"How are you feeling, Bruce?" asked Dick Grayson, knocking on the door to Batman's bedroom the next morning.

"I don't know what drug Harley shot me with, but it gives you quite a hangover," muttered Batman, who was glaring at his reflection in the mirror.

"Are you feeling up to talking to Superman and Wonder Woman?" asked Dick. "They're waiting online in the Batcave."

"Am I feeling up to getting chewed out for abandoning them and disobeying their orders?" asked Batman, turning to him. He sighed, and then shrugged. "Sure, why not?"

"Bruce, you look terrible," commented Wonder Woman, as he appeared on the screen.

"Thanks – I've had a rough night crime-fighting," retorted Batman. "You know, doing what I do."

"The Kryptics were very insulted that you left suddenly," said Superman. "Fortunately we managed to talk them down before they began threatening to attack the earth."

"I knew you could do it – I have absolute faith in you, Clark," said Batman, in what he hoped wasn't too sarcastic a tone.

"I just think this is probably a good time to remind you that we're in a Justice League, Bruce," continued Superman. "Which means we work together, and communicate. I know those aren't words you like to hear, but if you wish to remain a part of this league, they're things you have to do."

"And what if I don't wish to?" asked Batman. "Gotham City is my responsibility. I never signed up to take on interstellar missions to far away planets. I'm not a superhero or a god – I'm a man, a detective, whose skills are only valuable here on earth. I appreciate all you do to protect us from aliens who would harm us, but my concern is the earth and its inhabitants. Maybe that makes me selfish, in that I only care about humanity and not the rest of the universe, but it's true. If you don't think I should be a member of your Justice League because of that, I'll happily resign my membership. I have to do what I think is right, and that's take care of the people who matter to me. And maybe you don't think that's particularly heroic, but to me, that's what makes a hero."

"We don't want you to resign," said Superman.

"And look, you've just communicated," said Wonder Woman, smiling. "If you had done that before we went into space, we never would have taken you with us. But you have to speak up, Bruce, not just glare moodily from the background. Do you think you can do that in future?"

"If it gets me out of weeks quarantined with the rest of the Justice League in space, then yes," said Batman, nodding.

"All right. I guess that's settled then," said Superman. "We'll see you when we get back to earth, Bruce. Take care of it until then."

"I always do," retorted Batman, turning off the screen.

"How did it go?" asked Barbara, as Batman entered the dining room where his extended family was gathered.

"Fine," retorted Batman.

"They weren't mad at you?" asked Tim, as Alfred poured him a glass of orange juice.

"They wanted to reassert their power, but I told them I was the only one in charge of me," retorted Batman.

"Well, you and Joker," said Dick. "If not for him, you wouldn't be back here now. You should thank him when you next see him."

"You're not funny, Dick," growled Batman. "And shouldn't you be back in Blüdhaven?"

"Yeah, I'm going," sighed Dick, standing up. "Always good to see you, Bruce."

"It's so nice to have the whole family together for breakfast," commented Alfred. "Or at least, it was."

"Dick, wait," sighed Batman. "Come back – I'm sorry. Finish your breakfast and…we'll talk, and then you can go."

"Talk?" repeated Dick, raising an eyebrow. "You never talk. You're Batman."

"I know," agreed Batman. "But being isolated in the satellite with the rest of the Justice League has made me appreciate being around my chosen family a lot more. I should demonstrate that when I can. Maybe it'll get easier the more I do it."

Dick shrugged. "Anything's possible, I guess," he said, heading back to the table. He raised his glass of orange juice. "To communication."

"To reunions," said Barbara, raising hers.

"To Batman," said Tim. "Good to have you back, Bruce."

"And to Alfred," said Batman, raising his glass to his butler. "And his amazing french toast. That's what I missed most being in space – Alfred's cooking. Nobody in the Justice League is a chef, and alien food is the worst."

"Thank you, sir," said Alfred, smiling at him as he poured a glass for himself and raised it. "To family," he said. "In whatever form it finds itself."

They all drank to that.

…

"Hey, Craney, good news!" exclaimed Joker, as he opened the front door to Crane and Emilia. "I talked to my guy who was able to get hold of some marijuana for real! Here you go!" he said, shoving a packet into their hands.

Crane looked from it to Joker's grinning face. "This isn't marijuana, is it?" he asked.

"That would be telling!" chuckled Joker. "Go on, smoke it – don't you trust me?"

"Not as far as I can throw you," retorted Crane. "Anyway, we've given up on that idea. We're just here to pick up the children and resume our normal parenting role free of any rebellious tendencies whatsoever."

"Here's some people who are happy to see you!" exclaimed Harley, as she handed the children back to them. Crane picked up Katrina in his arms and kissed her.

"Oh, I've missed you, my angel!" he said. "And you, my beauty," he said, as Lenore resumed her perch on his shoulder. "And you, and you," he added, kissing Annabel and Irving, who gurgled happily in their mother's arms.

"Puddin', have you seen that plant Red asked me to guard while she was in Arkham?" asked Harley. "It's missing from the kitchen counter."

"Nope, ain't seen it," said Joker. "Weird that you lost it, though. I guess you ain't responsible either."

"I'm very responsible," retorted Harley. "Which is why I suspect you've done something with it."

"Is this it?" asked Crane, holding up the packet Joker had handed him.

"Oh my God, you crushed it up!" exclaimed Harley, seizing it. "Red's gonna be furious, not that she ain't already furious with you after you tried to kill her with the Batmobile! I really wish you'd stop trying to murder our friends, Mr. J – it makes 'em unsociable for weeks afterward," she sighed.

"But it's so fun, pooh!" exclaimed Joker. "You wouldn't want to spoil my fun, would you?"

"I wouldn't, but at this rate nobody is ever gonna speak to us again," retorted Harley.

"There's always Bats," said Joker, shrugging.

"He don't speak," retorted Harley. "And he don't say anything of value when he does. And I don't want him influencing my family anymore than he already has – nobody needs that kinda crazy in their life."

"Harley, we can't thank you enough for watching the children this weekend," said Emilia. "Do let us know if we can make it up to you at all, if you and the Joker ever want a weekend alone, for instance."

"Well, every weekend is a rebellion weekend for us," said Harley, shrugging. "But thanks – we might take you up on that one day. Might be nice to have a date weekend, huh, puddin'?"

Joker shrugged again. "I dunno – I kinda prefer hanging out with the kiddies over you. They're an appreciative audience who demand nothing but affection from me, unlike some people."

"That's the only thing I demand from you!" snapped Harley. "And I think I deserve it after saving your ass last night!"

"There you go – thinking you deserve stuff," sniffed Joker. "The kiddies don't do that. They love me unconditionally, not in some weird quid pro quo way where you save me from Bats, so now I have to be grateful to you and do everything for you. I don't know what sort of relationship you think we have, but it doesn't sound healthy to me."

"No, it ain't, and don't you forget it, you dumb clown," retorted Harley, kissing him. "We'll see you guys later – have a happy!" she said, waving at the Crane family as they left.

"Did you have a good weekend, Mommy and Daddy?" asked Katrina, as they walked back to the car.

"Well, it was very educational, but we decided our weekends are better with our children," said Emilia. "We love you so much, and we missed having you around. Some people crave irresponsibility, like Joker, and some people crave responsibility. And we're the latter."

"I hope I grow up to be responsible too, Mommy," said Katrina, as Crane buckled her into her carseat.

"With your parents, I guarantee you will, my angel," he said, kissing her. "As we concluded this weekend, the alternative is simply not in your genes."

The End