This chapter is dedicated to my reader Mawi. Thankyou for sending in your ideas :) Sorry its taken so long to get them written up x

Louis Lane was becoming disgusted as she stood in a huge ball room watching the rich and famous pour in. Most of them had their children with them but it was not this that disgusted her, it was how they treated their children. Apparently making a good impression and keeping up conversation was more important than what their children were tapping them on the arm to tell them. She could see one child nearly in tears but holding them in because that was what they had been brought up to do. Don't let anyone see your tears.

"You look beautiful" she turned quickly when she felt and arm around her waist.

"Clark" she smiled "I was beginning to think you didn't take your job seriously, this is the first event you've been to in months" Clark smiled sheepishly.

"Well you know combination of being busy and bad luck, like last month when I forgot my ID and they wouldn't let me in the building!" Louis sighed

"Well it was good for me you weren't there, it meant as usual I got the Superman story" she didn't see Clark's secret smile.

"So the rich and famous of Gotham" he said looking over at the crowd his co-worker had previously been studying.

"Yeh, I can't believe how people find these pompous morons interesting enough to read about them religiously" she crossed her arms over her chest.

"Pompous morons? Now does that comment stand for every one Miss Lane?" Both reporters turned to see the familiar face of the most famous of everyone there.

"Bruce" said Clark shaking the man's hand "How have you been?"

"Same as always Clark." He turned to greet the female of the two who was currently opening and closing her mouth like a fish.

"I am so sorry Mr Wayne, I wasn't referring to you obviously" Bruce flashed her, his famous smile.

"I was joking Miss Lane. I do agree a lot of people here can come across rather cold. And please call me Bruce" he took her hand and kissed it.

"Flirt" came a voice from behind the Playboy. Dick raised an eyebrow at his father causing both men to chuckle while Louis turned red.

"Miss Lane , this hear is my son, Dick."

"Nice to meet you Miss Lane" he shook her hand and Louis looked him over quickly, after 7 years she was finally meeting him face to face. Bruce tried to keep all of his children out of the eye of the media as much as possible.

He wasn't the boy of 8 she had originally done a story on; he was now a young man of 15.

Dick turned back to Bruce

"Are you sure it was wise bringing the other 2? I'm used to these event but they are getting bored" Bruce sighed

"They had to show up at one eventually" he said apologetically "Tell them we wont stay long, I'll get Alfred to pick them up in a few hours. Just keep them out of trouble until then. Please" Dick nodded before saying his good byes and leaving the group.

"He's grown so much" said Louis, still following the boy with her eyes as he made his way through the crowd of people. She didn't fail to notice that no one spoke to him, but many stopped their conversation to stare before resuming in a hushed whisper.

"Yes he has. Shame it's mostly in maturity and not height" Bruce and Clark shared a smirk "Now Clark, Louis, I'm afraid I must leave you. This is after all my party, I must be seen mingling" Bruce then followed his sons lead, milling into the crowd.

"Well what do we do now?" asked Clark

"Mingle I guess, see if we can scoop anything interesting" she sounded as though it was the last thing she wanted to do, Clark felt for her, being a relatively down to earth person she didn't understand the upper class and she said what she felt. Unfortunately in these situations that was rarely a good thing and so it was hard for her to not say something.

The evening progressed without much of anything going on, just the usual speeches and toasts etc. etc. Louis and Clark were about to call it a night, walking over to Bruce to thank him for a lovely evening when the first gun shot was heard.

Immediately people were crouching to the floor as the gun men entered the room.

"Mr Wayne" one said bowing low and comically "Were hear to take everything you hold dear, so had over the cash" he turned to look over the crowd "That goes for all of you. And don't think of trying any funny stuff or one of these three charming boys won't be looking so pretty anymore" he indicated behind him and a few people gasped when they saw the three adopted sons of Bruce Wayne. 11 year old Jason and 9 year old Tim were hiding behind Dick, who was glaring at the gunmen and holding his arms around his brothers protectively.

The men started walking around the group taking watches, necklaces, rings anything they thought was of any value. Louis was once again disgusted that some people hesitated when asked for their goods, did they not realise these children's lives were on the line.

"I said no funny stuff!" yelled one of the gun men when a man refused to hand over his watch, he pointed the gun towards Dick whose eyes widened but he kept his stance in front of the two younger.

"Take what you want, just please don't hurt the boys" said Bruce taking a step forward, but the man didn't lower the gun and Louis could see sweat starting to form on the 15 year olds brow.

Bruce and the man stared at each other for a long time until a second gun could be heard loading

"Alright, drop the gun, nice and easy" said Commissioner Gordon his gun also raised to the back of the gunman's head.

"You really think this will work Comish? You pull the trigger I can guarantee ill pull mine too before the bullet hits. It will be up to fate whether or not the bullet hits the circus freak or not" Dick visibly flinched at the name.

Everyone stood statue still for a few moments, apart from Bruce who was slowing inching towards his boys.

"Make a decision Comish, or I will for you" still nobody moved. Gordon was tearing himself up inside, if he lowered his gun he would no longer have his hold on the situation but is he didn't he would get his man but he might lose his daughters best friend.

"Have it your way" Louis shut her eyes tight as the gun was fired the sounds of gasps and a struggle could be heard as the man was arrested. She didn't want to open her eyes, she didn't want to see Dick, or Jason or Tim dead and bleeding on the floor.

Then there was a hand on her shoulder

"It's alright Louis" she opened her eyes to see a heart-warming sight.

As the bullet had gone off, Bruce Wayne had tackled his son to the ground. The bullet had grazed his back but had done more damage to the suit that the skin. Dick was clinging tightly to the man tears in his eyes and the two younger were sitting on the ground looking shell shocked.

Clark left her side and went to see to Jason and Tim while Bruce worked on stopping Dick from hyperventilating.

"It's alright Chum. It's over, your safe" the boy nodded before burying his face in his fathers chest.

The party had dispursed after that, everyone getting their valubles back and then heading off before anything else could happen.

The Wayne family had left a while ago too. Louis was sat on the stone steps outside of the building, she felt a coat being wrapped round her.

"You alright?"

"Yeh, guess I got my story after all" Clark laughed slightly

"At least it will be more interesting that the usual pages about Gotham millionaires"

Louis smiled, after tonight her view on the snobbish world of the rich and famous had been turned around, maybe there was hope after all.

"it certainly will be"

OoOoOoOo

Bruce was sat at the breakfast table the next morning, none of his sons were up yet, which was unusual since they were normally up first but considering everything that had happened the night before, it was understandable.

Dick had been shaken up, he had told his father in the limo coming home that despite being threatened with guns every other night while being Robin, it was still terrifying to have it happen while he was Dick Grayson. He had known he might be able to save his brothers, but there was no way he would have been able to save himself.

Bruce sighed, his boys were so young, yet they were so worn by life.

"Master Bruce, you may want to see this" said Alfred walking into the room carrying a newspaper.

"It appears you made the front page" Bruce took the paper and saw it was the one Clark wrote for. The story was by Louis Lane.

"Bruce Wayne, Gotham's bravest father".