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If there was any place in the universe better than San Francisco Tim be damned, it had been years since he and the Titans practically lived here and it was still breathtaking not only for the views, the ocean, the people, the beach mood and most importantly the heroing ah, the heroing… When did he ever get so lucky to get all of this, his friends and a home a real home, not some lonely giant house with nothing but emotionless pictures of a couple supposedly his parents but he barely even knew them, or even some disturbed clan he didn't know why he still insisted on calling family made of people emotionally wrecked and unstable, people who were the smartest, strongest, masters in everything a human could im possibly be but failed at the simple task humanity was naturally good at, family… of all kinds, sizes, genders, worst of all he was one of them an equally troubled person. Tim shook his head as he prepared himself for the failure that would be that wedding he sighed, at least I'll be back in California in less than a week releasing another breath he focused on that thought, except he wouldn’t make it back and things kept getting worse, of course there would be Arkham breakouts, of course Gotham would become hell on Earth for the hundredth time that summer , of course he would stay to help, yeah of course , he stared at the stitches in his skin.
Outside of the Bats mess, Tim honestly had hoped that giving the title of CEO of Wayne Enterprises back to Bruce would help things go a little easier for him, instead it became just another event in the pile of mess currently going on in the Wayne's lives. A burger and energy drinks that's what he needed so he was relieved when the doorbell rang, of course his relief didn't last, he opened the door to meet Tam Fox who came handing him magazines, newspapers and documents she didn’t even wait for him to say anything as words started flying out of her mouth so fast he was barely catching up, all in all he could understand that both the media and the staff of the company were thinking there was a feud between he and Bruce, the way things happened so abruptly and how Tim had rarely been spotted close to anyone in the Wayne family, that not only fed up gossips but also meant a bad image to the WE. They sat down and talked for a while, despite their past he and Tam had a good post-relationship relation and the fact the she was trying to help meant a lot o him, any kind of true demonstration of friendship meant a lot to him, he really had issues letting people in and knowing he had friends around was a feeling he couldn’t explain, it wasn’t quite the same with his family though but now he would have to make do of it because people can’t seem to be able of minding their own business.
It didn’t take two full months until they all were heading on highway to hell, it was just stupid, there must have been something up and Bruce wasn’t the type of man to do anything stupid, not without a concrete plan and dozens of contingency ones, if only Tim could figure it out. He stared at the road through the window keeping it blasé while Damian, Jason and Dick engaged on a kerfuffle he couldn’t help but laugh at some point on another and stare dreadfully at Selina’s expression to her so called ‘trip destruction plan’, he just needed some coffee or Red Bull or whatever. Things were already bad enough for them and when Tim thought they had a small victory, Murphy’s Law decided to play him and trick the hell out of his stomach, that was the moment it happened one of those moments he got why Jack had never been his dad but someone else was, he found Bruce rubbing his back and wiping his face, wait no , he turned his head a little to see Selina looking guilty but warmly at him with a pack of tissues in her hands, he regreted dismissing what Gotham meant to him, at that moment he just wanted to go home. The rest was just more of a roller coaster than it was before, he didn’t even bother anymore at least he got to see Haly’s Circus again, despite how wrong the trip had gone, he knew it wouldn’t work anyways.
Nothing is so wrong that can’t get worse, right? He thought to bitterly himself An alternate dimension, we’ve been sent to an universe where we don’t even exist! Great… He grimaced crossing arms, thunders roared up above, he glanced at Damian sitting on the bed across him, ‘Who does that woman think she is?’ Tim half heard the boy mumble over a thousand times, he examined the walls and the ceiling, the carpet and the furniture, trying to figure the simplest things about this new world, everything just looked the same but felt different, more solid, more real he would dare to think. In a blink of an eye the night had passed and they were on their way to Oklahoma City to try and find their way back to Gotham, back home, at this point Tim could only hope things to go according to plan, it wasn’t that hard, Selina and Jason would steal it and put a replica back, they’d take it to a previously rented apartment so they could work on it, meanwhile Dick and Damian would be in the comic store down the street, He and Bruce were to coordinate and make sure the operation succeeded, a shrinking feeling took over his body hoping it would work but fearing it wouldn't. Finally after hours of riding through storm damaged roads, they pulled up at Oklahoma History Center and went their separate ways.
