Howdy everybody!

I have some very good news for you. I have now beta so you don't have to read any longer my error rich text! Yay! (Expect in these author notes, of course)

So thank you very much to my beta jaguarspot for your time.

And to everyone else: Enjoy

Extra note: Author has nothing against rappers, goths or any other kind of human group or subculture. All negative comments are there just to make Damian to look even more like the brat that we all love.

Where flower blooms, so does hope

-Lady Bird Johnson

The Gotham's Royal Hotel was one of the East Coast's most well-known and most expensive hotels. Though, the first one was mostly because of the almost once a year villain attacks, but the owner of the hotel didn't let this simple fact disturb him. As long as there were enough rich people with too much money and stupid enough to live or visit a city like Gotham, he would be able to sleep at night with ease.

But to Sam, it was the most amazing hotel that she had ever visited. And the hotel's clearly gothic interior style had nothing to with that.

Well, maybe a little.

Still, even though she enjoyed all those luxurious meals, expensive amenities and everything else that the Royal Hotel offered to its customers, spending two whole days inside four walls, her parents as her only companion, was slowly driving her crazy.

Yes, she understood better than well their fear towards Gotham's very own "Dark Knight", Sam had developed a quite huge dislike towards the bat themed hero after she had learned what had truly happened between him and her mother, and Pamela's old colleagues, but Selina had also promised them to make sure that there wouldn't be any problems during their visit so the two adults wariness had started to feel a bit exaggerated. And it hadn't actually raised her mood at all, when her mom had decided that it was necessary to them to start get ready three hours before that stupid Valentine's Day gala had even started.

"Why do we have to curl my hair again?" Sam asked letting out an annoyed sight while her mother continued humming to do her daughter's hair. Both women were currently in their hotel room's huge bathroom, their makeup done, still only wearing hotel's white bathrobes while Pamela's own red locks were already styled to a simple but elegant banana bun.

"Sammy dear. This is the rich elite's gala, Gotham's rich elite's gale." She explained her calmly and released yet another dark curl from the hold of the iron. "To them it's almost like a crime to come their parties looking like your everyday self or otherwise average."

Sam just snorted to that, showing how ridiculous the idea was to her. "And we couldn't just put them on the pigtails because?"

"You are almost sixteen-year-old, Sam." She reminded her, her voice full of smile because of the teenager's irritation. "Aren't those a bit too childish to a young lady like you?"

"Since when doll curls stopped being childish?" The girl asked and started to tug one lose curl that had fallen in front of her left eye.

"They have never been if they are done right." Her mother pointed out and caught the lock from Sam's fingers before adjusting it back to its place behind her ear. "But you have also to carry them right."

Rolling her eyes, the goth crossed her arms but stayed silent, realising that there clearly wasn't any way to change her mother's mind. Pamela though still wanted to talk with her, so while she continued her work with the girl's hair, she started to question her if she remembered all the rules that she had told her earlier that week, which of course made Sam let out yet another annoyed sight.

"Be polite. Look happy. Ignore everything that annoys you. Smile. Anything else?"

"Act as modestly as possible around Mr. Wayne's wards. The local gossip magazines love to create romances from nothing."

"Even with Grayson and Todd" She asked and shuddered in disgust. "Seriously, they both are at least five years older than me."

Her words made Pamela raise her brown teasingly. "So you don't have anything against it if they start talk about you and young Mr. Drake?"

"Tt. In your dreams." She shot back. "Despite, isn't he already dating someone?"

"That is what magazines say." Red head admitted and winked at her trough the mirror. "But they also love drama and what is better drama than a love triangle. And who knows, maybe you will charm him with your eyes when you two meet. Just like your father did to me…." The older woman let out dreamy sigh forgetting for the moment where she was, making Sam to grimace when disturbing images about her parents appeared in her mind. When Pamela finally snapped out from her pink dreams, she quickly finished Sam's hair and sprayed a bit of hairspray on them before giving her daughter a pat on shoulders.

