sylph_fics (![[personal profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/user.png)
sylph_fics) wrote2006-12-21 08:05 pm
sylph_fics) wrote2006-12-21 08:05 pm
Happy Verse Easter fic: As Before, but Better
Title: As Before, But Better
Cowriter:![[livejournal.com profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/external/lj-userinfo.gif)
merfilly
Characters: The usual suspects
Rating: R, profanity
Word Count: 5,198
Continuity: The HappyVerse. All fic gathered here.
Disclaimer: DC Comics makes the money, people
Notes: It's official... HappyVerse is our refuge from the meaner things in comics--and our one-stop fix-it shop.
Summary: Wrapping up everything with the Easter holiday, necessary conversations and confrontations.
Barbara had gone back to her consoles sometime early in the morning, Ted vaguely remembered. When he had come to her, knowing she would not turn him away, that she could help him the best, he had never thought to... He couldn't stop grinning even now. All that 'let's be friends' on both their parts, and now they were bumping up to at least friends with bennies.
At said console, an alert chimed softly, letting her know that someone was on her doorstep. She checked, running full scans to verify who it was before she let the locks slide, surprised he had used the door.
Not only had he used the door, he was in civilian clothing, and walked to her, studying her with all the Bat's intent... and nodding once, slowly. "You look well," he told her softly.
"And you look...rested, if a little pensive." She could read him almost as well as Dick some days. "What can I do for you?"
"Is Ted still here?"
She nodded slowly. "Still resting." She kept a perfectly straight face about that.
"I need to talk to him, if you think he could be stirred..."
"Give me a moment." She flipped a switch, putting everyone on a filter loop. She made her way down to her room, pausing and looking in to see Ted was sitting up on the edge of the bed, dressed in his pants. "Bruce is here."
He nodded. "Thought the voice sounded familiar." He stood and stretched as she turned to leave him alone. He came out not long after Babs had returned to her station.
This conversation wasn't one Bruce wanted to have where anyone could hear it... but then, Ted would probably tell her as soon as he was out the door, if he read this situation right. "Ted," he said softly. "It's... good to see you."
Ted considered his last memories of Bruce, of the Bat, and made a rueful smile. "Never thought to hear you say that about me."
"...understandable, given how I treated you," Bruce replied. He took another breath, and told himself again to say it. "I'm sorry, Ted."
The man standing in front of him, casually dressed in a pair of slacks, hair still sleep tangled, blinked. Twice. "I...Thank you."
Bruce nodded, "I thought I could still control things. I couldn't." That said, he considered what else to say. "There are a number of people who are ecstatic that you're back. Robin happens to be one of them."
Ted grinned. "Robin is a pretty darn good kid," Ted said. "Makes a great ally." He then looked at Bruce. "Never meant to make such a joke out of my life no one would believe me when it was time."
"Yes, he does." Bruce shook his head slightly. "You had help. And there were many reasons for what happened."
Ted shook his head. "Thanks..." He looked a little awkward at having to deal with Bruce.
Bruce wasn't much more comfortable. "Be safe, Ted."
Ted turned to go back down the hall. "Hey, Babs, going to grab a shower. "
"Okay Ted." Barbara looked at Bruce, her eyes expressing her thanks.
Bruce shrugged a shoulder slightly, nodding at her. He had felt he had little choice. Now to go home, and back to work on his Cave. "We're back to stay, Babs. We need a few days before we're up and running, but we're home."
"That's good to hear... you've been missed," she told him softly.
He nodded, accepting the words, and turned to go.
"Bruce..."
"Yes?" He looked back over his shoulder, curious.
"Don't hurt Dinah." She kept her voice even. "She thinks she has me blind to the facts, but what ever little shell game you three have going on, whatever the truth is, don't hurt my friend."
Bruce turned back to her at that. "Babs... hurting Dinah is the last thing I want." He knew better than to say that he wouldn't.
"That will do, then." She relaxed somewhat. "I've missed you, Bruce."
"You too, Babs."
She smiled. Her nickname had not rolled easily off his lips for years. And after he had left, she went back to work.
*~*~*~*~*
Bruce walked back up into the manor, having taken the helicopter back and forth on his quick trek to Metropolis. He found Alfred awake and beginning breakfast preparations, and went up to wake his lovers. He would get the boys up once they were. He slipped through the doors, stopping to simply look at his lovers.
Ollie was laid on his back, one arm tucked under his head, face turned toward Dinah. She had draped herself over his chest, her ear pressed to his solid heart beat, her hand curved up to rest along his neck. The covers had slipped down to just above their waists, showing the image perfectly.
Bruce just watched them for long moments... absolutely perfect, both of them. Both so light and lovely and strong... wanting them again came so easily. //You. have work to do,// he reminded himself sternly, trying to bank that desire for later and get on with the work to be done.
It was Ollie that cracked one eye open first; not surprising, considering the woman they both loved had been working overtime. "Pretty Bird?" the archer murmured, raising his free hand to stroke her hair, coaxing her to wake up. He was rewarded with a solid stretch against him, as Bruce watched the woman writhe through a fitful wakeup.
Bruce walked over, settling beside their hips at the end of the bed to caress her back gently, other hand running lightly down Ollie's side. "Good morning..." he told them both softly.
"Good morning," Dinah purred, voice still low and husky with sleep as she smiled.
Ollie ran his hand over to rest on Bruce's thigh, grinning. "Early morning for you isn't it?"
"Here, yes... but not where I've been. My body's trying to tell me it's time to be out, despite the sun..." The sound of Dinah's voice tugged at him, and he dipped his head enough to kiss the side of her throat gently, without intent behind it.
She moaned softly, shifting to where she could move her hand around his waist, to trace the line of the waist band on his back. "I don't seem to know when it's night or day anymore. I sleep when I can, and go when I'm not sleeping," she admitted.
Ollie chuckled. "Going to have to do something about that, Pretty Bird." His words were teasing; he knew she was thriving on the multiple needs for her attention. "We've got some work to get to."
Bruce made a low, small noise at her touch, and agreed with Ollie. "Yes we do... not that you have to come help," he told her. "I know you've been running hard."
"Mmmm," Dinah said softly. "With Dick back, I think the Titans will start picking up more of the load. And Sand wants the team public by month's end." She looked at Ollie, then Bruce. "He invited me to join again. I said yes."