“Tim?” Bruce called softly as they finished setting the hacking bugs in their laptops sitting on a stone bench in one of the museum hallways. “We’ll do it, we'll make it back home.” He stated sensing Tim's tension.
“Yeah,” the younger hardened his expression and nodded in agreement “it is just that… I-” he hesitated. “I never thought we'd be in a situation like this, I mean not the alternate universe thing, but this happening to us as normal people and you acting like this and Selina, it's just… it feels weird, a good weird I think.” He gulped a dry breath taking his eyes away from the man.
“It is weird for me too.” Bruce wrapped his hand around Tim's, searching for the boy's gaze. “Don't worry Jackson, it'll be alright.” They both turned their attention to the guard walking towards them.
“Hey you two,” the guard approached them “you are not allowed to use these in here.” he pointed to the laptops.
“I'm sorry sir, it's uh-” Tim looked up to Bruce, “my dad is helping me with… my summer report, for school.” Do they do summer reports in high school? He wondered and smiled sloppily, Bruce patted his shoulder.
Luckily the man left without any trouble other than ordering them to shut down the devices, Dick and Damian texted informing that they were already on their way back, the museum's galleries were just closed for lunch break meaning Jason and Selina would strike. A double beep confirmed that the stealing had succeeded Bruce and Tim shared a conspiring glance and smile as they walked down the empty hall, just around the corner of the opposite side Dick and Damian grinned with the comic books in hands, all they needed to do now was wait for the other two to get out by the back. When the door to main gallery opened for the thieves to get out the guard appeared down in the hall and noticing the scene paced over to them.
“The museum galleries are closed-” The man started just to be interrupted.
“Oh, I'm so really sorry sir,” Selina apologized with a charming smile, “I lost one of my favourite earrings in there, but it's all good now.” At first the guard was falling for it but didn't seem to be letting go this easy, Selina then turned to Jason “Peter son, why don't you and your brothers take baby Thomas to the restroom while your dad and I deal with this so we can go grab lunch?” She suggested shoving the Topaze in Jason's hands with a swift and almost indistinguishable movement, Thomas Damian of course growling that he wasn't a baby.
They walked fast to the lavatories between death threats and whispered shouts, Tim locked the doors once they were all in there “Shut up you guys, you want us to get caught?”
“You don't tell me what to do Drake,” Damian hissed throwing a bag of books on the floor, “That woman is going to pay for dishonoring me in front of people.” He clenched a fist before his face.
“Calm your shit down brat, she's trying to keep the facade.” Jason said leaning against a toilet door and spinning the amulet rope with his finger, Dick warned how delicate the object was and asked for him to not be mean to Damian as he saw the smirk on Jason's face. “Is Baby Tommy angry? Awe!” He laughed.
“You are dead Todd, DEAD!” The boy threw himself over Jason who cracked laughing but fell to the ground and engaged in the fight.
The other two hurried to break the fight apart and ended up tangled in it, the stop came when the kicking sound of the amulet was heard on the floor flying from Dick's hand, horror stamped on their faces until it finally bumped on the book bag, before any of them could breath relieved the entire place was taken by a spinning wheel of fog, they didn't have time to react and soon they all were passed out on the cold floor of the bathroom.
His head hurted so hard it sent shivers up and down his spine, he forced himself to open his eyes, everything looked and felt a bit or a lot more than a bit big? Tim wondered staring at the bag laying on the same ground he was splattered on, he blinked a few times and tried to remember what he was doing there. A shining object caught his attention between some paper pages inside the bag full of books, he sat up and pulled it out without a second thought , the amulet! He realized remembering the previous squabble, it isn't broken, he sighed in relief examining the object. Something moved behind him, gripping tighter to the amulet Tim turned around to look at a boy sitting up and rubbing his eyes.
“AAAAH!” Tim screamed, It isn't him, it isn't him, this is just a dream, he repeated to himself squeezing his eyes shut, when he opened again the boy was still the staring at him with the same horror, a younger boy and a baby beside them was waking up as well, he turned once again and saw his own small form in the mirror and the other boy who was also regaining consciousness joined him in another scream.
