Summary: Life was going well for Bruce & Clark. They were happy, until the day 2 boys entered their lives claiming that they were heroes and needed to take up the mantle once again. Bruce didn't believe it until he saw that reporter bend solid steel. He turned to the eldest boy, "So, what's my power?" Raising an eyebrow the boy replied, "Money. Speaking of which, we to need to rob a bank.

CHAPTER 1
Intro

"Lois, I got you a coffee," Clark held it out to her and she took it smiling. The office was bustling. Phones were going off, people were yelling. A few reporters were rushing out after stories. Lois had to do a quick spin to avoid be pushed aside by one of the people hurrying about.

"Thanks Smallville," she smiled.

"So what story have you been assigned to this week?" Clark was shuffling through some of his paperwork realizing he might have left something at home.

"The Savage takeover of the Aristocrat scene, have you heard about it?"

"No," Clark admitted.

"So do you remember that quiet billionaire Bruce Wayne, the one our editor was offering an entire year's salary if we got just one picture of him. Since you know, no one had ever seen his face?"

"That was quite some time ago that he offered that," Clark admitted recalling it as he sat down at his cube. "So someone finally got that picture did they?"

Lois pulled out her own chair, "Nope. He died."

Her tone showed no remorse or concern. Mark of being a good reporter, you kind of had to make yourself numb to everything around you, so you could remain detached from your stories and focus on facts. That's not to say she was heartless by any means, but just factual in her career.

"Really?" Clark frowned. "So… did anyone get a picture of him before the burial?"

"No, he was buried quickly," she opened her emails and began multitasking while continued her story. "The funeral was a big secret. But apparently he had a son."

"Wow, so someone did see his face," Clark teased.

"The boy's Mother didn't have custody of the kid, but she moved in quickly upon Mr. Wayne's death, bringing with her a new man. A Mr. Vandal Savage."

"Wait, Savage is his name? Like his actual name? I thought that was just your headline."

"Nope, but I came up with the headline on my own. You like it?"

"Love it. Tell me more."

"Well, he promptly signs for legal custody of the Wayne brat and BAM just like that, overnight, this guy becomes a billionaire."

"Sounds like an excellent story," Clark admitted. "Can't help but feel bad for the kid though."

He couldn't imagine any kid would be happy about a step parent moving in and taking everything their parent had left to them.

"It's not all bad for him, I guess this Savage guy had his own kid that he brought to the party," Lois explained. "So at least it looks like he'll have someone his own age to play with."

"Well I have the riveting story of covering a local restaurant's re-opening," Clark explained failing to make it sound more exciting than it was. "My headline is going to be, Doesn't really matter, no one will read it anyway."

"Come up with that on your own?" she was grinning.

"Sure did," Clark answered smiling at her mock enthusiasm.

"Tell me more."

"Believe me, you have better things to do with your time."

"Yeah I do," Lois teased. "But that does suck Smallville. Listen, if you want the good stories you have to work the long hours, like me."

"I can't work too long, I have a date tonight?"

"You? Smallville? No way."

"It's true I met her last night," he smiled fondly at the memory.

"Well, I'll be looking forward to hearing about your date. Maybe I'll get me one of those sometime," Lois joked. "In the meantime, I got a meeting with the editor."

With that she put on her jacket, grabbed her coffee and hurried off.

Bruce Kane had been in the field and on duty a month now. Never imagined he would like being a cop so much. It was spur of the moment decision that occurred a month ago. He had been a factory worker before this, but one night after witnessing a woman get robbed, he chased down the culprit and returned the woman's belongings. Since then he wanted to fight crime and fight for justice. He wanted to help. Commissioner Gordon had nothing but praise for him and his work in this short time.

"You'll have my job in another month if you keep this up," laughed Gordon during their break.

"I don't think I'd like your job, my back would hurt from all the sitting," he teased and the rest of the cops that were on break laughed.

The door to the break room opened and a girl peeked her head in scanning the room. When she caught sight of Mr. Gordon, her face lit up.

"Good morning Dad." She had on a long tan coat, a business dress, heels and was holding a bag of doughnuts. "I brought you boys your favorite."

"Thank you darling," Mr. Gordon walked over taking the bag from her. "Kane have you met my daughter."

"No Sir," Bruce walked over extending his hand. "Nice to meet you…"

He paused to give her the opportunity to introduce herself.

"Oh," she laughed extending her hand, "Barbara Gordon."

They shook hands.

"My Dad tells me you're quite a cop."

"I try," he answered modestly looking a little confused.

"I feel like I've heard your name somewhere before," Bruce said softly. Speaking more to himself than to her.

"Oh, that's my Mother's name too. You probably heard Dad talking about her."

"Yeah, that's… That's probably it," He shook off the feeling. "So, what do you do Barbara?"

