A/N: Well the end is nigh, I want to thank everyone who has reviewed, followed and read this story. I hope it's been enjoyed.

They were met by Steve as soon as they left the elevator on the penthouse floor. Bruce let the boys greet him first before stepping forward with his hand raised. The smile he had pulled onto his face slipped a little when he noticed the man's hesitation in taking his hand. Rogers did shake his hand though and offered him a small smile so Bruce shook off the slighted feeling and rationalised that perhaps the man was shy, although he didn't seem to have any problem with the boys. As the ruffle to Jason's hair and the manly punch to Dick's arm as they made their way to the dining room showed.

Steve had to control himself as Wayne held shook his hand, he managed to give a smile but he knew it would looked strained. The boys all came forward to greet him before the awkwardness that was his and Wayne's handshake happened. He clocked the bruise on Jason's head as soon as the boy exited the elevator he didn't notice the bandaged wrist until he slipped off his coat before they went to join the rest of the team in the dining room. He said nothing though not wanting to give Wayne an excuse to whisk them away out of the building before he had back up. He would catch Jason alone before they left. He couldn't let this continue, it was obvious who had given him those bruises and Steve was the one who was going to stop it. He didn't care how much money Wayne had, Jason and even the others could live with him in the tower if they needed, Captain America didn't let kids get hurt. Not on his watch.

Jason felt slightly uncomfortable; his wrist was still hurting, Bruce had forced practically forced a whole new wardrobe on him because he had unfortunately mentioned that he had ripped a pair of jeans the other week and Steve kept looking at him. At first he just smiled at the man thinking he was just looking in his direction and their eyes had caught. But, he was still doing it; he hadn't said much at all through the starter and had remained silent for the main course except to ask Miss Potts to pass the salt. The plates had been cleared and they were just about to start on desert when Steve asked him to help him bring out the dishes of whatever Stark had ordered in for them. He exchanged a puzzled look with Dick but complied, three years of living in a house with Alfred had taught him his manners. When he joined him Steve had his back to him, his hands braced on the kitchen counter. He cleared his throat lightly and he turned to face him, his face was grave. Jason laughed nervously, "so, um dishes?"

"There are no dishes Jason." The second robin felt his brow wrinkle.

"What? They're on the counter there next to you." Steve didn't crack a smile his face if anything became more serious.

"How did you hurt your wrist and head Jason?" huh? Thought the dark haired boy, he had told everyone that he had slipped on a bottle when Dr Banner had asked him at the table. Obviously he left out the part about the criminal tied up feet away from him.

"I told you I slipped on a beer bottle someone had dumped in the street; I banged by head and hurt, my wrist when I went down." Steve's face went from serious to sad in a heartbeat.

"Is that what he told you to say?" Jason felt his eyebrows disappear into his hairline.

"What? Who? Do you...do you think Bruce did this? He didn't, he would never hurt any of us. What the he-"

Steve stepped forward reaching his hand out to rest on Jason's shoulder but the boy moved away from him. "You don't have to protect him Jason; he can't do this to anymore." Jason took a step back a look of confusion on his face.

"What are talking about? No one's hurting me, where the hell are you getting this from." Steve sighed and rubbed his hand through his hair.

"Look, Jason, son Tony told me about why Bruce adopted you boys about," he stopped seemingly to regain his composure his hands clenching into fists at his side. "About what he makes you do, y'know in the uh bedroom. It's not right Jason no one should be making you do anything like that you're just a kid. But, I can help; we can go to the police. They'll listen to me and if needs be you can stay here in the tower with me and the team, the other boys can too." Jason began to laugh and shake his head while Steve made his speech but by the time the Captain had finished the boy's face was devoid of all humour. In fact he looked angry and disgusted as he took another step back.

"Look Steve, I don't know what you've heard, well actually I guess I do. It's the same rubbish they print in the gossip rags in Gotham. But, I thought you of all people would know not to believe everything you hear. Bruce has never touched me inappropriately. Dick, Tim, Damian and I are not his kept boys or sex slaves. Where the hell do you get off accusing Bruce was being some kind of child molester? He saved me! He practically saved my life, without him I'd still be eating out of dumpsters and sleeping on damp mattress I found in an alley. Who do you think you are?"

