A short story I got a random idea for. Just a one-shot, so it's done. Definitely messed with canon a bit.I'm placing this in a universe that's kinda a mix of the N52, preN52, and Rebirth. This takes place sometime after Colin and Damian meet and before Damian dies. Actually, in this universe, we're just gonna say Damian doesn't die.

Enjoy! Make sure to leave a comment!

Edited 12/31/18

Colin doesn't plan to look at the files, honest. But they're just laying there on the table, and his social worker left his briefcase wide open while he went to talk to one of the sisters. He knows he shouldn't look, but they're right there, and it's too tempting to just not do anything.

The moment he grabs the file, he tenses. It feels like someone should come bursting in to stop him, or like the file will dissolve in his hands. But the moment passes, and he's left holding a deceptively thin manila folder with his name printed in neat letters on the cover. Colin shoves it under his shirt and waits.

The social worker is back seconds after the file is hidden, followed closely by one of the sisters. They both look at him pityingly, a look he really hates getting. Usually, when people are looking at him that way, they're thinking something along the lines of 'That poor orphan boy'.

The social worker gets to the point right away. "I'm afraid I couldn't find any foster homes available for you."

Colin feels like scoffing and crying at the same time. Scoffing, because there are never any foster homes that want him lately, and everyone knows it. Crying, because why? Why doesn't anyone want him? Not even his own parents did, and he doesn't know why.

Maybe that was why he stole the file, he thinks. This way he can find out who his parents are, and even though he probably won't ever meet them, he may be able to find out why they didn't want him. It'll give him some closure at least.

"Well, it's not like I didn't know that would happen," he mutters petulantly, crossing his arms. "No one ever wants to help me."

"Colin!" Sister Delia snaps sharply. A warning for him to watch his tone. "Treat Mr. Johnson politely. You know better than to talk like that."

Colin lowers his eyes. He does feel bad that he was rude. "I'm sorry, Mr. Johnson."

"It's quite alright Colin," Mr. Johnson says, shutting his briefcase with a click. "Now, I'll see you next month, okay?"

Colin nods halfheartedly. "Yes. Goodbye Mr. Johnson."

He waits a moment for Mr. Johnson's steps to fade completely and then stands up, dashing past Sister Delia and up to his room. No one is ever inside during the day, all enjoying what little sun filters into this part of Gotham, and making it easy for him to have privacy in his room.

He jumps onto his bed and pulls the manila folder out from under his plaid shirt. Once he's seated comfortably, he flips it open and scans it eagerly. It doesn't really look any different than he would have thought. Right at the top is his name, and below that, a picture of him taken a few years ago. He was smiling widely into the camera, and one of his front teeth was missing.

It's below that photo that it starts to become more interesting. A handwritten list of his known problems (Claustrophobia, chiroptophobia, abandonment issues, paranoia, and violence). Well, that explains why no one ever wants to foster him. It's on the next page that he hits the jackpot though. Underneath small letters that say 'Living Relatives' is a name.

Janet Lynn, Mother.

He's just discovered his mom's name. He knows her real name, and this means he can find out why she gave him up. Maybe he even has a sister or brother somewhere. The possibilities are amazing. He's not overly optimistic though; he knows that his chances of finding her based on one small name are tiny. Still, it's a chance.

If nothing else, he knows who he came from.

When Damian slips in the window and sees Colin spread out on his bed, asleep with a folder over his face, he nearly smiles. Something about the sight is amusing, but he's not sure what.

"Colin?" Damian says sharply, poking his frie-associate once in the shoulder. Colin doesn't do anything other than move a little. "Colin? Colin!"

"What! What's going on?" Colin shoots up and Damian smirks, just a little bit. "Oh, Damian! I didn't know you were coming today."

Damian raises an eyebrow as he watches Colin start to gather up all the paper that flew out of the folder when he shot up. His friend is meticulously making sure everything is in place, a strange sight.

"What were you looking at?" he asks.

"What?" Colin doesn't look up to answer.

"What are the papers you're gathering about? I doubt it's legitimately interesting, but my curiosity is piqued."

"Oh, these." Colin finally grabs the last paper, and when he looks at Damian he's blushing. "It's my case file. I stole it."

"You stole your case file? Perhaps I underestimated your skills in stealth," Damian says and grabs the papers out of Colin's hands to flip through them. "What are you looking for?"

"Um, my-my family's names. I didn't find a lot, but I found my mom's name."

"What are you planning to use this information for?"

