Archive of Our Own

Conner woke up first.
He shot into a sitting position breathing; gulping in air as if he had been held underwater for hours. He turned to see a shaking M’gann and rushed to her side shoving Martian Man-hunter off of her and wrapping his arms around her.
“It’s okay love. It’s okay.” Her slender arms wrapped around him as she sobbed into his chest.
“D…Dick. He’s gone. We survived so much. Why did he save us!? We were supposed to go together.” M’gann sobbed. A single tear escaped Conner’s sea blue eyes as he buried his head into her copper red hair his shoulders shaking. An ear splitting scream reaches their ear and only vaguely do they register that they weren’t alone; but they didn’t care.
Dick’s screams tore through the air sending them both into action that could only be learned in years of practice. Once again Conner reached his target first shoving a black clad man away he didn’t even recognize as Batman and wrapped a small body in his arms.
“Dick Shh. It’s okay baby. Calm down.” Dick took one look at him and buried his face into Conner’s shoulder sobbing even worse than M’gann had.
“I’m sorry. I couldn’t…I couldn’t save them.” Dick sobbed causing M’gann to coo as she; though still crying embraced both her lovers.
“No Dick. You couldn’t have done anything else. The virus…it just…it took everything. When we knew it wouldn’t leave…why did you save us? We were supposed to go together.”
“Mom. Dad. Tati. Artemis. Kaldur. Wally. They all died. I couldn’t lose…I can’t lose you two! Please! Mina heart! Don’t…I can’t…” And with that Dick sobbed even harder making M’gann break down again. Conner for his part cried silently as he rocked them.
“Never birdie. Never. I’ll become the devil himself to keep us together. I swear it.” He cooed rocking them back and forth.
“What did we miss?” A voice from behind asked making them jump. The actions were; once again; only able to be done from years of practice. Dick took out a pair of knives resting on the heels of his feet ready to attack; Conner crouching down fists curled and ready to fight; M’gann in front of them a strong force field in front of all three of them. Before another move could be taken they saw something that had Dick Grayson falling to the ground in utter shock. Wally West was standing next to Artemis and Kaldur watching them confused while Batman stood directly in front of them. Dick let out a whimper at the site of him.
“Tati?” He asked in simple disbelief. “Tati; how? You died. I saw you die.” Choked sobs escaped him as he turned to the others.
“Wally.”
“Artemis! Kaldur! How?” M’gann asked in shock as Conner simply froze trying to process the situation; but he just stared at Superman who had shown up minutes before they were put to sleep.
“Robin…” Batman started, but Dick shook his head a happy smile on his face.
“Heh. Haven’t gone by that name since I was sixteen Tati.” He said in nostalgia making everyone look at him strangely; but he didn’t catch it. “Oh man.” He said shooting into the air flipping forward and landing on his feet and rushing at the man hugging him around the waist.
“Uncle John?” M’gann yelled as he rushed the green skinned man dragging Conner with her; but he kept an eye on Dick who nodded subtly that he wouldn’t separate them.
“M’gann. Please calm yourself. Why is Robin saying he’s not thirteen?” John asked making M’gann look at him strangely.
“Because he’s forty-five silly. It’s been thirty-two years since you died.”
“Thirty-two years of hell on earth. Thirty-two years of death and destruction and leading the few humans to safety that we could. Though the virus is taking out what’s left.” Dick stiffened at the name breathing fast shaking his head and running for the door.
“NO! I found a vaccine.” He said but was caught in strong arms.
“Robin stop it. This isn’t that reality. This isn’t what you remember.”
“NO! Let go!” Dick shouted but Batman held firm.
“Let. Him. Go.” Conner said in a deadly voice gripping Batman’s wrist tightly.
“Conner; Robin; M’gann. Please remember. That was all in your minds. Everything for the past thirty-two years has been an illusion.” Dick’s head shot up in shock looking at the Martian in disbelief.
“But.” M’gann said shaking her head. “We almost had the…”
“NO.” Batman said firmly. “Everything was a training session. You were put into a trance and given scenarios that were designed to get worse. You were supposed to fail.”
“What do you mean…?” M’gann asked even as memories of her and the others being put into their dream popped into her head. She grabbed her head as tear sprang from her eyes.
“So I did this? I…”
“It wasn’t her fault!”
Conner screamed as Dick looked at himself and at M’gann and Conner.
“All of it was…a dream?” He asked before turning around and actually punching Batman in the face. Everyone stood stock still as the Dark Knight wiped a string of blood from his chin looking at his son in shock.
“You…left me. You made me watch you. My Tati; die. For a simulation?” Tears sprang forth once again. “How could you do that to me? Knowing how I watched my…how the court…what they did to me…why Tati? Why would you make me…?” Every pair of eyes were on Batman as he walked over and wrapped his son in his cloak hold him tight as if to protect him from the world.
“My little bird I swear. That was never my intention. You were supposed to know it wasn’t real. You were never supposed to think I left you. That’s why Conner wasn’t angry or upset about Wolf. He knew it wasn’t real and then…whatever happened did.” A shaking hand grabbed his armor as if they were transported back to when Dick had just been rescued from the court; so much in the past six years.
“Thirty-two years dad. Thirty-two years of missing you; mamma was gone, I lost my momma again... We lost everybody. Alfred was lost two years later. Conner and M’gann were all I had.” He looked at them at this tears streaming down his face utterly broken and despair on his face.
“And it was fake? What we had was fake? The promises; the vows; everything?” M’gann shook her head her emotions making her unable to talk as she reached for him but he backed up toward the door shaking his own head tears cascading down his cheek. Conner saw this and stepped forward.
“Dick.” He said the name softly; lovingly. A word turned caress as it reached the young teen’s ears. He ignored Batman’s stiffening.
“I will never regret what you, M’gann, and I did. What we had, and unless you want it to be like it never happened I’ll do it all over again.”
“Please Dick. I love you. We love you. Don’t run away from us.”
Dick stalled long enough to look them in the eyes before running into Conner’s waiting arms and for M’gann to complete the hug between the three of them. This time the tears were of relief. Happiness. They weren’t sure what was going on. They weren’t even sure it was happening or if their minds had finally snapped. All they did know was that; they were together and they had to stay that way.
No matter what.

Under normal circumstances; Dick would have been over the moon to be allowed into the JLA HQ. Right now though? He was depressed; letting M’gann sit in his lap her head on his shoulder and pouting.
“This was way more comfortable after my growth spurt.” He grumbled making M’gann giggle as Conner sat next to them toying with her hair. She had shifted so that it was cropped short to her neck. In fact she had shifted so she no longer had freckles and had finer facial features her eyes were blue, but one mimicked Conner’s blue, and the other Dick’s;
It was subtle so you’d only notice if you looked hard enough.
Conner was just finishing a braid for her behind her left ear and without asking Dick handed him the tiny hair tie and received the brush. No words seemed to be needed. Batman, Martian Man-hunter, and Superman walked in with the rest of the League making the teens stiffen.
“Now that we are all here. Let’s get to business.”
Batman said before noticing Dick’s lack of costume. He was in a pair of black skinny jeans a black shirt and a black jeans jacket with a cotton hood attached; with bicker boots on the table so it was easier for M’gann to sit on his lap.
“Where is your costume?” He asked making Dick stiffen and look down tears welling in his eyes.
“I can’t.” He whispered. “It was a rule of ours. When not on a case, when not in the field, we’re just us. We have…no…secrets.” He expressed and looked Batman in the eyes and the Dark Knight knew. Their secret I.D was given away to these two. But…he couldn’t find it in himself to be angry. He had put his child in this situation. He couldn’t blame him.
“We were happy before the virus broke out. We’d stopped the Reach, saved the planet again and were just starting to rebuild humanity.” A tear left M’gann’s eyes.
“Start at the beginning.” Superman suggested. Conner still embracing the two other teens sighed.
“I didn’t die when everyone thought I did. Dick was so panicked he through his escrima stick at me knocking me out of the way of the blast. I can’t fly so was knocked down. When I found them Wally had just died and I used my body to shield Dick and M’gann from the explosion.”
“After that our top priority was to get M’gann away from the fire. John had already been killed by that time.” Dick stated.
“After that it was like a pattern. A couple years of peace; then however long it took us to eliminate the threat. The threats kept getting harder and harder and more and more dangerous. Then the virus came.”
“Dick caught it first out of us. He collapsed one day fighting the Joker. The virus was horrible. Body racked with pain; lung malfunctioning. By the time I created the antidote I was already in stage three. Too late.”
“Still he made it for me.” M’gann sobbed.
“And I would do it again love.” Dick whispered.
“We found out the cause of the Virus was a remnant of a foe called the Reach. M’gann and I went to take them down but Dick followed us, shoved me out of the way and took the hit.”
“Con. I would save you every day if I could. I was dyeing anyway.” Conner sprang to his feet pacing and to everyone else in the room he looked like a caged animal.
“So that’s it. You’re dyeing and going to give up. Leave me and M’gann with the knowledge that our husband sacrificed himself for us again. Thirty-two years Dick; and I’m pretty sure we’ve had this conversation many times. It’s not right for us to watch you die. You scream; shout; and break down when one of us gets hurt yet you seemed determined to ignore the fact that we’ll do the same.”
Superman started to stand;
but Dick beat him to it M’gann standing letting her men settle their fears.
“Con; I; have no excuse. Abandonment issues I guess?” Conner scoffed and turned away from him. Dick sighed at this.
“Conner is right Dick. We’re partners, a team, why must we suffer losing you when you say you can’t lose us.”
“Because; I; I’m scared. Mentally I know it’s like that for you and Conner as well, but; staying safe while you leave me; my body can’t accept that because the thought alone is enough to tear my heart to shreds. I honestly don’t think I can survive losing you two. If I did I can guarantee I won’t be long behind you." Conner growled while M’gann flinched.
Dick heaved a sigh; a mix of tiredness and annoyance.
“You knew I was damaged when we entered this relationship.” Dick groused annoyed now and Conner finally sighed before turning around and hold his arms over letting a now smiling Dick rush into them followed quickly by M’gann.
“Three messed up idiots. How did we protect the world for thirty-two years?”
“Stubborn mule headed determination; and sheer dumb luck.” Dick said with a cackle. Bruce stood up and walked over staring at his son his mask only just able to hide his sorrow at his conclusion.
“You cannot think of your time in the exercise as fake can you.” He asked his voice hard.
“No. better for us to think we were dimension or time hopped.” Dick said looking at the floor M’gann’s hand firmly in his. Batman nodded and turned away.
“You will be staying at the mountain for a while until you can adjust to us all being alive.” Dick looked at Batman and then at Conner and M’gann and nodded.
“I…don’t want to lose you again. Even though I’m different after, for you anyways, thirty-two hours. I…” Bruce sighed as the other heroes filed out of the room giving them some peace. He turned and embraced his son.
“Dick; I would never let you lose me. I have made a mistake that could cost me my son; but I won’t let it be because of me abandoning you. You are always welcome at home and once we settled down; understand what’s going on; you will come home;” He looked at the two aliens and smiled softly. “All of you.” Dick looked at his father in all but blood and smiled a bright smile hugging him.
“Thanks Tati.”

Conner woke up with a head on his chest and a cold void on his left. He looked down to see M’gann sleeping peacefully and Dick’s spot empty. He sighed as he got up laying M’gann down gently and chuckled quietly. It had been a long time since he had seen his lovers so small.
Dick only reached his chest; and M’gann; though he could tell missed her ‘normal’ form refused to go older than sixteen. He stretched and walked out of the room scratching is bare chest; his jeans covering the rest of him. He passed Kaldur and just managed to resist pulling the Atlantian into a bone crushing hug. He settled for a smile which was returned sadly.
“I; am sorry for;” Conner shook his head interrupting the brown skinned boy with a smile.
“It was designed that way. What we went through was horrible. I’m not going to lie; but it wasn’t all that way or your fault.” Kaldur nodded and walked with his friend to the kitchen where the smell of eggs; bacon; sausage and French toast. The source of the smell was Dick; who was humming as he stood at the stove flipping an egg.
Conner put his fingers to his lips for Kaldur to be quiet. The teen just nodded confused at Conner’s playful smirk as he all but tiptoed behind the boy wonder.
“Think about it and you don’t get any French toast love.” Dick said not even turning around to face the second male in their three way relationship. Conner sighed dejectedly making Dick laugh as he set the table for an army. Kaldur saw Dick stiffen as he looked around.
“Asleep.” Conner said out of the blue and Dick relaxed immediately letting Kaldur know it was M’gann the younger teen was worried about. Dick went about setting the table. He wore a pair of black cargo pants like Conner a blue sleeveless shirt with a long sleeved black open top over that. He fingered his neck but stopped short frowning.
“Are you well my friend?” Kaldur asked making Dick look at him.
“Yeah. Just miss my necklace is all.” At Kaldur’s questioning look Dick smiled.
“For our first anniversary this muscle lug nut;” He said jerking his thumb at Conner who rolled his eyes affectionately. “Went to a city that was still partially intact and raided the jewelry store; and got me, him, and M’gann matching necklaces instead of rings. Easier to fight with and harder to lose.”
“What did it look like?” Kaldur asked.
“Oh it was actually cool. Only three like it in the world; probably would have been too expensive for Br…uh…Batman to buy. It was a ruby hart with a jade infinity sign on its left and a diamond eye on it’s right. They were picture symbols for ‘I love you for eternity’.”
“That was very romantic Dick and you know it.” M’gann said as she walked in her normally green skin white and flawless; her now cropped red hair bouncing around her face; and wearing a green sundress with green laced shoes.
“Guess I’m the only one who needs to get a shirt.” Conner said stretching ‘innocently’ so that his muscles flexed and in a way that both his lover could see.
“I didn’t say that. M’gann did you say that?” Dick asked with a sly smile which was returned.
“I don’t think so. Maybe we should keep him like this.”
“Not a chance you two.” Conner said making a brake for the door leaving his lovers laughing.
“You have all changed. And though your lives sound; horrible; you seem happy. At peace.” Kaldur noticed as he got a glass of water. Dick saw this and quickly handed him a plate of specially prepared Atlantian food making Kaldur’s eyes widen before smiling thankfully at his friend and sat at the table to eat.
“We are I think. With it only being us we hashed things out. Told our secrets, our fears; our desires. After that it just; stopped hurting.” M’gann said sitting down kissing Dick quickly. They had talked last night and decided with Dick only being thirteen they would hold off on their bedroom activities until he reached their age. They could stop aging until he reached them so it made no difference to them.
“FOOOD!” Wally’s voice shouted running into the room with an annoyed Artemis following. Dick smiled at his friend watching him attack the food save for the separate plates Dick had set out for the others. Even now he remembered his friend’s appetite.
“What? Dude do I have something on my face?” Wally asked over a mouth full of eggs. Dick just snorted.
“Nah. Just thinking. I’m gonna go set up the training room.” Dick said and left not touching his breakfast. M’gann looked at hers sadly with a soft sigh.
“What’s up with him?” Wally asked after swallowing. Artemis rolled her eyes and hit his arm.
“Hello Wally, for them it’s been thirty-two years! Their basically eating breakfast with dead people.” M’gann winced at the description but sighed again.
“Kindly refrain from such talk.” Kaldur said rubbing M’gann’s back. “We know what it was like for us separately, do not belittle our friend’s experience.” Both Wally and Artemis nodded chastised.
“I’m gonna go check on him.” Kaldur said finishing his breakfast and nodding M’gann. He would care for her heart because her heart was his brother. She smiled thankfully before turning to Artemis; wanting a conversation with her friend after so long. She would trust Kaldur with Dick.
He found Dick in the training room attacking a dummy his eyes red.
“Do you wish to talk about it?” He asked sitting on an observation bench. Dick looked at him and leaned against the dummy he had been attacking.
“How do you convince yourself something wasn’t real, when every single memory is tearing you up from the inside? Do you know how long it took me to not wake up screaming before Conner and M’gann and I got together. Everyone thinks I’m the next Batman; that I can do this without feeling anything…Kaldur; I was a Talon. I was TRAINED to kill; but…I can’t do that. And after everything…after you all left… I WAS Batman Kaldur, and I hated it. I was one of three heroes left, I don’t want to be THE Batman. Ever again. I don’t want to be alone ever again.”
And for once Kaldur saw what Robin was talking about as he saw the tears slip down his cheeks though the boy obviously tried to keep them at bay, and wondered, if this exercise hadn’t finally broken one of their own. He prayed it hadn’t, and did all he could do. He put his hand on Robin’s shoulder and offered his support.
Bruce and Selena had helped Dick move back into his room after he got used to being there again, though Selena was very protective of him like she was when he first came to them. They set Conner and M’gann up with guest rooms with a promise to help personalize it later, once they felt more at home. Salina knew how daunting it could be to have such a dramatic change in scenery so quickly.
Around eleven their first night there Conner felt a dip in his bed he had been pretending to sleep in, he couldn’t sleep well without Dick and M’gann, and looked over to see a crying Dick clutching his shirt.
“I don’t want to die Conner. The Court knows. I know it.” He said choking on his lover’s name and Conner acted instinctively as he brought his little bird to his chest cradling him gently.
“Shh. It’s okay birdy. You’re safe. I’ve got you. The court doesn’t know where you are. The court is gone. You know this. It was only a nightmare. I promise.”
“Being like this again…I don’t want to go back. I don’t’ want to kill…I can’t…”
“No. don’t push me away Dick. Not again. I stuck by you through the years, and I lost you then. I won’t lose you now.”
“Conner. I can’t find…oh.” M’gann walked in her long white nightgown contrasting her green skin as she climbed into bed snuggling Dick between them.
“M’gann…I love you.” Dick whispered. “I love you and Conner so much. I know I cause problems. I know I don’t ask for help as much as I should…but…please don’t leave me. Please…”
“Never.” M’gann cooed as she kissed her younger lover tenderly. “We will always be here for you, as we know you will always be there for us.”
“And together we’ll win. I’m stubborn, M’gann is strong…and you, you Dick are like this puzzle piece that takes them both and fits them together so nothing can beat us. You’ll be okay. The Court is GONE Dick. I promise.”
“Can we go into our minds?” M’gann smiled and for the rest of the night none of them thought about what the future held. They only cared that they were holding each other. As they always would.
The next morning Alfred was shocked to find Dick and M’gann in the kitchen laughing at something as he whisked a bowl of Hollandaise sauce and M’gann was getting eggs out of some boiling water.
“Good morning Master Dick; Miss M’gann. Had I known you were early risers I would have had breakfast ready.”
“No; no.” M’gann said shaking her head while Dick rushed over to hug Alfred surprising the man.
“It’s not that. We just have a rule. First one or ones up cooks breakfast; the last one up does the dishes. It’s more of a habit.” Dick said laughing as he returned to his task.
“We’re not insulting you are we? Dick told me how you guard the kitchen.” M’gann asked biting her lip. Alfred smiled softly as he walked over and started making coffee.
“Quite the contrary my dear. I am quite proud that Master Dick took to my lessons in culinary.” With that the three did their tasks in companionable silence.

