Dick sighed as once again, Damian stormed off to his room in anger.  Dick had just told him he wouldn't be allowed to go to Colin Wilkes' and he wouldn't be allowed to visit Jon Kent over in Metropolis.   To say Damian was angry would be saying the least.  Damian was furious, and probably wouldn't even talk to Dick anymore.  If Dick were in a good mood, maybe he would sing 'We Don't Talk Anymore', but he was just to tired to.

Why was Dick Grayson tired and not in a good mood?  Well let's go back to the beginning of the day....

----

Dick yawned and took off his cowl, sticking it into the costume holder then climbing up the stairs and putting on a suit along the way.

It was about 2:00 in the morning and he had just finished patrol and now he had to get to Wayne Tower for a conference and to prepare the speech he would give to the public in a few days.  He stopped at the top of the stairs to stare at the giant picture of Bruce that hung above the fireplace, and he stifled away a few tears and he turned away, trying to bury the pain of former father's death away and he quickly ran to the kitchen.

Realizing Alfred had worked way to much for his liking lately, Dick decided upon making the kids breakfast himself and went to it.  By the finale he had made a giant stack of pancakes and sausage which he placed on the table to be warmed up by his sibling later when they woke up.  He, as an afterthought, decided to place a note for Alfred explaining he may be a little late to come home.

Then, realizing what day it was, he went to Alfred's room to place a present on Alfred's bed.  He had bought it months before and couldn't wait to give it to Alfred, but it was July 24 now, and now Dick could give it to Alfred.

Satisfied with his work Dick went to Wayne Tower, ready for a long tiring day of work.

----

"Why would Dick make us breakfast?" Jason said, "Am I supposed to take you to school Damian?"

"I don't know, ask Pennyworth!" Damian replied, "Hey Cain!  Drake!  Are you guys driving me to school?"

"Um.... I don't know, what did Dick say?" Tim asked, turning to his younger brother.

"I don't know, he already left for work!" Damian yelled, turning to Cain as he did so, "Hey, can you hand me that fork?"

"Get it yourself!" Cass responded, in an obvious bad mood.

"You're right there!" Damian yelled back, eyes burning.

"Here, just take mine you bloke!" Jason said, tossing his fork to Damian.

"It has your slob on it!" Damian protested.

"Do you want a fork or not slave?" Jason asked, glaring at his brother.

"Just take it Dami, hey Jason!  Can I use your car?  Mine broke yesterday." Tim asked, eating his pancakes with his fork.

"NO!  No using my car, it's mine and you can't touch it!" Jason said, picking up his pancake with his hands.

"Don't be disgusting Jason, eat your food with a fork!  And let Tim borrow your car!" Cass said in a demanding tone.

"Why because you don't want him to borrow your car?" Jason testily retorted, starting to eat his pancakes with a knife.

"My car is mine, and you can't have it, besides it's to amazing for you boys.  More amazing then you boys can even fathom!" Cass said, thrusting into Jason's hands a fork.

"WHO'S TAKING ME TO SCHOOL?" Damian yelled in pure frustration.

"I don't know!" Tim shouted back at him, glaring up a storm.

"Dick is such a terrible parent.  Why couldn't he just be here to talk this out and tell us who's going with who?!" Jason yelped, anger blazing through his blood.

"He needed to be at a conference.." Alfred said, seemingly appearing out of nowhere,"And I'm taking you to school Master Damian.  Master Tim, Master Richard fixed your car before he went on patrol last night."

"Oh he did?" Tim asked, scratching his head, "Why can't he just be here to talk to us about this stuff in the first place?"

"I believe it has something to do with 'making money' to keep this family going." Alfred said, picking up the dirty dishes and exiting the room.

Damian made a face, "If father was here he'd be a better parent then Grayson is being right now."

"Yeah, sometimes I wish Dick would lose guardianship over us!" Jason growled, standing up.

Alfred stood at the door, sadness apparent in his eyes as he murmured to himself, "They have no idea how close Master Richard is to losing you because of your bad behaviour towards him in public."

----

When Dick got home, the first thing Damian asked him was, "Can I go to the Kent's house?  Or maybe the orphanage with Colin?"

"Why?" Dick asked, trying to keep a smile on his face as he stumbled into the house and hung up his coat on the coat rack.

