Christmas morning was a raucous affair at Wayne Manor that year, with half of the attendees under the age of twenty-five and copious amounts of sugar flowing from the kitchen to the living room in the form of cookies and cocoa. Things went smoothly until the last of the gifts had been fished out from beneath the furthest branches of the tree and passed to their designated recipients, at which point Bruce interrupted the proceedings.

"Wait," he told Dick just as the younger man slipped one finger under a paper seam. "I want you to open yours last."

"...Okay," he shrugged genially, retracting the digit and moving his hand to cover Barbara's instead. "Any particular reason?"

"A whim," the billionaire replied vaguely. I want your surprise to be the grand finale, he said to himself. You're going to love it, and I don't want you to have to come right back down in order to pay attention while everyone else finishes out their presents. It had taken several days for him to really come to terms the idea of all of Gotham's protectors going out of town for leisure purposes simultaneously, but as he had imagined Dick's face at the news again and again the idea had started to grow on him. The fact that the 'logistical nightmare' he'd predicted had turned out to be nothing more than a mild stomachache hadn't hurt his affection for the plan any, and as he'd hashed out the final details of this morning's presentation with Alfred the night before he had found himself almost excited. I just hope you believe me when I tell you. I wouldn't blame you if you thought I was pulling your leg. Hell, I can barely believe that I've agreed to all of this.

The others, sensing the incipience of the moment they had been waiting for for nearly two weeks, went through their final packages quickly. "Am I allowed to go now?" Dick asked jokingly when it seemed everyone else had finished.

"...Yeah," Bruce swallowed. "Go ahead."

"Awesome. And look, it's even from you," he noted, reading the label. "Aaand it's a box," he announced, stripping the wrappings off to reveal the plain white paperboard beneath. "It's amazing what you can do with a box. They're super versatile. Thanks, Bruce, I love it," he jested, pretending as if he wasn't going to explore any further.

"Would you quit being a dork and open it the rest of the way?" Babs poked him in the ribs.

"Gah, all right, all right!" Dick twitched at the touch. "I just figured since he wanted me to wait so bad before that another few seconds couldn't hurt." Once he'd popped the tape along all four sides, he turned to his fiancee once more. "I'm opening it now," he informed her soberly.

"I swear, you are such a troll sometimes," she shook her head. "Would you please-"

"Open the box!" the other four finished for her.

"On it!" the center of attention chortled, finally flinging the lid off. "What...I'm confused, Bruce," he confessed a moment later as he lifted a fake lei out. "Don't get me wrong, this will look great with the new swim trunks from Alfred – which I actually did need – but I feel like I'm missing something."

"You are-" Damian started.

"-But we didn't want it to be too obvious-" Tim continued.

"-So we were careful about what we put under the tree," the billionaire took over. "...Keep going, you're not done opening that present yet."

"Here," Babs snagged the lei and dropped it over his head. "Now your hands are free."

"Uh...thanks," Dick said, looking more puzzled than ever. "But what...oh," he breathed as he realized that the blue lining the bottom of the box was the front of a folder and not an artfully placed piece of wrapping paper. He removed it without opening it, then shot the man standing beside him a questing glance. "...Bruce? What is this?"

"You tell me, chum," he answered softly.

No one drew breath as the file was cracked open. "...This is a flight itinerary. But...it says six passengers, and that...that can't be right."

"Why not? Is there someone in the room you want to leave behind?" Bruce managed around the lump that was growing in his throat as he waited for full realization to set in.

"What? No! But...you mean we're all going?" a disbelieving whisper sounded. "Like...at the same time?"

"All six of us are flying from here to Hawaii in the same private plane next month," he verified. "If we can manage to go ten days without killing each other, we'll all fly back on the same plane, too. It's all right there on the itinerary."

Dick stood up, clutching the folder to his chest as he confronted the man who had raised him. "You're telling me that Batman is leaving Gotham for...for over a week...justto go to Hawaii?" he sputtered.

The rest of the room faded out of focus as Bruce concentrated on the doubtful hope rising in his favored child's gaze. "...You always said you wanted to take a family vacation, Dicky," he murmured. "I think you've waited more than long enough for it. Gotham...Gotham will survive in our absence."

The younger man's lips trembled at that, a few tears trickling down his cheeks as he fathomed what he'd been given. Then he leaned forward, nestling his face against the base of his guardian's neck as the same strong arms that had comforted him for two decades did so once more. "Thank you," he moaned. "Thank you so much. I...I can't even-"

"Don't," Bruce ordered gently. "You don't have to say anything. Just have fun, chum. That's all I ask." They pulled apart then, and the billionaire smiled. "And quit crying," he added, swiping distractedly at the dampness beneath his own eyes. "You're not supposed to cry on Christmas, damn it."

