Okay, this is based off of a headcannon of mine. Bruce does not get along with the family on his mother's side. But they're still around. There are some people in DC land that are Kanes, and some of them are on good terms with Bruce. They're all related, howbeit distantly. Kinda got the idea from 'Custody' with one relation but I digress. This takes place maybe a month after Damian arrives. Enjoy!
Dick-15 Jason-12 Cass-10 Timmy-8 Damian-almost 2
Kane Reunion
"Do we really have to go to this?"
This characteristic whine came from the Wayne household to their trusted butler every time there was a high class social event. Most times it came from the younger ones who did not want to endure the boring parties where all they would be allowed to do is look nice and eat a few of the treats there; they rarely could contain themselves with their boredom and often caused havoc just to leave early. If it came from the growing teens, it was because they couldn't stand the looks and coos people were giving them, trying to get close to their father for their own ends while flirting with them. Very annoying.
It didn't often come from the master of the house, except at times like these.
Alfred looked through the rearview mirror back to the crowded back of the limo they were using, eyeing his employer knowingly. Seeing Bruce pout like a child only made his more willful children laugh like hyenas. A childish pout did not belong on the great Batman's face, even outside the cowl. Jason couldn't stop himself from laughing and even Cassandra had to suppress a snicker. Tim was holding up a mirror for Dick so he could finish trying to get his hair under control, but both of them snickered at what they could see. Their newest addition, Damian, was just admiring his easily favorite toy in his car seat, Batkitty. Had he understood the situation, he would have laughed too.
"Yes Master Bruce. It's imperative you attend this event. No matter the company."
"What's so bad about this reunion anyway?" Dick asked, giving up on his hair at long last. It was as good as it was going to get. "I mean, it's not like any of us have family we could see again."
"What about those gypsy relatives of yours?" Jason asked, still grinning from ear to ear. "They're alive and kicking."
"Complete cut off from them," the acrobat stated flatly. "Some custom of theirs. As far as they're concerned, I don't exist."
"Wish I could be that lucky," Bruce muttered under his breath. He really didn't want to go, and he had very good reasons for it. Never once had a reunion with his mother's side gone well. Distant cousins he got along with, but the rest...
"You should be happy to have some family out there Bruce," Dick tried again. "I thought you'd be happy to see them."
Their father snorted. If he wanted to see them, he'd have gone to the reunion five years ago, or the one ten years ago, or fifteen. He expected this would be the last time he'd be invited anyway, what with how old his grandmother was. She wouldn't be insisting this time he'd come otherwise. And knowing how she felt about lower classes, she wasn't calling him over to meet the children he took in.
Rumors about Damian were stirring, good and bad alike. This was a twofold deal, coming there. He could clear rumors of taking in another child without going to the courts for once, and he could get his grandmother off his case about whether the Wayne/Kane bloodline would be secure. The grouchy, proper old lady really needed to mind her own business.
Bruce grimaced at his eldest. "We... don't have the best relationship either. My uncles were... less than hospitable when I was a kid. And Grandmother..."
"Let's not focus on the past Master Bruce," Alfred insisted as they pulled up before the Kane estate. It wasn't near as large as their property, but it was still quite large and ornate. It didn't have quite the lived in feel their home had either. Very... stately. "Do give your mother's family a chance this evening sir. The children deserve to know what family you do have outside the Manor."
Still the man grumbled to himself, but not near as loudly. Though it was funny seeing their dad being the one hating events for a change, it didn't bode well to the others. Were the Kanes really that bad? A silent exchange of looks formed a plan for any scenario that may arise, mostly escape tactics in case things got messy. Would they? Who knew. For Alfred's sake they'd give them a chance.
"We have arrived sir." The limo coasted to a stop just before the mansion's large stairs. The butler gave his former charge one last chiding look, forcing the man to give in at long last.
Sighing heavily, Bruce started unbuckling Damian. "Let's get this over with."
Eagerly Jason reached for the door leading out only to find the child lock was in place. His bafflement hid the fact the old man had left the driver's seat to open the door himself. Alfred never used the child lock on any car before, at least not when they were parked for a bit. They gave him curious looks when he opened the door for them, acting very prim and proper instead of... like Alfred(which was more of a relaxed proper in compare). Only their father seemed to understand what was happening.
