Episode 8: Downtime/Help

Gotham City, August 27 2010, 06:00 EDT

Their insides went cold as Swift's high pitch scream echoed around the storage house.

"Swift!" Robin and Kid Flash's voices called out from somewhere in the left side of the storage facility.

"Oh no! What do we do? Where is Superboy? Do you think it got him too?" Miss Martian gasped in horror.

"Miss Martian! Kid Flash! Robin! Calm down!" Aqualad ordered though he too was cold to the bone in fear.

"Like hell I will! I'm going to find Swift!" they didn't need to see Robin to feel the power of his bat glare.

"Dude keep your head on. If Swift and Superboy were taken down by that thing, imagine what it could do to you" Kid hissed.

"Kid is right we need to regroup" Aqualad sounded decisive.

"Not until I find my sister!" Robin's voice shook slightly

"Robin I know you're worried" Miss Martian said as calmly as she could "But imagine what Swift would say if you just went out on your own like that? What do you think she'd do?"

"Dude I know what she would do" Kid Flash sighed exasperatedly. "She'd probably whack us all on the back of our heads and say 'stop running around like a bunch of headless chickens you idiots and use your brains' or whatever"

There was a small silence.

"You know I can almost hear her saying that just now" despite his dread, Aqualad chuckled. Miss Martian, Kid Flash gave weak laughs.

"Alright I'll regroup with you guys" the Boy Wonder sighed heavily.

"Good. We'll meet at Superboy's co-ordinates and use them to track the creatures path. Aqualad out"

They turned off their coms.

Miss Martian flew around a corner. Swift was down and they had no clue where Superboy was.

"Oh Superboy please be alright"

"Who's there" someone called

"Superboy?!" Miss Martian's face split into a large smile as she turned a corner. There he stood dishevelled and muddy but grinning.

"Bad news gorgeous. He caught me off guard. Got away"

"You…you think I'm gorgeous?" she blushed.

"Well sure" Superboy shrugged. "Who wouldn't"

Miss Martian's vision went black.

Kid Flash was speeding down a corridor when he heard a small gasp.

He skidded to a halt and peered around a corner.

"Hey Miss M. You ok?"

She shook her head and sniffled.

"I'm just so scared." She sniffed "Superboy's missing, Swift's down."

"Hey its ok we'll find them" Kid Flash patted her shoulder consolingly. Miss Martian turned round and hugged him.

"Oh Kid Flash" she sighed "If only everyone had someone like you around, they wouldn't be alone"

"Babe I knew you'd come around" He smirked closing his eyes and leaned in. A few moments of silence passed.

"Babe?"

A deep rumbling chuckle echoed around him.

"Swift!" Robin rushed to his partner's side. She was lying down on the ground face down. He picked her up and cradled her to his chest.

"Swift, come on girl look at me. Wake up"

"Come on dude"

"Yeah get a hold on yourself"

The Boy Wonder looked up, one no, two Kid Flashes were standing on either side of him.

"Ok" Robin narrowed his eyes. "Whichever one of you can tell me my middle name is the real Kid Flash" he said.

"That's easy" one Kid Flash said.

"Yeah for me" the other one said in a 'duh I told you so' sort of voice.

"Chump" the first one's arms turned into heavy blocks

"Sap" the second one's arms also transformed

"Sucker"

Something wrapped around his body. He looked down horrified as Swift's body melted around him into brown clay, enveloping him.

Aqualad reached the end of the row and caught sight of Robin.

"Any sign of Clayface?" he asked calmly.

" Clayface? Uh no not here" Robin shrugged.

"I see" Aqualad turned to look down the row he'd just been walking down "Any word from the rest of the team?"

"No, sorry~" Robin's voice sweetened slightly at the end. Aqualad whipped out his water bearer and transformed it into a mace. He swung it round as the Robin doppelganger turned back into a giant clay monster.

It smiled a wicked smile as a third arm suddenly grew out of its stomach area punching him out of the way.

Aqualad hit the wall behind with a loud crash. He struggled to lift his head and looked through the monsters legs. All five of his real teammates were lying unconscious at its feet.

This was it. It was over for all of them.

Batman crashed through in a shower of broken glass flinging down his batarangs. They exploded on Clayface's arm. The mud monster roared and sent a heavy fist slamming down. Batman reached into his utility belt and pulled out his taser. He fired it and the cords lodged deep into the mass of mud.

