call me arti

As he pulled in he could see that everyone was in the cave, even Babs, and was that Black Canary? Okay, so it was either a league level threat or some new strain of fear toxin that required a therapist. He was not looking forward to whatever this was.

Black Canary opened her mouth, presumably to explain her presence before being cut off by Dick, bordering on tears. “How could you have kept this all from us Tim?” and Tim felt his eyebrows raise. What is happening?

“Keep what?” Tim had several secrets that they could have found out but none that should elicit such a strong reaction.

“Your family!” and oh. That makes sense they had found out that Danny and the twins were metas, or at least what they would understand to be metas. One of the twins must have slipped up in public. That’s fine this is a conversation he was actually prepared for.

“Look, it’s nothing personal. I know you guys like to know what’s going on, but it’s not like they’re a threat or trying to be a part of all of this. Danny and I both agreed we want the twins away from all of this.” Tim gestured around the cave.

“You can’t just decide that.” Bruce was wearing his I know best and you will listen to me glare. That made Tim angry. How dare he think he gets a say in how Tim raised his kids. How dare he think that just because the twins are metas or are associated with Tim that they had to be heroes. Absolutely not.

“I’m sorry, what did you just say to me? Because I think you just said that I am not allowed final say on decisions about my children and their safety.” He glared around the room.

-

“How could you have kept all of this from us Tim?” Dick knew he was supposed to let Dinah lead the discussion but he couldn’t help himself. He needed to know. The why was all he cared about. Why had his little brother hid this?

“Keep what?” Tim reasoned looking concerned and confused.

“Your family!” Dick regretted the way he yelled it almost as soon as it left his mouth. This was escalating and it was his fault. Tim’s face seemed to drop into a sad resignation.

“Look, it’s nothing personal. I know you guys like to know what’s going on, but it’s not like they’re a threat or trying to be a part of all of this. Danny and I both agreed we want the twins away from all of this.” Tim explained as he gestured to the family. And oh. We’re they tat bad that Tim had decided they weren’t fit to be around his children.

“You can’t just decide that.” Bruce interjected with his something is wrong please talk to me glare. He was hurt. Dick agreed Tim couldn’t just decide to separate from their family without so much as a conversation or even a note.

“I’m sorry, what did you just say to me? Because I think you just said that I am not allowed final say on decisions about my children and their safety.” Tim’s voice was dark as he glared around the room. And their safety? Did Tim see them as a threat. Was it because of Jason and Damian. Was it because of how he reacted when Bruce was in the time stream?

“That is enough!” Dinah interrupted physically moving to be between Tim and the rest of the family. She sighed as the room quieted. “I can understand why Cass said you would need a mediator for this.” She glared at Bruce and Dick. “We are going to have a mature conversation without all of the yelling and accusations. This is a conversation, not an ambush.”

-

Danny was in the middle of his least favorite chore, washing the dishes, when he felt his phone buzz in his pocket. He glanced at it to see a text from Tim.

Polaris: Get the go bags ready for you and the kids. The bats found out you’re metas and are being weird about it. I don’t trust it.

Starlight: I can take them through the realms to Jazz or leave them with Frostbite if you think you’ll need extraction.

Polaris: If you don’t hear from me in two hours, reach out. Maybe covertly come to the cave and check on me after you drop off the twins if you still don’t hear from me.

Well, there went any chance of a relaxing, peaceful night. Danny focused on keeping his emotions quiet. The last thing they needed was for his distress to wake up the twins.

-

After everyone had a chance to calm down a bit, they sat down, and Dinah started. “Alright, let’s start off with establishing why we are having this conversation. Cass called me in because she didn’t think there would be productive conversations without an outside perspective, and clearly, she was right. Essentially, this is a family group therapy session.”

“Then why am I here? And why bring my family into this?” Was Tim’s immediate response.

“What do you mean replacement?” Jason asked.

As much as he complained about the Waynes constantly pulling him into their family drama when all he wanted to do was patrol it did help him learn what exactly he wanted to avoid as a parent. He never wanted to have the type of fighting and tension with his babies that Bruce did. He felt like he had already avoided part of that by having the stability and support he did from Danny, and all of the family he inherited in their relationship.

