The ride to Wayne Manor was quiet. Damian had been happy to sit up front when neither of the teenagers wanted to. Nobody had spoken for the last twenty minutes. The only one enjoying it was Cassandra. It was very awkward for everyone else. Cass was completely oblivious to this though, basking in her preferred conversation: none.

Finally Damian spoke up. "You didn't know about me, did you?"

Bruce sighed. "No, I didn't."

"Are you mad about it?"

"I... no. But I would have preferred some time to process. I wasn't expecting to bring home three kids tonight."

"Two kids and a weapon, actually."

"Three kids. Who I have no doubt are heavily armed. But still three kids."

Damian scoffed. "Cain is not a kid."

Bruce hissed through his teeth. Cass locked eyes on him. He glanced back at her, then the road. "Are you David Cain's daughter?"

Cass knew enough words in that sentence to nod. She kept her eyes locked on him and Damian, ready to launch like a coiled spring.

"That would be my luck." He turned back to Damian. "What do you mean, she's not a kid? She's clearly a teenager."

"She's the One Who is All. She's a weapon like a K9 is a weapon. Sheathed most of the time, but can do unprecedented damage to anyone her master sets her on. Congratulations, you're her master for the summer."

"Of course I am." Bruce didn't seem pleased about his new role. Jason presumed that was a good thing. He decided he ought to fill the guy in a little more.

"And she doesn't talk. Just to be clear. No amount of torture can get shit out of her, so feel free to tell her all your secrets. She won't understand them anyway."

Bruce turned to Jason. He was so confused, and happy, and relieved to be looking at his son again, but he didn't know how much fuss he should be making about it. How should you act when your child comes back from the dead? Bruce had no idea.

"What do you mean, she wouldn't understand me anyway? "

"I meant she wouldn't understand you. She doesn't know English or any other shitty language for that matter."

Bruce had never felt so much joy at hearing his son's potty mouth. And also, he was pissed. Not at Jason though. He looked at the girl. "He's messing with me right?"

She seemed confused that he was speaking to her. She glanced to Jason, and then looked back at Bruce. She shrugged. Bruce sighed. She frowned, clearly, that had been the wrong answer. That was almost never the wrong answer.

Bruce thought for the rest of the ride. What was he supposed to do with a car full of assassin children?! One of whom was his ex-dead son, the other of whom was a son he didn't even know that he HAD! Why was this happening to him? What had he done to anger the forces that be?

He did the only thing he could do. He called Alfred. "Yes, Master Bruce?"

"We have... special guests for the summer."

"Oh, goody. Whomever might they be?"

"You'll see. Prepare three rooms, please."

"Three? I hope that is counting one who will be staying with you."

"Trust me, Alfred. None of our guests are 'staying' with me."

Jason snorted in the back.

Bruce sighed. "Mentally prepare yourself, Al. This is going to be a very difficult couple of months."

-•-

Alfred opened the door to see Masted Bruce with not one, not two, but three children. "Bruce, I thought that we agreed that you were done collecting strays?"

"I'm not a stray!" The younger boy exclaimed. "I'm his blood son!"

"Oh. Very well, Master..."

"Damian. Damian al G- Wayne. Damian Wayne. Yes, I like that." He turned to Bruce. "Does this mean I get your inheritance?"

Bruce stared at him. "That is a conversation for another day."

"Ok. So, when do you do your Batman thing?"

"You... are aware of that?"

"Of course I am. Mother filled us in."

Alfred was stuck staring at the brick wall of a boy who somehow looked so familiar. "Master Jason?"

"Hey, Alfie." It just slipped out of his mouth, on instinct.

"Oh, god. This is... this is quite the development. I am so happy to see you, young man." Alfred stepped forward, wrapping Jason in a hug. Damian looked shocked and disgusted, and Cass was ready to leap into action at any indication that this was bad.

Suddenly, charging footsteps thundered towards them. Well, not footsteps, more like... paw steps. Suddenly Jason was being leaped on by a large, very excited German Shepherd. The dog seemed absolutely overjoyed at the teen's presence. Cass relaxed, but wrapped a protective arm around Damian.

"Ace!" Jason sputtered out. "Hey, Ace! Hey, Buddy! I missed you! I missed you so much!" And he knew it was true, even if he hadn't specifically remembered the dog until now.

After a couple of minutes, during which Bruce introduced Cassandra, the dog calmed down, staying attached at Jason's hip. "I hate to say this," Alfred said. "But it's getting late. You children ought to head upstairs to bed, and we will finish this discussion in the morning. I'll take you to your rooms. Jason, do you remember where yours is?"