He pulled the trigger. Bolts of electricity, violent and terrible shot along the cords. The monster let out a long horrified scream as slowly it began to melt into a large slimy puddle.

Aqualad stared in shock at the pool of muck inches away from his nose.

Shwuip!

He looked up. The cords were gone and Batman was putting the taser back in his belt. Aqualad struggled to his hands and knees.

"Thank…" but the Batman shot him a glare and walked over to the team, pulling out a bottle of smelling salts which he opened under Swift's nose first. Aqualad shuddered. He was in huge trouble.

Mount Justice, August 27 2010, 07:58 EDT

Swift hobbled out of the Zeta tube and stepped into the caves main hall, covered in muck and smelling worse than a garbage tip. Batman stood there waiting patiently. She shot him a dirty look as if to say 'don't you dare say a word'.

"I need to talk to Aqualad. The rest of you hit the showers and head home." He nodded to Swift who hissed in victory as she directed her path towards the corridor that led to the Team's living quarters.

"Head home? I am home" Superboy grumbled.

Robin stayed behind looking at Batman hopefully.

"Just Aqualad" Batman narrowed his eyes.

Robin looked calm as he joined the others, but Swift saw the dark glare he shot over his shoulder.

"Meet you out front" she muttered quietly. Robin only grunted as he sped past her. Swift sighed and combed her fingers through her hair. A large dollop of muck and slime now coated her fingers.

"Urgh! How am I ever going to get all this out of my hair?"

"I know" M'gann huffed. Superboy just said nothing and followed Robin and Kid Flash into the boys showers.

Swift and M'gann entered the girls' showers. The showers were actually a compilation of two rooms. The first room was a change room with, toilets and special lockers which the girls could use to store clothes/uniforms, then if you went through another door you came into the actual showers. All team members had their own private showers in their rooms but since these communal showers were closer to the zeta tubes it was easier to access.

Christine grimaced as the stealth suit peeled off her body like a sticky second skin. M'gann was humming a really catchy tune, like a TV jingle. It seemed very familiar to Swift but for the life of her she couldn't remember what it was called.

As they both got down to their boots the door to the showers opened. No sooner had M'gann and Christine turned their heads to look, they heard a loud gagging sound.

"Hello to you too Artemis" Swift droned as she peeled off her mask.

Since her civilian form and hero form both looked rather different Batman had allowed special permission for Christine to not have to wear her masks or shades around the team as long as no one spotted her with her normal reading glasses or her brown coloured contacts. As Robin's identity was too similar to his civilian id he wasn't allowed to take off his shades.

Christine smirked as Artemis' tan skinned face tinged green as she spluttered for fresh air. Her blond hair was covered in white foam.

"Holy COW! What the hell is that?" she held the door open for her teammates as they stepped into the showers. One showerhead was running and letting off a decent amount of steam, so the room was quite nice and toasty.

"You saw the news this morning right?" M'gann sighed as she and Christine stepped under two other showerheads and turned the taps on hot.

"You mean when Swift, Robin and Batman took down that Clayface thing? Yeah I saw that. By the way, cool new superpower" Artemis nose wrinkled as she caught sight of the slime dripping from her younger companion's hair.

"Thanks." Christine grunted grumpily "Because I thoroughly enjoyed that mission"

"Yeah." M'gann rolled her eyes.

There was silence as the three girls scrubbed at their hair. Christine felt her muscles relax as she let the warm water wash over her.

"So how did it go undercover?" she asked loudly over the hum drum of the water.

"Dunno. I couldn't get much info," Artemis spoke lightly but there was a slight edge to her voice that unsettled the little bird.

"Oh ok" Christine turned quickly away back to her scrubbing, missing the worried glances of her comrades.

Wayne Manor, August 27 2010, 20:04 EDT

Gentle piano music wafted through the private gym at Wayne Manor, through a large stereo system. Christine was in the middle of her barre practice, doing her Demi Plié's. Her hair was tied up in a bun and she was dressed in her dark purple ballet leotard, pink dance tights and pale pink satin Pointe shoes.

As she descended down again she looked up at the rings set up on the opposite end of the room on which Dick was practicing his flips. His white and blue gym gear was drenched in sweat and he was scowling and Christine was in no doubt why.

"Just Aqualad" he spat before flipping over twice. He detached himself from the rings and flipped onto a weight. He stumbled off doing a couple of flips and thudded into the wall.

Christine was about to rush over when she saw him punch the wall, leaving a small crater in it. She sighed as Dick plonked down on a bench.