After becoming a parent himself Tim found that he understood Bruce better in some ways and much much less in others. As talented as Alfred is a support net work of one is shaky. Especially if that one person insisted on a professional emotional distance. But he could not comprehend the way the man pushed his children away. The way he didn’t talk to them about the important things.

He was broken out of his thoughts by his husband calling him over. “I’m going to take this first load of stuff down and see if I can move the car closer to the trail head.” Danny leaned down to kiss his cheek. Tim smiled and went back to packing.

-

Danny looked over at his husband and smiled. Tim had followed the twins in drifting off to sleep. He was glad he made the right call in pushing for this trip. Sure he had to cancel and rearrange a few projects at the shop and reach out his ghost friends, mostly Skulker, to inform them that if the trip was interrupted he wouldn’t be the one getting skinned, but it was worth it.

Ellie was so pleased with herself for winning the scavenger hunt and getting to choose their dinner. Dan was a bit grumpy but the ice cream definitely helped. Tim laughed so much. His real laugh that he only uses when he’s alone with their family. Danny loves that laugh. He hates that Tim hides it. He never had the dubious honor of meeting Tim’s parents but he is also glad that he didn’t. He doesn’t know if he would have been able to hold his tongue about their poor treatment of his husband. He sighed as he focused back on the road. It was a good thing he didn’t mind driving in silence.

-

Tim had been going through and editing the pictures from their weekend. He definitely wanted to get some of them printed, he had some new frames the needed filled, and the picture he kept on his desk at WE need updated. He smiled at the computer at the picture of Danny and Dan posing in front of a cluster of branches that looked like wings. It made his husband look even more like an angel. Ethereal was always his favorite way to describe his husband’s looks, especially when talking about his ghost form. He heard the door to his home office open and saw Ellie come in with her own camera.

“Papa said you were fixing the pictures you took so you can print them out. Um can we do mine too? I want my pictures in my room.” She asked. Tim smiled as he stood to grab the chair he kept in his office for when his children wanted to sit with him while he worked. Ellie came rushing over as he set it up next to his own chair.

“Of course sweetheart! We have to display your art too!”

-

The mood in the cave was almost acidic to Cass as she joined the rest of her family. Tim had returned to Gotham in the late afternoon the day before and would be coming to the cave to check on any cases he needed to before patrol. She looked back at her companion and decided she should explain her presence.

“I called Dinah. We aren’t good at feelings and we need a moderator for when we talk to Tim.”

“Okay I should establish something real quick because you are all very lost. Tim was in no way, shape, or form hiding his marriage.” Barbra started then had to speak louder to be heard over the sudden outcry. “Shut up I’ll prove it.” She went over to the computer.

She called Barry Allen. “Hi Barry, it’s Barbra. I need to ask you something to prove a point.”

“Okay? Shoot.” The speedster responded with clear confusion.

“Has Red Robin at any point asked you for relationship advice and if so what for?”

“I’m sorry what?”

“Just answer the question.” Bruce demanded brows furrowed.

“Yeah, about a month into dating Danny. He asked about balancing a relationship with a civilian and how to deal with twin babies as a hero.” He explained. “What’s going on?”

“Nothing important. I’ll tell you later." Barbra said hanging up on him. Barbra called a few other heroes and Lucius fox to prove her point of Tim having been fairly open about his relationship.

“Okay so we’ve established that this was never being kept secret so now let’s figure out how you all missed it.” She looked around the room.

“All of you read Tim’s report on the time stream investigation right?” She asked as she pulled it up. Upon getting agreement from the rest she continued. “Tim met Danny while he was in Chicago meeting Constantine’s contact that got us the information on when Bruce would emerge. Due to the contact, that we only know as Phantom needing access to someone with a close relationship with Bruce Tim stayed in Chicago for two months before giving us the information through Constantine.” She pulled up an alternate identity profile for Alvin Thompson. “Because of how long he was set to stay in Chicago he lived under one of his aliases. Tim didn’t include it in the main report but if you look at the other notable information he talked about what he was doing while in Chicago. While living there he made friends with another teen, Danny. They got pretty close. Danny’s ex girlfriend Melissa was expecting twins and she was going to sign her parental rights away leaving them in Danny and his older sister’s custody.” She pulled up a selfie of Tim and Danny in a skate park. “Tim decided to stay in Chicago even after Phantom got the information about Bruce. He and Danny started dating a month before the twins were born. Melissa had an unknown allergy to a medication used during the birth and passed away. The twins had some health complications that required blood transfusions. Those came from Tim. After the twins were stable enough Danny and sister moved here to Gotham and Tim returned.” She had been pulling up section after section in Tim’s report that explained this situation. That all of them had some how missed.

