Chapter Text
Two years passed since then.
Five years passed since Bruce and Dicks death.
The grandfather clock in the grand foyer of Wayne Manor still ticked with the same rhythmic, heavy cadence, but the air it cut through was no longer heavy with dust and guilt. On a brilliant, sunlit Sunday afternoon in June, the kitchen smelled of roasted garlic, rosemary, and vanilla.
Alfred Pennyworth sat in a rocking chair by the window, a wool blanket draped over his knees despite the summer warmth. He didn't lift the heavy silver trays or ran around the house doing chores the joints in his wrists had finally won that argument but he didn't need to. At eighty four, he had successfully transitioned from the manor’s tireless engine to its deeply cherished heart. A plate of his famous chocolate-chip cookies sat cooling on the counter, baked entirely by his own hand while Duke aggressively guarded the oven to ensure they didn't burn.
"If you hover any closer, Master Duke, you'll burn yourself" Alfred remarked, a small, crinkling smile gracing his worn features.
Duke laughed, leaning his hip against the counter. At twenty two, he was in his penultimate year at Gotham University, his shoulders broader, his eyes steady. "Just making sure the goods are safe, Alf. You know Tim will inhale half of them the second he gets off his call."
As if on cue, Timothy Drake walked into the kitchen on a phone call, after a online meeting. At twenty-three, he had fully grown into his role as the CEO of Wayne Enterprises, balancing the corporate empire with the same brilliance he used as Red Robin and finally adjusting to a comfortable sleep schedule. He was currently wearing a tailored charcoal suit with the tie loosened, rushing rapidly with a tablet in hand as if the cookies were the only thing keeping his energised.
"No, tell the marketing department that if they don't have the slides ready by Thursday, I'm pulling their funding and giving it to the bio-tech sector," Tim muttered into the phone. He tapped the screen, disconnecting the call, and immediately snatched a cookie from the tray. And took a bite, he sighed as the sugar hit his system "Ahh Always hits the spot. I love you so much Alfred"
"Stop eating them. their for dessert." A sharp, clear voice rang out from the doorway.
Damian stood there, leaning against the frame. At eighteen, he was no longer the fierce, rigid child who spoke like a Victorian aristocrat. He had grown tall nearly matching Jason’s height but was still slightly shorter, his dark hair was pushed back loosely. He held a thick envelope stamped with the crest of Gotham University's pre-law and political science department.
"Is that the last of the applications?" Duke asked, smiling as he pulled out the last batch of cookies
"The final one.." Damian said, a quiet sense of pride settling into his features. He expression and posture was much softer and relaxed comparing from five years ago "Though I fail to see why I must undergo the formality of an interview when my credentials clearly exceed their standard criteria."
"It's just something you have to do Dami" a voice boomed from the stairs.
Jason walked into the kitchen, Now twenty six was wearing a comfortable flannel shirt with the sleeves rolled up. On his left ring finger, a simple, brushed titanium band caught the light. 4 months ago, Kyle had proposed to Jason during their annual family trip. He and Kyle had moved into the manor permanently, creating a sprawling, messy art studio out of one of the old store rooms for Kyle. Jason looked healthy but most importanly, Happy. the white streak in his hair remained, but the constant, hollow exhaustion in his eyes from two years ago had been entirely erased.
Right behind him was Steph, practically vibrating with excitement. She was in a bright yellow crop top, though her pockets were noticeably heavy. She caught Cass's hand as Cassandra walked into the room from the garden.
Cass, twenty six, looked radiant. Her movements were still silent, but the tight, defensive knots in her shoulders from two years ago were gone. She and Steph had been inseparable, and if the tiny velvet box Steph had been clumsily trying to hide in her pocket all morning was any indication, the family was about to expand again.
"Dinner's almost ready," Kyle Rayner called out, walking over from the massive stove with a potholder shaped like a green lantern. A joke gift from Tim. He smiled at Jason when he saw him, a warm, easy expression that belonged entirely to a man who felt completely at home. "Jason, go set the table. I'm almost done."
Damian was helping Alfred to his assigned seat on the dining room table while Duke was cutting up the cake he had baked for tonight. Tim was coming downstairs completely changed from his suit and ready to eat
Everything was good. The pillars had stepped down, the children had grown, and the house was full of light.
Dinner was like it's been for the past two years, Talkative, filled with laughs and jokes.
"Shut up! Me and Jon are just friends!" Damian declared but there was no bite and Damian's face was as red as a Christmas ornament, it triggered a laugh in the whole room before they started to playfully tease Damian
Then, the heavy brass knocker on the front door sounded.
Three sharp.
Distinct strikes.