"What are you sighing about?" he spat before taking a swig from his water bottle.

"What's wrong?" Christine turned so that she faced him and continued with Grand Plié's.

Dick groaned and slumped forwards head in his hands. "'What's wrong?' Chris I messed up! I should've known better than to let us all separate!"

"Dick-"

"I can't believe I actually tried to spot the difference between two Wally's when they were both obviously fake"

"Dick listen it-"

"I mean come on! I should've known Clayface would try to sneak up on us! Why didn't I think it through, and now Bruce-"

"DICK!"

Dick felt his head jerk up. Christine had left the bars and was now in front of him. She cupped his face in her hands, gently stroking his dark mop out of his eyes.

"Dick, no one is blaming you for anything. We all screwed up today. I was second in command but I didn't even realise that Kaldur was too distracted to make a proper decision. I was even stupid enough to trust the fake Kaldur and follow him into that trap, but we can't keep harping on like this. We all make mistakes, no matter who or…what we are"

Dick looked into the purple eyes. They avoided his gaze anxiously as her hands slowly dropped from his face to his shoulders and pulled him into a hug. They stayed like that for a few minutes until they heard a tapping on the open door.

They both turned round to see Alfred standing in the doorway, his wrinkled face softened.

"Master Bruce wishes to see you"

Dick didn't get up. Christine rolled her eyes, grabbed his hands and dragged him to the door.

The old butler smiled a twinkle in his dark eyes as his two younger charges made to follow him. He led them through several corridors until he opened a door that opened out onto the outdoor basketball court.

Bruce stood there dressed in a white muscle shirt, track pants and trainers. He bounced the orange basketball into Dick's surprised hands.

"What's this?"

"Training" Bruce smiled "Hand eye co-ordination"

Dick's face split into a wide grin "One on one?"

"If you think you can handle it, besides I don't think your partner's appropriately dressed for a match."

"Oh I don't know Dad" Christine raised her eyebrows and smirked "These blocks in my ballet shoes pack quite a punch when used correctly."

"She has got a point" Dick snickered.

"That being said I think I'd rather go back to my practice. Madame Fletcher would have my neck if she knew I didn't practice, holidays or not. So, so long and adieu gentlemen enjoy your bout" Christine gave a mock bow and headed back down the length of the hall. She smiled softly as she heard the bounce of a ball and her partner's cackle of laughter. She was home.

Wayne Manor, August 27 2010, 21:18 EDT

She was in a long dark passageway. The walls were made of large stone slabs, weathered and aged. There was a slight draft in the air, and it pushed her forwards urgently.

"Miss Christine? Miss Christine can you hear me?"

She was barefooted but the floor was smooth and dry. She kept walking, eyeing the walls which were covered in large paintings.

"Sir come quick!"

The paintings were quite bizarre. They seemed to depict strange creatures.

"What is it Alfred?"

"Master Bruce, I've tried waking her but…"

"Hey Bruce, Al, What's going on?"

Some were small and imp like, others large and trollish and there were some that looked almost human if not for their strange appendages like tentacles, fangs or claws. Their colours were all faded against the stone.

"Step back Dick. Christine! Christine can you hear me?"

They seemed to be arranged in a particular order. She followed the length of the passage tracing her fingers over the ancient stones. Hundreds upon hundreds of the creatures stood in rows like some kind of gruesome army.

"Christine! Alfred have you used the smelling salts?"

"I've tried sir, but nothing has worked"

"Have you checked her vitals?"

"I have, she's breathing and her heart rate is normal"

She finally reached the head of the army. A man was painted, seated on a horse. He had dark hair and was wearing black and grey robes.

"Have you ever tried this?"

Most of his face was faded away but she could still see the colour of his irises, they were a strange cat-like amber colour. He held a large blade with a jagged edge in his hand.

"Master Dick I don't think-"

She couldn't explain why, but the man felt horribly familiar…

SPLASH!

Christine's eyes snapped open as she spluttered for breath. The faces of Alfred, Bruce and Dick were all peering down at her worriedly.

She was still in the gym, by the barre in her ballet gear but she was lying down on the floor. She looked up at the speaker system. It had reached the end of the CD and was waiting to be shut off. Her face and hair was wet and her mind was spinning.

"Where…Where am I?"

"Err…in the gym…at home?" Dick exchanged a worried look with his mentor.

"Think back. What do you remember?" Bruce's strong hands gently pulled her up into a sitting position.