“What the hell?! Tim? Dick? AAH My voice?!” The boy startled bringing one hand over his mouth, then looked down at the baby awakening by his side “Dam- i-? Oh shit!”
“Guys,” the older boy shakily called from an extremely loose blue hoodie “we gotta find Bruce.” He said more like was telling that to himself and walked to pick up the baby.
“No! -tt” The angry chubby thing definitely Damian responded trying to slap him away and failing. “Naaah!” He wailed feeling his feet were off the ground.
It was when doorknob moved frantically that their panic was taken to a whole other level, the door was locked but if someone got in they had no way out. Tim started to collect everything that was the floor including some big pieces of clothing and shoving it all in the bag, Jason prepared to fight in all his 47 lbs and 46 feet inside a giant red t-shirt, Dick tightened his hold on Damian and they all came close together.
“Boys it’s me Bruce, I know you’re in there please open the door,” The voice came through without the usual roughness they were used to, almost like it was a different person talking, “something happened, are you all right?” a mumbled curse was heard along with some other voices, they shared looks and Dick nodded.
Tim slowly walked closer to the white door, Dick and Jason followed right behind him, he reached for the key in the doorknob shining silvery as it reflected the tip of his little fingers, he touched and turned it, but he stepped back and squeezed the strap of the bag he was holding. The doorknob turned and the door was pushed open and they stared at a young form of Bruce Wayne probably in his mid to late twenties filling the door frame, behind him what looked like staff people and some civilians, Selina came to stand by his side as he stepped into the room, her face stunning like porcelain missing the few lines on the skin under her eyes, their expressions were hard and worried looking at the boys.
“B… Bru-” Dick started then scanned his eyes around the people in the place. “Dad?” He finally asked, Bruce sighed in some relief.
“John,” he spoke “are you boys alright?” Dick, Jason and Tim nodded, “we've been looking for you everywhere, we got to go now, okay?” another sequence of nods.
Selina looked at the boys then at Bruce and then at boys again, “where are your clothes?” She asked softly knowing the truth but sharing a glance with them, “Let's just go back to the apartment, alright?” she knelt down noticing Dick's difficulty to keep holding Damian as he kept adjusting the baby, “why don't I take Tommy huh?” She reached for him and Dick whispered a plead in Damian's hair for the boy to go with her.
As soon as she was up again with Damian in her arms he reached greedily for Bruce “Baba, baba” he was sure trying to form other words but didn't seem to get them out.
“Hey Thomas, hey baby.” He truly smiled and took the baby in his arms bouncing him a little.
Bruce stepped closer and took Tim in his arms as well, Selina threw the bag over her shoulders and took both Dick and Jason’s hands, the couple nervously thanked and explained themselves shortly to the watchful people, Bruce flinched at some whispered comments of how they looked too young for that many kids, and too irresponsible looking at the children state. Tim remembered falling asleep before they even made it back to the van, Bruce's arms were rough but softly warm, he didn’t recall the man being this big, this comfortable, his eyes locked on Damian’s they both leaning on the massive chest staring at each other, the movement of the walk and the steady rhythm of his heartbeat lulling them to a slumber. Tim woke up on a double bed he shared with the other three, he looked at himself and realized he was in more fitted clothing now, he got up carefully to not wake anyone else and walked up to look through the crack of the door, the apartment was small from the little he could scan, there was two more doors in front of his, two more bedrooms or a bathroom and a bedroom, a little further to the right there was the living area, following on turning his look from his eye height he caught Selina’s legs shaking viciously under a small round table she and Bruce were sitting at, the bag laying over one of the chairs the topaze on top of the table, they were talking Bruce seemed calmer than her but still the tension around them made Tim stiffen, the beam of light made a stripe on his face shining on his deep blue iris as he watched and listened.