The room didn't freeze immediately not until they realized Alfred was moving to get it. Kyle, quickly got up to stop Alfred from getting up "I got it," he said cheerfully, jogging towards the door. "maybe it's Damian's katana he pre-ordered from a few months ago"
"I knew I was not scammed!" Damian perked up
In the foyer, the heavy oak door groaned as Kyle pulled it open. "Hey, can I help you?" Kyle’s voice cut off. It didn't just stop, it died in his throat, followed by a sharp, sudden intake of air.
"Kyle?" Jason called out, his voice warm, relaxed. "Kyle, who is it?"
There was no answer from the hall. Only the sound of heavy, familiar boots stepping across the marble tiles.
Kyle stepped aside, his face completely pale, his hands raised slightly as if he didn't know whether to draw his ring or drop to his knees. Behind him, two figures stepped into the warm, golden light of the Wayne Manor.
Utensils can be heard clustering and falling on the table or the floor.
Bruce Wayne stood in the center of the room. He looked older, his hair heavily silvered at the temples, a deep, jagged scar cutting across his left cheekbone. Beside him stood Dick Grayson. His posture slightly guarded, but he wore a small, incredibly awkward, trembling smile.
The silence that followed was absolute. It was a suffocating, terrifying vacuum that swallowed the smell of the food, the warmth of the fire, and the five years of peace they had fought so bloodily to build.
Dick looked around the room, his eyes lingering on Tim’s expression, on Duke’s college hoodie, on Damian’s height, Cassandra's long hair and finally on the titanium ring on Jason’s finger. He swallowed hard, his voice cracking through the quiet.
"Hey, guys," Dick said, the awkward smile faltering. "We're back." He was holding back tears because he didn't want rush to quickly to embrace them
The transition from the kitchen to the Batcave med-bay happened in a blur of cold, robotic efficiency. Nobody hugged. Nobody screamed. The family had moved fast, forcing the two men down into the cave under the watchful, lethal glare of the current residence.
Tim stood by the primary terminal, his fingers shaking so violently he could barely type as the automated sequencer analyzed the blood samples he had just drawn from Bruce and Dick’s arms.
The machine beeped. A bright green bar flashed across the screen.
MATCH: BRUCE WAYNE
MATCH: RICHARD GRAYSON.
"It's them," Tim said. His voice was entirely flat, stripped of all human emotion. He didn't turn around to look at them afraid he was dreaming it all
Jason was leaning against the steel railing of the platform, his arms crossed so tightly his knuckles were white. Cass stood beside him, her face a mask of absolute, unreadable stone and anger
"Five years," Jason said. The words didn't sound like a question. They sounded like a accusation "Five years of mourning. Five years of holding this family together from collapsing. Where the hell were you?"
Bruce stepped forward, his eyes heavy with a profound, exhausting sadness. "I know we have a lot of explaining to do.. and it's no easy way to say it without it being brief, But we couldn't risk the lives that were at stake"
"You could have told us!" Tim suddenly roared, spinning around from the console, his face twisting with a raw, agonizing fury they hadn't seen since he was fifteen. "You could have sent a cipher! Morse! Anything! Do you have any idea what we went through? Do you know the pain you've cause us!?"
"We had to if we wanted keep you alive," Bruce said, his voice dropping into that deep, unyielding tone that used to command the room. It was laced with a desperate plea for them to understand. "If they had detected that you possessed the knowledge of our survival, you would have become primary targets. I wasn't ready to put you all at risk."
"We could have fought them off! We have the justice league! The Outlaws! Titans! Young justice!" Damian shouted. He stepped forward, his fists clenched at his sides, his eyes blazing with a dangerous, volatile anger. "We could have fought off a million of them if it meant bringing you both back!" Damian yelled heaving in anger
Dick reached out, his hand trembling as he tried to touch Damian’s shoulder. "Dami, please, we didn't have a choice.."
Damian violently slapped Dick’s hand away. "Don't touch me!" he hissed, his voice cracking with the weight of an eighteen year old who had just realized his childhood grief had been nothing but a lie, the years he spent hurting were for nothing.
The room fractured. Without another word, without waiting for an apology or an explanation. That could never fix the crater in their chests, the family scattered.
The library was dark, the only light coming from the amber glow of the dying fireplace.
Jason sat on the floor, his back pressed against the bookshelves in the far corner, his knees drawn up to his chest. His titanium ring felt heavy on his finger a burning reminder of a life he had built under the assumption that the ghosts were gone, when he could have spent that time looking for them instead of..
The heavy oak doors clicked open. Two pairs of footsteps approached, soft and deliberate.