"I…I…" she didn't know whether it was the water she'd been splashed with or not but Christine felt clammy, her heart racing as if she'd just run a mile. She felt Bruce rub her back in soothing circles and gulped down a couple of deep breaths.

"I…was practicing on the barre. Dick was upset about something so I talked to him. Then Alfred came and Dick joined you in a game of basketball. I went back to practice and…"

"And?" Dick looked slightly pale but he put down the empty water bottle in his hands and fetched her sweat towel from the barre. Rather than drying herself she just held it close like a lifeline.

"I was in this passage. It looked like something out of a temple."

"What kind of temple do you think it was?" Bruce kept his grip secure.

"Dunno. Definitely B.C. if the architecture was anything to go by." she shook her head as visions of the dark stone passageway flashed vividly across her eyes.

"It had… pictures on the walls. Not pictographs or script but full on murals, they must have been really old because the paint was faded and the walls were eroded. Their style was rather like ancient Phoenician or…no actually… it could have been Greco-roman. It was definately Doric style and made of limestone and don't get me started on the columns-"

"We won't" Bruce cut across her quickly. "Anything else? Did you hear any voices? Did you see anyone? Feel another presence?"

"I think so…" She replied. Bruce raised his eyebrows questioningly.

"What I mean is…in the painting there was someone. I think he was leading this army."

"Did you recognise him?"

Christine bit her lip looking down at the floor. "I…did but I didn't…if you catch my drift? Like I thought I knew him from somewhere, I just couldn't connect the dots."

She mused to herself as she watched their brows crinkle in small V's in unison. Dick was rubbing his temples with both eyes shut, Alfred was staring rather hard at a random spot on the ground and Bruce brought a black gloved hand to his chin and scratched it.

Her eyes widened. "You're both in uniform?"

Bruce and Dick looked down at themselves. They were indeed dressed in their Batman and Robin uniforms but the cowl and mask were both off.

"We were going to go for patrol. When you didn't respond to our calls we all searched around the house for you. Eventually Alfred found you here"

"I tried to wake you but no matter what I did you wouldn't respond" Alfred sighed. "Then Master Dick here thought to pour the contents of your water bottle on your face. I will admit I had my doubts but it was rather effective"

"No kidding. I'll get changed," Christine made to stand up but stumbled. Bruce caught her before she could hit the ground again. Her legs were shaking so badly that he was holding most of her weight. Not that it made a difference to him. Christine was so light he could probably hold her in one arm above his head without breaking a sweat.

"Robin and I will go. You are going to stay here!"

"WHAT?"

"You heard me. You are staying here and resting."

"But what if-" Christine bit her lip

"If you feel better you can stay in the Batcave and man the coms but that's it! No patrolling. "

"But Dad-"

"No buts. You are not patrolling until I get Leslie and someone from the League to perform a full check on you" Bruce pulled his cowl over his face and gave her a stern bat look.

"Full check?! Honestly Dad, do you think I'm just another damsel in distress or something."

"I wouldn't care if you had the physiology of a Kryptonian; you are still getting a full check up"

"I said I'm fine! Geeze." Christine pushed herself away from him. Her legs were still shaky but she was standing. "See. I can hold my own."

"I can see that but still-"

"Still what Dad? Still. WHAT?"

"You've unlocked a new superpower of which you don't know how to fully control. You've been under severe physical stress for several days now. You've barely had any sleep. You've fainted in the middle of a very light ballet practice and now you can barely keep yourself standing. Does that sound like the definition of someone in perfect health?" Batman growled but this proved to piss her off even more.

"What about you. You stay up for days on end, without rest and, heck, without even food! Oh yes the perfect epitome of health you are" she rolled her eyes.

"Do not take that tone of voice with me young lady!" Batman barked angrily. "You may be out of uniform but your still under my roof. You are not, I repeat, NOT going on patrol tonight and I don't want to hear from Alfred that you've snuck out on your own either! It's not safe-"

"Not safe? Newsflash Batman" She spat his name with as much venom as she could muster "It's not like I'm ten years old anymore. I am capable of handling myself out there. I do it with the Team all the time. Or do you think I'm just another fragile little girl? You think I don't know that Gotham is a frigging stinking cesspit of lying, thieving, murderous psychopaths. You think I don't know that right now the entire world thinks I'm one of those freaks!"

Batman's stared down at her for a moment taking in the sight of the shaking girl in front of him.

"Christine," Batman growled, albeit gently. Christine shook her head taking a step back.

