Bruce yawned and stretched as he made his way downstairs. Even as he came down the stairs, he could hear the morning hustle of The Manor. Stepping into the kitchen, Alfred was already standing by with his morning coffee.

As the caffeine took effect, Bruce was able to take in the day's madness. The boys were all having separate tiffs while Cassandra watched it all with mild amusement.

"Give it back Jason." Tim was whining as he futility tried to grab his phone from where his older brother was holding it out of reach. "Steph wants to know if she can sleep over this weekend." Jason reported slyly. "What should I tell her? Hmm… How bout: 'Sure thing babe. You can sleep in my bed anytime.'"

"Don't!" Tim cried. "She's coming over to study. Now give it!"

Across the table, Dick and Damian were having a very different conversation. "For the last time, Grayson, I have no interest in going to such a childish event." Damian huffed as he ate another spoonful of oatmeal.

"But it's a party Dami!" Dick insisted. "And if one of your friends was nice enough to invite you, it's only polite to show up."

"In the first place," Damian sighed around mouthfuls of his breakfast. "None of these dimwits are my friends. Secondly, seeing as my entire class was invited, my invitation was not an act of kindness so much as a means of appeasing the easily offended children. And third and most important, I detest every second I have to spend with these cretins at school. Why on earth would I subject myself to spending more time with them?"

"Because you will not become an anti-social hermit as long as I have a say in anything." Dick declared. "You're going even if I have to drag you there myself."

As Dick returned to his cereal, Damian loaded his spoon with oatmeal and prepared to catapult it at his older brother. Lucky for Dick, Bruce had finished his first cup of coffee and was now in the right frame of mind to parent.

"That had better go into your mouth, young man." He reprimanded, and Damian sulkily placed the spoon in his mouth. "As for this party, Dick, you are not his mother. You can't make him go." Bruce held up a finger to silence his oldest son's protests before turning to his youngest.

"But since I'm your Father, I can make you and you Damian are going to do the polite thing and attend this party. End of story." Damian began listing all the reasons why the party would be stupid as Bruce crossed the kitchen to deal with his other sons.

"Stop terrorizing your brother." He sighed as he plucked Tim's phone from Jason and handed it back to the relived boy. "Aw come on Bruce. Timmy knows I'm just playing." Jason grinned while Tim checked to ensure his brother hadn't caused too much irreversible damage.


After wasting far too much time arguing over who got to ride shotgun, Cass eventually winning, Alfred took the children to school, and Bruce headed off to work at Wayne Enterprises.

Gotham Prep and Academy were certainly more lively institutions with the Wayne children in attendance. Many school benefactors and board members often wondered how the kids were never expelled regardless of who their Father was.

But even with all the trouble they caused, the children had good qualities as well. Despite the fights they seemed to cause or get into, the kids were all leaders among their peers.

Dick was a favorite student among all the teachers. Jason was somewhat popular and a notorious lady's man. Cassandra had been so persuasive as to convince many of her Special Education classmates to join after-school clubs and socialize with other students.

Tim was undoubtedly the best student the institution had ever had. And while Damian's tactics of fear of beratement were deemed unacceptable, it couldn't be denied that student performance levels in his class had risen since his enrollment.

They were a tight-knit group. In all their collective years of attendance, only two girls had ever managed to weave their way into their ranks.

III

"You coming out tonight?" Tim asked Stephanie as they headed for the pick-up area. "Can't. Mom caught me sneaking back in last time. I'm so lucky I changed before heading home." The blonde sighed.

"Disgraceful Brown." Damian scoffed. "How do you expect to gain the upper hand on the scum of Gotham if you can not manage to infiltrate your own home without being caught?"

"Don't know what to tell you Dami-Baby." Steph shrugged, grinning as the boy scowled at his nickname. "Are you still gonna sleep over this weekend?" Tim asked with a soft hopefulness, grateful that Jason's attention was elsewhere.

"Maybe with good behavior." Stephanie winked and squeezed Tim's hand. He was cute when he was nervous, even though he had no reason to be. The blonde-haired girl called her goodbyes to her friends before running to catch the school bus.

"I've gotta stay home tonight too." Barbara sighed, then grinned at Dick. "My Dad is accusing me of trying to get myself adopted." "Cass would love to have a sister." The oldest boy smirked, wrapping his arms around the red head's waist. "Of course, you'd have to dye your hair black."

Barbara tiptoed to drape her arms around her boyfriend's neck and giggled at the memory of when he'd been almost a whole head shorter than her. "But if I got adopted, we couldn't do this…" she whispered and kissed him full on the mouth.

Dick followed her lead, ignoring the gagging sounds someone, totally Jason, was making behind him. A curt car horn finally alerted them of Alfred's arrival, and the Wayne children took their leave.


Back at The Manor, the kids enjoyed their after-school snack before dispersing around the house to their various homework spots. Aside from occasions where one sibling required another's help, they all did their homework in separate rooms to avoid distracting, or more often than not, provoking each other.

Bruce arrived home from work hours later and was greeted by Cassandra holding out one of her reading books from school. Reading aloud was one of Cassandra's favorite ways of practicing her words, and Bruce did his best to sit with her most nights when she did.

After dropping his briefcase in his off office, Bruce allowed his daughter to guide him to the couch in the living room. The boys were all scattered around the room.

Jay and Dick were planted in front of the TV, playing video games. Damian was sitting in front of the hearth, playing with his kittens and Titus. Tim sat in an armchair, his fingers flying across the keys on his laptop. "Ooh storytime." Dick chirped as he turned off the TV and dragged Jason to sit in front of their sister like eager little kindergarteners.

Cass read through her book, stopping every now and then to catch her family's eyes and pretending not to notice how attentively they all listened. When she grew tired, Bruce took a turn and read on until Alfred called them all to dinner.

III

After a hearty meal, the family all made their down to The Cave to prepare for the evening's patrol. "You know the rules Damian," Bruce warned gently as he barred his son from reaching for his costume. "No patrol on school nights."

"But Father, my presence would undoubtedly increase productivity." The boy argued. "While sacrificing productivity at school." His Father countered and went to get dressed. "Drake gets to go." Damian huffed. "Try that when you're double digits Babybats." Tim gloated as he adjusted his mask.

"Don't sweat it Little D. You can scare the shit out of some low lives on Friday." Jason consoled. Damian leaned against a wall sulkily.

Soon the rest of the family was dressed and received their assignments before racing out of The Cave. "I punch bad guy for you." Cass promised her littlest brother as she headed for the Batmobile.

"Man the monitor. Keep us informed." Batman instructed, then bent down to the boy's level. "Alfred will come to get you at bedtime." Damian nodded resignedly and accepted his Father's kiss on the head.

III

The rounds through the streets of Gotham were short and uneventful as if crime and unsavory characters had taken the night off. The patrolling members of the Bat Clan made short work of their vigils before calling it a night and heading home.

Back in The Cave, there were quick routine checks for injuries before restocking utility belts, rinsing off, and making their way up to their various chambers.

Bruce was the last one up as usual. He moved silently through the halls, checking on his children as he made his way to his own room. It was these uneventful days he cherished most, probably because they were so few and far between.

They were special, and he fell asleep hoping tomorrow would be just as normal.