"You are almost ready for your first Gotham gala Sammy-kins. Let just put that lovely new dress on, and then we will go."

"Finally!" Sam breathed in relief as she jumped off from the stool she had been sitting and walked quickly out of the open door to the bedroom before her mom would start to fix some micro defects, where her dress was already waiting for her at the top of the bed. It was a simple, deep violet one-shoulder Greek-style dress with silver ribbon that travelled around her waist. Not exactly the dress of her dreams but it was the only one that both mother and daughter had accepted, a compromise, and Pam had also let Sam choose any shoes she liked, black heels with spikes on them and metal sole, since no one would see them under the dress' long hem.

"So," Sam started carefully to voice the question that had bothered her whole day while she tried to slip into her dress without ruining her hair or makeup, there was no way that she was going to sit another two and half hours because of them. "Is Harley going to be there too?"

The older woman let out a frustrated sigh, somehow already in her own form-fitting vine red dress with long sleeves and v neck, when the harlequin villainess was mentioned. "Unfortunately no. Apparently Joker is again well enough to be back in the game so they decided to cause a of bit havoc in downtown a couple days ago. Lucky to her, they managed to disappear before Batman arrived, but it also means that now they will most likely lie low for a while." The red head had sat down on the bed during her explanation, and was now butting her heels on. "On the other hand, it's probably better this way. Harley is a bit too…. energetic for parties like this and her face is still quite well known among the civilians. Especially Gotham's elite, or their bodyguards actually, have taken good care to memorise all city's criminals and villain's faces, so they will know who to avoid."

Her mother last words made Sam turn her head with a worried look in her eyes when she realised what that would mean to ex-villainess. "What about you mom? Are you sure that they won't recognise you too?"

Mrs. Manson just snorted to that in a very un-lady like manner and moved behind her daughter to help her with her dress' zipper. "Don't worry Sammy dear. No one has seen Poison Ivy in over eight years and most of them have most likely forgotten that I even exist. And you can't even imagine how well a change of your skin colour can bluff even those so called smart people. Besides, remember unlike Harleen, I still lived in Seattle with you when I got my powers and didn't arrive here until after the…" Snapping her mouth shut, the woman fall silent as if she had almost said something that she shouldn't have and when Sam turned again to look at her she noticed how she had lowered her gaze on the floor. "After the crash…" Pamela managed finally finished the sentence, her voice coming out only as tearful whisper.

"Oh…" There really wasn't any other way how Sam could have answered to that. She still remembered clearly how one evening, soon after Sam had found out about her mother's past, her whole family had gathered to their living room to explain their youngest what had truly happened during those years that Pamela had supposedly spent in the amazon. They had also told her about the car crash that had happened less than week after her mother had got out from the hospital where Woodrue's experiments had sent her. The young woman had lost control on her newfound powers in the moving car, almost killing her husband and Sam, who, at the time, had been just a toddler and therefore hadn't any kind of memories from the accident: just several faint scars that were hidden under her hair and that Sam would have never even known about unless she hadn't shaved half of her head bald when she had still been a rebellious twelve year old. To Pamela though, it had been the last straw that had broken her already fragile remnants of sanity turning her to the woman who the world had learnt to know as Poison Ivy.

To Sam's luck she didn't had to say anything as the knock came from their room's door soon followed by her dad's slightly annoyed voice. "Are you two going to be ready soon? I understand that you women need your time, but the party is going to start in any minute now."

"Coming love~" Pamela called back smiling widely, totally creeping Sam out with how fast and completely she managed to forget, or hide, it was impossible to know, the depression that had overpowered her just a moment ago. While Sam too was trying to adopt a more neutral expression, the older woman almost glided to the door and opened it revealing her blonde husband who was already wearing his suit and bowtie with identical colour as her dress.

"I'm sorry that you needed to wait so long." The redhead apologized genuinely as she gave him a small kiss on the cheek. "But don't worry. We can leave immediately after Sammy has put her shoes on."

