on purpose and for reasons).

Chapter 6 – Fights, Secrets and Bruce's son(s)

How did it go so wrong?

Damian tried to see the expression in Dick's eyes but the mask blocked them. It didn't block the way the younger boy's mouth had dropped open, the defeated slump of his shoulders and the angry, betrayed tremor in his clenched fists.

Damian really needed to see his eyes. To see the worry which would be there in the older version.

Dick had to be worried because why would he be angry?

"I-"

"Is what she said true?" Dick asked. "Are you really...?"

"Really, what?" Something curled in Damian's gut.

"Bruce's son."

They had spotted the assassin jumping over the fence and dashing into the trees which covered the property. The team went after her, splitting up soon after.

It had been a bad idea. Her goal had been to split up the team so she could get to her target.

Robin had parried her first move. Her second move had knocked him into a tree. Damian covered the opening that gave her by knocking her away from Robin.

He forgot he wasn't in his uniform. She pushed him away and was about to kill him when she noticed something.

As Damian waited for the final blow, she looked him up and down.

"I didn't realise earlier because of the changed costume but you're Robin, aren't you?" A toothy and savage grin lit her features. "That explains why you're so determined to protect Richard Grayson. You're Wayne's biological son, the youngest, Damain." Her tone took on a patronising childish tone as she mocked, "protecting big browther as best you can? How adorable."

Damian flinched against a rising wave of anger. How he would have loved to take his sword and slice this assassin to ribbons. Unfortunately, his sword was about a decade away from his possession and hidden under his bed. Also, Red Hood had stated that he wanted the assassin alive for questioning.

"There are no big brothers to protect you now," the assassin pointed out, pulling out a large sword. Damian reached for his escrima sticks (not there) and ducked. Before the assassin could finish him off, he reached into his utility belt (never leave home without it) and pulled out some smoke bombs. Using those he clouded the assassin's vision.

The Team gathered moments later, summoned by Robin's call to arms over their mental link. Redbird had heard it, which is why he knew to move out of the way right before Superboy came crashing down right before the assassin.

One short fight later, they had the assassin tied up and ready for transport back to base. Miss Martian forced her unconscious with her mental powers, similar to what they did to Redbird back in the beginning.

They reached the mountain and Robin stormed off to his room, not even giving Batman a passing glance.

"What. Happened?" Batman demanded to know in a low growl.

Everyone looked to Redbird and Redbird stared at the ground. While the team hadn't heard the words which had been passed between him and Robin, they knew that Robin was mad at him.

"I-I don't know." Redbird looked up at Batman, wishing it was Grayson before him. Grayson was one of the people he went to when he needed human interactions explained. "Is he angry? Why is he angry?"

"Because you did something!" Kid Flash informed him, angry in place of his absent friend.

"I didn't!" Redbird shot back.

Batman silenced them with a glare and then turned to Martian Manhunter and Black Canary.

"Canary, debrief the Team. Martian Manhunter and Redbird, come with me. It's time we do something we should have done earlier."

Damian swallowed but followed, feeling upset that Dick was upset and not liking it one bit. He had no idea what he had done to set the younger version of Grayson off.

"Can I speak to Robin?" he asked as he followed them down the hall to one of the unused rooms. He noticed that it was the room they had tried to lock him in the first night.

And this time he was without his gloves.

"When we are done. Sit on the bed."

"Why?"

Batman glared and was about to repeat the order when Martian Manhunter spoke up;

"With your consent, I would like to take look at your mind and determine whether you are a threat."

Redbird shivered at the thought of someone else in his thoughts but he sat on the bed. As Martian Manhunter placed his hands on the sides of his face, Damian found himself flashing back to the Manor grounds.

"...but you're Robin, aren't you?" A savage grin.

"…Wayne's biological son, the youngest, Damain… There are no big brothers to protect you now." Dread coming over him as he realised it was true. Realisation hit. He missed his brothers, even Drake.

"Is what she said true?" Dick asked. "Are you really...?" Did it matter?