“-twelve years Bruce, twelve years and three months I know but Bruce twelve years! ” she brought both hands to her head shaking it and lifting it up again “what are we supposed to do? we can’t wait twelve years to go back to the point where we could go back, we can’t make time run faster and we don’t know how to travel through this shit, gosh Bruce we don’t even know how we got here.” Bruce told her to calm down over and over again, Tim sucked in breaths he remembered what had happened and where they were but none seemed to fit right his mind couldn’t make that many connections right now and he didn’t know why, a loud exhale brought him back from his thoughts “-the boys? What about them? How are we going to take care of them? What if we’re really trapped in here, we’ll run out of money... and... and they’re just babies, Bruce- wha-?” now she was barely breathing, gasping at every syllable that came out of her mouth, the man stood up, nodded and wrapped her in his arms, shutting his eyelids, making promises that they were going to be okay, he opened his eyes in the middle of a kiss to her forehead and met Tim’s alarmed ones, he ran back to the bed.
The bed moved, some sleepy unhappy groans were heard, he couldn't help but keep squeezing his eyelids as if closing his eyes would make his fears go away, a cracking sound gave out the opening door, then the voice calling him so gently it couldn't be real not to him, another calls of his name, this time childish a confused one and a quizzical one, he kept under the covers, he was being called for a snack, they were being called, claims of the end of their afternoon nap. At the six chair table Selina emptied some store cookie packages into a bowl, Tim stood by while Dick and Jason took seats, the table top matching Jason's nose he knelt so he was a bit higher, Bruce set Damian at a chair and kept him balanced when he stood on it, he motioned for Tim to get a seat but he could only stand behind a chair.
“What's wrong Timmy?” Dick finally asked turning to him.
Tim shook his head suddenly getting indignated “You know what's wrong, all of this is wrong and keeps getting wronger-”
“You're right Tim but we'll find a way back, we've been through worse.” Jason stated looking up to Bruce and Selina who sucked in a breath “We will, won't we?”
“No we won't.” Tim declared fuming “And they can't take care of us in this state, they said it themselves I heard it.”
“Baba?” Damian asked looking hurt and unwilling helpless to them as well as the other boys.
“It was me,” Selina cut in sliding the bowl towards them and sitting down, “I said somethings but that's not what I meant boys, we didn't know how much you knew or how aware of the situation you were, all of this is so complicated and I panicked, I'm sorry for that, but remember Bruce would never leave you We will never leave you, okay?” Bruce was smiling fondly at her and her words and his eyes lost in between worries and loving pride.
“Uh-” Tim caught himself surprised and a little ashamed, “uh- thank you, uh- I guess all of this is our fault anyways.” He confessed looking at his brothers, Bruce raised his eyebrows questioning and he shied away down in his chair
“When we were in the bathroom Damian and I started fighting and-”Jason started talking to his hands down in his lap.
"Tim and I tried to break them apart, I even got the amulet but I dropped it, then it flew into the one of the comic books and then a strange fog started whirling and then we woke up like this.” Dick finished shrinking into his shoulders.
Bruce took a long deep breath and looked at them again. “Do you know what book it fell into?” He asked.
“No, when I woke up I pulled the amulet out without seeing it.” Tim said almost whispering, the man nodded. “Do you think we are in another alternate universe?”
“No, we are still in this Earth where we are only fictional but we traveled twelve years back in time, we're in 2006.” He explained pacing around the table. “When time ran back our bodies aged back as well, except we still remember the future but I don't know how much the development of our minds interfere in our maturity and personality since me and Selina are fully adults and you boys aren't otherwise Damian would be talking and walking. We have to study a little more to find a way out, the other option is to wait and plan for the exact moment twelve years in the future for us to be able to go back home.” They all nodded when he finished and the room fell silent for a minute until a stinking smell filled up the place and Damian's scrunching scowl told them what was going on.
“Eeeewww! ew, ew! Dami is pooping!” Dick screwed his face in disgust.
“Oh Damian why?” Bruce desperately held the infant away from him stretching his arms to an impossible length.
“Brooose, clean the baby, he's too smelly!” Jason picked his nose and Bruce shook his head viciously looking at him like he was going to throw up.
