Watch for POV changes. There are a few. I separated the POVs and scene changes with a line to make reading a bit easier.

Warning: Some Language . . .

Seven of their opponents went down in a hail of bullets. Superman threw his arms up in the air and turned on his rival in an unusual display of temper.

"You know, you don't have to kill everyone you meet," he complained.

Rhiannon paused the game in order to gape at him. "Of course, I do," she snapped at him impatiently. "That is the whole point of this training exercise, after all – to kill as many of the undead as possible. It is only when they are dead-dead that they cannot continue to hunt you or turn others into more of . . ." She turned to Jason who was hanging over the back of the sectional sofa they sat on. "What is the name that you call them?"

"Zombies," Jason supplied helpfully. He usually preferred to be the one playing but this rivalry between the priestess and the Man of Steel was more than a little entertaining.

"I know what they're called," Clark barked before catching himself. "Sorry, Jason. I don't usually let something as trivial as a video game get to me."

Rhiannon rolled her eyes and started the game back up. "You must realize you cannot save them anymore. They are beyond saving at this point. The only thing left is to destroy them."

"They were people once," Clark reminded her. "Does that mean nothing to you?"

"Your compassion will get you killed," she muttered, using the axe option to slice another zombie down the center of his head. "I would hate to become one of these monsters. If you wish to be compassionate, you can promise me you would kill me quickly before I could be used to harm the living."

Superman wrinkled his nose at the gore on the screen. "Jason, I can't believe Bruce would buy you a game so violent or that Alfred would allow you to play it."

"Bruce didn't buy it for me," Jason admitted freely. "I saved up my allowance and bought this for myself."

Clark looked over his shoulder at the teen. "And Alfred?"

"What Alfred don't know . . ." Jay shrugged.

"It's been my experience that Alfred knows everything that happens in this house," Clark reminded him. "It's one of his super powers."

"Yay, Rhia!" Dickie shouted as he jumped up and down on the furniture. Although Jason was rooting for Rhiannon, he did so silently so as not to hurt Clark's feelings. Dickie didn't choose sides and happily made up the cheering section for both combatants. "Go, go, Superman!"

"But she's right, you know," Jason pointed out sensibly. He paused to dodge out of the way of Dick's flying feet as the toddler tumbled back and forth across the sofa cushions before continuing. "You gain points for each zombie kill."

"Kill the zombies, Unca Clark!" Dick yelled after he landed ignobly across the man of Steel's lap.

"Dick shouldn't be watching this," Clark complained, frowning down at the child. "This is totally inappropriate for a child his age."

"It's just a game, Clark," Jason tsked at him.

Dick sat up and pointed at the older boy. "He's your Unca Clark, too, Jay-Jay."

Jason sighed. "Fine - Uncle Clark," he repeated to satisfy the child. ". . . and, I'll remind you, that Dick is actually five years older than I am."

"He's not at the moment and, from what I understand, Dick will have to grow up all over again." Clark inserted.

"When I grow up, I'm gonna be like Jay-Jay," Dick declared as he threw himself at the older boy. He wrapped his arms enthusiastically around Jason's neck for a hug.

Jason carefully loosened the Dickie's grip before the toddler could choke him. "Only if you're lucky, kiddo," he laughed.

"I'm lucky," Dick assured them as he resumed his bouncing.

"Pay attention, Man of Steel, lest you die yet again," Rhiannon chided him. "This game, as you call it, reminds me very much of the war, less undead to fight at a time, perhaps, and minus the ravens that would swoop down on you from the sky. You should move quicker."

"They wouldn't be able to harm me at all in real life," Clark snorted. "I could easily cut a swath through the lot of them with my heat vision should it become necessary."

Rhiannon paused the game again, turning to glare at him. "It will become necessary," she snapped, tired of his derision and complaints. "Else it will be your own friends and family through which you will be forced to 'cut a swath'."

"I realize how hard going through that must have been for you," Clark sighed, "but it was two thousand years ago. All you had to defend yourself with were wooden shields and bronze short swords. It won't be the same this time, not if I have any say in it."

Rhiannon shook her head. "We had eight gods on our side and, although the Fae themselves would rather flee than fight, we also had the use of Fae magic. Do not allow arrogance to be your downfall, Superman," she warned, emphasizing the super in his name derisively.

With the game paused, Dickie suddenly became aware of the conversation. He dropped to his knees, gazing up at the priestess worriedly.

"She's coming?" he asked in a small voice.

Jason tugged on the child's shirt. "Don't worry, buddy. We won't let her get you," he told the boy.

Worried blue eyes met Jason's. "Jay-Jay will save me?"