Tim and Damian walked into the room. They didn't say anything at first. Tim sat down on the floor right next to Jason, his shorts wrinkling against the rug, while Damian sat on the other side, his long legs crossed, his shoulders tense but his presence entirely solid, slowly leaning on Jason's shoulder
"Kyle’s downstairs," Tim said quietly into the dark. "He's sitting with them.. asking questions.."
Jason let out a long, ragged breath, burying his face in his hands. "I feel like I'm losing my mind, Timmy. I look at them, and I'm angry. I'm so angry I want to rip my hair out. But then I look at the ring on my finger, and I feel guilty for being happy while they were fighting a war.. I could have been looking for them.. could have bought them home.."
"Don't," Damian said. His voice was surprisingly gentle, devoid of the sharp edges he usually used to shield himself in public. He reached out, his hand resting firmly on Jason’s knee. "You have nothing to apologize for, Jason. You and Cassandra a place to call home when they left us in the dark.. allowing us to believe they had truly passed. But we moved in and We are happy now, it is because of you and Cass"
Tim leaned his head back against the bookshelf, his hand finding Jason’s shoulder and squeezing tight. "We’ve got you, Jay. For three years, you helped us. Supported us.. comforted us. You don't have to carry this alone. We're here for you. Always"
Jason reached out, his large hands reaching out to Tim and Damian’s hand holding onto them like an anchor in a storm. He didn't cry, He didn't need to, but the crushing weight in his chest loosened just enough for him to breathe.
Upstairs, in the quiet sanctuary of her bedroom, Cassandra sat on the edge of her bed, her eyes fixed on the open window where the summer breeze was blowing the curtains.. easing her nerves
Duke was sitting on the floor by her feet, a heavy blanket from the closet already wrapped around her shoulders, while Steph sat right beside her, her arm securely wound around Cass’s waist, her cheek pressed against Cass’s shoulder.
"They're real," Cass whispered, her voice trembling. "Finding out the truth.. it hurts...makes me angry.. I'm.. angry.."
"I know, sweetie," Steph murmured, tightening her grip, her blue eyes fierce with a protective rage that was entirely directed at the men downstairs. "They don't get to just walk back in and expect everything to be the same. You built a life, Cass. We built a life.."
Duke looked up, his bright eyes soft in the dim light of the bedroom. He reached over, placing his hand over Cass’s calloused fingers. "You don't have to fix this, Cass. You don't have to be the strong one anymore. If you want to lock the door and never speak to them again, I'll stand guard outside. Steph will help me."
"Damn right I will," Steph muttered.
Cass looked down at her brother, and the girl who loved her enough to stay with her even when she barely spoke, when she was at her darkest and at the brother who had grown into a brilliant, steady light.
She leaned into Steph’s side, her fingers curling into into Duke’s hair, letting the warmth of the room and the cold summer breeze wash over her.
"I love you both so much" Cass said softly, a statement of fact that no ghost could ever change.
Downstairs, the kitchen remained quiet, the roast cooling on the counter, the family portraits on the wall holding the images of a past they had outgrown. The future was messy, broken, and entirely uncertain.. but as the five siblings held onto each other in the quiet corners of the house.
The grim reality of the situation happened down in the kitchen, just before the family split to process the trauma upstairs.
While the siblings retreated to find their own pockets of air, Kyle Rayner stayed behind. He stood between the kitchen island and the hallway, blocking the path to the rest of the house like a solid wall. The green lantern ring on his finger wasn't active, but it hummed with a low, dangerous vibration that matched the look in his eyes.
Bruce and Dick stood by the dining table. The awkward, hopeful smiles had completely vanished, replaced by the stark realization and guilt of the damage their return had caused.
"Kyle," Dick started, his voice heavy, extending a hand. "I know this is... a lot. But we need to explain it to them-"
"No, you're going to explain it to me first," Kyle cut him off. His voice wasn't loud, but it had a hard, unyielding edge. He stepped closer, his gaze flicking between Bruce and Dick. "Because right now, Everyone needs space and don't want to talk to you."
Bruce let out a slow, controlled breath, the classic Batman stoicism slipping over his features like armor. "Rayner, this is a family matter.. this does not concern you."
Kyle's eyes narrowed before he lifted his hand to show the engagement ring "I am family. So explain."
Bruce's breath hitched, he was visibly holding back tears seeing the ring
Kyle snapped, the anger finally breaking through his composure. He pointed a finger at them "Five years. I watched Jason patch himself up without the proper supplies because he didn't want to worry his siblings.. Jason tells me how Cass would sit awake from a nightmare until dawn because she thought if she closed her eyes, the dark would swallow what was left of this family. They carried the weight of your deaths every single day."
