Sorry that it's been so long since I've updated this fic, rest assured I'm still writing for it!

Janet had come to them the night before one of their longer trips oversees with Timothy, dressed in his pyjamas and bundled in blankets. Their explanation had simply been that their nanny had cancelled quite suddenly and they had nowhere else to turn. These trips were expensive of course, and Tim was not yet old enough to travel.

Which is how They ended up with a two and a half year old Timothy Drake staying with them for an as of yet, undetermined amount of time.

Now, a two and a half year old Timothy Drake was probably not the worst thing they could be given in the middle of the night. Dick was highly amused by Timothy's doe eyed sleepiness and if left unchecked they would most likely find Dick absconding with the toddler for some elaborate reason or another. Bruce was just happy they weren't yet out on patrol after their comms decided that they would give up the ghost.

He gathered the sleepy child into his arms, soothing him as Alfred made sure his room was still made up after Timothy's last visit. It was; Alfred just wanted to make sure it wasn't dusty, but, of course, for it to get dusty the room would have to be empty for a far longer amount of time.

Timothy yawned, snuggling further into Bruce's chest. "Daddy, bed."

Bruce's heart lurched. Did he really just hear that? No, he can't have been talking about him… Timmy's only just left his parents. That must be it.

"Sleep Timmy, Alfred's just getting your bed sorted out." Bruce said. He could feel his heart thumping away in his chest, it amazed him just how much that one word from the boy could mean to him. In all respect it wasn't entirely untrue, at this point in his life Timothy had probably spent just as much time at Wayne Manor that he had his own home.

"Okay daddy."

As the boy fell asleep Bruce didn't have the heart to correct him.

(He wanted it to be true after all.)

By the end of the first week Wayne Manor had fallen into a routine.

Bruce would wake up by a lump of hyperactive joy jumping on him, said hyperactive joy would then run into the boys' rooms squealing about playing with him. Bruce's two, less hyperactive lumps of joy, would then groan at the boy and try to explain, yet again, that it was a school day and they could play with him.

Then they'd have the almost daily Tim Tears. A title designated to the three minutes where Tim would run back into Bruce's bedroom and cry over the fact that Dick and Jason wouldn't be able to play with him. Once those three minutes were up however, Tim would be back to a bundle of joy and run off to see if he could wrangle anything from Alfred.

Bruce didn't know where the boy got the energy, and he's just glad that he didn't have Dick and Jason at that time in their lives. Dick especially; he must have been a nightmare.

By the time Bruce finally made it down to breakfast, Tim would be happily munching on some toast and the boys would more than likely have pancakes. Alfred after all was quite defenceless to the seven and twelve year old's puppy-dog eyes.

Bruce can attest, they beg really well.

That morning Tim had what looked like Nutella on toast… well, there was probably more Nutella on him than on his toast, but the toddler was enjoying it anyway.

There was an unwritten rule in the house that you always say goodbye with an I love you, after all they are the experts in the inopportune moments when tragedy decides to rear its ugly head.

"Bye dad, love you." Dick said, picking up his school satchel and going in to hug Bruce. Bruce hugged him back, planting a short kiss on his forehead.

"Goodbye Dick have a good time at school. Try not to upset your gym teacher again by swinging off the guy equipment."

Dick laughed, "I'll try B."

Jason was always one to tackle hug first and speak later. Not a moment after Dick had moved away was Bruce barrelled into by the seven year old, winding him slightly.

"Oomph, I love you too Jason." He said, picking the boy up, also kissing his forehead.

"Love you daddy." Jason said when he was set back on the floor.

"I love you both so much, look after each other and have a good day at-"

"DADDY!" The squeal came from Tim's highchair, followed by a bout of giggles.

They all turned back to the boy,

"Yes Timmy." His heart still swelled whenever Tim called him daddy.

"Daddy, here." The boy demanded, so he went.

"Love you daddy." Tim said; face scrunched in his most concentrating expression.

"I love you too Timmy."

Tim reached up with his hands, grabbing onto Bruce's nose and pulling him down just to plant a sloppy kiss on his cheek.

Bruce could hear Dick and Jason's laughter from the doorway. He returned Tim's kiss then turned to he sons.

"Don't you have a school bus to catch?" He said sternly.

The boys looked at him and burst into a new set of giggles, but made their way out of the house anyway.

Boys.

He sat down at the table, his own breakfast in front of him.

"Timmy, are you going to be good for Alfred?" The boy nodded almost as seriously as he had declared his love. "Good, I'll be back later okay."

"Okay daddy."

Bruce liked to think that he had built a friendly company, where employees weren't afraid to smile and joke with their superiors, and where the company's higher upps were down to earth people that wouldn't mind socialising with the teens that worked the mailroom.

Today though Bruce wasn't really feeling the love.

Well, he was feeling too much of the love.

From when he got in that morning to lunchtime whenever he had approached someone they had taken one look at him and burst out laughing.

He'd had enough and finally asked his secretary, Jane, for the reason.

She snorted, it was rather ugly and unladylike, but she just couldn't help it. Fighting a smile she looked back to her boss and replied,

"Sorry Mister Wayne, but you have a… smear? On your cheek."

Mr Wayne's brow furrowed. "What do you mean."

Jane reached into her handbag for her compact and handed it to her boss who took it, looking at her with nervous eyes.

She started giggling. For some reason however, Mr Wayne smiled down at his reflection, a hand coming up to touch the chocolate kiss.

"Thank you for telling me what people have been laughing at Jane, one of my children got a bit over excited this morning. Excuse me." He walked back towards his office, presumably to get the smudge off.

She couldn't help but coo. The thought of the children kissing their dad goodbye, was just so sweet. So was Mr Wayne's face at what must have been the memory. She couldn't help but wonder which of the boys it was though, Jason just didn't seem like the type, and Dick was surely too old to be leaving chocolate kisses on his father before work.

It'll probably fuel water fountain gossip for months.

Thank you for not giving up on this fic!

Nova