"We'd guessed," Bruce told her softly, stroking her back again.
Ollie nodded. "It's a good move for you. You'll be happier there," he said.
"Probably." Dinah would always feel the pull of the League, but she would not jeopardize what she had with Bruce by being his teammate, and there was no way the new League would not recruit the Bat. Even Hal knew they needed him.
Bruce nodded, hand running down Ollie's side again. "Wildcat must be happy."
Ollie let his own hand run over the other man's muscular thigh as Dinah slowly sat up, hair falling and curtaining her in provocative ways. "He is. So are the others."
Bruce swallowed the sigh at that, but let his eyes flare... rather she was doing it consciously or not, she was so very provocative... //Work. You have work to do downstairs.//
She moved off the bed, taking Ollie's eyes--and Bruce's--with her progress, and padded nude to the bathroom.
"Too bad we have work," Ollie said, only half-teasing.
"Yes," Bruce agreed, watching her. Ollie sat up slowly, and leaned toward Bruce, his eyes lit with the early morning reactions to Dinah and Bruce both.
Bruce kissed him, hand running up into his hair, keeping it light with an effort. Ollie used restraint, breaking the kiss before he got carried away. "Got all weekend," he reminded himself.
Bruce nodded, his eyes saying just how much he would prefer to topple them both back into bed and spend the morning involved in other ways. "Yes we do."
Ollie got up and took over the bathroom as Dinah came back. The smaller woman kissed him in passing, then scrounged jeans and a shirt from the bag she had brought with her. "So, how much work is involved in remodeling the cave?"
Reopening the Manor fully would be less work. Tim and I shut almost everything down before we left, and again after Christmas. And everything mechanical needs maintenance, despite his work. And there's a year's worth of new technology to attempt to integrate... We're going to be busy."
"Dibs on the mechanical...with Roy, probably." She flashed him a smile. "Ask Babs what happened the last time I helped with her computers."
"I heard that story," Bruce replied with a slight smile. "You're not getting near my systems."
Dinah moved very close to him, one hand moving directly to his groin as her other snaked around his neck. "I'll just wait for my chance at your systems," she breathed against his throat, massaging through his pants one good time before kissing him.
Bruce kissed her hard, arms wrapping around her back, growling at her softly. //Minx of a woman, we have work to do...//
Behind them, Ollie cleared his throat as he jerked a pair of pants on. "Dinah, stop tempting us and go get the kids up," Ollie suggested, amused by them.
Bruce let her go, hands sliding away. "He's right."
She gave a teasing pout. "Fine. But we're stopping an hour before dinner, no matter what."
Bruce smiled at her, though he happened to wonder if that would be enough time... "Pretty when she does that," he mentioned to Ollie. "Though extremely hard to resist."
"Tell me about it." Ollie felt old regrets chase through his head, the urge to go out on the streets overcoming the hurt and disappointment in Dinah's eyes. It was different now, he knew. Now, she was more likely to be the one prowling the streets endlessly than he was.
Dinah shook her head. "Let me go roust Connor and Kyle; they're the most likely to actually be awake."
Bruce nodded. "I'll get Dick and Roy, who can get the rest of them up."
"Bets on who's sleeping where in regards to the youngest ones?" Ollie asked with a sly grin.
Dinah shook her head. "No bets, they're in bed together, likely. Tim was far too upset after dinner for anything else."
Bruce nodded, agreeing with Dinah. He'd been tempted to look in on Tim, but decided against it in favor of catching him at some point today... and was going to be keeping a very sharp eye on both of his younger sons.
The woman blew them both kisses and made her way to Connor's shared room with Kyle, knocking politely on the door. "Boys! You are both helping with the work load today, so finish up, clean up, and get to breakfast!"
There was a muffled noise, then Connor's voice called through the door. "Yes, Dinah. We will be...right down."
Bruce followed her, and rapped at Dick's door.
"Yeah, we're up.. Time for breakfast?" came Dick's easy, clear voice. He'd had the same trouble his father had, being wide awake with the onset of what should have been nightfall.
"Yes. Get the rest of them?"
Dick sighed, then nodded at the closed door. "Sure. I can do that." //You just don't want to have to wake Tim and Kon. Fine, I'll do it.//
Ollie strolled out and joined both Bruce and Dinah on their way down the stairs, feeling ready to tackle anything.
"You poor Bats are on the wrong clock schedule," Dinah teased.
"I know. We'll get back on the right clock within a day or two, though."
Dick slid out of his room and went to shove Jay's door open, where he had to dodge the pillow thrown at him for the intrusion. "Go'way."
He caught it before it hit the ground and threw it back. If Jay didn't catch it, it was going to hit him across the face. A strong hand came up, snatched it, then tucked it under his body as he rolled to burrow into pillows and covers.
"Jay, don't make me come over there," Dick warned. "It's morning."
"I know it is; that's why I'm trying to sleep! I just got in..." He raised up and glared at the clock. "Two hours ago."
"That's your fault. We've got work to do downstairs."
"But I was working then," Jason whined, sitting up and stretching, showing skin tattooed by their way of life in scars.
"Alfred's making breakfast," Dick told him, not above blatant bribery.
"I'm coming," he promised, standing so he could stretch, body muscular, but without an ounce of fat over it, sculpted by hard living and high nerves.
Dick nodded. "Good. Get the kids. I'm going to go wake my stepdaughter, if Roy hasn't already." He then frowned. "Just be nice to Tim, damn it."
Jason frowned. "I won't start shit before noon, promise."
"...That's probably the best I can hope for, from you," Dick nodded and went to go wake Lian and take her to breakfast.
He found Roy in the room with her, the little girl in his arms as he petted her back and hair, slowly drawing her up to the waking world. Dick settled down with them, leaning over for a kiss. "Little wing's still a showoff. And if he starts anything with Tim before noon, shoot him."
"I can do that. Mia's got enough on her plate to not be worrying about Tim so much." Roy kissed him soundly, then Lian made a noise at them and had to be kissed and tickled some. Dick had nodded at that, then turned his attention to their daughter, leaving the rest of the kids in Jay's hands... stupid as that might be.
Jason finished dressing, ran a comb through his hair with more of a promise than an actual attempt to clean up, and went to find Tim. He'd wake the kid up, let him get his friends moving.
