Ch. 3

It was a cold, wet evening in Gotham City. The normal police siren echoed in the background as Batman stood on the rooftop of the police station. A very familiar cat burglar had managed to pick the lock of her jail cell and had all but fled the scene until she was matched with her dark counterpart.

Bruce kept his distance from Selina despite wanting to take her into his arms. He knew he was a mess without her. He had to suffer in silence for years without knowing if she had lived or died since their last encounter. Still, waiting for her to speak to him felt even more painful than a five-year silence.

"It was a boy," she finally stammered.

"Why did you leave?"

Selina stood with her back toward Bruce. The rain soaked the two of them to the bone. Her words hung in the air mixed in with the busy nightlife of Gotham. The message she was sending to Bruce weaved its way into his consciousness until he found himself growling with anger and confusion.

"Where is he?!"

"I gave him a chance at a normal life!" Selina hissed.

"Do you think leaving him without his parents is normal? I would have killed to have mine around," Bruce scowled.

"You're wrong. You still kill even though they aren't around," Selina narrowed her eyes on him.

Bruce's temper began to rise in his chest as he grabbed Selina at the shoulders. He looked deep into her eyes, behind the mask and running mascara, he stared deep into her core waiting for her to react to his anger.

"Choose your next words wisely. I may just see if cats really do land on their feet," Bruce growled as he held Selina precariously over the ledge.

"What would become of our Damian? Hm? Another child who lost both his parents… tisk tisk."

"What are you talking about? I am the one holding you over the edge."

"If I go down, you go with me," Selina smiled as she pulled back on the hammer of a revolver.

"You never did like the no guns policy," Bruce jested. He pulled her in close to his chest and looked down at her. She was still beautiful even with black makeup smeared all over her face. Bruce raised his palm and lightly grazed the side of her cheek as he spoke, "Selina, please, enough running. I have offered you a nice life. I still want you…I still need you."

Bruce held on to her as Batgirl made her way to the rooftop followed by Robin. Their entrance was the onset of utter chaos as Selina pulled the trigger of the revolver. Bruce slumped to his knees and rolled his head as Selina whispered in his ear, "They need you more."

Bruce…..Bruce….Bruce…

"HEY BRUCE!" Tim's voice rang out like a church bell as Bruce woke from a nap at his desk.

"No they don't…what? What's the matter?"

"Hey, did you still want me to pick up Stephanie this afternoon? 'Cause I'm pretty sure she hates me," Tim muttered as he handed Bruce a cup of coffee.

"Aw, what makes you say that?"

"When I dropped her off at school she flicked me off and said 'bye bye birdie'!"

"Is that really how it happened?" Bruce narrowed his eyes on Tim.

"Yes!..."

Bruce raised an eyebrow.

"Ok, no. But she started it! All I said was maybe she needed to run a brush through her hair before class and she threw a metal protractor at my head!"

"Did she miss?" Bruce asked intently.

"Yes, she has terrible aim. But, still, hostile!" Tim exclaimed as he rubbed his shoulder.

"Hm. I am sure she will come around," Bruce slurped on his coffee.

"Speaking of coming around, did you see the paper?" Tim asked as he handed Bruce a copy of the newspaper.

Bruce stared at the headlines for a while and thumbed through the first few pages. He tilted his head and let out a heavy sigh. Tim looked in his direction as if waiting for instruction.

"Not tonight, Tim," Bruce shook his head.

"Oh c'mon! Bruce! It's been weeks since we have all gone out! Barbara is starting to think she has lost her edge and I really need to punch more than a bean bag all day!"

"Barbara has lost her edge. But it's not because of lack of talent."

"Oh, really? You try telling her that! She won't listen to me! She thinks you hate her for messing up last month."

"I don't hate her. The reason she isn't like she used to be is because she has a lot more on her mind than just the job at hand. She is engaged, Tim. Her mind is on her future, not on what is right in front of her. That's why we need…" Bruce trailed on.

"Johnny," Tim uttered catatonically.

"What? Who said anything about that…ass…hole…?" Bruce froze as he turned around to face what Tim was staring at.

Johnathan Blake stood leaning against the doorway to Bruce Wayne's office. He grinned with a mouthful of honey bun as Tim and Bruce stood dumbfounded.

"So, Babs is engaged? Who is the unlucky son-of-a-bitch?" Johnny asked as he gulped down the last of his breakfast.

"Nicolas Gage."

Tim had barely spoke his name when Johnny kicked the nearest chair across the room and out the window. Alfred immediately came running toward the sound of shattered glass and shouting but looked almost disappointed when he laid eyes on Johnathan.

"Perfect. Our insurance is going to go through the roof again. I will NOT be stitching all three of you back together again. If you three can't play nice I am going to tell the police commissioner who you really are…"

"Aw, Alfred, I missed you too," Johnny smiled as the remaining window pane collapsed behind him.

"So, I take it that Johnny is not going to the engagement party tonight?" Tim asked sarcastically.

"Well, the last time I crashed a party a girl got kid napped, Tim hooked up with a violinist, Babs lost her virginity, and Bruce became a daddy. I think Gotham has been quiet for long enough," Johnny smiled as he gave Tim a high-five.

"Yes! Now that's what I'm talking about!" Tim exclaimed.

Bruce crossed his arms over his chest and glared at the two of them. He was not found of the idea of Johnny coming back to Gotham, but he knew he no longer controlled Nightwing. But he had authority over Robin.

"Tim, you know as well as I do that this would crush Barbara if you skipped out. She is basically your sister," Bruce argued.

"Well, then, as her unofficial brother, I suggest he forbid her from marrying such a douche bag," Johnny laughed.

"He should also deck you for taking advantage of her and ditching her the next day," Bruce finished.

Alfred rolled his eyes as Tim landed a punch on Johnny square in the nose.

"Ouch! Dude! That was five years ago!"

"And you still haven't called her!" Tim shouted

"He told me not to!" Johnny pointed toward Bruce who had started to back out of the room.

Alfred waited for Bruce to react as Johnny held his bloody nose and Tim held a fist up in the air.

"Alfred, we may need some ice packs," Bruce nodded as he shut the door behind Alfred.

"One big, happy, family," Alfred muttered as he walked down the hall. Shouts and grunts echoed down the corridor. It was the loudest noise Alfred had heard in several years. It filled him with a sense of pride and joy to know that the bat family had once again been reunited. Even if it was a bit dysfunctional.

"To hell with Nicolas Gage! BABS IS MY GIRL!"

**I am trying out shorter chapters to make the read easier! PLEASE TELL ME WHAT YOU THINK! Thank you! -kmblackwell