Dick looked down at the floor, his jaw tight, his shoulders hunching as the guilt visibly settled into his chest. "We knew it would be hard, Kyle. We knew. But if they had caught even a whisper of a transmission from us, the entire Watchtower grid would have collapsed on Gotham. They would have been targeted first. We did it to protect them."
"You didn't protect them, Dick. You broke them, They spent years grieving." Kyle said, his voice dropping to a harsh, scraping whisper. Kyle looked directly at Bruce, his green eyes flashing with an absolute lack of fear. "You think you're the smartest detective in the world, but you forgot the most basic rule of having a family," Kyle said, his hand dropping to his side, though the ring continued to pulse. "You don't get to decide what they're ready for. And you don't get to fake your deaths, let them bleed for half a decade, and then walk back in during Sunday dinner and expect them to hand the keys back over."
Bruce remained silent, his gaze fixed on Kyle. For the first time in his life, the dark knight had no tactical counter, no contingency plan, and no speech that could undo the reality of the choices he had made.
"So here’s what’s going to happen," Kyle said, backing toward the hallway door, his eyes never leaving the two men. "You two are going to sit in this kitchen. You're not going upstairs, you're not going down to the cave, and you're sure as hell not forcing your way into their rooms. You're going to wait until they are ready to talk to you. And if you try to push them before then, you'll find out exactly what a Green Lantern does to people who mess with his family."
Without waiting for a response, Kyle turned and walked out of the kitchen, leaving the two ghosts alone in the quiet, sunlit room.
The heavy, agonizing tension that had choked the lower half of the manor seemed to thin out the second Kyle stepped into the library.
The fire had burned down to a deep, steady bed of amber coals, casting long, warm shadows across the rows of books.
Kyle walked in silently, his shoes making no sound on the thick Persian rug. His eyes immediately softened at the sight on the grand sofa
Jason had moved from his spot to the couch, no longer sitting on the floor. He was in the middle of the massive couch. Tim and Damian had completely collapsed against him. Tim was sprawled awkwardly, his head resting heavily on Jason’s chest, one hand still loosely clutching the fabric of his brother's flannel shirt. Damian, despite his height and his insistence that he was a grown man, had curled sideways, his head tucked firmly under Jason's chin, his shoulders finally relaxed in sleep.
Jason looked up as Kyle approached. He looked exhausted, the skin under his eyes dark and bruised with stress, but he was wrapped around his younger brothers like an unyielding shield. His large hands was resting on the back of Damian’s head, his fingers casually threaded through the boy's dark hair.
Kyle moved quietly around the perimeter, stepping behind the high back of the couch. He leaned over, placing his hands flat on the leather, just inches away from Jason’s shoulder.
"Hey," Kyle whispered, his voice a low, soothing balm in the quiet room not wanting to wake the boys, He looked down at the trio, a small, sad smile tugging at his lips. "How are you doing, babe?"
Jason didn't move he couldn't, not without waking his brother's who had finally found peace after a five year old nightmare had walked through the front door. He let his head drop back against the cushions, looking up at Kyle upside down.
"I’m furious," Jason whispered back, his voice raw, scraping against the silence of the library. "I want to break things. I want to go downstairs and yell until I lose my voice. But..." He paused, his gaze dropping down to Tim’s quiet, rhythmic breathing and the steady rise and fall of Damian’s shoulders. "But they came in here, and suddenly I didn't want to destroy anything anymore.."
Kyle reached out, his fingers gently brushing the stray white streak of hair away from Jason’s forehead. His touch was warm and grounding. "Because they care," Kyle said softly. "Because you care."
Jason sighed, his thumb unconsciously rubbing Damian’s shoulder. "They spent so long moving on so that they didn't have to carry the weight of dead men. And now..."
"And now, nothing changes for them," Kyle interrupted gently, his thumb tracing the line of Jason's jaw. "You heard Damian downstairs. You heard Tim and Duke. They aren't the same kids Bruce and Dick left behind. They’re a family because of what you and Cass sacrificed. A couple of ghosts walking back into the house doesn't undo five years of love, Jay."
Jason closed his eyes, letting his head tilt slightly into Kyle’s hand. The anger was still there, a hot, thrumming knot in his stomach, but with Kyle standing over him and his brothers, the panic subsided.
"Did you take care of it downstairs?" Jason asked, keeping his eyes shut.
"They're not going anywhere near you guys tonight," Kyle promised, his voice turning fierce for a split second before softening again. "I told them if they try to push their way in here before you're ready, they'll have to answer to a very angry Green Lantern. They’re staying in the kitchen."
Jason let out a short, silent huff of a laugh. He opened his green eyes, looking up at his fiancé with a profound, quiet gratitude. "You're an idiot, Rayner. Threatening Batman in his own house."
