A/N:Ya'll I don't even know...
I actually know very little about Steph during this time. I might have some information wrong, so either take with a grain of salt or be kind and just let me know, yeah?
Stephanie's Batman is Dick Grayson. Technically Bruce was her first Batman and technically he is the current. But, like Damian, Dick is her Batman.
It was a weird time back then. She felt like a pioneer almost, the unknown dynamics. Was this what the originals felt like? Though all three of them were stepping into others shoes it was the first time all the roles were being rewritten. There weren't the same expectations from Batman because Dick knew what it was like to be on the Robin side of things. And Dick, Stephanie learned after a few weeks, never wanted to be Batman. He wore the cowl like a mask in a play fighting with the need to find his own path.
The three of them (and Alfred) were alone together. Jason was running and burning the world in equal measures. Cassandra ran away to Asia. Tim was off on some wild goose chase and refusing to answer anyone's calls. He only leaves a message for Alfred once a week to advise he was still alive.
Dick, though reluctant to take her on as Batgirl warmed up and eventually explained in a fever induced rambling while coming down from Fear Toxin. He was going to get her killed, he admitted with a rough but small voice.
Her heart broke, feeding him another ice chip. Alfred and Damian were upstairs. The family butler finally getting the current Robin to take a shower and hopefully at least a nap.
"I'm going to get Damian killed too," he continued. The ice clicked against his teeth before melting on his tongue. "Jason hates me. I should have been there for him. Tim hates me." He grabbed her hand.Dick was weak, but clearly needed this. She let him cling to her, blinking back the tears in her eyes. With her free hand she fed him more ice, he let it slide between chapped lips.
"I was- but he- and Damian." His words were blended in half thoughts and cut off sentences.
Stephanie made soft cooing sounds to try and calm him. Using it to pace her own hitching breath.
"I wanted to give him Nightwing." Dick gasped like a dying man. "He couldn't be my Robin, we're equals. I needed him to be my Nightwing." Dick sagged, as if the confession took the last of his energy. His eyes closed with a heavy finality as he passed out.
Stephanie lurched back wrapping a hand around her stomach with the other to her mouth in a muffle sob.
She heard Tim's side of the story, or at least bits before he fled to the unknown. The story showed of a vastly different Dick Grayson than the one Tim spoke of before Bruce disappeared. Different than the Dick they all knew. The kind and supportive brother was suddenly cruel and heartless. She could see it, Dick trying to explain but the words becoming clouded and selective from emotions. They twist and turn until they are having almost two different conversations.
Before she might have sided with Tim, but Tim left more than just Dick. He left her. And Cass left her. And Barbara was distant and busy with the Birds of Prey to answer the phone.
Dick, broken and barely an adult. Maybe 23 or 24 taking in the Damian, taking on the cape, stepping up as heir to Wayne Industries. He's scrambling full time under the scrutiny of the Board of Directors who take every opportunity to take a jab. All the while working to get his master's in business to give them one less knife to throw.
Not that she or Alfred - or probably anyone one in this loose version of family – knew that Dick had two bachelor's degrees, one in mathematics and the other law.
The math was kind of by accident he admitted. "Technically took the classes because I like math. It was a way do destress but also still felt productive." He explained when she asked about the combination, "Law because I wanted to grow my career with the police force and math was the minor because I liked it. But one of my professors offered me a position as part time research assistant for a semester for a bunch of credits and a potential scholarship so I said yes."
"Father didn't pay for your education?" Damian asked. It was one of the first times Stephanie heard him speak without air of superiority in his voice.
Dick hummed the negative.
Stephanie could see Alfred from the corner of her eye. With his back to them, he stood at the tea cart. He was frozen, not even hiding the fact he was listening.
"Was it because you are an imbecile?" Damian asked.
If he was talking to anyone else, Damian would have started a fight. But Dick, with his well of patience just laughed. Stephanie was starting to see where how he was doing it. It wasn't about Damian's tone, but his eyes. He spoke as if meant to hurt, but his eyes were curious.
