Gotham

Damian Wayne was enjoying going on patrol ever since recovering from his injuries, mainly because it got him away from his family. They were still looking for Arkham escapees who might remain elusive. And more importantly Bane and his cronies from Task Force X, who hadn't been seen since the battle. Scandal had left in the confusion, Bane had fought his way through a maddening crowd of Ra's' assassins and Deadshot had disappeared after shooting Damian and killing Catgirl. They'd built a memorial to all who had died in the battle. Many civilians but also heroes. Helena Bertinelli had a large statue sculpted by Bart Allen in the middle of Crime Alley, near where Damian's grandparents were shot. He didn't like to think about grandparents after the agonies he had just endured at the hands of his mother's father. As far as the teenager could see, his family did little but let him down. All the family except Grayson and Pennyworth. His father had disappeared at the time they and the city needed him the most, Drake had failed to save him from Ra's, his mother had raised him to be a weapon and now his grandfather had gone to greater lengths to do the same thing. Family means nothing. All he needed was friends. Sitting on a rooftop with Colin Wilkes, he opened his heart out to him a bit. "You can't hate your family, Damian," the other boy reminded him, "Tim nearly got killed too, you know." "I know, but he still failed," Robin rejoined, "He failed himself and me." "Damian, I'll kick your ass if you keep talking about your brother who nearly just died like that," Abuse bluntly informed him, "I don't have a family so if I had anyone in the world who'd do that for me, I'd be much better off."

Damian felt sorry for saying that. He didn't like hurting his best friend. "I'm sorry, Colin," he was uncharacteristically sheepish in his apology, "I didn't think." "It's okay, man," Colin smiled, "You do talk without thinking a lot. That and I get where you've been. What your Grandad did to you sounds a lot like what Crane did to me. Being in care is never easy, but the way they treated me drove me to Crane in the first place. They kept locking me up in cupboards full of bats. I was only five the first time they did it. Mom and Dad had been killed by the Joker and Batman gave me over to the police. It's not right, Damian, what your family did. Your Dad shouldn't have left the city. Tim shouldn't have brought you with him to Arkham. And your Grandad and Mom shouldn't've…done everything that they did to you. But that doesn't mean there aren't people who care about you. That new sister of yours seemed to want to be your best friend." "She's not my sister," Damian spoke bitterly, not moving his teeth as he scowled at his friend. "Dude, she literally looks exactly like that picture of your Grandma," Colin raised an eyebrow as if to ask was Damian joking. "I don't care," Robin pouted, "I'm sick of this family changing all the time. First it was just me, Grayson and Pennyworth. The others showed up from time to time, like cousins coming to visit at the weekend or something. And that was okay. Then Father was back and…he's so dominating. He wouldn't let me out. Said I needed to atone for killing Netz. I used to sneak out with Stephanie or Grayson sometimes, but rarely. Now, we've got Father back with a sister who's older than me. And now I know for sure my grandfather is a bad man."

"Really? Him trying to take over your body that time didn't give you an inkling."

"He did that because he thought my mother wasn't continuing his crusade properly, and he needed to live again. My grandfather is nothing if not utilitarian. But this…this was cruel and unusual. He buried me alive and made me drag myself out. Though one thing has changed thanks to that."

"What's that?"

"I don't have nightmares anymore. I feel like there's nothing that can hurt me. Except my family."

"Damn, man. I'm just a kid too you know. Maybe you should talk to Dick or someone about this."

"Grayson has enough on his plate."

"Tim?"

"Drake is a bigger wreck than I am."

"He seems happier."

"A front."

"Jason?"

"That brute?"

"Barbara?"

"Too busy."

"Your Dad?"

"He wouldn't know an emotion if it kicked him in the face."

"Stephanie?"

"She's just had a child dropped on her. She has enough to worry about."

"Cass?"

"Cassandra Cain? Really? She bottles herself up more than I do."

"Well I can't think of anyone apart from Helena?"

"I…she's not my…"

"I'm going full Abuse if you say she's not your sister again."

"I'm not talking to her."

"You're going to have to. Unless you want to talk to Alfred about it."

"Pennyworth's barely coping as it is. I saw him crying in his room alone the night I woke up."

"Damn. Well, talk to Helena tomorrow. If anything, just get to know her."

"Fine."

There was a few moments of silence, before they saw two people walking ahead. A black-haired woman in a dark outfit covered in stars and a young golden-skinned girl with dark hair. The woman seemed to be injured, as if someone had stabbed her in the abdomen. Following behind them were a group of Mutants who looked injured as well. "Damsels in distress at eleven," Colin shouted, turning into Abuse and running towards the Mutants. Damian went down to check on the women. As he drew closer, he saw that the taller woman was Donna Troy. She looked at him and despite her blood loss she smiled a little, "Robin! Hey!" "Are you alright?" Damian asked her. The younger girl looked up at Damian and babbled some gibberish. "What nonsense is this?" he raised an eyebrow in confusion, "Can this child not speak English?" This reminder of the past caused Donna to chuckle. "Ah, I forgot you don't speak Tamaranean," she managed through her pain and laughter, "Well, I'm all for history repeating itself. What did Karl call it? 'First as tragedy, second as farce'. Well this time its, 'First as convenience, second as desperation." Donna did what she had done with Mar'is parents, years prior, and pushed the girl into Damian so she could kiss him. Which she did out of nowhere, startling the young lad.

"What the Hell are you doing? I could get cooties."

"Oh, I apologise. That is how my people assimilate language. Aunt Donna can speak Tamaranean already thanks to my mother. I thought it convenient to learn my father's language as soon as possible."

"Your father is human?"

"He lives in this city, I am told."

"What's his name?"