"Hey, I'm an artist. We're known for making dramatic statements," Kyle whispered, leaning down further to press a soft, lingering kiss to the crown of Jason's head. "Just breathe, Jay. Sleep if you can."
Jason didn't answer, but his fingers tightened just a fraction around Damian and Tim's shoulder, and his head settled deeper into the cushions. As Kyle at the other side of the couch
The silence in the kitchen after Kyle left was absolute, broken only by the hum of the refrigerator and the gentle, rhythmic rocking of Alfred’s chair by the window.
Bruce and Dick remained standing by the dining table, looking less like legendary vigilantes and more like strangers stranded in a house they no longer recognized. The dinner left completely untouched and going cold
Dick sank slowly into one of the heavy mahogany chairs, burying his face in his hands. His shoulders shook slightly, the weight of the family’s collective fury finally breaking through his armor. "They hate us," he whispered into his palms. "Bruce, they looked at us like they don't even know us."
Bruce didn't answer. He stood completely still, his eyes fixed on the empty doorway where his children had disappeared. His jaw was set, but there was a rare, fracturing vulnerability in the tight lines around his eyes that only showed when something involved his kids
"They do not hate you, Master Richard," Alfred’s voice cut through the quiet. It was soft, but it carried the absolute, unyielding authority of a man who had watched the entire history of the house unfold.
Both men turned to look at the old butler. Alfred hadn't stopped rocking. His hands were folded calmly over the blanket on his lap, his gaze resting on the cooled tray of chocolate-chip cookies on the counter that would of have been gone if not what happened
"Alfred," Bruce said, his voice raw and emotional when he addressed his parental figure. His father. "I had to- I couldn't.."
"It was a tactical decision," Alfred finished for him, his tone with its usual warmth. He stopped rocking, his sharp, clear eyes moving up to meet Bruce's. "You did not consider the emotional pain and trauma they'll go through, They were still children. Children who needed their father"
Dick lifted his head, his eyes red. "We thought they would be safe if they didn't know. We thought they’d just... mourn, and then move on under the assumption we were gone."
"Mourn and move on?" Alfred let out a short sigh, He leaned forward, the linen blanket shifting. "The night the news broke, Master Dick, this house became a tomb. Master Timothy nearly destroyed his mind running data loops in the cave, trying to find a glitch that did not exist. Young Damian locked himself in the training room until his hands were raw and bleeding, trying to beat his own grief into submission. And Duke felt as if his grievance was unworthy.."
Alfred’s gaze drifted to the view outside
"And yet.. Here they are.. happy and living their lives.. because of" Alfred paused before he continued, his voice dropping to a harsh, trembling whisper. "Jason and Cassandra."
Bruce closed his eyes, his fists clenching at his sides.
"The first night Jason and Cassandra returned, he wept in the cave after everyone had gone to bed until he could barely open his eyes," Alfred continued, the memories carving deep lines into his face. "But the next morning, they wiped their faces, walked into that kitchen and made breakfast for their siblings, comforted them, held them and stayed with them. For three years, those two took every blow.. They stayed with them when they had nightmares and took the mean hurtful words that came with them. They took the beatings on patrol and covered triple their patrol route. Which would last the whole night if not on a bad day. They burned their own youths to ash so that Timothy, Duke, and Damian could have a chance to heal and Grieve"
Dick squeezed his eyes shut, a tear escaping and tracking down his cheek. "We didn't mean to abandon them, Alf. We had no choice..."
"There is always a choice Master Grayson," Alfred said plainly. "You could have made the right choice" Alfred looked between the two returned ghosts, his expression softening
Bruce stood in the center of the kitchen, the weight of Alfred's words settling over him like lead. He looked at the cold food on the table, then at the empty hallway leading to the library where his sons were holding onto each other in the dark.
"What do we do, Alfred?" Dick asked, his voice entirely broken, looking up at the man who had raised them all.
Alfred reached over, his old, trembling hand resting on the edge of the kitchen island. "You wait," he said quietly. "You sit in this room, you accept the anger they have earned the right to throw at you."
Bruce sighed as if it was taking everything in him not to break down, The guilt overwhelmed him "you're right.." Bruce's voice cracked "We deserve this" Bruce let out a shaky sigh and started clearing up the Dinning table
Dick looked at Bruce, He had tears in his eyes from the crying before he got up and started helping Bruce clean the table
The morning sun did nothing to warm the grand living room of Wayne Manor.
Bruce and Dick sat on the lower sofa, side by side, looking like men awaiting a verdict. While they waited for the family to gather, their eyes instinctively drifted to the fireplace and the surrounding walls.
