Okay, so the snippets won't normally be this short, but this is kinda the first part of A Wizard Among Bats I wrote, and I realized I couldn't even make it fit in the fic :( So, this is pre-A Wizard Among Bats, and it is Dick figuring out he has other relatives.
The news of other relatives had been shocking for Dick. When he was nine and first shuffled from an orphanage, to a juvenile detention center, then to Bruce Wayne's house, people were of course looking into his heritage. Of course, they hadn't asked the people at the circus too thoroughly, and by the time they did think to question anyone at Haley's, Dick was already with Bruce and happy there. It seemed that upon seeing Dick's happiness, everyone at the circus had conveniently never know Mary Grayson's maiden name or where she came from.
However, Dick at nineteen was about to be adopted by the man he considered a second father, so he wanted to share the good news with the people at the circus who were the extended family who had helped raise him for the beginning of his life. They had all celebrated with him, wishing him well and throwing him a huge party that only a circus could have pulled off. Pop Haley had pulled Dick aside at one point in the night, and Dick remembered feeling vaguely annoyed at being forced to leave the celebration, but his annoyance faded at the seriousness on the ringmaster's expression.
"Did something happen?" Dick asked, a bit worried about the sudden seriousness from the normally flamboyant and superfluous man. It was a bit odd to see that kind of expression on a man wearing a bright purple suit.
"Dursley," Pop Haley said after a second of contemplation, taking in the man that the boy he had known had become.
"I don't underst-" Dick started, but was interrupted by the man.
"When we were in London, almost thirty years ago, Mary Dursley joined our crew."
Dick felt his jaw drop, and he tried to get his mind to process words enough to confirm what he thought the man was saying.
"Are you saying what I think you're saying?" Dick finally got out.
"She married our arealist," Pop Haley confirmed distantly. "And they had an amazing family together, an amazing son."
Dick was momentarily lost for words. The party seemed so far away now, distantly Dick heard the noise of animals and the sounds of Vincent, the fire eater, practicing his trade for an audience who were well-versed in his tricks already. Then he felt an anger, strong and boiling in the pit of his stomach.
"How could you not tell me?" Dick asked, his voice cold and harsh in ways it rarely ever was. This was his family. His mother's family, how could someone he trusted as much as Pop Haley have kept that from him?
"There was a reason she left them, Dickie," Pop said gently, placing his hands on Dick's shoulders and feeling the tension lessen as Dick heard that. "I won't pretend to know everything, the truth is I know very little, but your mother was a wonderful and kind woman, and she very rarely talked about her family before us. But, when she did, none of it was nice. Dick, you need to understand that your mother did not like these people. She did not like them before she came to us, and after she came here, they practically disowned her. It was not a place I wanted to send a child, especially one as special as you."
Dick looked down, blinking back tears that didn't completely fall from his lashes. The anger that had flared just a moment ago simmered into a deep sadness that his mother could not explain this all herself.
"And once you found Bruce Wayne," Pop Haley continued, giving Dick's shoulders a squeeze before letting go. "I knew I couldn't separate you. Batman needed his Robin."
Dick laughed lightly, he was glad Pop Haley knew he never gave up flying. "That's true," Dick answered with a tight smile. "But, I still want to meet them."
Pop Haley laughed, a loud and boisterous sound that actually seemed appropriate for the suit he was wearing. "Of course you would, Dickie. Why do you think I told you? I hid your mom's old things from those nosy social workers, so Mr. Wayne wouldn't have a custody battle on his hands, but I dug them out for you to see now."
"Thank you. Thank you so much."