Part 8: Flying Lessons

Damian moved Dick to hold him with one hand as he unlocked the apartment door. The boy had finally fallen asleep curled up to Damian in the car as Alfred drove them to the downtown loft. The boy was uncharacteristically subdued after they had all gathered in the Cave in the aftermath of the attack. For once in his life Damian missed the excited chatter that normally accompanied the young boy now drooling into his shoulder.

With a sigh he pushed the door open, Titus looking up from his bed near the electric fireplace on the far side of living room. The old dog got up to sniff at the boy as Damian moved to lay him on the couch. Alfred moved over to examine the new arrival. "Titus, Alfred, this is Grayson. He will be staying with us for a little bit." His voice was a whisper as Alfred moved to curl back up on the arm of the couch above Dick's head and Titus sniffed once more at the boy before sitting on the couch cushion at feet. Damian left the sleeping child in the care of his pets as he went to grab a blanket for the boy.

After tucking the blanket around the boy, Damian sat in the chair facing the couch watching the boy. There was a bit of puffy red around his eyes, though he seemed peaceful in his sleep now surrounded by the large black dog and the small black and white cat. Both animals seemed to be asleep. Damian wiped a hand down his face as he remembered how the boy has not spoken in almost an hour.

They were all back in the Cave, Stephanie and Cassandra moving around the staring match between Tim and Bruce. Dick must have whispered something to Stephanie because they stopped just short of reaching Damian who was finishing up restraining the now unconscious Talons with reinforced handcuffs.

Jason was getting checked out by Alfred, arm wrapped in bandages and in a sling. His wrist was possibly sprained and his shoulder had been wrenched from an earlier strike from one of the assailants before Damian and Cassandra had arrived. The teen seemed more annoyed at being fussed over than the actual injuries, but gave Dick a small smile as the boy clung to the other's uninjured side. He said something Damian did not here but it earned him a hand on his hair and Jason reassurance.

Finally, Bruce said spoke, turning to the group as Tim walked to a corner using the wall to support himself. Tim seemed to keep himself visible to the group, but made himself shut off from approach. "Does anyone know why this attack occurred? What were they looking for?" They was an obvious strain in Bruce's voice as he spoke, Damian hearing the uncertainty in his father's voice as he moved to make sure everyone in their 'family' was relatively alright.

Dick moved into Jason's side, Cassandra moving closer to him as she read the emotions the boy was giving of in his body language. Tim, visibly using the wall to support himself, was the one to speak. "They were wanting your Little Bird. They called him their 'Gray Son'." Tim's voice was strained from fatigue, whatever poisons he had been infected with now out of his body but the effects still slowing him down. It was probably the only thing keeping him from bolting. That and his lack of shoes and transportation.

Jason's good arm was around Dick, who whimpered something like an apology into his side. The poor boy was obviously traumatized, if not just scared from the situation. Damian was not really sure, he never really spent an extended period of time around children his age and he was definitely not any model for normal childlike behavior. "They said the same to us." He said, pointedly not looking at Bruce who had all but yelled at the teen for putting Dick in Tim's care.

Damian was upset about Jason's decision, but he could see the battlefield mentality that led to it. He was really just amazed that Jason even thought of it. After the confrontation just days before in Tim's isolation room, Damian believed that Jason would keep as much distance between himself and his predecessor as possible. "So they were after Grayson, but why are they after him? If they truly were Talons of the Court of Owls, what would they want with a boy?"

Jason cleared his throat, looking at Alfred and moving his head towards Dick. Alfred seemed to get whatever message directed towards him. "Come with me, Master Dick. I think there's some coats and blankets in the auxiliary room." The old gentleman looked at Tim and added with a sad smile, "And maybe we can find some shoes for Master Timothy." Dick nodded and removed himself from Jason after a smile and nod from the teen.

After the two were out of sight, Jason stood up going to the computer. He typed with his free hand as he spoke. "I've found some correlation between Haly's Circus and some murders that could possibly fit an M.O. for the Court."

A dozen or so newspaper clippings and some word documents with what looked like different timelines came onto the screen. Bruce moved to read over his protege's shoulder. "This looks convincing Jason, but…"

"Come on, Bruce." Tim said suddenly, arms crossed and looking slightly ill. "They were after the kid, they explicitly said the Court wanted him. What more information do you need?" Cassandra looked back and forth between the two, both their aggression making her visibly tense. "I would be looking for wherever the leaders are holed up and strike…"

Bruce seemed to appear before Tim, hands clenched at his sides as 'Batman' loomed over him. Damian honestly thought it looked a little pathetic that Tim could make such a rise with Bruce in his current state. Not that he did not think doubt that Tim could cause some kind of damage even in his condition. He stopped doubting what Timothy Drake would do long before the boy even became Red Robin. "Father, Drake might be right." Damian said, trying to defuse the situation. "The Court may have just sent the Talons against Bruce Wayne, with Batman Incorporated they have to know that you would have some type of security to send such a force. Or they could know the truth, either way they will not stop; and we cannot stand around on our hands waiting."