Swallowing back the butterflies that fluttered nervously inside his gut, Jason struggled to maintain his bravado. "You know I will, punk. No one's allowed to eat you but me," he promised, reaching down to tickle the boy.

Dick's giggles eased the tension that had been building in the room, doing much to ease Jason's own fears about facing the goddess again in person. He was trying hard not to think about it.

"Mind if I join the party?" came a familiar voice from the doorway.

"Bruce," Dickie squealed in delight. "You come back!"

The welcome Bruce received was gratifying.

Dick quickly hopped over the back of the couch with a grace reminiscent of the child's previous life and rushed towards him with open arms. Bruce grinned, scooping the boy up into his arms, relishing the eager adoration. He hadn't realized how much he had been missing the warmth and affection of those early years until he experienced it again. Without Dick's memories of their arguments to tarnish their bond, Bruce accepted the non-judgmental love of his child with both gratefulness and guilt at what had to happen in order to renew their bond.

"What took you do long?" Jason asked as he approached in a much more dignified manner. "I thought you were only going to be gone an hour."

Bruce smiled in greeting, ruffling Jason's hair in an unusual display of affection. The teenager gaped at him, suspicious. Bruce wasn't offended, however. He understood the teen's dismay. Jason was unused to open displays of affection. It was something that had been lacking in his early life. Unfortunately, neither had it been so readily available during his time at the manor so far. At least, not from Bruce. Being on the receiving end twice in the same day likely had Jason wondering if his guardian had been replaced by a pod-person.

"Don't worry," Bruce assured the boy with a wink. "It's still me."

Jason frowned. "You sure?"

"I'm sure," Bruce insisted good-naturedly.

Clark set the controllers back on the game station to recharge. "As enjoyable as the afternoon has been," he said without much sarcasm, "I'll remind you that we are scheduled to meet the others on the Watchtower in an hour."

Bruce shifted Dick to his other hip as he faced the adults in the room. "I didn't forget."

"I didn't think you would, but you were cutting it a little close. Did you run into trouble?" Clark asked. It wouldn't be the first time Bruce had been late because Batman had to make an appearance.

"No. I just had a couple of errands I needed to get done before I was free to leave Gotham," Bruce explained. Turning, He led the way to his study and the Batcave beyond.

"What kind of errand?" Jason asked as he followed Bruce down the hall.

Dick tilted his head in confusion. "What's an errand?"

"You never mentioned where you were going or what you would be doing," Jason said ignoring Dick's question in favor of getting his own answers.

It wasn't that Jason hadn't enjoyed watching Superman and Rhiannon battle it out on his game station, but Bruce's question had been weighing heavily on his mind. Jason knew which way he was leaning, particularly after the discussion he had with the priestess earlier, but he wasn't sure he was ready to place that much trust in this relationship. Having Bruce be his new father seemed kind of permanent and Jason didn't know how his own father would react once he got out of prison. Would Willis even be willing to sign over his rights to another? He wasn't especially fond of Jason but knowing someone else wanted him might be enough for Willis to throw a wrench in the works. Jay wouldn't put it past him to try to weasel some money out of Bruce in the process. It wasn't as if Willis hadn't been willing to do stuff like that before.

Jason wanted to, he didn't know – maybe, hang out with Bruce a little more, see what might happen. He was hoping for a more definite sign that he belonged here, something that would decide for him one way or the other.

"I was asking Batgirl to keep an eye on Gotham for me," Bruce explained.

"Batgirl?" Jason exclaimed. He hadn't met Batgirl yet nor did he know who she was out of the mask. "But you left here as Bruce Wayne."

"Yes, I did," Bruce said. "I thought it was time she learned who The Batman is behind the cowl."

"You told her?" Jason gaped. "Hang on. Does that mean you know who she is?"

"I've always known who wears my symbol," Bruce told the teen as he changed the time on the old grandfather clock. He closed the glass over the face of it, stepping back as it slid out of the way. He keyed in the code to access the security door hidden behind the antiquity.

"I'm impressed," Clark said as he followed them down the stairs to the complicated cave system below. "This smells a little like trust to me."

"Don't get too excited," Bruce called back over his shoulder. "It isn't that big of a deal."

Clark disagreed. "No, it makes perfect sense to me. I've always figured the world would have to be ending before you willingly shared your secret with more than six League members."

Bruce stepped down into the sprawling cavern that made up the Batcave. "Gallows humor, Clark? That seems a little dark for you."

"Under the circumstances . . ." Clark smirked.

Jason leapt from the third step, interrupting. "So, who is she? Who is Batgirl?"

"Barbara Gordon," Bruce told him.

