Chapter Text
“You can take a billionaire out of the city…” Dick quipped humorously.
Jason got out of the car, eyes wide. The mansion was out in the edges of the town; a country manor, really, surrounded by far more land than the old Wayne estate had occupied. It was fringed by tall trees, and a small creek wound through what they could see of the grounds behind the house. It was… friendlier. The architecture mimicked farmhouse, brick and huge beams of wood and warm tones of brown instead of black or gray. There was even a real wreath on the door, and it swung open as they approached, revealing none other than a smiling Alfred. “Welcome to Wayne Manor, young sirs.”
“Wow,” Dick approved happily, bouncing Damian on his hip as he walked. “Look, Dami; see the pretty lights?”
“Guh!!!” Damian exclaimed urgently, pointing one stubby finger up at the chandelier in the front hallway.
“How’d you keep the nosy neighbors away from THIS place?” Jason marveled in amazement, squeezing Timmy’s hand. (How did he feel about this? Was he shy? Excited? Did he remember too much of the cold mausoleum he’d grown up in for this warmer, cozier, happier manor to make a good impression?)
“You’re the talk of the town,” Dick agreed as he set Damian down on the polished wood floor. The toddler bumbled towards the kitchen as fast as his little legs could carry him, which was probably where the laughter and talking and good smells were coming from. Dick had to haul him back by his shirt. “Wait a minute, Dami; gimme your coat--- This place has been abandoned for over a decade, Alfie; the renovations are the headline of this week’s papers.”
“I assure you, it was no easy task to keep private property… private.” Alfred’s eyes sparkled as he took their bags, hanging them in the entryway. “The official open house will take place later this week. This party is for family.”
“And friends,” someone piped up. None other than Roy Harper walked through from the kitchen, Bart Allen hot on his heels. “Hey!!! Long time no---”
Jason released Tim’s hand to grab his friend in a rib-creaking hug. Idiot, he wanted to say, but his throat was too thick for words.
Roy hugged him just as hard, ruffling Jason’s hair. “I’m okay, Jaybird.”
“I know,” Jason finally managed to sniffle, stepping back. “Shuddup.”
“Oh my gosh,” Bart whispered shrilly, crouching down with sparkling eyes. “He’s so tiny.”
Timmy peeked out from behind Jason’s leg, huffing irritably despite his obvious shyness. “I’m not tiny, I’m seven.”
“Oh,” someone else muttered, gleeful, and suddenly the Kents were spilling through the doorway, Conner first. “Oh, that’s adorable.”
“Hi,” Clark greeted sheepishly, holding his excited youngest by the ankle to keep him from flying into the chandelier. He straightened his glasses, handing off an armful of tinfoil-wrapped food to Alfred’s waiting arms. “Sorry, we got a little hung up with a fire in LA.”
“Those arsonists have been pretty trigger happy lately,” Lois complained cheerfully. “Oh, honey, is that Tim?”
“It’s Tim,” Bart confirmed gleefully. “Look, he’s short.”
Tim stomped his foot, planting his hands on his hips. He’d forgotten to be shy at this point, and Jason had to hold his breath against the laughter. “I am not!!!”
“You’re not short,” Conner agreed soothingly, crouching down to Tim’s level. He lowered his sunglasses, quirking one eyebrow. “Do you remember being bigger, though?”
Tim’s frown eased. “Kinda.”
“Then you’ll remember you get taller than this guy, so ignore him.” Conner shot an exaggerated glare at Bart, who was practically rolling on the ground with laughter at this point, then gave Tim the softest smile Jason had ever seen on a Super’s face. “I’m Kon.”
Tim’s frown disappeared completely, giving way to a shy head-tilt. “I know, I think.”
“Yeah?” Kon stood up, offering a hand. “Then you’ll remember that I love hot chocolate. Let’s go get some before the speedsters drink it all.”
Tim giggled quietly, taking the offered hand with no hesitation. Jason watched him leave with bittersweet pride. An alien war, several years younger, and months in a new home had ruined nothing but memory. Some bonding experiences survived even erasure of time.
“Oh my gosh,” Jon squealed happily, jolting Jason from his thoughts. “Dad. DAD.”
“Yes, Jon,” Clark said patiently, hugging Bruce as the billionaire joined them. “Be gentle with him.”
Jon leaned into Dick’s personal space to ruffle Damian’s hair. His feet barely touched the ground in his excitement. “He’s so cute!!!”
Damian squeaked in protest, reaching out with chubby hands to slap at Jon’s face. This did nothing to deter the older boy; if anything, Jon got even happier.
Dick finally wrestled Damian free of his coat, offering him up. “Please, by all means.”
Jon held his arms out in the manner of a child receiving a puppy. His eyes were huge. “Really?!”
“Yup.” Dick plopped Damian into Jon’s arms, grinning. Damian was decidedly NOT happy about this arrangement. “He scratches. Best of luck.”