"Thank you Alfred," Bruce murmured, taking the satchel with Damian's needs from him as he left the car with his toddler. The others were already on the steps waiting for him, each confused to a different degree. Cass noticed the others watching them from a distance and frowned. Their presence had influenced their near grandfather's behavior somehow. The butler gave a short, polite and proper bow, before returning to his post as a chauffeur and driving off to wherever he was supposed to go until they left for the night.
Their dad sighed heavily watching him drive off, then turned to the others. "Okay, everyone on their best behavior. Use all of acting skills Alfred's taught you and pretend to be proper, polite rich kids for the night. Don't say anything out of turn and ignore all the veiled insults. We're only staying an hour at most."
"We've been around rich pricks before Dad," Jason reminded him. Was the man really that nervous?
"What's going on?" Dick asked, seriously getting worried now. He'd never seen him this anxious before, well, not like this. He'd been anxious and worried before, but this place had a particular terror for him, one he couldn't fight with his fists or wit alone. This was a whole new level on anxiety.
Bruce looked away for a moment before answering. "The Kanes are really proper... really formal. A few aren't, but Grandmother is. She has this crazy notion about Alfred and..." He shook his head again. "Look, I don't want any of you getting hurt in there. Self-righteous pricks are one thing, but the ones you're used to dealing with want to get on my good side. These people don't want to and don't need to.
"Stick together and stay out of trouble if you can help it." A slight sneaky smirk switched on his lips. "But if you can't help it, don't get caught."
Their eyes widened for a moment before slight smiles came on the kids' faces. That was as much of an invitation to give them hell if they asked for it as they'd ever get. Most of the time it was behave-or-suffer-the-consequences, but not that night. Weird.
Quickly the man strode forward, carrying a little Damian more interested in playing with his doll's cowl than in the world around him. The others followed, some taking in their surroundings while others tried to figure out how to make trouble without getting caught by these people. As soon as they entered the building, the kids could see what Bruce was talking about. All around them were faces they could recognize but not name. Most were looking down their noses at them or too engrossed in their individual lives to care if they existed. Majority was well dressed and many looked like they never wore those clothes before that night. There weren't many children there either.
Their father passed an invitation to a man at the door to check them off the guest list, then called in a valet to guide them elsewhere. "Come on. We have to do our introductions to the matron of the house."
"Why?" Timmy asked, cocking his head to the side. The kid was holding on to the satchel's strap for security and no one could blame him. Cass was staying close too, not liking the way people were looking at them.
"It's proper protocol," Bruce explained, eyeing Jason wandering ahead. The boy had the same wide eyed look he first had when he entered the manor all those years ago. "Jason, stay close."
Frowning slightly, the boy looked to their dad and waited with them without question. It didn't take long for a young man in a nice suit (not tailor made but suitable for a valet) came towards them and motioned for them to follow. The CEO was first to step in line, his anxiety growing by the second while his children followed.
After a minute, Dick poked the man and pointed to someone he recognized. "Hey, isn't that the head doctor from Arkham Asylum?"
"Jeremiah Arkham," the man confirmed, not stopping for long. The valet wasn't adjusting his pace for the kids at all. "He's Grandmother's great nephew from her brother. You're going to see quite a few familiar faces tonight."
"Wait..." The teen looked up to him in surprise. "She was an Arkham?"
"Yes."
"Meaning your mom was half Arkham?" he continued on, getting his sibling's attention.
Bruce nodded again. "Making me a quarter and Damian an eighth. Keep moving. You don't want to make Grandmother upset by being late."
"Wow..." They looked at Damian nibbling on Batkitty's ear as they kept going. Jason smirked. "Man, you've got one seriously twisted family tree baby bat."
"Jason..."
"Well he does." His smirk grew. "Along with a few others."
"Guess that's why our prank wars are so interesting," Dick concurred. Their last one came to an abrupt halt when Damian joined them in order to not scare him. So far he was adapting quite well to them, even accepted them as part of his life. Occasionally he acted out against his new siblings, but it didn't last long with Dick and Cass gained his respect very quickly. As soon as he was old enough to pull pranks himself beyond hitting them with Batkitty and throwing blocks, they anticipated he'd be attacking Tim and Jason especially.