"Wait! Barbara Gordon, the commissioner's daughter? That Barbara Gordon?" Jason asked in shock. "Does her dad know?"

"I don't believe that she's shared the news with him, no," Bruce replied.

"I remember seeing her name in the news," Jason was frowning as he connected the dots. "Isn't she like a congresswoman or something?"

"She's a member of the House of Representatives, yes. Good memory, Jason," Bruce added. "While she's back in town, I asked her to look after Gotham until we can clean up this current mess."

"That's it?" Jay asked. "But you were gone for hours."

"And I also stopped by my attorney's office," Bruce admitted, "to begin the adoption process for you and Dick."

"Seriously?" The teen gaped. "You mean, you really meant that?" He tried to tamp down on the excitement suddenly churning in his gut.

Clark looked surprised. "I take it you managed to come up with a viable cover story for Dick, then?"

"He's my biological son from a previous affair," Bruce told him. "She sent him to me when she learned she had a terminal illness."

"Wow, that's harsh." Jason winced.

Bruce glanced at the older boy. "Do you have a suggestion for who his mother should be, Jason? You know of someone who wouldn't attempt to blackmail me for marriage or money?"

"What's blackmail?" Dickie asked.

"Not now," Bruce told the child absentmindedly.

The teen shrugged his shoulders. "Nah, you made your point. It just seems kind of sad, you know?"

"I do," Bruce agreed solemnly. "But if I want Dick in my life, it needs to be this way. I won't risk having him taken away from me. As my biological son, that won't happen."

"Hate to be the devil's advocate, but won't the courts require proof?" Clark asked. "It could also open the door for a slew of paternity suits by unscrupulous women?"

"Perhaps, but those women would have to prove their cases," Bruce told them. "With Dick, I'll be supplying all the proof I'll need to be considered his biological father. I spent part of the morning creating a birth certificate and paper trail for him. His mother, however, will only exist on paper"

"I'm sure you were thorough, but what if the courts demand other, more substantial, proof?"

"Why should they when I'm not contesting paternity?" Bruce asked. He quickly raised a hand, forestalling further arguments. "I've already fabricated the DNA results that will end the matter. The Batman will see to it that any testing ordered will be returned as proof positive the boy is my son."

Clark glanced down at the teenager in their midst. "What of Jason?"

"Jason's will be a straight-forward adoption. Having Dickie already installed as a younger brother, I doubt the judge will have a problem signing the papers," Bruce said.

"What about my dad?" Jason blurted. "Will he agree to this?'

"Your father is not in a position to stop this," Bruce assured him.

"Bruce . . ."

"What now, Clark? What other objections to this do you have?" Bruce's patience was beginning to wear thin.

Clark sighed. "It's just . . . Have you considered giving Dick and Jason homes with real families? For so long as you're Batman, their lives will be filled with uncertainty and danger that comes with the life of a vigilante."

Fire flashed in Bruce's eyes. He stepped forward and pointed a finger at Superman's chest. Clark stepped back to avoid a physical confrontation. He didn't want to hurt the other man, but this was an opportunity to prevent the boys from growing up to follow in the Batman's footsteps. God forbid that they end up losing yet another father abruptly and violently.

"Don't," Bruce snarled. "Don't go there, Clark. As far as I'm concerned, these are my sons and pity the man who dares to come between me and my boys. Right now, with that goddess on the loose, there is nowhere safer for either of them to be than right here with me."

Clark raised his hands up in surrender. "Fine. You've made your point. I promise I won't stand in your way."

Bruce nodded and then turned to lay a hand on Jason's shoulder. "Despite what I've started, Jason, the process of adoption can only be halted by you. Have you had enough time to consider the matter? If you don't want me to adopt you, I'll understand. You can continue to live here for as long as you wish, no matter what you decide."

"But what if my dad . . .?" Jason started worriedly.

"Trust me, Jason. Your father isn't going to be a factor in this. This is about what you want, son," Bruce told him.

"Okay." Jason said, his decision made. "I think . . . I'd like for you to adopt me."

Bruce's face softened. "Are you certain? You weren't so sure about it this morning." At the boy's nod, he asked, "So, what changed your mind?"

"You did," Jason said. "Just now." He smiled slyly. "Say, does this mean we get to call you Dad?"

This startled a laugh out of the normally serious man. "You can call me whatever you're comfortable with, Jason."

Dickie had been silent throughout this until now. He looked confused. "Who is Dad?" he asked curiously.

"He is," Jay said, pointing at Bruce. "You get to call him Daddy now, Dickie."