Five years ago, the walls only had one family pictures. Now, it was alive with color, clutter, and unyielding proof of a life lived without them. (More pictures basically)
Dick’s breath caught in his throat as he looked at a glossy frame near the center. It was Duke, grinning ear to ear, holding up a gold trophy at a university swimming championship, his shoulders broad and wet. Right beside it was a photo that made Tim look remarkably happy, leaning against Kon Kent under a string of patio lights, a soft, smile on his face that Bruce hasn't seen in five years
Then Bruce’s gaze landed on the far corner. There were three high school graduation pictures clustered together. Tim, exhausted but proud. Duke, looking fiercely determined, happy. and Damian the most recent, had He chin held high
Bruce’s chest tightened painfully. He stared at a photograph of Damian dressed in a pristine white gi, holding a massive certificate. The plaque beneath it commemorated his receipt of the 10th Dan in karate. The absolute pinnacle of the martial art, achieved at just eighteen years old.
There were photos of birthdays too. Silly ones with smeared cake frosting, beach trips where Jason was wearing a ridiculous sun hat, and Cass laughing so hard her eyes were closed. Milestone after milestone. Years of accomplishments, joy, and growth and he wasn't here to see it.
The realization hit Dick like a physical blow, making him feel physically ill. They hadn't just saved from the possible threat. they had robbed themselves of the right to witness them become adults. And now there was no going back in time to fix this. Because they had made their choice and now they had to face the consequences.
The heavy double doors of the living room swung open.
No one was wearing masks. No one was in uniform. In fact they were all still in their pajamas.. Tim, Duke, Damian, Jason, and Cass walked in, flanked by Steph and Kyle. They didn't sit on the couches near Bruce and Dick. They stood, a united front of prosecutors, ready to hand down the emotional sentence that had been building for five long years.
Jason looked at Bruce up and down ".. We're ready for your explanation" Jason said simply before he sat down on the couch across from them. (Kyle and Steph walked away to make breakfast)
Bruce looked down feeling guilty but waited for everyone to be seated being he started explaining the situation and choices they made and how much he regretted it all (I'm too lazy but y'all got the memo)
"I know I can't turn back time.. and I'd give anything in the world right now to do so.." Bruce finally broke and tears started to fall "I can't imagine what you all went through.. I should have been there for you all.. But I was scared.. Scared that even if I did end telling you where we are.. they would have gotten to you before the signal came through and I couldn't bare the thought.."
"We're so sorry.. we should have tried harder but we thought of every possible outcome and it all led to same result" Dick sobbed "we're so sorry.."
"Please.. We want to make it up to you all.. I want to know what happened in your lives.. I want to know what I missed" Bruce admitted and he could see the conflict flash through their eyes but after a while he saw the five of them nod in agreement and he felt a wave of relief wash over him. (He was very much holding back the urge to hug them too)
Damian got up and stepped forward first. At eighteen, he no longer possessed the volatile, screaming rage of his childhood, His demeanour was much calmer and less tense. His voice was a terrifyingly calm, deep resonance that echoed off the high ceilings, it was deeper then it was when he was a child, His deep voice almost matching Bruce by a bit but was still slightly higher
"When you both.. Died.." Damian said, looking directly into Bruce’s eyes, "I believed my sole purpose on this earth was to prove myself worthy of your bloodline.. I thought my world had ended. I trained until my hands bled, believing that if I was stronger.. better.. I could have done something to save you..." Damian’s jaw tightened, his gaze cutting to Dick "I had nightmares for years because of it.. I'd wake up crying.. screaming.. sometimes I'd wake up and I was already spiralling." Damian kept his voice steady "Cass and Jay always sat by me when I had nightmares.. they'd stay until I went back to sleep.. but some night were harder then others and I'd wake up multiple times that night"
.Dick’s lower lip trembled, the tears were already spilling over his cheeks, his shoulders hitching.
Bruce looked physically pained knowing he was the cause of Damian's nightmares because he hadn't given Damian the reinsurance he needed.
"But you did not die," Damian continued, his voice dropping an octave. "You chose to let me believe I was an orphan. I did not achieve my 10th Dan because I moved on.. because I did it for the brother who sat with me when I screamed and spiralled during those nightmares, and the sister who held me when I broke down. You do not get to be proud of the man I became, because you had absolutely nothing to do with the making of him."
Bruce covered his face with his hands, a loud, broken sob tearing from his throat. He was a lost cause, entirely undone by the sheer weight of his son words but he knew he deserved it more than anyone.