"Don't mention those in front of Grandmother," Bruce pleaded slightly. "It'll only reinforce her views."
The older boys exchanged looks again. So Great Grandma Kane was a killjoy. Even Alfred was amused by their antics, even admired their creativity. It was one way they got their dad to laugh.
Shrugging, they followed the valet upstairs and down a hallway towards a balcony overlooking the great hall (what else could they call it?). There a very withered old lady with her very grey hair tied in a tight bun, sat on a near throne and watched the procession below. Her gown was old fashioned, but very regal on her. Half-moon glasses were chained onto her face and other gold accessories dripped from her person. Her whole demeanor screamed money, old money, and a royal pride that came from that.
Two men about ten years younger than Alfred were nearby, keeping her company. They had a similar image to the old lady, but clearly they were updated models. Neither were as tall or large as Bruce, but one of them had his eyes. Unfortunately for him, it only made him look a bit creepy.
"The Wayne Family ma'am," the valet stated, bowing slightly. All three Kanes looked over to them for a moment, not a drop of humor in their faces. Eventually the woman nodded and the young man left them.
"Bruce," the matriarch stated in acknowledgement.
"Grandmother," her guest returned, nodding to her and the men. "Uncle Philip, Uncle Samson."
"So glad you could make it tonight Bruce," the one with his eyes started, smiling slightly. His gaze immediately turned to the children, particularly Damian and Timmy. "I see you finally brought over the little ones. Be so kind to introduce them to us would you?"
"Yes Bruce," the old lady started, eyeing them all coldly, "please introduce your... family... to us."
The kids exchanged confused looks, having never seen this level of distain from someone that old before. First time for everything. Nodding, Bruce started with his eldest and worked his way down, letting go of Tim's hand in order to introduce them. "Grandmother, may I introduce Richard Grayson, Jason Todd-"
"Wayne," said child interrupted, having no interest in his biological father's history at all.
"Cassandra Cain-Wayne," he continued as if nothing had happened, "Timothy Drake-Wayne, and Damian Wayne."
The Kanes raised their eyebrows at the end of the introductions, eyes focusing on the youngest with some interest. "No hyphenation?"
He tensed, knowing where this was leading. "No. Everyone, meet my uncles, Philip and Samson Kane, and my Grandmother, Elisabeth Kane."
"Nice to meet you Great-Grandma!" Fearless for the moment, Timmy darted forward to meet the lady in the chair, grinning from ear to ear. "Alfred said you're Daddy's mommy's mommy. What was she like?"
Startled, the Kanes just gaped at the kid. They clearly knew nothing about the boy's boundless curiosity. He was just as much a detective as Bruce was. They hesitated answering his question, but Samson, the one who didn't look a thing like Bruce, deflected it with a question to their father. "Did you adopt Damian and give him his name? Or-"
"He's mine, completely. My ex-fiancé hid him from me until recently. I attained custody due to her family's background being unsuitable for children." He watched from the corner of his eye as Timmy's confidence started to deflate, a painful fire being lit in his chest for how things were going. Bruce did not want this.
"Talia Head's background was unscrupulous," Mrs. Kane stated flatly, glaring slightly. Her glare jolted Tim away from her while the comment gained eye rolls from his older brothers. They heard it before. The false, classy background Talia HEAD had was something high class women admired. Talia Al Ghul's background though... "You should have married her and properly settled down. She was the one thing you did right."
Too bad only they and a handful of others knew the truth. Again the man would have to explain how and why Talia wasn't part of his life anymore, then fabricate a believable story as to why Bruce had full custody of their child. It wasn't something he really wanted to do.
"Dick," the CEO started, passing his toddler over to the teen, "mind taking everyone back downstairs and getting yourselves something to eat?"
"Anything?"
A sharp glare answered his joking smile. "Within reason."
"Darn." Jason cracked a grin as the man passed the satchel over to the oldest. "And I was hoping you'd slip me some booze." A quick rap on the head was the answer he got from his father. "I was joking! Geeze... Someone's uptight. Hey you, Philip right?"