“Okay to be fair the other information section typically only has things like how many batarangs were used. Not an entire romance novel.” Jason joked.

As Bruce was about to respond to that they were interrupted by a call from Damian and Cass.

Bruce immediately answered with a grunted “Report.”

“Hello Father. We have been observing Timothy and his family and they have over all seemed to be a completely average family. Both Timothy and his husband are attentive to the twins as well as each other. All four seem to be openly affectionate with each other. However we have just observed that both Nightingale and the male twin have the ability to fly.” Damian explained.

“Well yes Danny is literally a known meta. So are both of the twins.” Barbra looked around again disappointed and tired.

“I see.” Bruce said seeming somewhat lost. “Cass what were your observations?”

“They are all happy. I have more but want to wait.” She explained in a short manner.

“Okay I think we have enough. Cass Damian come home tonight after they go to sleep. We will reach out to Tim to talk about this when he gets back to town tomorrow.”

-

"Bruce Wayne, Batman, The Dark Knight. You've been altering time." Bruce could feel in his bones that this being was more than he had ever met before. As the being turned to face him, he felt himself freeze in place. "That illegal. Especially if you don't have an ancient backing you like those Flashes of yours do."

Bruce couldn't open his mouth. He couldn’t move under that gaze. "But I do know you didn’t end up in the time stream voluntarily, so I am willing to be lenient. Maybe even help you, for a price."

"What would you need?" was what he finally forced out.

"Let me explain your first option first, Prince of Gotham." Bruce caught the use of another title. One spoken like it held weight. "If I don't interfere your current plan will work. You will make it home, but there will be a cost. Come look." The still unnamed being gestured him over to the mirror.

He saw his children. Fighting. Over the cowl. Over his death. He saw his family splinter. Tim on his own. Working with Ra's. Ra's orchestrating his son's death. Then blurred images. Some of Tim getting away and beating Ra's. Of him returning home to his family. Far more of his son dead. Alone. His brothers finding out and the fighting become more fearce. More deaths. Returning to nothing.

Bruce tore his eyes from the mirror with a cutoff sob at yet another son's corpse. He turned to the being in the room with him. "I cannot garentee how the time line will go. Only that you will return home."

"Or?" He forced himself to ask.

"You help me with a situation. There are concerns for the future stability of the realms. This place we are in. The place between places. Time between times. The place where all journies end and all souls rest." The being began. "As the Ancient of Time those concerns are my responsibility. The current King fully inherited his title fourteen years ago, though he earned it seven years before that. The denizens of infinity are concerned of him making the same mistakes as his predecessor and loosing his balance." The being, the Ancient of Time, paused.

Bruce narrowed his eyes. "Where do I come in."

"You would garentee his balance. Be his balance." The Ancient stated.

"What, like an advisor?" Bruce felt uneasy.

"In part. But there is more." He handed Bruce a scroll. Bruce unfurled it and felt as if the floor dropped from under him.

Betrothal and Marriage Contract for His Royal Magesty High King Phantom and His Highness Sir Bruce Wayne of Gotham.

Her thoughts and actions were interrupted by Bruce’s incredulous “You knew about Danny?” She paused and looked at the file again. A personnel file with only the barest of information. Nothing more than what Tim put in when they got engaged.

“Seriously Bruce. I know you didn’t approve of their relationship when they were first dating, but come on they’ve been together for half a decade. I mean–“

“Barbara what do you mean I didn’t approve of their relationship. Tim never told me about it.” Bruce asked his tone hard.

