Chapter 20: Parents and Moments

Wayne Manor

Gotham

Year 2010

November 6th

Jason is 11

Cass is 9

Tim is 8

Robin is 13

Batgirl is 14

Batman is 30

When suddenly all of the phones in the room went off everyone's faces lit up. Parents were talking to their children, reassuring each other they were safe and okay. Barbara had opened her phone the moment it rang, not daring to hope it could be her father.

"Barbara?"

"Daddy?"

"Where are you?"

"At the gym. We set up a refuge center here for everyone. Do you think you can find a way so all the parents in Gotham know? Most of the children under ten are here."

"I'll come get you soon. I know this isn't how you wanted to spend the night."

"It's fine. We'll watch our movie another time. I'm just glad you're back."

"I'm so proud of you for doing all this. I love you."

"Love you too."

Kids were coming up and pulling on her arm and skirt. Some parents had already started to arrive, giving their phones to kids to let them call their own parents. Barbara sat down with the younger kids in front of her and got them to quiet down. "Now. One at a time. Raise your hand if you know your mommy or daddy's phone number."

Later on, as her father finally arrived, she smiled inwardly and remembered she'd have to make sure to thank Dick and Wally later. And to get the full story. For now she'd breathe in the scent of her father's cologne and cigar, the smell of safe and home. Feeling his moustache and beard scratch her skin as he kissed her head. Knowing her father was back, and he was here to take care of her as he always promised he'd be.

When adults started to suddenly pop up in the streets again the Bats retreated into the shadows. On a nearby roof the three kids met up. Red Hood was the one to break the silence.

"Think it was the team?"

"Or the League, if it was in the adult dimension," Red Robin theorized. "Probably both."

"So then Dad's back!"

"Alfred." Cass signed the letter A, and the sign for caregiver, which they used as the name sign for Alfred, that or the word Grandpa.

"Race you home?"

"You're the one who got Robin's bike. You take it back. We'll zeta."

"Meet you there," Red Hood said jumping off the roof. The sound of the bike was heard a second later. Black Bat disappeared next leaving Red Robin to try and catch up.

Bruce sighed as he sat in his room in the watchtower. The team and Zatanna had been brought back to the cave. Each of the mentors had rushed over to check on the children. Arrow and Canary worrying over Artemis and Superboy, the latter of which was blushing. The first of which was annoyed but pleased with the attention from her mentor. He then escorted her back to her mother in Gotham while and an emergency meeting had been called to discuss what they should do with Zatanna next. While Black Canary debriefed with Superboy.

M'gann had flown into her Uncle's arms as soon as he came in. Knowing how much seeing all the reunions would hurt the girl Batman had given Robin a curt nod and he'd escorted Zatanna towards another room. Flash arrived seconds later pulling his nephew into a tight hug.

"Thank goodness. Iris and I had been going insane."

"Like I wasn't either? But it's okay. I'm fine."

Both of them went into speed talk. Barry was obviously making sure his nephew was okay and still hadn't completely let go, grasping his shoulder. He'd been informed of the League meeting then run off to take Wally home. Now assured the kids were alright and would be okay without them the League members disappeared to the watchtower. As they waited for everyone else Batman retreated to his room.

"Batman to Batcave."

"Master Bruce! I was just about to call."

"The children. They're back?"

"You've fixed it?"

"You mean they aren't back?" Bruce demanded.

"Stay calm. I'm sure the children are just doing what they were trained to do. Helping the citizens of Gotham in time of need."

"Make you proud, Old Man?" Red Hood's voice came over the comms.

"Jason," Bruce almost gasped in relief.

"Yeah. I'm driving the bike back home. Double R and B are zetaing. Are you coming back?"

"Not until tomorrow. Robin and I…. Something happened that we're both needed to handle here."

Jason's voice went quiet. After a pause it came back up. "Missed you, Dad."

Bruce sighed as the comm hung up and looked at the picture in his room of his family, a training day in the watchtower, all of them wearing smile's and even the corner of his mouth had been twitching due too. The glimmer was still visible in Jason's eye as he stood straighter with pride after finally beating Black Canary in a fight and getting to train with both Wonder Woman and his father. It was Tim and Cass's first time there that night. Both had eyes filled with wonder and matching grins filled Barbara and Dick's faces. Bruce been looking forward to a night with his kids. That wasn't what he'd gotten.

In the cave Robin sat waiting. M'gann and Artemis were with Zatanna comforting her. Artemis had returned after quickly going to reassure her mother and let her know what was happening. She'd returned quickly with things for Zatanna and now all the girls were in M'gann's room together.

