CHAPTER 32.

Wayne watched the birds sleeping in the living room. This living room has never been as crowded as it is now.

The room was huge. Only the main sofa had six seats. The side sofas had three more. Not to mention the seats. The windows were open but that didn't bother the kids.

Rochelle, Steph and Carrie were together on one of the side sofas, Jason Tim Dick was on the larger sofa while B.J and Damian were lying on the other sofa. Damian huddled in his own corner, but it wasn't from the cold. It was a hot morning.

He sighed. When he started being a vigilante he never thought he would have a family again. But here were his children ... children! Proving otherwise. After Jason he promised he wouldn't open up again, but Tim made him reconsider. He might not be the same as before, but he still managed to smile.

He needed to talk to his Tim and Dick when he got back. He didn't know what to say, but he would think about it in time.

He looked around the room and hallway, the mansion was different, but the rooms were the same.

He really should be more used to these events.

He leaned against the wall with a sigh, Alfred and Duke shouldn't be back so soon. He could explore a little. Clear the mind.

God, the last few days have been crazy, the spell turning him into a child, then becoming Robin, and now this.

Wayne shook his head and began his exploration of the mansion.

xxXXXxx

Duke was much happier when he bought clothes he actually wore, wearing Bruce's old clothes was kind of uncomfortable. At least he didn't end up using Alfred's as the butler originally wanted.

The two arrived home just an hour later. The (numerous) bags of clothes and hygiene products were all on top of the dining room table, as Alfred would separate them throughout the morning. It was only 9 o'clock after all.

''It's still too early for lunch, I think I'll make a late breakfast.'' The butler announced as soon as they arrived and they were currently in the kitchen. Duke sitting and Alfred starting to separate the ingredients.

''This mansion is different from what I'm used to. '' Duke commented.

''I imagine, after all, alternate worlds tend to have differences, from what I've heard.'' Was the butler's response.

''Yea.''

They were silent for a while as Duke surveyed the kitchen.

''I imagine you know some of the Robins.'' Alfred thinks aloud.

''Some of them. Dick, Jason, Tim, Steph...'' He counted on his fingers.

''Only these?'' Bruce's voice cut him off. The young vigilante looked at the newcomer in the room.

"I reckon a lot actually, all things considered." Duke shrugged.

''But there are some more of them aren't there?'' Everyone jumped at the new voice.

Wayne sat next to Duke. Incredibly, none of them heard him enter the room, not even his counterpart.

That was good, a childlike joy washed over him.

He needed to get back to his age soon, this childish mentality was going to drive him crazy.

''When did you come in?'' Bruce asked.

''Just before you.''

''You two are crazy.'' Duke muttered.

''Finally someone with a sense.'' Alfred turned to them, and Duke chuckled with a raised eyebrow from both Bruces.

Wayne smiled and looked back at the boy. ''You did not answer me.''

Duke stopped smiling, a sad look came over his face. A look Wayne knew well. He sighed.

''Which one?''

The temperature in the room dropped a few notches. Bruce and Alfred knew enough about these alternate worlds to know what it was all about. Another dead Robin.

''Damian.'' Duke whispered.

Both Bruce and Wayne paled. Alfred too, but the batmans felt it more. They immediately blamed themselves.

''How?'' Bruce asked.

''He was the Robin before me. Thalia made a clone of him... an adult clone. The clone killed him. My Batman never let me near the League of Assassins."

"Heavens." Alfred leaned against the counter.

''And he still made him Robin?'' Wayne asked. ''Did he let another child die?'' His anger spoke louder. What was the matter with him? Has he not learned his lesson?

''We can prevent this from happening in our worlds,'' Bruce recalled. ''We know what happened, we can avoid it.''

''Not always knowing something prevents it from happening.''

''A living and breathing Jason Todd in my living room proves otherwise.''

''But get another Robin?''

''He didn't have much of a choice, I did something similar to what Tim did. And I'm pretty sure Bruce only made me Robin because of my powers.'' Duke interrupted before they could argue. He had already seen what Bruce and Dick's arguments were like and didn't want to see one between two versions of Bruce.

''Do you have powers?'' Bruce asked.

''I'm the only meta hero allowed in Gotham. I have light powers... light manipulation, light frequencies... It makes me see the opponent's next move. I only became Robin when I ensured that I would be aware of everything that would happen, I think my training was the most complete. Dick and Jason made sure of that."

''Is Jason alive in your world?''

''Uh yeah?'' Duke gives him a weird look. ''Shouldn't he?''

''Both Damian and Jason come back to life.'' A female voice startles them and they all look towards the door.

Stephanie is standing in the doorway with Tim beside her looking at her like she just kicked an old lady.

''You said it would be delicate!'' He said indignantly.

