Chapter Text
“I got a girl pregnant."
Alfred froze and turned to look at Bruce who was standing next to the island in the kitchen, he hadn't even heard Bruce come into the room. Alfred had thought he was out with friends to celebrate the end of summer.
Alfred took a deep breath before speaking, “Who?”
“Her name is Mary Grayson. Her family works in Haly’s circus and they are here for the summer. They are supposed to leave in a few weeks, but she just told me she is pregnant and it is mine.”
Bruce looked so much younger than his 16 years at that moment. His shoulders were hunched in and he was looking at the ground, like he was afraid to look at Alfred.
“Are you sure it is yours?”
“Yes. I trust her. I don’t think she would lie about this.”
“Alright, I believe you. Does she plan to keep the baby?”
At that Bruce’s eyes snapped up and looked straight at Alfred. He seemed to gain some strength from whatever he saw on Alfred’s face.
“She is planning to put them up for adoption as soon as she gives birth.”
“And what do you want?”
Bruce hesitated, looking at Alfred like he had all of the answers, when in truth Alfred had no idea how to handle this situation. Alfred had never really wanted kids of his own, but when the Wayne’s were killed, he realized that he already loved Bruce like family and letting Bruce go into foster care was not an option. He had been making things up on the go ever since. He liked to think he had done a good job with Bruce but only time would tell.
After a few more moments of hesitation Bruce opened his mouth and said in one rush, “Iwanttokeepthebaby.”
“Okay. We will figure it out. You should invite Ms. Grayson and her parents over for dinner so we may discuss this.”
Bruce crossed the room in two strides wrapping Alfred in a tight embrace. “Thank you, Alf.”
“Of course, my boy. I will support you no matter what.”
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Bruce invited the Grayson’s over the next day which led to them all sitting around the Wayne’s large dining table in awkward silence on a Friday evening.
“Thank you for coming. We have quite a lot to talk about so why don’t we get started?”
Alfred had offered the head of the table to Bruce but Bruce had asked Alfred if he would sit there. So, for the first time in his life Alfred was sat at the head of the massive table in the Wayne mansion.
“We sure do, why don’t we start with your son knocked my little girl up.”
Mr. Grayson was turning red and slammed his hand on the table to punctuate his statement. Alfred was about to correct him that Bruce was not his son, however that brought up many bad memories for Bruce and tonight was hard enough.
“I understand that this is a hard time for all of you. I wanted us to all sit down to make sure that we were all on the same page regarding this child. Ms. Grayson what do you want to happen with your child?”
“I am going to give it up for adoption as soon as it gets out of me. I don’t want kids.” Ms. Grayson seemed firm in her decision despite the pleading look on Bruce’s face.
“Okay, Master Bruce, what would you like to happen?” Alfred turned to Bruce who was sitting to his right.
“I would like to keep the baby. Mary, you do not have to be involved. You can sign your rights away and I will raise them on my own. I lost my family once; I cannot lose this chance at a family.”
Mr. Grayson snorted. “You are just a kid, how are you going to take care of a baby?”
Alfred spoke up before Bruce could, “He will figure it out and I will be here to help.”
“The kid would be better off with a real family.”
“I understand that to you a real family is two parents, but I believe a family can be whatever you want it to be and we want it to be the two of us and that baby. Mary can stay here with us until the baby is born, we will pay for everything she needs throughout the pregnancy and once the baby is born we will pay for her flight to wherever you are.”
“You expect me to just leave my daughter here with you?” That was the first time Mrs. Grayson had spoken up and it was clear she did not speak English as well as her husband and daughter.
“You are welcome to stay as well, there is plenty of room in the mansion for all three of you, I just assumed you would need to work.”
“Why can’t she just travel with us and you can come get the baby when it is born?” Mr. Grayson seemed to be getting more annoyed with this conversation and Alfred wanted to finish it before he snapped.
“Because Master Bruce would like to help out with the pregnancy and be present for the birth of his child.”
Mr. Grayson looked like he was going to start yelling but Mary placed a hand on his arm. “I will stay.” She turned to her parents before continuing. “Bruce deserves to be involved in this. The baby is due in March so it's only seven more months then I will be back with you.”
Her parents looked conflicted but Mary somehow won them over and within the week she was moving into the mansion.