"Really, what?" Something curled in Damian's gut. Again.

"Bruce's son."

Dick had to be worried because why would he be angry? Why was he angry?

Martian Manhunter jolted back, pulling the sunglasses off at the same time. Damian glared up at him with an expression which resembled Bruce Wayne when he was in uniform but with the cowl down. Martian Manhunter had only seen it once and that had been in Robin's memories but he recognised it instantly.

"Oh dear," he said, realising what had Robin riled up. He felt Batman stiffen behind him. Batman suspected something too.

"What?" Damian demanded to know.

"I can explain why Robin," Martian Manhunter paused and then decided to correct himself as he felt the prick of disorientation from the young teen, "Dick is… upset with you. All you have to do is answer one question.

"Is everything the assassin said true?"

Damian blinked and tried to recall everything the assassin said, sifting through each piece of information and assessing its validity.

"I believe so. There might be minor untruths and information I cannot confirm but most of it appears to be truthful."

"Go see Dick," Martian Manhunter said, blocking Batman from taking action to the contrary. Damian wouldn't hurt Dick, he knew that. "Talk to him and explain the assassin's words."

Damian's head tilted in confusion, his eyes narrowing as he tried to understand.

"But, why is he angry? You said you would explain."

Martian Manhunter gave a silent sigh. He was not the best person to explain human relations.

"You should ask Dick himself. However, I believe he thinks that you will replace him."

Damian's blue eyes widened.

"What?" he snorted in disbelief. "That's impossible." But the boy didn't stay to argue. Instead, he jumped off the bed and moved out of the room at a quick pace with the grace and stalk of someone used to wearing a cape.

"Do I want to know?" Batman asked Martian Manhunter in his low, gravelly voice.

"He is your son." And he left that baffled bat with that.

Damian stood before Robin's room. He thought about the green martian's words and dismissed them. Grayson had never shown any signs of feeling replaced when he turned up. Never. Drake, yes. Todd, yes. Grayson, no.

"How long are you going to stand there?" Frustration clouded Dick's voice as the door automatically opened. Damian stepped through automatically, his eyes scanning the room.

Dick was lying on the bed, mask off and showing his red eyes which also looked watery. He was hugging his pillow close and glaring at Damian.

A few moments of silence passed and then Dick sighed.

"Well? Did you want something?"

Damian opened his mouth and then closed it. This person… he's different to the Dick Grayson Damian knows. He's grace and friendship, those traits Damian had seen while on missions and with the team. He's also alone. His friends as Dick didn't know about Robin and his friends as Robin didn't know about Dick.

This Dick's circle was limited to two. Bruce and Alfred. In a rush, Damian realised that his presence threated to take those people away.

Hadn't Damian felt this way a number of times? Worried that his father would look past him for Grayson, Drake, even Todd.

At least he had Grayson to turn to. And Todd. And Drake. And Alfred. Colin. Now that he thought about it, he had a number of people.

Dick flinched as Damian moved to sit at the end of the bed. After a moment hesitation, Damian pulled his feet up onto the covers and edged closer.

Dick watched curiously as Damian moved closer with a serious expression of concentration on his face. He felt some of his frustration ebb away at the sight and the thought that Damian was a lot like Bruce.

Damian reached out and… poked him in the arm. Dick jolted away like it was an electric shock.

"What's that for?"

"I am offering my support through a display of physical contact," Damian responded in a serious tone. But, contrary to his tone, a smile grew on his face. "I have a 'brother' who insists that pokes and other forms of slightly painful kinship are forms of 'manly bonding'." Catching the disbelief on Dick's face, he added, "it's not you. You're the 'brother' who insists on hugs and ice cream. Do take note: I approve of ice cream, not of hugs."

Dick's mouth twitched into a smile and then into a frown.

"You're messing with me, right?"

Damian smirked, his teeth glinting in the light.

"Of course. I learnt from the best. Now, ice cream."

"Can the team come?"

Damian's smile faded into a playful (Dick hoped) glare.

He huffed, "fine."