The man in question blinked at the boy with trepidation. He was not used to being addressed in this manner. "Yes... That's my name."
"Cool. Mind showing me around? Didn't see a bathroom on the way in and I kinda need to know how to find one in a pinch." He grabbed the man's coat sleeve and started tugging on it to get him to move. Cass saw what he was doing and moved toward the other man in hopes to do the same.
"A servant can show you," Philip tried to evade his obvious tactics, but the preteen shook it off.
"But they don't know everything about the artwork around this place like you would. They look really interesting." The boy's infectious grin took all possibilities of him escaping, forcing the man to leave with him.
"Excuse me, Samson Kane?" Cass' small voice called the other uncle's attention. "Alfred said you had custody of Dad before he did, you and Philip. Can you tell us what he was like as a kid?"
"Yeah!" Timmy switched gears and went up to the man as well, pulling on his coat. It was good to see how he bounced back so quickly. "Please tell us about Dad! And about Grandma! Where was her room? What was she like? Did you have any pets?"
"I..." The man's temper was starting to show, but a quick hand wave from his mother stopped that. The children were doing just as the woman wanted. Samson scowled briefly, stiffening before turning down the hallway. "Walk this way."
"You heard the man," Dick joked, bouncing Damian briefly. "Walk that way!"
"Fwader?" The toddler looked over his brother's shoulder to his daddy, a bit scared to be leaving him all the sudden.
Bruce smiled warmly back at him. "Father needs to talk to the nice old lady for a while. Stay with Dick and the others until I come back okay?"
The babe pouted but nodded. He opened and closed his hand at him for a moment, a way of saying bye-bye as the oldest laughed, giving their dad a grin. "Don't worry. We'll have loads of fun with Batkitty, and getting to know your estranged relatives."
"Keep it up and we'll be looking up some of yours." It was a joke on his part, knowing how difficult it was to find the teen's gypsy relatives, but it was enough to get a knowing look from the guy.
Dick looked back and forth between the two before talking off to make sure the others didn't get in trouble with Bruce's uncles. "Good luck with that."
Soon the two of them were alone above the large, loud gathering below, letting them talk freely, something the man mostly avoided. He hadn't had a real conversation with the lady since the hearing that put him permanently in Alfred's custody, and it hadn't been a good one. This one wouldn't be either. "Talia wasn't the best woman in the world Grandmother."
"I beg to differ," she countered, her eyes cold and shrewd like always. "Unimaginable beauty, a sharp mind and tongue, class, good breeding, and known for her charitable works. No one in your position could have done better."
"The woman the people in Gotham knew was a façade," he pressed, trying to make her understand. She let out a disbelieving huff as he continued. "I had seen past it and gotten to know the real person behind her, but she was the one who turned me down. I was very ready to marry her three years ago, but she returned the ring and hid Damian from me. She even admitted when we last talked that she hadn't seen much of our son since his birth. It's a miracle I learned about him at all."
A scowl appeared on her face, making clear where he gained his frightening stares from. "You're as bad a liar as your father. Trying to sell me some noble story-"
"Oh and which 'father' are you talking about this time?" Anger entered the man's voice, radiating from his person. An old argument brought back up and stemming from multiple comments made around him shortly after his parents' deaths. "Thomas Wayne whom you claim organized their murders and is still alive, or Alfred Pennyworth you say my mother had an affair with?"
Her glare darkened even further. As memory served, she didn't like Alfred much. "I think it's rather clear who your father is by now."
"Should have been clear from the beginning." He clenched his fists, suppressing his anger as much as possible. He looks a lot like Thomas Wayne, always did. "Alfred arrived at the manor when I was three, and never met my mother prior to then."
"And yet they believed it best you were left to him, instead of family." The chill from the woman's voice would have started another ice age. It was clear she still didn't like being one-uped by a will and a butler. "Such foolishness..."
"Mother knew what your sons were like," Bruce bit back. "You have no idea how my life was when you sent me off to that boarding school and they were my caretakers. You never believed me when I told you back then and you won't listen now."
"Because I knew how much your addled mind mixed up events in order to make a perfect world for yourself." She tilted her head at him, glaring from her throne. "You always had to be right. Always had to have the dark places checked because you were convinced there were no monsters. Always asking useless questions. Always making a fuss about that... that servant."