"I was just, I wanted to know why they gave me up." Colin shrugs. "It's not much help with that though. All there is in it is my birth mom's name."

"I could find out more for you," Damian offers absentmindedly. He feels like he's seen the name Janet Lynn somewhere before, but he's not sure where.

"Really? You'd do that for me?" Colin asks incredulously.

"-tt- Of course. I still owe you for saving me," Damian replies.

"Does this mean you're my friend then?" Colin asks.

"No. We're associates."

"Awww, we're friends!"

"Shut up, Colin," Damian snaps, but fondly.

It's not very hard for Damian to find the name, Janet Lynn. A woman born to old money in Gotham. She ran away from home at eighteen, and he's pretty sure he can figure out the rest. Runaway, probably gets pregnant (Although she was eighteen twenty-three years ago, not ten years ago, when Colin was born, so that part doesn't quite match up. Maybe she got married and couldn't keep him later in life?), can't care for a child, and gives him up.

What's really annoying him is that he can't find any records of a Janet Lynn from after she's twenty-four. The only thing after that age is when she's thirty-one and gives Colin up. It's a puzzle to him, and he just can't figure out where she went. She was very much a regular civilian, so there's no way she just disappeared. He refuses to give up because he promised Colin to find out more. He is not going to lie.

Really, his breakthrough in the case is when he hears Drake and Brown come into the Batcave discussing something inane.

"Tim Drake-Wayne-Brown. It's not so bad," Brown says brightly.

Drake scoffs. "No way, Steph. How come if we ever get married, I take your name?"

"Um, because the plight of women having their history oppressed means it's men's turn? Besides, you still get to keep the Drake-Wayne part."

"How about no," Drake deadpans, then seems to notice Damian. "What are you doing on the Batcomputer?"

"It's none of your business, Drake," Damian sneers. "Though your conversation with Fatgirl is confusing me. Why are you discussing changing of last names?"

Brown blinks then grins widely. If it's her against Drake, Damian usually chooses her, so she's no-doubt planning to get him on her side of whatever they were arguing about.

"Okay, so in most cultures, when a man and a woman get married, the woman loses her last name and takes the mans'. So, like, My name is Stephanie Brown, and if I got married to Tim, what would normally happen is my name becomes Stephanie Drake-Wayne. I was saying that's unfair, so he can take my name."

Damian considers this for a moment. "Are you getting married soon then if you're planning this out?"

Both Drake and Brown turn red and begin to sputter out incomprehensible words before fleeing. He doesn't quite understand why they behaved like that, but it matters not, because Brown just gave him an idea.

He turns back towards the Batcomputer and types in a few quick words, and there the results are. Janet Lynn's marriage announcement to…

Of course, that's who she married.

He wants to be sure before he says anything to anyone. It sounds slightly strange, but he has a sample of Colin's DNA on hand, and he compares it Janet Lynn and her husband's first child.

The test comes back, confirming that Colin is Janet Lynn and Jack Drake's second son.

Of course, his best friend (Not that he would ever admit, to anyone, that Colin is his friend) would be Drake's younger brother. It seems to be how this world works; creating messes that he and his father need to clean up, or problems they need to solve. But this, this isn't really a problem or a mess, it more of a… he's not sure.

Another thing to add to his list of things he's not sure about. Highest on the list is what to do next. He promised to tell Colin what he learns, and he will not lie, but should he inform Drake of what he's discovered first? Or maybe Drake already knows of Colin's existence, because loath though Damian may be to admit it, the former Robin is brilliant.

"Why are there the results of a DNA test involving me on the screen?" a voice asks curiously.

Damian whirls around in his chair and stares at Drake in surprise; he hadn't even noticed the teen coming up behind him. Obviously, because he was distracted, not because Drake is adequate at the skill silent walking.

"No reason, Drake," Damian snaps.

"I'm not an idiot, Damian. Why are you checking my DNA against someone else's, and why do they match up?" Tim asks sternly.

Damian finds himself at a loss for words. He feels much less like the professional he is, and much more like the child people say he should be. Drake continues to level him with a glare, and Damian finds himself answering.

"My friend, Colin, is an orphan. He asked me to find out what happened to his mother after discovering her name on his case file. Janet Lynn."

He leaves the rest for Drake to puzzle out, and wait for the comprehension to appear on his pseudo brother's face.

"Lynn was my mom's maiden name," Drake says dumbly.

"Colin is ten," Damian offered.

