Family Matters

Summary: Oneshot! Dick gets injured shortly after Bruce returns from the 'grave'. Damian decides that enough is enough and tells Bruce off. Brotherly fluff ensures.

AN: Request by Aslan is love. Hope you like it, my dear! ^.^ Oh! And be on the lookout for chapter 27 of 'Jealous Bird', chapter 2 of 'Double Trouble' and chapter 6 of 'Secrets'~! I'm almost done with those, so I should be able to get them out pretty soon XD

A sickening crack causes the Bat and the bird to instantly stiffen. Their heads snap over to where the sound originated. Joker cackles, holding a blood covered baseball bat as the newest Bat limply topples from the roof of the building. A startling amount of blood droplets follow after him. Batman and Robin's eyes widen in horror as their comrade falls to his death. Robin dives off of the roof after him, tucking his arms close to his sides to gain speed. He reaches out once he gets close enough, and grabs onto the Bat's arm before spinning around and shoots off his grappling hook, latching it back onto the roof. Once the hook catches, Robin grunts under the excessive weight. Knowing the rope wasn't going to hold, he swings his body towards the building, and grunts again as the two slam into the window. Robin growls under his breath when the window doesn't break and the fact that his grip on the Bat was slipping. Thinking quickly, he uses the window as a springboard, and lunges back with all of his might before crashing back into the window, feet first. The glass finally shatters as the two collapse to the ground in the shards of broken glass.

"Damnit! Wake up!" Robin hisses at the unconscious Bat, starting to search him for injuries. His heart leaps into his throat when he sees the amount of blood that was starting to pool on the ground beneath the Bat's head. He shakily makes sure that his comrade was breathing before ripping off his para-cape and uses it to apply pressure to the gaping wound on the back of the Bat's head. Robin reaches to his ear with his free hand and taps his comm link. "Batman. We have to get him back to the cave."

"I'm in pursuit of Joker. One of the Birds of Prey is on her way to your location." The other Bat grumbles.

"The bullet wound from Pyg reopened. He can't wait that long." Robin growls, trying not to panic as his cape starts to soak through with blood.

"Joker-"

"FUCK Joker! Grayson's dying!" There was a short pause before the original Bat finally responded.

"I'm on the way. I just called the Batwing to your location." Robin lets out a shaky breath as he indeed hears the jet starting to descend right outside the window. Batman drops down into the window shortly after. He visibly stiffens at the amount of blood both of his sons were covered with before quickly striding over to them. Bruce bends down and effortlessly scoops Dick up and takes him over to the Batwing as Damian follows after them wordlessly. Once all three heroes were in the jet, Bruce sets the coordinates for the Batcave and calls Alfred.

"You two are coming back rather early." The elderly butler states. His eyes quickly widen when he the condition Dick was in. "I'll call Dr. Leslie."

"Tell her to bring extra units of his blood type as well. I have a feeling that we're going to need it." Bruce orders solemnly.

"Right away, Sir." Alfred ends the transmission to get a hold of the doctor.

Leslie and Alfred met Bruce and Damian at the jet's door with a gurney waiting for the injured Bat. Bruce gently lays Dick down on bed and the doctor quickly carts him away to the infirmary with Alfred's help. Damian makes a move to follow them but Bruce stops him by placing a hand on his shoulder.

"Go get cleaned up while they take care of him."

"Don't tell me what to do!" Damian seethes, storming off to the locker room. He stares down at his blood soaked gloves, trembling slightly before ripping them off and flings them against the wall angrily. The ex-assassin takes a deep breath, running a hand through his short, spiky ebony locks and heading for the showers.

Damian makes his way into the infirmary and snatches the chart on the foot of Dick's bed, starting to read through it.

"He's going to be just fine, Master Damian." Damian jumps from the unexpected voice, and glances up at the butler.

"He needed three blood transfusions."

