"BRUCE! BRUCE WAKE UP!" Dick called out shaking the teen awake.

The teen bolted upright in his bed to see Dick staring at him with wide eyes. "Dick what's wrong?" Bruce asked worried. The younger boy never took the elevator up to the upper levels unless he was with someone, or something was wrong.

"It snowed!" Dick announced excitedly.

"It's December, it's bound to happen." Bruce laid back down and rolled over in his bed pulling the sheet over his head.

"But it's snow! The first snow!"

Bruce groaned, but then a moment of realization hit him. "Wait Dick…is this the first time you've seen snow?"

"Yeah," Dick said turning slight shade of red.

"With all the moving around you did you never saw snow?"

Dick shook his head, "No we were never in a place where it snowed during the winter, that's when we went to the southern states. We always did a special Christmas show, but it was fake snow, fake tree." he shrugged, "not like I can really do anything in the snow anyway. I'm just excited to finally see it! I'll meet you down for breakfast." he backed himself up and left the room.

Thomas submitted the paperwork needed to file for Dick's adoption. Child Protective Services would review the application before moving onto the next steps. Thomas wanted to make sure everything was ready, he didn't want anything to go wrong with Dick's adoption. It was December and the lone member of the Grayson family had been with the Waynes since April. Thomas had seen him grow so much, in that time and he wanted to continue to see the boy grow into a young man.

There was a knock at his office door. "Come in," he called.

The door opened and Bruce was standing in the doorway, "Hi dad," he smiled.

"Everything okay?"

"I was just talking to Dick, and I found out he's never seen snow or had a real Christmas tree. I don't even know if he's ever had a traditional Christmas."

"I'm not surprised, he's moved around a great deal. I seem to remember when I looked at Haly's Circus touring schedule since Dick was born, and they hardly took time off, they didn't only travel in the United States and parts of Europe as well. What you have to remember Bruce, that what's traditional for one family is not same for another. Did Dick mention what he did?"

"He only said that the circus would would on a special Christmas show with fake snow, and fake tree. Can we go all out for Christmas like we did before mom died?"

Thomas gave his son a slight smile, "sounds like a nice idea. I will send Alfred to pick up a tree…"

"I was hoping we could go, the three of us," Bruce said speaking quietly, "Alfred always went, what if we start a new tradition with Dick?"

Thomas hesitated, "We shall see. We will need to be sure Dick can get around safely. I will call ahead to make sure it's wheelchair accessible." The older Wayne could see the disappointment on Bruce's face, "I know it's not fair. Not every place is wheelchair accessible, that's why we have to call ahead."

"They should be," Bruce said annoyed, "I am going to look for my old sled so I can take Dick around to play in the snow."

"Speak with Alfred I am sure he knows here it is. I will look into the best place to go to find a Christmas tree."

Dick was sitting in an arm chair, by the fire reading a comic book, he had a mug of hot chocolate and a plate of cookies on the side table to his right. He was wearing a light gray turtle neck sweater and a knit blanket on his lap.

"Dick, I have a question. Do you want to go play outside? I have a sled that I attacked a kayak seat to and I cut down a pair of ski polls to that you can use them to get around."

Dick looked at Bruce with a raised eye brow.

"It's one of those things you have to see okay?" the teen looked at the young boy hesitate, "Don't make me carry you."

"Fine, fine, fine," Dick agreed moving his wheelchair into place so he could get into it.

"I've got everything ready for you by the door. Well Alfred did."

They made their way to the kitchen that lead out to a patio. On the table was all the winter gear Dick would need a hat a black and royal blue stripped hat that had flaps that covered the ears and a pom pom on the top. Water resistant black gloves and a royal blue scarf. There was also a pair of fur lines black boots. Hanging on the back of a chair was a royal blue down feather jacket.

Bruce was dressed in a similar way, but rather than blue the colors were red and his hat didn't have a pom pom.

The two boys geared up and headed outside onto the freshly cleaned patio. At the edge of the patio was a plastic yellow sled equipped with the seat Bruce mentioned and the modified ski polls.

"You did that?" Dick smiled.

"Of course! who do you think helps my dad build all gadgets?"

"Mr. Fox." The younger boy replied.

Bruce huffed. "Not just him, I help too, hey wait! You know that! You've helped me out before."

"I know," Dick smirked.

"I liked it better when you didn't talk much." Bruce teased.

"Can't go back now! Now help me get down, I want to try it out!"