Tim was out cold, securely caught between his boyfriend and his best friend, face buried against Kon's shoulder, and not moving for anything. Mia had heard Kon call her at the first of Tim's dreams in the middle of the night, and had joined them. Her scent and soft voice reassuring him had seemed to do the trick, and all three had curled up tightly, legs intertwined and arms cocooning Tim. Kon was just as deep asleep, listening to Tim and Mia and for trouble, but nothing else.
It was the girl, with her bright blonde hair who finally roused, seeing Jason standing in the parted doorway. She frowned, then glared at him, shifting to an even more protective position around Tim, her hand tensing on Kon.
"Cool it, blondie...we're being summoned," Jay said. "Breakfast, for now. So get your boyfriends up, and get them moving." He had to admit that his little brother wasn't doing too shabby for himself, with a built boyfriend and a stacked girlfriend like that.
Kon's eyes opened at the sound of voices and the grip of Mia's hand, looking for the source. //Oh. Jason. Breakfast? Okay.// He petted Tim gently, and smiled at the way just burrowed closer.
Jay remained in the doorway, watching as Mia leaned down to Tim's ear. "Tim, I think we need to get up, 'kay? Probably has something to do with Ollie and Bruce exploring the cave yesterday."
Tim muttered, and slowly opened his eyes. "mia? didn't think you'd stayed?" his voice sleep-thick and confused, but not unhappy.
"I came back," she told him.
"Oh. Okay... god. It's late..."
"No, it's early," Kon told him, then looked "go away" at Jason.
Jay smirked but did go on his way. Mia petted Tim's hair. "Got to get on States' Time."
"I know," Tim said, trying not to stretch while Mia was so close to him.
She smiled at him and moved to sit up so she could stretch, not wanting an awkward scene. Kon's eyes fixed on her as she moved, before he could make himself look away, trying to make himself not appreciate the sight of his best girl friend arching like that. Tim rolled to his back and stretched from toes to fingertips up over his head, yawning as he did.
When the pair had finished stretching, Mia stood and gave them a toss of her head. "Tim, can I borrow an old shirt? I don't think I have anything to hold up to a day of working down there."
"Sure," Tim shrugged and slid out of the bed to go find one for her. That took a couple of moments in a dresser drawer and he tossed the red shirt back at her as he picked one for himself. Kon followed them out of bed, kissed Tim, and went to get dressed himself, pulling stuff out of his suitcase before he headed into the bathroom.
"Thanks, Tim." She left the room to go change in the privacy of her own.
Tim dressed quickly, then went to lean against the bathroom door. "When'd Mia come back? And why didn't I notice?"
"You were asleep," Kon pointed out, pulling his shirt over his head. "Middle of the night sometime, I didn't look at a clock." Kon then looked at Tim. "You were starting to dream; she fixed it."
Tim sighed. "Dream, translated, nightmare... sorry."
Kon shrugged. "Don't worry about it. We both figured you'd have them."
Tim shook his head at that, frustrated. "Okay. Remind me to tell her thank you. Come on, we're going to be late for breakfast."
"Can't have that," Kon protested and headed downstairs with him. Mia came flying down behind them, bright smiles turned on for them both as they crowded into the dining room, the last to arrive.
"Thanks, Mia," Tim said against her ear as he pulled her chair out, then settled beside her.
Bruce watched the three of them, recognizing that shirt and the behaviors that meant one of the three of them had had a bad night, presumably Tim.
Alfred saw to getting a full breakfast into them, knowing he would be lucky if they ate the sandwiches he planned for lunch, once they all got working. He had intentions of holding Mia to refreshment duty as much as possible, having picked up on the fact that she seemed to be less well than on other visits. They all ate quickly, willing to get to work... well, the Bat-boys were. Kon jut figured he was there, he ought to help, which was Kyle's opinion as well.
Breakfast finished, they headed downstairs, studied the lists, and split up to get things accomplished. Bruce and Tim tackled the computer systems first, putting everything back together and running upgrades. Dick went after the non-computer machinery, the training equipment the next thing on his list once that was done if Connor didn't beat him to it. Kon wound up moving things and re-positioning them along with Kyle, who's ring made some things a heck of a lot easier. Roy was co-opted into playing mechanic along with Dinah, not that he minded in the slightest.
Mia assisted with tight work, as Tim was getting just big enough that he had a little difficulty getting at some of the smaller spots. She and Lian also aided Alfred when they were needed, which proved to be the one stumbling block of the day. Jay had teased all morning as he assisted in the brute work, but when his flirting with Mia made her actually step back from him, both Kon and Tim flowed to her side, making a three on one glaring match. Mia had to take a deep breath to steady herself, trying hard not to let the unnerving ex-Robin push her buttons. "Jay, I'm not interested in you; I will never be interested in you. So drop it, and then we can be friends," she said.
//Take the no for the answer it is, Jay,// Tim glared, standing at her back.
Kon had just about had enough of this, and if Jay kept pushing, he was going to find himself dropped in the very cold river that had originally cut the Cave, and still ran below. Despite himself, his eyes tried to flicker to red.
Jay took in the appearance of her friends so swiftly at her unease, then the way she had regrouped, and was holding out an olive branch. Slowly, he let his lazy grin turn to a proper smile, and held his hand out. "Deal, Speedy...and nice to really meet you."
Kon settled back, relaxing as Jay cut the bullshit. Tim nodded once and stayed at Mia's back until he was sure she was okay.
Mia shook the young man's hand, and then turned to go finish what she had been doing for Alfred, her fingertips brushing Tim's lightly. "Thanks, guys," she said softly as the three of them moved away.
"Anytime. Not your fault my... brother... is a jackass," Tim said just as softly.
"I was gonna chuck him in the river if he didn't knock it off," Kon told her.
Dick had spotted that, and Jay found himself pinned against the back of a set of computers. "Did I, or did I not, tell you not to start something with Tim?"
"It's after noon," Jay pointed out. "And it wasn't littlest Wing I wanted to start things with," he added in a smug tone.
"It wasn't when you started, little bro," Dick replied, then his eyes narrowed. "...Messing with Mia is starting things with Tim, idiot, even if they aren't together. Also, she's too young for you, and off limits in general."
"She doesn't carry herself too young," Jay said. "And if they're not together, they sure have a funny way of being that way...all curled in on each other to sleep like they were."
