Protect The Batboys

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How long do you think this is going to take?

I'm not sure how much more screaming I can take...

Never mind that, how long before Batman kills us?

My friends, Batman does not kill.

Kaldur is right, B would never-

He will maim us horribly and make it look like an accident.

...Really? You are supposed to be the sensible one.

He is being sensible, Grayson. Father would never kill but he would maim.

Great, I feel so much better.

Bruce swirled the ice in his scotch around, peering over the edge of his drink at the gathering of teens and his sons. "I know you are talking about me in that psychic link you have, I am not stupid." The team gulped, silently saying their goodbyes. Bruce sighed, downing the rest of his drink before placing the now empty glass on the coffee table in front of him. "I'm not mad, I expected the team to find out eventually. Just perhaps under different circumstances."

"Sir, with all due respect, if you know what your sons are capable of why did you hire us to protect them and keep us away from other potential missions?" Wally crossed his arms in mild annoyance, his teammates nodding their heads in agreement.

Bruce sighed again, a little more exasperated this time. "Don't you see? If my boys were attacked while they were alone they would not be able to defend themselves because their identities would be compromised. I needed some insurance that the public would not find out."

"So you trusted us?"

"Trust is a strong-"

"Batman trusts us!" Wally squealed, high fiving Conner. Bruce rolled his eyes but did not reply, simply handing his empty glass to Alfred for a refill.

Jason, who was still writhing on the floor a few yards away, let out a whimper before falling silent. M'gann's eyes stopped glowing and she wiped the sweat from her brow bone, walking shakily towards the team. "I did everything I could, there will be a lot he needs to work on, but his brain is better than when he first arrived." She snatched the full glass of scotch from Alfred's hand and chugged it. Bruce just raised an eyebrow. "What? I just potentially saved your son's life, gimme a break."

"I didn't say anything." Bruce shrugged, turning to Talia, who was uncharacteristically silent. "Thank you, Talia, for bringing my son back to me."

"Our son. Damian, don't give me that look, I don't mean it that way." Talia turned her glare from her son to Bruce. "I expect visitation rights, and don't worry, I won't try to take him back to the League. We can't afford to lose more men." Talia walked up to Jason's unconscious body and crouched down next to him, planting a kiss un his temple. "Farewell, my child. I will back to see you soon."

With that Talia left the room, nobody trying to stop the assassin.

Tim tried to hide his yawn but Bruce's eyes were keen. "Tim, when was the last time you slept?"

Artemis groaned. "I told you we should've force fed him the sleeping pills! He obviously didn't sleep last night."

"Art, we can't just force Tim to sleep." Conner said slowly as if he was explaining some complicated equation. "Besides, sir, I saw him nap yesterday."

Bruce nodded, giving Tim a warning look. "I am hiding the coffee until you get a proper night's sleep." Tim went to protest but Bruce held his hand up. "Or no Robin for a month."

Tim pouted, grumbling plots of vengeance under his breath.

Just then the doorbell rang making everyone jump out of their skin. Alfred walked off to answer it, returning moments later with Commissioner Gordon, Barbara, Cass, and Steph. The newcomers paused in the doorway, taking in the sight of Jason passed out on the floor and the others nonchalantly hanging out with Poison Ivy long forgotten in the corner, still unconscious.

"I will be taking her and going, it is nice to have you back, Bruce." Commissioner Gordon nodded, grabbing Ivy and exiting the room with a mind full of questions he knew better than to ask.

Barbara stared from Jason to Dick back to Jason and then to Bruce. "Do I want to know the full story or will it give me an aneurism?"

Everyone who knew the story exchanged looks. "Aneurism."

Barbara nodded, eyes roaming the room before landing on Bruce. She took one look at Alfred filling up his glass and smirked. "They know, don't they?" Bruce just took a long drink to answer her question. Barbara's smirk grew as she held her hand out to Tim, who grunted but reluctantly put a twenty in her upturned palm. "Thanks my dude."

Cass crouched next to Jason and poked his cheek, smiling when his face twitched in response.

Steph's eyes roamed the room as she sidled up to Tim. "So, they know. But do they know we know they know?" Tim shot her an incredulous look and she just shrugged with an amused grin. "Had to ask."

"No, no you didn't."