Bruce walked in; the newspaper in hand with Salina close behind. They looked up to the now familiar sight of Conner, M’gann, and Dick at one end of the table eating breakfast and speaking quietly among themselves. That random snorts and giggles told them it was a good conversation.
“Morning you three.” Salina said as she took her own seat. There was a chorus of answering mornings and offer of coffee. Bruce took that one immediately. The breakfast of eggs Benedict, bacon, and a platter of fruits and yogurt; were spread out before them.
“Gosh Alfred. You outdid yourself this morning.” Bruce said reaching for a creamy looking sauce covered egg on a muffin.
“It was not I sir; but rather Master Dick and Mistress M’gann. Apparently I have a few apprentices in the kitchen.” Both Bruce and Salina looked up at that before smiling.
“It looks great you two.” Salina said before turning to Conner. “No cooking for you?”
“No.” Conner laughed. “Cadmus gave me a lot of knowledge but cooking was not one of them.” Laughter met this statement and everyone dug into their meal.
"I surrender," The words echoed strangely and sounded wrong coming from her mouth. Artemis didn't like giving up, even if it was just pretend like it was then. But this was different. And she wondered how it all went so wrong.
Dick had walked Artemis to the TUBE to the mountain after school, the two joking the whole way. Conner and M’gann were waiting for him at the Mountain and they were all sleeping over that night.
"Stop the clock." She said, her eyes flickered to Kaldur, and her heart leapt into her throat. Was he…? Was M'gann…? Kaldur rolled over and looked at her with disbelief and Artemis was momentarily relieved that he was still awake until she realized how much effort it must have taken. The archer gulped and her eyes found Dick, in his Robin uniform, he was slowly getting use to wearing it again, until he was sixteen then he’d tell them who his new persona would be.
He was so still and her breath caught when she couldn't tell if his chest was moving. She wanted to rush over there and check but she knew she had to go through with her plan.
Wait just a minute, Dick…Crap don’t give up on us.
Finally, her eyes roamed to Wally and Conner, who were chin deep in water and it was rising fast. Conner was almost feral in his attempt to get to Dick and M’gann. He was outright screaming for them but his eyes were trained on them, somehow managing to get both of them in his sights as he strained to get free. Artemis forced herself to look away and back at the Reds.
Focus, Crock. Artemis held her bow out in front of her and continued walking towards the robots. As soon as she got close, she stared into their red eyes. The male robot (Red Hurricane? Red Water?) Held out his hand and Artemis smirked.
Suddenly, she jumped, kicking Red Hurricane in the chest. The female one (Artemis decided to call her Lady Red- and CRAP she sounded like Robin did- does) blasted a stream of fire at her. Artemis kicked her in the face to avoid the flame; using her as a leverage point to flip backwards and simultaneously drew her metal arrow. She strung it quickly and shot it at the EMP emitter.
She held her breathe as the water completely encompassed Wally and Conner, hoping it would work. Her heart stuttered as Kaldur collapsed again and the arrow hit bull's eye, right under the transmitter. Artemis almost fainted with relief as the thing flared to life. The two robots fell and the water started to recede. The flame prison dissipated and cool air and moisture returned to Kaldur and M'gann.
"Kaldur? How's M'gann?" Conner called out, looking up towards his girlfriend and his teammate. Kaldur pushed himself up and looked down at his Martian friend.
"She breathes. I believe she will recover," Kaldur informed them his chest heaving.
"Are you okay, Kal?" Artemis asked, her eyes wide with worry trying to calm her raring emotions. Kaldur nodded though he laid back down, trying to reclaim his breath.
"Robin!?" Conner cut in, obviously hoping he would answer on his own. No answer came.
“ROBIN!” He tried again panic in his voice as M’gann forced herself to sit up.
“DICK!” She cried in panic. She couldn’t hear him. Couldn’t feel him. Why couldn’t she feel him? She could always feel him and Conner. Artemis' heart stopped.
"Robin!" She exclaimed as she turned around and fell to her knees beside her fallen comrade. The archer placed one hand on his chest as her other hand fumbled around for a pulse. The rest of her team waited with baited breath.
"He's-He's not breathing!" Artemis cried out, her hand clenching the fabric on the Boy Wonder's chest. Horror filled her up, Robin, her little brother Robin, wasn't breathing! He couldn't be dead!
"What?" Wally called out, his voice filled with fear. Artemis' training kicked in and soon she was pumping away at Robin's chest.
"It's not working!" She cried out, as she swooped down on the boy. She felt like she was defiling him as she pinched his nose and blew hard into his mouth but she knew it was the only way she could possibly save him. This process was repeated several times over and Artemis was beginning to become frantic until finally, Robin sputtered up water. Artemis turned his head to the side so that he wouldn't choke on it as it left his lungs.
The Boy Wonder glanced around the room and looked at her before giving her a shaky grin,
"Way to get traught." He coughed once again and started wheezing.
"Don't say anything, moron! You were-you weren't breathing…" Artemis trailed off, her eyes tearing up before she threw her arms around the acrobat, "Don't scare us like that again; got it?" She scolded, crying into the younger boy's chest.
"Yes, ma'am," He replied with a tired grin.
"What she said!" Wally threw in, his voice filled with relief. Robin tried to sit up but ended up falling back with Artemis catching him.
"Are the others okay? Where’s Con…Where’s M’gann…” He asked, turning to throw a worried glance at M'gann and Kaldur (who was still struggling to regain his regular breathing, but not as bad as before).
“We’re okay birdy!” Conner called, offering the only comfort he could.
"I think you were the worst off, my friend," Kaldur told the young teen. Robin shrugged like he hadn't been dead for a whole two minutes.
"You don't look too good yourself, Kal," The Boy Wonder grinned. Kaldur gave the barest hint of a smile and pushed himself to his feet.
"Umm, should you really be doing that?" Artemis asked, her brow crinkling in worry. The Atlantean shook his head and pulled M'gann to a standing position. The two hobbled towards the stairs and Artemis groaned. Robin started struggling in her arms, wanting to join them. Artemis sighed, knowing she couldn't stop any of her extremely stubborn teammates and opted to help the youngest up.
The blonde half walked, half carried the Boy Wonder down the steps (though she was sure he wouldn't admit it later). When they got to the bottom they saw M'gann sitting on the ground leaning up against the still bound Conner and Kaldur leaning against the wall. Robin hobbled over and all but collapsed into M’gann’s arms breathing heavier now that he was safe.
“I…” M’gann shushed him quietly speaking in Martian that Conner and Robin obviously knew. Wally brightened up considerably when he saw Artemis set Robin on the floor.
"Robin!" Wally cried out, "You're alive!"
"Course I am," Robin grinned, leaning against Conner’s bound legs heavily, "A little water isn't going to hurt me." Instead of agreeing like Robin expected Conner was the one to answer anger in his voice.
"Don't say stuff like that! You were dead for like two minutes!"
"Only two minutes though," Robin rolled his eyes.
"That's too long Dick! You know that," Conner Growled angry that he was useless, angry that he couldn’t help, angry that he couldn’t hold them. M’gann touched his mind softly letting him feel her’s and Dick’s in a mental linkup that was more emotions than anything.
He felt their fear, their pain, but most of all he felt their relief that they still had each other and him. That they were still together and that’s all they cared about. For now; he huffed looking down. Robin's face softened and Artemis had the urge to look away.
"I'm fine, Con, thanks for worrying though." The Boy Wonder grinned again and the Kryptonian flushed.
"Well, Robin's doing better and so is M'gann, so what about you, Kal? You've been quiet," Wally called out to his leader. The Atlantean looked up in surprise.
"I am doing fine, I wasn't in as bad shape as M'gann and Robin," Said acrobat snorted.
"You still look like a breeze could knock you over," He snarked but instead of being offended Kaldur smiled, knowing that that was a Bat's insane way of saying 'You don't look so good, get better.'
"Well, now that that is over, how the hell do we get out of this metal prison?" Conner asked.
"A laser?" Artemis suggested before realizing that the EMP wave was still in effect.
"Maybe I can be of some assistance, what has happened here?" A voice came from the Zeta Tubes. They turned to see Red Tornado gliding to them.
"A little visit from your family," Robin said and Artemis huffed.
"You're extremely nasty family!" She exclaimed, glaring at the robot. If Red Tornado had any eyebrows, he would've raised them.
"I was not aware I had relations," He said calmly, floating towards his fellow robots. Red began explaining where he was but Artemis was distracted by Sphere pulling itself out of the hole in the wall and Wolf whimpering over from where the poor wolf had was caged. He obviously wanted to check on his three cubs.
"Hey, boy," Conner sighed.
"The pulse has worn off!" Robin and Wally exclaimed together.
Red Tornado had bent down and barely brushed his finger against Lady Red's before her eyes burned red. Red Tornado turned around and immediately created three tornadoes, sucking the air out of the room before the Team could comprehend what was going on.
The ones who were free grabbed at their throats, Robin collapsing first with M'gann and Kaldur soon after. Artemis' eyes went wide and her gaze met Wally's before she fell to the floor and the boy's slumping in their prison.
It could have been minutes later or it could have been hours when Artemis was shaken awake to find Superman looming over her. She sat up and glanced around the room, gripping her head.
"She's all right," Superman called out as Artemis laid her eyes on Wally and Conner, who at this point were nearly out of the metal binds. Kaldur was slowly being roused by a worried Aquaman and M'gann was leaning heavily against her uncle.
Robin was surprisingly awake also, laughing softly at the look on Wally's face as the laser got closer to his person. Artemis wasted no time in asking,
"Is everyone alright?" Superman looked slightly surprised but he nodded.
"We're cool," Conner called out, though his eyes were fixed on M'gann and Dick and Artemis knew nothing would detour his gaze until he could hold them.
"Well, mostly," Dick allowed himself to smirk as he met Artemis' gaze and glanced back at Wally, who had a frightened look on his face.
"Kal? M'gann?" The archer asked.
"I'll be fine, just tired." M'gann responded, smiling softly.
"As am I," Kaldur agreed, "It is Robin we should worry about." Robin stopped laughing as over half the eyes in the room turned to stare at him, with Batman's being the most piercing.
"Guys, I'm fine," He tried to brush it off; "It was just a little water." The Boy Wonder used Batman's cape to pull himself up and spread his arms out as if to show he was fine. Before he clutched his chest harsh powerful coughs racking his small body and he started to collapse again; but Conner growled and used his super strength to shatter the rest of the metal and caught him with M’gann kneeling beside them her hands cradling his face coaching him through his breathing.
"Because drowning is 'just a little water'." Wally smarted off when Robin calmed himself, though he noticed that Dick’s, because Robin was being relinquished to the boy, only snuggled into Conner’s warmth. Batman's eyes narrowed,
"Explain." He commanded glaring at the group and Artemis realized the others must not have been awake much longer than she had. The archer wanted to answer but the Dark Knight's glare made her want to keep the information from him in fear of what he would do if he found out what happened. It was Wally who finally answered with,
"This idiot decided it would be a good idea to nearly drown."
"But I didn't drown," Robin pointed out and Wally huffed.
"Uh, actually, you kinda did. I'm pretty sure not breathing counts as drowning." The redhead reprimanded and Robin stuck his tongue out at him.
"He wasn't breathing," Batman said in a low voice, his gaze trained on his protégé.
"I'm fine!" Dick exclaimed.
"Artemis had to administrate CPR for two minutes before he finally started breathing again." M’gann whimpered kissing Dick’s temple. Batman had gone still and the room had gone silent before suddenly, the Dark Knight swooped over and scooped up his partner. The rest were slightly surprised when Conner and M’gann allowed this; but they only shot to their feet to follow the Dark Knight’s lead.
"Hey!"
"I'm taking him to the Medical Bay in the Watchtower, and I’m calling your mother Dick." Batman told his colleagues as he swept towards the Zeta Tubes Conner and M’gann hot on his heels. Artemis would've laughed at the sight of Robin being cradled like a little kid, and having the trained assassin’s mother brought into this sounded even funnier to her, if the scenario wasn't so serious.
A hand on her shoulder startled her out of her thoughts. She looked behind her to see Green Arrow looking at her with concern.
"Will he be okay?" Wally asked, breaking the silence. Flash sped to his nephew's side and swung an arm around his shoulder.
"I'm sure he'll be fine, kiddo, he probably just needs some rest," The Scarlet Speedster told his sidekick. Wally looked far from reassured but let it go for the moment.
"Now," Martian Manhunter cut in, "You all need your rest."
"I want to know if Robin is okay!" Wally exclaimed with Artemis nodding along with him.
"You are all tired and it's been a long day for you all, get some rest. Asphyxiation causes lethargy and you all need your rest. You shall report the full events when you wake up tomorrow and then you can check on Robin." The older Martian explained, picking up his own niece.
"He's right, you know," Green Arrow said, guiding Artemis towards to Zeta Tubes.
"But what about the Mountain? And Red Tornado?" Wally burst out and Flash ruffled his hair.
"Leave that to us," And with that, the two blurs disappeared from the Mountain. Green Arrow continued to steer Artemis towards the tubes with Aquaman and Kaldur right behind them.
"Oh, before we get ahead of ourselves," Black Canary spoke up for the first time and Artemis just then realized she was there. “Your mom said you are to be look after tonight so you’re staying with us.” The blond only nodded. She didn’t want to worry her mom.

From here, everything returns to the television version until now: Agendas.