"Her life makes yours look like a cakewalk, Jay. That grows you up fast.... damn. Wonder which one of them had the nightmares? Probably Tim, no thanks to you..."
Jason counted from ten backwards, as it was supposed to be a calming trick. "Okay, tell. I know about Tim losing his father...is that what knots Littlest Wing up?"
Dick sighed. "C'mon, Jay. Let's go have a chat." He let his brother down, and headed for a quiet corner of the Cave. "What d'ya want first?"
Jason considered. "Why don't you start with Timmy, and move forward to how come we inherited the Arrows, and Bruce is actually a god damned human again?"
"K. Well, Tim's always been... wound tight, but... his dad found out," an open gesture of his hands said about what, "and flipped, demanded that Tim stop or he'd go public, tell everyone who we are... Tim agreed, even though there's no way he could have made it stick... which wound up giving us Steph as Robin, 'til she was killed in the gang war, then we lost his dad when everything came out about the League and Dr. Light... and then Kon died stopping SB -Prime and Alex Luthor... I was terrified he was going to follow them."
Jay cut him a sidelong glance. "Heard you almost bit it in the big fight," he admitted.
"It was close," Dick nodded. "Which probably didn't help any."
Jay nodded. "So somewhere along the road, you guys all hooked up with the Arrows."
"They stuck Roy and I in the same hospital room, once I was out of the ICU, so they were all under each other's feet. Then we took off, but Roy and I stayed in touch, and we wound up all doing Thanksgiving at Ollie's. Di and Bruce'd gotten together a couple months before, while we were in Budapest, and then sometime over Thanksgiving, he and Ollie got her into bed. She's loud, by the way. Roy and I were back together by that point, and Tim didn't have anyone to talk to but Mia, so they'd spent almost all day together. Passed out that way, too, which was cute."
"If they had not had clothes on, what I saw this morning would have counted for a freeze frame from a porno," Jay snorted.
Dick rolled his eyes. "You're obsessed. They're not involved. They can't be, not safely. Anyway. They'd gone out and done some hero-style bonding, and by the time we left, they were IMing each other like crazy. Speedy and Robin at it again.... then we got Kon back for Christmas. Hell of a present Di brought Tim."
Jay caught that 'safely' and cocked his head. "Girl's sick?"
Dick nodded. "She's HIV positive."
Jay nodded then. A lot of things clicked into place then, and he could see how his little brother would be very tense over her, knowing he could one day lose her to something other than their way of life, something he could not fight, if Dick was right on how well they had bonded. "I get it now."
"Good. Gonna play nice, now?"
"Mostly."
"Of course. It's you. Anything else, while I'm answering questions?"
Jay sized him up, then grinned. "How's it feel to be starting your own family? You and the Arrow Head with his little girl?"
"Great," Dick replied, grinning back. "Just... great."
Jay laughed then, throwing an arm around Dick's shoulders. "Back to work, bro."
Dick nodded, and headed that way.
Dinah looked over at Roy, having stopped to watch the drama with the kids and Jay. "Any idea which way she wants the thing with her and the boys to go, once she's well?" she asked softly. "Because it seems to me they are being highly protective for just brothers."
Roy shook his head. "She's not telling me. Body language says more, yeah, when they're not paying attention, but... I dunno. You know she's scared to mess things up with them."
"Yeah. Damned protective of them as a couple. Like she wants them to have a happily ever after no one can screw with." She shook her head. "Like she doesn't believe she deserves that."
"...I'll have a chat with her about that," Roy said after a moment, voice dark.
"Thanks, Boy-o." Dinah threw him a grateful smile.
"No problem. Not like I don't know that mindset."
"My thinking...hope I broke you of it." She grinned at him then, letting her pride in him shine through.
"Y' did, Di. Y'did." He kissed her cheek, then went back to cussing at an engine. She moved back over to her own vehicle currently being cussed at, cheerfully adding her voice to his with colorful mechanical invections.
*~*~*~
"They're back, Harvey," Jason said, sliding into the man's office. "You can finally relax a little." He had not been able to tell Harvey the night before, as their patrols had gone two very different directions and outcomes.
Harvey looked at him, studying his sometimes-partner with sharp eyes. "They are, hm? I thought they intended to stay away the full year." He wasn't... quite certain how he felt about that. He'd... enjoyed his time as the city's protector, after all, and with Batman back... Things were going to get interesting.
Jason walked over and perched on the desk. "Yeah, but you know, Harvey...I think there's more than enough that goes on here, that you and I can still work together. What do you ay? Still partners?" He wanted to keep the reformed psychopath right under his eyes.
Harvey nodded. "Bruce and I will probably butt heads quite a bit, but... that's the peril of working with him, I suppose. Still partners, sure, kid."
Jason shrugged. "I know we'll all butt heads. Doesn't matter as long as the right heads get busted."
"...There's a point," Harvey nodded. "Good enough." //Maybe we can finally clean this city up, all of us working together...//
The rough and tumble former Robin grinned like a devil. "That's the spirit."
~*~*~*~
Slade pulled up to a corner near the ferry to the Tower, dark car completely unremarkable. "Take care, kitten," he told his daughter, turning in the seat to look at her. The weekend... had been good, had smoothed over some of the damage between them. They both still bore the traces of healing bruises from sparring, and she looked... well. Both rested and eager to get back to the Titans.
She reached across the seat, moving close enough to hug his neck. "Thank you, Daddy." She did not ask when they would do it again; she would trust in him to contact her or Dinah some time in the future, as he had told her he would be watching over her.
"You're welcome, Rose," he told her, arm curling around her back to hug her for a moment, then he let go again. "I'll see you."
"I know." She was very happy with that, but she had one burning question. "Daddy...should I know anything about Dinah? She's very...trusting, for a hero, of you. Almost like Dick was."
"No, Rose. There's nothing you need to know. Dinah and I go back." The powerful attraction between the two of them was still there, but Dinah had apparently made her choice elsewhere. Not that that arrogant archer would ever be good enough for her, but... who understood how any woman's mind worked?
"Good." Rose did not need that complication on her life; she was fond of Dinah, but not that much.
He chuckled softly, amused. "Go on, Rose. They'll be waiting, by now."
She nodded, slipping out of the car. "Be careful, Daddy."
"Always, kitten." Once she closed the door, he drove away, not looking back. Neither did she, secure that he loved her, that he was sane, and that somehow, she would still have what remained of her family, in addition to her new one.
