A/N: I have a few things to point out here. First, if I don't mention a member of the bat family, like Cass or Stephanie, they are busy keeping Gotham alive while Batman deals with this and the Justice League emergencies. I love them all but if I included everyone it would just get too hectic and confusing.

Second, while I enjoy ships, I'm not writing any. Personal choice but my excuse is One Piece. Oda doesn't write relationships, so I'm not going to. At least not in this fic.

Also, while Jon is from the comics, because I love Supersons, Conner is mostly influenced by the Young Justice cartoon. This DC universe is very AU headcannon so things are kinda random like that.

Hope you enjoyed. We're in the home stretch now.

Chapter 18- Making Progress

After dinner, it was time to call Gotham again.

Pururururu pururururu gatcha

"Dami! I get to come see you! Isn't that cool?"

The pirates and heroes around the snail exchanged looks of confusion for a minute. Only Damien seemed to understand.

"Yes, Jon. It's 'cool'," he answered with finger quotes. "Are there any adults available?"

Dick, finally realizing who was on the other end, cooed at his little brother. Damien glared, but couldn't hide the slight blush on his cheeks. He was not used to having a best friend.

The snail seemed to beam cheerfulness. "Yep, I'll go get our dads!" The snail's expression slipped into blankness for a minute before a smile and kind eyes shone through.

"Boys, how are you holding up? Sorry it's taking so long to get you home," Superman asked.

Luffy's grin stretched across his face. "Oh, who are you, new guy?"

"This is Superman. Who's this?"

"I'm Monkey D. Luffy, and I'm going to be king of the pirates," came the expected answer. "Are you an alien?"

Superman laughed. "Yes, I am."

"Do you p…?" Luffy started to ask before Robin sprouted hands to muffle his mouth.

"Idiot! You have to stop asking that," Nami scolded and smacked him on the back of the head.

Still muffled by disembodied hands, Luffy retreated to sit in the corner next to Zoro to pout. The swordsman lightly knocked his head with a katana hilt, but let his captain settle in at his side.

"We're doing fine, Uncle Clark," Dick took over with a chuckle. "These pirates are taking good care of us."

"You're with pirates? No one told me that!" Jon exclaimed in the background.

"I'm glad. We have all been concerned, even Bruce. But you know how he is," Superman teased.

"That will be enough," Batman said as he took the receiver and the snail developed his habitual scowl. "Are you ready on your side to pick up the signal?"

Ussop stepped forward and took the receiver from Dick. "Yes, sir, Mr. Batman. Franky is running the tracker now and as soon as we get the signal, we'll tell our helmsman." He nodded at Robin who finally released Luffy and prepared to sprout a face in the workshop below them to relay everything to Franky and Jimbe.

"Good. We'll activate the door on our side and carefully send a transmitter through. As soon as we have confirmation that you can track it, the team will pass through with the equipment for building a door back here," Batman explained, again.

Jason rolled his eyes but refrained from commenting. They had gone over the plan several times during the last call and then he had talked with the Strawhats late into the night discussing possibilities. He admitted he was a little nervous about this plan, but he did trust Bruce to come up with a million plans and contingencies, so it should be fine.

"Door activating," came Red Robin's voice, though the snail still looked like Batman. There was some static over the line before the second Robin announced "Door stable."

"Sending transmitter though," Superman said.

There was a long minute of silence, as everyone held their breath. Then Robin nodded. "Franky says the signal is coming in super clear." She paused as she listened to her other ears. "He has a direction for Jimbe and we've changed course."

Luffy leapt to his feet and cheered. "It worked, we did it!"

Sanji shook his head as he pushed past his captain and aimed a kick at the reclining Zoro just because, earning a one-eyed glare. "You didn't do shit, it was all Ussop and Franky."

Luffy just stuck his toungue out at his cook before sweeping Damien up in a hug. He said something to the boy that was lost in the general chatter of everyone talking about the next step.

Jason saw the exchange and saw how Damien started in surprise and maybe even shock before shaking his head and forcing the rubber man to release him. Zoro obviously heard what was said because he was watching Luffy with a weird look before catching Jason's eye. The swordsman grinned before shrugging and seemingly dismissed everything to take a nap. Jason was immediately on edge but there was nothing he could do until they were done with this.