Bruce lifted Dick up and set him down into the sled. The first thing the young boy did was take off his glove and touch the snow. Dick's lips twisted into smiled, he formed the snow into ball and lobbed it at Bruce. Without missing a beat the teen bent down and formed his own snowball to launch at at his attacker.

"Hey!" Dick complained then formed another snowball to throw it at Bruce.

"You started it!" Bruce replied retaliating with another snowball.

Dick smiled and started to use his ski polls to get away from Bruce, who chased after him, but the deep snow made it harder for him to run, but Dick who was on top moved with ease.

Inside the manor Thomas looked out the window of office to see his two sons playing in the snow. He was proud that Bruce found a way for Dick to enjoy the freshly fallen snow as well. Thomas was proud of how Bruce had has embraced his role as a big brother, he made sure Dick was included, and protect the boy if need be. Thomas was also proud of how Dick was handling everything that life had been throwing at him, he was handling it with such grace.

Thomas had a great deal to work on for the preparations the for annual Wayne Foundation Christmas party on top of his preparations for Dick's adoption, his duties at Gotham General, and moonlighting as Batman.

Once everything was all said and done, he went to go check on the boys who had come in from their time outside. When he found the boys each had his head on an arm rest of the couch, fast asleep while Rudolf the Red-Nosed Reindeer movie played in the background. The billionaire took the blanket off the back of the couch and covered both boys with it. Dick moaned and shifted slightly in his sleep, Thomas gently rubbed the top of the boy's head to calm him.

Thomas sat down in the arm chair next to the fire. Both his sons were safe, after the events that took place over the past several months. Thomas was elated to see them both currently healthy, even if Dick was still suffering nightmares, but sadly that was nothing new for him. Both boys had suffered more in their young lives than people twice the ages.

Dick was in his room. He dug his duffel bag from the circus from the back of his closet and brought it out and put it on his bed and then climbed onto the bed himself. Dick hadn't looked through the bag since he first came to live in the manor and pulled out his stuffed bear, Patches. There were too many memories attached to everything inside the bag, he didn't even know what exactly what was in the bag because C.C. Haly had packed it for him. He began to pull out it's contents. There were so many memories that he was trying to repress. Before felt he wasn't strong enough to re live the memories, but he finally felt mentally strong enough to look at them. It was cathartic to look at them, now. He didn't feel like he was going to cry, well of sadness, maybe a few happy tears as he looked at the yearly pictures the circus took every year in April. Dick had all eight he was in.

There was a knock at the door.

"Come in," Dick called.

"Here you are," Bruce grinned, "what are you looking at?"

"Pictures from when I was with the circus…want to see?" Dick gave a weak smile as he handed over a picture of him with his father. In it Dick was in a large metal basin filled with bubbles. His father was the one giving him the bath. "That was when my dad gave me a bath in Elenor the elephant's water bowl. My mom wasn't too happy."

Bruce snickered. "Sounds like a funny guy."

"My mom said I got my humor from him." Dick handed Bruce half the pictures to look at.

"Whoa, that cotton candy is bigger than you!"

"Let me see!" Dick smiled, "I remember that day! I was helping out Dee, she was running the cotton candy machine. I was um..maybe five? Anyway there was a loud crash in the tent and she went to check leaving me alone…well I learned how to use the machine by watching her all the time, so I flip over a milk crate and stood on it because I was too small to use it. I got the machine ready, grabbed a paper and cone and started to move it around and the cotton candy started to stick to stick…well I decided it wasn't enough and added more…and more…" Dick laughed, "Dee screamed at me, but I wasn't in trouble, she really thought it was funny. She was made at me for wasting product without permission. She took my picture, she always had a camera and had me sit down to eat it, told me to be careful because there was a show that night. She knew my parents didn't let me eat a lot of sweets especially on show days. Well…I didn't listen…and I ate pretty much all of it. I got sick and threw up. A lot. My parents grounded me. Not just the grounding that had me helping cleaning the elephant cage, but they wouldn't let me fly that night."

"You on a sugar high I would have loved to see that!"

"Well I was off the walls during the entire show. When my parents came to the floor to take their bows I went flipping out to meet them." Dick smiled, "I used to do that all the time when I was too young to fly, who ever was watching me during the show would let me run to see them, the crowd loved it. Anyway, after their act I sat with my dad to watch the rest of the show. I fell asleep." Dick turned to the next picture, "oh look, it's me sleeping with my dad…I wonder if it's from the same day…I did this often when I was little I hardly made a full show.

