"I don't believe this." Babs shook her head as Dick fell into a laughing fit. She turned to Wally.

"What, that Dick's being a…well…or that his idea seems to actually be working?" Wally shrugged, watching his friend choke when he tried to take a drink while still laughing.

"Probably both…though neither should surprise me." Dick, having recovered from his laughing by being consumed with racking coughs…and then having recovered from that, cleared his throat and cornered the two of them with a mock-stern glare.

"Since it would be rude to point out that I told you so, I will refrain, but…"

"Uh-huh."

"Riiight."

"A-hem … as I was saying. It's time for phase two." Wally and Babs exchanged a look.

"Um…phase two?" Babs wheeled forward, trying to get a glimpse of the notes Dick had spread out all over her coffee table.

"Well, of course. It's not enough to get their attention." They had dropped off a package at GCPD headquarters, and with Gordon back in charge, it had been taken seriously. A note suggesting the Bat-clan had reason to suspect David Cain had the authorities reviewing the Blackgate security tapes from the night of Jack Drake's murder. They had been proven fakes…the original footage missing.

"No kidding, genius. We got that part. You didn't tell us the details of 'phase two' yet." Wally tapped his foot impatiently.

"You mind not wearing a hole in my carpet?" Babs tried to hold back a laugh, but couldn't keep the humor from her tone. Wally glanced down, then flushed, not having realized he was tapping at superspeed.

"Sorry."

"No problem."

"Excuse me? Great plan? Phase two? Ring a bell?" Dick raised an eyebrow at them and Babs rolled her eyes.

"Ok, smart guy," Babs said with no little sarcasm, "do, please, tell us this great plan."

"Simple. They know the tapes were tampered with. So they have more than our suspicion to go on. We make sure every bit of evidence we have makes it's way into the new-and-improved investigation that will start."

"Um…one problem. We don't have any evidence…that's the whole point of 'framing' Cain." Dick simply raised one eyebrow, making her sigh. "Ok…what evidence, oh wise and benevolent one?"

"Nothing too obvious, again, he's too good. A few hairs we 'picked up' at the scene that the police overlooked, pointing out that the marks on Jack Drake's body approximately reflect Cain's finger-size, and maybe an eyewitness, scared of reprisal, could be coaxed to report on a figure resembling Cain in the general vicinity near the time of the murder."

"You've been working too hard…it's obviously taken a toll on your brain." Wally teased, shaking his head in disbelief.

"No…he's right. We can't get too detailed. Circumstantial evidence is the most believable in this case." Babs contradicted. "The hairs might even be going a bit too far…though he's only gone in fully covered to prevent such evidence once before." She fell silent and Dick shook his head, remembering Cain's attempt to frame Bruce.

"But…what motive would he have? You still haven't got a case without a motive." Wally started pacing, his patience with the Bat-clan's methods nearing its end.

"Oh, I've taken care of that." Two pairs of eyes turned on her with surprised looks. Babs glanced at them over the rim of her glasses with a "hey, it's me" look in her eye.

"How?" Wally demanded.

"A large quantity of cash was transferred into an offshore account that can be traced back to Cain…with some work, of course. And a rumor has started among the shadier elements of the city about a hit taken out on Jack Drake that…"

"But why? What reason would anyone have to…"

"Well if you'd stop interrupting me!" Wally closed his mouth but shot her a belligerent look. "As I was saying, a hit was called on Jack Drake due to an artifact he found years ago that some warlord or mobster or someone thought was worth something."

"So you're framing someone else." There was a hint of desperation… tinged with the threat to declare them both crazy and call in backup...in his tone, causing Babs to sigh.

"No we're not. First off, the rumor has multiple 'buyers' so no one will be targeted as the suspect."

"Not that it would be a big loss if they were." Babs cast an exasperated look at Dick.

"You're not helping. Yes, these are scummy people, but we're not going to frame them to get them off the street. That's the easy, lazy way."

"Not to mention not entirely legal." Dick quipped.

"Nothing we do is 'entirely legal'." Babs rubbed her head with a sigh. "Wally, no one's going to be framed except for Cain. There's not enough information in the rumor and the deposit is untraceable. But it's just realistic enough…Jack Drake was targeted a few years ago for an artifact some lady thought he'd discovered, purported to give this woman ultimate power. The police have that attempt in their files. They'll buy the premise, Cain killed for money and the buyer went underground. Cain will at least have a stronger security system set up to watch him and there won't be any more risk that Dana will be pointed at again." Finishing her tirade she mutely challenged both men to argue with her.

"I love this woman. Did you know I love this woman? I lo-"

"I get it." Wally shook his head at Dick's goofy grin, but laughed. "Ok, ok. Maybe I jumped the gun a bit. I guess it sounds like a solid plan." At their relaxed expressions, he had to throw in, "If it works. How long you think it'll take?" Dick shrugged, intent on getting Babs to kiss him again.

"Hopefully just a few days, maybe a week or two." Babs managed to get out before letting herself be captured. Wally sighed, reaching for another sandwich. He hated to wait.


"We need to talk." Bruce relaxed his aggressive stance but remained tense, his demeanor defensive. Tim had told him months ago that Dana knew Robin's identity…and Dana was an intelligent woman. The fact that Bruce Wayne had swooped in and taken over her family after the death of her husband and was apparently already on very good terms with Tim…with no real good connection other than being neighbors for a few years…wouldn't have escaped her attention.

