The Ex

3. The Reds.

  Bruce and Damian continued to work on their new case while they waited for 'backup' to arrive. Bruce found out a few interesting details as he researched Talia. She was spotted again the day after she attack Damian, but when Batman and Robin showed up to stop her, she disappeared once more. Batman and Robin went back to Wayne Manor to call it a night. Bruce would've preferred to pull an all nighter, but Alfred convinced him not to. He realized that if he did, Damian would want to do the same, and Bruce knew that the kid hadn't slept in... Well, he couldn't remember the last time. The next morning is when they really got to work. Because a little help had arrived.

  "I got your message. What's wrong, Bruce?" Tim asked.

"Why do you assume something is wrong?" Dick joked.

  "Damian told me that Bruce was having relationship problems. All things considered, I'd say that's pretty normal." Jason added.

"True. But what I was trying to get across is that my mother is back." Damian explained. "She's coming after me. Claiming she wants me to join her. Become her protege and eventually lead the league of assassins."

  "That's nice. My mother gave me into the hands of my murderer." Jason gave a fake smile.

"We don't have time for your issues, Todd." Damian snapped at him. "We have reason to believe she's planning something bigger. We found traces of water from a Lazarus pit at both the locations she was seen at."

  "Lazarus pit?" Tim questioned. "Did you find anything else?"

"Nothing useful." Damian continued.

  "I'll check and see if she was spotted anywhere else." Tim stated before walking over to the batcomputer.

"I'll check and see if there's anything in the fridge." Jason joked before heading up to Wayne Manor.

  Tim went straight to work to see what he could find.

  Dick came into the Batcave to be greeted lovingly by Tim.

  "Hey Dick! Be a doll and tell Bruce to come here." Tim chuckled.

"Good to see you too, Tim." Dick responded. "You find anything?"

  "I'm not sure if it's related, but I think that Bruce is going to want to see this." Tim replied.

  Jason went upstairs to find Alfred being the best Batdad and making food so that Bruce wouldn't starve himself. Bruce probably would've died by now without Alfred, and not just because Alfred's been there to save Batman before, but because Bruce is helpless as a normal human being.

"Master Jason. Glad to see you back around here." Alfred smiled.

  "Just here to help Bruce with a case. I probably won't be staying long." Jason explained.

"Don't think that whenever Master Bruce doesn't need your help that you are not welcome here." Alfred continued. "He may have a hard time showing it, but Master Bruce cares about you. He cares about all of you."

  "Yeah, yeah. Do you happen to have churros? I get weird cravings at random times." Jason laughed.

"I'm afraid churros were not on the master's grocery list." Alfred chuckled.

  Damian entered the kitchen and groaned when he saw Jason.

  "Ugh, why are you here again? I understand that Drake is a nerd, but you're useless." Damian stated.

"Besides you, I know Talia better then anyone. Case you forgot, she helped train me when I came back to life. I know things about her. Why are you here?" Jason smirked.

  "I'm the blood son, street rat!" Damian yelled before storming out.

"And yet? That has nothing to do with what I just said." Jason whispered to himself as he rejoiced in his triumph.

  "It still baffles me how Bruce has four of you." Alfred sighed.

  Bruce and Dick went down to the batcave to see what Tim had found.

"At first, I wasn't sure if it was related. But now, the police do have a picture of the suspect." Tim explained.

  "The suspect for what?" Bruce asked.

"A prison breakout."

Meanwhile...

"They have no idea. Damian may be my son, but he doesn't think like me." Talia began. "And I promise you. If you help me, I'll give you something you can't refuse. Something you love to play with."

  "You might want to be a little more specific." A figure said.

"Something from your past. Something you once used before to get to the prize you really want." Talia smirked. "The batman."

  "Well," The figure stepped forward. His white skin and red lips only inches from Talia's face. "I guess I can't refuse that. HAHAHAHAHA!!!"