Alfred had long gotten used to seeing his younger charges asleep in the same bed. He found it amusing they had stopped caring after the first night if he saw them. M’gann even went along making her bed before she joined Conner and Dick. Though it worried him that Dick didn’t even touch his own bed before he climbed into bed with Conner and M’gann.
“Perhaps it’s us that are getting it wrong here.” Selena said as she sipped on a cup of tea as Bruce looked out the window and Alfred dabbled with the pie.
“In what way?” Bruce asked looking at her.
“Think about it. They’ve been together for thirty-two years. Would you be able to sleep anymore without me at your side, and we’ve only been married for five.”
“That’s true.” Bruce sighed. “But I want them to have separate rooms still.” Alfred and Selena looked at him confused and Bruce gave a wry smile.
“It’s a must in all couples that they have their own space. I have the cave; though you help when there’s a need for a thief, and you have your art room. For now, since they’re only teenagers, again anyway, and this will give them some quiet.”
“True sir.” Alfred allowed. “Now; enough talk about things that really aren’t to do with us. Young Master Dick arrived in February sir. And Young Master Conner and Mistress M’gann at 3 months ago. This is to be our first Thanksgiving. If you don’t mind I have much to prepare.” Selena and Bruce smiled at each other and nodded.
“Okay Alfred. We’ll get out of your domain.” He promised raising his hands in defense. Selena only laughed as she left the kitchen.
M’gann was humming to herself as she got dressed. Well’ changed her clothes since they were synthetic. She admitted to herself she missed dressing like Megan. The movie character that had given her so much hope as a child. Though she didn’t need to after Conner and Dick learned that she was truly a White Martian. Dick had looked at her and smiled saying that if she could handle him being an assassin why would he care if she was a White Martian.
Conner had risen and eyebrow and said he knew when they mind melted battling Simon. So now she went through magazines for the fun of it and giggled when she chose a short hairstyle, as if someone had cut off her ponytail, a pair of black slacks and a green turtle neck made of soft Egyptian cotton. She couldn’t make jewelry, but that was okay. She searched through the shoes smiled when she came to a pair of boots that came to the ankle and had a slim spike for a heel.
“Milan. And Romano Ricci. Nice choice.” Dick’s amused smile whispered into her ear as his arms snuck around her waist a hand resting on each thigh.
“Morning love.” M’gann giggled.
“Morning. Conner’s grumbling in the closet. Even after all these years he hates it when we buy him clothes in bulk.”
“I just think it’s pointless.” Conner said walking out in a pair of black jeans and a black button up silk shirt. M’gann’s mouth watered a little at the sight of her taller lover in a shirt that seemed to define his muscles, and the darkness of the clothes and his hair seemed to make his eyes glow with their blue color.
“You look lovely.” M’gann said smiling turning to see Dick and she had to take a deep breath before she jumped them both. Where Conner was dressed as a dark angel Dick was wearing a pair blue jeans, and a dark royal blue sweater with a V neck; Dick hated anything around his neck it made him claustrophobic, and his hair was bushed back but still a little fly away. Dick took the magazine from M’gann and flipped through it a second and smiled.
“When we go out add this to the ensemble.” He said pointing to a knee length beige swede jacket with a belt.
“Oh, pretty.” She said and the coat appeared seconds later. She twirled around for her boys who smiled.
“Perfect.” They said at the same time. 
“Boys, M’gann…” Selena said walking in and stopping. She saw what M’gann was wearing and smiled.
“Okay, now I’m jealous. Instant fashion show.” She said gushing over the clothes.
“Love, you only have to go down the street to get them.” Bruce said amused at his wife. Selena rolled her eyes.
“Men. No sense of fashion. Now; you three look so dashing.”
“It is Thanksgiving. We try on holidays. Ooh. Will Alfred let me help in the Kitchen?” M’gann asked excitedly. “I always make holiday meals.” Selena laughed as she straitened M’gann’s hair like a mother would do for a child and patted her cheek.
“I’m sure he won’t mind. What do you two usually do?” Bruce said and Dick’s face lit up.
“The kids and us….” He stopped short as if he had cursed someone without meaning to. He covered his mouth refusing to look at Bruce and sunk into Conner’s chest when he wrapped is arm around him.
“Dick?” Selena asked and almost gasped when the boy flinched.
“Dick; what happened?”
“I…”
“We didn’t…tell you everything.” M’gann said sadly. “We’ve been trying to forget. To move on. To pretend that part never happened.”
“But we can’t.” Conner said closing his eyes in sorrow.”
“What?” Selena asked.
“We had kids. Not our own!” Dick said blushing at the looks Bruce and Selena were giving him. He was thirteen, they didn’t want to think he was…yeah. No.
“We found them. Jason, Tim, Damian, Terry, Matt, Match. Terry and Match were clones like me. Terry was created by your blood, being injected into a man so he’s more your son than his by birth, but his younger son Matt wasn’t, and Match was the first attempt with Superman. Damian was your son biologically.
"Thalia Al Ghule said she drugged you, and…” Dick gulped not wanting to think of the man he thought of as father to go through that.
“Yeah, and Damian was the result. She had trained him to be an assassin like me. I was able to help him because I knew how he really felt, though he tried to hide it by acting superior, but in the end he was just a scared little boy.”
“We were mismatched; but…we were happy.” M’gann said sadly. Conner looked away.
“Can we not talk about it?” He asked as Dick started to tremble. Selena and Bruce looked at each other worriedly but nodded.
M’gann and Alfred found they had a kinship in the kitchen. It was calm and peaceful, save for the light conversation the two shared and the soft laughs. M’gann enjoyed sharing stories of her time with Dick and Conner and Alfred seemed to enjoy listening to her. Right now she was telling about the time she tried to cook with Conner before they had met Robin.
“And then Conner was covered in flower and eggs and just stood there. We were both too shocked to move for a minute and then Red walked in and he panicked for some reason and sat on the couch still covered in the stuff.”
“My word.” Alfred chuckled at the tale.
Outside Wolf was chasing Conner and Dick was trying to catch wolf who had stolen their baseball with Bruce laughing at them
good-naturedly with Sphere rolling around happily.
“Come one Wolf! Give it back!” Dick shouted as he made a lunge for the enhanced wolf but the K-9 only gave a huffing laugh of a bark and dodged. Conner laughed as he tried to close in but Sphere rolled in his way.
“Traitor!” He shouted happily when suddenly his eyes widened and he covered his ears as he fell to his knees.
“Conner!” Dick screamed rushing to his side. 
“Urgh.” Conner muttered as he looked to the sky.
“It’s…its Luthor. He’s got some transmitter that only Superman can here, but he’s off world right now. He’s telling me to meet him in Metropolis.”
“What does that old bald headed Drama Queen annoyance want?” Dick spat out holding Conner’s shoulder.
“I don’t know. But I should go.”
“WHAT?!” Dick asked.
“Dick, Luthor doesn’t know about you and M’gann. Or Bruce. If I don’t go, he could find out. And he could make a connection. It’s just until we can come up with a cover story. Of why I’m living with Bruce Wayne.”
“I don’t like it.” Bruce said walking up and putting a hand on Conner’s shoulder. “It’s not safe.” Conner nodded worriedly.
“I know. Believe me I know.” He bit his lip before his eye widened. “I need to speak to M’gann.” He said rushing into the house with Dick and Bruce right behind him. Wolf followed with a whine as Sphere rolled off to the cave to recharge.
“M’gann.” Conner said opening the kitchen door. She turned around her smile fading at the sight of his fear. She turned to Alfred setting the pie she was making down.
“Alfred can you finish this?”
“Of course Miss.” Alfred said his professional face never veering. “Should I fetch the uniforms.”
“Not yet Alfred.” Conner said leading the three other heroes to the den. Conner took a deep breath and turned to M’gann.
“M’gann, I need you to look into my mind. Make sure he doesn’t have something on me.”
“Like what? A secret?” Dick asked confused.
“No. like a…a suggestion. A code or something. I’m still a clone; and even though I have Thirty-two years of experience; we never once wondered if Cadmus put a suggestion into me.” M’gann covered her mouth in shock.
“He’s right. And if Luthor is confident enough to contact him he must have a plan.” He subconsciously put his arm around Dick and M’gann took a deep breath while Conner sat in a chair. M’gann put hands on either side of Conner’s head her eyes glowing white before she blinked. 
“There’s only one. A trigger word. It must have been all they had time for before you were rescued. It’s a fails safe system. In case you get out of hand. You’ll lock up and be almost stone.” Conner flinched while Dick growled.
“Since it’s only a trigger word, I can get it out. Easily. Word triggers are easy for me because all I have to do is disconnect the word from the command. It’s not even intrusive. Thankfully.” Conner looked at her for a second.
“Do it.” He said confidently and trustingly. He knew M’gann would never do anything to him. She closed her eyes again and this time they glowed red. A second later Conner felt something snap inside his head before everything fell back into place. He felt no different than before, and looked around.
“Is it done?”
“Yes. It’s done. Like I said; all I did was disconnect a word form a command. Like erasing it from a sentence in pencil.”
“Con? Be careful?” Dick pleaded. Conner only smiled reassuringly.
“I’ll always come back birdy.
“All right. We have to play this right. We can’t let Luthor know Batman has taken an interest in him. But right now we have an advantage. He think’s your still at the cave, with no mentor to care if you leave or not.”
“The ship can make sure we’re not seen.” M’gann said but she was wringing her hands together. Dick on the other hand was clutching his elbow harshly. Bruce saw this and gently pried the fingers away and pulled Dick close.
“Dick, clam down son. I won’t let anything happened you, M’gann, or Conner. You’re my kids Dick. I won’t let anyone take you. Not even Superman if he ever gets his head out of his ass.” That got a small chuckle from the boy.
“Then it’s settled. I’ll go.” Conner said thought he too was afraid. Conner landed under a bridge in the middle of Metropolis to find Luthor waiting in a limo smoking a Cuban cigar. It amazed him that Lex Luthor was rich, like Bruce, but where people called Bruce a playboy before he met Selena he was nothing like this tycoon.

Where Lex flaunted his money, not wanting to be caught dead near a ‘poor person’s’ place Bruce used his money to help the community. Helping buildings that need repair, sending children to schools. The difference in such a similar upbringing was astonishing.
“What do you want?” He demanded with a scowl. Luthor only smiled dangerously at the teen and opened the door to the limo.
“Hop in Superboy.” He said invitingly.
“What? No candy?” Dick asked sarcastically through the mind link. Conner had to agree.
“Look, I know I’m only four months…technically, but seriously? Even the freaking Martian Manhunter; who’s not even FROM EARTH would say never get in a car with strangers. Or Mafia as the case may be.” He said crossing his arms and trying to scowl like he had seen Batman do.
“Not bad.”
Batman said from the ship. Conner almost smiled.
While he was used to Dick and M’gann praising him, treating him like an equal he had never heard that paternal sound of pride. It was new; and Conner decided he liked it. His thoughts were interrupted by Luthor chuckling.
“True my boy, but we’re hardly strangers are we?” Conner was confused for a second.
“Oh no.” M’gann said. “I read his mind. Conner; his DNA was used to make you. You’re half his son and half Superman’s. You’re not a true clone. You’re like Terry.” A greasy wave of nausea flooded Conner’s stomach. Luthor? Was his dad? He was going to hurl, how could he stay with his lovers when he was a danger. He winced when he felt an internal slap to his brain.
“Shut up Conner. Who cares who your dad is? Artemis’ dad is Sportsmaster in case you’ve forgotten, and my freaking Great Grandfather was the leader of the Court of Owls before he died. HE was the one that chose me to be a Talon. Blood means nothing. It’s what you do with the life given.” Shock and gratitude flooded Conner in the next second and he took a deep breath. Bruce hadn’t said anything but Conner could feel his acceptance over the link.
“So what do you want? Why did you call me?” He asked folding his arms again.
“My dear boy I only wanted to meet you. Tell me; what would you do if I told you Cadmus had another clone. Two actually.” Fear entered Conner’s heart stopped as images of Match and Terry entered his brain. The boys were defenseless when they found them. Match’s brain was underdeveloped and he had only been taught that he hated Superman. Nothing else. He growled.
“I would let them go. Give them a life.”
“Conner. This can’t be happening!” Dick shouted fear and panic saturating his thoughts. “That wasn’t real. They…why…” Conner heard his breathing accelerated and he was worried. Dick was usually strong, shutting off his emotions until they were safely back at their house, or somewhere where he could lose it with them nearby.
He himself had forced himself to forget their sons, it was too painful, but he should have known that Dick wouldn’t. That he would open a wound in his heart and nestle their memory into it refusing to ever let it close.
M’gann would put them into her memory, remembering them but moving on.
Dick had had so many people in his life torn away and he never forgot. To forget would abandon them, and he refused to do that.
He knew all too well what it meant, what it felt like to be forgotten. To be shoved into a dark place and left like an old teddy bear a child had outgrown. He felt Bruce enclose his son in his arms, he heard the whispered mutters, but since he was talking Conner couldn’t hear what was said. He didn’t know what was going on, but he steeled himself and glared at Luthor. This man was hurting his family, and he never allowed that to happen without reproductions.
“I will get them out.” He said and stormed away.
“My dear boy, I only wish to help.” Luthor said with a honey sweet voice, but Conner could all but hear the verbal arsenic coating each word. He held out a box and Conner took it curiously. He opened it and raised an eyebrow at the black shields that lay inside.
“Those are to enhance your Kryptonian powers. A…peace offering. To help if the clones give you any trouble.” Conner suppressed a growl clenching his fists. He glared at the man all but spitting out his words.
“I don’t want. Or need your help Luthor. I may not be acknowledged by Superman but that doesn’t mean I’m going to go like a good little clone to the first person who pretends to care.” He said and jumped to get away from the man that sent slime down his spine.
He arrived at Cadmus where M’gann and Robin were waiting for him in the shadows.
“Is it possible? But how? Dick asked through link. They knew Luthor was watching somehow. He had cameras all over Metropolises. Which was why Batman was still in the ship watching over them protectively; ready to intervene only if he really had to.
“I’m not sure. I’m sure we can come up with theories until we’re old but we may never know.” He said. “What happened to us wasn’t normal. By any means. We just have to accept that.” Robin and Ms. Martian nodded and stormed Cadmus. Again. Robin wasn’t sure why he was so surprised to look into the two faces he saw. To see the sleeping forms of his two eldest sons.
Even in hyper sleep, Match was restless, his mind in pain. Terry was in a fetal position, arms over his shoulders as if he fell asleep cold and lonely. He touched the glass to their cages tears welling up in his eyes, but he refused to let them fall. To let Luthor know how much he was hurting them, helping them in his sick twisted way.
“We can’t wake them up here. There’s no telling what Cadmus put into their minds. We need to have Martian Manhunter sift through their minds and fix any damage.” He said as if he really were just talking about Clones. As if he didn’t care but his eyes never left the boys. He was slightly surprised to find they were only eleven. Like they weren’t fully developed yet. They were growing them slower than they had Conner.
“Will Batman let us use his cave?” M’gann asked looking at the boys. “To make sure the rest of the team isn’t in danger in case their violent.”
“Maybe. I’ll contact him once we’re in the ship. Superboy. Help us get them to the ship?” Conner nodded and gently, carefully disconnected the pod, keeping the sleeping boys from being jostled.
“Hold on boys. We’ll get you home and safe.” He whispered and glared at the shocked as hell Guardian. He felt Luthor’s glare on him. This wasn’t going like he had planned. Conner knew he was expecting him to jump the gun. Come alone, wake Match up and then put him back on ice because he was dangerous. Not come with Ms. Martian and Robin who was still a mystery to the world.
To take their advice and take the clones.
Conner smirked evilly when he heard Luthor curse him out.
“Up yours Luthor.” He thought with a little satisfaction. M’gann was already checking over Match and Terry while Batman looked at his clone blinking in shock. “He…it is unreal.”
“He’s real.” Dick said kneeling next to the boy’s pod. His urge to open it was overwhelming but neither of these boys could handle the sudden burst of life. So he only knelt between them and watched over them protectively.
Bruce was worried.
Dick had hardly left the cave the entire week. J’onn was on an assignment, with Superman ironically enough, and he was starting to get snippy. Oh not anything noticeable but to a bat. He’d glare at anyone that made him leave, save for M’gann. Conner only smiled indulgently and actually egged him into a fight. Afterward he’d just smile and asked if Dick felt better. On the verge of crying Dick would leap into his lap and refuse to move until he fell asleep. That had happened just a few minutes ago.
“It’s overload.” Conner said quietly as he rubbed Dick’s back. “He’s on pare with M’gann for them.”
“What’s overload?” Bruce asked concerned.
“You know he was raised to be an assassin. Having saved him.” Bruce nodded. “But what you weren’t around for, was his coping mechanisms. That drink he drank was keeping him alive, but that doesn’t mean taking him off the harmful stuff taught him how to handle the emotions that were being stunted. When he gets overloaded with on particular emotion he can’t access the others. His worry was overwhelming so I egged on a fight to get annoyance into him and once he calmed down; he wakes up as it were.” Bruce nodded looking at his sleeping son and sighed.
“I have messed up so much with him.”
He said running his fingers through his hair.
“I never meant for this to happen. I only wanted him away from the Court. Letting him be Robin, after he chose his name of Richard Wayne, was only to let him know he could fight without killing. This was never supposed to happen.”
“I…I would thank you actually.” Conner said looking at the man before him. “You don’t know what introducing Dick to M’gann and me has done for us.” Bruce looked at him questioningly and Conner smiled.
“I was so lost Bruce. I was created thinking Superman was all the world really consisted of. When he rejected me…I had no idea what I did wrong. Then I was shoved into a huge world where nothing made sense.
The things I knew the names of, and a few I didn’t, were suddenly in front of me, and I could touch them, feel them. But…I was drowning. I had no idea what I was doing. If I wasn’t good enough would you all send me back to my pod. ‘Sorry kid you’re just not good enough’, and I’d be alone, in darkness again.” Conner closed his eyes trying to chase off the fear he felt.
“Conner.” Bruce said putting a comforting hand on the boy’s shoulder.
“I will NEVER let you be put back into a pod ever again. You will always have a place in my home son.” Conner smiled at Bruce relieved and Bruce finally thought he hadn’t messed up much with that fake mission.
“Bruce. I need to talk to you. Now!” Selena called from the top of the stairs. She sounded worried. 
“I’ll go check.” He promised. And Conner kept holding their bird.
“Selena what’s the matter?”
“It’s real. It’s all real!” Selena said a tad frantic. “When you confessed to me last week that Thalia did indeed…” She closed her eyes in such anger and murderous intent Bruce pulled her close hugging her tight.
“It was only my body love. You own my heart. Always.” Selena closed her eyes taking a few deep breath.
“Bruce I went looking for all the names they gave us. They’re real. Jason is in the system because his mother is a junkie and…oh Bruce we have to get him out of there quick. Matt is real too. His name is Mathew McGinnis. He’s only three and in an orphanage. It’s horrible Bruce. These poor boys. Tim is Timothy Drake he LIVE’S a few miles down the road.”
“How are you finding this out?” Bruce asked confused.
“I told M’gann it might make Dick feel better if he had pictures of the rest of the boys so she drew them. Then I used your facial recognition code to find them. They’re real Bruce. Oh Bruce what if that bitch has a son with you? She’s the head assassin for an organization. What if she plans to raise your son like that?! It…I can’t. I hate her. I hate her so much, but it’s only a baby Bruce. It had no choice to be born. No say.” Bruce saw she was really scared about this. Scared and confused and unsure so he pulled her close running his fingers through her hair.
“Shh. My love. It’s okay. I’ve got you. I’m here. I love you Selena. I love you so much. You chase the darkness away for me. After I met you I was Batman not because I HAD to be, but because I CHOSE to be.”
“What are we going to do?” Bruce led his wife to a couch and sat down calming them both down.
“Sir. I heard a commotion.” Alfred said walking into the room and Bruce looked at his oldest friend.
“Alfred. We need two fingers of Brandy. If you don’t mind. And we need to talk.” Alfred looked a little concerned but walked to the left side bookshelf and opened a secret compartment in a globe and got the alcohol and handed the glasses to the two.
“If I may sir. What seems to be the trouble?” Selena told him what she had told Bruce, but managed to stay calm this time. While Alfred only blinked in shock.
“My word.” He said.
“My thoughts exactly Alfred.” Bruce said taking a deep breath. “We need to decide what to do.”
“Bruce. You know my background. I CAN’T abandon children. Especially a three year old and a newborn. I can’t.”
“Okay. Okay; we’ll bring them home. Dick, Conner, and M’gann will be with Match and Terry. We’ll bring the boys home.” And they all agreed. Jason ran through the alley breathing harshly. He was six, he wasn’t supposed to be running from junkies. He knew this, but his only other way of life was from a dream. A far away dream that would never…
“Leave. The boy. Alone.” A dark menacing growl pierced through the night sending familiar chills down Jason’s spine and he turned around slowly his eyes almost shooting out of their sockets. There, towering over him and the man, was the freakin’ Batman. Jason gulped, and the man ran away.
“Hi.” Jason said with a slight tremor.
“Hello Jason. I’ve been looking for you. There’s someone who would love to see you again.” Jason was confused but you don’t argue with the Batman. So he got into the Batmobile and flew off.
The cave was so cool. But to Jason the problem was; it was so familiar. He looked around blinking at the dark cave; and his heart stopped when he saw three VERY familiar figures sitting between two beds.
“MOM! DA! PA!” He screamed and rushed forward. They were startled sure, but M’gann jumped from her seat and caught the boy in her arms holding him tight.
“Jason. You’re here. You’re real.”
“Jaybird!” Dick yelled and tackled the both of them kissing Jason’s head.
“Da! That’s embarrassing. I’m six not a newborn!” He said his cheeks and ears red. Dick only laughing letting Conner have his turn.
“We told you son. You can be 106 and we’ll still think of you as a baby.” He said and Jason giggled before he turned to the two pre-teens on the infirmary beds.
“Match. Terry!” He said happily and jumped onto Terry’s bed.
“Hey squirt. Been wondering when you’d get down here to bug me.” Terry said but Jason saw he was tired. And laid down next to him closing his eyes and resting his head on his shoulder.
“Night Ter. Night Match.”
“Night squirt.” Terry said a tired smile on his face.
“Night annoyance.” Match said, but the smile in his voice was so obvious.
Dick, Conner, and M’gann almost jumped on Bruce to say thank you. He only smiled.
“Three down, three to go.” He said.