"Richard Grayson. Do you know him?"

"A…little bit, yeah."

"Can you take me to him?"

"Sure."

On the other side of town, where Garfield Logan and Rachel Roth were staying the last two people they expected to see arrived. "Kory?" Gar ran over with Rachel who shouted, "Vic?" They both held Cyborg and Starfire as they fell into their living room. "Thank you," Kory said, shaking her head. "That explosion," Vic said, cricking his neck, "Must have fried the Boom Tube's circuits. We've all been scattered." "Mar'i?" Kory asked worriedly. "Who's Mar'i?" Rachel asked her friend as she felt her distress. "My daughter," she informed them seriously, "Dick's daughter." "What?" Gar asked. "It's a long story," Vic said, "But basically Dick and Kory have a daughter they never knew about, Blackfire tried to kill her and that led to this massive battle with Brainiac and the Green Lanterns in space. Does that make any sense?" "Not at all," Gar replied. "Yeah, I'm still working it out too in fairness," Vic noted.

"What was that explosion, Vic?" Kory asked. "If I had to guess I'd say it was Captain Comet," Cyborg replied, "Brainiac 2 was turning him into a weapon. I'm sorry, Kory." His friend held her head solemnly, knowing she had lost another man she loved to violence beyond her control. "That is alright," she spoke softly, resisting tears, "I will remember him as he was. Not the monster that Coluan turned him into, which I can only imagine." Her cybernetic friend gave her a tight hug before proceeding with the conversation. "Let's just hope this scrambler Slade put on me works long enough for us to get out of here," he announced. "Slade?!" Beast Boy and Raven asked angrily in unison. "Yeah, I know," Vic said taking a deep breath, "I saw what he did to some of you guys. He saved our lives though. He jumped through the Boom Tube with me. I dunno' why I'm with Kory. He must be with Kendra or Donna or…" "Or Mar'i," Kory said, bursting out the window at top speed before any of them could react. Raven placed her hands upon Vic's temple and cleared his mind of any interference from the Calculator mystically. "Thank you," he hugged his empathic friend close to him. "It's great to have you back, Vic," Gar said shaking his best friend's hand, "Now let's make sure Nightwing and Starfire's kid is okay."

In Wayne Tower, Slade Wilson woke up with Kendra Saunders lying beside him in her Hawkgirl regalia. Standing up, he hobbled over to a nearby window. He appeared to be in a major office. It looked like Bruce Wayne's old one. He could see the skyline of the deserted city below him. "Gotham…I really dropped myself in it now," he laughed, "I hope the kid's okay." Heading over to a nearby drinks cabinet, Deathstroke got out some old scotch, sat down and swigged about half the bottle, then set a bone in his left leg back into place. "Cracking stuff," he laughed through the slight pain as Kendra stirred, "Rise and shine, sleeping birdy. Welcome home." "We're on Earth?" she asked, taking a hand up so she could stand. "If you can call a shithole like Gotham, Earth, then yeah," he sardonically answered, "Scotch?" Kendra stood up a little and took the bottle from him, only drinking a little. "Memories better than they were on Brainiac's ship?" the Terminator asked as they both sat down and he got two glasses. "I can remember who you were anyway," she said swigging some more of the booze, "And it wasn't the nicest guy on the planet if memory serves." "I never said I was nice," Deathstroke took the bottle from her and poured them each a glass, "I am a man of my word though. And I promised Koriand'r her little one would get out safely. Now I might have caused my own children to die. Thawne doesn't take stuff like this particularly well. Why didn't you go to Thanagar?"

"And be a third wheel to the Emperor and Empress? Pfft. I'm human. All my friends are on Earth. How long have I been dead?"

"When did you die?"

"I was pretty much the first casualty of the Blackest Night."

"Oh, well I'd say just under a year."

"A year? Damn. Not going to be easy to just drop in on people then. Like my Grandpa or my kid."

"You've got a kid?"

"Yeah, well she's not really mine. I gave birth to her when I was sixteen. She got adopted. They let me see her a few times. I never told her she was mine. Had her real mom spin her a story all about how I'm a cousin of some kind."

"You should tell her the truth."

"Maybe when she's older."

"Then she'll just resent you. I didn't know my Rose until she was a teenager and she hates me now, though a lot more than she did then and with better reason. Grant hated me but loved Deathstroke. If he had known the two were one and the same, he might not have got himself killed. Joey…All I'm saying Kendra is kids have long memories. You should let her know who you are."

"Wow, can't believe I'm getting parenting advice from Slade Wilson."

"The biggest failures learn the harder lessons. Successes tend to make greater mistakes from ignorance."

"Did you come up with that on the spot?"

"Not sure actually."

"Well, whatever apt phrases you've got up there you don't need to convince me. Every time I think about Mia, I just want to see her again. Tell her the truth. I wouldn't take her away from her family, but I'd love to be there for her if she wanted me."

"Does she have a father?"

"A teacher of mine. Asshole took advantage of me. I told Grandpa he was a foreign exchange student. I died before, Slade. Not long after Mia was born, I took my own life. Then I woke up. Seemed kinda' weird. Grandpa told me it was his cousin's soul being reborn in my body. Next thing I know I'm Hawkgirl, and I'm Kendra but also Shiera. But not quite the same. Why am I telling you all of this?"

"Because you know I'm not going to judge you. Anything you can fuck up I can fuck up better."

