Batbros Forever

It Just Happened - On the Front Steps

Bruce Wayne was not the only rich man in Gotham City. All of his 'neighbors' had mansions on such vast expanses of land that he had only properly met one of them.

Bruce Wayne and Jack Drake had grown up together. While they weren't friends by any means (Bruce had always found Jack, and his wife Janet, for that matter, overly aggressive and showy), they were cordial when they met in public.

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Bruce sighed as he stopped at the police block in front of Drake Manor. He was trying to get home to see his boys before they had to get to bed, and he had to go on patrol. What were the police even doing here? The Drakes were supposed to be out of the country on some archeological dig.

"Sorry, Mr. Wayne." The rookie cop who came by his window said. "No one's supposed to get through without clearance from the commissioner." Bruce sighed as he got out of the car and headed for the manor. He spotted Commissioner Gordon near the front steps.

"Bruce," He called when he saw him. "What are you doing here?"

"Trying to get home. What's going on here?"

"Double homicide. The housekeeper found Jack and Janet Drake tied up and shot point-blank in the head. Looks like they've been dead for a week. We found the killer in the kitchen making a sandwich." The Commissioner shook his head and excused himself to respond to one of his officers.

Bruce was speechless. He'd always considered the Drakes massive bores, but they hardly deserved this. The sudden sound of screaming shook him from his thoughts. Commissioner Gordon was coming out of the house with a crying child in his arms.

"Bruce, you have kids. Help me out here." The agitated man pleaded. "You've been a father longer than I have Jim." Bruce countered. "Yeah well, Barbara never cried like this." The Commissioner insisted, shoving the little boy into the billionaire's arms and rushing back to his men.

Bruce looked down at the little black-haired boy. He was red in the face and shaking. "Shh. You're safe now. It's alright. You're going to be ok. Shh." He soothed. The boy's cries quieted a bit as he looked up at the man holding him.

Tears were still streaming from his light blue eyes, and every few seconds he'd let out a small hiccup, but he was starting to calm down. "There you go. That's better." Bruce whispered, rubbing circles in the boy's back. The boy let out a yawn and leaned against his shoulder. It was late, and the child had clearly tired himself out. Bruce motioned for Commissioner Gordon to speak softly as he reapproached.

"His name is Timothy Drake. Jack and Janet's son." Gordon said, holding out the boy's birth certificate. Bruce raised a brow. The Drakes bragged about everything. How had he not known they'd had a son? "According to this, he's about seven." The Commissioner continued. If Bruce opened his eyes any wider, they'd roll out of his head. He looked at the little boy asleep in his arms. He was so tiny and frail. He didn't look like he couldn't be any older than five.

"We'll see if he has any other relatives, but he'll have to go into foster care till then." Gordon finished reaching to take Timothy. "I'll take care of that." Bruce insisted holding the sleeping boy closer. "You finish up here."

Jim tried to ask if he was serious, but Bruce just nodded and headed for his car. The Commissioner waved him through, and Bruce drove home to Wayne manor.

III

"Master Bruce, I thought we discussed bringing home strays." Alfred said as his oldest charge came through the door with a sleeping child. Bruce handed him Timothy's birth certificate and explained the situation of the night.