End
Cowriter:
merfillyCharacters: The usual suspects
Rating: R, profanity
Word Count: 5,198
Continuity: The HappyVerse. All fic gathered here.
Disclaimer: DC Comics makes the money, people
Notes: It's official... HappyVerse is our refuge from the meaner things in comics--and our one-stop fix-it shop.
Summary: Wrapping up everything with the Easter holiday, necessary conversations and confrontations.
Barbara had gone back to her consoles sometime early in the morning, Ted vaguely remembered. When he had come to her, knowing she would not turn him away, that she could help him the best, he had never thought to... He couldn't stop grinning even now. All that 'let's be friends' on both their parts, and now they were bumping up to at least friends with bennies.
At said console, an alert chimed softly, letting her know that someone was on her doorstep. She checked, running full scans to verify who it was before she let the locks slide, surprised he had used the door.
Not only had he used the door, he was in civilian clothing, and walked to her, studying her with all the Bat's intent... and nodding once, slowly. "You look well," he told her softly.
"And you look...rested, if a little pensive." She could read him almost as well as Dick some days. "What can I do for you?"
"Is Ted still here?"
She nodded slowly. "Still resting." She kept a perfectly straight face about that.
"I need to talk to him, if you think he could be stirred..."
"Give me a moment." She flipped a switch, putting everyone on a filter loop. She made her way down to her room, pausing and looking in to see Ted was sitting up on the edge of the bed, dressed in his pants. "Bruce is here."
He nodded. "Thought the voice sounded familiar." He stood and stretched as she turned to leave him alone. He came out not long after Babs had returned to her station.
This conversation wasn't one Bruce wanted to have where anyone could hear it... but then, Ted would probably tell her as soon as he was out the door, if he read this situation right. "Ted," he said softly. "It's... good to see you."
Ted considered his last memories of Bruce, of the Bat, and made a rueful smile. "Never thought to hear you say that about me."
"...understandable, given how I treated you," Bruce replied. He took another breath, and told himself again to say it. "I'm sorry, Ted."
The man standing in front of him, casually dressed in a pair of slacks, hair still sleep tangled, blinked. Twice. "I...Thank you."
Bruce nodded, "I thought I could still control things. I couldn't." That said, he considered what else to say. "There are a number of people who are ecstatic that you're back. Robin happens to be one of them."
Ted grinned. "Robin is a pretty darn good kid," Ted said. "Makes a great ally." He then looked at Bruce. "Never meant to make such a joke out of my life no one would believe me when it was time."
"Yes, he does." Bruce shook his head slightly. "You had help. And there were many reasons for what happened."
Ted shook his head. "Thanks..." He looked a little awkward at having to deal with Bruce.
Bruce wasn't much more comfortable. "Be safe, Ted."
Ted turned to go back down the hall. "Hey, Babs, going to grab a shower. "
"Okay Ted." Barbara looked at Bruce, her eyes expressing her thanks.
Bruce shrugged a shoulder slightly, nodding at her. He had felt he had little choice. Now to go home, and back to work on his Cave. "We're back to stay, Babs. We need a few days before we're up and running, but we're home."
"That's good to hear... you've been missed," she told him softly.
He nodded, accepting the words, and turned to go.
"Bruce..."
"Yes?" He looked back over his shoulder, curious.
"Don't hurt Dinah." She kept her voice even. "She thinks she has me blind to the facts, but what ever little shell game you three have going on, whatever the truth is, don't hurt my friend."
Bruce turned back to her at that. "Babs... hurting Dinah is the last thing I want." He knew better than to say that he wouldn't.
"That will do, then." She relaxed somewhat. "I've missed you, Bruce."
"You too, Babs."
She smiled. Her nickname had not rolled easily off his lips for years. And after he had left, she went back to work.
*~*~*~*~*
Bruce walked back up into the manor, having taken the helicopter back and forth on his quick trek to Metropolis. He found Alfred awake and beginning breakfast preparations, and went up to wake his lovers. He would get the boys up once they were. He slipped through the doors, stopping to simply look at his lovers.
Ollie was laid on his back, one arm tucked under his head, face turned toward Dinah. She had draped herself over his chest, her ear pressed to his solid heart beat, her hand curved up to rest along his neck. The covers had slipped down to just above their waists, showing the image perfectly.
Bruce just watched them for long moments... absolutely perfect, both of them. Both so light and lovely and strong... wanting them again came so easily. //You. have work to do,// he reminded himself sternly, trying to bank that desire for later and get on with the work to be done.
It was Ollie that cracked one eye open first; not surprising, considering the woman they both loved had been working overtime. "Pretty Bird?" the archer murmured, raising his free hand to stroke her hair, coaxing her to wake up. He was rewarded with a solid stretch against him, as Bruce watched the woman writhe through a fitful wakeup.
Bruce walked over, settling beside their hips at the end of the bed to caress her back gently, other hand running lightly down Ollie's side. "Good morning..." he told them both softly.
"Good morning," Dinah purred, voice still low and husky with sleep as she smiled.
Ollie ran his hand over to rest on Bruce's thigh, grinning. "Early morning for you isn't it?"
"Here, yes... but not where I've been. My body's trying to tell me it's time to be out, despite the sun..." The sound of Dinah's voice tugged at him, and he dipped his head enough to kiss the side of her throat gently, without intent behind it.
She moaned softly, shifting to where she could move her hand around his waist, to trace the line of the waist band on his back. "I don't seem to know when it's night or day anymore. I sleep when I can, and go when I'm not sleeping," she admitted.
Ollie chuckled. "Going to have to do something about that, Pretty Bird." His words were teasing; he knew she was thriving on the multiple needs for her attention. "We've got some work to get to."
Bruce made a low, small noise at her touch, and agreed with Ollie. "Yes we do... not that you have to come help," he told her. "I know you've been running hard."
"Mmmm," Dinah said softly. "With Dick back, I think the Titans will start picking up more of the load. And Sand wants the team public by month's end." She looked at Ollie, then Bruce. "He invited me to join again. I said yes."
"We'd guessed," Bruce told her softly, stroking her back again.
Ollie nodded. "It's a good move for you. You'll be happier there," he said.
"Probably." Dinah would always feel the pull of the League, but she would not jeopardize what she had with Bruce by being his teammate, and there was no way the new League would not recruit the Bat. Even Hal knew they needed him.