"I'll drink to that," Kendra raised her glass in unison with Slade and they clinked them before consumption. That was when Deathstroke's keen sight noticed something careering across the sky in their direction. "Ah, another dissatisfied client," Slade quipped as Koriand'r flew straight into him and pounded his form into the wall, "Nice to see you too, Princess." "Where's Mar'i?" the Tamaranean all but screamed in his face. "How the hell should I know?" Slade tried to pull the angry mother off him, "I ended up here with Hawkgirl. Let go of me." "No," Raven told their nemesis as she and Beast Boy landed with Cyborg beside Kendra, "You've got to answer for your crimes, Slade." "Aw nuts," he shook his head in recognition of the demonic sorceress and her paramour, "Can't I kill anyone properly?" Starfire punched him in the gut then slammed his head against the wall so severely it knocked him out. Kendra had her hands up as if they were about to capture her. "Don't blame me," she shrugged her shoulders, "I just had some free drink with the guy."

Elsewhere, Tim Drake and Stephanie Brown were having a meal with Debbie Black and Leslie Thompkins. "So, Mom, did you really beat up Supergirl?" the child asked. "Yup," Steph raised her thumb with pride. "You neglected to tell your daughter that Kara didn't have any powers at the time," Tim added. "What's power next to sheer skill, Timmy boy?" Steph rubbed his hair and kissed him on the cheek. "Um, considering what her and her family can do," her boyfriend smirked, "I'll go with powers." "Fair," Steph laughed. Leslie smiled at the banter going on between the couple as Alfred walked in. "Master Timothy," he announced to his surrogate son, "Your stitches need cleaning." "Be a second, Al," Red Robin said, finishing the food on his plater while Alfred left. As Tim got up to go, Debbie gave his leg a big hug. "Hey, I'm not going anywhere," he tousled her hair and kissed her forehead, "Just in to have Alfred look me down." "I know," Debbie avoided eye contact as she prepared to lie, "But Mom really wants you to stay around." "Mom?" Tim smiled knowingly "A bit like how my 'friend' needs his stitches cleaning then." "Okay," Debbie grumbled, "I don't want you to leave." Frowning at having to upset the child, Tim lifted his grandmother's namesake into his arms. "I don't want to go either but I have to do," he spoke lovingly into the child's eyes, "And that doesn't mean I'm letting you down, little one, okay? Even if I do go away, I'm always going to be there for you and your Mom. Don't worry about that." He gave her a little kiss on the cheek. "I love you, Tim," Debbie lisped as she wrapped her arms around him. "Right back at you, Debs," he set her down and walked out the door. Stephanie was actually slightly concerned but also a little delighted about how extroverted Tim had become since waking up.

"Are you sure that's healthy, Leslie?"

"What? Being nice?"

"No…Tim's been a lot more reserved than this lately."

"Near-death experiences change people. I wouldn't worry about it. Besides this kind of behaviour is healthier than he was acting from what you told me."

"I know, but…I don't want him to hide anything."

"I have a feeling he's keeping nothing from any of us, Steph. He's got a new lease on life. He honestly reminds me of one of those movies where an old man gets a younger body and starts living life to the full. Tim will be fine."

In the kitchen, Alfred was cleaning Tim's wound. "So, Master Timothy," the butler began pointedly, "I see you have taken to fatherhood quite well." "I'm not her father, Alfred," he chuckled. "No, but you want to be," Alfred spoke with wisdom, "You're barely eighteen, Tim. I can tell you that Miss Stephanie will be needing the help of her mother, Dr Thompkins and quite possibly ourselves in raising the child if normality is restored and she can return to college." "She'll still see her," Tim reminded him, "Still be her mom." "I know, but," Alfred rubbed his brow as he thought of a way to explain his thoughts to Tim, "Do not rush yourselves into committing to her. Many people your age who have children leave a lot of the responsibility to their elders." "I know what you mean, Al," he nodded, showing he wasn't offended, "And with our lives we may have to."

"Indeed. Your words when you awoke, sir. They seemed to suggest you were partially cognizant of all that was being said around you. Your jibe to Miss Sandsmark seemed to prove that much."

"Yeah, I was fairly cognizant."

"Do you remember what I told you?"

"Yep. And when this is over, I'll look into it, Alfred. I won't tell Bruce, unless he already knows."

"Thank you, Master Timothy. It would mean a great deal to me."

"I owe you my life more than once over, Alfred. Helping you be happy is the least I can do."

Suddenly, they heard the door open as Damian came in holding a taller woman who seemed to have passed out. "She needs medical attention, right now, Pennyworth!" Robin shouted, "Drake can wait!" "Miss Troy!" Alfred exclaimed as Tim was unceremoniously shoved from the breakfast counter and Donna laid upon it in his place. "It seems like a shallow stab wound, Master Damian," Alfred informed them after a quick inspection, "With her physique and supernatural abilities, Miss Donna should survive with some antibiotics and a cleaning and suturing." As Tim regained himself, he looked up to see a little girl with Colin Wilkes. A girl with golden skin, green eyes and dark hair. "Um, hello," he said awkwardly before turning to his brother, "Damian this place is pretty full already. You should have brought her to Leslie." "She's not a stray, Drake," Damian bit back. "No one is a stray, Damian," Tim said, "But you can't just bring anyone in off the street-" He saw the girl was looking at him waiting to speak, and silenced himself then.

"I am certainly not a stray. Damian brought me here to meet my father."

"Your father? Wait a minute. Gold skin, green eyes that are almost inhuman…Oh dear. This is going to be awkward."

"Drake, do you know something I do not?"

"Um, I have a feeling maybe not."

"She seemed to imply she is the bastard offspring of Grayson with some alien he knew years ago."

"Master Damian!"

"What? That's what she is. Neither parent had fulfilled the pledging of their troth upon her birth."

"And what are you then, Damian? Last I checked Bruce and Talia aren't married."

"They are in the eyes of the League, which matters more than the petty law of a degenerate nation state such as this."

