Chapter 9

Black Raven blinked behind her mask struggling to keep from blushing furiously. Batman and Robin could feel the girls disquiet though she didn't move from her stance at Batman's back.

"Are you all right Ari?" Dick asked his sister worriedly.

"I'm fine pay attention to the meeting. Batman wouldn't want us to miss anything." Dick immediately broke contact as the meeting concluded.

"Batman I have to say I am impressed with both of your protégés to remain undetected by myself and Superman and to take us all down with minimal effort is astonishing." J'onn said politely.

"Yes well I trained them to be ready in any situation." Batman said his pride evident in his tone. J'onn nodded and smiled at Robin and Black Raven who smiled back as they made their way from the meeting room.

"Ari you were distracted at the meeting." Ari winced. Crap she had been hoping he hadn't noticed, but he was Batman and he noticed everything. "Kitten if there's something wrong you can tell me."

"Kitten?" Ari blinked and nearly stopped walking Robin eyed the two curiously since he couldn't hear what was being said through the private bond between Ari and Bruce. Batman gave a sort of mental wince.

"Sorry that slipped out, but you have to admit it suits you considering the amount of time you spend in a feline form." Ari smiled faintly glancing at her mentor.

"It's ok I like it, I was just surprised, but really Batman I'm fine." Batman frowned but didn't press her. The trio stopped short as Green Lantern came into view the man scowled at them and said.

"Playtimes over Bats those two need to go back to preschool where they belong." Batman grabbed his twins' capes just as they lunged at Green Lantern shaking his head he hauled them to his side and wrapped his arms around their shoulders forcing them to stay still.

"You don't get it Lantern but these kids are our future one day we wont be around and they will be hopefully with more hero kids like them now get out of our way before I let them loose at you." Lantern stepped out of the way and the trio walked past ignoring his glare.

"Well that was fun, is he always like that?" Robin asked quirking a silent eyebrow at his mentor.

"Not always he just seems to be suffering from an unfortunate dislike of child heroes."

"Or maybe just us in general." Ari grumbled. The conversation between the three was put on hold as they entered the zata tubes to go home. Batman left Robin and Black Raven at home as he did a quick patrol of Gotham and was relieved to see that nothing major seemed to be happening, but as luck would have it the tenuous peace in the city would not last. Batman noticed the signal light up the sky just as he was about to head home with a sigh he turned the Batmobile around and headed for the police precinct.

Batman waited a moment before revealing himself he hadn't spoken to the Commissioner since the night that Robin and Black Raven had met him.

"Commissioner." Batman growled a little more coldly than normal, but hey he was tired and grumpy and wanted to go home to bed and make sure the twins didn't have nightmares and if they were that Ari wasn't leaving cat fur all over his pillows as she and Dick slipped in to sleep in his bed.

"Batman Bane is on the loose and it looks like he has company. If our information is correct he's teamed up with Scarecrow." Inwardly Batman cursed he would have to keep the twins in from patrol until he could at least get Scarecrow back to Arkham there was no doubt in his mind that he did not want the twins out with the fear based psyco. "Also there're rumors that Scarecrow wants a better look at your kids, Batman what on earth possessed you to take on two kids?" Batman glared at Gordon who unconsciously shifted away tensing beneath the Dark Knights cold gaze.

"My reasons for taking them in and training them are my own." Gordon shook his head and started to say something before realizing that he was alone on the rooftop.

"Damn Bat can't even finish a conversation." Gordon muttered to himself as he walked back inside. As Batman finally drove home he processed the information he had been given why would Scarecrow be after the twins and why would he partner with Bane he couldn't figure out where that fit.

"Master Bruce are you quite alright?" Batman's head snapped up to see Alfred standing beside the Batmobile looking concerned and holding a sleeping golden coloured tabby cat in his arms. Bruce hadn't even realized he'd gotten home.

"She had a nightmare didn't she?" Bruce asked as he pulled down his cowl his voice was tinged with worry.