"Kid, being smart has never been an issue. I graduated two years early and they started shipping me to the university for math the year before." Dick shrugged, " But I was never good at sitting in classes, especially if I wasn't interested in the subject. When I graduated, I made the choice to not attend college or any higher education."
Damian frowned, he didn't hide the confusion and it held no anger or heat. "Father must have been furious." He spoke.
Dick nodded, "Bruce was disappointed, but then again at that point in my life everything I did seemed to disappoint him." His eyes were far away, lost in a memory.
Stephanie felt like she swallowed a lemon. Damian shot her a panicked look. She opened her mouth to say something but was interrupted by Alfred setting down a teacup with a little extra force. The man's face was ashen, "Master Richard," he started, jerking Dick from wherever he had gone in his head.
"Oh, sorry Alfie," a slight red tinge rose to the younger man's cheeks. He flashed a smile that seemed all plastic. "Instead, I traveled, put more time in with the Titans. I worked a normal job until I was old enough to enroll in the police academy. I didn't want to go to school again after just getting out, and my plan was always to be a cop. By the time I came around to the idea of getting a degree, I had been on my own for about three years. I didn't want Bruce's money."
"Mother used to say independence means you leave no room for weakness. Depending on others will only get you killed." Damian stated. Stephanie didn't know if he is ignoring the tension in the room or missed it completely.
"Be strong enough to stand alone, smart enough to know when to ask for help, and brave enough to ask for it." Stephanie said, filling the silence. "Quote I found on Pinterest one time."
Dick burst out laughing. Even Damian had a small smile. "Steph, never change." Dick requested.
A warm feeling pooled in her stomach, she smiled back. "I'll do my best Boss."
They bonded and formed an almost an unstoppable team, but more than that they became a little messy family. They had movie nights, from Disney, to anything pop culture relevant, to the black and white classics. They even got Alfred to join them on the rare occasion.
"We are the best," Dick said one day after a long but successful night of patrol, clasping a hand to Damian's shoulder. "All three of us," he added, catching Stephanie's eyes over the youngest's head.
Damian turned to follow his gaze. "Yes, I guess Brown can be included." He muttered. Red colored his cheeks and he shook off Dick's hand. He ran for the changing room.
Stephanie knew that was a huge compliment from the kid. He was getting better, but it was baby steps. She was learning patience from Dick and the way he handles Damian.
"It's true though," Dick said having snuck closer while she was lost in thought. "You are an important part of our team, and one of the reasons we have been successful. You're an amazing Batgirl, Steph"
Tears pooled in her eyes, instead of words she dove in for a hug. She wrapped her arms around him, tucking her head under his chin. Dick responded immediately, clinging to her just as tight.
She might not have her Cass and Tim, but she built herself a family despite the void. She has a snotty little brother that she would kill for and him for her. And an amazing older brother who was nowhere near perfect but would still do everything in his power to carry the world for them.
They were happy... then Bruce came back.
Things changed again. Bruce took up the cowl only a few days after returning. Tim ignored Dick and picked fights with Damian. The progress with Damian was slipping away, the hard outer shell was back overnight.
Tim talked to her like nothing had changed, as if he hadn't been gone for over 16 months. He asked about tutoring for math, like she would wait for his help. Dick had stepped up, just like everywhere he filled the void Tim left.But at the same time, she missed him anyways.
Cass came back one day. It was without announcement, but just appeared. Stephanie was a little relieved, to have her back.
Dick was shoved back to Bludhaven, his apartment only still under his name as a safe house.But he was able to move back without issue.
They saw less of one another. Dick was pushed back to his corner of the map. Damian learning to work with his father. Stephanie finding her groove with Tim and Cass while balancing school and being a hero. They had movie night, twice monthly either at Dick's place or back at the penthouse. The softer version of Damian came out more and Dick always seemed more relaxed after.
She didn't tell Tim or Cass about them because Stephanie wanted to keep the little bit of old normal. She wanted to be selfish. She wanted to keep those nights with just her and the double Ds to herself.
Then she almost died. Bruce reported her dead and she fled the country. She avoided thinking about anyone from Gotham for a long time before she got the strength to come home. But she came back too late. She came back and both her Robin and her Batman were dead.