Matt was three. But he was smart. He remembered having a big brother. Or at least an older boy that liked to hold him when mommy was really busy. And at night for the past three months, he’s been remembering strong but gentle hands, a soothing voice, and warmth he thought he’d never feel again.
“Mathew.” The matron of the orphanage said making him look up. He didn’t like this person. She talked roughly with him, and sometimes pushed him around. But he got up just the same.
“A family found your brother. You’ll be going with them now.” She said and he could hear the disgust in her voice. Hearing his brother was there had him running down the hall his tattered clothes letting the breezy air in but he didn’t care.
He stopped at the door to the office and froze.
“Matt!” Terry said getting up slowly, like he was stiff. Matt didn’t wait. He rushed over wrapping his arms around his brother’s waist. 
“Tewa. You okay.” He said sobbing a little into his brother’s black shirt.
“I’m okay Mattie. I’ve got you.” Terry said lifting the three year old into his arms and resting him on his hip.
“Matt. This is Mr. and Mrs. Wayne. they’re going to take us in now.” Matt looked at the kindly smiling man and waved shyly from his brother’s arms.
“Hi Mister.” The man chuckled as he wife stepped forward.
“Hi Matt. I’m Selena. And I’ve come to give you a new home and a new dad and mom.” Matt’s brain seemed to make him blink for a second that she didn’t say SHE was going to be the new mommy. But he kept quiet and nodded.
It took an hour for all the paperwork to be signed and filed and the whole time Terry sat in the chair with Matt in his lap.
“Mom and Da and Pa are waiting for us at home Twip.” He whispered the insult with such affection Matt knew it was really just a pet name. Matt wasn’t sure who they were, or where the rush of excitement came from but he only nodded and kept his thumb in his mouth.
The drive was silent with Matt looking out the window in awe at the city. The mansion was huge and the tot oohed and awed at it before the door opened and three people walked down the stairs. He blinked at them before he broke away from Terry.
“Mommy! Da! Pa!” He screamed running as fast as his little toddler legs would let him. He tripped, but before he could hit the ground a pair of strong arms lifted him into the air letting him see black hair and blue eyes and a muscled chest that he KNEW was a good place to nap against.
“Pa!” He said wrapping his small arms around Conner’s neck hugging tight. The Kryptonian only chuckled and hugged back. When they separated Matt reached for Dick neck.
“Da!” He demanded.
“Hey Little Bat. How’s my boy?” Dick asked but Matt paused from giving him the same greeting he had given Conner. He reached up and touched the tear that was rolling down his face.
“Why you Cry Da? You sad?”
“No Little Bat. I’m just so happy you’re home I’m crying a little in relief.” Matt nodded as this made sense and hugged his Da as hard as he could then reached for M’gann.
“Mommy!” He said happily and M’gann wasted no time in claiming her second youngest son.
“Oh Mattie. I was so worried. Did those people hurt you? Are you okay?” Matt giggled and patted her shoulder.
“I okay mommy. I home!”
“Sure are little Twip.” Jason said leaning against the staircase with Match sitting on the last step. Matt gasped in delight and wiggled down toddling over to the two older boys.
“Jay-bird. Mat-CH. I miss you.” Matt said.
“Okay you caught me. I missed you too.” Jason said hugging the little boy and he turned to Match hopefully.
“Of course I did Little Bat. Now come here.” He said and held out his hands. Matt wasted no time in charging into them. Then he looked around. 
“Where Tim and Dami?” He asked looking around like he expected the two to jump out and try and scare him.
“They’re not here yet. But we’ll get them. Damian is only a baby right now so we have to be really careful when he comes home.” M’gann said and Jason snorted.
“Yeah. Be careful with Demon spawn? That’ll be easy.”
“Jason.” Conner said with a slight warning in his tone but Jason shrugged.
“Come on Pa. You know the kid is half evil.” Conner rolled his eyes while Dick picked Jason up.
“Well; we’re getting him early. If you help out we can show him earlier that he CAN be good. Wanna try?” Jason’s five year old senses took over and smirked proudly.
“Yeah.” Dick smiled proudly.
“That’s my little wing.” He said holding the boy tightly then he looked at Bruce. “Oh, and speaking of Wings….I wanted to talk to you when you got back.” He said and Bruce nodded.
“What’s up Dick?” He asked once they were a little ways away from the others. 
“I know this is huge for you and mom.” Dick said looking down and Bruce smiled ruffling the fourteen year old’s hair.
“Dick, Selena and I talked about this. We were the ones that found Jason first. We’re…to be honest we’re excited about this. We thought…” He looked behind him took Dick into the office up the stairs. He sat on the couch rather than behind his desk. “We thought we’d never have kids honestly. Selena can’t have them.” Dick looked surprised at that.
“I’m sorry dad.” He said.
“Well; it worked out didn’t it? It got better when I found this willful child that was being forced to be an assassin; but it turned out that he was the son I needed.” Dick looked at him and smiled.
“Dad. I’ve gone a few months as Robin after the Failsafe simulation. But…the cape is getting in my way now. And while I was in the…trance or whatever, M’gann and Conner helped me through a few things. Yes my mother gave me the name Robin but the Court of Owls defiled it. I think…I want…”
“You want to take on the persona you had in your future?” Bruce asked and Dick nodded.
“What was it?” Dick smiled and took out a folded piece of paper and handed it to Bruce. The older man took it and opened the paper and eyed the drawn design of a Kevlar suit, lighter in weight than his Bat suit. It was black with a blue bird insignia on the chest. At the side was the design for a new escrima stick.
“Well. It looks efficient. What the name?” He asked and Dick smirked proudly and straitened his back.
“Nightwing.” He said proudly. And a new legend was born.
Tim was five. He was very smart. Read anything he could get his hands on, and loved puzzles more than anything. But his parents still didn’t want him. He was left alone so much, and he had no idea what he did wrong. All he knew was he wasn’t good enough. He was starting to dread waking up from pleasant dreams. Two dads and a mom, and brothers that, even though they teased him sometimes it was all in good fun.
And he knew, that if he needed them they’d come running. No questions asked. He curled up in his room, in the big house all alone crying. A knock on the door sounded through the hollowed hall, but Tim was forbidden from answering the doors. The door opened startling the little boy and got up and walked down the hall and stopped at the top of the stairs.
“Tim Drake?” A gruff voice asked shocking the little boy.
“Uh huh.” He said unsurely. The man walked up with a little gray in his hair and glasses.
“Hello. I’m Commissioner Gordon. Are you here alone?” Tim nodded.
“Mother and Father are in China…I think.” He wasn’t exactly sure where they were.
“And they left you alone?” He asked though not as surprised as Tim thought he should be.
He only nodded.
“I’m too much trouble to take and no one wants to take care of me.” Tim said shrugging again. This time Commissioner Gordon did show his anger; but quickly squished it out when the boy shrunk a little.
“Tim. That’s wrong; you know that right?” Tim only shrugged. “What if I took you to a new family? You’ll have people who want you around and brothers…”
“I’ll be a burden.” Tim said sadly.
“I promise. You won’t.” Jim said holding out his arms in invitation. Tim cautiously stepped into them and enjoyed the warmth.
They drove to the Wayne mansion and Tim was in awe. He knew Mr. Wayne. He was nice at the parties and he always slipped him candy. His wife was nice too always smiling at him; and it was a real smile. Not the fake smiles his mother gave him in public.
“Thanks for this Jim. My son was playing near the edge of the property exploring and he saw a little boy walk by a window but he knew no one was home. He thought it was a ghost, but I had to make sure nothing was wrong.” Mr. Wayne said shaking the man’s hand.
Jim sighed as he massaged his eyes.
“It was nothing. I’m only glad the kid has somewhere else to go. It would be a shame to put him into the system. Thanks for taking him in.”
“Nonsense. We took Dick in because he had nowhere else to go when Batman rescued him…but…honestly Jim. Taking him in was the best decision Selena and I ever made. We started looking for others who needed our help, and one more won’t hurt.”
“How is Dick getting on? I thought he’d be sent to an asylum after finding out he was raised like that.”
“He’s more resilient that we all thought. He’s finally put on some pounds; though he’s still too skinny. Alfred has him addicted to cookies though.” Jim laughed at that and turned to Tim.
“Okay Tim. This will be your new house; but if you ever need me.” He handed the boy a card with his number on it. Bruce smiled. Jim Gordon hasn’t changed in fifteen years. Bruce still had the small card he had given him the night his parents died tucked away in a small case in the Batcave. Reminding him why he became Batman. Because Batman wasn’t a suit. It was a man, protecting those he could. And he could be anyone. Even someone who gives a newly orphaned kid a coat.
Tim took the card nervously and let Mr. Wayne and Mrs.
Wayne lead him inside. There was a group on the stairs, seemingly waiting for him. His eyes widened and filled with tears before he burst out crying. Dick moved first picking the four and half year old up in his arms rocking him back and forth.
“You’re home Timmy.” He promised.
“Yeah Baby bird. We got ya.” Jason promised and Tim blinked down at him. Though they were only a year apart in age Jason was always so much taller than him.
“I’m going to enjoy this until you get your growth spurt.” He said smiling at his older brother. Jason grumbled good-naturedly and held out his hand for Tim’s.
“Come on. We were watching the Atlantis.”
“Ooh. I like that movie.” Tim said and scampered off with the other kids. 
“Match, be careful!” Conner said laughing at the eleven year old as he scooped Matt up and put him on his shoulder.
“Sure Pa.”
“We got him.” Terry said. The two had decided they were twins this time around and had a habit of finishing each other’s sentences. Jason took Tim and they rushed up the stairs.
“It’s like none of them ever left.” M’gann said shaking her head fondly.
“No, it’s better. We know their childhood will be better.” Dick and M’gann looked at the wistful bird sadly.
“I wish we could give you a better childhood.” M’gann said wrapping her arms around the fourteen year old. Dick blinked in confusion.
“Better? I can’t ask for anything better. I have you, we’re getting our kids back. I have Tati and Momica. I have Alfred. We have the team. M’gann, I wouldn’t ask for anything different if the Genie from Aladdin himself came and offered. Once we get Dami…if he’s real…M’gann…” She smiled and kissed him softly then nuzzled his chin. He didn’t need to say anymore. She knew. They all knew.
The base of R’s Al Ghule was on top of a mountain in the middle of the Himalayas. They were reported to be the greatest assassins in the world.
“And yet; I’m walking around and no one knows I’m here.” Dick thought sarcastically. His disgust for the Al Ghule line was infamous in their mind world as they called it. Ever since they had found Damian the first time he had always given Thalia and Ra’s a harder beating than needed. Hey they hurt his son.
What did people expect him to do?
“Nightwing Focus. You’re coming up to the nursery now.” Batman said over the com and Nightwing nodded and slipped into the door. The room was bare, save for a crib with a curtain over it and weapons on the wall like child’s playthings. Dick was angry. He would make sure the boy had normal toys and hugs and love. He crept to the crib and moved the curtain.
The baby was sleeping. Arms spread out and a pacifier in his lips moving as the baby suckled. Nightwing’s face softened.
“Hey Little D. It’s time to go home.” He whispered lovingly as he picked the baby up. The little boy startled awake blinking a few times staring at Dick with much too intelligent eyes. But he only blinked again and went back to sleep resting his head on Nightwing’s shoulder curling so his head was over his Da’s heart. Yes, he thought. It was time to go home. He would never have to worry about Thalia again. In this life time, he wouldn’t worry, or think about her at all.

M’gann and Conner were waiting in the Nursery when they got home around two in the morning and watched as Nightwing laid the baby down in the crib and turned on the little music box hanging above playing a gypsy tune and turning the dangling stars that hung from it around.
Damian woke up watching the stars for a second then to his momma and Pa and closed his eyes again. His worries were over.
“Welcome home my son.” Conner bent down and kissed him on the head softly.
“Welcome home baby.” M’gann parroted and sent him love through his mind. And they went to bed. As they laid there, in the night waiting for the sun to come up they smiled at each other curling around each other waiting for their older kids to barge in bouncing on the bed like monkeys saying they were awake and wanted to play.
In the next bedroom Bruce and Selena laid awake a little longer. They hadn’t known what was going to happen when they took in a scared little assassin who wanted to be a boy. But they smiled at each other. They wouldn’t change a thing for anything in the world. Ever. Their family was complete.

Three years later:

/Nightwing, Kid Flash, Superboy, Miss Martian. Report for mission briefing.\ Dick and M’gann paused where they were helping Terry with his back flip off of the fly rings. He had progressed a lot in the last two years and he and Jason were on a tie for who were the next acrobats in the family with Damian and Matt learning to Tumble.
Though Matt had been at it for two years was about to step up to Tim’s level who was learning flips and other land acrobatics while Conner was working with Match on his powers. But M’gann still watched the training they did with Dick in case she needed to catch them with her telepathy. Dick took no offense saying it was better safe than sorry. They let M’gann levitate them back to the ground and Dick gave Terry a high five.
“Way to go Terry. Pretty soon you’ll be wearing the Robin costume once again.” Terry’s eyes lit up. They had decided to redo the order from their ‘mind lives’.
Terry would be Robin first, at Thirteen and a half, until he reached eighteen. By that time Jason would be thirteen. Since he and Tim were so close in age, only being a year apart, they had decided that Jason would be Robin until he was sixteen since he actually wanted to be Redhood again, but his dads and mom had said no until his training was finished. Sixteen was their final offer since Dick had become Nightwing at Sixteen.
Jason had grudgingly been okay with that. Tim had decided to wait until he was fifteen to become Robin, and just help out in the tech department when he reached thirteen. By the time he was eighteen Damian would be twelve and Matt would be fourteen. Matt had already shown interest in Terry’s ‘Beyond’ suit he had come up with to look like a bat in honor of his biological father, without tearing a whole in his Da’s heart, so Tarry was working on an outfit for him to be HIS partner instead of a Robin and let Damian be the next in line.
Dick was pulled out of his thought as Terry asked if he was done stretching. Bruce would wait for them to stretch because Dick had told him all the dangers of improper stretching during acrobatics training at their level. He nodded and smiled.
“Okay you’re good to go. Think you can help Matt and Dami with their tumbling? While Clark and Match are on the Island;” (A deserted Island they found with the Satellite, and Superman helped move a Tube too so Conner could train Match. Without too much property damage. Yes Clark got his head out of his ass, but right now he only has partial visiting rights. He’s thought of as an uncle with Match.)
“Tim is still on no acrobatics for the next week since he landed too hard after that stunt you all pulled on the stairs.” Dick’s voice lowered and his eyes narrowed making Terry blush.
“We thought…” M’gann giggled.
“We know sweet heart. But you have to go through the training again. While your minds remember your muscles aren’t nearly developed yet. Just be patient.”
“Yes mamma. I’ll go help the twips with their tumbling in the cave kay?” Dick nodded with a smirk as their oldest son ran off.”
“I swear they’re growing like weeds.” M’gann complained making Dick cackle as they arrived at the briefing room to see Kid Flash and Batman waiting for them.
“I know the feeling.” Batman said with secret smile Wally missed and he went into the mission before Wally knew there was something to notice.
"Rumaan Harjavti is the democratically-elected leader of Qurac," His gruff voice echoing throughout the Cave as he pulled up several pictures on the holographic computer in the mission room. "Harjavti has been praised as a fair, wise leader, a humanitarian." His eyes flickered to the recording that popped up of Bruce Wayne and Rumaan Harjavti shaking hands. "But five days ago, Harjavti allied himself with the dictator of the neighboring nation Bialya, Queen Bee."
"Not a fan." Conner grumbled.
"Few are." Batman didn't miss a step, "But Harjavti suddenly backs Queen Bee's baseless claims that Qurac and Bialya were one nation in ancient times and has announced the countries will reunify in a ceremony in Qurac."
A recording appeared on the screen of Harjavti at the Qurac democratic palace in the country's capital, Dhabar.
"After the ceremony, I will step down as president so that our rightful monarch, Queen Bee, may rule." He narrowed his eyes at the large image of Queen Bee with a dove (the symbol of peace, which was ironic) in the background. Harjavti was going over the top to announce his sudden loyalty to Queen Bee.
The footage switched to Queen Bee in the Royal Palace at Al-Qawiyah (the capital of Bialya).
"I laud President Harjavti for unifying our peoples, and I will gladly come to Qurac to be granted sole leader of our nations." Queen Bee said, smiling for the cameras, but he could tell even through the footage that she had something to do with from her facial expressions and body language.
"And the Quracics are okay with this?" Wally asked, slightly indignant.
"Hardly." Batman told him, bringing up pictures of both peaceful and violent protests, "They're well aware of the brutality of Queen Bee's regime, but Harjavti has censored the press, silenced all legitimate protests, and invited the Bialyan military into his country to enforce martial law."
"Queen Bee could be controlling Harjavti." M'gann offered in thought, "She has the power to enthrall most men."
"And some women." Batman agreed before cutting her idea down, "But not long distance, and we have confirmation she hasn't left Bialya. Something else is at work here. Find out what."
"Nightwing, you're team leader."
"Sweet! Promotion!" Wally cheered.
"We're right above the Quraci-Biaylan border." Miss Martian reported as the bioship flew closer the ground in camouflage mode.
"A border that the Bialyan’s are in the process of ignoring." Kid Flash added, watching as two tanks ran over the fence that marked the border with just over a dozen soldiers. The nearby group of previously grazing wildebeest were startled by the commotion, and began to stampede.
"No opposition." Superboy noted, as the bioship flew in closer, "I guess Harjavti really is in bed with Bialya."
"I wouldn't expect opposition here. It's an animal sanctuary." He noted, before reading closer.
"The Logan Animal Sanctuary?" Miss Martian repeated his thoughts out loud, "Yeah. Guess you get so meet your childhood idol huh?" He inquired with a smile. It was a promise for after the mission. Sure M’gann didn’t look so much like her anymore, but she was still a fan. Unfortunately, Kid Flash interrupted them.
"Guys, the tanks have caused a stampede," He could almost hear Artemis berating the speedster for pointing out the obvious. "With civilians in harm's way!" Okay, she didn't realize that last part.
"I see him. A small boy." Superboy reported, looking out the same window as Kid Flash. A small boy? Alone? “And he’s….green?” Okay….weird.
"We have to help him!" Miss Martian said, and looked at him. Nightwing nodded instantly.
"Deploy, but use stealth mode. If the Bialyans know we're here this causes an international incident." They nodded, and Miss Martian sent the first blow by shooting the tanks with the bioship so that they crashed into each other. Using the smoke as a cover, they quickly departed and began taking down the soldiers so fast that they didn't see or know who was attacking.
[Superboy, Miss Martian, the civilian.] He pointed out that the stampede was about to reach the child.
[On it.] Superboy said, and he leapt into the air to land directly in front of the boy.
Nightwing had to turn away, not able to see what happened next, to sneak behind a soldier and knock him out cold with a chop to the nerve cluster on the back of his neck.'
After he placed the soldier near some of his buddies who were retreating so they could collect him, he made his way silently behind the pair to realize, yes, the boy was green. Okay, so was his wife half the time.
No big deal.
He stared for a second, before asking,
"Are you alright?" just as Kid Flash zoomed next to him, removing his goggles. The boy sniffled from M’gann’s arms looking terrified at them.
“Please don’t hurt me.” He begged tears welling up in his eyes.
“Why would we do that?” M’gann asked calmly trying to calm the boy down.
“B-because I’m different.” He said showing them his tail making them blink. M’gann got over it quicker and smiled brightly.
“Well so am I.” She said turning into her Green Martian form. The kid looked shocked.
“You’re green too!”
“How… uh…” Kid Flash started and the kid looked away.
“My mom saved me. I had Sakutia.” Wally blinked.
“What’s that?”
“A rare disease carried by animals. It turns them green and the only known species said to survive it is the Bialyan monkey.” Nightwing said.
“Yeah. I got it while helping mom in the reserve. She made a cure for me but I stayed green and the cure…lets me morph into animals.” He said the last part lowly as if ashamed.
“That sounds cool.” Conner said reassuringly. “M’gann can turn into other people too. She’s a Martian. By the way what’s your name?
“Garfield. Garfield Logan. My mom owned the reserve before…she died.” M’gann gasped at that.
“You’re by yourself?”
“I have nowhere to go.” Garfield said shrugging rushing to the Oryx.
"We diverted the Bialyan around the sanctuary." Nightwing spoke up, noticing that Garfield was now hugging the Oryx that Miss Martian rescued, who had joined them along with Superboy.
“Come on. Let’s get these animals to the clinic. I’m not in the habit of leaving eight year olds alone with wounded animals.” Nightwing said and M’gann sent him a quiet thank you to him. He smiled. Not only was this boy alone in the world like she was, but he was also the son of the woman she had admired for so long. She felt she owed Marie to help her son. And she smiled as Conner picked up the hurt Wildebeest and Dick, only Dick smiled so softly not Nightwing, talked to Garfield about the Oryx he was leading calming him down as easily as he did his own children. She knew they would help her. They always did.
"Hey! Get it off!" Kid Flash yelled as a small monkey jumped on his shoulder, climbed around on him for a moment, before leaping onto Garfield's shoulder. Except now, the monkey was clutching a prize: Kid Flash's protein bar.
Garfield laughed
"It's okay." He told them, "Meet Monkey." Monkey took a bite of the protein bar, causing Kid Flash to glare at him.
"Good name," Says the guy who named a wolf "Wolf", "but I hate thief monkeys." Superboy told him, but his smile let Garfield know it was a joke. Monkey, sensing the insult, tossed the protein bar which hit the Boy of Steel in the forehead. Superboy glared and growled at the monkey, which screeched back at him.
"Looks like Monkey hates Superboy’s." Kid Flash commented, a smirk on his face, "But Dude - just be glad he only threw a protein bar."
"Humph." Superboy simply crossed his arms and looked away in response. M’gann giggled at him and Garfield took that as a sign that the conversation was over and he continued to lead them into the house. 
“So, you’ve been taking care of this reserve all by yourself?” She asked.
“Yeah. It’s lonely but I have the animals. I’m only afraid of Queen Bee. She’s…the one who killed my mom. Because she wouldn’t tell her how I got my powers.” Before anything else could be said Superboy turned suddenly.
"Wait. Aircraft; headed this way." Superboy ran towards the door, with Kid Flash behind him. He stood,
"Gar, stay put." He ordered. He paused in the doorway, a thought occurring to him as he looked back at the eight year old. Who was blinking at him owlishly having no clue of the danger he was in.
Wait. Eight year olds never follow orders in the beginning. I sure as heck know my sons didn’t. He cursed underneath his breath as he rushed towards the younger boy just as he exclaimed,
"The animals! We have to get them out."
"I'll do that." He assured the boy, knowing that if he didn't, the eight year old would. "Where are the animals?"
"Follow me." Garfield began running towards the back door, but he caught the boy's shoulder and gently turned him back around so they were facing each other once more.
"Tell me where." He expanded on his previous statement.
"The barn." Gunfire sounded from outside. He cursed inwardly once more.
"Okay." He said, thinking quickly before taking out a Wing-Ding, his version of a Bat-a-rang. It was one of his dull ones for when he wanted to hit an actual up close so it wouldn’t hurt the boy. "If you stay here, you can keep this." He told Garfield, whose face lit up as he handed the cape over.
"I'll stay! Promise!" The boy nodded eagerly and he smirked slightly on the inside.
Bribery. Always works. He mused as he turned and opened the door.
He ran towards the barn, managing to open up the door to let all the animals run out without being shot.
Easy. He began to run back towards the house.
That was when the barn exploded. It was thankful that he was a fast runner, being the protégé of Batman and an ex-assassin (he would never get used to the Court giving him anything useful but this was one of those times.), so he managed to get a safe enough distance away that the actual blast only knocked the breath out of him. He hissed as a shard of wood embedded itself in his leg, and another in his back.
Taking a deep breath and blocking out the sounds of explosions, gunfire, and yelling, he concentrated on turning from his position in the dirt and examining the wound. The simple action made him let out another hiss of pain but he managed to accomplish the task.
The debris was lodged in his thigh, and he couldn't just take it without it splintering and causing more damage. Blood was beginning to leak out. He couldn't tell anything about the other wound, but he guessed that it was about the same.
He could feel that there were small pinpricks down the back of his arms and back, but they would just be small splinters - nothing to worry about yet.
He - carefully, so not to further aggravate his wounds - began to move back so that he was lying on his stomach. This way he would minimize blood loss because gravity would be working with him. Plus, he doubted he would be able to get up.
Lying there in the ruins of the barn, a thought came to him.
Garfield. The boy would have been caught in the explosion. He wasn't as fast, as focused as he was. He would have hesitated after releasing the animals, if he had even made it that far before the gas tank was hit.
Thank heaven I remembered eight year olds and orders don’t mix.
"Wing!" In a blur of yellow, Kid Flash was beside him. "Dude - are - you - okay - we - saw - the - explosion - and - oh - my - Gosh - are - you - okay?" Was asked so fast that he could barely make out what the speedster saying. "You're - bleeding!"
"I didn't know that." he mumbled sarcastically, a headache that wasn't there before began throbbing, making it hard to think clearly. "Gar-field?" he asked, stumbling slightly over the name.
"He's fine dude. We found him sitting in the room clutching your wing-ding. What was that about?" Kid Flash asked as he carefully picked him up. He knew he was trying to keep him talking - keep him awake.
"Bribery. Eight year olds...don't do...orders." He muttered sleepily. The wound on his back must have been worse than it seemed. He never remembered closing his eyes.
Consciousness snuck back in silently. The light that seeped through his eyelids and the soft fabric of the pillow beneath his head were his first clues. He let out a low groan as he opened his eyes, still half in the world of sleep, until adrenaline and panic shot through him.
Garfield.
He sat up quickly, not recognizing his surroundings or remembering what had happened at first. He was covered in sweat and was panting, as if he had awoken from a horrible nightmare. It was only when pain arced down his back and his leg and his whole body ached did he remember and lie back down.
His heart was still pounding and his body hurting, but now he was mentally aware and competent. He (much slower and with much more care than before) sat up so he was in a sitting position and looked around the room. Taking stalk of himself.
His mouth was dry and his throat was scratchy, but he ignored the discomfort. As he mentally replayed the events in his mind. His last memory was Wally carrying him carefully before he completely succumbed to unconsciousness.
Is Garfield okay?
"He's fine dude. We found him sitting in the room clutching your wing-ding." Wally told him. That was before he passed out. That meant the boy had taken the bribe. He let out a relieved sigh.
His mental distress was felt by a certain green-skinned telepath. The wooden door soon opened, and Miss Martian to him with Conner seconds behind.
"Nightwing!" Miss Martian cried happily, moving so she was next to him, allowing Superboy, Kid Flash, and a wary Garfield to also enter the room.
As M’gann fiddled with the equipment nearby after making sure her youngest lover was okay (he hadn't even noticed the low-pitched beeping sound of the heart monitor), Kid Flash asked him,
"Dude! Are you alright?" He gave a weak smile with what little energy he had left, "Yeah KF. Feeling the aster."
"You're lucky," Conner spoke up, "You suffered from minor shock, which quickly wore off, surprisingly. You just managed to avoid a full blood transfusion, only needing a plasma transfusion - which is lucky that we keep some plasma in storage on the ship. You needed a total thirty stitches, as well as treatment for other various cuts and bruises." He seemed to be in his protect-mode, her face a serious calm.
"It was touch and go for a while there."
Not the worst I've gotten. Bad, but… An image of Garfield lying among the rubble of the explosion, his body broken and lifeless sent a shiver up his spine.
Could have been worse. He nodded, knowing that he should give some sort of response, his brain was still jumbled after the explosion.
"Thank you." Garfield’s scared voice said softly, gratefulness clear in his voice with the fear. Dick gave the boy a nod and a smile, and reached out ruffling the boy’s hair weakly.
“I got a few kids close to your age myself. Well; their adopted but their still ours.” He said pointing to himself, M’gann, and Conner.

He wasn’t sure why he said that but he felt it was needed. It seemed to make Garfield feel better. Like he understood what even Dick didn’t understand at the moment.
"Thank you, for patching me up. Again." He said kindly to his wife, she gave him a smile, before leaning down and kissing him softly.
“You scared me.” She accused and Dick gave a smirking apology.
“Hey Gar, think you can get Nightwing some water?” At the prospect of doing something useful Garfield ran out of the room so they could talk alone. The silence, at first, was awkward. Miss Martian, Superboy, and Kid Flash shifted uncomfortably, not knowing what to say first and who should say it.
It was Superboy who broke the silence, when he asked, straight and to the point,
"Why'd you do it?" He gave a small shrug,
"If I hadn't, he would have. And if he had…"
he trailed off, the whole room knowing what could have happened if he hadn't gone to let the animals out. It was funny how such a small thing could make such a big difference.
"But you couldn't know that." Kid Flash pointed out. He gave a slight nod, before saying,
"Well, yeah. But I couldn't know that he wouldn't do it the second our backs were turned. I was not going to let an eight year old walk right into the line of fire. Kids don't take orders."
"Don’t we know it?" Miss Martian agreed.
"And on that note. We found out that Psimon has been controlling Harjavti." Kid Flash reported, and he nodded.
"Makes sense." He agreed leaning against Conner who put a protective arm around him, "He's the only one who could influence Harjavti for Bialya, with Queen Bee having an alibi."
"But how can we get him away from Harjavti?" Superboy questioned, making him think for a moment.
"I have an idea." Dick said to his friends as one formed in his mind. He then began explaining it to them, wondering what they would think of it.
[Harjavti's alone.] Nightwing reported, and one by one (him last, since they were worried about his injuries. He's done more with worse but he couldn't fight M’gann’s worried pleads. Man she had him wrapped around her finger) they entered the dark room. Harjavti was simply staring out the window, in a trance like state before he turned to them.
"Where's my daughter?" He asked, emotionless, before he pressed a hand to his head and asked wearily, "Where's Psimon?"
"Forget him. Let's get you out of here." He said to the man, and - of course - it was at that moment Bialyan guards came in with seemingly alien weapons. One man in particular moved so he was at the front of the group.
"Well, well, well, American heroes here to assassinate the president." he tutted, and he was dimly aware of Miss Martian sneaking behind the man in camouflage mode. "Such a shame we arrived too late to stop them." Realization flowed through him.
[Those are Apocolytan weapons.] Superboy reported.
[Which they'll use to kill Harjavti. We get blamed, and Queen Bee gets to rule Qurac.] Nightwing said grimly, moving so he was in a better position to fight. [Form up around the president.]
[I found Psimon!] It was only through their mental link that they was aware that Miss Martian had left the room.
[Wait.] This was not good.
[I'll get her.] Superboy started to move to plow through the soldiers to get to the door.
[No! Rob's injured, and I can't take out all these guys alone. Miss Martian has proven that she can handle herself against Psimon.] Kid Flash told Superboy, and he let some of his annoyance leak through the psychic link. He hated feeling weak.
Before he could properly reply however, the guards began to shoot at them. He nimbly dodged the red discs that were buzzing with electricity. He then leaped over the desk to fend Harjavti from two soldiers who had been preparing to kill him. It was lucky for them that the soldiers seemed to have little practice with alien technology, and that the weapons seemed better suited for an outdoor, open-area combat. Not close combat with people who could fight back.
As he launched a bola at the last enemy, he was briefly aware of a younger woman enter the room and run over to the Quraci president. She bore a notable resemblance to Harjavti.
Must be his daughter.
"Thank you for saving my father." She told them gratefully, confirming his thought, "We will take care of him now." They nodded, and without another word ran out the door to find their missing teammate.
[M'gann, we're coming!] Superboy mentally yelled to the absent Martian girl as they ran down the hallway. One of the doors was ajar and they could see movement inside, so they barged in.
Instantly, a splitting headache erupted in his head and he fell to the ground, yelling in pain along with the Team.
Psimon!
Their yelling soon ceased at they slipped into unconsciousness. He gritted his teeth and forced the pain away. He had experience - too much experience - with Psimon in the simulation. He knew how to counter the quick but brutal brain blast.
"...That’s my family!" M’gann cried angrily and Psimon's cruel laugh, flowed through him.
[Easy baby.] Dick said in his mind making M’gann stop. [Remember his specialty isn’t his psychic ability. It’s his ability to play mind games. Don’t fall for it.]
Psimon said something else, and his vision began to fill with black spots. His head was turned away from the wall, so he couldn't see either M'gann or Psimon anyway.
"No!" M'gann's shout was the last thing he heard before he blacked out.
Slowly, he began to awaken once more. The stitches on his back and leg screamed in protest when he stood, and he was forced to lean on the cracked wall behind him.
"And…there's the headache." Kid Flash groaned as he stood up as well, but his eyes drifted toward the Martian who was helping up Superboy instead of the speedster.
"Psimon?" Superboy asked questioningly. Her face hardened slightly as she hesitated,
"He brain blasted you." She growled, "He noticed Nightwing’s wounds. He was going to make him feel them even worse." She glanced off to the side and he could see a catatonic Psimon lying in the ruins of the room.
“Remind me never to get on your bad side.” Wally joked.
“No. Never attack my family.” M’gann said with a cruel smirk at Psimon. “But since you’re part of it; you don’t have to worry.” They all laughed at that Conner helped Nightwing out.
"Sorry you had to lie to everyone like that, but I couldn't think of any other way to convince the public Queen Bee was behind this." He offered the apology to the Martian girl as she shape shifted back into her normal, green-skinned self.
"Dude! Saving a country. Pretty big accomplishment for your first time as leader." Kid Flash elbowed him in the ribs gently.
"Yeah thanks.” He looked behind them and saw a sad looking Garfield watching them holding Dick’s Wing-Ding. He knew he was about to be alone again. Dick looked at M’gann and Conner who looked at each other and back at Dick.
“Da. Just bring him home already. We already asked Grandpa and Grandma and Alfred is making a room for him.” Tim’s voice said through their Link that was always connected to the Cave. Dick blinked and then snorted. Leave it to their sons to follow their every move. And to be excited about another brother. Dick, being the leader, and with M’gann and Conner’s nods; walked up to Gar.
“Hey; you wanna join the Bat family?” He asked and found his arms full of an eight year old boy. Yep. They had another son.
It was over finally everything was over. It was just time for the aftermath, the aftermath is what Dick wasn't looking forward to. Dick had sacrificed so much to make sure the people he loved were safe. He never wanted to agree with Kaldur's plan to go undercover; he should have fought harder to go in instead of Artemis.
He had to listen to their annoying common sense and give in, to control things from the shadows. Watch as when everything fell apart, loathing himself with every passing day, and feeling like the Talon he had been. The words of Connor when he found out that his husband had lied to them and their wife.
Their children’s worry that their family would be broken up; and the disgusted glares from the others once they found out the plan; adding to his inner pain. The day he knew for sure he was going to hell was the day before the summit with the Light.
The day he made a deal with Deathstroke AKA Slade from his days back with the Talons; the man had been a supporter of the cult and a trainer; to save the people he loved as a family. His wife and husband; and his children. Nothing would stop him from protecting his children. So that day; he made a deal with the devil.
Now here he was, the invasion was over, the league was back and Aqualad was in charge of the team once again. He had saved Wally from disappearing into the speed force, even if the speedster hated him now. He knew what the others thought of him, he was there sitting under their judgmental gazes as they were filled in on what happened in the last months.
He knew what their decision was going to be, he had to leave before they could finalize it. Dick stood up suddenly, pushing the chair he was sitting in with a loud scraping noise.
"What I did, I did it to save everyone I love. I regret agreeing with Kaldur's plan; I regret not going in myself instead of Artemis like I had originally planned. Every deal I made I made to save people I love. Remember that always." Dick said, knowing he had everyone's attention on him.
"I can't ask for anything more than that and I won't… Just…" He shook his head; he reached up pulling his earwig out. He tossed that and his communicator onto the table in front of him. He took a breath and un-hooked his utility belt before setting it before him. He heard Tim and Garth gasp as they realized what he was saying.
“Da!!” They both yelled
"I have to uphold the deal I made…" Dick said sadly before he walked towards the Zeta tubes.
"What deal? Nightwing?" Connor was the 1st to react; he reached out grabbing the teen's shoulder. Dick hated himself more for what he was about to do, but it was part of his plan. He always had a damned plan. He reacted and twisted Connor's arm around his back, he pressed the limb into his back.
"I'm sorry Con, if you and ‘Gann know me as well as I hope you do… You will know what to do. I love you both now and forever; death will not part us." Dick whispered into his ear before pushing the super teen onto the ground and running into the nearest Zeta tube.
"Recognized Nightwing B-01."
"Connor, are you alright?" Superman was at his side in an instant.
"I'm fine… Heh, he always has a plan. Robin, plug this in would you?" Connor was on his feet and tossed a small USB drive towards the youngest bat.
Blüdhaven.
"I'm here to uphold my part of the deal Slade." Nightwing gritted out, he was in his civvies and sunglasses.
"Welcome back." Deathstroke said as he walked out of the shadows. "Nightwing is gone I see."
"I'm no longer part of the league or the team if that's what you mean." Dick glared at the man.
"Excellent. We have a lot of catching up to do my apprentice, but 1st…" Slade stood inches away from the 18 year old. Dick made no movement to stop as Slade reached up and removed his sunglasses, dropping them to the ground. Dick Grayson looked up with his blue as sapphire eyes, hatred clear in them.
"It has been a while Talon… Now if you keep up your end of the deal and never try to get away… The identities of those you care about most will stay a secret."
“And you’ll stay away from my children.” Dick demanded his voice cracking at the thought of his sons. “You’ll never go near them; or force me to.” Slade touched Dick's cheek; it took EVERYTHING he had not to flinch back violently.
"Of course. It’s you I want. As long as you never betray me; you’re precious children are safe. It's time to go my apprentice." Slade stepped back. Bullets suddenly fired into the cement separating Dick and Slade. They both leapt back and looked up to see where the gunshots were coming from. A teen in a gray and red Kevlar suit with a brown leather jacket and a solid red helmet with white slots for his eyes was standing there with two smoking guns in his hands.
"Red Hood." Dick couldn't help but let a small smile come onto his lips.
"What exactly do you think you are doing to my Da?" Hood asked annoyed as he jumped down to the same rooftop as Slade and Dick.
"Taking my apprentice back to where he belongs." Deathstroke said very calmly watching as Red Hood placed himself in between the mercenary and his littler father, his guns still trained on the masked man in an overprotective stance.
"He isn't going anywhere with you." Red Hood snarled.
"Ah but you see, your father and I made a deal." Deathstroke smirked from behind the mask. "I let his undercover friends stay alive, keep all the identities I know about a secret, and most importantly leave his precious sons alone. In return he leaves the league, his little team and the Bats becoming my apprentice once more. The Talon will rise again." Dick flinched at the name but started to pull Jason behind him; to protect his third oldest son.
“Jason…” He started but a hand came down on his shoulder and he jumped to turn and find Match.
“Da; you have GOT to stop sacrificing yourself for us. That’s the real reason mom and pa are so angry. Because you keep hurting yourself.” He said as he took his stance beside his little brother as Beyond flew in from the rafters and landed beside his twin. Redhood looked at his two older brothers and smirked as he turned back to Slade.
"Well I don't think you counted on how protective we all can be of him." Red Hood's body tensed slightly.
Deathstroke didn't seem to like this and launched himself towards the hooded teen. Match; seeing that his father had no weapons on him pushed off to the side, making him roll into cover as swords and bullets clashed on the rooftop.
Dick sat up shaking his head before he looked at three of his six sons in awe. He had never thought he would see the day that his son’s; his treasures and Deathstroke, his personal nightmare duking it out. He felt like a fool, he had done exactly what Slade told him, all because he wanted to save his friends and family. He broke one of the Bat rules; he left without his utility belt. Suddenly an arm wrapped around Dick's throat yanking him to his feet, causing the teen to gasp.
"Let him go." Jason growled.
"Now, why would I do that?" Deathstroke questioned from behind Dick. His free hand stroked Dick's ebony hair while the other arm was wrapped around Dick's throat tightly making it hard to breath. The teen grunted when he felt a prick under his chin and things started to get blurry.
"Because if you don't I will put a bullet in your head." Jason threatened.
"Why don't you calm down Mr. Todd? We can work this out. We both know going so long without the Talon Solution he’s as human as you are. More so in ways. He’s felt his muscles start to degrade slightly over the last year and half. Haven’t you Talon." Slade was just taunting Red Hood now, showing Dick how much he really knew about his family.
"I highly doubt that. And for your information; our Ma already felt that during on their training sessions. She’s been working with the League to find a solution." Jason sneered.
Dick’s eyes narrowed.
“Wait; what? I didn’t know she new. HOW…”
“Not now Da.” Terry said still glaring at Slade. “We can all have a yell out later; right now we have a situation. OH; and Slade. The names; are Grayson.” Terry said speaking for the first time. While Slade's attention was on his sons, Dick's training kick in and let the adrenaline flow trying to overcome the drugs in his veins.
He dug his elbow back into Slade's gut while driving his foot back into the man's groin, it was a low blow but he needed to get away. The teen dropped to the ground and summersaulted away towards Red Hood who took the opening and fired both his guns at Deathstroke. The bullets though made of rubber; (his grandpa’s personal touch) they were enough to give Match and Terry the opening to both kick him at the same time.
"You are never going to hurt our family again." Jason snarled and without another thought he fired the rest of the magazine at Slade while his brothers kicked him off of the roof and into the pavement below. He never had the chance to right himself and broke his neck. Dick watched as sons killed the man who was his personal nightmare since he was 8.
"It's over now Da." Jason knelt beside his dad.
"You're safe."
“Yeah Da; we got ya. Talon is staying dead.” Terry said knowing that their littlest father still had nightmares about that place even though he was sixteen.
"Little Wing? How did you?" Dick was confused with his head was spinning.
"It wasn't on purpose… we were having a bro’s night; just the three of us while the squirts were at home or at the mountain. Now that the invasion is over we thought we’d have some fun. We were walking by and saw you enter the building in your civvies and belt free. I knew that wasn't a good thing so I commed Match and Beyond and followed you." Jason confessed.
"I'm glad you did Jay." Dick whispered trying to lift himself onto his feet, he felt his body go numb and his eyes rolled up into his head falling sideways.
"Glad we did too Da." Jason whispered to the unconscious form of his father he caught in his arms.
"Better get out of here." Red Hood grunted as he tossed his dad to his big brother how pout him over his shoulder fireman style before disappearing into the shadows of Blüdhaven.