But even having suspected she knew his secret identity hadn't prepared him to be faced down like one of the criminals he routinely intimidated as he exited the cave. And even knowing she hadn't yet revealed her knowledge, nor had any plans to do so as far as he knew…who knew how she may react after the recent events…made him comfortable with her possession of that information. Simply out of habit they had kept Tim's whereabouts from her…partially for her own protection and peace of mind, but more because he didn't want anyone knowing more than was necessary. Barbara and Dick had come up with some story about Tim needing to "get away" for awhile and having gone to visit a friend outside Gotham. Ironically, Alfred had informed him earlier, that story had been supported by Bart Allen who had shown up asking for supplies because he and Tim were going camping.

Bruce supposed he had to give him credit for not blurting out his own secret identity or anyone else's in the presence of a stranger…but the fact that he'd shown up alone and they hadn't heard from Tim about such a trip pretty much blew that cover. Not that Bart knew that…he'd gotten his supplies and left, unaware that a "normal" family would question a young man they'd never met demanding camping supplies for a child they hadn't been informed was going camping.

But all this was really not relevant. The fact was, Dana was an intelligent woman, able to figure out everyone's identities based on their close connections to Tim, probably suspecting she was being lied to, and he couldn't blame her for standing up to someone quite probably responsible for her son's being in danger. Nonetheless, he didn't have time to deal with a temper tantrum at the moment. Refusing to give in to the headache pounding behind his eyes, he raised a brow.

"About?" She didn't falter, but neither did she answer. Instead, she mutely stuck out a hand…one in which was clenched an official-looking paper. Her stance was tense, nervous and Bruce started leaping to some rather obvious conclusions even as he reached to take it. Legal action for endangering a minor? Some kind of restraining order? A… "Social Services?" he glanced at her briefly before returning his gaze to the page, scanning the document.

"I didn't know who else to turn to and I thought…" she fell silent as he held up his hand.

"I was wondering when this would happen." At her somewhat-blank expression he indicated the paper. "You never adopted Tim. Legally you have no claim to him…he's a ward of the state." He managed to keep his expression blank as Dana flinched...flinched as much at her own feelings of guilt as at the thinly veiled disapproval in his tone.

"I…" her chin went up defiantly and his respect for her grudgingly grew a notch. It was a rare person who would stand up to his open disdain, even as Bruce Wayne. If Dana knew he was Batman, as he suspected, she was demonstrating even more courage. "Are you going to help me or not?" she demanded.

"And what, exactly, do you expect me to do?" Her bravado faltered at his cool stare.

"I…you…well, fix it!" she turned away, pacing agitatedly in front of the huge picture windows. "You have connections…don't pretend you don't. You managed to get custody of Dick when he was a ward of the state…even with your reputation, which should have made such a feat impossible. A young bachelor, seemingly a playboy…what use would he have for a child?" He narrowed his eyes, not caring for her tone. "But you did it anyway. So fix this!" She turned on him, eyes flashing. "I just lost my husband. I will not lose my son too!" Then, as if her fiery tirade had broken down every last wall, she burst into tears. Bruce watched her for a second, feeling vaguely helpless…he had little or no experience in comforting. He collected himself and reached out to lay a hand gently on her arm, pushing her to an oversized chair.

"Please, sit." She did so, taking the handkerchief he held out with his other hand. He sat back, uncomfortable. He didn't know Dana Drake well, but she had seemed to be a good influence in Tim's life, and a good mother to him. He hadn't any legitimate reason to snap at her for not adopting Tim. Lots of step-parents didn't go through with it and it didn't mean they loved the children less.

"I wanted to." She raised her head, taking a deep breath and drying her eyes. "At first…it seemed too soon. And when I brought it up with Jack later…well he was having trouble with Tim at the time…we sent him to Brentwood and…and then when we lost so much of the money…" she shuddered. "Jack…went away. He locked himself away in some kind of self-punishing bout of depression, strongly tied to his loss of Cathy.," she broke off.

"Dana, I didn't mea…"

"No. Let me finish. I just…I wanted you to know. I wanted to adopt Tim. I consider him my son." Her chin was back at a defiant angle. "But the timing never was right for Jack. I don't know if he just didn't like the idea and found excuses…or if it really was just timing. But now they're going to take him away. I know I've been mostly cleared, but the state won't want a kid left with a suspected murderer." No, they'd just stick him in a foster home, if he was lucky, full of strangers or, if he wasn't, possibly worse than the situation he was already in.

"Again. What do you want me to do?" This time it was said softly, without the hostility he'd expressed previously. She blinked back the remainder of her tears.

"I don't know. I don't. Like I said, they don't want him with me. At least not until they are satisfied my name's cleared. If you could just…I don't know. If you had him stay with you…I mean."

"Actually, I'd already taken steps to…well. That arrangement would work temporarily. But he needs something more permanent."

"After I'm cleared…" he shook his head.

"There's no guarantee that we'll be able to completely do that. We're working on catching the true murderer, but he has a pretty airtight alibi." At her questioning look, he clarified grimly, "he's in Blackgate prison. Under heavy guard. We know he did it…but the evidence…"

"Then what do you suggest?" He looked away, his demeanor dark.

"As I said, I'd already taken steps in case this happened."

"What steps?" He allowed himself a small smile at her impatience, but sobered quickly.

"It would really be up to Tim…I don't want to…" he cleared his throat. He was Batman…he didn't vacillate. "Adoption."

"You mean…you would…" he gave her a curt nod. She fell silent…he could tell the idea disturbed her.

"As I said, it would ultimately be up to Tim. I wouldn't presume to…I don't want to take his father's place." She nodded, stood.

"Well, since he's not around at the moment to ask…" her sarcasm let him know she definitely was aware she'd been lied to regarding Tim's whereabouts…but she wasn't going to argue…too much.

"Don't worry. He'll be put in my care at least for the time being…until things can be straightened out. We have time to arrange the permanent conditions."


To Be Continued….