Bruce snorted. "Except when I'm being Batman," he qualified. "Although, this could become a problem when Dick starts meeting the public."

"Bruce is Daddy now?" Dick looked back and forth between Bruce and Jason.

"Yep," Jason smirked. "That's his new name, Dickie. You have to call him that from here on out."

Clark laughed, laying a hand on the older boy's shoulder. "As do you, Jason. This means that you and Dick will be brothers."

Dickie tilted his head. "What's a brother?"

Rhiannon stepped up to explain. "A Brother means family, little one," she told the boy before she turned to smile at Jason. "Congratulations, Jason. Families are a very good thing to have. You must cherish them while you may."

Bruce grunted in agreement. "Now, I'm going to change. Clark, would you call Alfred down. Everyone will be accompanying me on this trip," He said, handing Dick over to Superman. He stopped to look at the new, long-sleeved t-shirt Dick was sporting. "'It Was His Idea'?" he read aloud. "Who keeps getting him shirts with these sayings on them?"

Clark smiled at the child in his arms. "Don't look at me, although I'd be willing to lay money that it was Barry."

Jason interrupted, startled by what he thought he'd heard Bruce say. "Wait? Everyone is getting to go with you this time? Me, too?"

"Yes, you too." Bruce told him

"Me, too?" Dickie asked next after seeing Jay's excitement.

"Everyone is going," Bruce repeated for them. "Even Alfred."

"Woo-hoo!" Jason whooped. Dick copied his new brother's enthusiastic shout, the boys' voices echoing throughout the cavernous chamber. The teen held up his hand. "High-five," he said, grinning when the boy slapped it.

"Are you going to give Alfred and Dick masks for this, too?" Jason asked following Bruce.

"We'll see," Bruce murmured as they both ducked into the changing room together.

Clark took a moment to request the butler's presence and turned back to watch the priestess as she wandered around the perimeter of the cave.

Stopping, she stared at the odd assortment of trophies on display around the cavern, one trophy in particular demanded her attention. "Are creatures like this common in this area?" she asked. Stepping up to it, she poked at its leg with her finger. "What is wrong with it? Is it dead?"

Clark answered with a smile. "That is a robotic dinosaur. A mechanical creature made to look like ancient lifeforms that went extinct from before your time."

Dick squirmed. "I wanna see the dinosaur! Let me down, Unca Clark. Please?"

"Your father would skin me alive if I let you down in here," Clark told the toddler as he struggled to hold onto the boy without hurting him. Dick, it seemed, was able to turn his body into liquid at will the Kryptonian noted in dismay. The boy was suddenly as slippery as an eel.

Rhiannon glanced back, diverted from her study of the robotic reptile by the comment. "Would he really? I always found that to be rather barbarous practice," she remarked curiously. "How would one manage such a feat, I wonder, if knives do not harm you?"

Clark gaped at her. "It was an exaggeration, a form of speech not meant to be taken literally nowadays. While Bruce might be angry with me, I doubt he would try to harm me."

"You say that as if he could," Rhiannon noted with interest.

The priestess lifted an eyebrow but didn't remark further. Instead she returned to browsing through the other numerous trophies scattered throughout the cave, picking up and setting down the various odds and ends that Batman had collected over the years.

Clark sensed that she was a little too intrigued about his weaknesses and seemed too disappointed that Bruce's punishments didn't carry more weight. He wasn't about to admit to her that Batman was one of the few capable of taking him down should it ever become necessary. He knew for a fact that Batman routinely carried a piece of kryptonite on him. Despite this, Clark trusted no one else to keep it away from those who would use it against him. The little priestess seemed lethal enough without learning how to defeat him in a world outside the realm of video games.

"Be careful, Priestess," he warned as she peered down the barrel of one of Victor Fries' freeze guns. "There's a saying about curiosity killing the cat," he told her.

"Ah yes. We had that saying, too," Rhiannon told him. She laid the weapon down and moved on. "But, in case you haven't noticed, I'm not a cat."

By now, Jason had returned dressed once more in the Robin costume. He grinned up at the Man of Steel, as he finished fastening the collar that attached the cape to the costume. "Don't look so worried, big guy. I won't let her hurt you."

"Much obliged," Clark murmured as they waited for the Bat and the butler.

An air of danger surrounded Rhiannon. Despite Bruce's odd faith in her and Jason's blatant hero-worship, Clark didn't share it.

"What is this place?" Rhiannon stared at the metal walls that enclosed them as she stepped down from the zeta-tube platform.

Superman held Alfred's elbow until the older man acclimated to the new environment. The zeta-tube often caused disorientation and nausea to the uninitiated. Dickie had handled the transition quite well, leading one to believe that while his mind had forgotten everything from his past, there were still some experiences that his body appeared to be familiar with. Jason, on the other hand, was leaning over a bucket kept nearby for just such a need.