Damian went to go sit down next to Cass seaking comfort and she happy obliged, pulling him into a side hug
Tim stepped into the space next, his hands shoved into the pockets of his slacks. He was nervous, fidgeting with his hands
"I spent a year looking for you," Tim said evenly. "I ran diagnostics until my vision blurred. I stopped eating. I let Wayne Enterprises slide because I thought if I just find a small lead, I’d find you. I blamed myself for every second you were gone. I felt like such a failure.. To think you're the smart one, but you weren't smart enough to find your dad and your brother? Knowing if you had just dug deeper you could have found them"
Bruce's eyes welled with heavy, hot tears. A single tear escaped, tracking down the deep groove of his scar.
"You didn't trust us," Tim whispered, the detachment finally cracking to reveal the raw pain beneath. "You looked at me, the boy who figured out your identity, the boy who ran your logistics, and you decided I wasn't worth the risk of a cipher. You left us to drown in the dark. Don't look at my graduation photos, Bruce. Don't look at Kon. You gave up the right to know my life the day you decided that it was better to let us grieve your deaths than comforting us knowing you were still alive." Tim looked away pained and sat down before leaning on Jason's shoulder
Duke stepped forward, his expression a mixture of profound sorrow and quiet dignity.
"I felt like I was the outsider," Duke said softly. "I felt like I was trespassing on a family tragedy. I sat in my room the day of the funeral thinking my grief didn't count because I wasn't raised by you.. and that I had no right to say the grief was mine.. Jason and Cass reminded me that I belonged that my grief counted as much as the others... You left me behind before I even got the chance to know what it really meant to have a father."
Bruce’s head bowed, the tears dripping steadily onto his clenched fists. He couldn't speak. There was no defense.
Then, Jason and Cass didn't move from their seats, they just say there and looked at Bruce. The room went entirely, suffocatingly cold. The twins who had held up the roof sat before the men who had dropped it on them.
Jason didn't yell. He didn't pull a weapon. He just looked at Bruce with green eyes that were completely clear of the Lazarus rage, leaving only the devastating hurt of a son who had been abandoned twice.
"The first night back, I stood in that cave and I wanted to die," Jason said, his voice a low, raspy growl. "Because there was nobody above us anymore. Dick was gone, you were gone, and I had three kids looking at me to tell them everything was going to be okay. I had to become the adult but truthfully.. I was scared.. scared I'd fuck them up because I didn't know how to be a big brother to them.. but I knew I couldn't let them down so I had to patch my own wounds, fight your wars, and pretend I wasn't waiting for you to walk through the door.. God I prayed that you'd walk through that door"
Jason lifted his left hand, the titanium ring catching the morning light.
"I met Kyle because I was practically suicidal on a mission," Jason said, his voice cracking for the first time. "I let myself be happy because my brothers told me that I deserved it.. You left us a crater. You let us bleed and let us believe we were completely alone in a city that wants to kill us every single night.. because Batman was gone and they thought they could do whatever they wanted."
Cassandra placed a hand on Jason's shoulder. She didn't need sign language. Because through out the five year she had finally learned to talk, she was able to express herself freely. She looked at Dick, who was still weeping into his hands, and then at Bruce, whose broad shoulders were hunched with the crushing weight of his tears.
"I thought our family would be forever broken.. because truthfully.. You and Dick were the glue that held us together" Cass said, her voice a piercing, quiet admission. She pointed to the photos on the mantle. "But.. Through the years we found out it just takes a little time and love.. I remember you telling me that.. family is about love and compassion.. but I didn't see that then.. because we were always arguing and fighting. But after you died.. it forced us together and I finally started believe what you said was true.. Family is about love. We were just to proud to show it" She said slightly hinting Damian who pouted and looked away embarrassed
She paused, her dark eyes looking at them with a profound, final understanding. "We know the sacrifices you've made for us.. the risk you were to afraid to take. Before this I would have called you a scaredy cat and that you weren't the Batman I thought who took risk if you had told me what you just did. But now.. after everything I see now that you did it out of love. That you were scared to see your loved once die by your call.. I see that now because I know I would have done the same.." The word echoed through the living room like a gavel slamming down, she looked at Bruce and dick, tears whelming up "But I really wish you had told us in any way you could.."
Bruce's sobs didn't die down "I know.. I know.. And I'm so sorry.. I know sorry doesn't fix it but I really am."
Dick lifted his head to look at them "We're idiots aren't we?" Dick chuckled as he sobbed
"The biggest.." Jason said as tear starts well, his voice cracked slightly
"Could you ever forgive us?" Bruce asked in tears
"We could think of a few ways.." Cass admitted "A hug.. maybe?" Cass said hopefully
"My babies.." Bruce's sobbed opening his arms for a hug
Cassandra and Jason jumped up from their seats and lunged towards Bruce, yearning for the embrace of their father, after five years they let themselves be kids, Bruce was quick to hug them tight.