"Alfred is one of the best and most abled people I know," he insisted. "We'd all be lost without him."
"You wouldn't have picked up so many strays and stayed with Talia Head if you had stayed with us," she bit back. Her eyes flashed at him dangerously like her words. The CEO took a small step back at the implications as she continued. "All the foul turns your life has taken because we didn't keep custody... Martha's child deserved so much more."
"Strays?" His eyes hardened as he looked at her. "You think of my children as strays?"
"A circus gypsy boy, a homeless thief, and a mix breed with deadly criminals as parents... what else are they?" Grandmother pursed her lips as she admitted, "Of all those 'adoptions', only Timothy Drake was worthy of our standing. His ancestors also helped found Gotham, on his mother's side."
"Where they came from doesn't matter," Bruce retorted, suppressing a growl. "Who their biological parents are doesn't matter. They're here now and I'm the one taking care of them. Like it or not, they're your great grandchildren. And you couldn't ask for better. They're smart, kind, patient, forgiving, noble..."
"It doesn't change where they came from," the woman retorted.
"No, it only makes them better." His glare fixed on her, trying to drive his point home. "They know what's out there and they have empathy for others because of that. I'm very proud of them, and you should be too."
There was silence for a moment before the matriarch answered. "Is that why you came this time? To make me proud of them?"
The man stiffened, not sure how to answer. He avoided his mother's side for so long... Looking away briefly he answered. "Alfred insisted you should at least meet them before you... Hounded me about it ever since I first took Dick in. With Damian's arrival and mysterious beginnings, we knew you knowing the truth would end all debate. I don't want his life to be covered in scandals."
"It already is." Grandmother rubbed her eyes, clearly becoming exhausted by all of this. "If you had married Talia like you originally planned, it could be easily taken care of."
"But it didn't go that way," Bruce stated flatly. "I'm not going to hide he's my child from a former relationship, but I rather not bring his mother into the limelight again."
"Has she made an official statement?" She sounded tired, as if talking for this long was wearing her out. Was she really done fighting him? A slight bit of hope entered the man's chest.
"Not really. But I have it on record she hadn't seen Damian in well over a year before I attained custody."
"How did that even happen?" He gave her a long look which gained him a scowl. "Something underhanded I take it?"
"I have resources and allies spanning the globe," the CEO stated flatly. "In their countries, they're legal. The less you know, the better off you are."
"Are you certain he's yours?"
Glaring slightly, he answered. "Do I need to bring out the DNA test results? Grandmother," he stepped forward, going for one last truce, "all I need is you to approve of them and their lives will run a little smoother among the social elite. They deserve that at the least."
"I'll decide what they deserve from me boy." The sharpness of her tongue struck Bruce back into childhood, back when her comments were lashes against his already beaten spirit. The darkness that was in him during that time was growing heaviest then, hardly a place for a child. And unlike the Kanes who had custody over him, Bruce worked his hardest to remove that presence from his children's lives. His grandmother and uncles just added to his.
"Dad?"
Cass' timid voice jerked his attention around to his daughter in the nearby hallway. Quickly the man relaxed his face and hands so not to scare her. All his kids knew he had a temper, but he worked harder after she joined them to keep them from seeing it. He rarely lost it because of them anyway. "Yes?"
"Damian's been kidnapped by cheek pinchers and started screaming, and Dick's going to be sick. Someone took Batkitty and your uncles abandoned us." The small girl looked over to the old woman for a moment, her face as still as could be. "Great-grandma Kane's tired."
"I'll take care of it." He gave his grandmother a nod. "If you'll excuse me, I have matters to take care of."
The old woman eyed him a moment before waving him off. "As do I. Now see to your own."
His heart dropped a smidge but left the lady with her legacy and her loneliness. Quickly he returned his attention completely to his daughter. "Where are Jason and Timmy?"
"Jason's looking for Batkitty and I lost track of Tim." Cass stated flatly, not wasting any time for explanations.
"How did you lose track of him?"
The girl shrugged. "He's good at disappearing."