"Yes, but his vitals are stable. The wound he received from Pyg reopened, but Dr. Leslie stitched it back up. There appears to be no complications." Damian looks away, putting the chart back.

"He shouldn't have even been out on patrol yet...he was shot just over two weeks ago."

"Telling Master Dick that he cannot go out is impossible. We all know this, Master Damian."

"The idiot should start caring about himself more." Damian hisses before walking out. His eyes narrow when he sees Bruce sitting at the Batcomputer, searching the surveillance feeds for any signs of Joker. He walks over to the billionaire, who was clearly brooding, and crosses his arms. "Father. We need to talk."

"Now's not a good time, Damian." Bruce grumbles, continuing to type on the console. Damian's eyes narrow further as he steps in front of the console, blocking Bruce from his work.

"The topic isn't up for discussion."

"Move." Bruce growls, eager to find Joker.

"No. I kept my mouth shut on the issue, and now Grayson is hurt because of it. I will not hold my tongue any longer."

"Oh?"

"How dare you come back from the 'grave' and act as if nothing happened. Grayson held everything together while you were missing. You never acknowledged the work that he has done. Not only did he hold this family together, but he united the League and made it stronger than it has ever been. Gotham was in chaos after you disappeared. He got the city back under control and earned the cowl. Yet, you just come back and strip it from him? You have no idea what he has been through in your absence."

"He never wanted the cowl. He wanted it this way."

"Have you ever really asked him what he wanted? Now that he has been in the cowl for a year now, his feelings could have changed." Bruce frowns, folding his hands under his chin.

"You've only known him for a year. I raised him."

"But you care about the mission. You proved that tonight. Grayson was bleeding out yet you still wanted to chase the Joker. Is catching him really more important to you than your own family?" Bruce pauses, his mouth agape. "He almost died because of you." Damian hisses venomously. "After he awakens, I am moving into his penthouse at Wayne Tower. He is my partner, not you." Before Bruce could retort, they both freeze when they hear someone approaching.

"Ugh. Did I get hit by a truck or something?" Dick mumbles, scratching at the bandages on his head as he pushes his IV towards the pair.

"What are you doing out of bed, idiot? You're still getting your last blood transfusion!" Damian rages, glaring up at his older brother.

"I'm hungry. And I could hear you guys arguing about something." Dick frowns, waving Damian off as the younger bird tries to usher him back to the infirmary. On cue, Alfred arrives with a tray full of hot chocolate and freshly baked chocolate chip cookies. Dick beams, taking a mug and a cookie. "Thanks Alfie!"

"Of course, Master Dick. It is good to see you awake and feeling better." Dick shrugs nonchalantly as he munches on a cookie.

"You know Bruce's cocktails of drugs."

"Even so, make sure you get some rest, Master Dick." Alfred scolds, offering the treats to Bruce and Damian. The bird takes a cookie, as Bruce takes a mug. Dick looks between the two, sensing the tension in the air.

"Alright. What's going on?"

"Nothing." The two state in unison. Bruce turns back to his computer and Damian stalks off. Dick looks to Alfred for answers, but the butler shrugs, setting the tray down before heading back upstairs. The acrobat sighs heavily, starting to head for the stairs, dragging the IV pole along with him.

"Where do you think you're going?" Bruce asks, still not turning around in the chair.

"My room."

"Get back to the infirmary. You're under observation until at least tomorrow." Dick pouts, trudging back towards the infirmary. "...Dick." The acrobat pauses, glancing back at his father. "You did a great job while I was gone. You've earned every right to wear the cowl." Dick smiles softly, slowly turning back to the infirmary.

"Thanks. And, I love you too, Bruce. Dami's just upset because I got hurt. He's so much like you." He smiles to himself, relishing in the probable look of shock on Bruce's face as he walks back to the infirmary.

The next morning, Damian sits at the kitchen table, eating in silence aside from the sounds of Alfred cooking in the kitchen. Dick makes his way in slowly, wincing slightly every once and a while when he thought no one was looking. Damian frowns, as Dick sits next to him, smiling over at him weakly.