Dick turned to three of their younger brothers "Please.. Humour me?" Dick asked in a broken sob as he opened his arms asking for a hug
The three of them were hesitant but the first to move Tim, he got up and hugged dick before Duke followed then Damian.
"Fuck you guys are tall.. Taller then me.." Dick joked as he hugged them tight
"A lot can happen in five years Dickie.." Tim mumbled as he hugged dick tight
"My babies.. My children.. I've missed you all so much.." Bruce sobbed as he held his twins tight in his unyielding embrace
Damian finally folded and pulled away from dick to join the embrace, the rest soon followed
Bruce sniffled out a sigh "I'm so proud of you all.. so.. so.. proud"
"if I may interrupt.. Anyone hungry for breakfast?" Kyle smiled as he walked in with a apron on
Everyone laughed slightly and went to go eat breakfast that Kyle and Steph had prepared.
Extra:
A few months passed, everyone was still in edge but it was much more comfortable and open. Bruce rejoined the JL and Dick Went back to the titans but they didn't go back to the line to duty just yet. Bruce decide to book a 2 week long vacation to the Bahamas to catch/make up for lost time. And yes, Bruce even bought tickets for his kids lovers.
Everyone was having a blast. By second to last day they were watching a fire show that was being held by the beach, everyone was cheering and laughing
"I bet I could do that with my eyes closed" Damian huffed but clearly pleased
"I bet you could" Jonathan smiled and kissed his cheek, his hand in Damian's waist
Jason sitting on the sand, Head on Kyle's shoulder, enjoying the show will eating snacks.
Dick and Kori got back together too, after a lot talking and explaining and dates to make up for lost time.
Tim and Kon were talking to Bruce how they got together and they could see Bruce visible soften and happy and possibly tearing up.
Duke had somehow joined the fire show and was surprisingly good at it
Steph was hesitant gripping her pocket that was weirdly full, she hadn't stepped into the water the whole day because of the item inside her pocket, she was glancing at Cass.. her beautiful Cass.. the love of her life looking so happy as she watched the fire show. She took a deep breath and threw a small rock at Jason as a signal
Jason nodded and whistled, signalling Duke. Tim and Kon heard the signal and ran to the shop owners to turn on the beach lights
Jon and Dami had Disappeared somewhere after they heard their signal. Bruce was confused, Dick smirked and pulled out his phone ready to record, Kori was recoding from a high point
Steph took a deep breath and turned to Cass "Cassandra.." she called out softly to get her attention.
"Hm?" Cass turned to Steph with a smile, so relaxed and happy
"Cass.. you are the light of my life.. You're the peanut butter to me jam.. The knife to my butter.. and I can't imagine a day where I don't wake up to see your beautiful face.." Steph got on one knee, her hands shaking intensely as she pulled out the velvet box from her pocket and opening it, revealing a beautiful diamond ring
Cassandra's eyes widened, her breath hitching as tears started to wheal her eyes
"I want to grow old with you.. Adopt children with you.. and still eat shitty Chinese takeout with you while we watch awful tv shows till our brains turn into mush" Steph said laughing as she cried "Cassandra Cain-Wayne.. Will you Marry Me?"
Cassandra's covered her mouth, tears swelling so much it became blurry and for the first time since she learnt how to talk, she was utterly speechless, after a while of fighting the tears she yelled out, a happy yell "Yes! Yes I'll marry you!" Cass cried and lunged toward Stephanie and hugged her tight
Stephanie sequeeled loudly and hugged Cassandra tightly "Yes! I love you so much!"
Cassandra laughed and nodded "Same here.." she leaned in and Captured Stephanie's lips in a kiss
Fireworks were suddenly blasted into the sky as they kissed at this very perfect moment
Bruce was sobbing, watching his baby girl get proposed too was too much, He thought he'd never get to see the day and here he was witnessing it but suddenly then there a hand on his shoulder
It was Jason smiling at him "Dad.." Jason Started quietly but he was clearly shy and embarrassed cause his cheeks were flushed "Will you walk me down the aisle..? During my wedding day?" Jason looked away shy
Oh
Oh..
Bruce absolutely lost it and started full on sobbing his heart out. His baby boy wanted HIM to walk him down the aisle and now his only baby girl was getting married oh the emotions he can't do this, He may be Batman but behind Batman is just a softie in the inside
Everyone gathered to the crying Bruce all laughing and teasing Bruce as they all laughed heartedly
Their family was complete.. and everyone couldn't be happier
(Ik some of y'all would kill me if y'all don't see the proposing scene)