Watchtower
Everyone watched as Robin plugged in the USB drive Nightwing had given Connor when he twisted his arm behind his back. A screen with Nightwing popped up, the background showed the warehouse they had used when in Blüdhaven.
"If you are watching this then that means my deal went through." Nightwing started as he rubbed his face with his hand.
"The summit is tomorrow, I hope to heaven everything goes down like they hope. Deathstroke shouldn't be showing up tomorrow if he holds up his end… I kept this a secret for a long time… When I was still with the Talons… Slade Wilson was their best trainer… He wanted me into becoming his apprentice. The day after Batman saved me from them I was supposed to be sold to him; he bought me for over four million dollars.
Luckily; dad saved me before that could happen, but he has always been my own personal nightmare… I had thought I was free of him for so long I never mentioned him except to M’gann when she was helping me with my mind healing; but we never put two and two together.
Somewhere in the past three years; Slade became Deathstroke. At first I was going to pull Kaldur and Artemis out of the mission; I didn’t believe they could handle a Talon trainer; but he recognized me. Came for me. He said…he said that he knew everything about Kaldur and Artemis; and that if I didn’t agree to be his apprentice again….” He took a deep breath crossing his hands like a prayer on his forehead.
“He said he’d take Damian and Tim to be his.”
Tim who had been watching this gasped and clung to M’gann’s side as she pulled him into her arm.
“There is only one thing in the world I really care about; and that’s my family and my team; but to me they are one and the same. I SWORE to Damian he would never have to have the life he remembered before we found him. And I WILL keep that promise and Tim will NEVER know my nightmares. So; I do this willingly. If you are watching this, that means he upheld his end of the deal and I left to uphold mine."
Nightwing took a deep shaky breath, his body trembling at the mere thought.
"Everything I have on Slade… Deathstroke is on this USB if you don't hate me as much as I hate myself, I hope you find him and bring him to justice… I wanted to say how sorry I was about everything…M’gann; Conner; please know; you will always be in my heart. I love you my saviors, Goodbye." Nightwing with a shaky hand shut the recorder off.
Once the video was done, the screen filled up with hundreds of files on Slade/Deathstroke.
"Oh god." Megan covered her mouth with her hand as she still clutched Tim and Gar to her side. They weren’t even full members yet; they were only there because Damian was sick and neither Tim nor Gar were immune so they were being kept at the mountain for now.
"He did that for us." Artemis whispered to Kaldur and Wally, the redhead looked down in utter shame.
"I'm finding him." Connor said firmly as he headed towards the Zeta tubes.
"I understand what he did and I will find him. I'm not going to let this psychopath take him again." He didn't wait, but he knew the original team was hot on his heels with the Bats included.
"Batman?" Superman looked at Dick's father.
"Send all Deathstroke's known hideouts to my communicator. I'm getting my son back." Batman said as he walked towards the Zeta tubes with his cape billowing out behind him.
"His tracker is still working, it's really weak, and it says he's in Blüdhaven." Robin reported from his seat in the Bio-ship.
"Makes sense." Connor grunted, keeping his eyes forward.
"Down there!" Robin cried out pointing at a rooftop.
"I'll ready the Bio-ship." Megan said and hovered the ship over the rooftop, opening a hatch. The team all dropped out of it and landed on the roof and stared at the obvious signs of a fight.
"Nightwing's sunglasses, it's where his tracer is when he's in civvies." Batgirl gently picked up the pair of sleek black glasses from the bullet-ridden rooftop.
"Found Deathstroke, fell off the roof; broke his neck. He's been dead about 10 minutes." Tim reported.
"Bastard got what was coming to him." M’gann growled.
"Who would do this?" Aqualad asked looking at the bats.
"Not Nightwing, he was too afraid for Robin and Tim to go against him. My guess Match, Beyond, and Redhood broke curfew if the rubber bullets and damage are anything to go by." Connor spoke up cancelling out any ideas that people were having about Nightwing having done this.
"I did a quick recon of the surrounding area, 'Wing isn't here." Wally reported, his body vibrating with worry.
"We'll find him." Artemis placed her hand on her boyfriend's shoulder.
"All those things I said to him and then he saved me from dying then this. God I'm the worst friend in history." Wally groaned, how could he be so dense?
"Batman… Deathstroke is dead. We are in Blüdhaven, sending you our coordinates now." Robin contacted Batman.
"On my way." Was the tight response they got in return?
"We need to find Nightwing soon." Aqualad was filled with worry.
"We will." Connor swore.
"God you are lighter than you look Da, you got to get more food in you; drinks or no drinks. Alfred would not be pleased." Jason muttered to the form of his unconscious father who he and Terry had tucked up into the bed in Dick’s small decoy/safe house apartment in a rundown area of Blüdhaven, someplace no one would look at twice. It was if someone was hurt and they couldn’t get to the cave to be patched up. His dad had one in all of the surrounding cities around Gotham.
"What the hell has been going on with you lately Da?" Terry asked as he wiped sweat off Dick's unmasked face.
"You know if whatever the hell Deathstroke injected him with left his system having this conversation would be a hell of a lot easier." Match grunted annoyed as he kept watch from the window. Terry nodded at his twin before he reached down and took his the teen who they all saw as father’s pulse and growled when he was met with a faster than normal pulse.
'That's not good, he would be having a reaction to it." Jason grunted running a hand through his hair, gripping his bangs.
"Guys this isn’t going to work; and my Comm is still busted from that stray bullet of Jason’s." Terry said looking at his brothers. Jason winced; but Terry shook his head. Heat of the moments were no to blame.
Slade was.
“Then we need to get him to Ma and Da. Or Grandpa; He’ll know what to do. Where’s grandma?”
“She’s still sneaking in information about the Reach and the Light and all of those who were involved; Lex included; to the President so she’s still sneaking around the Whitehouse.” Jason huffed before suiting up as Red Hood again.
Match aught on who what he was doing and put his own mask back on and heaved his smaller dad into his arms before leaving his apartment and headed towards the closet Zeta tube; but he glanced around and his eyes widened as he noticed the faint outline of the Bio-ship that he had grown used to from his time on the team.
"Well look. Helps arrived anyway." Jason gritted his teeth as he looked down at his dad whose body was trembling.
"About damn time too." Jason, Terry, and Match ran as fast as their legs would carry them, up to the rooftop. Jason kicked down the door and dropped onto the roof. Batman, Robin (Though it was only in name for another year, same with Beast Boy), Batgirl, Miss Martian, Superboy, Artemis, Aqualad and Kid Flash all whirled towards him with their weapons at the ready.
"Red Hood?" Robin frowned confused.
"Don’t know what’s going on but we need to help Da?" Jason shifted Dick in his arms making the drugged teen groan.
"No." Miss Martian gasped feeling her lover’s pain.
“We don’t know what happened really; but Deathstroke injected him with a drug and he is having a reaction to it." Terry said getting to the point...
"We need to get him onto the Bio-Ship and up to the watchtower." Batgirl said firmly glaring down Batman.
"Well’ what are we waiting for?" Match asked handing Dick to Batman and for a long tense minute everything was silent.
"Right; let’s go." Batman agreed and turned to contact the watchtower to prep the medical bay and authorize a guest. Jason, Terry, Match, Tim, and Gar refused to let Dick out of sight as they entered the Bio-Ship. Dick's face was pale, his cheeks were red and sweat was beading up on his forehead. After it seemed like a lifetime they arrived at the watchtower and docked. Following behind the team Jason ran with his dad towards where the medical bay was ready.
"Deathstroke injected him with a drug and he's having a bad reaction to it." Jason told the Flash as Batman gently laid his hurt brother onto the gunnery.
"Did you happen to grab the needle?" Barry Allen asked.
"Yeah." Jason produced a small needle he had grabbed from the scene.
"We were going to contact Alfred and stay at the Blüdhaven Safe house; but his condition was too bad to wait. We only just saw the ship because of Match’s eyes...” Jason shrugged at the look he was getting. "Save our dad Allen." Jason begged.
"We will." Then Barry and their dad were gone, leaving Red Hood alone in the room. M’gann walked up and wrapped her toughest child into her arms.
“The only time I’m not getting mad about curfew.” Conner said with a small smirk as he did the same to Terry and Match. All three boys clung to their parents.
"Good thing we’re going through a rebellious stage early; otherwise that bastard Deathstroke would be god knows where trying to turn Nightwing into his 'perfect apprentice'." Match said with a glare.
“We just wanted to try out our old uniforms for some fun. It’s…tiresome to be in my twenties and stuck as a fourteen year old.” Terry said a little shyly
“I know; and we understand; we should have taken that into consideration; we’ll talk about it when Dick is better.” M’gann promised.
"Speaking of which… Why the hell was Nightwing meeting Deathstroke alone, in his civvies and totally unarmed. That bastard mentioned some sort of deal and Nightwing was ready to go quietly, even let him take his sunglasses off… Deathstroke knew who he was and who I was. As long as he was alive he would always be a threat to Nightwing so I took him out, I would do it again in a heartbeat."
Jason crossed his arms, his facial expression telling the others how unimpressed he was about the situation. Batman nodded at Robin who brought up the video Nightwing had put on the USB drive and Jason watched it in silence absorbing it all in. Then as one the three oldest brothers hit the ceiling.
"And where the hell was the so called 'Justice League' during all this shit?" Jason turned on the founders.
“Dad is terrified of being like the Talons. No way this was his idea.” Match said shaking his head.
“It makes so much sense now.” Terry said making everyone look at him; but he only looked at his mom and pa. “Don’t you see? He cut off his link to you two; buried himself in his work; and all but distanced himself with us after Batman went off world; but only because he was sinking.”
“He must have been fighting tooth and nail to not regress into Talon and he was busting his ass to make sure he didn’t show us that side of him. Even in our mind world Da was paranoid about our training so he never let us train like a Talon.” Tim said.
“I remember once he miscalculated a move because he was training me with a bad fever but I had begged not knowing he was sick; and he broke my wrist. He was so depressed and tried to shut himself off.” Terry said. “This must have been torture.”
"Something about what we have been told does not add up. Unfortunately we cannot get to the bottom of this until Nightwing wakes up." Batman reported. Before anyone could make any more arguments could take place when Barry came running into the room.
"Well?" Half the room was on their feet in an instant.
"He's responding well to the antidote, if he was left in that condition any longer he would have died. If Red Hood didn't bring us the needle we never would have been able to make the antidote, he saved Nightwing's life." Flash reported grinning at Jason/Red Hood who slumped back in his seat in relief.
"When can we see him?" Wally asked anxious.
"He should be waking up in a few minutes." Barry shrugged.
"Good, I'm going to see him." Conner rose to his feet and glared at the others in the room as if to challenge them to stop him from seeing his lover.
"I'm coming with you." M’gann said as she rushed to his side. Together the Kryptonian and Martian sped down the hallway towards where their injured lover lay. They paused outside beside the viewing glass.
"He's going to be okay… Right?" M’gann asked Conner quietly, her sad eyes never leaving the limp and pale form of her little lover. He had IV's feeding into it seemed like almost every vein on both his arms, a bandage over his neck where the needle had been injected. An oxygen mask was covering his mouth, little puffs of white appearing as the teen exhaled.
"Dick is strong, he will be fine. It’s us that needs to be sorry" Conner said his voice wavering slightly. “We did the one thing we said we’d never do again. We didn’t trust him. He left us enough clues. His sleepless nights; his shying away from our touches. His fear when he thought we weren’t looking. He was doing something that tore him up inside and we didn’t see it. Instead; did what he feared; we abandoned him.” M’gann sobbed into his chest.
“I…can we fix this? Can we ever fix our mistake?” She begged. “We’ve been together for Thirty-eight years; and we still…”
“WE.” Conner said kissing her head. “Have to except the fault is our as well; and work together with Dick. We can’t hide from him as well; or the cycle will never end. We just need to do what we do best. Work together.” And they would. It was their vow.
Conner had pulled over a chair and was sitting at his lover’s side, his leg bouncing up and down as he tried to keep calm, all that was keeping him from pacing was the steady beeping of the heart monitor. Well until it started to spike up dramatically while Dick started to gasp like he was scared. His fingers clenched the bed sheets tightly as he tossed his head back and forth whimpering.
"Whoa!" Conner jumped back startled.
"What is going on?" Tim, who was sitting beside his mother was out of his chair looking up at Jason who was leaning against the all half asleep on Match’s shoulder with Terry holding a dozing and still slightly sick; but no longer contagious Damian.
"He's acting hopped up on painkillers, he isn't in pain…" Jason trailed off before it clicked. "He's having a nightmare."
"What are we supposed to do?" Tim tried to think back to when he was younger and had a nightmare.
"It’s okay boys." Conner said soothingly before nudging Dick over on the bed so there was room for him to slide in. M’gann soon put herself down by Dick's feet, gripping his leg as Conner wrapped his arms around their lover, holding him close to his broad chest.
The trembling and whimper quieted down for a few moments before it came back full force and Tim looked at Jason with worried eyes. Whatever their parents were doing; it wasn’t working.
"Whatever this is, it's in his mind… Get Martian Manhunter." Terry ordered Tim after a moment of thought. Tim nodded and bolted out of the room. Conner sighed; as he ran his fingers through his Dick’s ebony locks a few more times before he extracted himself from the hospital bed. He felt guilty when Dick's arm reached out to where he had been before falling still once again. Moments later Robin came back in with Martian Manhunter, the founders and the original team plus Red Arrow, Robin and Batgirl were hot on his heels.
"Robin told me the problem might be in his mind." John said in his calm tone of voice.
"Yeah, all the monitors are saying he's fine and not in any pain but…" Conner trailed off as Dick whimpered and thrashed in his sleep once more. "That happened." John's glowed green briefly before he grunted and took a step back, Wonder woman steadied him.
"His mind… It has powerful barriers; it is blocking me out but at the same time… He is trapped within his own nightmares." John reported, rubbing his forehead.
"Where the hell did he learn that?" Red Arrow snapped.
"I taught him." M’gann said.
“Well that was a bad idea.” Wally snapped at the other ginger.
"Peace my friend, angry words will solve nothing." Kaldur said soothingly.
"What can we do?" Connor asked the Martian while looking over at his friend, his brother worried.
"I can go in. He knows my mind; knows I’m no threat. I’m sorry but you kids can’t come. I haven’t taught you anything about the mind yet.” All six boys nodded at their mother. They knew it was far too dangerous for them to help.
“But the rest of you; I’d appreciate a hand.”
"Anything to help Nightwing." Artemis said firmly.
"I'm coming in with you."
"Fine." Megan nodded her contest and everyone on the team locked hands. "Prepare yourselves, I have a feeling this is going to be rough." A tugging feeling appeared in their guts and then blinding pain as light exploded behind their eyes.
They were floating in a dark empty space.
"Whoa!" Wally gasped loudly as he craned his head backwards. The others followed his line of view and stared slack jawed. In front of them was a HUGE wall of pulsing blue electricity.
"I can see why that might be a problem…" Roy commented causally. "Hey Wally, go touch it."
"When Manhunter tried that he was shot out of Nightwing's mind, no way!" Wally crossed his arms in an X formation.
"Then how are we supposed to get in?" Artemis threw her hands into the air.
"I think that's the point." Red Arrow rolled his eyes. The wall pulsed and two figures emerged from the center. One was Conner and the other was M’gann. Only older; like they were in the mind world.
"Who are you?" The woman roared, her eye glowing in warning.
"Friends of Nightwing, we are here to help him!" Kaldur spread his arms to show he meant no harm.
"Friends of Wing huh?" Conner mused in a growl. “I recognize myself but I know the truth of everything in this mind.”
“Protecting you all has nearly killed Nightwing.” The older M’gann said and Conner and M’gann walked up.
“We have failed; in our duty to our lover.” M’gann said sadly.
“But we want to change that. We…I can’t sit back anymore. Let me help.”
‘M’gann’s’ eyes softened and she nodded
"Wing cares for you and the others here. I will permit you to pass." M’gann replied and the two of them melted back into the wall, moments later it disappeared.
"Well let's carry on." Wally motioned to the empty space. They were in a warehouse in Gotham next, Robin, Red Hood and Batgirl all tensed out of reflex.
"Where are we?" Megan asked the other female there.
"Gotham." Barbara said grimly. A scream tore through the warehouse and the team was off towards the sound of the pained cry. They spotted a small form of a boy curled in a protective ball as an older man with an owl face was beating on him ruthlessly.
"Talons." The Bat's growled and the group sprang into action. Wally sprinted forward as Red Arrow and Artemis shot arrow after arrow at the man, pulling him away long enough for Wally to grab the boy and sprint to the other side of the warehouse.
"Hey, hey I got you." Wally said soothingly as Connor, Jason and Kaldur attacked the trainer. The others formed a protective circle around Wally and the injured child in case Two-Face got past the team.
"W-Wally?" A small voice asked.
"How do you…?" Wally trailed off as he saw the Robin costume that was on the boy; his messy black hair was matted down with blood and dirt. The mask was ripped and blue eyes looked up at him.
"Dick?" Wally gasped.
"You found me." Robin snuggled into his chest, feeling safe.
"I will always find you." Wally said out of reflex. “How do you know me? I didn’t meet you until you were thirteen.
“Well; I’m Dick’s memories. Normally I’m either thirteen or all grown up depending if Dick is remembering being saved by daddy; or being with Conner and M’gann; but these nightmares are taking their toll on his mind. I can’t remember the good times right now. When they started he used every defense system our ‘Gan taught us; but…” Dick looked around wincing. “He over did it before the fever took in.”
Dick said before he looked at Conner and M’gann and smiled before he closed his eyes and suddenly he was a tall man with a lithe yet muscled build with shaggy midnight black hair. His Nightwing suit was more armored than his current one; and around his neck was a necklace with a jeweled eye, heart, and infinity sign. Conner and M’gann smiled at him sadly.
“Can you ever forgive us Dick?” M’gann asked. “We…we failed.” Older dick laughed as he walked to them and kissed them gently.
“There’s nothing to forgive my Martian Princess. Dick couldn’t handle the stress of the light over the past five months. Secrets he has kept that I cannot reveal are what drove us from you. However, that is not a conversation with me; I’m only his memories. I know what he did; and why he did it; but it is not for me to tell.”
“Where is the real Dick?” Conner asked looking around.
"I'll help you find me." Dick said standing up straight his pride coming back to him. Then he laughed as the sight of the others and seemed to flicker in a out like a bad reception on TV and suddenly he was thirteen again.
"Help us find you?" Wally said slowly.
"Well yeah. I know he's in pain, right here." He pointed at where his heart is located. “The fever took the defenses and turned them against his mind.” M’gann nodded.
“I warned him that could happen; but under the circumstances I understand how this happened as well.”
"We want to help take that pain away." Artemis knelt by the younger version of Dick and he smiled brightly at her.
"Okay, follow me." Robin said taking M’gann and Conner’s hand. No matter the age Dick always loved having the two near him. "Come on! No time to waste!"
"We are coming." Kaldur said herding the group over. Robin stopped for a second seeming to flicker between thirteen and eight like a horror movie ghost.
“He’s hurting us again. It’s hard to block out the pain when Dick’s hurting this much. I wish he’d disappear.” A collogue of older and younger voices came from Dick’s mouth as he held his chest tightly.
"You mean Slade?" Wally asked and little Robin nodded before launching himself into Connor's arm's surprising the clone, but he held him close nonetheless.
"I hate that man." The little boy muttered while clutching Connor's black shirt. "He's the source of my older self's pain, will you save him?"
"That's what we are here for kiddo." Red Arrow ruffled the little boy's black hair.
"Then go through those doors." Little Robin pointed towards an appearing doorway. "Will you save him? If you do then I can leave this warehouse and play with the others."
"Others?" Kaldur asked slowly.
"Yup!" Little Robin popped the 'p'. "Match, Terry, Jason, Garfield, Tim, and Dami! They are mine; I think of them as sons; though they’re not that much younger than me. I love them and M’gann and Conner more than anyone in the world and sometimes Bruce and Selena comes to visit and we all play games together!
I love Bruce and Selena very much; but it’s my kids ya know?" That coming from the mouth of an eight year old sounded very strange; but they all smiled and nodded.
"We'll do our best." Connor promised.
"Thanks, good luck… The masked man is sneaky and is hard to beat, but with you all helping the older I then you can beat him!" Little Robin hopped out of Connor's arms and waved his arms in a goodbye.
"We got this kid." Wally gave him thumbs up and the team all went through the door. They stood in a loose circle formation in the darken room, looking around for any sign of life or a threat.
"My apprentice, it is time for another lesson. What happens when you try to contact your little friend's?" A deadly voice questioned and an agonizing scream pierced the air.
"Now what did I say?" The voice sounded like he was smirking.
"N…Not to contact the others." A too familiar voice whimpered through the silence.
"That's Dick." Artemis whispered as she bit her lip. His voice sounded so broken and like it was taking all his strength to just speak.
"Good, I will be back for you in a while my apprentice." The voice was getting farther away and a door clicked shut. The group of heroes moved forward quickly following Connor who used his infrared vision to track down the heat source that was their friend.
Gasps rippled through the group when they found Nightwing. He was chained up to a wall, arms high above his head with metal cuffs covering his wrists. A large collar was wrapped around his neck that too was connected to the wall behind him. His head was hanging down loosely and his Nightwing uniform was barely clinging to his body, blood was fresh and dried around the many cuts visible on his body. The suit was beginning to flicker between Nightwing and Talon’s. That scared them more than anything.
"Oh Dick." Megan gasped, tears welling up in her eyes.
"Wake up baby." Conner stood by his smaller lover, tapping his cheek gently.
"Con?" Dick whimpered, eyes opening up.
"We all are here Wing." Red Arrow said softly as the others came over to form a circle around him.
"How did you find me?" Nightwing slumped forward; Wally and Jason were supporting him in an instant.
"Your younger self helped us with that." Wally admitted.
"What…Hold on? You can't be here! Deathstroke is going to come back and he will kill you all! You have to get out!" Panic was easily heard in his voice and seen in his eyes.
"Don't worry about him anymore Dick, he's dead, he broke his neck falling from the roof, he is dead! The man you see here is just a projection, you can banish him! You’re in your mind Dick." Megan told Dick, who just shook his head back and forth, obviously trying to clear it.
“It’s...it’s so hard to think…”
“You put up defenses that took over your mind when your fever spiked so dangerously.” M’gann said seriously. “You member me teaching about that?” Dick nodded slowly.
“I…I remember…Slade he...he kept trying to trigger Talon…I tried to shore up my mind…but then…it felt like something was leaking in…”
“That was the drug he forced onto you.” Conner said. Dick looked at them a little stronger; some of the wounds disappeared; but not the chains.
“I…I feel like I just keep relapsing. Like every time Talon tries to come out...like I’m back there; that I have no defenses…I’m just So tired to being scared all the time. I just want to be with my family and not feel so scared of losing them.” He sobbed and sniffed. “I’m so tired.”
"You can banish Deathstroke AND Talon. We will be right here, supporting you." Artemis promised and she grinned as she noticed that he stood up a bit more, like his strength was returning to him.
"I-I try." He promised; looking at M’gann and Conner his chains starting to corrode; but not quite breaking. “I promise I try. Sometimes I can go months without even feeling Talon in my mind…”
M’gann looked sadly at her lover.
“Oh Dick. We all know that metal problems don’t just go away even with Martian defenses to help. If you feel a relapse you CAN come to us. We will welcome you and your fears with open arms.”
“You don’t have to fight this alone Birdie.” Conner swore and reached up; cupping Dick’s cheeks and resting their foreheads together.
“Even if it’s in your head; you don’t have to be alone. I’ll always let you rest with me.”
“Yeah; man.” Wall said suddenly. “If you just need a quiet place for a night or two you can come to me and Artemis. We can just veg out and watch old black and white detective movies.”
“Yeah; you know you’re always welcome. Stay traught right?” Artemis asked making Dick snicker as he his chains finally flickered away and he reached down; curling his arms around Conner just holding on.
“If you need somewhere to rage and snarl and scream and don’t want to show that to Conner or M’gann and the kids you can come to me and we’ll go to my place and shoot targets and beat up some training dummies. We got your back bro." Roy grinned, the others nodding in agreement.
“We will always be with you Dick.” Kaldur promised. “I too will be there; even if it is just to sit on the beach and I tell you stories of my home world under the water. You liked it when we did that when you first came to us. I do not mind doing that again.”
“I love you all...SO much…” Dick tried to say; but suddenly a shockwave happened; like static sticking to everything.
"Well, well. What do we have here?" Deathstroke's voice rang out and a shudder traveled over Nightwing's body.
"You’re not real." Dick spat out, fury laced in his voice his head still buried in Conner’s chest. “Your in my mind. I’ve let you in my mind long enough.” He looked up and his eyes were set and determined and he moved his arms and took Conner’s hand; M’gann reaching for his other.
"You have no one. You are a weapon, after everything you have been through for them and how did they repay you?" He tried to weave the lies back into Dick's mind, but the presences of his friends.
His team.
His family by his side Slade would never get into his mind again.
"Then why are they here?" Dick countered now able to stand on his own; but the group stuck close to him in case he needed backup.
"They are here to save me from you, from your ghost that has been following me for years. Well that ends today! You. Are. Dead. You can't hurt me anymore; Talon is dead. The Court of Owls is dead! I won't let you control me. You are nothing!"
Dick was shouting by the end and his wounds and uniform fixed themselves. Slowly the shades that represented Dick’s fear turned into members of the Court of Owls their blank white makes glinting as light was poured onto them. Whispers sounding from the hall.
"Beware The Court of Owls that watches all the time, ruling Gotham from a shadow perch, behind granite and lime. They watch you at your hearth, they watch you in your bed, speak not a whispered word of them or they'll send The Talon for your head” They sang but Dick squeezed Conner’s and M’gann’s hands in his own and he glared at the masked figures glaring them down like at true bat.
"I am a Bat! Not a Talon. I am Nightwing! You. Are. Dead. You. Are. NOTHING!" Dick shouted and Slade, and all of the Court made a choking noise; the monk like singing stopped in the middle of the second rotation; and they disappeared into black smoke.
Dick slumped to his knees and the whole group was on the ground beside him. Dick leaned against Connor's shoulder as he breathed heavily.
"That was harder than it looked."
He admitted, sweat rolling down his face.
"You did it Wing, you did it!" Connor smiled and Dick's face lit up as it sunk in.
"I did, didn't I? For the first time ‘I’ told them to go away." Dick's grin was his old goofy one. "Thanks guys… Now get out of my mind, I want to wake up."
"Fair enough." Wally shrugged with a smile on his lips.
"See you soon Dick, oh and we are going to have a conversation about you patrolling as Batman AND Nightwing." M’gann jabbed her index finger into Dick's chest.
"Looking forward to it." Dick grinned cheekily.
The group started to fade and before they knew what was happening they were all flying backwards in the med bay room.
"What happened in there?" Flash asked he helped Wally to his feet like the other mentors were doing with the other members who went into Dick's mind.
"We saved a super young Robin from the Court and then helped Nightwing banish his projection of them AND Deathstroke." Conner summed up their adventure in a few seconds.
"He should be waking up soon." Megan said looking over at the bed where the dark haired teen lay.
"Unless Meg’s threat really freaked him out." Artemis teased.
"Some hero if he is freaked out by that." Wally giggled and Megan shook her head.
"I heard that." Dick's weak voice came from the bed. Everyone in the room was surrounding Dick's bed in a second.
"How ya feeling Da?" Jason asked.
"Crappy, but better than I was before." Dick admitted. "Thanks for helping me out even if I didn't deserve it…" Connor frowned and pulling back his strength he reached over and whacked his friend upside his head.
"Don't be such a dumbass."
"I knew introducing you to modern culture was a bad idea." Dick gave Connor a genuine smile. "Thanks. I mean it, none of you had any reason to help me…" Connor repeated his action and his words.
"Okay, okay, sheesh… Thank you guys, I mean it." Dick said with a shy smile on his lips.
"If you EVER pull something like that again." Jason let the threat trail off.
"Got it little wing." Dick smiled.
"Get some sleep Dick." Barry said as he inserted something in his IV drip.
"Everything will be fine." Wonder Woman stroked Dick's hair off his forehead, as his eyes grew heavy.
"…Love you guys." Dick muttered before he fell into a drug-induced slumber.
"If any of you so much as think of kicking Dick out officially, you will have us to deal with." Wally turned to the Justice League members with his arms crossed. The others took the same stance, all of them staring down a member of the league.
"We wouldn't do that, we didn't plan on doing that in the 1st place." Superman assured the protective group.
"Good, now it's been a long day. Let's get some rest and see Dick when he wakes up later." Aqualad stated.
"Good idea Kaldur." Artemis smiled noticing how Megan was swaying on her feet, going into Dick's mind had taken a lot of her.
"I'm just glad everyone is here and safe." Wonder Woman spoke up with a soft smile on her lips.
"Us too." The room agreed and the mentors left the room with their protégée's. The bat's however stayed behind and once alone their masks came off. The kids were taken back to the manor for a good night’s sleep with M’gann who was practically asleep on his feet; while Bruce and Conner stayed to watch their wayward bird. Bruce stroked Dick's hair as Conner grabbed Dick's hand. The silence that was so comfortable with the Bat family took over the room and everything was right once more.
The next time Dick woke up he was sure he was hit by a semi and then rolled over with a steam roller. Ever part of his body hurt and his head was screaming. He groaned as he rolled over curling in on himself. All he wanted to do was cuddle up next to M’gann and Conner and sleep the morning away and be treated to M’gann’s famous cookies and then cuddle with them all day on the couch watching movies.
“Dick. You awake?” Dick blinked at the unnaturally soft tone in the usually gruff voice and he blinked his eyes open slowly.
“Tati? What’s wrong?” He asked rubbing his sore eyes.
“Nothing. You were hurt, and really sick. You’ve been asleep for a week.
“A week? But…” He closed his eyes and groaned again. “That’s it. I quit. I want a vacation. I want M’gann’s dark temptation with hours of cuddle time with her and Conner. I want a beach somewhere where no one has EVER heard of Nightwing and I want a strawberry milkshake with chocolate on the side. And to be with my kids as if we were normal.” He had meant to say this in his own head but he had ended up whining it since he had some morphine in his system and he gave a small whimper at the pain in his body.
“Dick, you need to uncurl. Can you do that?” Bruce asked maneuvering his oldest son’s body into a straighter position. Dick opened his eyes and sighed.
“Did we do it? Is everything over?”
“Yes son. Everything is over now.” Dick nodded in pure relief; but it was short lived as he heard screaming coming toward them and groaned again. He was tired to fighting. He didn’t want to do it anymore. But then he noticed who was screaming and paled.
“I am finding out who is behind this Conner! It’s been a week. I want the truth!” The fighting stopped when the door opened and Conner and M’gann both stopped at the sight of Dick awake. Dick smiled and held out his arms invitingly and both Kryptonian and Martian carefully fell into the embrace all three breathing each other’s scents in deeply as relief flooded them. They were there, safe, and alive. None of them could have asked for more.
“So; you’re feeling better?” Conner broke in worried and Dick smiled as him taking his hand.
“Yeah. I still hurt and I’m kind of tired; but I’m okay. I…Conner; M’gann; I am…so sorry for…”
“Being a stubborn jackass that refuses to ask for help without being beaten over the head with it?” M’gann asked pleasantly making Dick smile sheepishly.
“Yeah; that. It’s just Kaldur said he had the perfect way into the Light and I…”
“Wait. You mean Kaldur going in was his idea?” Dick looked at Conner confused.
“Yeah.”
“You said it was yours!” Conner screamed in anger making Dick blink in shock before he gained a self-deprecating glare.
“No; not that. It was my idea to send in Artemis. My cowardice put her in danger.”
“How in the name of all that is holy in this world are you a coward Dick Grayson?”
“I saw Deathstroke take over for Sportsmaster and I panicked. I just…” He started shivering as memories raced through his mind making him curl his knees to his chin. Soft hands took his face and guided them to soft lips as a nose nuzzled his neck on the other side.
“Shh. It’s all over now birdy. He’s gone and he will never be able to hurt you ever again. Shh.” M’gann said quietly letting him rest his head on her shoulder and carting her fingers through his hair as Conner rubbing soothing circles over his back mindful of his burns on his shoulder.
“He…he scared me so badly I couldn’t. I knew, I KNEW I would NEVER be able to keep my cool around him and it would get Kaldur killed…”
“So why make that deal?” Conner asked in his soft yet rough vice that always put his two lovers at ease. Dick sighed.
“Because he figured it out when Artemis kidnapped M’gann…he threatened our sons.” Dick sobbed at that. “I couldn’t…”
“Wouldn’t risk their safety.” M’gann said with a sigh. “Okay, okay. You’re off the hook this once. But if you ever do this again Dick Grayson; superman himself won’t stop the train I’m going to run you over with; got it?” Dick laughed before wincing and holding his ribs but he kept on laughing.
“Please. Don’t make me laugh.” He begged and laid back down.
M’gann and Conner shared a smile and laid beside him.
“Go on Bruce. Selena wants to talk to you; make sure everything is okay on this end.” Bruce smiled at his three kids and walked out; letting them sleep in peace.