"You're not supposed to swear on Christmas, either," Dick rebutted with a weak laugh. "Oh, my god, Bruce, you...you got me," he shook his head, still sniffling. "You really did. I never would have thought that this...that this was something you'd even consider doing. Obviously Alfred was in on it, but even so...is this going to work? I mean, the logistics..."

"Are taken care of," Bruce chuckled in proud amusement as the rest of the assembly groaned. "And now that the waterworks are over-"

"Fat chance," Damian scoffed around a not quite fully restrained half-smile.

"-I should spread the credit for this around where it's due. This isn't really just from me, it's...it's from all of us, plus Wally, Clark, and Diana."

"...Wait, what?! But...I had presents from everyone else already," Dick argued. "...And from you, too, now that I think about it."

"All of which play into the trip," Bruce explained. "It's kind of hard to stick Flash, Superman, and Wonder Woman covering the city and our JLA duties under the tree, you know, and they wanted to give you something tangible, too. The stuff from them – the new sunglasses, the GoPro, the computer bag – those things were picked out after we knew we were doing this. "

"They're...they're taking care of all of our night work while we're gone?!" He swayed slightly, his eyes going wide and misty again. "...I think I should sit."

"I think you should too." Bruce guided him back down into his seat and waited for Barbara to give her betrothed her hand and a reassuring smile before he went on. "Because there's more."

"There's more?! You're breaking my brain here, Bruce."

And you're breaking my heart, kiddo, because I see now just how much of a cruel, damned fool I've been for not doing this much, much sooner, the billionaire bit back. "Well," he allowed, "if you need a break, we can take one."

"No! No, tell me everything," the re-seated man pleaded. "Please?"

"I'll let Tim tell you this part, since it was his idea." And since if I don't stop talking and give myself a minute I think I'm going to start crying again myself, he didn't add.

"...Timmy?" Dick turned to his brother.

"Well," the next-youngest member of the family started, "it's more a development of Barbara's idea than one of my own, but...I just figured that since we're going for ten days, and there's five of us besides you, that...that maybe we should each take a day for some one-on-one. I thought...I thought you might like that," he blushed slightly. "...Do you?"

Dick was gaping. "...I get to spend a whole day with each of you while we're there?" he warbled.

"Uh...yeah-oof!" Tim exclaimed as his brother flailed over and all but fell on him in an attempt at a leaky-eyed embrace. "So...I guess this means you like it?"

"I love it!" Dick straightened, his face warring between an overjoyed grin and a sobbing pout. "Does everyone know what we're doing, or...?"

"I thought surfing lessons would be kind of cool," Tim said, "and then maybe some snorkeling? They take you out to these cool reefs to do that part."

"That's our day together? Awesome," he pulled him into another hug. "...Dami? What about you?"

"I wanted to go swimming with sharks," the boy's brow darkened momentarily, "but they won't let you unless you're dive certified, which I'm not and apparently can't be before we go. So...we're going on a volcano hike instead. We have to fly to another island from where we're staying to do it, but we're supposed to be able to go right up to the lava and everything. I dunno, that seemed okay." He glanced up as Dick sat down on the arm of his chair. "...Well? Do you like it or not?" he challenged.

"It's perfect, little D. A day traipsing around volcanoes with my favorite hothead?" He ruffled his hair, his fragile smile widening when the boy's lips twitched upwards for a second. "How can I say no to that?"

"I took swimming with sharks," Bruce revealed. "Since you and I are already both certified, we shouldn't have any hurdles to deal with."

"Heh. Too bad we can't take any shark repellant along to field-test when our lives aren't depending on it working," Dick joked. "But I guess that would defeat the purpose of swimming with the sharks."

"Not to mention give us away. After that," the billionaire smirked, "we're going hang-gliding."

"Yes!"

"Thought you might like that," the billionaire opined as he caught the flurry of excited limbs that threw itself at him on hearing the news. "I'm looking forward to it myself."

"Naturally," the younger man commented, pulling away in order to all but skip to Alfred. "What's our day going to be like?" he inquired, now glowing with unadulterated glee.

"Not nearly so adventurous as those you've just heard described, I'm afraid," the butler gave his charge a permissive smile, "but enjoyable nonetheless, I think. We'll spend the morning doing a bit of fishing close to shore – I've found a boat that will cook our catch for our lunch – and then have a nice sit-down tea. I thought we might take in some sort of cultural show after that, and have a late dinner at one of the better Japanese restaurants. Is that acceptable?"