Bruce brought Damian back, and Stephanie had her little brother again. She demanded that Bruce do the same for Dick, because if he can bring back her Robin then he can do it for her Batman. He refused.
Damian kept close after that, drifting to her side during patrol. He would follow her home and let her curl him up in blankets and cuddle on the couch while watching movies. He would pretend to protest but they both knew he wanted and needed it just as bad as she did.
Tim grew suspicious, the whole bat clan did. He tried to question her, asking why she was hanging out with the Demon Brat. He had just tried to stab Tim, just that morning. She wanted to point out that she knows, because she was there. Tim had started that fight. Tim was the adult between the two of them. Tim was supposed to be the next great detective, how could you not see Damian was hurting and on edge. Instead, she shrugged, "We work well together."
Even Jason started to come back into the family. Something Dick had dreamed of and worked towards for years. He was still rough around the edges, but the banter was mostly playful.He and Tim got along. His threats towards Bruce were still common but never actually followed through.
Stephanie was thankful for Cass, at some point she had become her rock. Cass supported her and Damian without complaint, and they supported her. She seemed to be able to read Damian almost as well as Stephanie, though neither as good as Dick. She came to the rare movie night. It was at the movie night when she found Cass crying in her kitchen. Steph had never seen her cry before it broke her heart. She pulled the other girl into a hug. She did the only thing she knew, and offered reassuring words and asked what was wrong. With her hands trapped between her and Stephanie, Cass ended up whispering, "Miss Big Brother."
Cass came to movie nights more often after that.
Dick came back while Stephanie was patrolling with Cass. They were across town but sprinted across the city roof tops to the coordinates. They arrived from the south in time to catch Jason punching Dick in the face and he and Tim storming off in their direction.
Before Dick could follow or gain enough composure to see the girls a few roofs over. The cry of "Grayson" followed by duel "You're alive?!" took his attention.
Stephanie felt a smile stretch across her face as Damian tackled Dick into a hug. She was pulled back when Jason and Tim landed, both fuming.
"Goldie fucking pretended to die to run off and play spy. Put us through hell while he's off probably riding first class on his little missions." Jason ranted, landing and immediately starting to pace.
"How dare he just come back here like nothing happened." Tim cried.
Stephanie couldn't help the snort, pot meet kettle.
"You got something to say?" Jason growled.
Cass rolled her eyes, signing something about heads and butts before she took off running to grab her own Grayson Hug.
Both turned to look at Stephanie. She thought back to the late nights on patrol where Dick would do everything in his power to make sure they make it out alive. To the promise he made as Batman that if there was ever a moment where he had to choose between killing someone and saving them, he would always choose to save them and do it without a single ounce of regret. Because he might be Batman, but he wasn't Bruce. Because his family will always be more important than the mission. Even if said family don't believe the same.
"Cass said it perfectly." Stephanie shrugged. "Get your head out of your ass." She ducked under Tim's arm and ran for the others.
Cass moved just in time, dragging a very reluctant Damian back just enough for Stephanie to tackle Dick in a tight hug.
They would have to deal with Jason, and Tim, and Bruce, and everyone else later. But for now, she hugged her Batman tight, feeling her Robin join at her side. Her Cass took the other side, warm and safe.
"Come on guys," Dick said pulling back with a wet laugh. "Let's go home."
It took her a moment to realize be turned towards the penthouse, not the manner. She was surprised by the relief she felt. "Please"
A/N Please let me know if you find any errors. Most of this was written on my phone and then edited on my computer. Spelling or grammar, just let me know.
Please let me know how my Stephanie is! I don't know much about her, but I couldn't shake this idea. And I will now die on the DickDamianSteph(Cass) hill. I couldn't not put Cass, I think she would fit in well with them, as a family or in a relationship with Steph, either one).
I might to another chapter of this, but maybe try to take on Tim or Jason starting near the end? No promise. But I am leaving the idea.
Please leave a review. I will admit with only a little shame that I am needy and would love comments of almost any kind.