"Why does he talk in such a strange manner?" Mar'i asked Tim. "Huh," Tim smiled at the realisation of this child's alienness, "A girl your age really shouldn't talk like that. You should say something like…'Why does he talk like a weirdo?'" "Weirdo?" Mar'i pondered that, pressing her finger to her chin, "I like it." "Thought you would," he smiled. "Thanks, um," Mar'i looked to this kind man expecting to know his name. "Tim," Tim replied awkwardly, putting his hand behind his head, "I guess…if what you're saying is true, I'm your uncle." "He's not your uncle," Damian replied. "Yes, I am," Tim shot back at his replacement, "And so are you." "I most certainly am not!" Robin was indignant at the suggestion. "Don't mind him, Mar'i," Red Robin smirked, "He's probably only saying that because he thinks you're cute." Alfred and Colin began laughing at that while Damian leapt at Tim. "Do not presume to know whom I find attractive, Drake!" he stated as Tim got him in a headlock and held him down. "He gets tired after a few minutes," he assuaged Mar'i, who seemed concerned at the apparent violence, "Alfred, how's Donna keeping?"

"She'll be fine. She should rouse in a few minutes."

"Good. How about you make our new guest some good old-fashioned Pennyworth hot chocolate?"

"With pleasure, Master Timothy."

Eventually, all of them were sitting down at the couch, with Donna now bandaged. She thanked Alfred with a kiss on the cheek for his medical services. "Any time, Miss Troy," he patted her on the hand kindly, "Night or day. No need to thank me." "Still, it's appreciated," Troia smiled, "So, I see Tim and Damian have gotten to know their niece." "She's not our-" Robin began. "Oh, shut up," Colin interrupted his best friend. Damian rarely respected people telling him to stop talking, but Colin he would. "What is her story, Donna?" Tim asked Troia. "Search me," Donna shrugged, "I literally just met her, and any time I saw her before then I was possessed." "Oh yeah, you were on Thawne's Justice League," Red Robin remembered, "What happened there?" Tears fell down Donna Troy's face at the question. "He threatened Robbie and Lian," she wept, "Took them prisoner. Had Slade put Sivana worms in mine and Roy's ears, just like he did with Power Girl." "Hell," Tim said, "Deathstroke is at it again." "Yeah," Troia nodded gravely, "Still we owe him our lives. He helped us escape Brainiac." "Brainiac?" Tim now had his head in his hands, "This whole thing gets weirder and weirder by the second."

"I'm just so worried about the kids—"

"Don't be," Oliver Queen spoke to her, walking in with two small children almost as if they were summoned from out of the blue. "Mom!" Robbie shouted as he ran towards her and gave her a big hug. Lian joined in shouting "Aunt Donna!" and Donna cried over both of them. Tim smiled. "I think we might need two more hot chocolates for two very brave kids, Al," he whispered to the butler. "Coming right up," Alfred said, stifling some emotion at the sight of loveliness before him. Donna held her son and surrogate niece closer to her and pointed at Mar'i who had gone quite shy in the presence of all these new people. "Guys, this is Mar'i," she slowly and kindly told them, "She's Uncle Dick and Aunt Kory's kid." "But I thought Uncle Dick was married to Barbara?" Robbie asked, "We were at the wedding. And she's our age." The slight criticism earned a blush from the shy Mar'i. and Donna held them both closer. "Excuse me for a moment Mar'i," she said before turning her ire on her son. "Robbie, don't be so rude. Mar'i's been through a lot recently and she wants to meet her dad." Stephanie Brown emerged from the other room with Debbie. "Everything okay?" she said, confused at all the commotion, "Oh, you got the kids back. Wait, who's this?" "Dick and Starfire's daughter," Tim told his girlfriend as quickly as he could, "Just don't ask." That got a shrug from Steph. "Who isn't getting a secret kid these days?" Batgirl quipped. Black Canary gulped a little anxiously hearing that from the doorway.

Constantine walked in shortly after Steph. "Ah Jesus," he swore, rubbing his face in his hands, "Not another bloody kid who needs immunity." He quickly performed the spell for immunity to the Entity on both Donna and Mar'i. "Sorted," he said, plonking his backside on a chair near Tim, "Is that hot chocolate?" "I've already started making some for everyone, Mister Constantine," Alfred informed him. "Thanks, Jeeves," Constantine grabbed one straight from Alfred's hand intended for Robbie or Lian, "You're a real pal." Mar'i felt a little lonely, since Lian and Robbie seemed reluctant to warm to her all of a sudden, so Tim motioned for her to come up to him. She did and he gave her a hug while Debbie was laid on his lap. The much younger girl looked Mar'i right in the eye. "Your eyes are so cool," she said. "Who is this?" Mar'i smiled, tickling the little girl's nose. "She's Debbie," Tim smiled warmly, "Steph, my girlfriend's kid." "Hi," Steph said, waving at Mar'i, "I'm sort of friends with Dick, I suppose. Really cool to see you." Mar'i closed her eyes tightly as Steph joined in for a hug at Tim's invitation. He realised the girl must feel out of her element. She had come here looking for her father, probably having very little family before Donna had brought her here, and now she was being introduced to all these people who were very important parts of her father's life.

Walking home, Dick held Barbara's hand a few blocks away as they admired the snowfall all around them. "Well, the city's a lot cleaner now. It's a shame there's going to be so much building work when this is all done," he mused, observing the state of disrepair some of the infrastructure was still in. "Bruce will handle it, honey," Barbara smiled, sipping on coffee from her thermos, "That's his superpower after all." "What?" Dick smirked, "Money or just being able to do anything?" "You know, I'm not actually sure myself," Oracle laughed, "I suppose both…" There was a pause. "BECAUSE HE'S BATMAN!" husband and wife said in unison as they embraced. "Aw, what did I do to deserve you, Barbara Gordon?" Dick kissed her lovingly. "Probably a lot of sins," she laughed, "But having a great rear end makes up for that." "Y'know," he laughed, "I know we're married but I'm getting really tired of this objectification thing happening all the time when it comes to my gluteus maximus."