"Oh, god, seafood day," Dick nearly drooled. "That sounds amazing, Alfred," he praised as he wrapped his arms around the Englishman. "I'm already salivating. But," he turned back to where he'd started his circuit of the room, "what about you, pretty lady? What do I get to spend the day doing with you?"

Barbara gave him a subtle look as, unseen by either of them, Alfred, Bruce, and Tim all shot a warning glare at Damian, who merely rolled his eyes. "Well, we're not going rock climbing," she said drily. "But...I thought we could rent a car, find a deserted strip of beach somewhere...sunbathe for a while," her grin turned fleetingly naughty, "then have a nice, long couple's massage before we take a private cocktail-and-dinner cruise to watch the sunset."

"That," he raised her be-ringed hand to his mouth and kissed it, "sounds absolutely perfect. The whole trip sounds absolutely perfect," he marveled, "and I know it wasn't an easy decision to make," his gaze met Bruce's understandingly, "or to cause to be made," his tone lightened as he sent an appreciative wink to the rest of the group. "The only way this could be any more amazing than it already is would be if Jay could somehow be convinced to come, too, but...I know that's too much to ask for, and I wouldn't dream of holding my breath for it because I'd just pass out. Anyway," his smile faltered, "thank you. Thank all of you. This is easily the best Christmas present anyone has ever given me. I just can't believe you all managed to work together on this, and keep it secret, too. I think that might be the best part, is how...how you all teamed up to do it," he dried his eyes once more.

"It was difficult at times, Master Dick, but very much worth it in the end," Alfred stated. "Now, unless there's something I'm forgetting, it's high time you all had breakfast. It's been quite a morning, and I'm sure none of us wants to fall ill for lack of sustenance before our holiday."

"Definitely not," Dick leaped to his feet, his information packet still in one hand. "I'm starving. M'lady?" he bowed with a playful flourish, indicating that Barbara should go ahead of him towards the dining room.

"You're a dork," she informed him. Taking advantage of his lowered height, she kissed him as she passed. "And I love you for it."

"That's good, because it's not like he's going to become less of a dork with age," Damian contributed as he walked by.

"Watch it, or he'll push you into the lava when no one's looking," Tim remarked.

"There's a reason I'm going to the volcanoes with Grayson instead of you, Drake."

"...Bruce, tell me that the two of them aren't sharing a room," Dick asked, half-wincing, half-laughing as his brothers disappeared into the hall.

"They aren't. Damian's with me, Tim's with Alfred."

"Oh, thank god. That will go a long way towards keeping our first family vacation from turning into a bloodbath."

"Agreed. Hold on," Bruce grabbed his wrist. "We'll be right in, Alfred," he signaled the butler to give them a minute.

"Very good, sir."

"What's up? Don't tell me there's more, I can't take it," Dick chuckled. "...Bruce?"

The billionaire swallowed heavily. "I owe you an apology, Dick," he said slowly.

"For what, the best Christmas of the century?"

"No. For my pigheadedness."

"...Bruce, what are you talking about? You're the most generous person I know."

He choked on that, only succeeding in clearing his throat due to his steely determination to clear the air of what he could now see had been a major failing on his part. "I'm not, chum," he insisted. "If I was...if I was, this wouldn't be the first family vacation we've ever taken. Don't," he held up a finger as Dick tried to protest. "Don't defend me. I was wrong. Every time you asked and I made some excuse or let it pass, I was wrong. I know now how many opportunities I squandered to make you happy the way you were this morning, and the way you will be in a few weeks, and I hate it. I just hope that this trip and...possible future trips," he ground out with difficulty, "can begin to make up for all that time that I wasted. More than that, though, I hope that you can forgive me."

"Bruuuuce," Dick whined, leaning into him again as his guardian cupped the back of his head. They were silent for a long moment before he pulled back, a glint of loving jest in his eyes. "I'll forgive you," he ruled, "on one condition."

"And what is that condition?" Bruce asked quietly. I'll do it, whatever it is. Even if it's impossible, I'll do it, or at least try. Your forgiveness is worth that to me.

"Just have fun," he answered simply, echoing the older man's earlier instructions. "Enjoy this, Bruce; that's all I ask. That, and that you keep jumping off of buildings and the occasional tropical cliff face with me," he grinned. "Deal?"

"Deal, partner," the billionaire agreed huskily. "Now," he wrapped one arm around his shoulders and squeezed tightly, "let's go have one of Alfred's famous Christmas breakfasts with the rest of the family, huh?"

"You bet, boss. Let's eat."