Selina walked to him, took Damian shaking her head and rolling her eyes “and they say you're always prepared for anything, pft.” She sighed grimacing at Damian's smell, the baby was red like a tomato soup. “I'm gonna change him, it seems like you both could use some cleaning too,” she glanced at the Tim and Jason and then at Bruce, “you can at least bath them, right?” Bruce just stared, the boys protested that they didn't need help, well she didn't want anyone ruining the bathroom, they only had two, she glared at Bruce. “You rather switch places with me?” He shook his head again “that's what I thought.” And she vanished to a room.
“So…” Bruce started, looking like he had no clue what he was doing.
At first Tim didn't understand why the man decided it was good idea to bath the two of them at the same time, or why Dick had chosen to stay in the kitchen eating cookies, now he was sure that this wasn't a good idea at all and he should have been the one to opt for the cookies. The small bathroom door was closed and the tub was filled up with warm water, Bruce searched through the cabinet to find body sponges and liquid soap telling them to get undressed and into the tub, Jason protested that he wasn't getting undressed in front of them perverts but after a glare and some whispered words he did as he was told quickly, the boys got into the tub facing each other and biting in their lips at the man's clumsy ways, he put some soap in the sponges and handed it to them. Jason was getting away with the sloppily scrubbing but Tim's hands were a little too small to properly do it, so the man knelt down shaking his head in amusement, he gently took the sponges and rapidly cleaned the two of them, they were both covered in foam when Bruce looked at them rubbing his chin.
“You know…” he said sitting down by the tub “when my father used to help me bath we usually had some fun with the bubbles and the foam…” the boys stared at each other warily.
Bruce squeezed some shampoo in his hand and brushed it in their hair giving Jason a punk foam mohican and Tim one single tall foam spike at the top of his head the boys giggled at each other styles and Jason grinned wildly bowing his head and moving towards Tim, “Baby shark doo doo doo doo doo doo…” he started singing while Bruce gave them a laugh and said they should be out and wrapped in their towels, but now it was an impossible mission and trying only got him soaking wet, Dick entered the room running with a tablet and pictured the moment claiming Bruce as the daddy shark, still he helped getting Tim and Jason out as the man took off his shirt and ordered him to wash himself as well. He scooped up the two young sharks and walked in to what Tim supposed was their bedroom since one of the beds was a bunk bed, there Selina was holding up both of Damian's naked little legs over a blanket and sliding a diaper under him, his face was adorned with the biggest pout any of them had ever seen.
“wow, almost forgot how fit you were in your twenties.” She said sticking her tongue out to a chorus of ews “I thought you were supposed to give the boys a bath not the other way around.” She didn't wait for an answer turning back to Damian. “I decided to give this one a bath too, the situation was a little harder than expected.” The baby angrily pouted reddish but as soon as the diaper was being closed and Selina's hands touched his belly an unwilling giggle escaped, “Are you getting ticklish little kitten?” She picked him up and gently tapped her fingers on his stomach making him squirm giggling louder in his baby tone.
“I didn't know you were so good at this.” Bruce commented putting the boys down.
“Offended.” She playfully placed a hand over her chest. “I've done this a lot when in my time at the orphanage, I used to help the staff and later on in Brideshead I helped some girls that came to the building where I lived once in a while.” She looked fondly at Damian.
“Thank you,” her stepped close to her “for being here.” He kissed her and another round of ews took place joined by Dick, Damian seemed to have learned the sound too and pulled away from Selina. “Are you guys just going to keep doing this?” He asked amused slightly faking irritation. “Dick please help your brothers get dressed, I’ll wash up or I mean I'll finish what you two started.” He said shaking his head to their smirks.
After all four got dressed in some Walmart clothing, that Bruce and Selina had apparently got them on their way to the apartment they headed to the small living room with little else to do, Bruce and Selina were back to analyzing the topaze amulet, Damian was busy crawling around from the kitchen to the couch and vice versa and he and the boys started going through the books to read and see if they could find anything helpful but ended hooked up into their own stories and the way they were told by writers and illustration artists, but Tim had an idea he started looking for the issues dates. Sometime in the late afternoon the doorbell rang startling all of them, the boys gathered the books on the floor, Selina instinctively grabbed Damian from the floor he'd be crawling on and Bruce hid the amulet and laptops and proceeded to answer the door. A blonde woman who appeared to be in her late thirties holding a clipboard and some bags stood at the hall wearing jeans and runners paired with a long blouse wrapped in a pointless thick belt around her waist.