"When I was seven, I didn't seem my parents for eleven months straight, but they were in Gotham around the nine-month mark," Tim says thoughtfully. "I knew my mom never wanted another child. She'd mentioned it before when I asked for a sibling."

"Drake, you have a brother," Damian said. He wasn't sure what else to do. Except… "Do you want to meet him?"

"Yeah, I do." Drake smiles at him, and in a completely out of character moment for him, Damian smiles back. "And Damian, thank you."

Damian scoffs. "Just don't tell Grayson I helped you. He'd be insufferable about it."

"Of course he would," Drake agrees easily. "He's Dick Grayson."

Colin is in his room reading a comic to pass the time when one of the nuns come up for him and tells him he has a visitor. That in and of itself is strange, but when he comes down the stairs and sees Damian waiting for him in civilian clothes, it's enough to surprise him.

Damian is tapping his foot on the floor quickly and looking slightly bored. As soon as his eyes turn towards Colin, his face lights up but is quickly schooled into a mask of indifference. Colin ignores the stiffness and launches himself at Damian.

Damian wraps his arms around Colin and squeezes quickly before letting go. Colin pulls away as well and takes great pride in how red Damian's face is.

"-tt- Don't be so affectionate, Colin," Damian says fondly. "Do you want to go for a walk?"

"Sure," Colin agrees easily. Then asks in a lower tone "Did you find anything on my mom?"

"Outside," Damian says shortly.

After walking down the dirty streets of Gotham in silence for what feels like hours, Colin asks "So? What did you find?"

Damian takes a deep breath. "Drake, you can come out now."

Colin looks around curiously and only sees one person who could be Drake. Said person walks up to them, and removes a baseball cap. Colin recognizes the teen right away. It's Tim Drake-Wayne. The young C.E.O. of Wayne Industries. And obviously, Red Robin, because Colin's not dumb, and he knows who Robin and Batman are.

Tim gives Colin a small smile and holds a hand out. "Tim Drake."

Colin grasps the hand and shakes it. "Colin Wilkes." Tim Drake isn't very tall, and has messy black hair, along with lots of freckles across his face. It's such a different way to see one of the heroes of the city; normal.

"I'm sorry, but your mother…"

Damian doesn't finish, but Colin can guess what he was about to say. His mom is dead. He expected it, in a way. This is Gotham after all. His heart still sinks.

"Oh. Well, thanks for looking, Damian," Colin tells him. He's still smiling, but it's less bright.

"There's more though," Damian begins. "While I was looking into your mother's whereabouts, I discovered she used her maiden name while giving you up. It took some digging, but I discovered her married name and the name of your father."

Colin looks at Damian and deciphers the question hidden in all the information. "Yes!"

"Jack and Janet Drake."

Colin thinks on those names for a moment before his eyes go wide. "Oh."

Damian snorts.

Colin turns towards Tim with wide eyes. Everyone in Gotham knows the names Jack and Janet Drake. The parents to the brilliant Tim Drake-Wayne, who'd both died one after the other of unfortunate causes. That means…

"You're my brother! I have a brother!"

Tim smiles, and shifts from foot to foot, as if he's unsure what to do next. To be completely fair, Colin is unsure what to do next as well. Should he hug his newfound brother? Ask him one of the millions of questions going through his head?

Finally, Damian breaks the awestruck silence. "Well? Are you going to hug or do something equally inane?"

This causes Tim to chuckle, as he walks a step closer to Colin and kneels down, before wrapping his arms around the boy and squeezing.

After a long moment, he lets go and smiles brightly at Colin. "I can't believe this. I've always wanted a brother who doesn't try to kill me."

Damian scoffs, but what Tim has just said occurs to Colin. He breaks free from the teens hold and whips around to face Damian. "Damian! This means we're brothers!"

Damian appears to realize this suddenly as well before he smiles a real smile. "I suppose you'd be a tolerable brother, Colin. As long as you don't become as annoying as Drake on patrol." Tim stiffens and shoots Damian a withering glare, to which Damian scoffs again. Colin watches the exchange with rapt attention. "Don't act like that, Drake. He would find out anyways, even if he didn't already know."

This makes Tim raise an eyebrow in surprise and reply dryly "I didn't realize you told your friends about our night jobs."

"It is slightly hard not to when they work one as well," Damian drawls, then rolls his eyes when Colin starts to glare at him. "It's not like you wouldn't have told him anyways, Colin. You're nearly as sentimental."

Tim makes a noise that vaguely resembles choking, before getting out a strangled "What!?"

Colin shrugs sheepishly. "Surprise?"