"Finally!" Both father and daughter cried out of relief, the later quickly picking up the black and silver heels from the floor and slipping her feet into them while Pam tried her best not at laugh to them.

"I'm ready." She announced with face happy tone. "So can we go now?"

"Just a second." Jeremy asked suddenly and took, to Sam's great horror, a small camera from his pocket and snapped a picture of her before the girl had time to protest. "Oh look at you, what a beautiful sight you are to these old eyes."

"I know." Pamela sighed and hugged his arm tightly, sounding as if she was going to cry again. "My little flower in her full bloom."

The teenager just rolled her eyes to that and marched past them to the hallway so she wouldn't have to listen their babble any longer.

"Remember the rules Sammy-kins." Her mother called to her, also moving out of the room.

"Yeah, yeah, I know... Conceal, don't feel."

"Samantha! I'm serious."

"So am I!" She shouted back over her shoulder before turning over the corner, this way ending their short conservation, but she was still able to hear her dad's soft chuckle when he started to lead his now pissed wife after their almost as annoyed daughter.

When the family of three finally arrived in front of one of the Royal Hotel's many ballrooms, they were greeted by the sight of Selina greeting numerous guest, and an impressive looking man in his late 30s, on her side who couldn't be any other than Bruce Wayne himself.

"Pammy! You came!" Selina laughed happily when she caught a glimpse of her long-time friend.

"Of course, Kitty." The redhead giggled and leaned to hug her warmly "Someone had to come to make sure that you weren't going to do the same mistake as Harley did with that Elliot guy."

"Oh, don't worry. This one is the real one." Former cat-burglar purred slyly and gave her confused fiancé a seductive look before her eyes shot on Sam.

"Samantha darling! It's so good to see you. How have you been?" She greeted the already awkward teen with a thigh hug.

"Nice to see you too, Aunt Selina." She answered trough her forced smile, already disliking woman's bubbly socialite woman act that was too much like her mom's. On the corner of her eye, the goth noticed how said woman had moved in front of the black haired man who was greeting her with a classic kiss on her, gloved, hand.

"It's nice to finally meet you Mrs. Manson." He told her with a charming smile on his lips, clearly showing Sam why he was so liked among the women. "She has been talking about you so much that I feel like we had met before."

The red head let out a little flattered and foxy chuckle when she pulled her hand off from his. "But Mr. Wayne, we do have met before."

"Brandon?"

Snorting slightly, Selina released Sam from her grip and leaned to whisper in his ear something that the girl wasn't able to hear clearly, making the man's eyes wide large as the plates.

"Oh…" Was only thing that he managed to say, but something about his act didn't felt right. Sam didn't have much more time to think about it as her father had already moved to shake their host's hand, huge smile on his lips.

"Welcome to our ever growing club, Mr. Wayne. And don't worry, you will eventually get used to this kind of situations." The slightly younger man was clearly pleased to finally be able to speak with someone else who was in a relationship with a woman with a not-so-clean past. The blonde's cheerful attitude seemed to snap the billionaire out of his surprise and joined his smile.

"I truly hope so." He laughed causing the two older women to exchange knowing looks before they too started giggle like two teen girls with a secret. This made the man clear his throat, he was most likely embarrassed by their laugh, and turned to look the young girl next to her parents.

"And you are Samantha, right? You seem to be around Tim's age. Too bad that he had some school project to finish and couldn't come."

"Just Sam." She corrected while answering his handshake, feeling how her cheeks started to burn a bit when she remembered her earlier conservation about the man's ward.

"Damian and Dick though are already somewhere inside." He hinted not so subtly "They do know better than I what it's like to being thrown in this madhouse. I'm sure that they are more than willing to help you through this evening if you want to."