"That's exactly what I'd like to know." Said the quietly dangerous voice Jason had learned to associate with an angry Batman over the years. Steve's face was red and he looked mortified, he glanced between Jason and his father and saw the mirrored expressions of anger and knew he was wrong.

"Oh God, I'm, I am so sorry. It's just Tony said..." Bruce all but exploded.

"Oh I see! Tony said, Tony fucking Stark. Of course because he knows all about everything, well he is a genius! As if he'd ever let anyone forget It." he turned on his heel shouting, "Stark!" Jason was frozen in place for a moment still looking at Steve in shock.

"Jason I really am sorry, I shouldn't have just leapt to conclusions, it's just well, after what Tony said then Wayne leaving you guys here alone and Dicks phone conversation with him-" Jason cut him off.

"...You listened in on Dick's phone call with Bruce?" the crash from the other room stopped short anything else Steve could say in his defence.

The both ran to the source of the commotion. Tony was on the floor with a livid red mark on his eye that would most definitely result in a shiner the next day. Thor had risen from his chair Mjolnir clutched in his hand. The others seemed to be in similar state of apprehension. Tim tentatively approached the livid Bruce Wayne who still stood over Tony's prone figure. "Bruce what-"he was interrupted as Wayne began to leave the room.

"Boy's we're leaving get your things, and don't worry Captain we'll be taking a cab so I won't drag them into the bushes on the way back for a quick fondle." Dick's eyes bugged as he practically jumped from his chair hot on Bruce's heels asking him what was going on. Tim stepped toward Tony as if to check if he was ok but was stopped by Jason who whispered to him and the nearby Damian, Tim leaped away from Tony as if he had been burned before following his father and oldest brother with Jason who called over his shoulder, "c'mon Damian."

Steve felt the guilt twist his stomach even more at the betrayed look Damian threw him before leaving and turned on Tony the moment he heard the elevator begin to move down. "Why did you let me believe that Wayne was abusing his kid? Christ Tony, they hate me now! I've made an ass out of myself and hurt them." He slumped into one of the vacated chairs as Tony stuttered that he hadn't know that Steve didn't realise he was joking about Wayne and the boys. "Joking! Tony you don't joke about things like. What if I hadn't talked to Jason first, I was ready to sock Wayne in the nose when I saw that bruise on the kids face today, hell I could have gone to the police!"

Bruce slammed the door to their hotel room and began pacing, muttering to himself. Tim sat on the couch with Dick and Jason as Damian stood by the fireplace watching their father. "Father? Are we going to leave New York?" Bruce stopped and looked at his sons.

"No. We – I – am not letting those idiots ruin our vacation. We've dealt with this kind of thing before and we'll do what we always do, we will ignore them and prove them wrong by not running away. Although I think we can agree that we will most definitely not be joining them for dinner again. Besides we have tickets for Zorro tomorrow, what do you guys say?"

Dick shrugged, "we know the truth Bruce, I don't care what anyone else says. Also we haven't seen the movie for at least three weeks I'm starting forget what happens." Damian gave a pleased nod.

"Tony Stark is a douche anyway, I was excited when we met him but he's not half as brilliant as he could be if he wasn't a chronic alcoholic. And I want strawberry laces if we've got to sit through that film again." Bruce smiled at Tim's response and looked to Jason; he knew this had hit the boy hard having someone he obviously looked up accusing Bruce of abusing him.

"Don't worry about me Bruce, Superman was always my favourite hero anyway." Bruce's ear went red as Jason snickered.

"Superman! That boy scout I could take him down any day. Batman doesn't get stopped by a rock." The previously serious moment devolved into a night of teasing Bruce with all the boys declaring other league members their favourite. Bruce felt doubly betrayed when a serious but young voice declared that he had always found Aquaman to be quite a fearsome warrior.