Europe Tour

Dick hooked his legs around the trapeze wire and flipped down, coming face-to-face with Selina and her new friend, Tigre the Tiger.

"So, how much longer as we going to travel like this?" he asked. They had been with this circus for almost a week and the last thing he had expected when he agreed to go with Selina was to be travelling Europe like this. Dick loved being in the circus and performing to crowds and the way everything just smelt of animals and food. However, it also felt a little like a small betrayal. This wasn't his family circus. He worked the trapeze and any other odd jobs which needed doing while Selina trained the animals and worked especially with the big cats.

"I don't have any plans," Selina responded to his question calmly. "Unless you did."

"You know we belong on rooftops," Dick pointed out.

Selina grinned at him. "How about Paris? I hear it has lovely rooftops."

"And art?"

"And art," Selina purred.

Dick considered that to be good. They would be in Paris in four days, plenty of time for him to soak up the atmosphere of being in the circus as much as he wanted.


Caravan

Mozzie looked up when Dick entered the caravan.

"How was it?" he asked as Dick began washing off the stage makeup he used while performing.

Dick breathed in deeply, recalling the thrill of the stage, the trapeze, the height and the flight, the cheers of the crowds and the stunned silences. Dick recalled it all.

"I really missed it during those years with you."

Dick paused and then started apologising to Mozzie because he had sounded like he had disliked being Neal when that wasn't the case at all.

"Good," Mozzie responded. "I could tell you liked it here. You've been relaxed."

"Relaxed, maybe. Bored at times as well. And worried," Dick sighed. "Peter and the rest are still in America and they lead dangerous lives. What if something happens?"

"They know how to contact you," Mozzie responded with a shrug.

Neal hummed non-noncommittally. Peter would be able to cobble something together but, he had a feeling his family would find it easier to contact Selina rather than him. After all, he had consciously made the decision to not tell them. The last thing he needed was his family chasing after him in Europe. Cass, Tim and Steph might even go as far as to join the circus with him.

That would be chaos.

"So, have the clowns managed to recruit you yet?" Dick asked, subtlety changing the subject.

Mozzie huffed. "Never. I have made my stance clear. I do not get into the spotlight, no matter how much make-up covers my face. I'm perfectly content to do maintenance and run the lights."


Food Delivery

Peter opened the door to a familiar round face and almond eyes. Cassandra stood there with a box in her hands and her short dark hair framing her face.

"Sample box," she said quietly. "For Mrs. Burke."

She wasn't there for him. Peter breathed a sigh of relief and called out to his wife.

"Oh, excellent," El said, coming in with a grin on her face. She guided Cass in as she took the package from the teenager. "Come join us."

"So, what is this?" Peter asked as El gathered up plates, leaving the box closed on the table. Taunting him.

"It's a sample box from Coffee Vigil," El explained, "so I can decide if I want to use them as caterers."

"Aren't they a coffee place?" Peter questioned.

"We will do catering for Mrs. Burke," Cass said. "As long as Jason is here."

"Jason? Why him?"

"Because he's head chef."

"Why?"

"Best cook that's not Alfred."

Peter wondered if that was true. Jason didn't look much like a cook but, then again, Neal didn't look much like a vigilante. Although Neal did act like one at times. People could be surprising, that was part of his job. An embezzler could look like anyone.

"Do I have to try any?" he asked El.

El plated up something square and yellow with pieces of green sprinkled through it.

"What is it?" Peter asked.

"Try," Cass insisted.

Peter hesitated and El huffed, grabbing a knife and cutting the piece in two before eating half herself.

"That's good."

She held out the other piece to Peter. He was still hesitant. After all, he didn't like quiche and this looked like quiche.

"Just try it."

Bracing himself, Peter took the food and placed it in his mouth. Contrary to what he expected, it was not savoury but sweet.

El was grinning triumphantly at his surprise. "See? It's good."

It still looked like quiche.


Airports and Travel

"Isn't that one of Wayne's kids?" Jones questioned during the meeting. Just outside the door was a figure Peter recognised. Some of other agents also recognised Tim from when Bruce had turned up at the office to pick up his daughter however, the young adult hadn't made much of an impact next to Bruce, Selina and Bruce's daughter, Helena.