“When I asked Tim why you weren’t involved with the twins after they first move to Gotham. He said ‘Why would he be? He doesn’t even approve of my relationship to begin with.’” She explained. They definitely needed to be discussing this in person. “He seemed upset about it, and his relationships with pretty much everyone were rocky at the time, so I left it. It was only a year after the whole time stream incident.”

Bruce was silent for too long. Barbra could practically see him thinking through everything. “I think you should come to the manor. We all need to talk.”

-

Danny handed each kid their scavenger hunt list. It was a tradition he’d had with his parents. Simple things to find while they hike, a yellow flower, a mushroom, a tree stump. He and Tim had sticker sheets to put on the list as the kids found the items. The winner got to choose where they stopped to eat on the way home.

He remembered the first time he finished the list before Jazz. His Dad made such a big deal of it. Got him an extra cookie at the restaurant. It hurt to think about those memories now that his parents were out of his life. But they were still the best parts of his childhood, and he wanted them for his kids.

He grabbed Tim’s hand and told the kids to walk in front of them and reminded them of the rules. They ran back and forth to the edges of the trail to try and complete the list first, calling for one of their parents every time they found something. There were a few pauses along the way, an argument over who saw the patch of purple flowers first, a nature spirit becoming incredibly giggly when Ellie called the leaf from her tree “very pretty,” and more.

Eventually, they got to the playground, and it was empty. They gave the kids the sandwiches they had for lunch before they set off to play on the equipment and went to sit together on the bench. Tim leaned against his husband and felt in his barely their core the hum of contentment-love-family. They sat and watched the twins play, having to get onto them a couple of time for using their powers. Reminding them that even if no one else was at the park, they were still in public.

Overall it was a good day, even if the kids had worn themselves out enough that they needed to be carried back to camp.

-

Cass and her littlest brother were following their brother’s Tim's family on another hike. From what Cass pulled up about this trail, it led to a park. The kids seemed even more excited about this hike than the one the day before. They each had some sort of checklist.

She could clearly see how much they all love each other. Naturally and freely. There was no caution in the love like there often was with her family. She honestly didn’t know Tim could be like this. That hurt. It was a new hurt she didn’t have the words for.

The small family made it to the playground with little incident. The kids played and the parents settled on a bench to watch. She saw a peace she had never seen Tim have before this trip, as he leaned against his husband. Cass hadn’t given to much consideration to marriage, romance sure some but not marriage. Maybe if this is what it could be like she’d give it more thought.

Danny carefully pulled himself out of the sleeping bag without waking Ellie. He was awake so he might as well get started setting up for breakfast. As he left the tent he saw Dan in Tim’s sleeping bag. He so dreaded the day the twins were to old for this.

-

Damian and Cassandra had slept in shifts. Cassandra woke him up and informed him that there were no developments. She went to sleep and Damian was alone with his thoughts.

He wasn’t an idiot, he expected it to be painful watching his brother with this hidden family. These people he felt he needed to protect, even from them. He was right it did hurt, but he had expected anger and betrayal not jealousy. He was fifteen years old, he shouldn’t be jealous of his nephew and niece. But still.

He remembered being their age. He never went camping but he did do survival training. He never got to indulge his art but he did learn the careful strokes it took to forge someone’s handwriting. He never got to ask his mom endless questions about plants but she taught him which ones could be used as poison. He never experienced that soft gentle indulgence that his niece and nephew were given freely. Not even when he came to Gotham. Not from his father nor his siblings.

Would Timothy have treated him gently like that if he hadn’t pushed him away? Would he ever be trusted to treat his brother’s children that way, even after everything he’s done? Would he be able to treat the kids he would have one day that way? Would he know how if he never experienced it?

Damian’s thoughts were interrupted by movement. It appeared that Nightingale was awake.

-

Jason got on his newly fixed bike. He thought about the conversation with Richie yesterday. The man had nothing but the most glowing reviews for Danny. The kids from the alley that go to school with the twins and their parents are the same. By all accounts they seem like a normal happy family, if not a little young.

Evelyn, the woman that runs the soup kitchen, told him that Danny volunteers every Thursday when he’s off and the kids are at school. All of the people at the kitchen love him. Honestly with how everyone talks about him he’s not sure if it’s a Midwest thing or if he is somehow secretly related to the Kent’s.

Jason pulled in at his apartment and went inside. It was time to type up his report.

