Chapter 28: Shop Till You Drop

Bruce's POV

I watched as Tim quietly read The Odyssey while leaning against a sleeping Jason. Damian was on the floor on his cellphone, while petting Titus. Alfred and Dick soon entered the room carrying presents while heading for the tree.

"The gifts I ordered finally came in." Dick said cheerily.

"Mine came in three weeks ago." Tim replied while looking up from his vast novel.

Gifts! I hadn't gotten anyone anything yet! And tonight we had the stupid Superhero Christmas party! Looks like it'll be last minute gift shopping.

********Break********

As Jason, Tim, Damian, and I walked towards the entrance of the mall, I turned to Jason and handed him a credit card. "Remember Jason, keep your eye on Tim at all times, do not buy liquor or cigarettes with my money, keep your phone on at all times, keep your receipts, get all your presents today, and don't do anything stupid."

He rolled his eyes before reaching for the card. "Yeah, okay."

"Jason." I warned.

"Relax." He replied, before dragging Tim away from us.

"Come on, son. Who do you want to shop for first?" I asked while taking Damian's hand. I didn't want him to get separated from me in the crowded mall. He was small and the world is filled with sick people.

"I've already completed my shopping for this holiday, Father." He replied.

"Alright, you can help me pick out presents. What do you think your brothers would like?"

"I do not know, Father. I am not Grayson."

********Break********

Tim's POV

I hate being short! I can't see anything over anyone! Everyone's too tall! Ugh! I should have just stayed at home!

As I was trailing behind Jason, someone bumped into me and I was caught off-balance and stumbled to the floor. When I stood back up, Jason was gone. We were separated by a sea of last minute shoppers.

********Break*******

Damian's POV

I scowled as Father deliberately took his time choosing Drake's gift. A volcano kit or a vast novel about the solar system. Both were on his pitiful list.

"Damian, what did you get for Tim?" Father asked.

"Nothing." I replied coldly.

Father turned and glowered at me. "Why didn't you get him anything?"

"I saw no reason to. It's not like he would buy anything for me either."

"Damian, Tim ordered your present weeks ago. He spent a lot of time and effort into getting something for you. You had better pick something for him. Do you understand?"

"Very well, the volcano." I grumbled as another shopper reached for the last kit.

********Break*******

Jason's POV

"Jason!"

I stopped abruptly as I heard my name being screamed by Tim. He wasn't behind me anymore. Oh shit! I lost Tim!

"Tim!" I screamed, while fearfully turning around and heading back into the angry last minute shopping mob.

"Jason!" he screamed.

Hurriedly shoving people out of my way, my eyes landed on his tiny form trying to avoid being stepped on and pushed out of the way. It wasn't really working out for him. Scooping him up, I carried him out of the crowd and over to a not so crowded store window.

"You left me!" he accused as I set him down.

"Did not! You got lost. Keep up with me, shorty."

"Don't call me that!" he growled.

I sighed. Tim is sensitive when it comes to his height.

"Sorry, Babybird. You okay?" I asked while bending down to his level.

"I'm okay… what store are we going to first?"

"Wherever you wanna go. I bought presents yesterday, but I needed to pick up a knife I had repaired. That's why I'm here."

"Can we go to the bookstore after we get your knife?" he pleaded with his big baby blue eyes.

********Break*********

Damian's POV

I watched as Father and a woman started arguing loudly over the volcano. Both wanted the kit for their own son. Despite Father being intimidating as he is, the woman refused to back down. They both began snatching the prize out of each other's hands.

Soon the manager of the store came to see what all of the commotion was about. That's when Father snatched the volcano out of her hands and pushed his way through the crowded store and to the register. That's when the mall security officer arrived.

********Break*********

Tim's POV

I watched as Jason started arguing with the knife repairman. Apparently, he had accidently sold Jay's knife to a customer. Jason didn't take the news too well.

"Jason, stop!" I yelled as he grabbed the salesman's collar and roughly pulled him across the counter and shoved him up against the wall.

"That was my seventeenth favorite knife!" Jason screamed at him, while slamming him into the wall. That's when the mall security officer arrived.

********Break*********

Damian's POV

"You two really need to work on your anger issues." Drake reprimanded Father and Todd through the bars of the cell they were sitting in.

"I do not have anger issues! And why does a freaking mall need a freaking cell!" Todd shouted loudly.

"Enough, Jason! You're in enough trouble already." Father growled.

"What! Why am I in trouble! You're in here with me!" Todd growled.

"Well, well. This is a sad day. My own father and brother need bail money." Grayson replied, while coming into view and shaking his head.

"Richard, get us out of here now!" Father ordered.

********Break*******

Dick's POV

I cannot believe that Bruce and Jason got arrested and banned from a mall. They should really start doing their shopping online and sign up for an anger management class. At least, the party was tonight.