“Hello, Mr. Malone?” The woman inquired.
“Yes it is me, how can I help you?” He asked in a serious tone.
“I'm Sarah Williams from Child Protective Services, can I come in?” She offered a hand, Bruce tensed up taking it and making way for her to enter.
“Please take a seat.” He led her to the living room chair and the others came closer. “Is there any reason for your visit miss Williams?” He asked putting on a fake smile and sitting down with Selina.
“Actually there is, we received a call stating that your children were locked in a bathroom’s museum with no clothes, while you had lunch.” She stated seriously.
“They weren't 'with no clothes’.” Selina bursted.
“What my wife is trying to say is that they were fully covered and we had no idea they were there, we were waiting for them and as soon as we learned they were missing we went looking for them and found them and we brought them home.” Bruce tried to explain but was a little harsh in his tone.
“I see, well I'm sure you understand my work here Mr. and Mrs. Malone, as a social worker I have to ensure the wellbeing of the kids put under my watch and my research in the national system hasn't shown a lot about your family.” The woman went through the papers on her clipboard grabbing a pen to make some notes. “I would like to know a little more about your lifestyle, your relationships with each other and with your children, as well as a look around the house to make sure they are living in good conditions.” Bruce flinched visibly uncomfortable, as a billionaire he never had to deal with this before, he always got away with just a signed paper and a charming grin, now even though he was younger that wouldn't work.
“We are good, we just moved in that's why the place is still a little empty, we uh- you know we have this uh- normal uh- relationship, the boys love each other, they uh- fight sometimes, they're brothers after all, Matches and I we are doing fine too uh-.” Selina spoke noticing that the tension wouldn't be going away anytime soon, she held onto to the baby like he was about to be gone.
The social worker nodded and smiled weakly at the two. “This must be Thomas, right? How old is he?”
“Eight months, almost nine.” Bruce offered quickly.
“Okay, are you still breastfeeding him?” Selina looked a bit astonished at the question “The AAP recommendations are that babies get breastfed until at least twelve months old, I'm sure you're aware of that given you've had three other boys.” Her tone was on the edge of something sarcastic not liking the surprise in Selina's face.
“Yeah, I'm aware, but no I'm not... breastfeeding anymore I stopped producing milk a month ago, but we're taking care of it and introducing him to some other variations of food.” Selina faked a smile and played with Jason's hair who had been sitting at her feet scowling.
“Alright, what about your occupation Mr. Malone?” She inquired and Bruce was clearly trying not stiffen even more.
“I was a… manager at an enterprise that no longer exists.”
“And now you don't have a job?” She questioned ponderimg and taking notes.
“I have some emergency savings, for times like this.” He said with a slight smug.
“What about you Mrs Malone, you only take care of the kids, is being a housewife your full-time job?” Now Selina looked absolutely offended by the woman, but Bruce placed a hand over her knee and silently asked her to go along with it.
“Yes.” She replied bitterly.
“Alright,” she tapped her pen on a period for the notes she was taking, “before we continue, I wanna take a look at your documents, everything, from birth certificates to school files of the boys and their vaccination records, health insurance cards, a number of other things and we might as well take a tour around the apartment.”
“But everything is in boxes at your room right dad, it'll be too hard to find it now.” Dick interrupted in a voice of innocence from beside Bruce.
“Oh I am certain they can find it,” she smiled kindly at Dick. “And you are?”
“John, I'm John.” He lifted his arm for her to shake his hand.
“And how old are you John?”
“I'm eleven.”
“Oh okay, and you guys are…” she went through her papers again. “26 for Irena and 28 for Matches, right?” Her eyebrows rose high until the lines on her forehead were squeezed together. “And your family, where are they?”
“Our parents passed away when we were kids, we met as orphans in New Jersey where we're from.” Bruce spoke annoyed about this whole privacy invasion.