Connor was with wolf in the other room. He was watching the static on the TV and for once Robin felt like joining him. But he also wanted to be with Zatanna, to comfort her. She hadn't lost her parents in the same way as him. She'd never known her mother. Her father was still alive. She was lucky that way. Or maybe he was the lucky one, at least knowing his parents were gone for good but not having the pain of seeing them and not getting any recognition from them.

It was when Batman reappeared with Black Canary, Green Arrow, Martian Manhunter and Red Tornado that he moved from next to Connor. "Batman?"

"Zatanna will live in the Cave."

"Our—"

"In Mt. Justice. There is room here and she'll be able to Zeta to school. She'll be with friends and have people to look out for her. It's the best place for her right now. Other's wouldn't be able to understand what she's going through."

"But we do!"

"That's enough Robin. We'll be going home for a few hours while Black Canary talks to Zatanna. Then we'll help her move her stuff and go through Zatara's things, to take care of the things he asked me to."

Robin sighed hearing the pain in his father's voice knowing he was hurting as well. He gave a nod of goodbye to Connor and scratched Wolf one last time. Then he followed his father back through the tube.

"Master Tim! Miss Cass!" Alfred yelled in relief embracing them as they appeared. Both children ran happily into Alfred's arms giving him a tight hug. He allowed himself a moment before readapting to propriety. "Change. I've prepared dinner, or I suppose as it is reaching morning hours it is now breakfast."

"Is Dad back?" Tim asked excitedly as he sat down at the table. Alfred brought the food forward and started to serve the kids.

Jason took a seat next to Cass. "Dad said he and Dick need to stay where they are right now. Something happened."

All the children turned to look at Alfred who sighed. "It is the nature of the job your father and the other heroes have taken on themselves. You are children and don't understand the consequences as well. I'm sure Miss Zatanna didn't when she put on the helmet. Her father bargained so Nabu would let her take it off. He will now be Dr. Fate but will not allowed to be his daughter's father, just so she could live her life.'

Alfred rubbed his face wearily and took a deep breath. "Master Bruce is trying to make sure she is taken care of and your brother is there to support his friend. Both of them will return tomorrow. For now you will all eat and go to your beds. You did a good job tonight, making sure all the children of Gotham were safe, and I'm sure you must all be very tired."

There was no complaint as Alfred's gaze rested upon each child. He was a little less guarded than usual, showing his affection with a pat of Jason's shoulder and a kiss on Cass's hair. He wiped some food off Tim's face with a sad smile as he returned to the kitchen. At least his children were safe now.

The children slept late on Saturday. None of them saw their father and brother return at nine the next morning. Alfred had been given a large hug by Dick, fed him and Bruce (though both were picking at their food) then sent them off to bed. Dick obeyed, going straight away. He laid in bed thinking for a few hours, unsure how he felt about everything that had just happened. It was around two hours later that sleep finally came over him.

Meanwhile, Bruce had refused to go upstairs. He'd sat down in his office chair and sighed. Unlocking a secret drawer in his desk he took out papers to look at. There were copies framed around the office, but these were the original. The adoption certificates of Jason, Tim and Cass. There was still none for Dick. Nights like these made him think of asking the boy again. He considered him his son, all he needed to do was make it official.

Even further in another drawer were journals of his journey and training. He found pictures of him and Zatara. Baby Zatanna was held in his arms in one as Zatara and his wife laughed at the startled billionaires face. Another child without any parents. Sometimes he thought it was worse when the parents were alive, yet unable or unwilling to care for the children. At least he'd known his parents loved him. Not all of his kids had been so lucky previously. Now that had been changed.

Alfred walked in with a stern look on his face after an hour. "Master Bruce. You really should get some rest."

"I just needed time to think."

Alfred looked at the picture that Bruce was holding. His mouth thinned and he pursed his lips after another moment. "I presume that something happened to Mr. Zatara then."

"He isn't dead."

"But—"

"He's now the host of the helmet of fate. I was so concerned about Dick wearing it. Won't have to worry about that anymore. Yet it doesn't make me feel any better."

"He put it on?"

"Zatanna did. He made a deal with Fate so she'd be let go."

"As any decent parent would."

Bruce sighed. "Now Zatanna will be living in the mountain. We will be helping move her later today."

"Which means you'd better get some rest. The children will want to see you before you leave as well. They deserve an explanation."

"And they'll get it," Bruce said while he pushed himself up. He put away the pictures and files looking at each for a moment as he did. He walked forward then paused. "Alfred?"

"Yes, Master Bruce?"

"I don't say this enough, but thank you. For me, for everything with the kids."

Alfred blinked a few times then gave a small smile. "Get some rest Master Bruce."

AN: I've been looking forward to writing Misplaced for a while so I hope I did well. The reunions however, were much harder than I'd expected.