"Conner is going through first with the bigger package of equipment. He'll send a message through the signal to you. Then Red Robin will go though, and finally Jon, with the rest of the equipment," Batman relayed.

"See you on the other side," said a new voice.

A burst of static came through the snail before it settled out. After a few minutes this time, Robin reported that Franky got the S.O.S. signal they had agreed on.

Red Robin left without saying anything over the transponder snail, but Batman reported his transfer. His signal, an R.O.S., came through clearly much quicker.

"See you soon, Dami. Can't wait to meet your new friends!" Jon said.

There was some mumbling as he said goodbye to his dad before Batman reported that he had also passed through the door. Robin quickly relayed that Franky was getting Jon's L.O.L. signal.

"Call as soon as you meet up with them," Batman ordered. "If we're unavailable, Alfred and Oracle will be monitoring this line. "

Damien stepped forward to talk, but the alarm on the snail started going off. "Sorry, Father. We have to go now. We'll call as soon as the snail has recovered."

"Snail? What's he talking about, Bruce?" Superman asked as they cut the line.

Silence descended on the galley. Ussop stepped forward to check the snail, but no one wanted to break the ice.

Or almost no one. "Awesome! I can't wait to meet aliens," Luffy said cheerfully.

That made everyone laugh and the room emptied out as everyone, including Law who had been silently watching from the side, decided to find somewhere else to go.

The Gothamites hung back, as the pirates filed out. They needed a moment to process how close they were to getting home. Dick, obviously, was mostly excited he grinned cheerfully at his brothers and pulled them into a group hug. Damien seemed pleased too. He didn't fight the hug, at least.

"Kent might regret letting Jon come here," the kid said once freed from Dick's grip. "These pirates might be a bad influence."

Dick laughed and tried to ruffle his baby brother's hair. "Oh he will definitely be corrupted, but it will be good for him. Connor, though, he'll have no idea how to handle these goofballs. I can't wait."

Jason chuckled. "You guys forgetting Tim? How's he going to deal with no technology and science that is more than a little 'handwavy'?" He sighed and sank into a chair. "He's going to end up with a concussion from banging his head."

Dick shrugged. "He's more adaptable than you think. He's run the Titans, remember. If he can deal with those hooligans, he'll be fine."

Damien scoffed, "You started that team."

"Which is how I know they are insane," Dick agreed.

"Speaking of insane," Jason decided to change the subject, "what did Luffy say to you, spawn? You seemed rattled."

"He asked if you wanted to join the crew," Zoro said from the corner.

"I thought you were sleeping," Damien accused, whirling to face the reclining swordsman. His pout made Dick want to pinch his cheeks.

Zoro cracked his jaw in a huge yawn before climbing to his feet, only to plop into a chair next to Jason. "I was, now I'm not."

Damien threw his arms up in frustration. "What do you think?"

Zoro shrugged. "Luffy's the captain, it's his decision."

Dick and Jason exchanged a look, but Damien was working himself up into a temper. "Do you think I should join the crew? Do you think I'm good enough?"

Zoro fixed the young hero with a look that said exactly how stupid he thought that question was, but Damien wasn't backing down. "Not my decision, but with only a few exceptions like a zombie unicorn, Luffy has never made a bad call about who to invite to join. It's always worked out in the end, like with Brook or Jimbe. But that's not the question you should be asking."

Damien bristled. "Oh? Then what should I be asking, swordsman?"

Zoro smiled. "You should be asking if we're good enough for you. We're pirates, not heroes. We sometimes help people, but we're criminals and we won't share our booze. Will that be enough for you?" He turned to pin Jason with a look that pierced Red Hood to his core. "Both of you?"

His piece said, Zoro got up and left without another word, leaving all three heroes reeling.

"Did he ask me to join to?" Jason asked, bewildered.

Dick forced a chuckle just to start breathing again. "How is he not a captain?" he asked.

Damien shook his head. "Because he trusts Luffy. But he's right." He ran a hand through his hair and took a deep breath. "I'm, I'm going to go meditate." He turned on his heel and marched out.

"I need to punch something," Jason said before leaving too.

Dick looked around the empty galley. "I guess I'm going to go hide from my doctors. And apparently talk to myself like a crazy person."

"No crazier than the rest of us," said a feminine voice from behind him.

The scream when Dick turned to see Robin standing behind him could be heard all over the ship.