We Are Family

Thanksgiving day had arrived, one of Kaden and Dick's favorite days of the year. Not because of the food, but because it was one of the few days each year when the entire family came together. Speaking of which, Dick, Jason and Kaden had just arrived at the manor. They were also expecting Barbara and her father to join them; they'd been inviting them every year since before Kaden was born, since they didn't really have anyone but each other, and they were practically family anyway.

"Ah, Master Dick, Master Jason, Master Kaden, welcome," Alfred said with a warm smile on his face, answering the door before they even knocked. Kaden smiled and hugged the man, as per the norm. Hugging was something he picked up from Dick, something his dad teased them both about, but secretly, they knew he liked it. They followed Alfred into the living room where Bruce, Tim, and Damian.

"Hey guys! Little D, Timmy," Dick called with a huge smile on his face as he pulled the two of them into a hug. Damian grunted in annoyed and Tim just laughed, hugging his older brother in return.

"Grayson, I'm twenty-six. Stop calling me-"

"Little D? Nope, never gonna happen," Dick replied with a laugh, ruffling Damian's hair. Damian growled and playfully punched Dick in the stomach. Tim wrapped an arm around Damian's shoulders, goofy grin plastered on his face.

"C'mon Dames, the nicknames are endearing!" Tim argued. Damian merely offered a snort in reply and shoved Tim off of him. Jason laughed at the two of them and shook his head.

"Jesus, it feels like yesterday that you two were literally trying to kill each other," Jason said in amusement. Bruce stepped between his two sons and shook his head.

"Jason, don't encourage them. It took years to get them to stop," Bruce scolded, though his tone betrayed his intentions; you could clearly hear amusement behind his words.

"We weren't that bad," Tim said then. Dick snorted.

"Tim, you tried to strangle Damian once," Dick said flatly.

"Hey, in my defense, he swung a sword at me!"

Another knock came at the door and Alfred, highly amused, left the room to see to it. He returned minutes later with James and Barbara.

"James, Barbara, good to see you!" Dick said cheerily, hugging the two of them. Barbara chuckled in amusement, returning said hug. Gordon seemed less inclined.

"Thanks for inviting us this year, Bruce," James offered, inclining his head. Bruce just smiled and nodded in return. Alfred passed by the room and gave a slight bow.

"Dinner shall be served in five minutes. If you would please follow me to the dining room," Alfred said. The group followed after the butler as he led them to a rather large dining room with a huge table with ten chairs around it, already covered in foods from cranberry sauce, biscuits, broccoli and several different cheese sauces, carrots, baked potatoes, bottles of apple cider, as well as desserts, such as apple pie, pumpkin pie, assorted pastries, everything. The only thing that was missing, was the turkey.

Everyone took their seats, with Bruce at the head of the table, the other end free for Alfred, Barbara and James on one site with Tim and Damian beside them, and Jason, Dick and Kaden on the other. They talked and joked while Alfred finished in the kitchen. They didn't bother hiding their vigilante work in front of James, because he knew Bruce had been Batman. It was likely he knew Damian had taken up the mantle now, but James had kept the secret and was pretty good at deterring other detectives from ferreting it out without arousing suspicion. It actually all started with him figuring out that Barbara has been Batgirl. Once he figured that out, it was easy enough for him to piece the rest together.

Alfred returned minutes later, wheeling the turkey out on a cart. Jason got up to help him move it to the table where they placed it in the empty spot in the center. Jason grabbed up the carving knife and handed it to Bruce.

"Here. Why don't you carve this bitch," Jason said with a grin.

"Language Master Jason. I thought after all these years you might have learned. Alas, you have not," Alfred said casually, earning a laugh from everyone. Bruce gave a dismissive wave.

"Why don't you do it this year?" Bruce offered with a smile. Jason gave a shrug and was about to cut into the turkey, when another knock came at the door. Everyone exchanged glances, unsure of who it could be while Alfred went to check it.

"Good evening," came a very familiar voice. Everyone's heads shot up toward the final guest to see-

"Talia," Jason growled, eyes narrowing. Talia was dressed in a dark green blouse and dark pants, much alike what she wore when Kaden had first met her. Talia offered a smile and an incline of her head. Alfred gestured to the last empty chair, but she did not move toward it. Everyone seemed on edge. Save for Bruce and Kaden. Kaden actually smiled and jumped out of his seat to pull hers out.

"C'mon, join us," Kaden said cheerily. Talia flashed him a smile, but everyone looked at him, confused. Except Damian. Kaden looked around the room, noting their expressions.

"What? I invited her, she's my mother. Family. She should be here," Kaden offered, sitting back down in his own chair. Damian gave a shrug.