“So you are saying that you're on your own in a half empty apartment, with no job, and were irresponsible enough to not only have a child as teenagers but beyond that have three more kids to look after-”
“How unprofessional of you, you don't get to say this in front of the kids.” Selina bluntly interrupted her.
“I'm sorry Mrs. Malone but I-” the minute she started talking again an odd ringtone went off, the woman took a flip phone from her purse and answered it in a hurry, it sounded like she had to be somewhere else fast and they all breathed relieved. “I'm sorry Mr. and Mrs. Malone but I have to attend an urgent matter, however our conversation isn't over yet, I'll be coming over by the end of next week and please have all the documents in hands, I might also stay to watch the family routine for a few hours, after that you can expect CPS to make some unwarned visits. I need to go now.” She clarified standing to follow Bruce to the door “Have a nice evening boys” she grinned hugely bowing down towards them and them turned to wish the same to adults in a more serious tone, and just like that she was gone.
Bruce shut the door running a hand down his face and then up his hair, Selina blew out a frustrated breath looking lost and worried , What now? Tim saw their eyes asking one another, Jason and Dick silent looking at the floor, the smell of their baby shampooed drying hairs filled the air, Damian clutched his small hands in her black top, his back rubbed by a comforting thumb. Tim felt a sudden need to speak to tell what he thought, how the amulet could have fell into a 2006 book and that should be the reason they were transported back, the most important thing was… Tim went over to retreat a number of books from the bag and explained about how those ‘infinite crisis’ books clarified all the multiverse controversies or at least tried since there was a bunch of mad worlds filled with superpowered creatures that were covered in the comics that they knew about, still the multiverse had an infinite number of worlds that didn't have superpowers, some couldn't even have life he thought to himself, the last issue was still to be published in June 6th, and maybe, just maybe that could help them if they could figure out how to trigger the topaze. Coming out of his four years old mouth the words sounded childish imagination, made up stories but above him pride shone in Selina and Bruce's eyes, curiosity and interest adorned his brothers’ faces, now that Tim acknowledged his surroundings everything felt so right he tried to remember himself at the age of four alone in a room trying to get just some tiny bit of attention but all he got was goodbye waves, here he had something else, something weird, a good weird he meant… he wasn't sure he wanted it to end.
It was still early May for them, there was an entire month to work that out but they still had that Sarah woman to worry about so they did what they do best they planned and prepared for attack. They worked the books the best they could Selina worked the amulet as jeweler expert she was, discovering every bit of the stone, Bruce worked on the building of trigger control constructing the engines for a portal, still that was only a part of their job. Simultaneously Bruce got all the documents figured in less than two days sure somethings had to be faked but with twelve years ahead in computer technology it hadn't been much of a problem, the rest of them worked on the task of making of that apartment a 'home’, they made sure to be seen at some points in the public eye to build believable ties to the ordinary life, grocery stores and the park had to do for the first week, until on that Thursday Selina and they got home and Bruce hadn't come back from wherever he said he was going earlier, Jason and Dick engaged on the preparations of Mac and Cheese, when the pot was set on the table and Selina nervously tapped on her brand new Motorola Razr V3 when Bruce got in wearing a suit and a briefcase, confusing them all.
“What is it? Looks like you guys never saw me in a suit.” He joked, as much as he can joke. “I've got some news for you.” He said picking Damian from the couch. “Matches Malone is now the new financial manager of the South Central Bank division of Oklahoma.” He smiled at them and casually sat on the table smelly the cheesy pasta.
“You got a job!?” Selina sounded confused and surprised at the same time. “But-?” the boys getting closer to them.
“I'm not risking losing any of you, not if I can help it, you've all been doing a great job as Malones and I'll do my part too, we don't know if we are actually going to be home within the month, most likely yes, but we have to be prepared.” She shook her head amused, chuckling.
“You never stop amazing me playboy.” She kissed him dismissing the sure coming disgust noises.