Chapter Text
Seven months later Richard “Dick” John Wayne was born and Bruce was so in love. Mary left three days later flying to meet her parents in Spain where they were performing. She never held Richard and had him removed from her room as soon as he was born. She said she couldn’t risk falling in love with him.
Bruce struggled to balance taking care of an infant and school, but with Alfred’s help they managed.
Two years later Bruce graduated high school with straight A’s and headed straight to university to get his pre-med degree. He had decided at a young age he was going to follow in his father's foot footsteps and be a doctor but life had other plans for him.
After two years in university Bruce decided it wasn't for him and after lots of talks with Alfred decided to travel the world for a few years so right after his twentieth birthday he and Dick set off to travel the world.
Three years of training and learning later, Bruce and Dick returned to Gotham. Alfred couldn’t have been happier to have them back. Later that same year Batman was born. Alfred tried his best to convince Bruce to make another choice but his mind was already set.
During the day Bruce and Alfred would attempt to catch Dick up in his academics. He learned a lot while traveling, like martial arts, and how to resist mind control, but he did not learn math, or reading so he was far behind. And after Dick went to bed Alfred would monitor police radio while Bruce went out as Batman.
Over the next few months, they caught Dick up academically and so by the time school started they were able to enroll him in second grade at Gotham Prep.
Dick made many friends but his best friend quickly became Barbara Gordon, the daughter of Detective Jim Gordon who was one of very few cops that respected Batman. Barbara’s mother was not around much so she spent lots of time at the manor with Dick.
Right after Dick’s eighth birthday Haly’s circus was due to come back to Gotham. Bruce hadn’t kept in touch with Mary, which is what she wanted, however on their first night in town Bruce went to the circus.
The show was just as mesmerizing as the last time he saw it. Mary was breathtaking as she swung around the trapeze like gravity didn’t affect her.
After the show Bruce walked around the tent to the performers' entrance and waited. After twenty minutes Mary came out. She didn’t see him right away but once he stepped into the light she froze.
“Bruce?”
“Hi Mary. I wanted to talk; do you have a minute?”
“Oh… Um. Yeah sure. Let's go somewhere more private.”
Bruce followed her away from the big top to where smaller tents were set up. They went around the back of one where Mary sat down on a bench. Bruce hesitated but sat down next to her.
After a few moments of silence Bruce spoke, “I wanted to see how you were doing and offer you the chance to meet your son if you wanted to.”
She froze and turned to look at Bruce after a moment she spoke, “I signed away my rights, I don’t get to see him.”
“You made the choice that was right for you at the time. That doesn't mean you shouldn’t get the right to at least meet him. He asks about you. I have told him all of the stories I can but I know he would love to meet you if you wanted to.”
“Really? I can meet him?”
“Of course. I could never keep you away from him.”
“What is his name?”
“Richard but we call him Dick.”
“What is he like?”
“He is an amazing kid. I love him so much. He definitely has your circus performer blood. He does gymnastics and climbs and swings from everything. He is also one of the sweetest, kindest people I know. He would do anything for a stranger.”
“He sounds wonderful. You have done a good job.”
“Thank you.”
“I would love to meet him.”
“Okay, why don’t you come to the manor tomorrow afternoon? He gets home from school at 3:30.”
“I will. Thank you for this Bruce.”
“Of course, Mary. I will see you tomorrow.”
When Bruce got home Dick was sitting on his bed.
“I thought I told you to go to bed at 8?”
“You did but I wanted to know what Mary said? Does she want to meet me?”
“How did you know that is what I was doing?” Bruce crossed the rest of the room and sat on the bed next to Dick.
“Because I know that Haly’s is in town and are performing tonight, some of my friends at school were going. And then you went out but not in the Batman suit so it wasn't hard to realize what you were doing.”
“You are too smart for your own good bud. But yes, Mary wants to meet you. She is going to come here tomorrow after school.”
Dick squealed and threw his arms around Bruce’s neck. “Thank you, Dad!”
“Of course, Chum.”
Bruce ended up letting Dick stay in his room that night and Bruce slept better than he had in months. When Dick was younger and when they were on their travels, they always shared a room so the last year they had been back in Gotham had been the first time Dick had slept in his own room and Bruce hated it.
The next morning was a struggle, Dick wanted to stay home from school to wait for Mary but after some arguing he was able to get Dick to school only a few minutes late. He went into the office just so that he had something to do instead of worrying about that afternoon's meeting. He had been trying to get more involved in Wayne Enterprises but between Batman and Dick he often didn’t have time.