"Christine wait-" he reached out to grab her shoulder but she swatted it away.

"Just go! Just … leave me alone" and she ran out of the room slamming the door behind her.

"Oh dear" Alfred sighed as they heard the loud, slightly strangled, sob echo some way down the empty hallway.

Dick glanced worriedly between the door and Batman as he reached up to the com in his cowl.

"Batman here…" Batman scowled a little "What is it Superman? Hmm. I see. Are you sure? Here in Gotham? Fine you can leave it to me. No you don't need to come to the cave Clark. My city my rules.*sigh* fine I'll meet you in ten minutes. *sigh* you're already there? Fine I'll come down now. Batman out. Dick, put your mask on."

"What does Superman want?" Dick asked cautiously, because he didn't know if his mentor would explode or not. But Batman merely sighed.

"Francois Lemieux, Metropolis' most deadly hit man has escaped custody and is apparently hiding out in Gotham"

"Oh, so are we going to track him down with Superman?"

"Yes" But Dick could tell that his heart was not truly in it. For one thing Batman would've been more irate at the mention of Superman in his city.

"Can I…uh…" Dick scratched his head nervously and glanced at the door.

"You can go say goodbye to Christine"

"Yeah thanks, see you in five!" and in the blink of an eye he was out the door and zipping down the hall.

Batman and Alfred followed his lead, though they went down to the old piano rather than the staircase. Batman pressed some of the old slightly flat keys and the wall swung forwards revealing a dimly lit dark staircase.

As they descended down into the gloom of the cave Batman couldn't help but notice his old butler was itching not to smirk.

"What?" he glowered and Alfred allowed himself a chuckle.

"Oh Master Bruce, I'm surprised that can't you see it?"

"See what?"

"Who does the young mistress remind you of?" Alfred quirked an eyebrow.

"I don't know. Who?" He grunted.

"Who else but you? If my memory serves me right she's just as precocious, proud and stubborn as you were when you were her age. Except for the fact you were a boy and didn't have to deal with the burden of having superpowers." Alfred's smile grew. Batman sighed looking down at his gloved hands.

"How did you do it Alfred?"

"Hmm?"

"How did you…Raise me? Let me go out and become…what I am"

"It wasn't easy. I can assure you." Alfred's smile softened. "And it never gets easier. Despite how many self books that are out there sir, there is no real manual for parenthood. It is something each parent must figure out for themselves. But considering the present situation permit me to say this; you have been blessed with two wonderful children. For the past four to five years you have raised, loved and protected them as well as any father could even dream of. They have learnt to trust you but now it is your turn to trust them, trust them to make the right decisions when they decide to step out into the world as their own people."

"I do trust them" Batman mumbled scowling at the knowing smile on Alfred's face. He hated it when Alfred gave one of those looks. It was the look of knowing something that he didn't know. And Batman hated not knowing more than he hated having so many superheros in his city.

"You just don't want to let them go?" Alfred nodded. Batman didn't answer. Maybe it was because he knew it was the truth or because he could see the Batcave and the Superman sitting in his chair.

"I'll take my leave sir" Alfred bobbed his head and walked back up the stairs. As he reached halfway up Dick, now Robin as his mask was on, bounded past him hurriedly.

"Hi Al, bye Al!" his cry echoed in the dark passage

Alfred shook his head fondly and carefully walked back into the manor. He closed the passageway behind him and made his way towards the kitchens. After quickly brewing a cup of strong tea he carefully placed it on a silver tray and came back to the staircase. He looked up the height of it.

"One child down, one more to go" he sighed as he made his way to the east wing where the family's private rooms were situated. He went to the third floor.

There were four rooms in total along the corridor that Alfred walked down; three on the left side; two bedrooms with a nursery in-between (though as there had been no baby in the house since Bruce was born it now served as storage); and one on the right, the master bedroom. The old butler made his way to one of the bedrooms on the left, the one with a brass flower for a doorknob.

There was a pause. "Come in" came a slightly hoarse voice from within.

Alfred pushed open the door easily with one hand and entered.

The room was very different to the manors usual gothic aesthetic and very opposite of the Batcave's deep, heavy atmosphere. It was light, airy and soothing. The walls were painted in Lavender blush white and the ceiling in ivory, with a delicate crystal chandelier in the centre of a ceiling painted with a soft floral design. There was a feminine maple desk and chair on one side flanked by matching bookshelves. Opposite this an entertainment unit complete with ivory plush lounge sat cold and unused. Opposite where Alfred stood was a tall door that led to the balcony outside. Next to the door, tall mullioned windows with a long cushioned window seat let in the moonlight.