Bruce grunted in agreement. They hurried to the ground floor and start searching for the others. A group of women (who each had one too many surgeries) were swarming around a screaming Damian, each trying to quiet him by acting like he was theirs. Timmy was actually there with them, trying to get his younger brother away from them. Trying and failing. The women were mostly ignoring him.
Grateful tears started in his eyes when his dad placed a hand on his shoulder, relieving him of his duty to save the babe. "They took him..."
"I know. Sherry, Megan, Melissa, Valery, may I have my son back now?" The hard edge in his voice gained all the women's attention while it calmed the child for a moment.
"Your son?" one blond murmured in confusion.
"FWADER!" Damian stretched his hands out to him and all debate of origin ended. He was quickly pulled out of their grasp and into familiar safety. Bruce held his youngest to his chest, letting him burry his head into his shoulder so he could start calming down. "Fwader! Fwader!"
"Shhhh..." He rubbed the boy's back soothingly, bringing down his wails in seconds while a handful looked on. "It's okay Dami. It's okay. I'm here"
"Kitty... Fwader, kitty!" A note of distress entered the lad's voice much to the man's dismay. His other son tugged on his sleeve and started explaining mists all the confused debutantes.
"Dick saw someone and got distracted, then these ladies picked up Damian without asking. They started cooing over him so fast we couldn't do anything. Then he threw Batkitty at them and missed. I told Jason to help find it then Dick wandered off in a daze so I had to try and save Damian while Cass looked for you."
"Ah." The man sighed heavily then gave the women around him a reproving look. "Really ladies, I'd think you'd understand when a child doesn't want to be held by now."
"But he's so cute!" "We didn't know he was yours." It was near impossible to decide who said what at that point.
"Regardless-"
"Bruce?"
He turned about to the voice, recognizing it briefly. The two children at his sides looked over as well. Soon a tall, lovely lady with black hair and a golden dress with a red scarf came up to him, a genuine, amused smile growing on her face. "Bruce Wayne? Is that really you?"
He blinked for a moment before recognition settled in. "Kathy?"
"I knew it!" Laughing the woman came up to him and gave him a short hug, squeezing Damian for a moment. He screamed at the extra contact. "Ooo sorry there little guy. It's just... is this guy yours?" She looked down to Tim and Cass for a moment, still surprised. "I heard about you adopting but I didn't-"
"Dad... Who's this?" Cass and Tim cocked their heads at the woman, hoping to get an explanation.
To their surprise, Bruce smiled. "Ah, this is my third cousin once removed, Kathy Kane."
"We were little terrors at our first reunion," Kathy gleamed. She smiled warmly on the two kids at his side. "And who might you two be?"
"I'm Tim!" The boy warmed up quickly, offering his hand. She took it without any mockery and gave him a quick shake.
Cass raised an eyebrow at her before giving an answer. "Cassandra."
"And that's Damian!" Tim offered, pointing to the toddler still trying to calm down after his ordeal. "He's new."
"My my." Kathy giggled as she eyed her distant cousin and his children. "Imagine that. Bruce Wayne, now a doting dad."
"I wouldn't exactly call me doting," he interjected.
"You're doing much better than when I saw you last." A sly grin grew on her face. "As I recall, you took off for a world tour shortly after that night, insisting you didn't need anyone. Now look at you; you've got a small posse growing here."
"Kathy..." Giggles started below him and he knew he had to explain to them. "I was sixteen. Taking off cleared my head. And as I recall," Bruce eyed the woman for a moment, remembering what Alfred told him, "you were bitten by the wandering bug as well."
"Guilty as charged." Kathy looked to the kids again, animating her voice as much as possible for their amusement. "I had a wonderful time touring the globe. Mexico was especially nice for me. Took my cousin Kate with for a bit too. She needed a break from her dad."
"Why?" Cass asked, curious now.
The lady shrugged. "He's military. Everyone needs a break from military men every once in a while. Course that's nothing in comparison to Adeline. She went through a nasty divorce a few years back because her hubby was more interested in the marines than her and their boys."
"Adeline?" Bruce cocked his head to the side, trying to recall if he ever met this distant relative. Kathy waved it aside.
"She's like my second cousin Bruce. Way way far off from you. You don't even think of people being related when they're that distant. She didn't even get an invite. I think Kate's around here somewhere though." She looked around. "I swear I saw her and Betty talking a minute ago..."