Dick looked at another picture, he was young, about a year old. He was holding onto the rings, with both is parents hands under him in case he fell. Dick rubbed his eyes, and turned his head a way from Bruce. He reached into his bag and pulled out a book and started flip through the pages, but stopped when he got to a paper, "What's this?" Dick asked showing the paper to Bruce.

"It looks like a deposit slip for a bank." Bruce said, "I'll show my dad."

Dick handed over the paper and Bruce pocketed the paper. And the two continued to look at the pictures from the younger boy's past.

Bruce was enjoying Dick's first white winter just as much as the younger boy. Never before had either boy been to a Christmas tree farm, and were excited to pick out all five of the trees that would be featured at the annual Wayne Christmas party. This year would be more lavishly decorated than it had been in the past, and today was the day of the party.

Dick was looking at himself in his full length mirror. He was wearing a green vest, under his black tuxedo jacket, with a matching green bow tie, his white dress shirt had gold cufflinks on them that had a 'RG' on each one, it was an early gift from Thomas.

A knock came on the door, "Dick, the guests are coming soon," Bruce called.

Dick opened his door and exited his room to see Bruce dressed the similarity to him, except he wore red rather than green. "Ready!" Dick smiled.

"I cannot believe you are wearing those ugly socks!" Bruce said looking at the boy's red and green striped socks complete with Christmas trees.

"Hey! I like them! I don't like boring things." Dick said defensively.

"You're weird." Bruce said.

"You're boring," Dick countered.

"Boys are you ready?" Thomas called.

"Don't you two look handsome," Alfred said as he joined them in the foyer.

"Yeah Dick even combed his hair!" Bruce pointed out right before ruffling it.

"Hey! But you saw that right! It was neat until he messed it up!" Dick complained as he tried to smooth it out with his hand, only to have Bruce counteract anything he did. This caused Dick to elbow the teen in his side, they continued this laughing the entire time.

"Boys enough," Thomas said sharply.

After ten minutes later the guests started to arrive. Dick found he was actually excited. He had become friends with Amelia, the girl he meet at his first ever Wayne party. He had seen her only once after that.

"Dickie!" Amelia smiled once she was in the foyer with her family, she ran over the younger boy and hugged him around the neck. "Come on! I wanna see all the decorations!" She gave him a push to get him going.

Dick laughed. "We have five trees! I helped pick them out!"

It was getting late, dinner had finished long ago, Bruce even did an encore performance on the piano, of classic Christmas songs.

Amelia and Dick disappeared from the party, both had become bored answering the same questions over and over. The pair made their way into the library only after nabbing a plate of cookies and two tall glasses of cold milk.

"Alfred said not tell anyone one, but I'm telling you anyway. I helped bake the cookies!" Dick smiled handing Amelia a cookie that was shaped like a candy cane. It was two pieces of dough twisted together with one dyed red, on top was crushed candy canes. "These are the ones I made, Alfred would not let me decorate the other ones."

Amelia accepted the cookie and then took a bite, "this is really good!" She smiled.

"Have you ever read 'A Christmas Carol'?" Dick asked,

"No, but I see the play every year."

"My mom and dad used to read it to me they would take turns…they'd start the week before Christmas and always end on Christmas Day," Dick explained. "Do you want to start reading it with me?"

The girl smiled, "sounds like a good idea." She took another cookie.

"Bruce, how can you lose Dick?" Cassidy sighed, her hands on her hips.

"You lost you sister too," the teen pointed out.

"Yeah, but Amelia always hide at these things."

"And Dick can't because? You say his wheelchair I will have to trouble slapping you."

"I'm just saying last time he told you where he was going."

"He's gotten bolder, craftier, that kid can sneak away so quietly. You blink and he's gone. And I didn't lose him…" Bruce said going back to the original conversation, "he's either in his room or the library."

Bruce and Cassidy made their way to the library, when they entered the found both their younger sibling asleep on the couch. Amelia's head a laying in Dick's shoulder, her glasses skewed, and Dick's head laying on her's. Amelia's feet curled up under her green dress, with her shoes on the floor. On Dick's bow tie was undone, and his vest un buttoned, and his tuxedo jacket hung on the back of his wheelchair. On the table next to them was an empty plate and glasses. The book lay open on Dick's lap.

"Let's get out dads." Cassidy said, "We should leave them sleeping. Trust me on that." She pulled on Bruce's arm.

The two made their way back to where there parents were talking, all the other guests have already left, and the Baxters were preparing to leave, they just needed their youngest daughter.

"Where's Dick? I asked you find him," Thomas asked.

"I did he's sleeping."

