I do not own Batman or it's characters because if I did, the story would be all about the family.

Almost two decades have passed since the night Bruce's parents were gunned down in a dirty alleyway but he still remembers how it felt to watch his family be taken from him. It had hurt unlike anything he had ever felt before, a sharp blow right into his heart that both electrified his nerves and made everything seem numb at the same time. It was a sensation he never put quite forgot and was still reeling from even now. Since that day he'd seen his share of horrors during his training and as Batman, but never again has he felt that dreaded feeling of fear and hopelessness. But this was pretty close.

He was standing in Dick's room, periodically clenching and unclenching his fists to rid himself of the terrifying anxiety that was pounding beneath his skin. Hyperaware, he is mentally cataloguing all the tiny details of his ward's room which, before, had seemed so inconsequential. He notes the scuffed and well-worn red sneakers thrown haphazardly into one corner of the room, the left shoe tilted lazily on its side. He observes the piles of books that litter the boy's bedside from The Adventures of Robin Hood to a book speculating about life of Mars J'onn had given him a while back. He takes in every little detail from the half-finished math homework Dick had abandoned earlier to the glow-in-the-dark stars arranged lovingly on his ceiling.

Mostly he watches Dick, drinking in every detail of the eight year old as if to confirm that he was actually sitting there on the bed, safe and not dea-

"What he hell were you thinking?" Bruce finally spat out, not liking the slight inflection of hysteria he could hear in his tone but unable to get rid of it either. On the bed, Dick shrugged angrily, not looking too upset by his guardian's ire. He didn't even seem too bothered by the fact that less than an hour ago, he was beaten into unconsciousness by the man who had murdered his family. If Batman had arrived just a few moments later, Dick Grayson could have very well have joined his parents. Bruce took a deep calming breath to prevent himself from following that line of thought. "You nearly got yourself killed Richard and for the sake of something as trivial as vengeance." Dick's eyes lit up with rage as he ignored his injuries and quickly stood up on the bed, almost reaching Bruce's eye level.

"It was not trivial!" Dick shouted, seeming so far away from the pleasant, energetic young boy he'd been housing for nearly a year now. "That man, Tony Zucco, he killed them! He killed my mom and dad! And you knew! Why didn't you tell you knew who took them from me?" Dick shouted as he pointed an accusatory finger at him.

"Because I knew you would do something reckless if you found out. I was tracking Zucco down on my own; I almost had him until you decided to go after him on your own. Now because of your actions it could take weeks to track him down again, if he even decides to stay in Gotham." Dick growled and turned away before suddenly spinning back and aiming a punch at Bruce's chest. Batman easily caught the small fist, taking care not to disturb the boy's bandages.

"You don't understand Bruce, he was right there. I was going to make him pay for what he did to them! He killed them just because Mr. Haly wouldn't give him any money. They deserved that, they deserved to be avenged!" Dick yelled.

"Your revenge isn't worth your life. Do you think your mother and father would want you to throw away your life, the last gift you have from them, over something as fleeting as revenge? What about Alfred and I? Do you think I want to put you in a child-sized coffin and bury you next to them? You didn't even think!" Bruce growled back furiously, giving the boy's wrist an aggressive shake as if that would get some sense into that head of his. Dick scoffed as he yanked his hand out of Bruce's grasp.

"Like you even care at all. Just because I live here doesn't make me a part of your family. All you do is boss me around and tell me to be quiet and you hardly ever talk to me. You probably wish you have never taken me in and I wish you hadn't either! We'd both be better off!" Dick cried, lashing out at Bruce once more and, this time, Bruce let him. While Dick's childish punches pounded away at his chest; Bruce was stunned into silence. A familiar ache, one he had learned early on to associate with Dick, gripped his heart. How could he say that? Dick didn't honestly feel that way, did he?

"Do you really think that I care so little for you that I have been unaffected by your presence?" Bruce asked quietly. Dick stopped his assault to glare up at Bruce through frustrated tears. Bruce bent down and placed his hands on the boy's shoulders. "Do you think I don't appreciate the smiles you give me, the way you bring light to this old, grim house? You have made my life so much better Dick. You've given me something, someone, to care about besides my life mission." Bruce swallowed anxiously as he searched for a way to deal with his emotions.

