Sorry for the wait. But it's up now!
Plus, I told you the chaps would get longer!
In this chap, we finally resolve the question: Does Bruce know or not?
Enjoy!
The team followed Dick back down the hallway, careful not to disturb any displays. The house was quiet, and their footsteps echoes eerily through the halls. It made them a little uneasy, but Dick continued on like it was nothing. "Sometimes I just slide down the banisters." He grinned. "Gets rid of the echo-y footsteps, plus if I time it right I can get 4 flip off the end before hitting the ground, or go high enough to grab the chandelier. Gave Alfred a heart attack the first few times, but he's used to my stunts now. Only gives him minor anxiety."
"Good old Alfie." Wally laughed.
Suddenly, the near-silence was shattered just as Kaldur was gearing up to ask a question. There was a small yell, and then the two younger boys ran out of their room and jumped on Dick. "Are we going for lunch now?" Tim asked. "Did you tell Bruce yet?" Jason asked wickedly, smirking. "'Caus I want to be there when you do. It'll be hilarious!" Dick looked at him amusedly. "Why do you immediately assume that I didn't tell Bruce?" "Because you're Dick. Did you?" "Maybe, maybe not." He turned back towards Kaldur, ignoring the boys. "What were you going to ask?"
Kaldur looked startled. "How did you… never mind. Forgive me for asking, but why did you tell Wally your identity before the rest of the team?"
Dick paused. "I've known him longer than most of you, for one. The official reason? I needed someone who was aware of my sensitivities on the team to help me. The circus, falling- not nights, mind you, falling, it's completely different- and I've been teaching him Romani, which could help in certain situations, 'specially if I have a concussion."
"How would that-"
"If I get a bad enough concussion, all the english 'gets knocked out of me', so to speak. I revert back to Romani, which is my native language. I'm not sure how it would translate through mind speak, but we wanted to be sure that I'd have a definite way to communicate. Anyway, the real reason I told him was that he caught me during a nightmare, and I couldn't not explain everything to him after that- it was the week of the anniversary, I fell asleep on the couch, and it was bad."
Wally shuddered. "Never want to see you like that again." Tim and Jason nodded solemnly.
Artemis rolled her eyes. "How bad could it be?"
"BAD" Wally, Dick, Tim and Jason said simultaneously.
"My nightmares aren't the normal, tossing and turning type." Dick explained. "More like the tossing, turning, crying, screaming, flailing-around-like-I'm-having-a-seizure type, and it takes a lot to snap me out of it. Only Bruce has a foolproof method."
"You've slept in Mount Justice several times." Kaldur pointed out. "But we have never heard or noticed anything."
"Don't you think he'd have a plan for that?" Jason asked rudely.
"Jason, be nice. My room's soundproof Kal, and if we crash in the bioship or anywhere else I take a sleeping pill, specially made by B, to keep me from dreaming. Bats are prepared for anything."
"Not to mention DaddyBats wouldn't even think about letting his Baby Bird join a team, out of his sight, before he took care of things like that." Wally butted in.
Dick glare at him. "Don't let B catching you using those terms."
"It's a bit late for that." A deep voice said behind them. Wally yelped and jumped ten feet into the air before moving to hide behind Dick, who promptly stepped aside to reveal him. "Traitor." Wally muttered. "He he… um…. sorry?"
Turning, the Team found themselves face with a tall, fit man with deep gray eyes in a nice suit. They stared- it was weird being able to see his eyes, not to mention the small smirk on his face as he terrorized his son's best friend.
"Bruce!"
"Dad!"
"Daddy!"
The three Birds/Bats in training ran to give him a hug. The man hugged back, his face softening into a smile. "How's the tour going?"
Jason grumbled. "I thought Dick didn't tell you."
Bruce raised an eyebrow. "He didn't. But, he told Alfred and has been planning this for weeks. And I'm the goddamn Batman." He chuckled slightly at Jason's pout.
The team did a double take; was this really Batman, standing in front of them in a business suit, laughing, and bonding with his sons? He seemed like an entirely different person.
Dick grinned and answered the previous question. "It's going great. We've gone through pretty much everything. You're home early."
Bruce shrugged. "Took half a day off for your tour. I wouldn't have missed it." He reached over and tousled the bird's hair. "Go start eating. I'm going to change out of this damn monkey suit and I'll meet you in the kitchen."
Dick nodded.
Bruce left, ignoring the team for the most part, with the exception of reminding Wally to leave some food for him- and everyone else, for that matter, and that he better not have left candy wrappers lying around again.
The Team followed Dick, Wally, and the two boys into the kitchen, who were acting like nothing unusual had just happened.
The world was upside down. They actually knew things about Robin, were in his house, Wally had talked to a girl without hitting on her, said girl was Robin's girlfriend, and Batman had laughed and talked without scowl and was acting… well, nice.
The world was ending. It was the only logical explanation.
Heehee. Their minds are exploding.
Next chapter: The awkwardest lunch ever!