Conner was on the war path and everyone knew to stay out of his way. Clark looked at him in worry as his brother stormed passed M’gann trailing behind him confused as anyone and Nightwing still walking slowly. Neither were sure what had the Kryptonian angry but they had woken up that morning with him staring at Dick deep in thought then he his features twisted in rage and he stormed off.
“What’s up?” Jason asked from kitchen where he was drinking a glass of orange juice.
“No clue.” M’gann said honesty as she stopped for Dick to catch his breath. His lungs were still raw as were his ribs.
“What is going on around here?!” Conner demanded angrily standing head to head with Kaldur. The Atlantian looked at him confused making everyone turn to him.
“No more lies. No more plans. I want the truth. Why did you say it was Nightwing’s idea for you to go in and not tell the team? He was too doped out to realize what he was saying so it was as good as truth serum!?” Kaldur looked away in shame before sighing.
“Conner…wait…I can explain.” Dick said rushing in his glasses crooked but Kaldur held up a hand for him to halt.
“I begged Dick not to tell you of my undercover assignment and he trusted me. No questions were asked. And for that I am grateful.”
“Why?” Artemis asked.
“Because…he was protecting one other. His silence made sure my father Black manta did not go snooping around for my true alliance beyond you. You’re hatred of me assured him I hid nothing.”
“Who have you been hiding?” Aquaman asked steeping up and he saw Kaldur’s eyes soften into a smile before he looked at Dick who smiled and nodded.
“Seraphina. My daughter. TULA’S daughter.” Everyone gasped. “She is not my daughter by blood. She was the one to help me realize I was Gay and introduced me to Wyyn. Just before her death; she had a daughter; but would not say the name of the father. Wyyn; my husband; and I decided to take her in; make her ours.”
“He and Seraphina are hidden away on a small island in the Caribbean.” 
“Why keep that from us?” Aquaman asked in shock. “Kaldur; you know any family of yours would have been protected by the Royal Family if you asked.”
“Because she was just a newborn when this started. And I feared what Black Manta would do…If he though Sera was mine by blood; by HIS blood...it was not a risk I could take. It was only Nightwing’s help that we got her ensconced from the beach she was born prematurely due to her mother’s deadly injuries; to a hospital in Jamaica. Tula had used magic to hide her pregnancy. Our original plan was to hide her for a few months and get her treated for what comes with being borne premature...”
“The island is one of the few places the Court had that was never taken by the government after their fall. It’s inhabitants are the runaway Talons that left when Batman rescued me and ended the Court. Most of my hideouts that Batman doesn’t know are from them. It has a better medical facility than Atlantis because it was the Court’s main research lab.” Dick said looking at the ground. “Granted; Premi babies weren’t on their list; but they quickly rallied out of gratitude for me helping them disappear when I found them.
“Wait that’s all good and all; but…why not come out after she got stronger?” Jason asked blinking in shock.
“Because the day Sera was born; the day Tula died; Manta told me of my parentage.” Kaldur said.
“I spent most of my time on the island curled into a ball as you say and I refused to talk to anyone. It took all of Dick and Wyyn’s powers of persuasion to talk me out of my depression. And Dick beat it into my head that I was a father now. I had responsibilities now that superseded even my loyalty to my King.” He bowed his head to Aquaman; but the King only shook his head.
“I understand Kaldur. I too put my child ahead of my duties at times.
“Then I became terrified if I claimed my new Daughter...Manta might try and take her to groom her as a successor. I confided my fears to Wyyn and Dick and they both swore to fallow my lead.”
“I Know how it feels to want to protect your kids. Sixteen year old body or not; I’d do anything for my kids; and I would help Kaldur protect his child as well.” Dick said nodding.
“I came up with the idea. If everyone thought because was Tula dead; my anger would excuse my leaving. And Manta would believe that my sudden wish to be at his side was that I found out he was my father. My loyalty would shift to him in the knowledge and the fact that the woman HE thought was my love was dead.” He turned to Conner.
“Conner, I know; I used Dick’s friendship and though it was for the sake of Sera; I will accept the blame.” He said bowing at the waist. M’gann took a hold of Conner’s arm in support, while Dick watched biting his lip. Conner met his eye and sighed.
“Dick would kill me if I blame you. But I want a promise. No more lies, no more secrets or undercover assignments like this. From now on we handle things like we used to. As a team.”
“Oh Dick.” Wally said tears in his green eyes as he hugged the teen gently. “I’m so sorry. I should have had more faith in you.”
“We all should have.” Mal said sadly.
“Forgive us?” Zatanna asked biting her lip. Dick only smiled and raised his hand initiating a group hug. Everyone in the room found a way to be a part of it.
“We are family. That’s all that matter. I forgive you if you forgive me.” Dick said with a laugh.
“Done.” A few sobs were said and the hug continued and they felt it; they were finally free; the war; was over.