"That's not-"
"Found him!" Jason returned to them, Batkitty in hand. He grinned at his dad as he returned the toy to its owner. "He was hiding from the bad guys by the punchbowl, trying to get the drop on them. I swear they were breaking a dozen fashion laws."
"Oh? Another one?" Kathy's voice brought her to the pre-teen's attention. He gave her a confused look, wondering what was going on. The lady only grinned. "And who might you be?"
He just looked at her a moment longer before looking back up to Bruce and pointing a thumb at her. "Who's this? I thought all your relatives were cold hearted nutzos. She's almost normal."
"Jason, meet Kathy Kane, one of my distant cousins." Bruce tried to smooth things over before they escalate. Last he remembered, Kathy had a temper. "Kathy, this is Jason. My oldest, Richard, he's... somewhere else at the moment."
"Nice to meet cha." The trouble maker gave her his hand in offering, still looking over the lady to figure her out. She took it and smirked.
"Pleasure's all mine."
"Cass which way did he go?" Bruce looked over to his daughter, remembering what she said earlier. Dick was sick? She pointed towards one of the glass doors leading to the yard.
"Are you really adopted?" Kathy asked the young boys, looking between Jason and Timmy. "Because I swear I see Bruce in both of you, very, very strongly."
"We get that a lot," Tim informed her, smiling broadly. "Dick usually carries around a picture of his parents to prove he's adopted."
"Do you have pictures of your mommies and daddies with you?" She asked, now curious.
"Nope." Their unified answer nearly floored her. Jason explained. "I kinda ran after my mom died and haven't been by the place since. And Timbo here can't even remember what they looked like."
"Oh my..."
"Kathy?" Bruce interrupted the conversation, readjusting his hold on the toddler. "Mind watching these three while I see how Dick's doing?"
"Not at all," she answered automatically.
"Good. Jason, Timmy, Cass," he gave them a slight glare for a moment, making sure he had their attention, "behave for Kathy here. I'll be back within ten minutes."
"Got it." Each of his kids agreed in their own ways before he took off to find his oldest. Secretly the man knew Dick and Jason would have the hardest time there, which was why he wanted them to stick together. He didn't expect them to be separated like this so quickly. He was glad he ran into one of his nicer cousins who could and would help out. Kathy Kane was one person he didn't want to be cut off from.
Readjusting his hold on Damian, Bruce headed in the direction Cass pointed earlier, scanning the crowd. Twice a distant cousin tried to talk to him about a business venture and he had to deflect them claiming a family emergency. At the third time he claimed he needed to change a diaper. Damian actually looked at him incredulously then, a scowl on his face instead of a whine for such a blatant lie. There was no denying where he got his eyes from with that look.
"Do you want to be passed around by those strange ladies again?" His father gave as a response. A quick headshake confirmed what he already knew: Damian was a bright child. "Alright then. Can you see Dick?"
With that invitation, the toddler looked around too. Almost a second after he spotted the teen, his youngest pointed him out. He was in an isolated part of the room, hiding behind an artificial tree. The stunned expression on his face baffled the man. Why was he in a state of shock? Cautiously, he came up to the lad and rested a hand on his shoulder. "Dick? You alright?"
Dick's head jerked up instantly, putting up a front as fast as he could. "Fine! Fine..."
The way his voice cracked the first time around told him plainly things were not fine. Raising an eyebrow, he silently demanded an explanation. And slowly the teen submitted. "I just... Heh... Did you know one of your cousins goes to my school?"
"It's very possible..." 'Is that all?' Bruce couldn't see the problem with the idea. "Gotham Academy is one of the safest and best schools in the county. Unless they send their children to boarding schools, I can see several of them going to your school. I did say you would see some familiar faces."
"Wasn't expecting that familiar." Shaking his head clear, Dick tried to recompose himself. Something else donned on him. "Oh cr-"
"Rule 6."
"I lost Dami-" He blinked for a moment, looking straight into the toddler's eyes in surprise. 'Caught' wrote itself across his features. "Oh... You already know... Hi Damian!"
Pouting slightly, the babe slapped the teen with his favorite toy, effectively punishing him. Dick took the blow, wincing slightly in guilt. "I earned that didn't I?"