"I work in a call center. I do returns and stuff for customers unsatisfied with my companies' makeup line. It's not a career or anything. It's just to help pay the bills while I go to college."

"What are you majoring in?"

"Journalism," she answered grinning. "I'm hoping to work for the Daily Planet one day."

"And she's failing to realize that her Dad's not going to let her move all the way to Metropolis. That place is a hell hole. Their crime is out of control."

"Daaaad!"

"You should stay here, in Gotham, where it's safe," he explained.

"Yeah right, it's soooo safe. Killer clowns, two face killers, half animal half human monsters," she laughed. "I sure sounds safe Dad."

"Now that's insulting," Gordon snapped frowning. "Many of those criminals are already behind bars thanks to our newest recruit."

"Of course it is," she rolled her eyes when Gordon wasn't looking. "I gotta go. I'll see you soon Dad. And good day to you Mr. Kane. I hope to see you again as well."

With that she hurried out the door walking with a spring in her step.

Gordon smiled. "She's not leaving. I won't let her."

"No offense Mr. Gordon, but I don't think you have a choice in the matter," Bruce explained.

"Say that again and your fired Kane," Gordon said in a stern tone, but it was clearly a light hearted joke.

Bruce smiled.

"Go home early tonight Bruce," Gordon said. "It looks like it's going to be a quiet night anyway."

"Alright," he grabbed his coat. "If you have any open shifts this weekend I'll take them."

"No you won't, you've picked up every weekend since you started. Take one off, it won't kill you."

"It might," he admitted. "I can't stand boredom."

"Then find yourself a nice girl why don't you," Gordon suggested. "Just so long as it's not my Barbara."

"Which one?" he mocked before grabbing his wallet.

"Either of them!" Gordon snapped at his back as he headed out the door.

"And what would you like today Sir," she hadn't looked up yet, but when she did. Her smile widened. "Clark!"

"Hello Diana," Clark said smiling. "Are you almost off shift?"

"I can be now," she said removing her apron she rushed over to her co-worker whispering, "Cover for me."

Then she hurried around the counter.

"I got these for you," he said handing over a small bouquet of flowers.

"Oh, that's so sweet," she said smelling them. "Shall we go to a movie?"

She took his hand. "I have few I've been wanting to see lately."

They walked through the doors of the ice cream shop. The bells chimed and the doors settled. In the corner sat a child. Slumped down in their chair a frown on their face. They were gone, but the child continued to listen to them.

"Yeah which one?"

"It's a cowboy movie," Clark explained.

"Cowboy movies are all the same," Diana complained. "Bad man walks into town. Cowboy and him get in an argument. Later he kidnaps the girl, and then cowboy saves the day. Somewhere in the middle of all that they throw in a bank heist, a train heist, a dual, or sometimes all three."

"All right," Clark laughed. "We won't see that one."

The kid got up and threw out the shake he was drinking and headed out into the bright sun where he glanced down the road at their backs. The next moment he glanced up and down the street making sure no one was looking before he flew into the air.

Well that's what he gets, he thought reaching up and touching his bloody nose. His head hurt, his body ached where he had been punched and kicked. He hated the taste of blood in his mouth but it was becoming a regular thing these days. He supposed he shouldn't have tried to cheat at poker with the Ripley gang.

Grayson pulled himself to his feet. What a horrible day this had been, he started heading to the subway thinking to himself that he probably didn't have enough to ride it anyway, when someone bumped into him.

"Oops, sorry," the kid called continuing to hurry off.

Grayson frowned. He did not...

He checked his pocket. Yup... His wallet was gone.

"Little shit!" he snapped, despite the pain he took off running after the guy who was clearly desperate to avoid him. He pushed aside trash cans and basically anything he could use to block his path. He jumped over a fence and landed on the other side where he smiled mockingly at Grayson. Certain their was no way he would be able to make the jump.

But Grayson didn't slow down. When he got to the fence though he jumped up, grabbing the top he expertly flipped over it and landed on the other side blocking the kid's path. The kid was shocked. He grabbed the collar of his shirt and shoved him up against the fence.

"Sorry," he said looking worried. "Here you can have it back."

He held his wallet out and Dick took it roughly putting it back in his pocket. "What's your name?"

"Jason," he answered.

"How old are you?"

"Twenty-one," he answered.

"Great, you can be tried as an adult," he said forcefully pulling him towards the alley exit.

"Aw, c'mon. Look, I'm sorry. Okay. I... Here," he reached in his pocket pulling out a crinkled five dollar bill.

Grayson stared at it looking unimpressed. "Dude, you got your wallet and you're making five bucks. Please I don't wanna go to jail."

"Add another five on that and I'll let you go," Dick roughly shoved him against the wall blocking his exit to make him pay up. He was smiling, but his folded arms and his stance told Jason he wasn't playing.