Batman held his hand out to the priestess. "How are you feeling? The zeta-tube doesn't always agree with some people." There was no mistaking the sounds of retching behind him.

Dickie was patting Jason's back. "You okay, Jay-Jay?"

Jason groaned, wiping his mouth with the back of his glove. "Why're you asking, shrimp? Don't I look okay?" he muttered as he set the bucket down.

"You look kind of green," the child stated honestly.

Rhiannon ignored Batman's hand as she wandered over to the floor-to-ceiling window.

"It isn't as smooth as the Fae's portal, but it does the job, I suppose," she said, and then caught her breath. "Mankind has obtained the status of gods . . ." she murmured in awe, raising a hand to touch the opening. The window made a faint staticky sound as blue light danced around her fingertips.

"That's Thanagarian technology," Bruce explained, taking her hand and moving it away. "It is a forcefield that keeps the atmosphere inside the Watchtower. Not all windows here are like this one. There are others made from fused silica and are solid to the touch."

"This feels strange, tingly," she noted. "It seems solid, but . . . not."

"That is as good a way of describing it as any," Batman said.

"The earth," she marveled aloud. "It isn't flat."

Batman's lips twitched. "No, it's not."

"I do not understand. How does the water not fall off?" she asked.

"Later, I will try to explain it to you. Perhaps, if we can find time, I'll arrange for you to take a tour of the place. Right now, it's business first."

She turned away from the breathtaking view without a second glance, the wonder in her face fading away as her mind returned to the reason behind her continued existence. The war ahead of them had to take precedence above all else. He could see why she was given the position of guardian. Nothing swayed the priestess from her primary mission. It was an admirable quality he could respect.

"How are you feeling, Alfred?" Batman asked, returning to the older man's side.

Alfred straightened his shoulders and smooth his jacket. "Tip-top shape, sir."

Jason moved to join the others, the green tinge slowly being replace by a more natural hue. "I'm fine, by the way," he blurted sarcastically. "Thanks for asking."

Dickie took the teen's hand, his small fingers wrapping around two of Jason's own. "Jason puked," he announced helpfully. "Like this." The boy bent over and pretended to throw up, making surprisingly realistic noises.

"Shut up, squirt," Jason complained, giving the boy a small shove. His cheeks reddened. Although, it had been Alfred's and Rhiannon's first time through the zeta-tubes as well, it annoyed him that he had been the only one to get sick.

"Enough," Batman told the two of them. "Dick, while we are here, you are to obey Alfred and Jason. Do you understand?"

Dick frowned. "Where's my mask? I want a mask, too."

"Right here," Batman said, tugging two more masks from his belt. These were well-made but a comfortable fabric and of two clearly different sizes. "I have one for you and one for Alfred. You are not to take it off without my permission. Do you understand?"

Jason, now Robin, helped Dick with his mask as Batman handed the other to Alfred.

"Alfred has a mask, too," Dick exclaimed excitedly.

"Way to state the obvious, kid," Jason laughed.

"What's obvious mean?" Dickie asked as he tried to readjust the mask on his face. One of the eye holes kept sliding up over one of his eyebrows, making the mask resemble a pirate' eyepatch more than anything.

"Stop that," Jason ordered, fixing it over both the boy's eyes again. "Stating the obvious means that you just said something that everyone already knows."

Dickie looked at Rhiannon and Superman. "How come they don't have masks?"

"Because they don't need them," Batman told him.

"Why don't they need them?"

"Because everyone already knows who they are." He explained patiently.

"Everyone knows who I am," Dick said. He tried to push his mask off.

"Not everyone," Batman told him as he slid the child's mask back into place. "I'm not prepared to tell them yet, so keep this on."

"Why don't you want to tell them who I am?" Dick asked, sliding a finger under his mask to scratch. "This is itchy. I don't wanna wear it anymore."

"What did I tell you?" Batman asked with a warning in his voice.

The toddler sighed. "Don't take it off," he muttered unhappily.

He looked down at Dick. "While you are here, you will refer to Alfred as Agent A."

"Why?"

Batman's patience was thinning. "Because I said so."

"It's his secret name," Jason told the boy.

"Secret? I wanna secret name," Dickie yelped. "Can I have a secret name, too?"

Jason grinned. "We can call you short-stack."

Dickie scowled. He stood up on his toes. "I'm not short."

"Sure, you are," Jay stated, laying a hand on the top of his head.

"Quit it, Jason!" Dick yelled, squirming out from under Jason's hand.