“Thank you so much!!!” Jon exclaimed joyfully, enthusiasm unhindered by the grumpy slapping of baby hands against his face. “Hi Dami. Gosh, you’re so squishy. Do you remember me? I’m Jon. You liked slapping me when you were big, too, so I don’t mind. Do you like chocolate? I’ll bet you like chocolate.”
“Wow,” Jason said breathlessly, rubbing the back of his neck. “It’s…”
Roy grinned over his eggnog. “Loud?”
Jason gave his friend another once-over. Roy hadn’t been based in Gotham, of course, but part of Jason had never expected to see him again. The only differences were slightly longer hair, a new scar over his eyebrow, and the butt-ugly Christmas sweater. “It’s a lot.”
“Surprise!!!” Steph’s voice shouted cheerfully.
Jason barely had time to brace himself before the attack hug. “What the hell, Steph?”
“Sorry.” Steph grinned up at him, bright-eyed as ever. She was taller now, but she still barely reached his chin. A vicious scar, now healed, stretched jaggedly from her nose to her jaw, and Jason’s hug tightened protectively. She’d never looked happier.
“I thought you wouldn’t be able to make it,” Bruce said happily, helping Barbara’s wheelchair through the door.
“Oh, c’mon, B; there’s free food.” Barbara pulled her scarf off, laughing. “Cass made sure we were done early. C’mon, Dick; get down here.”
Dick, who had been valiantly holding himself back, skidded to his knees for his long-awaited hug. (Or maybe a kiss; Jason wasn’t paying very close attention.) Cass slipped in next, arms piled high with store-bought goodies. She smiled gently at Jason. One of those arms was robotic.
Jason swallowed thickly, turning to Roy. “Did you bring Lian?”
“Sure freakin’ did.” Roy slung an arm around his shoulders, leading them into the bustling kitchen. “Hey, Li-Li, guess who’s here?”
The squeal could be heard long before the bundle of girl barreled into Jason’s legs, squeezing him like a clingy octopus. “Uncle Jay!!!”
Jason bent at the waist, lifting Lian with a relieved sigh. The perfect distraction. “You got BIG, kiddo.”
“Dad says I’ll be taller than Auntie Steph sometime,” Lian bragged happily, throwing her arms around Jason’s neck.
“Brat,” Steph called out from the sink, where she’d already started helping organize the buffet.
Roy shrugged under Jason’s raised eyebrow. “We went to visit the girls for a while; Lian needed a female presence. Her burps were getting very… articulated.”
Jason sank down into a plush armchair, snorting. The living room was less crowded. Cass was gently helping Barbara from her wheelchair to the couch, and Dick was already talking their ears off while Jon pulled Damian’s grabby hands from ornaments on the huge Christmas tree. “I’m surprised you thought Steph would be any better at teaching polite behavior than you are.”
Roy flopped down next to him, watching contentedly as Lian struggled down from Jason’s lap. (“Dad helped me make my first ‘vention; lemme get it.”) “Yeah, well, I got some much needed sleep when there was more than one adult around.”
Jason felt familiar guilt crawl up his spine. “I should have---”
“Don’t even go there.” Roy smacked the back of his head. “You had priorities.”
Jason offered a weak scowl. “So did you.”
“I played it safe.” Roy knocked back the last of his eggnog. “I also didn’t have an injured brother, a little brother, and a literal baby brother to take care of. You had an important role, Jay; protecting an’ providing isn’t exactly a walk in the park.”
Jason watched Damian for a minute, trying to think of a good rebuttal. Jon was flying around the top of the tree to show off the huge star with the kiddo in his arms. Jason was strangely okay with that. “I guess.”
“Don’t just guess. This was more important than helping Gotham.” Roy’s tone softened. “I kinda wish I’d joined you. Lian didn’t need to see everything she did.”
A gentle tugging on Jason’s pant leg interrupted his thoughts. “Jay?”
Jason smiled immediately, reaching out to push Tim’s hair from his face. The baby bird had insisted on wearing a tie for this event, and it was adorable. “What’s up Timmy?”
Tim rocked on his feet, hiding his hands behind his back with an excited flush to his face. “I made you something.”
Jason glanced at the cookie decorating table set up for the kids where Kon was currently arguing with Bart over icing colors. He had a guess about what was coming. “Oh?”
“Close your eyes.”
Jason held his hands out, obediently squeezing his eyes shut. “Okay, I’m ready.”
Tim placed a cookie-shaped object in Jason’s palms. “Open.”
Jason caught his breath when he saw it. The almost perfect golden R was unmistakable. “You made this?”
“Yeah. It felt kind of important, maybe, so I thought…” Tim squirmed a little, suddenly unsure. “Is… Is it alright?”
Jason pulled Tim into a tight hug, clearing his throat. His eyes burned. (He ignored this.) “It’s perfect, baby bird. Do you wanna eat it?”
“No, it’s for you.” Tim snuggled happily into Jason’s hold. “Kon’s gonna help me make more. He says I need the calories, but I think he likes the sugar.”
“Alright, have fun.” Jason nudged him back towards his friends before biting into the cookie. No he was not teary-eyed, thank you very much.