"Really? Damn, just who is the thief here?" he sighed reaching into his pocket he pulled out three more dollars. "It's all I got."

Grayson took it smiling. "Thanks, this is paying my fare home."

"At least you have a home," Jason scoffed purposely hitting his shoulder into Dick's on his way out of the alley.

"You're not going to make me feel sorry for a thief kid," he called after him, before heading down the road in the opposite direction.

*knock* *knock*

"Dad..."

No answer.

*knock*

"Dad? Are you up?"

He pushed open the door and an empty beer bottle rolled across the hardwood floor.

Tim sighed staring down at the man passed out on the mattress. Their was no bed frame. He had sold it awhile ago.

"Dad? You're going to get fired again if you don't go into work today..." Tim frowned. He walked over and nudged him with his foot. He was breathing, but otherwise their was no response.

"Dad I don't have time for this, I have to go to school."

The man groaned, rolled over and kept sleeping. Sighing he walked back to the living room grabbed his backpack and his wallet and keys. As he lifted his backpack though he noticed it was much lighter than normal. "No," he sighed and he threw the bag back on his sofa scavenging through it.

His laptop was gone.

"Fuck..." he sighed. His father probably sold it. Disappointingly he threw it back over his shoulder. As he headed towards the door he stopped at the mirror by the hallways. Somehow the bruise on his face was worse than it had been yesterday when his Dad had hauled off and punched him.

"One more year," he told himself. One more year and he would be 18 and legally able to leave his Father's custody.

Clark was on his way home from the Daily Planet. His date with Diana had gone well, and he was really enjoying her presence. Thinking about what they would do on their next day he started hearing shuffling noises behind him. He turned, and saw nothing. Just the empty alley he was walking down. He started walking again and heard more rustling. He turned again. Nothing.

Clark walked around the corner and paused waiting for whatever was following him to come around the corner. When it did, it turned out to be a kid. They jumped when they realized that he had stopped and then rushed back around the corner. Clark laughed and looked past the building edge to find the boy crouched down with this hands covering his face as if deploying the, if I can't see you, you can't see me tactic of hide and seek.

Clark laughed and stood above him, "Stand up son. Why are you following me?"

The boy got to his feet looking terribly shy and refusing to look him the eyes. "I... I um..."

He seemed scared. Thinking maybe his height was intimidating the child he knelt down to appear less opposing. "What's up kid?"

"Um... I... I need some help."

"Are you lost?"

"No..."

He started fiddling with the pull string on his hoodie.

"What's your name kid?"

"Jon."

"Jon what?"

"..."

He didn't want to say clearly, because he tensed and his frown deepened. Clark looked around thinking maybe someone was looking for him. The kid wasn't so young that he absolutely needed supervision, but it was still unnerving to see no one around to look after him when he looked this nervous and scared. He looked back at the boy. "How can I help you?"

"I lost someone."

"Ah," Clark smiled reassuringly. "It'll be alright, so who did you lose?"

The kid suddenly looked like he was about to cry and Clark got an overwhelming feeling that something serious was going on.

"Who did you lose son?" he asked trying to be as reassuring as possible.

"My Dad," he answered looking away when he said that.

Clark stood tall once again and put a hand on the kid's shoulder. "It's going to be alright, I'll help you find your Dad."

Before he could say anything the boy hurried forward and hugged him around the waist. He was shaking slightly holding him as though he were afraid to let go. Something was wrong. Feeling a little awkward he patted the kid's hair. "Alright... we'll find him. Don't you worry."

When Bruce got home that afternoon he opened the door. His apartment was small but quite clean for being what some people would call a bachelor pad. It had old wallpaper from the late 90s and the hardwood floor was scuffed in some places from lack of care from previous tenants. He threw his keys and coat on a nearby chair and started to walk into the kitchen when a voice was heard behind him.

"You smoke now?"

He spun around expecting a robber. But what he saw instead was a young boy of twelve or thirteen seated on his sofa looking disapprovingly at his ash tray. He was wearing all black and sitting like an adult at a business meeting would sit.

"Who the hell are you?"

"Someone who cares about your well-being," he snapped. "As of right now you're not smoking anymore."

He picked up the semi-full ash tray and walked over the tiny balcony. This was such an odd situation that he nearly forgot to react, but in the last minute he rushed forward grabbing the kid's wrist before he chucked his ashtray outside to the alleyway below.

"Put that down," he snapped placing the tray back on his table. He didn't let the kid's wrist go. "Now who are you."

"Damian."

"Damian what?"

"That doesn't matter!" the boy snapped pulling his arm away.

Bruce sighed. "Why are you in my house Damian?"

"Apartment. I would hardly call this a house."

He took a deep breath already losing his patience. Why are you here?"

"..." Damian frowned. "You're somebody that I used to know. And I need that person back."