-

The first thing Danny did after he got the fire started was to set up the percolator. As much work as he had done to cut back on his husband’s coffee consumption Tim still needed at least two cups in the morning. Danny started on breakfast knowing Dan would wakeup soon with the smell. Dan getting out of the sleeping bag would wake up Tim and all of the movement would wake up Ellie.

Sure enough the trio soon emerged from the tent. Sleepy with wild hair. Danny smiled he loved how much he could see Tim in the twins. He knew Tim loved it too. Not that he would have loved them any less if he wasn’t one of their biological parents but that connection meant something to him.

Tim woke to a knee in the stomach and the smell of coffee. He thanked the ancients that his husband knew him so well as he got out of the sleeping bag with Dan. He looked over and saw Ellie stirring in her Papa’s sleeping bag. It never failed to astonish him how they could perfectly use their power to get in bed but getting out always led to kicks and shoves. He greeted the kids and stepped into the morning air.

Man he loved that view. He reach back in the tent for his camera and took pictures of the early morning light filtering through the trees. He then took a picture of his husband cooking now with Ellie on this hip and Dan on his back. Danny gestured him over with his head. “Drink a glass of water before you get your coffee. Its not quite ready yet anyway.”

"Yes dear" Tim laughed as he grabbed Dan off of his husband’s back and his water. He went over to his seat and settled Dan on his lap. He was quickly getting more energy and should probably be kept from the hot cooking instruments Danny was using.

“That’s why I’m going alone. He’s more likely to let himself feel and react the smaller his audience is.” Jason could see Dick nod to himself. “Tell the others I can’t leave Gotham right now because of some cases but I can cover patrol routes.”

-

“Alfie?” Alfred looked up sharply from where he was sitting in the corner of the kitchen. He knew why he was here, he’d been listening in to the conversation in the cave through the bugs he had down there. He knows that he’s always kept himself distant from the family to an extent but for one of his grandchildren to keep this from him, from all of them. He couldn’t understand.

“I already heard. I just need a moment to think before I get back to dinner. I’ll be fine Master Jason.”

“Where were you at. I’ll takeover for now.”

-

Bruce looked up as his eldest came back down the stairs. “Jay went to talk with Alfred. He’ll stay in Gotham and cover patrol routes. We could probably also get him to ask about Daniel at Richie’s while we know he’s going to be out of town.”

He hummed that could work. For sure Cass would follow Tim. She was the most stealthy and could get a good read on how sincere Daniel was toward Tim. One of Bruce’s worse fears in their civilian lives was people using his kids to get his money. He doubted that was what this was after five years but you can’t be to cautious.

“Father, I think I should go with Cassandra.” Damian spoke up. “I think I have the most training, and ability to remain objective in this situation." That would work. He and Barbra, once she was back, would focus on researching, Jason, Dick and Steph would split patrol routes, Duke would stay on dayshift, and Cass and Damian would follow Tim and his…family.

Tim’s family. His husband. His children.

-

Dick read the information they already had. It looked like Tim had met Daniel while Bruce was in the time stream, but after he had shared the evidence and pinpointed where he would emerge. That time where he had solved the problem and been able to return home while everyone waited for Bruce’s return but didn’t. Everyone had assumed it was because of the fight he had with Dick, but maybe not.

Was that why he hadn’t told them. Because of that fight? Was it his fault Tim had hidden this from everybody?

-

Duke was unsure what to do. He had never been that close to Tim, but it seems like he had joined the family after Tim had his secret family already so maybe that was why. Either way Duke was lost. He didn’t know how to help Bruce or his siblings with this.

-

Cass looked over at Damian as they traveled. They were silent but his body language practically screamed ‘sad, conflicted, confused’. He could feel her eyes on him. “I am fine Cassandra.”

“Lie. Talk to me, little brother.” She demanded.

“I thought our relationship was improving. I know I caused the rift between us originally but we had been getting better. I can not help but think, ‘What if it was to keep his family safe from me.’” Damian explained.

Cass could understand, but she didn’t have the words that would give her little brother the comfort he needed right now.

-

Jason brought his bike into the shop and Richie came over. “Hey Jay. Let me get a look at it.” He inspected the dent on the side. “this looks like someone took a bat to it.”