"It's certainly a maximus."

"Shut up, haha."

They stopped a few blocks later, just at the door to the building where Bruce's apartment was, as Dick inhaled deeply and thought about what he was going to say. Barbara turned around to ask him what was wrong. Before she could even ask, he replied, "There's something you really should know. It's about me...the last time we were going out." "What about it?" Barbara crossed her arms curiously. "I never told anyone this," Dick was sweating with nervousness, "Tried to bottle it in. Then I blubbed it out to Tim in his bed. I trust him not to tell but I realised I should tell you too. It's about me and Tarantula. You remember her?" "Yeah, of course," Barbara nodded worriedly, "What happened? Don't tell me you got her pregnant." "No, it's worse," Dick said, sadness in his voice as he tried to explain, "A lot worse. And it's…more to do with me than her." "Oh, Dick, don't tell me you've got something," Barbara threw her arms up in defeat, "I mean come on—"

"She raped me."

"I—are you serious?"

"I was…I was on a rooftop. I had a nervous breakdown. I wanted her to help me. She'd just killed Blockbuster. She'd been attracted to me anyway. Not that I found her unattractive, it's just I didn't want to take it that far. I was more concerned with being a mentor. I didn't want us to be a thing. Instead of trying to help me, calm me down...she just sort of lay on top of me. Took my pants off and…Aw, hell!"

"Hey, hey. It's okay. You don't have to go on. Oh, Dick why did you never tell me?"

"I didn't want to tell anyone. I thought we'd all move on with our lives and I'd just try and forget about it. It was easier once she was out of my life. After she went down for Blockbuster's murder, which I blamed myself for, I never heard from her again. Then I heard she'd died. I thought 'Good riddance' but I can't stay mad at her. She wasn't a good person, but she thought she was doing the right thing. Not with what happened to me, but with other things. I wanted her to be my Robin. I wanted to make someone a better hero like Bruce did with me and so many others. I was more consumed by my failure when it came to Blockbuster than actually thinking about what had been done to me. I was so overwhelmed by the fact I had done wrong, I forgot that not only had she done wrong to Blockbuster, she'd done wrong to me…"

Barbara just held her husband tightly and cried into his torso. "I'm so sorry, this happened to you," she sobbed. "I'm sorry I never told you," he inhaled strongly to fight back his tears, "It's just when Tim was dying, I felt so many emotions come over me. Like I should tell someone. Tim always told me his troubles, I figured I should tell him this, even if it meant nothing. And then that would make telling you easier." He put his hand in Barbara's hair. "It's just hard to open up to people when you try and be like Bruce, isn't it?" he asked, turning her head up so that their eyes met, "So damn hard. I miss being at the circus. Everyone talked about everything there. There were no secrets. Which is what made me want to leave so much after Mom and Dad died. The idea that Old Man Haly kept doing dodgy dealings behind our backs. Didn't sit well with me." "Well, don't be afraid to let Bruce or me know you've been hurt," Oracle wiped away one of her husband's tears, "I know we both seem like hard cases because we keep moving on from our pain. But believe me when I say that I feel your pain. I love you, Dick Grayson. Are you okay?"

"I don't know Barbara. It's just hard to forget all the shit that's been happening. It's hard to believe we're all living a little bit better these days than a few weeks ago. But thinking about what happened and trying to cope…I feel like nothing good can happen to me again. There's just going to be this cloud."

"Dick Grayson! Do not lose the optimist in yourself for something like this. That bitch, Tarantula, is not taking the man I love from me. The cheesy, cute circus boy who always has something positive to say when he's surrounded by a family of gloomy naysayers. Someday soon, you and I…we're gonna' be a Mom and Dad. We're gonna' have little people to look after. We're gonna' settle down and grow old together, and still be the coolest damn people on the planet! And do you know why? Because of who we are and because we belong together. I know what you've gone through, Dick. After what the Joker did to me, I couldn't look at myself in the mirror. It took me years to even see myself topless. It will get better, I promise you. And do you know how people like us get better? How heroes get better?"

"How?"

"By having great friends who remind us something positive's going to happen. Like you said, Dick. Everything's on the up. For all you know, the best thing that ever happened to you could be right through Bruce's door."

"I'll believe that when I see it. Come on, Sun's coming down. We'll miss dinner. And…thank you."

"Don't mention it."

"No, not for your little advice there. Just for being Barbara Gordon."

As they entered the apartment, they were very surprised to see how many people were here, and all drinking Alfred's patented hot chocolate. "Mmm, Pennyworth Hot Chocolate," Dick closed his eyes and inhaled, "Any chance of some coming our way, Al?" No one answered, as the whole room went a little bit silent at his entrance. Confused, the couple were startled to see two people who shouldn't have been there at all. "Donna?" Dick asked, "How the hell did you get here? Well, that's a nice surprise. It seems Ollie got the kids back anyway. Why is everyone looking at us like that?" "They're looking at you," Barbara told him, just as worried as he was. "Don't tell me I've lost my nose to frostbite, Babs," he quipped awkwardly. She didn't laugh this time as she saw Tim walking up towards him with a serious expression and a prepubescent girl holding his hand. "Um, Dick," his brother began, "There's someone here who really wants to meet you. It's very important that you talk to her."

