Author's note: I'm making up for the short last chapter by posting another! Yaaaay! Things are spicing up and we're nearly into the main plot! Thanks for the two anon reviews, they really made me smile! Also a lil competition; I shall give a cookie to whoever comes up with the best name for undercover Bruce! PM or review suggestions! Now, on with the show!

Dislaimer: I don't own DC ok? But someday I will.

Reunion

Chapter 4: Family

"They've been gone for ages!" Superman raged, storming around the upper regions of the cave. "How the hell do we know he's alive or not?!"

"He will be. She is a necromancer."

"How can you be so sure, Diana? How do we know she hasn't just taken his body to feast on?!" GL spoke harshly next to Superman, hysteria clearly rising in all of them.

Flash suddenly rose from his seat on a rock and gasped. "The comm! Superman get the damn comm and call him!"

The comm was up and running in a matter of seconds, "Batman, do you read me?! Batman?! Bruce?!" Panic rose in Superman's voice with every attempt to contact the Dark Knight. There was no answer.

Batman woke to darkness. Better then light he thought. At least I have an advantage. What was the last thing…Morgan. That was what had happened. It all came rushing back to him. The landing, Morgan waiting.

Bruce sat up and immediately flinched, falling back down. He had a terrible pain in his chest, as if a bullet had pierced-

Bruce's eyes widened... he...he had died. Why was he conscious? It was so dark he couldn't even make out his own hand in front of his face. The only thing that assured him he was in reality was the buzz of his communicator in his belt. Too bad he was too weak to reach it.

"BRUCE" Superman yelled, fear swallowing his body.

"...Call Nightwing" Diana suggested. "He has a brilliant locating system at the Cave and...He has the right to know."

"...Fine." Superman switched contacts on the comm and tried Nightwing.

A few hours earlier

After dropping Tim off at school, Dick thought he ought to check up on Batman. For Tim's sake at least. Their conversation had been frustratingly brief. Dick was even going to admit to telling Tim about Jason the night before, but as usual duty called. He felt like the time had been right to tell Tim, since he was now 13 and the dangers of being Robin had now increased drastically as Bruce would be taking him on more risky missions. The little guy had been shocked into silence at the details of Jason's death but even more shocked about the resurrection. He had innocently asked Dick if Jason had changed at all. "He's very different...but also the same." It had been a hard conversation, especially since Dick had seen Jason as a brother. But times had changed. He hadn't seen the Red Hood since he made a comeback to Gothem.

Dick shook his head to clear his mind and decided to pay a visit to Babs. She was his girlfriend after all.

Dick knocked a few times on her apartment door, calling "Hello? Is a certain Miss Barbra Gorden home?"

"Dick!" A familiar voice replied. Dick unlocked door with his own key and wiped his feet on the welcome mat, shocked by the stains of mud that lingered, making him feel a little guilty.

Barbs wheeled herself into the hallway to greet her boyfriend, a huge smile on her face. "Hi Dickie Bird, long time no see!" Dick winced at his pet name.

"Please don't call me that Babs" Dickie chuckled, planting a kiss on her cheek.

They both entered the kitchen and sat at the table. Dick offered to make them some tea and Babs of course agreed, knowing Dick's brews were perhaps the most comforting beverages of all time (Alfred had taught him well). The two chatted inanely for a while, as if everything in their lives was normal. When the awkward silence kicked in, Dick tried a new topic of conversation.

"How's your dad?" Dick asked politely, sipping at his mug. "I heard he helped get the Joker back to Arkham."

"Yes and he still has the knife wound to show for it." Barbs replied bitterly, receiving yet another wince from Dick.

"I'm sorry about that. I bet he has more battle wounds than us combined!" Dick tried to lighten the conversation, however it failed greatly.

"Yes Dick, and that's what's worrying me. When the hell is he going to retire?! He's nearly 60 Dick, and he still risks his life every single night. " Dick looked into his tea awkwardly, not knowing what to say.

"I know how you feel, Babs. I know Bruce is only 35 but... something inside me just wants him to hang up the cape. I hate not knowing if every meeting will be the last...Plus he hasn't seen me for weeks. I called him earlier but he's still on his mission. It's like-"

"We weren't talking about Bruce." Barbra snapped viciously. "You always manage to twist the conversation back to Batman don't you."

"Hey that was uncalled for..." Dick felt his anger rising.

"You know my dad nearly died last night right? He's had a life threatening operation in hospital. All because of his fucking promise to help Bruce protect the city. He's not a superhero Dick, he's an officer."

"Babs why are you taking this out on me?! All I did was try and show you I understand-"

"YOU DON'T UNDERSTAND" Babs yelled, followed by a silence in which you could have heard a fly's wing beat.

"...I worry every single night that my father isn't going to walk through that door" Barbra spoke slowly, tears starting to cascade down her face. "When your leg breaks Dick, it heals. When Batman has a knife wound, he recovers. When Jason DIED he was resurrected. When my spine was crushed... I ended up in this" Babs emphasized her final word by hitting her wheelchair, hard. "Me and my dad are normal people, Dick. When something bad happens to us...miracles don't happen...I think you should leave."

Dick averted eye contact the whole time Babs spoke, nodding at her invitation of departure.

"I'm sorry..." Dick whispered before he left.

"For leaving me alone for weeks? For not supporting me when my dad nearly died? Or for not shutting the door on your way out?"

With that Dick went, not looking behind him as he walked down the cold streets of Gothem, the buildings seeming more menacing than they ever had before.

Suddenly, as if knowing what conversation Dick had just had, his communicator started to ring. It was Superman.

"Hello?"

"Nightwing, you need to head to the Cave immediately and set up a location tracker on Batman, he's gone missing. We've tried calling him but there's no answer."

"Superman, what's happened?"

"...Le Fey shot him..."

"And he's ok right?" Dick's voice started to strain with his increasing worry.

"...yeah. He's fine, he recovered and went deeper into the Cave of Eros. We can't locate him so it's up to you."

A weight lifted from Dick's shoulders and he sighed in relief. If he was only missing, he could be found.

"Roger that, I'll call Robin and get back to you with a location."

He instantly hung up and called Tim. He would be in lessons, but there were more important things than studies. Like family.