"His name while he is wearing that costume is . . .?" Batman snapped, gesturing towards Jason.

Dickie dropped back onto his heels, pouting. "Robin," he muttered, crossing his arms and turning away.

Batman turned the boy back towards him, squatting to better look Dick in the face. "And him?" he asked, pointing to Alfred. "What is his name while he is wearing his mask?"

"Agent A," Dick huffed. His lower lip jutted out adorably.

"Very good. I expect you to remember this," Batman told him. "Now then, what do you want to be called?"

Dick tilted his head as he thought about it. "Robin!"

"That's my name now, you little punk," Jason complained.

"Why can't I be Robin, too?" Dickie whined.

Bruce tamped down the memories of the night that Dick had returned to the Batcave and discovered Jason wearing his old costume, but his gut churned with guilt. Had he not blown up at the young man Dick had been then, his son wouldn't currently be in this predicament – de-aged into a young child, his memories stripped away, and being stalked by the goddess of destruction.

Softening his tone, Batman told him, "Because you've outgrown it, that's why."

Jason sighed. "Look, Dickie, how about Nightwing? We can call you Nightwing."

Superman raised an eyebrow, but resolutely remained out of the family squabble.

"NO!" Dick yelled. "She called me that."

Jason exchanged startled glances with Bruce.

"Okay," Batman agreed gently. "Not Nightwing."

After a moment, Jason spoke up. "Then, how about Little Wing?"

Dick frowned. "Little Wing?"

"Yeah. That's a good name for you," Jason grinned.

The boy looked first at Bruce, then at the others standing awkwardly behind him. "Do you like it?"

"It's a very good name," Superman assured him. "I like the bird theme you have going on here."

"It's quite fitting, young sir," Alfred agreed.

Bruce noted the moment the child accepted the name. "Little Wing it is, then," Batman announced standing back up. "Little Wing, you will be staying with Agent A and Robin for the duration of this meeting, do you understand? You will be on your best behavior, and when they tell you to do things, you will listen."

Little Wing glanced back at Robin. "I wanna cape. Can I have a cape, too?"

"Bru-u-uce," Jason protested with a moan before realizing what he had said. "Sorry. I mean, Batman," he corrected quickly.

"I wanna cape, too" Dickie demanded, on his way to a tantrum.

Superman swooped down, scooped the child up in his arms. "I thought you wanted to fly, Little Wing?"

Distracted, Dickie squealed with delight. "Yay!"

Jason rolled his eyes and caught his first glimpse of the earth floating like a gem against the black backdrop of space. He stopped a moment to gape in awe.

"Wow . . ." he murmured softly under his breath.

Alfred joined him at the window.

"It is quite lovely, isn't it?" the older man said aloud.

Jason crinkled his nose as he remembered something. "I wonder what those birds are thinking right about now. Do you think they realize the brat is gone?"

"I sincerely hope not, Master Robin. We do not need a visitation at this moment, not until the League can come up with a plan with which to soundly defeat the Gray Woman once and for all."

The priestess followed Superman out of the room as Batman waited by the door.

"Time to go," Batman told them. "The others are waiting."

Superman led the way, spiraling down the corridor to entertain the youngest member of their group. The walls were coated with a sound-absorbing resin, preventing Dick's laughter from echoing throughout the Watchtower and otherwise announcing their presence.

As they made their way toward the conference room where the meeting was to be held, the group ran into Diana who came from the direction of the landing bay. Although Superman appeared surprised by the guest accompanying Wonder Woman, Batman had expected to see her. Dickie squirmed free of Clark, happy to greet them.

"Hippo," he cried out happily.

"Oh dear," Alfred murmured at Bruce's shoulder. "Don't tell me that's . . ."

"Diana's mother, Queen Hippolyta of Themyscira," Batman answered.

"That's who Dickie named the dog after?" Robin gaped.

The woman looked more like she was Diana's sister than her mother, equal in height and formability, she appeared regal in full warrior's garb. The Amazonian queen kneeled to catch the squealing child in her arms, bestowing the boy a beauteous smile.

"Hello there, little one," she greeted the boy. "I am pleased to see that you escaped the destruction of Olympus unharmed."

Wide-eyed, Dickie nodded. "It was scary," he imparted his secret solemnly.

"So, I heard," she said.

Dickie frowned as he noticed something different about the queen. He touched a fresh scar than ran the length of the queen's cheek, from the outer corner of her eye to her chin, gently. "Did the ravens do that?"

"We survived the ordeal, child. This," she said, indicating the injury, "is of no concern. We Amazons relish our battle scars," Hippolyta told him lightly, but her smile dimmed somewhat at the reminder of why they were all here.