"Amelia is with him," Cassidy said, "they must have bored themselves to sleep. Dick had a book on his lap."

"I am going to get Amelia, we are heading out it's a long ride to Metropolis," Jeffery said standing up to following the party's host.

Thomas chuckled, "Dick's always reading, he's not bored, just tired. I am going to put Dick in his room."

"Do you think we have to worry about these two in the future Thomas?" Jeffery laughed seeing the two as he walked over to his daughter. He took her glasses off and put them in his pocket and the picked her up.

Thomas took the book from his soon to be adopted son and flipped it over to keep the boy's place before taking the boy into his arms, Dick's head leaned against Thomas's chest.

"Dick's room isn't far, I will be right over to see you out." Thomas said. Not wanting to think about the answer to the question.

"Take your time Thomas, no need to rush."

Thomas brought the eight-year-old to his bed and laid him down in it, still in his half dressed formal attire. "Good night son," the billionaire whispered as he covered the boy.

Thomas went to the foyer to bid his final guests to leave a good-bye, when he went to the sitting room he found Bruce sleeping in a chair, "Somethings never change," he smiled. He gently shook Bruce awake, "come on Bruce, you might want to get up to bed."

Bruce woke up and rubbed his eyes, "you carried Dick…" he mumbled as he staggered to the stairs.

"Dick only weighs fifty pounds, if that."

"No fair," Bruce complained as Thomas guided his son up the stairs.

"Oh yes it is. I used to carry you to bed all the time. Including the time you were about six and fell asleep right on the top step." Bruce laughed, as Thomas opened the door for his son. "Think you can make it into bed? At least take you jacket and shoes off if you won't change, Good night son."

"Night…dad…" Bruce said flopping on his bed, neglecting to take off his jacket or shoes.

Dick was excited, today was one of the few days Thomas was allowing him to ride along in the Batmobile.

"Anything on the police scanner?" Batman asked Nightwing.

"Nothing. It's oddly quiet, almost like you knew it was going to be this way and that's why you let me out…" Nightwing replied.

"Keep looking, it's almost Christmas—"

"Robin to Batmoble, I see a disturbance." The teen's voice came over the comm system.

"On our way," Nightwing replied looking at the map in front of him that showed Robin's location.

"Leave him alone!" Robin called out.

It didn't take long for Batman and Nightwing to arrive to help Robin. When then found him he was trying pull four boys away from what they were attacking.

Batman leapt from the Batmobile to aid his partner. Nightwing sighed and watched the events unfold via Batman's cowl camera. He was carefully looking at everything, what the boy's were kicking was not human.

"B-Batman…it's a dog…" Nightwing said.

Sure enough Batman could hear the dog growling and whimpering.

"What kind of idiots hurt a dog?" Robin snapped taking one of the attackers by the back of the shirt and tossing him back.

It took several long minutes, but Batman and Robin were able to stop the attackers. This task was easy, because they four boys did not want to fight against the feared Batman and Robin.

"Nightwing open your door! And call the dog over." Batman called out.

Dick used the remote to open the driver's door, while Robin helped guide the dog while Nightwing called out to him, Batman reminded behind to deal with the four thugs who hurt the dog.

The German Shepard jumped into the driver's street. The passenger side seat could slide quite far back, so Dick brought the seat all the way back and coaxed the dog to come on his side to sit at his feet. Once the dog came over it laid it's head on Dick's lap, the boy then started to pet the dog's head.

"Hey bud," He said, it looked up at him with big chocolate brown eyes, and panted. Nightwing noticed several cuts on the dog, but nothing looked terrible, they got to the dog in time.

"That wasn't very nice of them," Dick scratched behind the dog's ear and leaned forward, and the dog licked his face causing the eight-year-old to laugh.

Batman stayed and waited for the police to come to report off what happened, while Robin went ahead to the Batcave to help Alfred prepare for the injured animal.

Batman got back into the car, Nightwing looked over at him, "What are we going to do with him?"

"We will patch him up and bring him to the animal shelter tomorrow, did you find any tags on him?"

"No, not even a collar."

"They can check for a micro chip at the shelter. We would take him there now, but they are closed."

"Okay…" Dick continued to pet the dog's head until they arrived home.

"Alfred have you seen the dog?" Thomas asked looking around.

"Not since last night sir," The butler replied while cooking a small steak with some vegetables for the doggie guest.

The billionaire sighed, "I am going to look for him, it would be easier if we could call him by something." Thomas walked off snapping his fingers.