''Since when am I delicate? Didn't your Steph hit you with a brick when you first met?'' She asked shrugging her shoulders before turning her attention back to the men in the room.

''Excuse me?'' Alfred interrupted. Breakfast now totally forgotten.

''Jason died?'' Duke asks in horror.

''Didn't you know?'' Tim asked.

''No, but now all the zombie jokes make sense. I...my God.'' He leans back in his chair.

''What do you mean he comes back to life?'' Wayne asks after a while, finally finding his voice. Tears started to fall. Damn, he had complete control of his body as an adult. ''When... when were you going to say that?''

''Now. And we're counting.'' Steph looks away. ''Yes it is. He comes back to life...not in a very pleasant way, but he does.

''I think we all better sit down, it's not very easy to explain.'' Tim asks.

Everyone sat at the center island in the kitchen and looked at the two robins, waiting for an explanation.

Tim was the one who started to explain. He looks at Wayne.

' ' If your world is at the time I think it is, then it's already back to life. He has already come back to life and is either roaming the streets of Gotham or with Thalia Al Ghul. If he is with her then he was dipped in the well and he is healthy, he remembers almost everything and is not hurt as he was healed in the dive. However, she is manipulating him and training him to be an assassin, making him believe that you replaced him with me as if you were changing cars.

''He can't believe this...he...''

''He's not totally fine and Thalia knows how to fool someone.'' Steph cut him off. '' Jason becomes the Red Hood after the two years he stays with her. He comes back to Gotham, he goes on a rampage, he becomes a crime lord, he tries to kill the Joker... and so does Tim.

Everyone got paler.

''You save the joker and Tim manages to survive..''

''Tim.'' Wayne looks at the boy.

'' I'm fine Bruce. The titans arrived shortly thereafter.

''Where?'' Bruce asks this time.

''At Titan's tower. His access was never removed and since no one knew it was him until a few hours before the attack, there was no time.'' Tim rubs his neck, making it clear where Jason attacked.

''Tim I'm so sorry. I…" Wayne closed his fists and eyes.

''It wasn't your fault Bruce. Never was. Neither with him nor with me.'' Tim assured. ''And there's still time for you to stop this in your world.''

Wayne nods, his mind racing. He needed to go back, he needed to save his son from that crazy woman. He needed to talk to Tim and Dick. He needed to get back to his adult body.

''What about Damian?'' Bruce asked as his alternate self probably thought of various contingencies... plans he himself thought of just a few days ago.

Tim looks at Steph and the girl takes over. ''Damian also comes back. My Bruce went to Apolopiks to revive him.

''What's that?'' Bruce asks and Wayne turns his gaze to him.

''You haven't faced Darkside yet?''

''Who?''

Wayne takes a deep breath. ''I'll leave a little report about him. You will need it.''

Steph shifts in her chair, a little uncomfortable.

''Speaking of him... There's something I need to talk to you about.''

''Before you speak, I have to ask, are any of you left alive?'' Alfred cuts her off. Your sad face.

''Duke. The others come back to life.'' She takes a deep breath. Here goes.

''My world...'' She slams her fist on the table. ''There's a virus, okay? Courtesy of Darkside. It makes people violent, bloodthirsty...kill themselves and others. Many are gone, more than two-thirds of the planet has fallen. Heroes, villains, civilians. All. No cure, or at least we haven't found one yet.'' She stops and looks down at her lap, at her hands. Her eyes in tears. ''Only me, Damian, Alfred, Jason and Duke survived. That's why Damian is my Batman... that's why I'm Robin, to keep Damian from falling.'' She wipes her eyes.

'' There is how to avoid this virus. I wrote it on the batcomputer after borrowing the cave communicators the second night I arrived. Just read the report.'' She looks back at them. ' ' We did research, our world is the only one in the multiverse that suffers and will suffer from this virus, but I thought it was important to warn. I..." She breaks off with a sob.

Alfred stands up and hugs her tightly, a rare thing for a butler to do. He held her while the girl cried.

Wayne was shaking with this news, Bruce didn't know what to do, Duke and Tim were paralyzed. Tim knew something had happened in this Steph's world, but he didn't think it was that.

After a few minutes when the girl started to shake less, Alfred took her by the shoulders. ''Listen dear. I won't say it's okay, because I know your world is still working out, but I think it gets a little better. You'll see.'' He looks her in the eyes. ''OK?''

''Okay.'' She nods.

''Excellent. Now I will continue to cook. We're going to need a hearty breakfast after this conversation.'' He walks over to the stove and picks up where he left off.

Tim hugs Steph shortly thereafter. That explained a lot...

A/N: I already warn you that I will not pay anyone's therapy for this chapter. I myself cried a lot while writing. Shit DC let our little birds be happy!

Hope you enjoyed the story. The next Robin will arrive in the next chapter and he's a little different... What do you think he is? Comment!