A/N: Just a warning- there is excessive cussing in this chapter. Hope you all are enjoying the story!
It was an hour later when Bruce arrived at Titans Tower. He passed the security without a second glance and headed straight for his son's room. The Bat entered less than ominously and headed straight for his son. Christian took one look at the Caped Crusader, and his eyes shut. It was Jack who emerged.
"I got a bone to pick with you, bat boy." He said gruffly.
"Where's Christian?" Asked the impatient bat.
"He'll be back in a few minutes. Come on, let's go out for a smoke."
"I don't smoke."
"Yeah? Well I do. Come on." Jack led an irritated bat to the front of the tower, leaving six stunned heroes in his wake.
Jack went out by the ocean, and lit himself a cigarette.
"What's this about?" Asked Batman. Jack looked at him for a long minute before saying:
"I ain't too happy with how long it took you to get here. I oughta rip your balls out your bung-hole, and I would too if this were my body, but it ain't so i'll be quick. If it were me, or Dickie, or Chris askin' I understand why you'd take your time, but when Christian asks for you, you run your ass over here as fast as you can get here." The bat attempted to interject, but Jack continued, clearly on a roll. "Do you know why Christian was created? Or why I was?" Bruce shook his head no. "When Dickie was about four, his parents couldn't afford him for a while, so he went and lived in a catholic orphanage for a while. The people there done beat the shit outta him- made him wish he wasn't never born. So he made Christian to carry his hurt and take the beatings, and me to be strong for him. He went back to that circus about three months later, and there we were." Bruce was too stunned to speak. "Look, we all try and help him, Chris and Charlotte did it a while, but she died tonight. Chris does the best he can, but Christian always wants you. I don't care how you treat the rest of us, but that boy- that baby needs you. All I'm saying is that when he needs you, it's pretty fucking important. Got that, mister wing man?" Bruce nodded with quiet anger.
It was then that Christian resurfaced. Upon seeing the face of his father, he burst into tears. The Dark Knight quickly cradled the sobbing boy in his arms, rocking him and hushing him whenever he saw fit. Sadly, the boy's wailing continued, showing no sign of stopping. Batman knew all of the rooms were soundproof, so he carried the wailing boy back to his room without worry. If the members of the JLA were still there, he didn't know, but that might have been because of the soundproof rooms. He held the young boy tightly to his chest, letting his costume be washed in tears. He pressed Christian protectively to his chest. The boy quivered in his arms, clinging to his father's shirt. His sobs turned to small gasps, then into hiccups. He stuck his thumb in his mouth and began to suck it determinedly.
Bruce carried him to his room and laid him on the bed. The others, according to the security cameras they'd passed, had converged in the living room. As soon as Christian touched the bed, he started to squirm, whimpering and reaching up for his father. Bruce laid the boy in his lap. It didn't seem likely that Christian was going to let him go anytime. Bruce watched as his son wriggled around and grabbed his beloved blanket. His thumb never left his mouth, and he always kept physical contact with his father. The terror in the child's eyes shook Bruce to the core. He held the child close and hushed him, and eventually Christian calmed down.
"Christian," said Bruce in the sweetest tone he could conjure, "What's wrong?" Christian took a shaky breath.
"There's someone new here. Someone bad." He buried his face in his father's side, scared.
"You mean another alter?" Christian nodded.
"Chris wants to talk to you." Bruce raised his eyebrows in surprise, but nodded. Christian shut his eyes. When they opened again, the shoulders that were once haunched in and childish became erect, clearly the posture of a powerful man.
"Batman." Chris nodded. "You know that I control all the alters, and essentially take care of the brood. Unfortunately, my knowledge of this new alter is very limited. It is dark and evil, and is trying to kill Dick through us. Slade was the basis on which he was made, but I know nothing more than that. I don't even know if it's human... That being said, we cannot be too cautious. Jack and I can handle ourselves against him, but this leaves Christian very exposed. He's just a little boy, Bruce. He isn't able to take this on. That's why we need you, and the JLA to help us."
"What do you need?" Bruce asked, carefully.
"With Jack and I battling this... Thing, it will either be Christian or Dick out. Dick can take care of himself, but Christian can't. Someone needs to be here for when he comes out, because the Titans haven't seen him, and even if they did you know Christian would never trust them. He needs people he knows, and he especially needs you. What I'd like to do is have at least one person from the JLA here at all times. Whenever you can, get here or be as accessible as you can. It's the only way to help him. Are we agreed?" Chris extended a hand, and Bruce shook it.
"I'll talk to the league. Can you stay long enough for me to go do that?" Chris nodded.
Bruce pulled on his cowl and wordlessly left the room, the only sound coming from the swish of his cape.
