Damian tried slipping into the shadows and out the front door. This time he was scooped up by Cass.
"Thank you so much, Cass." The useless bodyguard bowed as his sister carried him back in.
"Welcome," she responded softly.
Stephanie was surprised to see Damian still at the party. Usually he would have snuck out by now and be jumping rooftops Robin.
Damian held a drink in his hand and his face looked sour.
"You're still here?" she asked him.
Damian huffed and glared back at a man in a suit. He had dark hair and blue eyes and could almost be a body double for Dick, if he wasn't obviously younger and less tan.
The stranger grinned and waved.
"Whose that?"
"Grayson hired a bodyguard to watch me."
"Watches all," Cass said, popping out of the darkness. Neither of them jumped but they both hadn't realised she was there.
"What do you mean?" Steph asked. "He can't be watching me."
"Has been. You, me, Damian and Tim. Avoids Barbara and Bruce. Tim avoids him while also watching him in awe."
"Just like Drake to admire the enemy."
"Why is he watching me? I'm not part of your family."
Cass shrugged. "He knew when Damian left. Asked in sign for me to grab him."
"I can't believe you did as he asked," Damian muttered.
"Not many know to sign."
"Dick probably briefed him."
"He would be the first to actually pay attention to the brief. And not underestimate us."
"He can't stop all of us," Steph said.
"Technically, I'm not paid to stop you." This time, Steph did jump. "Sorry to startle you, Steph."
"Did Alfred train you or something?" Steph shoved a finger in Danny's chest.
"Or something." Danny's blue eyes sparkled.
"Alfred trained me," another voice said and both Steph and Damian twirled instantly to face Mozzie. Cass just smiled. "Would you like something to eat?" He waved his try of tiny cheese sandwiches.
Cass took one and popped it into her mouth.
"And who are you?" Steph asked. Mozzie just smiled and walked off, disappearing into the crowd. "What is going on?" Steph demanded to know, only a moment away from stomping her foot.
"When you figure it out, let me know," Danny said, running his eyes over the crowd. He frowned. "Excuse me a moment."
Danny walked into the crowd and came back pushing a scowling Timothy Drake-Wayne in front of him.
"I wasn't going to do anything!" Tim said, waving his hands around.
"The net worth of someone's company shouldn't plummet because they are old and used an out of date meme in order to try and relate to you."
"Maybe it would teach them to do some research and not-"
"Treat you like a child. Except tanking their market value is childish."
"I hate you."
"Really? I remain unconvinced," Danny chuckled.
"Is he like a Dick 2.0?" Steph asked the siblings.
"You do Grayson a disservice by comparing him like this."
"Yes."
"He moves like Alfred and Bruce."
"I appreciate the comparison. Thank you, Cass." Everyone froze as Bruce Wayne seemed to appear out of the air behind the group. He held a glass in his hand, downing the liquid inside in one gulp.
Danny's heart started thudding in his chest. What did Bruce know?
Bruce smiled at him and winked. "Lovely to see you again. Do keep up the good work, Danny." Bruce ruffled Damian's hair, ignoring his son's angry outburst. "I think this is the longest I've seen some of my children here." He smiled at Cass, who usually disappeared by now. "Who's idea was it to hire you? I must give them my thanks."
Danny's heat sunk. That felt like a fatherly threat. Oh well, if he was going down;
"Richard Grayson sought me out. I work for Wayne Security and he requested I accompany his siblings to this event."
Bruce laughed, something between his real laugh and the fake Brucie chuckle. "I'll have to thank Dick then! Have you seen him?"
Danny pointed across the crowd, instantly exposing Dick.
"Dick! My boy!" Bruce called across the room. Everyone caught the 'oh no' moment on Dick's face. He actually telegraphed a glance at the exit filled with wistful hope.
'Sorry,' Danny mouthed to his older brother when Dick glared at him. 'Pay me more next time.'
Mozzie appeared when it was deemed time for Damian to go to bed. Then for Tim, Steph and Cass.
"Going against me is going to against Alfred," Mozzie reminded them as he guided them upstairs.
There were a few grumbles about that but Danny knew that Mozzie had already integrated himself with the kids.
Danny relaxed a little and had a glass of wine.
"You sold me out." Dick was doing an impression of a kicked puppy.
"You haven't paid me enough to deal with Brucie Wayne."
"You could have thrown Jason under the bus."
"He's not here." Jason was holding the fort down in the city as the Red Hood. "And I like him more. He didn't hire me to watch over literal escape artists for an evening." Danny also knew that it was supposed to be Dick's job. He didn't mind getting paid for it though.
"Looking after your siblings sounds like a great challenge and you shouldn't fight over it," Bruce said. Once again, he seemed to just appear.
"Keep appearing from nowhere and people are going to draw conclusions you won't like." Danny knew it was a bluff, Gotham hadn't figured it out by now because the illusion of 'Brucie Wayne' was too strong. He could, however, threaten his father with it.
"I like to watch them. Just not at a Gala," Dick countered.
Bruce sighed. "I need the family to make appearances before people start questioning whether I've locked you kids in towers or something. On that note," Bruce gave Danny a look. Danny backed away a step. Bruce cleared his throat. "Everyone! I have an announcement to make!"
"Oh no."
Danny gave Dick a look. They both had an idea what Bruce was about to do and 'oh no' was the best his older brother could come up with?
"My son, Daniel Brooks-Wayne, has returned to Gotham after years of travelling the world! We jokingly call him 'Jason's twin' and he left to travel after the unfortunate loss of his brother."
Bruce placed a hand on Danny's back and pushed him forward. Danny automatically put on his con mask and smiled at the crowd. He even bowed when he was called 'Jason's twin'. "How long do you intend to stay?"
"I haven't decided yet," Danny answered honestly, with a smile as blinding as Bruce's or Dick's. "I might leave tomorrow or I might leave in a year."
"Marvellous! I do hope it is the latter though. You're so good with your siblings!" Bruce addressed the crowd with, "he's been watching over them all night, you know? I'm so blessed to have all my children under the same roof."
Ah, so he did notice that Jason had returned to the cave already.
"Now, I do hope not to offend anyone but I haven't seen my son in person in years so we will be retiring to catch up. Feel free to continue the party until dawn, the hired staff are all paid to remain until the end!" Bruce laughed and pushed both his children out of the hall and towards his office.
"Did you just use Danny's return to get out of the gala?" Dick hissed as they quickly climbed the stairs.
"Of course. I find them just as annoying as the rest of you," Bruce responded. "Although I am serious about hoping Danny will stay for a long time."
Danny glared at Bruce. "Do you even know where I've been?"
"Of course. Selina is impressed by the way, although she thinks you should have had a gimmick or gone after cat stuff."
"My gimmick is that I'm actually good at what I do," Danny responded in offence. "This is what I hate about Gotham, no respect for actual, classy crime."
"Just don't leave until Selina has had a chance to talk to you."