A/N: While Dick is attending to his annual trip to the circus, Tim disobeys and follows him, getting into major trouble on two fronts. Without realizing, by revealing that Tim is his biological brother, Dick has placed Tim in grave danger from a source they have dealt with before. Will Dick be the last Flying Grayson, again?

A Circus Boy Returns Home

Part 14: Home Fire Conversation

It was almost a week after Tim left to tell Dick about Barbara. Something was going on and Samantha wanted to know what, because since then, Barbara had not returned to the Manor as promised. At first, Samantha's fears were quelled when she received a phone call from Dick, telling her that Tim had been sick for a few days.

"Is Babs there?" Dick asked. "I really wanted to hear her voice and ask about Haley. I wanted to tell her that Tim and I should be home by the end of the month."

"You're going to be gone that long?"

"Well, I'm usually gone for about a week, but with Tim being here, I wanted to give him a taste of circus life."

"I'm sorry, Dick, Barbara hasn't returned to the Manor. You should try calling her."

"To be honest," Dick replied. "I did. She's not answering her phone."

"That's odd." Samantha replied. "She answers when I call her. Do you want me to check in on her?"

"Please," Dick said. Dick felt his stomach lurch. 'She's really that angry with me for leaving so soon after Haley's birth? She knows I do this every year. I guess I could have postponed it. What could have happened? Could it be true? Had something happened to Babs? Something must have happened. Looks like we're going to cut this trip short. We've got to at least stay for this weeks' performances. Then we better get home.' Dick realized he was keeping Samantha hanging as his thought ran rampant in his mind. "Sorry, Sammie. I'll see what I can do. It's going to take a few days for us to come home, and we at least have to finish out the week."

"I understand. Can you give Timmy a message for me," Samantha asked.

"Sure," Dick agreed.

"Tell Timmy that we miss him."

"I will."

"Oh, and do one other thing," Samantha said. "Don't cut your trip short just because things aren't totally perfect at home. We'll keep things going. You deserve time with Tim and your circus family."

"Are you sure?" Dick asked.

"If there's something wrong, we'll take care of it."

"I can see why you married my brother," Dick said, reassured. "I'm missing Haley, too. Maybe I should come home. I should have brought them with me."

"Dick, you didn't abandon them," Samantha reassured him. "You are honoring your parents. I'm sure it's really nothing. And this will give Haley time to really bond with her mother."

"Is Bruce around?"

"I can switch your call to his phone," Samantha said.

"You can do that?"

"Tim taught me, so that we can share call without having that person calling other phone numbers. He told me it's like having a secretary's phone with several lines going to a switchboard. He set it up for all of our phones."

Dick shook his head and smiled; awed how Tim was such a software technical geek, then he realized that Sammie couldn't see him nod over the phone unless they were on a video call. When did he find the time to set that up?

"Um, that's cool. Could I talk to Bruce?" Dick asked.

"Wait one moment." Samantha put Dick on hold and switched the call. She hung up her own phone and decided maybe it was time to check on Babs. If something was wrong, then they would have to take care of it. Haley could be in danger.

Bruce picked up his phone when it pinged him. He noticed the name on the caller I.D. and answered. "Dick, is something wrong? You usually don't call me when you're away."

"I just wanted to let you know that Tim and I are coming home at the end of the month," Dick answered.

"Then Tim is with you."

"Yeah," Dick replied. "Didn't he tell you where he was heading?"

"Not exactly, but since you're his current guardian, I let that slide. Right now, I have Jason and Damian working on a case."

"I hope those two are getting along."

"They've come up with their own plan."

"If you're not working on anything, what are you doing?" Dick questioned.

"Some long overdue over hauling on some of the businesses under W.E.," Bruce answered. "Nothing for you to be concerned with. I'm trying to decide on a new CEO for Wayne Tech."

"Here's an idea. Why don't you put Tim in charge?" Dick suggested. "We're all going to need something else to fall back on, and Tim always seems to be interested in knowing how everything works on the business end. I could work in one of the research and development labs. You know how much I like to tinker with things."

"What about Jason?"

"He's training to be a nurse, which was a total surprise."

"True," Bruce conceded.

"And Dami, you don't have to worry about him until he's older," Dick added. "He'll probably get involved with something after school."

"Yes, I just became aware of that," Bruce said, as he pulled a pamphlet out from under some papers. It was to an art magnet school. It wasn't your traditional school. "Anything else?"

"Yeah, when Babs gets home with Haley, make sure they're both okay."

"You feeling a little guilty for leaving?"

"Yeah," Dick answered. "A little."

'Don't. Barbara knows you've been doing this the past few years, since Tim became Robin."

"I know, I just feel bad."

"You shouldn't feel guilty for wanting to honor your parents each year," Bruce consoled. "The timing was just off. None of us expected Barbara to go into labor. We thought she had another month yet."

Dick sighed. "I know."

"She's probably enjoying the time with her father. Take the time to enjoy your time at the circus. Get it out of your system, then come home. Being a father is something you will have to face."

"Maybe I am a little scared."

"That's natural, Dick. When I took you in, I didn't have much experience either. My Uncle George wasn't much help when I was a boy, the way your parents were for you. You can at least fall back on your memories to know what kind of parent you want to be."

"Thanks, Dad," Dick answered. "That means a lot."

"Now, I really need to get back to work, is there anything else you want to tell me?"

Dick debated with himself on whether he should mention Babs, but that would tear Bruce away from his other important work, and he had Gotham covered for the moment. "No, everything's good."

"All right. We'll see you and Tim at the end of the month."

"Okay, bye Bruce." Dick hung up his phone but did not dismiss the thoughts he was having in his head. 'I just hope Babs and Haley were all right.'

Continues with Part 15