"I will remember that." She smiled him a little, even though inside she grimaced at the thought of having to spend her evening with either a hyperactive 20-something year old ladies man or a soon eleven year old spoiled brat. Or at least that was what she had heard them to be…

Selina cleared her throat loudly and gave her fiancé a warning look before she turned again to look at her friend and her family. "I hate to be the one who ruins this moment, but I think it's time to let you three go enjoy your evening. There is a small buffet next to the windows that you can freely use and the program will start around nine o'clock."

"Thank you Sel." Pam said while taking the hand that Jeremy was offering to her. "We will see you two later then."

"Of course." The dark haired lady promised and smirked a bit. "I surely will need someone sane to talk to, or I will totally go nuts with these snobs."

Sam rolled her eyes when both adult women started to chuckle again to their, oh so clever, joke. Fortunately they moved to the ballroom soon after that, where they were met by the sight of dozens well-dressed people that had arrived before them and were currently talking in small groups around the room. Not wanting to spend the whole gala with her parents either, the goth slipped out of their company as soon as Pamela's eye avoided and started to make her way towards the buffet that clearly wasn't something that Sam would have called small. There were at least twenty different salty little snacks, half a dozen muffin and cookie type of sweets and five different cakes. There was even a small bar were a lone waiter was serving any kind of drinks that were asked.

After managing to collect a bit of every vegan friendly food on her plate, she moved to search for a good shadowy hiding place where she would be able to avoid both her parents and all young men who had started to eye her like some kind of piece of meat, making her neck hair stand upright. Finally she found cover under the shade of some kind of bush that was shaped to look like a heart in the honour of the holiday that still gave her a pretty good view towards the room this way letting her see any possible threat, aka annoying snobs, approaching her before it would be too late.

Though Sam soon noticed that maybe her hiding place wasn't as perfect as she had hoped.

"Interesting shoes." A calm businessman type of voice noted next to her causing Sam to almost trop her plate out of shock and she turned to look the speaker only to surprise herself again when she realised he was just a little boy whose slightly tanned skin made her suspect that at least one of his parents had roots in the Middle East.

"Mmm… Thanks?" She answered unsure what to think about this kid with a face that was too serious and eyes too old for anyone his age and still a small voice inside her head was nagging her that she should know him from somewhere.

"I assume that they are one of those so called self-defence products that weak females like to use."

"Actually… These are just shoes."

"I see… Then what purpose do those spikes have?"

"They look cool?" Sam offered. Why he was so interested in her shoes? He didn't look like that type of person who liked to talk about clothes without good reason. And how had he even noticed them under her dress' hem?

"So you are part of the gang." He noted, not asked, as if that had been real fact.

"What? No! I'm a goth, not a criminal."

The kid raised his eyebrow suspiciously, but otherwise the emotionless look on his face didn't flick. "It does sounds like a name of a gang to me."

"It's subculture." She explained to the boy who was starting to really annoy her. "Usually most see us as freaks who only dress in black, read dark poetry, listen to dark music, worship Satan… You know, the usual stuff."

"So it's a cult then?" He now asked, clearly not knowing what she had meant, causing Sam finally lost her cool and groan loudly.

"No! It's more like…. A fashion style."

"Like those dim minded imbeciles who wear too big pants and believe that their talking in rhythm is singing?"

"Exactly!" The goth gave him face happy smile, inner her sighing in relief. "Though, they are part of rap culture, not goths."

"Interesting…" The boy muttered and moved to lean against the wall next to her, messaging that he wasn't going anywhere anytime soon. Sam cursed loudly inside her head, not really wanting to spent more time than necessary with this rude kid, but neither would she like to leave her hiding place because of him.

"Shouldn't you go back to your parents, or whoever is taking care of you, before they get worried?" She tried to hint to him but the boy only let out annoyed "tt" sound.

"Unlike you, I don't need a babysitter." Sam had no idea what he meant with that. "Besides, father knows very well where I am. It was him, after all, who asked me to accompany you."

Kid's last comment made realisation hit Sam on the face and she groaned once again out a loud, pressing her fingers against her eyes as she tried to keep her annoyance in check. "You are Mr. Wayne's son, aren't you."