He made his way down the hallway where Dick's and Alfred's room was after not finding the dog in any of the other rooms. Thomas stopped when when he saw Dick's door open, the boy usually kept it lightly closed. He silently slipped into the room to see the dog curled with his head on Dick's legs.

"I think you will have a hard time taking that dog to the pound now," Alfred commented.

"I know." Thomas let out a heavy breath.

"It's almost Christmas."

"I know."

"You saw both boys with that dog last night."

"Are you suggesting we take in the dog?" Thomas asked shutting the door a little more before walking away with his trusty butler.

"Well look who he is sleeping with."

"Do you ever get tired of being right?" Thomas asked with a smile.

"Never, sir." Alfred said, the corners of his mouth twitching up slightly.

Crime didn't sleep in Gotham on Christmas Eve, nor did the father of two boys. Even with Alfred's help Thomas didn't get to bed until four in the morning. Exactly at six in the morning Thomas could hear his door open, but not footsteps, that meant only one person.

"Psss…Thomas…it's Christmas!" Dick said in a loud whisper.

Thomas knew this was coming, but it still didn't prepare him for being woken up by an excited eight-year-old. He remained quiet for a moment to see how the boy would react.

"And it snowed!" Dick's voice dripped with excitement. "My first white Christmas!"

Thomas opened his eyes to see Dick by his bedside with a wide smile on his face dressed in red and green plaid pajamas. "Good morning," he greeted the boy.

"Merry Christmas!" Dick said in a voice that was too loud for six in the morning, even if he was trying hard to not be loud.

"Merry Christmas," Thomas spoke in a soft voice hoping Dick would pick up on his cues.

"Alfred is making waffles!" Dick's voice was only slightly quieter.

"That's our traditional Christmas breakfast." Thomas remarked sitting up.

"With cranberries," Bruce said with a yawn from the door way.

"Oh good! You're up! What happens now?"

Thomas smiled and rubbed Dick's head. He was amazed by the boy's excitement. "We can open the presents then we will have breakfast."

Dick flew out of the room and to the elevator.

"How long do you think we have before he's down stairs?" Bruce asked.

"Oh no time what's so ever." Thomas replied getting out of bed he crossed the room and pulled his robe from the back of his door. "Merry Christmas, Bruce."

"Merry Christmas, Dad," Bruce smiled walking down the hallway to the stair case. "You know he's crash right after breakfast."

"I'd be more surprised if he didn't." Thomas nodded in agreement.

The two Waynes joined Dick in the living room only to see him sitting there staring blankly at the tree. Thomas could tell something was wrong. "Dickie are you okay?"

"This is my first Christmas without my parents…" the boy's voice was quiet as tears fell down his face, he finally was realizing the reality.

Bruce looked at his father and then walked over to the younger boy. "I know it's hard, and I only lost my mother. I know there's nothing I can really say to make you fell better, but what I can tell you is that we are here for you. Take your time, you're braver than us. We didn't even want to do anything for Christmas, we went skiing in France to avoid the holiday all together. You know this is really the first Christmas we have celebrate since she died…." Dick looked up at the teen and blinked. "Let's take it slow…"

Dick leaned forward and hugged the teen who was kneeling in front of him. "Thank you…"

"For what?"

"Being here. I don't think I could have done all this without you two…"

Thomas came up behind him and placed a hand on his shoulder. "There's someone else who's here for you too."

"Alfie?" Dick sniffed.

"Okay two," Thomas smiled before whistling and the German Shepard they saved came running over with a large red bow on his collar. Followed by Alfred.

The dog licked Bruce's face and then Dick's.

"He's ours?" Bruce asked petting the dog.

"All yours, he didn't have a microchip, or tags. Gotham Animal Shelter looked for an owner, but no one came forward. They said he's very docile for his breed. He just needs a name. Think you two can do that?" Thomas knelt down next to Bruce.

Dick leaned forward and threw his arms around them while the dog nuzzled his way in.

Alfred smiled watching the event unfold and snapped a picture.

A/N: What did you all think? Fun chapter. I tried hard to get this done by July 25th (Christmas in July) but clearly that didn't happen. But it's here now! And I had so much fun with this chapter. The I am so excited for what's coming up in the next chapter as the boys will be starting at Gotham Academy.

Thank you to every on who had read, reviewed, and followed this fic so far. I love hearing from you so drop me a review.

Just also want to let you know, I am not a crazy Christmas person (this early) This is just how the fic's time line landed and I wanted to add in the holiday.

So question time! What do you think the dog's name will be?

See everyone next time! 3