"Yes," Jason answered as Damian said, "no."

Damian stared at him. "Since when do you remember things, Todd?"

"Since now." Jason stomped off to prove his point, Ace at his heels. Alfred followed, leading the way for the other two. Jason did indeed find his room, but more through muscle memory than anything else. The room was neatly organized, with a few poster and a full bookshelf. The bed was neatly made. Jason felt back in his comfort zone immediately.

"I'll let you settle in. Did you already eat?"

"No." Damian piped up.

"Alright. Take a few minutes to settle in and I'll bring some dinner up to your rooms. Come along, young master and miss. Let me show you to your rooms."

Damian stared at his room. "It's plain."

"I assure you, you can have it decorated to your tastes."

Damian nodded. "That will suffice. You may be excused now."

Alfred's eye twitched. "Is that so? Let me leave you to yourself, Master Damian."

Cass looked slightly concerned when pulled away from her charge, but followed without complaint. "I hope this will do for now, Miss Cassandra. We can have it redone to your tastes as soon as you know what you would like to do with it."

She looked at him, clearly not understanding a thing that Alfred had just said.  The butler sighed. "I am much too old for children." Still, he lead her to the desk and sat her down in the chair, telling her to wait a few minutes and he'd be back with food. She at least seemed to understand the part about staying.

As Alfred made plates from the night's leftover chicken piccata, he wondered how he was going to feed all these people over the summer. Did Master Jason still like his old favorites? Were either of the new children picky eaters? What foods did they like best? Did they have a sweet tooth or did they prefer savory? He would have to ask. He hoped they liked asparagus and steamed carrots, because that's what the dinner sides were. Hopefully the boys knew what the young lady liked.

How was he to ensure that they were entertained? He had to learn what they liked to do for fun. Did he need to tell Master Bruce to purchase those Nintendo devices that Masters Dick and Tim liked for them? Did they like games? Jason used to.

And speaking of Dick and Tim, how were they going to take the news? Bruce was downstairs in the cave now, informing them of the new change. Would they all get along with each other? It was going to be difficult having four kids in the manor. Plus the dog. Master Damian hadn't seemed to like Ace, and Miss Cassandra had seemed comfortable, but skeptical. Had neither of them had a pet before?

He finished the plates, carefully balancing them as he set off to deliver them. Jason thanked him, taking his plate out of Alfred's hands before the butler was able to set it down.

Damian barely gave him acknowledgement for setting down his food at the desk. "Master Damian." He said sternly. "We do not allow sword practice in the bedrooms."

Damian stopped swinging his sword. "Why? I'm not going to hit anything I don't mean to."

"I do not care, young sir. No swords in the bedrooms." Alfred took the katana out of the  seven year old's hand. It was nice, Alfred couldn't help but notice, with a carved jade hilt.

Damian spluttered. "I'm not letting a servant tell me what to do! FATHER!"

"No need for that. He'll only tell you to listen to me." Alfred walked out of the room, shutting the door. He opened Cassandra's, and had just set her food down when Damian came stomping in. Cassandra looked towards him curiously, mouth already full of pasta.

"You cannot just take my belongings! They are mine!"

"You may have it outside or in the training room tomorrow. But not in your room, and not tonight. You need to eat, wash up, and go to bed. It is 2am."

"But I want it now!"

Bruce poked his head in, confused. "What is going on here?"

"He took my katana! And he refuses to give it back!"

"No swords past 8:00." Bruce sighed. "Listen to Alfred. You need to eat and go to bed."

"But-"

"No buts. To your room. Now."

Damian pouted and stormed off, shoving past a young man and a teenager on his way.

"Whoa." The teenager mumbled. "What a brat."

Damian whipped around. "What did you just call me, peasant?"

"Peasant?! I'm your brother, apparently, demon spawn. And I called you a brat. You're too old to be throwing a temper tantrum."

Damian nearly charged him before the man stepped between them. "Hey, hey. No need to get heated, guys. Tim, be nice, he's new. You must be Damian. We're your brothers. I'm Dick, this is Tim. I know being separated from your stuff sucks, but Alfie's really strict about his weapon rules.

"But he's right. You should eat and wash up, and worry about your sword after you wake up. I'm about to go shower myself before I head home. I think I'm going to sneak some ice cream after if you want to meet me in the kitchen after you're done eating."

Damian narrowed his eyes at Dick before relaxing. "Ok. Fine."

"Sound good, little dude. See you in a few." The man walked back down the hallway, entering another room. Tim rolled his eyes before ducking into his own.