"Took you longer than I expected." The kid, Damian, noted calmly, and maybe a bit smugly, and quickly stole a small cake from Sam's plate, causing the goth to glare at him murderously and move a bit closer towards the bush. "Maybe you aren't as smart as father thought."

"I don't spend my afternoons reading gossip magazines, unlike most women in here." Only enough to see that they were right about you being total brat, Sam added inside her head. "Why you don't go bother someone else? Like that Grayson guy. I'm sure he wouldn't mind spending more time with his little brother."

"Tt… Grayson is not my brother." Damian sneered again contemptuously and glared across the room towards an older black haired male who was talking with an exotic looking green eyed redhead in a bright pink dress that showed a bit too much skin for Sam's taste. "And as you can see, he is currently quite busy with his harlot."

Rolling her eyes, Sam took another bite from her carrot patty. "You clearly aren't a people person." She hummed after shallowing. "But seriously, would it kill you to talk a bit more nicely about others? You are sounding way worse than Paulina, and believe me, that is something that you don't want to be."

"Although…." She added as she looked at how the woman flirted shamelessly with her cavalier. "I have to admit that she really is acting a bit like a whore."

For a moment Sam imagined that she saw the kid's mouth twitch a bit to something smile-like, but she couldn't be sure as it turned back almost immediately to the emotionless mask. Maybe there still was hope with him. Those thoughts disappeared as fast as his smile though when the boy stole yet another snack, this time it was a mini grass bread, from her plate.

"Liking my garbage food?" She asked sarcastically, earning to her surprise another annoyed look, as if she had said something stupid.

"It is recyclable organic matter, not "garbage" as you put it."

"Impressive." The goth girl nodded her head surprised that a boy of Damian's age, or anyone else who wasn't one of her Ultra Recyclo-vegetarian friends, knew suck a term.

"Tt. I'm vegetarian. Of course I know what I'm eating woman."

"Easy kid." Sam chuckled good naturedly. Maybe this evening wouldn't be that big of a disappointment as she had feared. "We are in the same boat. I'm vegetarian too. Ultra Recyclo-vegetarian to be exact."

The boy turned to face his companion, an interested twinkle in his eyes. "I have never heard that term before."

"No wonder. It's an orientation that was born in Amity Park about a decade ago and hasn't speared that much outside our city yet." Sam told him and lowered her now empty plate on the edge of the pot while the young boy moved to take two champagne glasses from the waitress who was passing them, scaring the poor woman half to death doing so. She probably hadn't even noticed them standing in the shadow.

"Please, Miss Manson." He asked with that same charming voice that his father had used earlier that evening and offered the other glass to her. "Can you tell me more about this Ultra Recyclo-vegetarianism?"

"Sure." She smirked back and took the drink from his hand. Maybe she would learn to like this kid. Despite his rude behavior, Damian truly was his father's son. He clearly knew the ways to how to make most women forget his rude attitude with just a couple simple words and a smile. "My friends usually explain it by saying that I don't eat anything with face, but it isn't just that…"

Much later that evening, when all guest had returned to their homes or hotel rooms, a small group of three got into the black limousine that was waiting for them in front of the Royal Hotel.

"I hope you had a pleasant evening, Master Bruce." The British butler greeted them with his trademark calm voice behind the wheel while the middle-aged hero loosed his tie.

"As enjoyable as these kind of parties can ever be." Bruce told him tiredly. "How did Tim and Jason's patrol go? Nothing major I hope."

"A usual Thursday evening sir." Alfred assured him as he glanced towards the closed door. "I am assuming that Master Richard is not going to join us tonight."

"Oh, no." Selina chuckled, knowing look in her eyes. "He and Kori already left a couple hours ago. But they did promise to come the dinner tomorrow evening" She added when she noticed the older man's smile slump a little.

"Ah, thank you for informing me Miss Kyle." The old butler was clearly happy to hear that. He had missed his oldest "grandson" dearly after his move to California three years ago, but he had also taken a liking to his alien girlfriend during those few times when the young lovers had come to visit in the manor. Damian, on the other hand, wasn't as excited from the news and he didn't fear to show that.