The little boy leaned in, kissing the lower edge of the scar much to the surprise of the Amazon. "That will make it all better," he promised.

Hippolyta's smile warmed at the sweet gesture. "You have my gratitude, little one."

Dick twisted about as he pulled his shirt up. "You wanna see my scar?"

Batman caught the material, tugging it back down. "Save it for later, Little Wing," Batman told him. He nodded at Hippolyta in greeting. "I hope the Amazons didn't suffer for helping us."

Although, Hippolyta's countenance turned savage, she chose not to comment on the battle fought after their departure. Instead, she came right to the point of her presence aboard the Watchtower, something unprecedented until now. "I came, Dark Knight, to pledge the Amazons to your war. We will not accept the destruction meekly. That is not our way."

"We accept your offer gratefully, your highness," Batman responded. "I believe any hope we have of success will rely on our combined efforts."

Mother and daughter were both already outfitted for war, Diana carrying a bow with a quiver of arrows as well as her normal sword. On top of this, both women also carried ornate shields on their backs. All their weapons would do them no good, however, if the Gray Woman attacked them as she had Olympus. No, if they were to have any chance of surviving the coming apocalypse, they would have to draw their enemy to the earth and into a physical confrontation.

"Mother," Diana waved a hand towards Rhiannon. "This is the druid priestess I was telling you about. She survived the first battle with the goddess. It is hoped that she can provide us with an idea of how we might defeat this enemy again."

"With any luck, permanently this time," Hippolyta added with a regal nod. "That you succeeded in imprisoning her in the first conflict gives us confidence that we shall be victorious."

Batman's mouth tightened, but he kept his silence. The more he learned about their shared enemy, the greater his unease. Confidence could help or hinder a battle if it is misplaced.

As Wonder Woman and her mother repaired to the conference room, Batman paused outside of a small lounge area a few feet away.

"I want you three to stay here throughout the meeting. There is a television and a few games to entertain you, and the kitchen is stocked with snacks," he told them.

Jason frowned. "Don't I get to go in with you? Why the hell did I dress as Robin if I'm going to be stuck out here on toddler patrol?" Dickie sucked in his breath at the swear word, but Jason ignored him as he focused on Batman.

"I don't have time to explain my reasoning to you. I'm asking you to wait here with Agent A and Little Wing," Batman told him brusquely.

"But Alfred is here," Jason complained. "He can watch the rugrat just fine by himself. He doesn't need me here to help him babysit."

"Names . . ." Batman told him simply.

"But . . ."

"Robin," Batman said sharply.

Jason slumped. He thought he was going to get to meet the rest of the League, not babysit the brat.

Alfred put his hand on the teen's shoulder. "Come, lad. He also serves who only stands and waits."

Jason shrugged off the older man's hand in his disappointment. "What does that even mean? Sounds like an excuse made by someone who wasn't able to play with the big boys."

Alfred took Dick's hand as he waved Bruce on to other important things. This was something he could handle. "Master Robin, the quote came from a poem by John Milton written as a reflection on his blindness."

Jason frowned. "Like I said . . ."

"It's meaning, most believe, without the aid of the poet himself, is that we all have our place of importance in the greater scheme of things – God's plan, as it were," Alfred explained.

"God's plan? Which god is that?" Jason asked snidely. "The dead ones or the one that's trying to kill us?"

He wasn't feeling in the mood for platitudes. Despite finding a family, the worry that it was about to be snatched away from him and he wasn't being allowed to fight for it hurt. He wanted to help. He wanted to do something, anything to protect what little he had left. Being denied even the ability to sit in and listen to what the big dogs were saying felt like an indignity, a snub, both were things he had a problem accepting.

Dick came over and took Jason's hand. "Don't be mad, Jay-Jay," he told him. "You can play with me."

Jason jerked his hand away. "Don't you get it, twerp? We're going to war and I'm stuck out here with a baby and an old man."

Dick blinked at the sharpness of Jason's retort. He scowled at the insult. "I'm not a baby," he yelled, stamping his foot.

"Yes, you are," Jason responded. "And somehow you're the reason for all this. The world's going to end, and it's going to be your fault!"

"Here now, Master Robin," Alfred barked sharply. "That is cruel and uncalled for. This threat had existed long before any of us were born. You're acting childish. Laying the blame for your dismissal at the feet of one who hasn't earned your bile is not the way to earn Batman's respect."