Dick looked down at the little child. "Um, hello," he said with some confusion, "You have very pretty eyes." The child gulped nervously. "Hello...Dick," she gingerly said. "She knows my name," Dick laughed, "Have you guys been talking about me behind my back with the new kid?" "Just listen to her, Dick," Tim spoke a little more firmly this time to punctuate the seriousness of the situation. The girl coughed a little and began again. "My name is Mar'i," she spoke a bit regally, making Dick feel she must be related to Kory, "I am Tamaranean. My mother's name is Koriand'r. I was born with a father of another species many years ago and raised by my great-grandmother, to one day be a hero of my father's people. Your people. You are my father." The silence continued for a bit as Dick gulped slightly himself. Mar'i seemed sad. Dick seemed very perplexed as did Barbara. His face betrayed no emotion except surprise. "I understand you are very confused," his daughter said with understanding, "I am confused." Dick then got down on one knee and looked the girl in the face. "Hey confused," his signature smile beamed across his face, "I'm Dad!" And with that he gave the little girl the warmest hug in the world and Mar'i cried. Barbara put her hand on Dick's shoulder and cried little tears of joy. "I told you what you wanted could be through that door, Boy Wonder," she said, smiling a little.

"Welcome to the Secret Kids Club, Dick!" Steph laughed from across the room as she held Debs' hand and Tim put his arm around her, "Bruce, Selina and I would be happy to have you." Dick smiled a little at that and he lifted Mar'i up. "This is your Aunt Barbara," he brought her towards Oracle, "She's my wife." "Hello," Mar'i said to the red-haired woman nervously, "I can see my father prefers women with red hair." The whole room laughed at that, especially Babs who gave the little girl a big hug. "I suppose you are my step-mother then?" the child asked her. "I am," Barbara answered, still a little bit in shock. "Do you love my Dad?" she asked once more, every word spoken without mirth. "With all my heart," Oracle nodded. "Then I will love you with all my heart," Mar'i hugged Barbara deeply. Alfred shed a little tear at that heart-warming admission. "Master Bruce and Miss Helena must know of this new development at once."

Several blocks away in a Park Row apartment, Batman and Catwoman had just engaged in a bit of makeup sex after a heated argument to finally address the fact that she had hidden their child from him and now he had just arrived with a much older version of her. "You still mad at me?" Selina asked Bruce moving up to the nape of his neck and kissing it slightly. "Very," he said, his face stoic and pensive, "But that doesn't matter, Selina. So long as you treat our daughter right." "Bruce I wasn't fit to be a mother to her when she was a newborn," Catwoman scoffed, "I'm hardly going to be great with a teenager now am I?" "You've been getting along alright so far," he noted.

"Yeah, when emotions were heightened. It's not every day your niece you were only just getting to know dies in your arms and then a few minutes later this teenage girl hugs you and calls you 'Mom'."

"Well, it's not every day you end up a decade in the future seeing everyone you love is dead or broken, except for this one girl who tells you she's your daughter with the woman you love."

"Touché," Selina sighed, "I meant to tell you. After we beat Tommy Elliot, I was late. Very late. And we were both getting on so well. Everything was great. You were great. We were in love. Dick and Alfred even started to warm to me better. I thought I'd tell you during one of our nighttime meetups. I was actually really excited about being a Mom. Then, you went a bit crazy because I said 'hush' which now that I think about it wasn't the best choice of words, and my pride got the better of me. I thought that if you didn't trust me, you didn't deserve to be a father to my baby. Then I started screwing Slam. Then he died. His dad's a private dick as you know so I hired him to fake a DNA test and stage an elaborate ruse to get you to believe she wasn't yours. We moved on me and Helena. Then you came back. I wanted to tell you she was yours. I did. But then I remembered you're Batman. You're not the kind of guy who changes diapers. So, that's why I went to Slam. And then Helena was gone from my life. She still is. The way she puts it…this teenage Helena…her younger self is still out there with her family."

"And she'll stay there, if we can make sure Thawne doesn't destroy Metropolis. I've been meaning to get more of the specifics on that battle from her."

"Don't you think she's been through enough? The world she told me about…it sounds awful."

"We need to prevent that world from coming into being."

"I know. Just go easy on her. I know being soft with kids isn't your speciality. But she's my girl too."

"Are you saying you love her?"

"Of course, I love her, Bruce. She's mine. Ours. She looks so much like your mom."

"She's got your eyes and complexion though."

"Don't I know it. I feel like I'm looking in the mirror when I make eye contact."

"She's beautiful, Selina. Thank you."

"For what?"

"For…having her. She treats her memories of you very preciously. She wouldn't have them if you hadn't tried in the first place."

"You're such a big softie, Bruce."

"Yeah, I am."

Bruce's phone then rang on the bedside locker with Alfred's number on it. "Alfred?" he asked seriously, "Is everything alright? Did Ollie get back with the children? Great. You seem a little upset. Okay. You what?" Bruce immediately got up out of the bed. "What's wrong?" Selina was curious and concerned about the sudden change in demeanour. "There's a child after turning up at my apartment," Batman dressed as quickly as possible, "An alien child. Apparently, she's Dick's." "Ooh," Catwoman purred, "Who'd've thought the Boy Wonder would have it in him?" "He's married, Selina," Bruce coolly reminded her. "I know," she threw her hands up, "What I meant was he just seems to respect women more than his old man." "I'm really not in the mood," Bruce replied as he suited up and flew off into the night. Selina laughed very loudly at that. "So, it's okay for him to have a love child or two but not his boy," she rolled her eyes, "Typical dad." Helena then came in from inside wearing a Hello Kitty t-shirt which used to belong to Holly Robinson and eating a chocolate bar while holding a cup of coffee. "Hey Mom, I'm home," she smiled, "Who was that?" "Your father," Selina grinned, "I think you should get straight over to his place. It seems you've been upstaged on the whole being the secret baby out of the blue front."