"Great… Yet another night listening to that aliens annoying laugh." The current Boy Wonder growled while the butler started to drive out of the city. His father and future stepmother didn't seem to be disturbed by this though, so used they had come to the boys everlasting foul mood, and the rest of the ride continued in, rather, peaceful terms. It wasn't until they had returned their home and Selina had disappeared somewhere out of the two heroes sight, Alfred had gone to take the limousine to the garage, when Bruce turned to talk to his only blood son.

"So?" He asked with a serious face clearly expecting his Robin to tell him something.

"She was…. an interesting character." Damian answered choosing his words carefully. "Clearly spoiled and doesn't respect law nor politicians in any way. Also the way how she was moving showed that she has at least some kind of self-defense skills. But otherwise I couldn't see anything that could have inferred villainous actions…. Actually I think that her heritage and close relationship with Phantom would make her a possible worthy ally."

His father raised his brows to the boy's opinion, showing his suspiciousness towards the idea but made a note to consider it later.

"Let me guess." a low, dangerous voice snarled from the top of the vestibule's staircase, causing both males to wince, maybe not enough to even Superman nor Flash to notice it, but believe or not, they did. "You are talking about Samantha."

"She prefers Sam…" Damian pointed out, only his lifelong training first to become an assassin and then as Batman's partner prevented him from showing his nervousness, and fear but he wasn't going to admit that to anyone, under the furious cat lady's burning gaze.

"I told you to leave Pamela and her family alone Bruce, didn't I?" Selina hissed trough her teeth as she walked down the stairs, her eyes locked at the calm looking man, yet deep inside, like his son, his fiancée's anger made him shake in fear.

"Ivy's actions during our last meeting proved that she still isn't trustworthy." He told her with the same coolness that usually only Batman used. "It's only logical to make sure that her daughter hasn't been raised to follow her legacy. Especially with Samantha's possible meta status."

"Firstly." Catwoman glared at her fiancé and tapped his chest with her sharp, black painted nail. "Don't use that voice on me. Secondly, it was you who broke into her home and threatened her family without any good reason. And thirdly. Sam. Isn't. Meta." Selina finished her lecture hitting the taller man's chest during every time she said those last three words. "I'm sure that you can see it yourself from that DNA sample which you got from her glass."

"We will see that." The detective said glaring back into his long time lover's eyes, challenging her try to win their little battle. To Damian, this was finally the moment that he had looked for since the cat burglar's appearance: the perfect opportunity to escape before the dark haired woman would turn her attention towards him. It was good that he left because just when he managed to reach the top stair he heard her play the most feared, final card.

"Two weeks." The former thief finally whispered coldly, still not breaking their staring contest. "That is how long you are going to sleep on the couch this time."

Yes. In this universe, after Wally's "death" (aka getting stuck in speed force) Dick Grayson moved to Jump City, lived there for a while, met a weird bunch of superpowered teens/young adults and founded superhero group now know as the Titans. Later he fell in love with certain alien princess, who he will marry someday, and in far future they will have daughter named Mar'i. Sniff... I love happy endings.

And if you are interested in the Robin time line:
Robin 1: Dick Grayson B:1996. Robin: 2006(after Aprill 1)-2012. Nightwing: 2012-. Current age:23
Robin 2: Jason Todd B:1999. Robin: 2012-2014 (killed by the Joker). Red Hood:2017- (become "hero" again and publicly alive during autumn 2018). Current age:20
Robin 3: Tim Drake B:2001 (Hey! He is as old as Jazz). Robin: Early 2015-early 2018. Red Robin: Early 2018-. Current age:18
Robin 4: Damian Wayne B:2008. Robin:Early 2018-. Current age: 10, soon 11

If any of you wants to see the whole time line of this au just tell me. I already have my notebook full of numbers and notes :P