Bruce nodded, hand running down Ollie's side again. "Wildcat must be happy."
Ollie let his own hand run over the other man's muscular thigh as Dinah slowly sat up, hair falling and curtaining her in provocative ways. "He is. So are the others."
Bruce swallowed the sigh at that, but let his eyes flare... rather she was doing it consciously or not, she was so very provocative... //Work. You have work to do downstairs.//
She moved off the bed, taking Ollie's eyes--and Bruce's--with her progress, and padded nude to the bathroom.
"Too bad we have work," Ollie said, only half-teasing.
"Yes," Bruce agreed, watching her. Ollie sat up slowly, and leaned toward Bruce, his eyes lit with the early morning reactions to Dinah and Bruce both.
Bruce kissed him, hand running up into his hair, keeping it light with an effort. Ollie used restraint, breaking the kiss before he got carried away. "Got all weekend," he reminded himself.
Bruce nodded, his eyes saying just how much he would prefer to topple them both back into bed and spend the morning involved in other ways. "Yes we do."
Ollie got up and took over the bathroom as Dinah came back. The smaller woman kissed him in passing, then scrounged jeans and a shirt from the bag she had brought with her. "So, how much work is involved in remodeling the cave?"
Reopening the Manor fully would be less work. Tim and I shut almost everything down before we left, and again after Christmas. And everything mechanical needs maintenance, despite his work. And there's a year's worth of new technology to attempt to integrate... We're going to be busy."
"Dibs on the mechanical...with Roy, probably." She flashed him a smile. "Ask Babs what happened the last time I helped with her computers."
"I heard that story," Bruce replied with a slight smile. "You're not getting near my systems."
Dinah moved very close to him, one hand moving directly to his groin as her other snaked around his neck. "I'll just wait for my chance at your systems," she breathed against his throat, massaging through his pants one good time before kissing him.
Bruce kissed her hard, arms wrapping around her back, growling at her softly. //Minx of a woman, we have work to do...//
Behind them, Ollie cleared his throat as he jerked a pair of pants on. "Dinah, stop tempting us and go get the kids up," Ollie suggested, amused by them.
Bruce let her go, hands sliding away. "He's right."
She gave a teasing pout. "Fine. But we're stopping an hour before dinner, no matter what."
Bruce smiled at her, though he happened to wonder if that would be enough time... "Pretty when she does that," he mentioned to Ollie. "Though extremely hard to resist."
"Tell me about it." Ollie felt old regrets chase through his head, the urge to go out on the streets overcoming the hurt and disappointment in Dinah's eyes. It was different now, he knew. Now, she was more likely to be the one prowling the streets endlessly than he was.
Dinah shook her head. "Let me go roust Connor and Kyle; they're the most likely to actually be awake."
Bruce nodded. "I'll get Dick and Roy, who can get the rest of them up."
"Bets on who's sleeping where in regards to the youngest ones?" Ollie asked with a sly grin.
Dinah shook her head. "No bets, they're in bed together, likely. Tim was far too upset after dinner for anything else."
Bruce nodded, agreeing with Dinah. He'd been tempted to look in on Tim, but decided against it in favor of catching him at some point today... and was going to be keeping a very sharp eye on both of his younger sons.
The woman blew them both kisses and made her way to Connor's shared room with Kyle, knocking politely on the door. "Boys! You are both helping with the work load today, so finish up, clean up, and get to breakfast!"
There was a muffled noise, then Connor's voice called through the door. "Yes, Dinah. We will be...right down."
Bruce followed her, and rapped at Dick's door.
"Yeah, we're up.. Time for breakfast?" came Dick's easy, clear voice. He'd had the same trouble his father had, being wide awake with the onset of what should have been nightfall.
"Yes. Get the rest of them?"
Dick sighed, then nodded at the closed door. "Sure. I can do that." //You just don't want to have to wake Tim and Kon. Fine, I'll do it.//
Ollie strolled out and joined both Bruce and Dinah on their way down the stairs, feeling ready to tackle anything.
"You poor Bats are on the wrong clock schedule," Dinah teased.
"I know. We'll get back on the right clock within a day or two, though."
Dick slid out of his room and went to shove Jay's door open, where he had to dodge the pillow thrown at him for the intrusion. "Go'way."
He caught it before it hit the ground and threw it back. If Jay didn't catch it, it was going to hit him across the face. A strong hand came up, snatched it, then tucked it under his body as he rolled to burrow into pillows and covers.
"Jay, don't make me come over there," Dick warned. "It's morning."
"I know it is; that's why I'm trying to sleep! I just got in..." He raised up and glared at the clock. "Two hours ago."
"That's your fault. We've got work to do downstairs."
"But I was working then," Jason whined, sitting up and stretching, showing skin tattooed by their way of life in scars.
"Alfred's making breakfast," Dick told him, not above blatant bribery.
"I'm coming," he promised, standing so he could stretch, body muscular, but without an ounce of fat over it, sculpted by hard living and high nerves.
Dick nodded. "Good. Get the kids. I'm going to go wake my stepdaughter, if Roy hasn't already." He then frowned. "Just be nice to Tim, damn it."
Jason frowned. "I won't start shit before noon, promise."
"...That's probably the best I can hope for, from you," Dick nodded and went to go wake Lian and take her to breakfast.
He found Roy in the room with her, the little girl in his arms as he petted her back and hair, slowly drawing her up to the waking world. Dick settled down with them, leaning over for a kiss. "Little wing's still a showoff. And if he starts anything with Tim before noon, shoot him."
"I can do that. Mia's got enough on her plate to not be worrying about Tim so much." Roy kissed him soundly, then Lian made a noise at them and had to be kissed and tickled some. Dick had nodded at that, then turned his attention to their daughter, leaving the rest of the kids in Jay's hands... stupid as that might be.
Jason finished dressing, ran a comb through his hair with more of a promise than an actual attempt to clean up, and went to find Tim. He'd wake the kid up, let him get his friends moving.
Tim was out cold, securely caught between his boyfriend and his best friend, face buried against Kon's shoulder, and not moving for anything. Mia had heard Kon call her at the first of Tim's dreams in the middle of the night, and had joined them. Her scent and soft voice reassuring him had seemed to do the trick, and all three had curled up tightly, legs intertwined and arms cocooning Tim. Kon was just as deep asleep, listening to Tim and Mia and for trouble, but nothing else.