“Yeah, probably stupid kids. Some of the cars in the parking garage had broken windows.” He looked around the shop as if just noticing. “Danny not in?”

“No he’s on a trip with his family. From what it sounded like his husband had a bad week. They weren’t planning on this trip for another month or so.” Richie explained. “Normally I wouldn’t be fine with someone just taking off last minute for vacation but I kinda owe him for being the other guy on call for the ‘I have no clue’ problems.’”

“How is his husband. I think he only talked about him and the kids for half an hour last time. Marital problems?” Jason asked jokingly.

-

“Always stay where you and Papa can see us. Never go off trail unless we are holding you or Papa’s hand. Never touch or eat any plants unless you say it’s okay. And always keep our whistles incase we get separated.” Dan said.

“Oh and no petting or feeding any animals and don’t leave any trash.” Ellie added.

“Good let me get your sunscreen and bug spray on you while your Papa unloads our stuff.” Tim knelt in front of the twins.

After a minute Danny was calling them to the back of the car and passing out backpacks. His and Tim’s had typical supplies and the twins each had their own water and a few snacks in theirs. They walked up to their campsite with the tent and sleeping bags for Danny to set up with the kids while Tim went back for their cooler.

-

After they had finished setting up they went on a shorter hike to a scenic outlook near their campsite. Tim had his camera and was taking pictures as they went. Ellie had her own camera. Anytime Tim paused she rushed over to his side to see what he was taking a picture of and decided if she wanted one too. She would also call Tim over if she saw something to take a picture of, though typically Tim would just take pictures of her excitedly trying to get just the right angle.

Dan kept stopping Danny and asking about plants along the trail in-between the two being commanded to pose for pictures. Danny had never thought he would be so grateful for all it the rants and info dumps from Sam until his son had developed such a love for plants. He was, to the amusement of both his fathers, rather insistent that Poison Ivy was his favorite hero and he would not accept criticism from anyone. His Aunt Sam loved to encourage it.

-

Tim sighed at the view from the outlook. He hadn’t really indulged in his love of photography much between becoming Robin and meeting Danny. Jazz was the one to push him to take it back up. Telling him and reminding Danny that engaging in healthy hobbies was good for everyone but especially necessary for liminals and ghosts. She finally convinced them by telling them that neglecting themselves could cause anomalies in their ectoplasm and effect the twins growth.

He couldn’t remember being this happy. Not as Tim. As Robin he had been when he was with his team but as Tim he never had anyone. And now he had a husband, two kids, an older sister, two honorary siblings, and several ghost calling themselves his in-laws. He felt stable and content. Like he would still matter if he stopped being Red Robin tomorrow.

-

Dan had insisted on sitting in Tim’s lap for dinner. He said that Ellie had been hogging him all day so he got him for dinner. Ellie huffed and said it was fine and she would just sit with Papa. Tim and Danny laughed at the kids antics. After smores the twins started drifting of so they were settled in their sleeping bags in the tent.

Danny moved his chair closer to his husband’s when they got back to the fire. They sat in comfortable silence for a bit before Danny asked, “Do you remember the first time we went camping?”

Tim looked over to him as he replied “Yeah, before the twins were born, when we weren’t sure they would make it. Jazz convinced me to take you to get your mind off of worrying. I remember thinking why me, why not Sam or Tuck. I guessed she saw before we did though. Why do you bring it up? Feeling nostalgic?”

“She sees everything before we do.” Danny laughed. “And, yeah honestly. It just makes me think of it every time we go camping. You know, I don’t know if I ever told you that was the first time I wanted to kiss you.”

“Really then?” Tim asked, slightly baffled thinking back to his own emotional state at the time and how close they had come to losing the twins before the trip.

“Well there was a reason I didn’t. I just think that was the moment I realized how much you meant to me.”

Tim thought. “I think for me it was when we found out I was a viable donor. To stabilized the twins. I think it was easier to admit I loved them than you to myself. I’m not sure why.”

“Well can you admit it now?” Danny asked with raising an eyebrow.

“I don’t know. Can you kiss me?” Tim shot back. Danny was quick to obliged.