"Well, because you're a terrible parent and I'm sick of you not being here to explain everything before I get confused as to whom I go with to school, and where you put my homework and stuff. I think Kent is a better parent then you!" Damian said, shaking his head.

"I'm 18 Damian!" Dick argued, weakly trying not to cry as the words pierced into him like knives.

"So?" Damian said insolently.

"You aren't allowed to go to the Kents or the orphanage for the rest of the week!" Dick yelled, the final straw being pulled.

"Why are you yelling at him Dick?  I'm pretty sure he isn't lying!" Tim said, a math book under his arm.

"Tim, you aren't allowed to go on any more dates with Stephanie this week and no leaving the house unless it's for school!" Dick said, Tim's words hurting him.

Dick stumbled across the room and into the kitchen as he took out the ingredients to make dinner for his family, "Why the heck did you leave me to this Bruce?  I can never fill in your shoes."

Alfred appeared out of the dark to help Dick, "Master Richard, I got this.  You don't need to do this.  And thank you for the present.   It was very considerate."

"Your welcome Alf, I knew you needed some new kitchen supplies, and well, today I was gonna give something to Bruce, but he's gone, so I gave you a present as it was the next logical choice." Dick smiled then left the room to go to his bedroom.

----

Alfred gathered the four other siblings into the living room to have a severe talk with his masters.  He started off bluntly, with the question, "Why do you think Master Richard is a terrible father?"

"He's never there for us when we need him!" Cass said.

"He's never there to greet us in the mornings, and sometimes he isn't there at night."  Tim said, making a point.

"He's always restricting us from doing things!" Damian said grumpily.

"He bans us from patrol, and won't really let us out into the public!" Jason added, a cigarette close to his mouth, "And he doesn't let me smoke."

"Cigarette out Master Jason!" Alfred scolded, then turned back to his young 'grandchildren',"Do you ever stop to wonder why he does this stuff?  He's an eighteen year old child being forced into the role of a parent and into the role of a owner of an extremely worldwide known company that is expected to have no fails.  He also has to be Batman, a role he has always been trying not to be.  He's his worst fear now.  He's very busy because of these things, he isn't always going to be there for you because he must make money and he needs to make sure Master Bruce's company will still manage.  He restricts you from going places because he's afraid you'll do something that will get you in trouble and an investigation will start in the manor.  You aren't allowed on patrol because he's afraid you'll get hurt and the authorities will question!  He's a great parent, and you need to realize that!"

"And there's the speech!" Jason said jokingly, "But I guess you're right Alf, Dick really is trying his hardest and we didn't realize it."

"I feel bad!" Tim hid his face behind his math book in apparent shame.

"Maybe we should apologize to him?" Damian asked.

"It's Parents Day by the way, just thought you should know!" Alfred said leaving the room.

Cass followed him, "I'm going to make something special for him for dinner."

"And we'll apologize." Tim said, embarrassment still on his face,

------

"Come in!" Dick said in response to the knocking on his door, quickly hiding his tears.

Tim came in sheepishly followed by Jason and Damian, "We just wanted to say we're sorry."

"Yeah, Dickie, you aren't really a bad parent." Jason said, smiling at his brother.

Dick smiled at the three, "Thanks, but I know I'm a terrible parent, and I'm really sorry.  I'm trying right now to get you a more suitable parent that will take care of you guys better.  I'm trying Barry maybe.  Wally is out of his house and he has no kids, but he's really good with them you know?"

"You're what?!" Damian said, only hearing the words 'I'm a terrible parent' 'get you a more suitable parent'.

"You heard me, aren't you happy now?" Dick asked, a genuine smile coming to his face.

"NO!!!" Tim shouted, "Dick, you're a great parent, and don't think any less.  We were just being terrible kids.  We didn't know how  much you do for us until Alfie told us."

Damian hugged Dick, "You'll always be my father.  Not my blood one of course, but you're a better father then my own was to me.  And plus, sons and fathers have arguments sometimes.  And that's what today was right?"

Dick smiled, and happy tears came to his eyes, "I love you Dami."

Jason's mouth was open, "No way am I gonna beat that speech!"

"No one can beat that speech!" Tim said, glaring at Damian, "Little suck up!"

"Well, you guys sure gave me one hell of a parents day!" Dick said, smiling through tears.

"We sure did," Jason paused to wink teasingly at his brother, "Dad :)"