It was the girl, with her bright blonde hair who finally roused, seeing Jason standing in the parted doorway. She frowned, then glared at him, shifting to an even more protective position around Tim, her hand tensing on Kon.
"Cool it, blondie...we're being summoned," Jay said. "Breakfast, for now. So get your boyfriends up, and get them moving." He had to admit that his little brother wasn't doing too shabby for himself, with a built boyfriend and a stacked girlfriend like that.
Kon's eyes opened at the sound of voices and the grip of Mia's hand, looking for the source. //Oh. Jason. Breakfast? Okay.// He petted Tim gently, and smiled at the way just burrowed closer.
Jay remained in the doorway, watching as Mia leaned down to Tim's ear. "Tim, I think we need to get up, 'kay? Probably has something to do with Ollie and Bruce exploring the cave yesterday."
Tim muttered, and slowly opened his eyes. "mia? didn't think you'd stayed?" his voice sleep-thick and confused, but not unhappy.
"I came back," she told him.
"Oh. Okay... god. It's late..."
"No, it's early," Kon told him, then looked "go away" at Jason.
Jay smirked but did go on his way. Mia petted Tim's hair. "Got to get on States' Time."
"I know," Tim said, trying not to stretch while Mia was so close to him.
She smiled at him and moved to sit up so she could stretch, not wanting an awkward scene. Kon's eyes fixed on her as she moved, before he could make himself look away, trying to make himself not appreciate the sight of his best girl friend arching like that. Tim rolled to his back and stretched from toes to fingertips up over his head, yawning as he did.
When the pair had finished stretching, Mia stood and gave them a toss of her head. "Tim, can I borrow an old shirt? I don't think I have anything to hold up to a day of working down there."
"Sure," Tim shrugged and slid out of the bed to go find one for her. That took a couple of moments in a dresser drawer and he tossed the red shirt back at her as he picked one for himself. Kon followed them out of bed, kissed Tim, and went to get dressed himself, pulling stuff out of his suitcase before he headed into the bathroom.
"Thanks, Tim." She left the room to go change in the privacy of her own.
Tim dressed quickly, then went to lean against the bathroom door. "When'd Mia come back? And why didn't I notice?"
"You were asleep," Kon pointed out, pulling his shirt over his head. "Middle of the night sometime, I didn't look at a clock." Kon then looked at Tim. "You were starting to dream; she fixed it."
Tim sighed. "Dream, translated, nightmare... sorry."
Kon shrugged. "Don't worry about it. We both figured you'd have them."
Tim shook his head at that, frustrated. "Okay. Remind me to tell her thank you. Come on, we're going to be late for breakfast."
"Can't have that," Kon protested and headed downstairs with him. Mia came flying down behind them, bright smiles turned on for them both as they crowded into the dining room, the last to arrive.
"Thanks, Mia," Tim said against her ear as he pulled her chair out, then settled beside her.
Bruce watched the three of them, recognizing that shirt and the behaviors that meant one of the three of them had had a bad night, presumably Tim.
Alfred saw to getting a full breakfast into them, knowing he would be lucky if they ate the sandwiches he planned for lunch, once they all got working. He had intentions of holding Mia to refreshment duty as much as possible, having picked up on the fact that she seemed to be less well than on other visits. They all ate quickly, willing to get to work... well, the Bat-boys were. Kon jut figured he was there, he ought to help, which was Kyle's opinion as well.
Breakfast finished, they headed downstairs, studied the lists, and split up to get things accomplished. Bruce and Tim tackled the computer systems first, putting everything back together and running upgrades. Dick went after the non-computer machinery, the training equipment the next thing on his list once that was done if Connor didn't beat him to it. Kon wound up moving things and re-positioning them along with Kyle, who's ring made some things a heck of a lot easier. Roy was co-opted into playing mechanic along with Dinah, not that he minded in the slightest.
Mia assisted with tight work, as Tim was getting just big enough that he had a little difficulty getting at some of the smaller spots. She and Lian also aided Alfred when they were needed, which proved to be the one stumbling block of the day. Jay had teased all morning as he assisted in the brute work, but when his flirting with Mia made her actually step back from him, both Kon and Tim flowed to her side, making a three on one glaring match. Mia had to take a deep breath to steady herself, trying hard not to let the unnerving ex-Robin push her buttons. "Jay, I'm not interested in you; I will never be interested in you. So drop it, and then we can be friends," she said.
//Take the no for the answer it is, Jay,// Tim glared, standing at her back.
Kon had just about had enough of this, and if Jay kept pushing, he was going to find himself dropped in the very cold river that had originally cut the Cave, and still ran below. Despite himself, his eyes tried to flicker to red.
Jay took in the appearance of her friends so swiftly at her unease, then the way she had regrouped, and was holding out an olive branch. Slowly, he let his lazy grin turn to a proper smile, and held his hand out. "Deal, Speedy...and nice to really meet you."
Kon settled back, relaxing as Jay cut the bullshit. Tim nodded once and stayed at Mia's back until he was sure she was okay.
Mia shook the young man's hand, and then turned to go finish what she had been doing for Alfred, her fingertips brushing Tim's lightly. "Thanks, guys," she said softly as the three of them moved away.
"Anytime. Not your fault my... brother... is a jackass," Tim said just as softly.
"I was gonna chuck him in the river if he didn't knock it off," Kon told her.
Dick had spotted that, and Jay found himself pinned against the back of a set of computers. "Did I, or did I not, tell you not to start something with Tim?"
"It's after noon," Jay pointed out. "And it wasn't littlest Wing I wanted to start things with," he added in a smug tone.
"It wasn't when you started, little bro," Dick replied, then his eyes narrowed. "...Messing with Mia is starting things with Tim, idiot, even if they aren't together. Also, she's too young for you, and off limits in general."
"She doesn't carry herself too young," Jay said. "And if they're not together, they sure have a funny way of being that way...all curled in on each other to sleep like they were."
"Her life makes yours look like a cakewalk, Jay. That grows you up fast.... damn. Wonder which one of them had the nightmares? Probably Tim, no thanks to you..."
Jason counted from ten backwards, as it was supposed to be a calming trick. "Okay, tell. I know about Tim losing his father...is that what knots Littlest Wing up?"