He felt uncomfortable at talking about his tumultuous feelings like this. Not to mention the fact that he was still shaking off the bone deep terror he had felt when he first found Dick's bloodied body at Zucco's mercy. It wasn't always this hard, before Dick came, he didn't struggle with himself like this. Before Dick there was nothing but him and his work. He watched as the anger faded from Dick's eyes and his small body began to shake from the high emotion of the evening. The boy was scared and angry and he needed someone to look after him, to properly care for him in a way that would help him move past his grief. And right now, Bruce was the person that Dick needed. Without a second thought he pulled the boy, his boy, into his arms and gripped him tightly.

"It's okay Dickie, it might not seem so right now but it's going to get better." He whispered as Dick's fingers dug harshly into his back. "You're going to go to school and make friends and enjoy your life because I am not going to let you waste your childhood like I did. And I promise you, we're going to catch Zucco. You're going to get the justice you and your parents deserve." He held the boy closer to him, feeling the ache in his chest at the sound of Dick's sobs shuddering through him.

"I'm sorry, I'm so sorry. I was just so mad at Zucco and what he did, I just wanted to hurt him like I'd been hurt. I didn't mean it, I don't really want him dead." Dick choked out as he clung tighter. Bruce shushed him gently, feeling a little more assured as he rubbed Dick's back.

"I know Dick, believe me I understand. If that had been my parents' killer out there, I know I'd have done the same thing." He pulled the small boy away and tilted his chin so he was looking directly into Bruce's eyes. "But vengeance is not the answer, if you go down that path you will be as bad as Zucco. Justice is the only way you'll be able to move forward Dick, it's the only way you'll be able to truly heal." Dick nodded and sniffed, once again locking his arms around Bruce's neck as he buried his wet face into the man's shoulder.

"I just want to make them proud, to be the person they wanted me to be." Dick whispered into Bruce's neck.

"Trust me son, they are proud of you. I know because I am very proud of you." Bruce said, surprising himself with his own words. Proud? Yes, well of course he was proud of Dick for his progress these last few months, proud of the restraint he showed Zucco this evening when he could have easily taken his life. Dick was growing up marvelously and Bruce was starting to realize what a privilege it was to witness that. It's funny how fear makes you realize the things that are truly important.

"Really?" Dick mumbled, his grip relaxing as he slowly calmed himself. Bruce nodded, running a hand through Dick's thick hair.

"Of course, I've always been proud, and I always will be." He answered back, feeling better as Dick relaxed further into his embrace and his tears finally tapered off. But Bruce kept holding him, stroking his messy black hair. He never expected to be in this position, sitting on his knees with a crying child in his arms but Dick was here and Bruce was going to do what he could to help him. And this time we wasn't gong to do it out of a sense of responsibility, but because he wanted this child to be safe and happy.

"I love you, Bruce." His breath caught in his throat. It had been so long since he'd had those words directed at him and he'd denied himself the opportunity to pass them on to someone else. The words had become dusty and foreign as he delved deeper into the darkness that was Batman. But now this boy was here, offering him a better path and freely giving out the words Bruce had long since struggled with. But this brilliant boy had no one else left. If Bruce didn't return them now, then who knows when Dick would hear them next.

"Me too, Dick," he whispered back and he understood right then that he honestly meant it. He gripped the boy who he was only now recognizing as his son, closer to him. It seemed almost as if he could feel the sudden weight of parenthood settling on his shoulders. This wasn't going to be easy, but he was damn well going to make it worth it. "Me too."

And that's all folks! This is the final chapter of Learning Curve starting from Bruce's awkward and kind of distant attempts at bonding to realizing that somehow he'd fallen in love and never noticed until it was almost too late. In my mind, this is about the point where Robin training begins but that's for another story. Thank you all for your favorites and reviews! I appreciated everyone and I hope you enjoyed!