Five years later:
“Red-Robin, you, Impulse, and Lagoon Boy are Alpha.” Nightwing said staring determinedly at his holographic computer before switching his sights to the boys beside the new Robin. Dick had finally re-reached his majority at 21, but Dick still viewed his children as such and Damian; as his youngest tended to be coddled just a little.
“Redhood, keep an eye on your brother.”
“DA~” Tim cringed. “I’m ALMOST seventeen~.”
“Yes; but this is Redhood’s operation because he found the link to Black mask and the drug shipment, and I know how horribly he play with others. And I know for a fact that being ‘Almost Seventeen’ is NOT a good reason to believe you’d stay out of trouble RR.” The ex-street rat rolled his eyes smirking at the man that took him in and wrapped a hand around Tim’s shoulder.
“Chill dad. Replacement’s safe as churches with me.” He swore making Nightwing give him a suspicious look but with an amused twist to his lips.
With so many children; it took some getting used to because the children saw Dick, M’gann, and Conner as the parental figures so Bruce and Selena had slipped into the role of unofficial grandparents inside the house and guardians in public. It was easier than he thought it would be.
Nightwing was shaken out of his thoughts when Match and Terry walked through the door with Cassie and Barbra and Dick blinked.
“Terry!” He called walking up to his oldest son. He and Match had been declared twins but Terry was considered older because of his maturity and the fact that he was released first. The clone of Bruce Wayne turned to his second father.
“Yeah Da. You need something?” He asked. Everyone just went about their business. They had long gotten used to the family dynamics of the Bat Clan.
“You mind being on babysitting duty tonight? Dad has a meeting in Italy last minute due to a new problem in their testing division and mom said something about a Catwoman problem and it…”
“Yours, Mamma’s, and Pa’s anniversary.” Terry said happily.
“We know. Don’t worry Da. We got everything covered. Damian and Matt are at home right now being supervised by Alfred as they make your cake and Tim and Jason are…” Match started but Terry coughed loudly and he winced. Dick only laughed and ruffled his second oldest hair.
“I didn’t hear a thing Match. Now; you know the rules, no cave duty of any kind while I’m not there. That goes for you two as well once the mission is over.” He called to Jason and Tim who nodded still going over their options for the case. Dick nodded satisfied and turned back to Terry and Match.
“No sugar after dinner, that’s Alfred’s order you know that.” He said sternly and they nodded. No one went against Alfred.
“If there’s trouble you radio me before even thinking of suiting up, and make sure Dami and Mattie are secure in the bunker before going out, and Gar. He’s still sick and I don’t want him in the field until Lesley says so. If you can’t reach me or Conner, which is unlikely with his hearing you ALL get to the bunker because it means all hell is breaking loose.” They knew the rules, but they also accepted that Dick was more of a mother hen than M’gann sometimes.
There was a laugh behind them and Dick turned to see Conner walking up with M’gann who encircled him on either side kissing a cheek each. 
“Lover. Calm down. They know the rules, none of them are grounded, and there’s no trouble on the horizon. Match and Terry are almost nineteen they’ll be fine.” Conner laughed and Dick sighed.
“I know, I know. I’m just overprotective.”
“That’s why you’re Da and he’s Pa.” Jason said laughing from where he was standing. “But chill. I mean we looked after each other after Arkham took over the east island of Gotham.”
“You also put your younger brothers into the shelter at St. Gabriel’s Cathedral and said they could perform an exorcism on your youngest brother...” Conner said annoyed and Jason laughed.
“It was a joke! And Damian wouldn’t stop cursing and glaring and I swear that nun almost checked his head for the 666 numbers under his hair; so that was all HIS fault.”
Again everyone went about their business used to the Batclan remembering disasters that didn’t happen. Dick rolled his eyes skyward as if asking ‘why me’, and turned back to Terry.
“Just…look after your brothers and make sure they don’t kill each other. And that Matt stays sane. It would be nice to have at least ONE child that didn’t have homicidal tendencies.”
“Matt’s 11 Da. He’s still developing and with our family…” Match started. 
“Poor kid doesn’t stand a chance. Especially with 8 year old Damian.” Terry said and Dick huffed.
“I know that. But a parent can dream can’t he?” This caused his family to laugh and Conner to drag him to the door to get dressed.
“Come on Wing. We’ll miss our reservations. They’ll be fine. Jay and Tim are only going on a routine bust and they have backup.” He said and M’gann waved goodbye and good luck to her sons and they left.
“Think they suspect?” Tim asked after they were gone and Jason laughed as he took off his Helmet leaving him in his mask.
“Nah. I asked Aunt Jade to plant that heroine in Cambodia. Uncle Roy even came to him with the ‘leak’.”
“Wait I thought Cheshire was bad again.” Impulse said. After he was stuck in the past after rushing here to help warn them about the invasion of the Reach, Wally and Artemis adopted him as their own.
“Nah.” Tim said waving his hand at the suggestion. “Deep undercover for the League. Grandpa asked as a favor since it involved Sportsmaster and the Assassins and no one wanted Dami involved so the Bats couldn’t help. Aunty Jade was more than happy to help humiliate her dad. She got off last week when Roy stepped in or she’d have missed Lian’s birthday.”
“So…; we DON’T have a mission?” La’gaan asked confused as he cocked his head to the side. After Kaldur had joined Seraphina and Wyyn back in Atlantis, the two had adopted La’gaan after his family was wiped out by Trenchers.
“Oh WE do.” Jason said flicking a finger between him and Tim. “But not a league mission. Or a team mission. I asked for Uncle Roy’s help and Uncle Wally’s. It’s a surprise for Mom, Da, and Pa. Which should be arriving…”
“Hey guys.” Wally’s voice said from the camera on the screen.
“Now.” Tim finished. “Hey Uncle Wally; ready for us?”
“Yep. Batman just made the purchase and all that’s needed is someone to pick it up. Man I didn’t expect their present to be part of an ancient Pharaoh’s Tomb replication.”
“Neither did our parents.” Tim laughed.
“Mom found it by accident and after finding out it wasn’t a store like she thought Pa found them in what was part a museum’s Charity buys.”
“Eh, after the invasion everything looked the same. They weren’y going to let it go to a bunch of kids; even rich kids; but we begged.” Match said unrepentant.
“I think it was Matt and Timmy here that made the difference. Man those eyes are lethal.” Terry said laughing at Tim’s blush. “Come on. I don’t want to be late.” He said.
“Look, sorry about getting you hyped up for a mission La’gaan. I’ll make it up to you. I promise.” Tim said guiltily. La’gaan only shrugged. 
“Father and Seraphina was planning a big dinner for dad’s birthday anyway. This way I get to help out. See ya.” He said and headed for the tubes. Impulse only shrugged and zoomed home saying Artemis had promised to teach him how to cook some Vietnamese dish.
Dick opened the door for M’gann as Conner wrapped his arms around his waist. All three laughing as Alfred went and parked the car.
“I still can’t believe you got us tickets to see STOMP’s comeback tour.” M’gann said still giddy straitening her green sundress.
“Yeah well, you know the guy with the lunchbox solo? His dad is a clown at Haley’s. We spent a few summers together when we were kids. As you know M’gann. After you and Diana helped me regain and understand my memories BEFOR the Court I looked them up and got to know some of the people that new my parents. He gave me a good price. They were dressed semiformal, since it was a date, but it was STOMP so no tuxes or anything.
“It was really cool. I didn’t know you could do that with a hammer and trashcan.” Conner said as they walked up the stairs waiting for Alfred. Hey, he was their butler, but first and foremost he was their family.
“Just don’t tell Jason. I don’t think Alfred would appreciate a concert in the driveway.” Dick said laughing as Alfred joined them.
“Quite right sir.” When they entered the house they were surrounded by Gar, who had a pair of thick pajamas on to keep the cold at bay, Tim, Jason, Matt, Match, Terry, Damian, Selena and Bruce.
“Happy 40th anniversary!” They all shouted surprising the threesome walking through the door. M’gann jumped in shock, Conner stiffened, and Dick almost crouched, but when they saw who surrounded them they all smiled happily.
“Awe guys. You didn’t have to.” Dick said but his smile was a hundred time bigger than usual.
“We wanted to. Besides how else can we give you your present?”
“Present?” The three asked together. And Damian, Matt, and Tim, the three youngest walked up and handed each of them a box. Confused they took off the wrapping and opened the boxes before gasping in unison. M’gann’s hand shot to her mouth tears welling in her eyes. Dick just stared at the gift with disbelief and awe while Conner’s eyes softened as he caressed the box’s side. In each box were three identical necklaces. The first stone was a Jade eye, the next was a ruby heart, and finally a diamond infinity sign.
“How…I thought…”
“We are Wayne’s Da. A little dealing and no one says no.” Damian said smugly but his blush said he was trying to hide his hope that they liked it. He was engulfed seconds later by the man he was talking to and Dick reached out for anyone in arms’ length. M’gann was doing the same while Conner was giving a sideways hug to Match and Terry.
“You guys…thank you.” M’gann said still teary eyed.
“Anything for my children.” Bruce said honestly while Selena nodded.
Dick sighed happily that night, between his husband and wife. In his mind it was forty-seven years since that failed mission, but he couldn’t help but think that was the best mistake in his life. He had a family that couldn’t be beat. And yes, he thought as the younger members of the team as his as well. He turned to the side and lightly put a stray strand of hair back behind M’gann’s ear as she sleep.
“You know we can hear you thinking.” She said her eyes still closed and a smile on her face. Dick laughed as he laid his head back down.
“Yeah I know. It’s not bad love. Just…I never thanked you for messing that Failsafe mission up.” M’gann opened her eyes confused and Dick kissed her softly.
“Because of that we have each other, our sons, and our team. I honestly don’t think I could be happier in any other life.”
“He’s got a point Love.” Conner said with a happy smile. M’gann smiled back and kissed them both.
“Well, I couldn’t be happier either. I love you.”
“I love you both.” Conner said.
“With all my heart. I love you both.” Dick sighed happily and they closed their eyes. This was their reality, this was their time. And together they would work, live, and love. And with their family, that is exactly what they did.