Agent Blake grinned and waved. Having shown Tim around last time he visited, the agent enjoyed seeing him.

"Hi, Tim!" he said once Peter opened the door to let the young adult in.

"Good to see you again, Agent Blake," Tim said with a grin worthy of magazine covers.

"Timothy, right?" Jones said.

"That's right. I'm here to see Agent Burke."

"What about?" Peter questioned as he hadn't been expecting this. Although, he figured he should have since Tim hadn't visited him yet like his siblings had.

"Do you mind if we talk in your office?"

Yes. "Not at all." Peter gave Diana the look which meant 'save me if I'm not out in five minutes' which he normally reserved for when Ruiz wanted to speak to him.

Tim walked around his office a few times before sitting down and speaking.

"Do you know where my brother, Neal Caffrey, Dick Grayson or however you know him, is?"

"No."

Tim frowned. "You're not lying. But, he should have given you some kind of hint."

"I know he's overseas," Peter answered honestly. "Although he flew to DC before flying out of the country so it'll take a little more work to figure out where."

"And that's only if he hasn't travelled anywhere else," Tim mused in frustration. "Dick wouldn't stay in one place if he's travelling, he likes to move around. He could literally be anywhere in the world."

"I have no idea where that might be," Peter pointed out. "Not unless he calls or steals something."

Tim frowned and Peter knew the young adult had just thought of him as useless.

"Can't you find him? You should have more resources than I do."

Tim's frown tilted down at one side in annoyance. Peter was right and it bugged him.


Cost of Victory

Tim followed him home. He might have arrived before Peter did but, he hadn't arrived until after Peter had left work. He had been waiting for him. On his couch. With his dog.

"Hun!" Peter called out.

"She's out back, talking on the phone to a client," Tim explained, rubbing the sides of Satchmo's face.

Peter walked out to see El doing just as Tim said. She seemed only slightly frustrated so it wasn't as if the customer had decided to change everything. It was likely that they were just adding to the guest list or something.

"So, why are you here?" Peter asked Tim as he came back in. Tim pulled a rolled up map out from behind the couch and spread it out on the coffee table.

"Can you mark all the places Neal visited while you were chasing him?" he requested. "I'll help me narrow down the search for him."

Peter wondered why Tim didn't just get himself a copy of Neal's files. Helena had been able to make things disappear from around the office without getting caught so Peter held no illusions that the rest of the siblings wouldn't be able to do exactly the same thing.

As Peter marked off the places on the map, he told Tim about what Neal had done there and the information he had received. Three places had been marked off the map when there was a knock at the door.

"I'll get it!" El said, grinning at him as he moved back from the map. A moment later, Bruce Wayne stood in the doorway to the lounge room.

"Bruce. I... um..."

Bruce crossed his arms, lips curling in a fond smile. "I'm flying out tomorrow. Here's the question: is anyone coming back to Gotham with me?"

"Helena?" Tim responded in a cheeky tone.

"She doesn't get a choice, although she's kicking up a fuss about it. Thank goodness for Alfred."

"Alfred? What about Selina?"

"She's run off somewhere. Left a note about being back in a month or two." Bruce shrugged. "I'm not too worried. She does this sometimes." Peter had a feeling the last part was for his benefit.

"I'm staying. For a while at least. Steph wants me to help with the cafe."

"Hn." Bruce didn't seem happy about that. "She already has Cass and Jason."

"I'm sure they're in good hands," El said. "After all, June seems to enjoy Jason's company and he's staying in Neal's apartment while Neal is gone."

"He's also right here!" Jason called from the kitchen.

Everyone, except El, froze for a moment. El frowned and walked over to the kitchen.

"I'm sure Alfred taught you better manners than that! Come out and don't shout!"

Jason followed her out into the lounge, immediately bending down to rub Satchmo behind the ears. El explained that Jason had been planning to stay for dinner and had offered to cook in order to be polite.

However, what Peter really had been wondering about was what was with this family and his dog?