"Yes Master Bruce I found her in your room when I went in to check the linens she didn't even wake when I picked her up to come down here." Bruce frowned and went to shower and change when he came back he hid a grin at seeing Alfred still holding Ari/ cat. Bruce reached for the small feline and Alfred handed her over somewhat reluctantly, the two men had gotten used to seeing various animals walking around the house though she kept most of the changes outside to appease Alfred. For Christmas Alfred Dick and Bruce were conspiring together to make a whole room for Ari to play in while in one of her cat forms. The trick was keeping it quiet and out of their surface thoughts while the bonds were active. Bruce cuddled Ari/cat to him as he made his way upstairs and into his bedroom he didn't have the heart to take her back to her room.

We really need to think of a name for her when she's in animal form, I'll bring it up with her tomorrow. Bruce thought to himself as he settled in bed with Ari/cat. Bruce waited for Ari to change back after he had covered them with the blanket, he felt the brush of her Batman logo pajama pants and the shirt she had taken from his laundry that he had let her keep when she had unleashed her puppy dog eyes on him.

"Want to talk about the nightmare?" Bruce knew she hadn't been asleep the whole time and smirked when she huffed annoyed.

"Not particularly." Came the clipped answer. Bruce hugged her to him.

"That bad huh?" He was startled by the slight sob he heard as Ari took a breath.

"It was the worst thing I could ever imagine."

"Ari hun you can tell me anything."

"You died Bruce." Bruce sat up and turned on the light leaving them blinking in the sudden brightness. "It was in the future I was about twenty one I think, I was alone at Watch Tower I had been injured and you had ordered me away from the battle. I'm not entirely sure what was going on but I think Earth was being invaded it was nearly dawn when every one was coming back you were at the back making sure the stragglers were coming through you fought them and the others were too far to help, you blew up your ship to stop the invaders. I begged you not to through the comm. Link and mind speech but you were resolved, I was trying to override your codes on your ship you asked me to look after Alfred Jason Cass Tim and Dick you said you loved us and then it happened." Ari shuddered and Bruce tightened his hold on her, he glanced around for the Batman blanket he knew would be near. Finding it he wrapped it around her as she continued to speak. God there's more how much can one girl take she's only nine.

Bruce closed his eyes as he buried his face into Aris soft hair her voice was hoarse from crying as she spoke.

"I…it felt like I was being ripped apart it was ten times worse than when mom and dad died, I screamed for you and that's when I woke up." Bruce rocked Ari gently no longer feeling awkward as he offered comfort to the tiny girl.

"Ari I want you to do something for me." Bruce gently lifted Ari's chin so that he could look into her eye to make sure she was listening. "I want you and Dick if you have really bad nightmares to go down into the cave and radio for me I may not be able to come home right away but at least you'll be able to hear me ok?" Ari smiled and nodded then gathered the blanket Bruce kept on the bed for her when she came in after a nightmare Dick had one too, Alfred had put them on the bed to stop Bruce complaining about the twins stealing his covers when they came in to sleep.

"Vă mulțumesc Bruce simt mereu în siguranță cu tine." (Thank you Bruce I always feel safe with you) Ari whispered as she curled up into his side again to sleep.

"Va asteptam cu drag pisoi mea te odihnești." (You're welcome my kitten get some rest.)

It took Bruce awhile to fall asleep. He considered the twins and how different they were. Dick was like the sun full of exuberance and love of life while Ari was much more subtle like the stars she didn't burn brightly like Dick but smouldered with a dangerous fire that could be seen through the color changes in her eyes. Ari was a lot like Bruce she tended to brood on things for longer than was necessary she was only now starting to heal from her parents death even the capture of Zucco hadn't helped much until now. Bruce sighed and ruffled Aris' hair smiling as he slowly drifted to sleep. He and Dick would have to be careful Ari was coming into her own in the house and was teaming up with Alfred to run the household they made a formidable pair.

A/N ok so i know people have been reading this and are going to wonder why i changed it to Scarecrow in the middle well that will be a surprise in the next few chapters i'll clear it p so no worries and happy reading :)