“Wait where you are. The answer is coming to you.” So he sat until a teen his same age sat across from him and set his own note on the table.

“This said if I put my skills to work here it would save the person I’m searching for. I’m Alvin, what skills do you need.” He had medium length dark hair and tiered blue eyes. Danny could see himself in that exhaustion, the type of exhaustion that doesn’t fit on a face that young. He could tell Alvin could see it in him too.

“How much do you know about cloning.”

-

Tim stared at the tiny bodies in the glowing liquid. It looked so much like Lazarus Water but if felt nothing like it. The clones were just slightly to small to be a healthy new born size. “They were my clones.” Danny said from behind him. “Because of how damaged my DNA is they were never stable, they used to be around our age. This is the oldest I can keep them stable, that’s why I need your help.”

Tim glanced back at him. “And your help?” he couldn’t even pretend he wouldn’t help if Danny couldn’t save Bruce. He couldn’t abandon the tiny forms in the pods not without the ghost of eyes he would never see again on his back.

“The way your friend is stuck in time is difficult. He’s not stuck at a fixed point but drifting through it. We can’t just grab him and bring him here without causing several tears in the time stream. What we can do is make a pathway and have the exact time and place he will exit predetermined.” Danny explained.

Okay. That would work. Even if Tim couldn’t get to the time and place he could send other heroes. He just needed proof of the time stream being altered. “Is there a way to get proof that he is in there?” he asked.

“Hm, maybe if there is a magic user whoever you’re trying to convince will believe."

Tim can work with that.

-

“Damn it!” Danny screamed as the Dan and Ellie destabilized and got younger again. Alvin came up behind him and put a hand on his shoulder. Danny broke down sobbing. He couldn’t lose them he couldn’t.

Alvin pulled him into a hug. Running a hand through his hair. “It will be okay Danny we will figure this out” Danny calmed down taking deep breaths. “They are stable for now go get a shower and some food I’ll keep an eye on them.”

-

Tim was alone in the lab staring at the tiny hands of the male clone. Little finger nails. Tim had always both wanted and dreaded the idea of a family but children this young gave him so much anxiety. They were so fragile. So small and helpless. He was helpless enough at that age that his parents stayed. But he stared at the babies in the tubes and could only think ‘oh no. I got attached.’

Not just to the clones either. He and Danny. Neither of them had acknowledged the kiss. They were sat in Danny’s living room eating and talking and just being with each other. Tim honestly wasn’t even sure who initiated it. But Danny didn’t even know his name. It wasn’t fair to him. Tim was so lost.

-

Human DNA. It was so simple but not really. Dan and Ellie needed DNA from a person other than Danny who was slightly liminal. Just enough that they were compatible but not enough that their own genetic makeup was damaged. That excluded pretty much everyone from Amity. Who could possibly… “Test me.” Danny looked up sharply at Alvin. “Alvin wha-" “You said I’m liminal. Barely but still. I’m probably the best option.” Alvin looked so determined.

“Okay.”

-

He was a match. Tim was a viable donor, but Danny needed to know the truth before he agreed to this. Tim’s life his feelings. The twins wouldn’t be Danny’s siblings anymore they would be his kids. His and Tim’s.

-

“Tim they are so tiny.” Danny looked up at his boyfriend. Tim laughed as he took pictures of Dante in Danny’s arms. Jazz was off to the side with her nice. Tim laughed. He laughed in a way he couldn’t remember laughing in years before finding Danny. He was so happy.

-

“I’ve beefed up you and Jazz's identities. As well as Melisa’s” Melisa wa the name of the twins fake mother who died in childbirth. She and Danny hadn’t been together just a one night stand. Her plan had always been to step out of the twins lives once they were born.

They had moved to Gotham were identities mattered less to the average employer for extra protection. It was also Tim’s home. He couldn’t ask Tim to leave it.

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The twins were at Jazz's for the night so that Tim and Danny could have a date for their anniversary. The soon to be two year olds loved their Aunt so much. And Danny didn’t know what he’d do without his sister.

Tim and Danny had just gotten back to the apartment and Tim went to the kitchen to make coffee and tea for the two of them. Danny sat on the couch to wait for his boyfriend.

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