"Who exactly did you run into?" It was almost funny how the boy turned scatterbrained right then. He could only guess puberty had a hand in what he was thinking right then. Did he by chance run into a girl he liked?
Dick's eyes doubled in size and he quickly evaded the subject, in a single breath. "Doesn't matter. We never really got along anyway. I'm hungry. How about you Damian. Want something fun to eat?"
Eagerly the toddler nodded, reaching out to his big brother to carry him to food. The larger imp grinned and took his smaller counterpart away from his dad so they could escape to the food tables. Shaking his head in mild amusement, Bruce followed after them, more keen on keeping them out of trouble and reuniting them with the others before Kathy became tired of babysitting. With any luck, Jason wouldn't have started a family feud in the past twenty minutes.
The hour they stayed at the reunion was long and mostly boring for the kids. Rich prats were either cooing over the cute ones or giving veiled insults to the rest. Why Tim was received best out of the adoptions boggled his older siblings' minds, but as soon as the hour was up, they were glad to be gone. Kathy was nice enough, and the brief introduction to Kate was interesting, but no one else really was friendly with them. Cordial yes, but mostly in a business fashion. One or two teens had spotted them from a distance and walked awkwardly in the opposite direction.
Even Jason had to admit it was embarrassing they were, however distantly and only in paper, related. The Kanes really were a different breed of Gothamites.
Each of them hopped into the limo home with growing grins. Damian was rubbing his eyes tiredly as he was settled into his car seat, and Timmy yawned as soon as he was buckled in his booster. Alfred looked through the rearview mirror at them once they were all settled. "Did you enjoy yourselves?"
"A little," Jason admitted. He had set two pranks up that had yet to bear fruit.
"Bit boring really," Cass added, eager to change into less formal attire.
"The next family reunion we have better include the circus," Dick mumbled to himself.
"I'm tired," Timmy murmured, starting to nod off as they reached the highway back towards Wayne manor. "And their cookies weren't really that good."
"I see." Alfred peeked back to them once more, eyeing his former charge for a moment. "And you Master Bruce? Did you enjoy yourself?"
Silence came from the man for a good minute or two before he managed to answer. "I got what I needed to done. Ran into a few old friends and exchanged contact information."
"Very good sir," the butler stated, nodding in approval.
"Still think I should renew that restraining order on a few of them..." It was barely a murmur but the older boys caught it easily, as did the old man in front.
"Hm."
That one disapproving sound stilled the whole back of the limo. Rule 1 was in full force then, signaling silently they weren't to speak badly about the Kanes, especially Bruce. The man shifted in his seat uncomfortably before changing subjects. "Alright, as soon as we're home, everyone get ready for bed. Tomorrow's another big day."
"Why?" Cassandra's question was in each of their eyes, those awake enough to have it that is.
Their father grinned. Because nothing largely disastrous happened, they were going to have a sweet surprise. "You'll see."
A/N: I thought i was starting to drag this on so I ended it there. Roughly, Bruce does not get along with the Kanes, except the ones that also fight crime. So I mentioned Kathy Kane/Batwoman1, Kate Kane/Batwoman2, and Betty Kane/Bat-Girl/Flamebird/Flamehawk. Also a nod to Batman earth 1 and the Arkham connection, I thought it made sense. Also a reference to The Road home where Elisabeth Kane, Martha's mom (looked it up) accused Thomas of being her daughter's murderer and Dr. Hurt claiming Bruce was Alfred's kid. Then there's Philip Kane who once had custody of Bruce. I heard Martha had brotherS so I made #2, Samson. So yeah, lots of references here. Grandma Kane dies shortly after this event.
As for who Dick met up with, Betty. They realized they were (legally) related and before then Betty wanted Dick to go out with her. He kinda liked her then too, but at the same time they didn't always get along. Finding this out made everything even more awkward. Yay!
So on a slightly unrelated note, how many people out there follow me on Deviantart? I'm thinking of doing a contest related to DNB. Certain batkids will be taking on masks and costumes in the future. Who wants to design their costumes? I'll put details on DA later but I'm letting you guys design their costumes. =D Poll still on profile. Enjoy!