Disclaimer: YJ and DC and everything else recognizable do not belong to me.

The annual Wayne Enterprises Christmas Eve family banquet was a favorite event of the staff of the conglomerate. Employees with their spouses and children were to enjoy an afternoon of entertainment followed by the catered supper and a visit for the kiddies from Santa Claus. It was an evening that always managed to bring a smile to Bruce's face; even more so in the years since he had a son of his own to share the night with.

But this...

It wasn't supposed to be like this.

There was supposed to be laughter and presents and good food with good people.

Not screams and blood and death with the Joker.

God, he hadn't even known the psychopath had escaped again! He wasn't prepared, wasn't ready for the bleached white hand that had appeared out of the crowd and latched onto Dick's dark locks. Nor for the knife that was suddenly pressing against his son's throat as he was pulled against the Joker's chest.

Chaos had descended around them as Joker's men moved about the crowd, separating parents from children and herding them into different parts of the building. All the while, the knife was kept at Dick's jugular which effectively kept Bruce helpless and only able to watch as the madman instructed his henchmen.

In minutes, the bombs were placed throughout the building. Primed and trapped, if one was tripped they would all explode. The various rooms which held the hostages were wired and guarded, the henchmen with a trigger that could activate the bombs should a certain Bat attempt to storm the building.

Bruce's fear grew when nearly a dozen henchmen returned to their position with dozens of wires trailing behind them. These wires, undoubtedly connected to the bombs, were then fed into a timer that was sewn into a vest.

Then the vest was forced onto his son's shoulders.

A bullet in the calf had kept Bruce on the ground when he started to fight the goons guarding him. As he bled he could only watch as Dick was chained to a support column where the links were secured not with a lock but welded together. He cursed the maniac when the Joker had leant in and whispered something in Dick's ear. The boy had gone even paler and stared the Joker in abject horror.

When the Joker had approached him, Bruce had thought he was a dead man. But the maniac only laughed at him, wished him a Merry Christmas, and left.

So here he was now, struggling to his feet and limping toward his son who remained stock still in his bindings. As he moved he fingered the communicator he kept in a hidden pocket. He was only a few feet away from Dick when he pressed the earwig into his lobe. He was about to activate the JLA radio when Dick finally moved.

"Don't," He said, his voice surprisingly calm as he spoke. "You can't call anyone. He's got a scanner connected to the bombs, any cell or radio frequency will detonate the bombs."

Bruce swallowed and nodded before placing the communicator back into their pocket. Without a word he quickly inspected the chains and shook his head. Several of the wires had been woven between the links, meaning that if they were loosened of removed they could potentially detonate the bombs.

There were twenty minutes left on the timer.

"He didn't want anything," Dick whispered.

"I know," Bruce responded. "He doesn't always have demands."

"I know," Dick cleared his throat. "You can get them out." He told his father. "Joker told me there would be time to get everyone out, but you would have to leave me here."

A chill like any other swept over the older man. "Dick-"

"Get them out, Bruce!" Dick hissed.

"I won't leave you here!" Bruce shouted, eyes rapidly taking in everything about the vest and timer.

"Yes you will!" Robin shouted back, blue eyes meeting blue as he stared hard at his mentor. He wasn't speaking as Dick anymore. "You have to! You can't let these people die, Bruce!"

"I can't let you die either!"

"Bruce," Robin said calmly, the resignation to his fate clear in his eyes. "There are nearly five hundred men women and children in this building. You. Cannot. Let. Them. Die. The longer you fight me on this the less chance you have of getting them all out. You're injured and won't be moving as fast as you normally would."

He growled deep in the back of his throat and knew Dick was right. Reaching forward he gripped the back of Dick's neck and pressed their foreheads together. He could feel his son trembling and could only imagine of what was going on inside the boys mind. Bruce closed his eyes and touched his lips to the top of Dick's head, desperately praying for this to be a terrible nightmare.

Except when he opened his eyes, the horrific truth of the situation was still there.

"Go," Robin whispered his voice thick. "Bruce, go."

"I won't," Bruce snarled, reluctantly stepping back. Less than sixteen minutes left. "I won't leave you here. I'll be back, I promise."

A shaky smile found its way onto Dick's lips. "I know you will."

He was almost to the door when he heard Robin call his name again. He turned, his resolve nearly crumbling of the look of complete trust and adoration showing on Dick's face.

"I love you, Bruce."

It took everything he had to leave Dick there, but he knew he had no choice. He had to save as many people as he could. He would give himself ten minutes to find the first group of hostages and tell them to get everyone else out. Then he was going back for his son.

(..)(..)(..)

(..)(..)(..)

Robin watched as Bruce made his way toward the exit, every fiber in him screaming at him to call his father back. But he knew this was the only way. Joker's last words burned through his mind.

"Time to say good-bye, littleDickie. But here's the joke: You can save everyone. There is no way to disarm the bombs before the timer detonates. That is, unless you can get Bid Daddy Wayne to leave. The moment he steps through that door, the timer on your new accessory will reset. It will send a pulse deactivating the bombs I've placed with the hostages. Thirty seconds after that, the small amount aSemtex that is lining your lovely new garment will … well, I'm sure you get the idea. Merry Christmas, Mr. Grayson."

Bruce was almost to the door when the reality of what was about to happen hit him. Surprisingly, he didn't feel scared. "Bruce," He called, watching as his father turned. He gave the man a warm smile, hoping that it conveyed everything he every felt for the man who had taken an orphaned circus brat into his family.

"I love you, Bruce."