"Morning, Little D."

"Why do you insist on calling me that degrading name?" Dick rolls his eyes as Alfred walks in, setting a plate of pancakes in front of the newest Bat.

"Thanks, Alf." Dick smiles gratefully, not missing the pain medication on the side of his plate. He takes the medicine with the fresh mug of coffee that was waiting for him, before turning to answer Damian's question. "It's not degrading. It's a nickname I created out of affection. I have nicknames for every member of my family." He ruffles Damian's hair before starting to eat his breakfast. Damian grumbles something under his breath, before starting to eat again as well. "And stop picking on Bruce. He's trying his best." At this, Damian glares over at him.

"I was justified in my words! He cared more about getting the Joker than your well-being! And he has the nerve to take the cowl from you? He has no idea what you accomplished while he was away! And how dare he leave us to deal with his mes!" Dick sighs, setting his fork down.

"He didn't take the cowl from me, Dami...am I not still running around Gotham dressed as a Bat?" Damian's eyebrows knit. "Bruce doesn't show emotion very well...him letting me go on patrol with him in my Batsuit is his way of showing me how proud he is." Damian looks away. "And we should just be happy that he's back and not dwell on the fact that he disappeared. He couldn't help what Dark Side did to him."

"He still left us..." Damian stares down at his stack of pancakes, stabbing it idly with his fork. "I'm his son, yet he hardly acknowledges my existence...that's why I'll never be his partner...I'm you're partner." Dick's face lights up as he pulls Damian into a side hug.

"Aw! Dami! Bruce loves you! He just has a strange way of showing it! And you're the best partner! He's missing out!" The ex-assassian squirms in the acrobat's hold trying to escape. "You know...the penthouse is far too lonely for me...I was thinking about moving back home...if you and Bruce have room for me, of course." Damian shoves Dick off, and looks away, trying to hide his blush.

"Don't be an idiot. There are plenty of rooms here." With that, Damian storms out of the room as Dick beams. Bruce flashes one of his rare smiles from his position in the shadowy kitchen entryway. Alfred hands him a cup of coffee, smiling knowingly.

"They have become quite close." He muses as the billionaire sips his coffee.

"I still can't thank you enough for taking care of all of us, Alfred."

"No thanks are needed, Sir. Just be sure to capture Joker tonight." Bruce nods, his eyes narrowing.

"He's going to come to fear baseball bats." He growls, taking another sip of coffee. His eyes narrow further as he sees Dick wince, holding his head in pain.

Dick leans back in the chair that was perched in front of the Batcomputer, and spins around to face the costumed Batman and Robin as they head towards the Batmobile.

"You found Joker's location fast." Dick muses. Bruce merely nods. "Did you get any sleep last night?"

"I'm fine. Just stay here." Dick smirks, saluting them.

"I'll be Oracle for the night. Go kick some ass!" He beams as the two Wayne's roll their eyes before slipping into the Batmobile. Dick spins back around to the computer and puts his feet up. "Now, time to kick Wally's ass at video games~!" He grins, pulling up a video chat with the speedster.

Bruce drops down into Joker's hideout as Damian tosses a birdarang at the thugs surrounding the clown prince. Damian grins darkly, walking up beside the Bat carrying a baseball bat as Joker backs away from them in horror.

"It was just a bit of a joke, you see! I wanted to see if Bats could fly!"

"Robin. Why don't you get the first blow in." Damian's dark grin grows wider as he lifts the bat.

"With pleasure." Joker cowers back as Bruce cracks his knuckles while scanning the warehouse for any other thugs. Ah, yes. Joker would deffinately come to fear baseball bats by the night's end. No one messed with one of the members of the Batfamily and got away with it.

The End

FN: Well, that's it! ^.^ Hope you guys liked it! Hehe love fluff so of course it had to have lots of fluff~!