Barbara: *on living room floor in her apartment, doing stretches* Jeez... Those vines are REALLY rough....
- Her cellphone rings*
- clears throat and answers phone* Babs speaking....
Alfred: Ah, Miss Gordon. Your presence has been requested at Wayne Manor
....Like, right now?
Immediately would be preferable. There's a matter of business that Master Bruce feels needs to be attended to
Am... Am I in trouble?
This matter relates to all of us. Not you singularly. So I would say not.
Right, ok... I'll be right there
- hangs up*
Dick Grayson: *waiting in Batcave, texting on phone*
- walks up to him from elevator* Alfred wasn't kidding when he said this concerned all of us....
- looks around* But still keeping it vague enough to keep us concerned *walks to hug her then stops* .....just to clarify, we're cool right?
- nods* Yeah... *narrows eyes* WELL...
Reasonably cool... *awkwardly pats her on the shoulder* ....got it
- rolls eyes* Bring it in, Grayson....
- hugs her* ....it's been brought in, Barb
- hugs back* If we've gotta work together... It helps to be cool
....too bad someone didn't get the memo...
Bruce: *walks up steps from deeper part of Batcave* And I'm aware of that....
- pulls away from Grayson* Bruce....
Grayson: *folds arms* So you got us here.... what's this about, Old Man?
Bruce: *steps closer, looking at them both* Because..... recently there's been a development
What kind of development? Good, bad?
....With my own problems *slowly steps to glass case with Jason Todd's Robin suit* .....I lost sight of,.... what this meant
Grayson: That's a total understatement....
....You thought about what I said, before?
Bruce: .....It wasn't you
- folds arms* U-Understood...
.....In the wake of Jason's death, I was.... consumed by the type of grief I've only felt once before.... and that cost me everything..... including my family *looks around at them*
Grayson: *rolls eyes* So you want to get the band back together? After everything that happened? the way you treated us...
Dick.... He could've tried sooner... But at least he's trying now...
What, before we die? or he...... *looks at Bruce* ...your not dying, are you?
Bruce: No. No I'm not dying..... I'm trying to do the right thing.... for us, and for Gotham...
....If we're going to do this.... You need to promise us something, Bruce...
....What is it?
- steps forward* No matter what happens... No matter what difficulties or tragedies we face from this point forward... Promise us that we'll face it together. No more of this... I think everyone's done with being broken
Grayson: *steps forward next to her* and no matter the struggle of personalities or egos or..... whatever, we stick together... *puts hand on Barb's shoulder*
Bruce: (nods) .....Gotham needs us..... and we need each other....
And, there will be arguments... *glances at Grayson with a slight smirk* ....But having disputes, and still being able to move past them, is part of what makes a family a family..... And that's what we're doing, right now.
Grayson: .....for once I'm going to swallow my pride.... Barb has a point *smirks back and looks at Bruce* So.... I'm ready to follow again...... Dad *slowly hugs him*
....uh-oh, think Grayson's gone soft.... And I wouldn't dare change it *joins and hugs them both*
Bruce: .....I'm not a hugger..... I'm making an exception....
- smirks* We know....
Tim: *steps up from behind and joins hug* .....Cuddle Puddle....
.....That's definitely not Alfred
Bruce: *clears throat* Tim is... joining us
Tim: In more than just the hugs
- pulls away and looks at Tim, grinning* ....should I even ask how you talked your way in here? I mean not that I'm complaining.... Like at all
- shrugs* sometimes it just takes some initiative..... and life saving..... and that sort of stuff.....
Grayson :*also pulls away and folds arms* So.... your the next... Robin?
Tim: *gives thumbs up* ....Batman needs a Robin...... *snorts* and you definitely wouldn't have fit in that suit, Grayson
- chuckles* Ok, you get a fist-bump for that burn, Drake *holds out fist to him*
- fistbumps her* Besides, I got a new costume....... and I've been training for.....
Bruce: Several months.... so much so he's already joined me out in the field
- raises eyebrows* ....and I didn't know this? Seriously?
.....If you had enough street resources, you could have
Tim: Uhh, what he means to say, is that he waited for today..... so, SURPRISE
- looks around at Bruce and Grayson, then at Tim* Can I.... Can I speak with you alone for a minute?
- scrunches up face* .....Me? or... either of them?
You... I wanna talk to you
Grayson: *nods and steps away* Bruce: *nods at Barb as well, smiling slightly and walks away with Grayson*
- sighs, smiling* Well, kid.... *chuckles* I really don't even know how to say this.... I think you just fixed our family, Tim Drake
Tim: *smiles back* I... took what you said to heart..... and, it just turned out for the best....
How's... How's it feel? To be the charming, younger half of the dynamic duo? *lowers tone* Bruce has literally no charm as Batman...
Welp... I'm gonna carry the charm..... and it feels unreal......
- smiles and nods* ....Batman and Robin, back on the streets.... Welcome to the family, Tim *hugs him*
- hugs back and closes eyes* It's nice to be here, Barbara....
....Also we hug a lot when terms are good.... I think you've already adjusted to that
My family are huggers.... so this feeling isn't new
- chuckles* Good... *ruffles his hair* And look at that, you even fit the "dark hair, blue eyes" role
I can promise you, I'm not a mini Grayson... I'm distinctly not a ladies man..... correction, I'm not a man who likes to think he's a ladies man, but really isn't....
Oh thank god, we don't need two Graysons around *smirks*
Iiii realize that..... *smirks back* ...so, here's to the..... Batfamily?
- nods* Mh-Hm, we basically take everything normal and add "Bat" to it... Batfamily, Batmobile, Batcopter, Batkids, Batarang, Shark-Repelling Bat Spray...
- stares at her* .....Shark Repelling Bat Spray.... seriously?
Yeaaaah.... He hasn't used it in a while
Grayson: *steps back over* Tim, caannnn I speak to the lady now?
Tim: *looks at Barb* ...suuurreeeeee *backs away*
- looks at Grayson* Hey....
Grayson: Hi..... I didn't expect this to happen today...... especially the hugging
Iiiiiii really didn't either.... What'd you think of Tim, when he first spoke to you?
.....a really pretentious teen who knew too much
- smirks* a really pretentious teen who knew too much.... And has changed everything around here
Got to give him credit.... at least I don't need to feel alienated anymore....
None of us do... *looks around Batcave* ...I think we can call this home again
- stares at her* ....Yep..... *nonchalant tone* I still love you, by the way....
....That a fact, Grayson?
- avoids her gaze* Yep..... pretty much...
- raises eyebrow* If you're really determined to do this right here, right now... Wanna look me in the eyes and tell me?
.....AHHH, BUT YOUR EYES ARE SO JUDGING.... *takes a deep breath and looks at her in the eyes* I still love you.... regardless of my douchbaggery...... and I admit it..... and that's step one of fixing things
- smirks* Now.... Was that so hard? *kisses him*
- kisses back and puts arms around her* ....remind me to not do anything stupid with our relationship again
Oh I will.... You know I will *puts arms over his shoulders*
Tim: *runs past them* SORRY, CRIME ALERT. SEE YOU!
BYE, HAVE FUN....
Bruce: *calmly walks past, looks at them* ....Until next time *keeps walking*