I do not own Bruce Wayne/Batman, Jason Todd/Robin, Dick Grayson/Nightwing, Talia Al Ghual or Ra's Al Ghual. DC does. Please read this for free and enjoy.

In the batcave, Bruce dressed himself in clothing for the desert made of sand-colored rough cloth. If he dressed in anything else, Talia and Al Ghual would lose respect for him. After a decade, he once again cared about that. They knew his face, his identity. Even if they worked with others on the League's "most wanted" list, they had never shared it with such allies. Despite everything else they'd done to him, he was still grateful for that. Despite everything else they'd done to him … partly "because" of it, there was now something from them he desperately wanted … at least from Talia …

"Going 'there' already? You just caught up on your sleep after getting back on-planet!"

Bruce turned. Jason's disgusted face was turned up to him. Bruce nodded. "I'm just going to check in and try to convince Talia to come back with me again."

Jason folded his arms over his chest. "How many more trips are you 'just' going to try that?"

Bruce sighed. He remained silent while reaching for a cloth belt. As he tied it around his waist, he replied "We'll see. I'm developing plans based on the reactions of Talia to my words and the baby's condition every time I see him."

"So, if he gets sick, you'll call in the calvary, and if she has a sudden change of heart, or pretends to, you'll bring them 'both' here?"

"You're wise not to trust her Jason, but you 'know' a child does better, when he gets to have his biological father 'and' mother with him. I have to try to give him that."

Jason's scowl softened. He bowed his head and looked down and to his left. His arms remained folded over his chest, however. Thankfully, a cheerful voice from their right and above broke the silence. "Hey, going to see 'Baby Bruce'?"

Dick dropped from the railing of the spiraling second floor of the cave and onto the floor they all now shared. Bruce gave his oldest a frown. "I'm not naming him after me."

Dick grinned while cocking his head to one side as he strode toward them. "Why not?"

"If I name him for one of his relatives, he'll be 'Thomas Wayne.'"

He wasn't fully certain if he caught Jason moving slightly, heard a very faint sound from his partner, or merely felt an instinct telling him to look the new Robin's way. For whatever reason, Bruce did. Jason's darker look was back. Bruce repressed a sigh before Dick called his attention to himself. "Tell the little guy 'Hi' from both his big brothers."

As if oblivious to the new Robin's expression, though he couldn't be, Dick wrapped an arm around Jason's shoulders. The ex-circus star himself stood tall, head back, and a wide grin still on his face. Despite the over-showmanship in his movements, the light of interest and joy in his eyes was real. If only Jason could feel the same way. Bruce tried to give "both" his older sons a smile anyway. "I will …"

His younger co-worker in keeping Gotham and the world safe, still wouldn't look him in the face. Yet, he asked "You sure you don't want to wait till you're a bit better recovered from 'last' mission? What if they jump you?"

Bruce tilted his head slightly and answered in a serious voice. "I think … Talia and Al Ghual are still hopeful the baby will convince me to join them."

Jason snorted. Even Dick's smile twisted and grew a little strained, yet the cheer remained in his voice. "Has Talia softened to the idea of me visiting and seeing my baby bro?" The ex-circus star finally looked down at Jason while squeezing him with the arm still around his shoulders. "See, I can't call 'you' 'my baby bro' anymore. Bruce's baby is already doing you favors."

Jason rolled his eyes. "Yay."

Bruce cocked his head and raised an eyebrow at his youngest … "middle" child. Then he looked back up into the eyes of his oldest. At least 'that' hadn't changed. "I've asked, but … No … I'm afraid if they're worried, they can't convince me to embrace their way of life, they're even more doubtful about you and probably just as if not more suspicious you'll try to steal him. So no, but … hopefully … you two can meet soon."

Dick's soft, sincere smile crept up his face. His voice matched. "Can't wait ..."

Jason spread his arms out and yelled. Dick released him and stepped back as the current Robin continued. "Are we really going to ignore the elephant in the room?!"

Jason's hands clenched at the end of stiff, straight arms. He bent forward as he shouted up into his mentor's face. "If you take that baby, and Talia's not gonna let you have him any other way, people will die! They'll fight you as you take him. Once you get him, they'll come here looking for him! If you want him 'and' to keep everyone else safe, you'll have to break your rule! You won't just have to 'steal' him from his mother! You'll have to 'kill' her, and her father, and most of their cult members!"

Bruce was grateful Dick was either shocked or wise enough to remain silent. So, after he sighed, he replied first. "Jason … I 'can't' do that."

"You'd rather one of us die?!" Jason pointed back to Dick.

His older brother frowned. "Now, 'wait' a minute Jay. Leave me out of this. I 'want' our little brother 'here' too just like Bruce does."

Jay spun and shouted, "Then 'you' don't care more about me either! Or Alfred for that matter! Cause Talia is 'not' gonna let us kidnap and keep her baby! She'll kill us all to get him back!" Jason spun back to and pointed at Bruce. "And you both are willing to let her do that!"

Bruce softened his voice and used the nickname Dick had given the second Robin, trying to reach his most turbulent child. "Jay … I'd do the same for you. If you were with Talia, and 'wanted' to be there with her, I'm sure the baby she gave birth to wants to be with her instinctively now, I'd do what I could to bring you back while hurting you both as little as possible. We don't kill our enemies. We've talked about this. But we don't abandon each other to them either."

Jason gave a sarcastic strained smile. "Good to know. You wouldn't kill for me either." He then turned and marched to the door leading into the manor. Neither of his fellow superheroes stopped him. After he slammed the door behind him, Bruce sighed again. Dick reached out and put a hand on his shoulder. "He doesn't mean it Bruce."

His adopted father pinched the bridge of his nose. "Yes, he does."

"Hey," Dick gave Bruce's shoulder a shake. "He's just scared, not only of Talia and her father, but also cause … you know. I was jealous of Barb, when she first joined us. And she wasn't even your daughter! I just … was used to having you to myself and … It's scary when a new kid comes in." Dick shrugged. "But, hey, I got over it and am ready to open my arms to a baby-bat now! Jay will come around too."

"Thank you for your exuberance. But I knew from the moment Talia told me she was pregnant this would be a problem. Still …" Bruce turned and looked up at the door Jason had gone through. Pain etched itself into the father's face, "I hoped, if I kept trying all these months, Jason might be closer to your way of thinking by now …"

"Just wait till he gets a look at Bruce Junior's adorable face. Then he'll be willing to fight for him."

"I hope you and the others don't have to. His fears 'are' valid. You, or Alfred, or even he could get hurt from this …"

"Whoa, don't try to leave us out, though! Your baby is family! I won't let you leave me out of fighting for him."

Bruce gave Dick a slight smile before looking back to the slammed shut door. "I can't leave with things this way ..."

What do you think?

God bless

ScribeofHeroes