Bruce arrived at his apartment followed shortly by Helena. At this point, Jason and Cass had already met Mar'i and were similarly in shock. "When do I get a secret kid?" Jason asked. "Never if you know what's good for you," Bruce announced himself to the room. The atmosphere instantly changed throughout the apartment. Dick stood up first bringing Mar'i with him. "You're one to talk," Nightwing quipped. Bruce pretended to remain angry then, but instantly smiled and gave Dick a massive hug as they laughed together. "Is this her?" Bruce asked. "Yep," Dick brought her closer, "Introduce yourself to your grandfather, Mar'i." She was staring up at this man actually kind of scared. She had heard her father was raised by a man who was a bat. "Um, hi," she managed, intimidated by the size and presence of the man even after he removed his cowl. "She's been pretty shy all evening," Dick told him. Steph then walked over and said, "Maybe she can stay at Leslie's place tonight. Keep her away from this." Mar'i then looked up at Steph. "I am perfectly aware of the fact that Bruce finds this whole situation awkward," she told Batgirl, "I do as well. But I would like to give him a hug." She looked into his eyes and Bruce smiled a little before giving her a hug which actually made John Constantine think, 'Wow, that's cute'. "Jeeves," he called to Alfred, "I think this calls for a bit of bubbly."

Before Alfred could answer that, the door was pounded in by Koriand'r holding a prostrate Slade Wilson before her. "Some friend you are," he said, as she threw him on the ground. "He came willingly," she told the crowd, "I owe him my daughter's life, but I have presented him to you all for judgement." Dick then furiously stormed across to Kory. "That can wait," he bellowed, "You and I have a daughter? A daughter older than ten I might add." "I did not know of her either, Dick," she protested defiantly, "I have a feeling that this Thawne fellow tampering with reality has brought this about. We just escaped a war thanks to Deathstroke. However, I did not know until Vic, Garfield and Rachel informed me the extent of his recent crimes." Slade tried to stand up and Mia Dearden made a move to knock him out but Dick grabbed her. "My daughter is here!" he reminded all his assembled friends, "So's Steph's." "She has seen worse, Dick," Kory advised him. "Don't even talk to me right now, Kory," he levelled a finger at her face. Dinah then stood up to be the voice of reason. "I think we should all calm down and go to bed. We'll have clearer heads in the morning. This whole situation is very inflamed."

"Yeah…yeah sorry," Nightwing acknowledged Black Canary and turned to Kory, "Bring Slade back to wherever you were keeping him. Now is not the time to handle this. First things first, is you tell us everything. I haven't seen you in over a year." The Batman approached Koriand'r. "I am sorry, Starfire," he gravely told her, "We appreciate what you were trying to do by bringing Deathstroke to us, but I think now is not the right time for any of us to be doing anything. Your daughter's arrival has confused everyone." Kory moved to protest but then realised there was reason to what Batman was saying. "Alright," she said reluctantly, "I shall meet you at Wayne Tower tomorrow, to discuss the matter of Slade Wilson's fate." Kory then dragged Slade from that place. Tim frowned in the corner. "We should tell Rose her father is here," he said nonchalantly. "And our friends," Mia reminded him angrily, "He put Conner and Kara in comas. He nearly killed Bart." "Of course, we will," Batman said, his voice silencing the high tempers, "But Dinah is right. We should all calm down and let cooler heads prevail this evening. Mar'i has been through a lot and she doesn't need to see this. Where is Mar'i anyway?"

Mar'i was sitting atop the roof of the apartment building crying her eyes out. Damian had snuck off there earlier when he found the worship of Dick's new child all too suffocating. His family were very annoying in how loving they could be. He then heard the crying behind him. "Oh, hello Grayson spawn," Robin said antagonistically, "That is if you are really his child." "I'm not in the mood," she cried, stubbornness redolent in her denial. "What is wrong with you?" Damian queried, a little concerned. "I just saw my uncle being killed," sobbed Mar'i, "By my aunt who wants to kill me. My Gramma was killed by her too, to find me. And when my Mom gets all angry it just reminds me of everything like that. I just don't want to see any more death." The Boy Wonder sat down beside the girl and offered her his shoulder to cry on. "I understand," he said empathetically, "My mother's family are psychopaths too." That blunt attempt at comfort earned a laugh from Mar'i. "You are funny," she said, wiping a tear away and looking at the boy, "This world is really strange to me." "Me too," Robin nodded, "I was raised in isolation and told I'd be this great ruler." "Me too," she giggled. Damian looked at her.

"How odd."

"What?"

"That Grayson and my father tend to go for women whose kin wish to shape their child to rule the world."

"They wanted me to be a hero and my Mom to be a queen."

"Which of your family raised you?"

"My great-grandmother and her followers. My whole life. They spoke of your family as legend."

"This is eerie. My mother's followers held me in a cave and I only saw her on birthdays. Trained me to kill someone in a hundred different ways."

"I wasn't raised to kill though. Just be heroic. And I was pretty much the only child there. Most of the people who made the first migration were old women. Their servants ended up marrying and having children but the colony was so small."

"There were other children in the League. If you could call us children. I was always given special treatment because I was of the blood of the Demon. But still, that just meant the others hated me more. I never really had a friend either until I met…your dad. If you could call him a friend. He's more like a mentor to me. Stephanie was probably my first friend, then Colin."

"He seems nice. I could be your friend too."

"We'll see. But I would like that. I could do with more friends."

"Don't you go to school here? Mom told me on Earth people go to school together."