From then on they fully assumed the Malone identity and when the social worker came, there were no loose ends, the documents were in her hands the second she stepped in, their play was natural, it had already become familiar to them Dick and sometimes Jason helped setting the table Tim and Damian played on the carpet alternating to Tim and Jason when Selina was holding the baby for this or that reason somewhere, Bruce came home from his new job, impressing her, she tried finding something, anything but everything looked and sounded so legit, her visit ended with the promise of some surprise come overs, she didn't know that they wouldn't stay so long, she didn't know that they couldn't ever be surprised. May was flowing by a little slow part because of the extreme normalcy their lives weren't used to and part because other than watch the adults work they had nothing else to do, by the third week all was settled the engines were ready and working, experiments were made, they found a perfect place in the fields near the outskirts of the city and thankfully nobody had yet discovered that the amulet in the museum was a replica.
In between all the work they always found time to be together, he understood all the fuss about them having to be Malones, he having to be Jackson, but Tim felt the changes and he was sure the others felt them too, it was like Bruce and Selina started hiding things from them, looking at them differently, treating them differently, that would change soon. Just two more days… Tim thought as he and Jason sat on the floor of the living room lazily playing with the blocks he and Damian have got, he looked at them and replayed their trip to the mall last Saturday's evening when went to the toy store and they were very picky choosing age appropriate toys, educative ones, too picky to be playing pretend, too picky for people who aren't staying for too long he frowned at the bright red piece in his hand. It was just after dinner Selina went to prepare Damian for the movie night ahead of them getting Dick by her side, Bruce sat on the armchair turning the TV news on while he and Jason went back to their blocks, Jason building a toy gun to piss Bruce probably he sighed tiredly, Jason Peter Malone of course was taking the opportunity of being a child to be a brat and test their patience to unbelievable levels, Tim sighed again analyzing his brother.
“GUUUUYS! Come see what Lil'D is doing!” Dick shouted from the other room starting the three of them.
They got up and rushed to the room, there Damian was standing supported by the edge of the bed in his pale green onesie Selina kneeling down beside him and Dick searching for anything with a camera, the baby turned his head to face them that were already inside the room and reached with an arm and Selina supported him as he fully detached from the bed.
“He's gonna walk, Dami’s gonna walk.” Jason beamed.
Bruce knelt in his way smiling, Dick and Jason sat on the floor bouncing and Tim followed them with an undeniable feel of awe, Selina let go and Damian slowly threw one leg in front of another reaching out with little arms to try and get some stability making his chubby self move forwards in a straight line from Selina to Bruce.
“Baba, baba” he reached stumbling on the take of a step halfway through his path.
“Come on baby, come to baba, I know you can do it,” Bruce cheered with a soft and gentle voice as Damian regained some balance and stumbled his last few steps into Bruce's arms.
“Okay now, to me Dami, walk to me.” Dick bounced on the carpet and the baby giggled.
The play continued with the little unsteady steps provoking light laughters and bringing warmth to the small room, Tim let himself fall on his back when Damian decided it was his turn and he blew some raspberries to the baby getting the same answer, the giggles intensified coming even from his own mouth. Later on when Damian got tired and they were back to their weekly movie, he thought about the scene back in the bedroom, it felt like he was losing perception, they were losing it and their brains’ age were starting to match entirely to that of their bodies, at first he thought he was growing dumb, forgetting big words, taking longer to math the numbers, needing more sleep, desiring sugar and getting distorted consciousness of his surroundings, now he felt that moments of pure clarity were becoming more and more rare. Tim was drifting off in slumber, the movie was almost ending, Dick and Jason sprawled out on the pillows on the floor were already knocked out, he scooted closer to Selina on the couch while she purred Damian to sleep on her chest. His eyes shut completely as the last scene of the movie played out on TV, in the comfortable darkness he felt Bruce get up from his chair, cross the room with three almost silent steps, he could picture clearly the man brushing his brothers hair off of their faces, stroking their cheeks with the thumb, kissing their foreheads, just like he had every other night, then on his turn his heart jumped a little, glad for being awake and able to feel the love in the touch leaning in it as if he was asleep, this night though it was different the touch was longer but also sad, the man rounded the couch, stopping behind it, leaning to breathe on Selina's neck.
And as whisper through the silence her voice came out “We can always wait twelve years.”
To be continued...