"Kaden wanted to invite her, I tried to convince her to come for his sake. Honestly, I didn't believe she would," he said with a shrug. Bruce smiled at her and gestured to the chair.

"Please Talia. Join us." Talia smiled and rounded the table, but not before placing a kiss on Bruce's forehead.

"You age gracefully," she complimented. Jason made a gagging noise and Dick giggled, elbowing him in the side. Jason carved the turkey and dinner was served. It was light, fun, everyone trading stories, Jokes, food being passed around. Alfred even regaled them with tales from Bruce's childhood. Bruce could only sit there and shake his head as Alfred recounted his first horse riding lesson.

"And so there I was, covered in mud, sprained ankle, sitting atop Bruce's gray pony like a sack of old potatoes as young master Bruce escorted led us back to the stables. Needless to say, that was the last time I gave him a riding lesson." Everyone laughed, including Talia. She seemed likewise caught up in the merriment of it all.

Kaden leaned forward and glanced over at Talia, clearing his throat.

"Hey, Tal-er..." Kaden paused; he knew what he should call her, but it didn't feel...right. Regardless...

"Erm, mom?" Kaden offered. Everyone went silent when Kaden spoke, even Talia, whose smile faded as she looked down the table at her son. Kaden scratched his chin a bit, a thoughtful look on his face.

"What's it like? Traveling all over the world, I mean?" Kaden finally asked. Everyone exchanged looks, and then Talia gave him a smile as a thoughtful look spread across her face.

"You see so many things, new things. Beautiful things. Sad, depressing things. Amazing things. The world is so much bigger than we give credit," she explained, looking at Kaden.

"Perhaps one day, if your father permits it, I'll show you some of that." Kaden smiled widely at the idea, and gave his father a pleading look. Jason groaned and pinched the bridge of his nose.

"Thanks, Talia. Thanks for that," he said flatly, earning a few laughs from everyone. Jason glanced over at Kaden, taking a bite of his food. He gave a shrug and replied "keep your grades up, and maybe I'll let you go with her for Spring Break, but-" he looked over at Talia with a stern look "no...well, y'know. No working." Jason said carefully. Gordon was the only one who didn't know who Talia was, and it would be better to keep it that way. Talia gave a curt nod, and dinner resumed normally once more.

After dinner was over, the whole family convened in the living room to watch football. Or they would have, had Jason not convinced them to give UFC a look this year. And so it was, that they tuned into UFC and watched some of the matches. Tim and Damian mostly criticized it. Alfred seemed disinterested as he sat in his favorite chair, sipping tea. Jason and Kaden were both really into it, cheering on their favorite fights. Everyone else more or less just seemed amused by the two, especially Dick.

"I think it's cute the way you and Kaden are so into it," Dick commented, kissing Jason's cheek. Kaden made a gagging noise, and Jason grinned like the devil, pulling Dick in for a deep kiss.

"Ugh, dad, pa, that's gross," Kaden whined, shielding his eyes. Barbara and James both laughed in amusement, the former playfully slapping Dick's arm.

"Don't traumatize the poor kid!" she teased. Dick chuckled in amusement and winked at her, climbing his way into Jason's lap and snuggling up against him. The movies came next; after football, or UFC this year, they would watch movies. Kaden always chose a Disney movie; something else he and Dick shared in common was a love for kid's movies. They were both kids at heart, and it's part of what made Jason love them both so much.

But eventually, the fun had to come to an end. It was late when the movies finally ended and everyone had to say their goodbyes. Dick and Kaden naturally hugged everyone, as usual.

"Good-bye Uncle Tim. You need to visit more, I like hanging out with you," Kaden said with a grin. Tim chuckled in amusement and ruffled the teen's hair.

"Sure. How about next week? I can introduce you to the Titans!" he offered. Kaden grinned like the Cheshire Cat.

"Sweet, that'd be so awesome!"

"Kaden!" Jason called from the car. Kaden glanced back and gave a shrug to his uncle before he retreated to the car, sliding into the backseat.

"I wish we could do this more often," Kaden lamented. Dick chuckled in amusement and reach back to pet the teen;s hair.

"Don't worry, Christmas is coming up soon," he offered, then smiled and added "and for what it's worth, I do too." Jason snorted and started the car, rolling his eyes.

"You're both a couple of saps," he teased, earning a jab from Dick in his side.

"You like it." Jason gave a shrug and shook his head.

"I suppose. But hey," Jason offered, grin turning feral as he looked at Dick with heated eyes.

"How about I show you how much I like saps when we get home," he purred.

"Ew," they both heard from the backseat.


Author's Note: So this is a thanksgiving prompt I got. It's a little late, but here it is. ^^ Kept forgetting to write it, what with all the stuff going on lately. ~_~ Enjoy ^^