What made the scold all the worse was that Jason knew Alfred was right. Dick hadn't asked for what happened to him. It wasn't really his fault that Batman didn't trust Jason enough to do more than wear the costume . . . a costume that wasn't even his, not really - not yet anyway. It was remained Dick's costume even though the guy had gone off and found a new one - not that the kid could remember either of them. The only one who saw potential for Jason right now was Rhiannon, but what good did that do him when she wasn't allowed to train him without Batman's approval?

He moved off to slump on one of the sofas. He stared at the ceiling in frustration and ignored his company. He knew he was feeling sorry for himself, but he wasn't quite ready to apologize yet. So, he closed his eyes and tried to imagine what grand battle plans were being discussed in the other room without him.

It wasn't long before he felt the cushion dip beside him.

"Don't you like me anymore, Jay? . . . Um, Robin?"

Jason blew out a sigh, opened his eyes, rolling his head over to find Dickie's big blue ones gazing at him from inches away. Framed by the black mask, they looked even bluer than normal – if that was even possible.

"I didn't say that," he admitted. Although, he supposed it sounded like that to the kid. "I'm not really mad at you."

Preferring to wallow in his disappointment a bit longer, Jason covered his eyes with his arm. He didn't want to be burdened by those puppy dog eyes.

"Will you still be my brother?"

Well, shit . . . How the hell was he supposed to stay mad at the world when the little snot goes and asks him questions like that?

He snorted. "Yeah, sure . . . I'll be your brother."

"Rhia said brothers are family," Dick reminded him. Jason felt the toddler sit down next to him, scooting close. "What's a family?"

Jay opened his eyes. "Families are people who are supposed to care about you," he told him, "no matter what."

"Do you care about me no matter what, Jay . . . Sorry, Robin?"

The kid was looking at him so earnestly, so expectantly - There really was no help for it. Jason threw an arm around the boy's shoulders and pulled him even closer. "I guess I have to, squirt. I mean, if we're going to be brothers and all, right?"

The smile Dickie bestowed on him was bright, like a beam of sunlight breaking through the clouds on an otherwise crappy day. "Me, too."

"Even when I'm being jerk?"

"What's a jerk?" Dick looked up at him.

"It's someone who's being mean for no good reason."

Dick thought about this for a minute before he nodded. "No matter what," he told him.

Jason felt a lump in his throat at the kid's declaration. Gah, he was turning into a sap.

Blinking a few times to dispel the extra moisture in his eyes, Jay ruffled Dickie's hair. "Hey, look, I'm sorry about being a jerk to you. I didn't mean what I said. None of this is your fault. I was just mad."

"At Daddy?"

Jason choked on his laughter. "Yeah," he snickered, "At Dad."

"Did you want to eat him?"

The tears came anyway, but this time was because Jason was laughing too hard at the image of him tickling Batman. "I don't think I could eat Batman even if I wanted to," he said when he could breathe again.

"Are Daddies family, too?" Dick asked next once Jason calmed down. "Like brothers?"

He sighed. "Yeah, Little Wing. I guess they are."

"You're mad 'cause he was being a jerk?"

"No," Jay said, slumping back onto the sofa. "No, Batman wasn't being a jerk. Not really."

Willis Todd had cornered the market on how to be a jerk-dad. While Jason was still kind of disappointed that he couldn't go into the meeting, he figured he would still get to meet the rest of the League when the meeting was over. This didn't make Bruce a jerk. So far, the only jerk present today was Jason.

To teenager's surprise, the toddler wrapped his arms around him and squeezed.

"I'm glad you're my brother," Dick declared.

"Yeah, me too," Jay said back to him.

It came as a bit of a shock when he realized that he actually meant that. Jay was starting to get a little confused by all this, though. The Gray Woman was the enemy and yet, without her, Bruce might never have come to the decision to adopt Jason. Without her, he wouldn't have just gained a new family, a better one. Now then, if they could only live through this, Jay might find himself the odd position of being grateful to that freaky-ass Gray Woman.

Grateful or dead. It was too soon to know which he was going to be.

REACTIONS?

PLEASE NOTE: Jason's real father, Willis Todd, is deceased in this story. Murdered on the order of Two-Face while in prison. Jason is still unaware of this, believing his father is still alive and still in prison. It's been a while in this very long story since this fact was mentioned, so I wasn't sure how many of you might have remembered this.

This chapter used to be bigger. I split it into two because, even in a story that seems to demand long chapters, this one had been way too long. What that means for you is that you won't have to wait long for the next chapter. It only needs a bit of editing to be finished, so you can look forward to Chapter 26 being posted sometime within the next two weeks.

I really looking forward to reading your reactions. The next several chapters are going to be exciting as the Gray Woman exerts her power as she gets ever closer to earth.