Jack and Janet were at it again, Dick watched Tim cower away from the noise and chaos in his home. He hated the Drakes' wealth, mostly because he had to strain to see. "What are you doing?" asked a deep voice from behind.
Dick turned around to see Batman, "Watching the Drakes."
"Why?"
"Why do you care? I'm not breaking any laws or hurting people. Shouldn't you be asking how I can see them from this far away?" Come to think of it, he must be a vampire too.
"Who is your sire?" Yup, definitely a vampire, musta figured the jig was up.
"Does it matter? Aren't you supposed to protect the innocent, Batman? Take a look at Timothy Drake and tell me my crime of standing on neutral ground is more important than him." By now, the boy was shakily standing up from his ball and making his way to his parents. The screaming had stopped, not that Dick could hear what they were saying to begin with.
"I'm sorry but a human would not be able to see this."
"I know, you came here for a reason and it wasn't me. I guess we're all masochists." Dick stood up "If that ends in bloodshed, it's on your head. Can you point me towards a blood bank? I don't wanna pass out on my way home."
Batman gave him directions, "Wait. Let me pay for it." They sat down at one of the tables in an underground diner with synthetic blood, "Not as good as the real stuff but it'll do."
"Thank you."
"How did you know about the Drakes?"
"Magazines." Dick gave him a shit-eating grin in response to his look, "No, really, I noticed Jack and Janet were all over magazines without Timothy. Their son was always nothing more than a footnote. Reporters might comment on how Janet was right back in the saddle shortly after giving birth so it's no surprise the couple could yadda, yadda, yadda. My sire forbade me from approaching Timothy so I watched. At first, I spent maybe an hour each night checking in but then I saw his parents for the first time, saw how they never seemed happy and how he always seemed to be the source. I guess I lost track of time tonight, waiting for that line to be crossed. Then you caught me and I realized it was a lost cause."
"Come back tomorrow."
"Here?"
"No."
"Are you giving me permission to trespass on the Drakes?"
"For the sake of their son, yes."
"Thank you, sir."
"I will get Wayne to sign off on it. Come back tomorrow."
"Will do."
He never did, he passed the Drake estate on his way home and heard a crash. Acting on instinct, Dick ran into the house. He was wearing a suit not unlike those worn by superheroes, designed to cause difficulty for vampires in identifying him or his house. After all, Gotham belonged to vampires. He got inside and tackled Jack to the floor, sweeping Janet's feet out from under her as they went down. Before either could recover, he grabbed Timothy and ran to the door, stopping short. "Who is Batman?"
"What?"
"You can't tell me you've been stalking him for years and still have no idea."
"Why should I tell you?"
"Because if you do then I'll owe you a life debt. If you don't then I can't take you anywhere." He looked Tim in the eye and gave him an open mouthed smile to show his fangs.
"Bruce Wayne."
"Of course. Is there anything you need here? Anything irreplaceable?"
"No."
Dick picked him up, "Hold on tight."
When he got back, Deacon was waiting "I told you not to approach Timothy."
"He incurred a life debt by telling me Batman's real name."
"A loophole, nice work. Take him to the medic, I'll have the room across from yours prepared and meet you there."
"You got it."
Setting Tim down on a table in what served as the medbay, Dick quickly changed clothes. "You already know me but feel free to call me Dick, it's my nickname and Deacons says those are reserved for family. What do you preferred to be called?"
"Tim. You're a vampire?"
"I wasn't when we first met but I was when Jason was adopted."
Deacon joined them a few minutes after the medic set to work patching Tim up, the crash Dick heard was the little boy being thrown into a small table holding a vase. Jack and Janet then started screaming about Tim breaking the vase. Dick wondered how two people could be so horrible and so successful. At least Jason's family was poor and his father was a lowlife drunk, the Drakes had no reason to be like that. Deacon waited for the medic to finish and leave before asking "Who is Batman?"
"Bruce Wayne," answered Dick promptly. "And don't worry, Batman gave me permission to trespass on the Drakes, which is why I was close enough to hear the crash when they threw Tim at a table."
"Threw Tim at a table?"
"Yeah, look at him."
Deacon studied the small boy "By all that is," he addressed Tim directly "Do you want to live with us?"
"Yes but I don't think my parents will give up custody so easily."
Dick said "Deacon can be very convincing, plus we got Batman on our side. No doubt he can prove your parents abused you. Throwing you into a table should be enough to get them thrown in jail. If not then the abuse combined with neglect will be. Deacon's really good at cutting through red tape, he'll get permission to foster you then quietly adopt you once your parents lose custody."
"Really?" Tim looked at Deacon "But, why would you want me?"
"You're smart enough to figure out Batman's secret identity, why wouldn't I?"
"It's just-"
Dick said "You remember the Flying Graysons? I think your parents took you to one of our shows when you were little."
"Yeah, wait, oh."
"Yeah and Jason's from Crime Alley. I don't think we'll be able to bury your past but you have to keep ours a secret."
"Okay."
"Your room should be ready." In his room, Deacon said "Tomorrow we will give you a full tour and explain vampires."