"I do…or I did until the city got evacuated. Those people there are so vapid. They only care about material things. Greatness is not any of their ambitions, unless by greatness you mean being popular among other vapid-minded individuals. That has never been something I desire."

"Do you think you're better than them?"

"I used to, because I was told that was the case. Since your dad started looking out for me, showing me his ways…less so. I know I am better than them in many skills, but as a person or due to my birthright, I can't say. It's hard changing your mindset like that. But I want to see the good in people my father does, and not think myself their superior because of who I am."

"I never wanted to be a messiah. I just wanted to have a normal life with a mother and father who loved me."

"Well, you seem to have a father who loves you from what I can see. He's a good man. The best. I'd walk into Hell for your father. You should count yourself lucky you're with us, now."

"Thank you, Damian."

Dick then arrived at the top of the apartment building from the door behind them. "Oh, thank God, you're up here," he announced, "We were worried. Why'd you leave?" His daughter didn't reply. Damian then stood up and went over to Dick. "It's nothing, Richard," he seriously whispered to his brother, "She just…needed some space. She has been through a lot. I think all of us can appreciate that. But speaking from experience I know she needs her father." Dick was surprised by how empathetic the young lad was being and smiled a little. "Well, at least she has you looking out for her," he told the boy, "Thanks, Damian. I'll take it from here." Damian nodded and headed downstairs. Dick put his arm around his daughter and didn't talk for a minute. He just looked at her for a while and it seemed like he'd known her for a much longer time. Like he'd raised her, her entire life. "Are you okay, Starshine?" he asked kindly. Mar'i jumped a little. Not because her father was there, but because he had called her by that name. "What's wrong?" he asked genuinely. "Nothing," she blinked in confusion, "Only that is what Mom calls me. I'm surprised you do too." "I think it's cute," he chuckled, "You're my alien daughter. You're like a shooting star fallen from the sky come to make us all happy again. And I want you to be happy too."

"It's just been a long day."

"I've had a few of those recently. And I had one of those when I was around your age. Just talk to me about it."

"Mom didn't raise me. Her grandmother did. I was raised to be this messiah. To lift the universe up as a hero to your people. My people. Now I don't know anymore. But because bad people like my aunt were obsessed with that, I've lost a lot."

"Ah. You've met Komand'r then."

"She killed a lot of people I loved. Killed so many of them. Everyone I grew up with. Everyone that raised me. And today, she killed Uncle Ryan too."

"I'm sorry…I lost my parents around your age. To violence."

"I won't lie and say I'm not terrified. The thing is though…when Mom gets mad, that scares me so much. She's like her sister."

"That's the human in you, Mar'i. I always found Tamaraneans hard to get. They're very emotional and do little to hide it. Your mother and I were a real odd couple when we were together because of that. I was a reserved guy. Didn't have many friends. But she opened me up. Friends like Wally and Donna suddenly became like brother and sister to me because of how she made me realise that saying how you feel and showing others love isn't a bad thing. I was still hung up about my Mom and Dad dying, because Bruce was about his own. Kory made me realise life is sweeter with a bit more happiness. I wasn't unhappy before then, but she made me…a lot less like Bruce. I'll always love your mother. Even if we're not together, she changed me in a way no one else has. I wouldn't be the man I am today without her. You know, even if your mother and I aren't together anymore, I'm so happy you're here. Not just because you're my kid, but you're her kid too. You're the best of both worlds."

"It doesn't feel that way, Dad. Until I met Mom, I always felt like a stranger. No one would talk to me except to give me lessons. The first time I ever felt like I had a friend was with Damian just before you arrived."

"I'm sorry I wasn't there for you, Starshine."

"It's not your fault, Dad. It's just…I would have liked to have the family you have. When I met Mom, the only family she had really was Ryand'r. Now he's dead too. Burned to a crisp in front of my eyes."

Dick held his daughter in his arms as she began crying imagining what had just happened to her uncle. "Shh," he rubbed her back warmly, laying his chin on her hair, "Never be afraid to let me know you're upset, Mar'i. Never. Mar'i? Heh. My mom's name was Mary." "Gramma told me," his daughter informed him as she left their embrace, "She named me after her." "That is weird," Dick pursed his lips, "But lovely. I always felt like I'd call my first child after Mom, if she was a girl." His daughter seemed to move away from him then. "What's wrong?" he asked. "Nothing," she lied, avoiding eye contact, "I just...I just don't want to lose you like everyone else." "What do you mean?" he put his arm around her once again.

"Everyone I've loved has died, Dad. Horribly. Everyone. All only in the last few weeks. I don't want that to happen to you too."

"It's not. I promise you, Mar'i, I am never going to leave you. I'm always going to be here for you. It's like I haven't got you. I don't care what happens."

"You can't promise something you can't control, Dad!"

"No, but I can promise I will do my utmost to make sure you're not hurt and that I stick around."

"I just wish that people didn't die."

"Oh, my little Starshine. Death isn't always a bad thing. Some people live to end up in great pain and dying brings them peace. Without death, we wouldn't be people. It would be like living in a world where nothing happened."

"But why do good people die for no reason?"

"I don't know. But I can tell you a story about how the death of two good people saved the world."

"Really?"

"Oh yeah. Over thirty years ago. A mother and a father and their son were walking home from a movie one night. A man tried to rob them, and he shot the mother and father. They died. The boy lived. He became the greatest man I know because of that. From tragedy always comes something better. It's like how after a volcano erupts, the soil becomes healthier when the land is resettled with all the minerals that come from underground. Bad things are always going to be balanced out by the good. You lost your uncle today, but gained a father and his huge, crazy family. You have to focus on that, Mar'i. Take it from someone who knows."

"Thanks, Dad. I just have one question."

"Shoot."

"What's a volcano?"