Bruce backed away from Tim, glaring at both him and Damian before collapsing in his chair. "You're right Damian." He said after a deep breath, "But I want you to take Dick to your apartment. It's not registered under anything that could lead back to you or any of us. And if this is truly the Court of Owls, they may be less likely to have another full assault in the middle of downtown Gotham."

"Of course Father." Damian conceded as Alfred and Dick reappeared, Dick wearing a coat at least two sizes too big and carrying a few folded blankets in his arms. He gave one to Stephanie and Cassandra before going to Jason who pulled the boy onto his lap and wrapped them both in the other. Alfred went to Tim with another coat and a pair of loafers Damian recognized as possibly the boy's from before he had left them.

Damian moved over to Jason and Dick, Jason having turned off the evidence against Dick's former home and trying to get the kid to talk with small reassurances. Damian made sure he did not sneak up on the two, Dick looking just a small bit brighter than when he had been carried in by Stephanie. "Grayson, Father wants me to take you to my apartment for the night. Are you okay with that?"

Dick looked at Jason and then Damian, "What about the others?" He seemed truly concerned about everyone else, and Damian felt a small smile form on his lips without his meaning to.

"They'll be fine." Damian said in a way that he hoped reassured the boy. "Father has some things he wants some help with and they'll stay in the Cave…"

"But the bad guys got into the Cave!" Dick said loudly, Damian sure everyone was looking at them now.

Jason hugged the kid in his lap to his chest. "We'll be fine kiddo. It'll make us feel better though knowing that you're safe." He released Dick before continuing, "And I'll come over first thing in the morning and Stephanie can come too and make waffles."

Dick seemed to mull over the idea and then nodded, "I'm go with you Dami." Damian would for the life of him understand why Dick insisted in calling him 'Dami' rather than 'Damian'. If he was honest, he was sure it was both Jason and Stephanie's fault, but without proof he had no way in knowing.

Jason let the boy down, Dick insisting that Jason keep the blanket. As soon as Dick made sure Jason was covered in the blanket, he slipped past and hurried to Tim. Tim was now sitting on a cot pulled from one of the medbays, Alfred checking him over as Tim stared at a wall.

"Master Dick, I'll drive you and Master Damian into town as soon as I'm done with Master Timothy's check up." Alfred said, Damian hanging back as Dick pulled himself on the cot next to Tim as Alfred continued taking Tim's pulse without missing a beat. It would probably take an earthquake to actually make Alfred stop trying to keep them all put together. It seemed even the fallen Robin was still included in this manner.

Dick sat silently for half a second before smiling at Tim. "Thank you for keeping me safe."

Tim looked at Dick with a questioning look, making Damian think this was probably the first time someone besides maybe Alfred had spoken to Tim without some kind of hidden anger or fear. "It was nothing Little Bird."

Dick cocked his head to side, looking at Tim. "Why do you and Jason keep calling me a bird?" If the situation was different, Damian may have laughed. Right now though, he just smiled at Dick's innocence.

Tim shrugged as Alfred released his wrist and grabbed a thermometer from a table. "Don't know." Alfred ran the device over Tim's forehead causing the other pause. "Would you rather I called you something else?"

Dick seemed to contemplate the question before shaking his head. "No, it's fine." Alfred backed away write down whatever Tim's temperature was and Dick takes the opportunity to hug Tim. The former Robin stiffens up instantly, Dick letting go after half a second. "I don't know why they are mad at you or what you did, but I don't think you are all bad."

Tim was still stiff, looking at Dick like he had grown two heads and a mustache. Damian was not sure how the situation was going to go and finally approached the small group. Tim seemed to take Damian's approach as a way to change the situation and smiled a bit too wide. "Hello Damian." He said almost too calmly.

"Drake." Damian said, "I hope Grayson isn't bothering you." Dick kind of looked like he had taken a cookie from Alfred's cookie jar.

"Nope." Tim said, looked at the kid with a softer smile who looked a little less guilty and then looked back up at Damian, his face now completely seriously. "The Little Bird is just thanking me."

Damian nodded, wondering if there was a single person Dick could not charm. "Damian, I think Brown and Cain wanted to say farewell, I don't think Pennyworth has much left to do."

"I actually just finished with the check up, Master Damian." Alfred answered, "Master Dick should have time to say his farewells while I update the young Master's file and then we can head out."

"Thanks Alf." Tim said, sounding for the first time like the kid he once was.

Alfred nodded and left, Dick jumping down a second later to see Stephanie and Cassandra. "Don't let Bruce change him." Tim said all of a sudden, confusing Damian for half a second. "The Little Bird, he doesn't deserve Bruce's darkness, or any of this for that matter."

Damian nodded an agreement, but did not reply. The first and second Robins stood there for a moment, the tension between them pallible but not aggressive until Alfred informed him it was time to leave.