Dick sighed. "C'mon, Jay. Let's go have a chat." He let his brother down, and headed for a quiet corner of the Cave. "What d'ya want first?"
Jason considered. "Why don't you start with Timmy, and move forward to how come we inherited the Arrows, and Bruce is actually a god damned human again?"
"K. Well, Tim's always been... wound tight, but... his dad found out," an open gesture of his hands said about what, "and flipped, demanded that Tim stop or he'd go public, tell everyone who we are... Tim agreed, even though there's no way he could have made it stick... which wound up giving us Steph as Robin, 'til she was killed in the gang war, then we lost his dad when everything came out about the League and Dr. Light... and then Kon died stopping SB -Prime and Alex Luthor... I was terrified he was going to follow them."
Jay cut him a sidelong glance. "Heard you almost bit it in the big fight," he admitted.
"It was close," Dick nodded. "Which probably didn't help any."
Jay nodded. "So somewhere along the road, you guys all hooked up with the Arrows."
"They stuck Roy and I in the same hospital room, once I was out of the ICU, so they were all under each other's feet. Then we took off, but Roy and I stayed in touch, and we wound up all doing Thanksgiving at Ollie's. Di and Bruce'd gotten together a couple months before, while we were in Budapest, and then sometime over Thanksgiving, he and Ollie got her into bed. She's loud, by the way. Roy and I were back together by that point, and Tim didn't have anyone to talk to but Mia, so they'd spent almost all day together. Passed out that way, too, which was cute."
"If they had not had clothes on, what I saw this morning would have counted for a freeze frame from a porno," Jay snorted.
Dick rolled his eyes. "You're obsessed. They're not involved. They can't be, not safely. Anyway. They'd gone out and done some hero-style bonding, and by the time we left, they were IMing each other like crazy. Speedy and Robin at it again.... then we got Kon back for Christmas. Hell of a present Di brought Tim."
Jay caught that 'safely' and cocked his head. "Girl's sick?"
Dick nodded. "She's HIV positive."
Jay nodded then. A lot of things clicked into place then, and he could see how his little brother would be very tense over her, knowing he could one day lose her to something other than their way of life, something he could not fight, if Dick was right on how well they had bonded. "I get it now."
"Good. Gonna play nice, now?"
"Mostly."
"Of course. It's you. Anything else, while I'm answering questions?"
Jay sized him up, then grinned. "How's it feel to be starting your own family? You and the Arrow Head with his little girl?"
"Great," Dick replied, grinning back. "Just... great."
Jay laughed then, throwing an arm around Dick's shoulders. "Back to work, bro."
Dick nodded, and headed that way.
Dinah looked over at Roy, having stopped to watch the drama with the kids and Jay. "Any idea which way she wants the thing with her and the boys to go, once she's well?" she asked softly. "Because it seems to me they are being highly protective for just brothers."
Roy shook his head. "She's not telling me. Body language says more, yeah, when they're not paying attention, but... I dunno. You know she's scared to mess things up with them."
"Yeah. Damned protective of them as a couple. Like she wants them to have a happily ever after no one can screw with." She shook her head. "Like she doesn't believe she deserves that."
"...I'll have a chat with her about that," Roy said after a moment, voice dark.
"Thanks, Boy-o." Dinah threw him a grateful smile.
"No problem. Not like I don't know that mindset."
"My thinking...hope I broke you of it." She grinned at him then, letting her pride in him shine through.
"Y' did, Di. Y'did." He kissed her cheek, then went back to cussing at an engine. She moved back over to her own vehicle currently being cussed at, cheerfully adding her voice to his with colorful mechanical invections.
*~*~*~
"They're back, Harvey," Jason said, sliding into the man's office. "You can finally relax a little." He had not been able to tell Harvey the night before, as their patrols had gone two very different directions and outcomes.
Harvey looked at him, studying his sometimes-partner with sharp eyes. "They are, hm? I thought they intended to stay away the full year." He wasn't... quite certain how he felt about that. He'd... enjoyed his time as the city's protector, after all, and with Batman back... Things were going to get interesting.
Jason walked over and perched on the desk. "Yeah, but you know, Harvey...I think there's more than enough that goes on here, that you and I can still work together. What do you ay? Still partners?" He wanted to keep the reformed psychopath right under his eyes.
Harvey nodded. "Bruce and I will probably butt heads quite a bit, but... that's the peril of working with him, I suppose. Still partners, sure, kid."
Jason shrugged. "I know we'll all butt heads. Doesn't matter as long as the right heads get busted."
"...There's a point," Harvey nodded. "Good enough." //Maybe we can finally clean this city up, all of us working together...//
The rough and tumble former Robin grinned like a devil. "That's the spirit."
~*~*~*~
Slade pulled up to a corner near the ferry to the Tower, dark car completely unremarkable. "Take care, kitten," he told his daughter, turning in the seat to look at her. The weekend... had been good, had smoothed over some of the damage between them. They both still bore the traces of healing bruises from sparring, and she looked... well. Both rested and eager to get back to the Titans.
She reached across the seat, moving close enough to hug his neck. "Thank you, Daddy." She did not ask when they would do it again; she would trust in him to contact her or Dinah some time in the future, as he had told her he would be watching over her.
"You're welcome, Rose," he told her, arm curling around her back to hug her for a moment, then he let go again. "I'll see you."
"I know." She was very happy with that, but she had one burning question. "Daddy...should I know anything about Dinah? She's very...trusting, for a hero, of you. Almost like Dick was."
"No, Rose. There's nothing you need to know. Dinah and I go back." The powerful attraction between the two of them was still there, but Dinah had apparently made her choice elsewhere. Not that that arrogant archer would ever be good enough for her, but... who understood how any woman's mind worked?
"Good." Rose did not need that complication on her life; she was fond of Dinah, but not that much.
He chuckled softly, amused. "Go on, Rose. They'll be waiting, by now."
She nodded, slipping out of the car. "Be careful, Daddy."
"Always, kitten." Once she closed the door, he drove away, not looking back. Neither did she, secure that he loved her, that he was sane, and that somehow, she would still have what remained of her family, in addition to her new one.
End
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I love the idea of Dick and Roy officially together, with Dick calling Lian his step-daughter, and the short Rose+Slade interaction at the end.
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I had a lot of fun seeing things get this far...and we still have a few scenes planned.
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*G* Well, there wasn't much doubt, was there?