Okay, this is set between Sacrifice's end and the epilogue. No I'm not really proceeding with the story yet. I just felt it was a good setting for the event. This is kinda a reaction to everything I've read online about Batman inc. #8 and so forth. Enjoy!

Dick-17 Damian-3

Deadly Awakenings

Bruce bolted upright in his chair, trying hard to regain his breath. He couldn't control the tears streaming down his face. His throat closed in on itself as he felt his insides being carved out of him. His heart felt like it was breaking over and over again, as if he were still there. He could swear he was only asleep for an hour, but the dream, the nightmare he had was so real!

Trembling, he looked around the cave from his chair. He was only going over a mission with the League until he dozed off, so tired after all those months of worry and stress. Looking at the screen, the detective figured out why he had such a terrifying dream.

The League had a confrontation with Ra's and Talia recently. They were experimenting with hypnotism and cloning. Only a few months ago they threatened to take Damian away from him if they couldn't find Dick by summer. They met the requirements to keep him, but the League of Assassins was stirring around Gotham. They were all on high alert until they could get them quiet again.

And after what happened with the probes last month...

Visions of his nightmare flashed through his mind. His son was older, stronger, a hero. And he...

Driven by the images flashing in his mind, Bruce bolted from his chair upstairs, desperate to banish them. The early morning dawn barely illuminated the windows as he ran upwards, a single destination in mind. He could see one of his children's doors opening just as he passed by it, but he didn't pause to see who or acknowledge them. The frantic father stopped in front of the nursery door, pressing an electronic panel next to it to unlock the door (recent security measure he added since the warning became a likely outcome). It scanned his hand and allowed him entrance. Opening the door, he could see exactly who he was looking for.

Little Damian Wayne was sleeping soundly on the small bed he occupied. His favorite bat covered blanket was snuggly wrapped around his tiny body. He snuggled his favorite toy, batkitty, drooling slightly on the doll's cowl. His other blankets were scattered around the bed itself, along with all the pillows and toys he had originally around him when his father put him in bed the previous night. The only other one remaining on the bed was a stuffed robin similar to those Angry Birds dolls he'd seen flying around Dick had given him that Christmas. It was being used as a pillow.

His father couldn't help but to smile lovingly on his child as he relaxed against the doorframe. All the panic and fear, the dread from the nightmare, started to melt away. He still couldn't quite control his tears or throat, but he could at least stop the terror within him. Slowly and quietly, hoping not to disturb him, Bruce walked up to his bed and knelt beside him. The three year old didn't even stir as he brushed his hand against the boy's cheek. So peaceful, so beautiful, so alive.

Images from his nightmare taunted his mind again. Picking up a broken body... knowing it was Damian... seeing his lifeless eyes... Not for the first time he was glad he stopped being the dark knight so he could raise his children properly. If he had continued down that path, it was likely his son would die like this. He didn't care if the good died young. His son was going to have a long and full life.

"Daddy?" A sleepy voice took him out of his revere. Damian's cloudy grey eyes blinked at him, barely awake if at all.

Bruce smiled at him, trying to bury his fears once again. No need to scare the toddler. "I'm here."

"Bwekfast?" He started to get up, but his dad shook his head.

"No, not breakfast. Go back to sleep." Damian grunted a yes and started to close his eyes again. Thinking twice, the man carefully picked up the boy and started to rock him, keeping him as close to him as possible. This only called his son's attention back to his face.

"What wong?" Those innocent eyes looked into his, curiosity and concern inside them. A small hand went to his face, feeling the tear tracks still on his face. "Why you sad?"

Again the father tried to push back his fears for his son's sake, bringing the most comforting smile he could to his face. He took the lad's hand in his and brought it back to the doll he picked up with him. Slowly he sat back on the bed, keeping the boy in his arms. "Daddy had a nightmare. But I'm alright now that you're here. Go back to sleep."

Blinking, Damian nodded then yawned. Snuggling up to his father, the tot dozed back off into slumberland, knowing he was safe and warm in his daddy's arms. Bruce just watched him as he nodded off, the tension inside him leaving with every passing second. His baby wasn't going anywhere. No matter what, he was going to keep his family in one piece.

"Really bad nightmare huh?"

Bruce looked up at the whisper, slightly startled. Dick stood in the doorway, blue sweats and white tank on instead of PJs. It was likely he was going to start working out in the gym, something he did most mornings since being released from captivity. The teen's nightmares were near impossible to overcome these days, but he'd only been home a couple weeks. The anklet stuck out on his leg, but it was something they had to deal with. His weathered look too. The psychologist said it'd be a bit before he could honestly smile from his heart.

His father nodded. "Had few like it."

The acrobat nodded, choking back something. He looked away, then started speaking. "When the... when the probes were activated... how bad was it?"

He looked over the teen, a bit worried for him. Dick could figure out what kind of dream he had so easily, just by what he did as soon as he woke up. He only assumed it had to be the probes, not another method of death or torture. Come to think of it, he hadn't kept up with League activities since his disappearance. He didn't know what was going on outside the manor.

"I'll let you read the medical reports later." Bruce opened an arm towards him. "Come here."

The lad didn't need a second invitation; Dick flew to his side, wrapping his arms around both the man and child as if he hadn't seen them in weeks. He'd become rather cuddly lately, more so than usual that is. His trauma would take time to overcome, and Dick was always of the physical sort. He needed to know someone was alive by touch whenever he was scared.

That was one thing the two of them had in common. He held onto both of them for a long moment in silence before kissing the teen's head. "Want to talk about it?"

"Not really." His father nodded, letting the matter drop. After a moment, the teen looked up to him. "Hey, if it ever comes down to saving me or Damian, pick Dami, okay?"

Bruce raised an eyebrow, worry coming to him. "Can't I save you both?"

Dick shook his head. "I can save myself. Dami needs you ten times more than I do. If you have to choose, pick him."

A scowl came to his face. "And how would I explain it to your parents if I did that?"

"How could you justify it to me if you didn't?" At an impasse, the man looked away. His son sighed. "I'm just saying... he has a lot more to look forward to with you. I can manage on my own."

"Really?"

He shrunk away slightly, not letting go of them. "Maybe."

Bruce nodded, understanding a little. He settled his eyes on his youngest and just watched him sleep, taking comfort that he was alive and well. They all were. No one was going to take these little lives away from him, let alone Talia.

No one was going to hurt his family, and he would never have to choose. Ever.

A/N: I solemnly swear, I WILL NOT BE KILLING OFF BATKIDS! You saw how I handled 'Death in the Family'. There will also be no Harper Row in this story. I don't care what role she has in the future, she does not belong in DNB. Other than a few gems out there, I'm sticking pre-52 here. I have a lot of plans for the kids' futures, and typically when I kill off people, they stay dead. There will be exceptions in this story as this is a DC universe, but I'm not that fond of zombies.

That being said, RIP Damian Wayne of the current continuity (which sucks and doesn't really exist. curse you 52!). You will be highly remembered as the lovable little snot we accepted as Bruce's son at first light but took a little longer to accept as Robin before Dick became Batman. I only pray that whatever this Trinity War is they're hinting at in the future, it'll result in your revival. They really need to throw Bruce a bone here... 7 years in official existence, 5 as Robin... that's just not enough. And I'm beginning to see a pattern at DC. They like killing off or deleting kids of heroes. Evil... evil men... *shakes head*

Well, back to everything else! and yes, I'm still working on the extended version.