“Oh my GOSH,” a new voice squealed, and a head of short blonde hair flew over the heads of the other guests, scooping Tim off his feat. “You are so stinkin’ cute!!!”
“I know you, don’t I?” Tim’s muffled voice complained. He didn’t sound shy. He sounded annoyed.
“Cassie missed him,” Roy said unnecessarily.
Jason couldn’t help a snort. “Wow, I couldn’t tell.”
Lian ran back over with what looked like a cartoon laser gun in her hand, glancing suspiciously after Tim’s retreat. “Who’s that kid?”
“My little brother Tim, so be nice.” Jason poked at the gun, wary. “Is this your invention?”
“Yeah.” Lian aimed it at Dick, grinning wickedly. “Watch.”
Jason shot his hand out, but too late--- Lian had pulled the trigger. An explosion of gold glitter shot forth, hitting Dick smack in the chest. Everyone around them burst into laughter.
“Isn’t it neat?” Lian squealed delightedly.
Jason gathered her into a hug, shooting her dad a brief glare. Roy shrugged unrepentantly. “She was starting in with rubber band guns; I figured this would be better for my sanity. I was wrong.”
“It’s amazing,” Lian gushed again, but she put the invention aside to hug Jason. “Isn’t it amazing, Uncle Jay? I missed you.”
“We all did,” Babs said softly.
Jason glanced away from all of the suddenly kind eyes, clearing his throat. “How about that hot chocolate?”
It was hours later, when everyone was tucked around the living room among piles of crinkled wrapping paper, that Jason realized his face hurt from smiling. He leaned back into the poofy depths of the big beanbag, eyes lidded, as everyone else blinked sleepily at the Christmas movie playing on the huge TV. Elf, he thought it was. Clark talked quietly in the kitchen with Alfred over glasses of sherry, and Bart nodded off against Cassie’s shoulder with his feet in Conner’s lap, finally taken out by the sugar crash. Bits of confetti still scattered the counters, dishes piled high in the sink, and cookie crumbs dusted the floor between rooms. Presents upon presents decorated the space around the warmly lighted tree--- Bruce Wayne, like a chump, had gotten gifts for every single one of them. Alfred had probably helped.
The only presents still getting attention were the many soft superhero blankets, knitted sweaters, and squishy stuffed animals of all shapes and colors and sizes; warm comfort items that everyone snuggled up with as they nodded off one by one over last mugs of hot chocolate. Jon was already curled up against Dick’s side, yawning into Damian’s curls. Dami had succumbed to sleep a long time ago, a red wrapping bow still stuck to his hair. Jason didn’t know how it had gotten there. Dick had one that matched. Cass rested in Barbara’s lap, eyes lidded as she received hair-pets, and Steph snored loudly with an annoyed Lian trapped in her arms. Duke, a late comer, hogged a stretch of floor with two robotic limbs instead of Cass’s one, and Roy leaned against the beanbag, watching the movie with unusual intensity. Everyone was here. Everything was quiet.
Cleanup could wait until tomorrow, when everyone had slept off the sleepy contentedness of Christmas evening. For the moment, though, Jason felt… peaceful.
Bruce approached with soft footsteps, barely visible in the light from the kitchen, and spoke so quietly that Jason barely heard him. “How is he?”
Jason peered down at the warm bundle of brother in his arms, smiling. Tim had a mustache of hot chocolate, glitter in his hair from Lian’s glitter gun, and a few sprinkles on his clothes from filling his stomach with baked goods. His face was so calm. An express train wouldn’t wake him up now. “He’s good. He needed to see for himself what he was only half remembering.”
Bruce crouched just close enough to touch Tim’s face. He didn’t. “Do you think that’s a good thing?”
“Yeah.” Jason’s hug tightened. Tim sighed in his sleep. “I don’t wanna keep his friends away. There were parts of his past that really… made him who he is. A second chance, though? A do-over? He… He needs that. It’s important.”
“I know.” Bruce finally reached out, gently brushing Jason’s bangs from his face. “Constantine found a way to set back the time. I declined.”
Jason swallowed thickly. “Yeah?”
“I think you’re right.” Bruce smiled gently. It was a real one that crinkled the skin around his eyes. He didn’t look like Batman. He looked like a tired dad. “Tim needs this. Damian needs it. I think you need it, too.”
Jason hid his face in Tim’s hair. Dammit. “I’m not crying. It’s… It’s the eggnog.”
“Of course.” Bruce stood with creaking knees, huffing contentedly. “I’m… glad… that you let me move. Here, I mean. It’s the right place to be.”
Jason cleared his throat, responding gruffly. “Yeah… well… we need you, too.”
“Tomorrow… I was thinking… we might sled. The grounds include an excellent hill out back.”
“One huge party of superhero kids rolling around in the snow? They’d like that.”
“Maybe their friends from town could join us.”
“Maybe you could join us, too.”
“… I’d like that. Merry Christmas, Jaylad.”
“Thanks Dad. Merry Christmas.”