Back in the days of its first use, when it was frowned upon for a husband and wife to share a room with each other, it was the room of the Lady of the Manor. Now however it was just called the Lily room, so called because of the portrait of one of the Wayne ancestors, a rather stunning raven haired beauty holding a bouquet of lilies, hanging above the large maple four poster bed with gossamer curtains.

Alfred saw Christine at the window seat, dressed in a long sleeved, high necked old fashioned cotton nightgown. Despite her youth and lack of height she struck a very elegant, very poised figure as she sat side saddled, legs crossed at the ankles, head resting on her elbows and gazing out of the open window with bittersweet longing.

Alfred blinked. If he hadn't known any better he'd have thought he'd stumbled upon Wendy gazing at the second star to the right and awaiting the arrival of Peter Pan at her window. Though if Christine was Wendy then the role of Peter would have to be filled by… He almost snorted into the tray.

Christine turned to him.

"Oh hello Alfred" she quickly wiped at her eyes. Alfred noticed the tear tracks and placed the tray down beside her.

"Camomile?" she sniffed.

He nodded.

"Thank you" she muttered taking it from the tray. She drank a sip and sighed.

"What do I do Alfred?" she looked back outside the window, from which she had a magnificent view of the Manor's extensive grounds which glimmered in the moonlight. "What do I do? I screwed up a mission; the press has convinced the world that I'm a dangerous freak and my Dad is convinced I'm a useless weakling"

Behind her back he rolled his eyes. This child was just as bad as her father sometimes when it came to dealing with failure. But he composed himself as best he could.

"That is absolute nonsense" Alfred sniffed in the way that only an English gentleman could and when she turned around to face him he smiled "Master Bruce thinks no such thing of you. Neither does young Master Dick or I. And even if you were a…'freak' or 'useless weakling' we would care no less about you. But given the current situation we are inclined to worry, your father most of all"

"I know" Christine groaned unceremoniously plonking her head on her elbow. "But I'm thirteen already, and come October I'll be fourteen. I may be short but I'm not such a kid anymore"

"That may be." Alfred raised his eyebrows "But you're still only at the beginning of your own story, there are still so many chapters you have yet to fill in. Your father knows this; he also knows that you are capable of many great things. Don't judge him too harshly. He's lost so much in his life, so much so that he's become paranoid about protecting the precious things he has gained."

"Paranoid? Well that's one way of putting it" she mumbled. Alfred sighed.

"When you have a child of your own, whether it be adopted or biological, you will understand. Now if you will excuse me I believe your father might need me on the computers now, perhaps you would care to join me"

"I… I think I might study some ancient Bialyan for half an hour and then hit the sack early tonight but thank you Alfred" Christine finally smiled and took another sip at her tea. Alfred nodded and left the room.

It was a few hours later when Batman, Robin came through the entrance of the Batcave in the dark Batmobile. When he saw them exiting the car they both looked rather tired.

"Did you catch them sir?" Alfred asked. Robin, who looked dead on his feet, just nodded.

"Is Christine alright?" Batman asked limping slightly as he headed up the steps.

"She went to sleep soon after you left sir"

"Are you sure?" Batman narrowed his eyes but Alfred nodded.

"Quite sure sir and now young Master, a bath and then off to bed with you" he frowned at Robin who groaned like a member of the undead and trudged up the stairs. Batman smirked as he pulled back the cowl.

"That goes for you too Master Bruce"

Bruce's smile faded. He scowled and Alfred smiled oh so benignly as he ushered the grown man up the stairs. They reached the east wing.

"Come now Master Bruce" Alfred was waiting by the door to the Master bedroom tapping his foot.

"A moment Alfred." Bruce quietly opened the door to the Lily Room and peered inside. There was a large lump in the bed. He drew back the nets of gossamer that surrounded it. Sure enough she was there…but so was Dick. The boy was coiled around his partner so tight that his chest seemed glued to her back.

Barely restraining a sigh he tucked the coverlet over them snugly and left them to sleep.

Whoo. Chapter 10 is a go! Yeah Just Batfam/Batdaddy/Grandpa Alfred kind of fluffy stuff. I'd been planning to put it in a drabble but I thought "hey we didn't get to see much of the Batfam in Downtime so what the heck". Next episode is "Bereft".

Keep R&Ring people!