He picked Dick up from school and they drove home in silence. It seemed that Dick had turned from excited about meeting Mary to nervous. Once they got home Bruce slid into the backseat with Dick.
“What’s going on chum?”
“What if she doesn't like me?”
“Oh chum. She is going to love you.” Bruce pulled Dick into his chest and held him there.
After a few moments Dick seemed to collect himself and pulled back from Bruce.
“Okay. Let's do this thing.”
Chapter Text
Once inside Alfred directed them towards the large sitting room at the front of the house. Where Bruce’s mom had always entertained her friends. Dick stopped at the door and took a few deep breaths before pushing the door open and walking in. Bruce followed quickly behind him.
“Hello Mary. My name is Dick.”
Mary was standing in front of the large window that looked out on the front lawn and had tears in her eyes as she stared at her son.
“Hello Dick. It is so good to finally meet you.”
She took a step forward but Dick stepped back and grabbed Bruce’s hand. Bruce could see the way it hurt Mary, but Bruce was not going to force Dick to do anything he didn’t want to do. If he wanted to turn around and leave the room Bruce would support him all the way.
“Why don’t we all sit down?” Bruce guided Dick over to the couch and Mary took a seat on one of the chairs.
“Why did you leave? Was I not good enough?”
Bruce watched Mary’s heart break all over again as she realized what her leaving had done to Dick. Even though he had never met her before, her absence in his life had been noticed often.
“No baby. You were perfect.”
“Then why did you leave!”
“I didn’t have a choice. My parents would never have allowed me to stay. I was young and my parents had all the control. I also thought you would be better off without me.”
“Why didn’t you tell dad you wanted to stay? Dad and Grandpa can do anything they could have helped you stay.”
“Because it wasn't that simple.”
Bruce doesn’t say it but it could have been that simple. If she had given any indication that she wanted to stay he would have done everything he could have to keep her with them. He hadn't loved her; he had been too young to even know what that really meant. But even then, he knew that their child would grow up missing the mother they never had.
“Don’t talk to me like I am a baby! I am almost 9 years old. I understand lots of grown-up stuff.”
“I am sure you do Robin.”
“Don’t call me that. I am Dick. That is my name. Only dad and grandpa can use nicknames”
Bruce could tell Dick was worked up and this wasn’t going to go anywhere. He stood up picking Dick up and he immediately tucked his head into Bruce’s neck. Bruce could feel his tears.
“I think we should put this conversation on pause. Why don’t we come see the circus tomorrow and we can talk more after.”
Mary looked like she was going to fight him but decided against it and just nodded her head. Bruce turned and left the room heading straight to Dick’s room where they could be alone.
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The next night they were sitting in the first row of the audience while Haly’s circus performed. Dick had been nervous about coming but seemed to be having fun so far, but Mary hadn’t performed yet.
“And for our next performance the Flying Grayson's!” The crowd cheered at the announcement but Bruce watched as Dick bent in on himself seeming so very young. Bruce picked him up and placed him on his lap. He couldn't really see around Dick’s head, when had he gotten so big, but he was not going to put him down anytime soon.
The first half of the performance was just as breathtaking as the first time Bruce had seen it, but as they were getting ready to finish their performance something happened. Mary swung out on the trapeze and it broke. She crashed down into the net but went straight through hitting the ground with a sickening thud.
Bruce tried to cover Dick’s eyes but it was too late. He just watched his mother die, before he ever got the chance to get to know her.
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The next few months were hard for all of them. Dick was struggling. He was grieving the future he thought he may have with his mom. Bruce and Alfred didn’t know how to help.
When he found out what really happened that night, he thought about not telling Dick. But he decided he had the right to know. So, after dinner he sat Dick down and told him about Tony Zucco.
Of all of the reactions Bruce thought Dick may have, insisting that he was going to go with Batman to hunt him down was not one of them.
Bruce refused. But then caught Dick sneaking out three nights in a row in a makeshift custom and a domino mask he must have found in the cave.
He told Dick he would train him, but that didn’t mean he would be able to go out. That seemed like enough at the time.
Dick threw himself headfirst into training. And within two months could take down a man twice his size. Dick had learned a lot on their travels but he had been young so Bruce had thought he would have forgotten most of it. But it seemed it was all still in there.
The night Dick managed to take Bruce down was the night Dick decided he was ready to go out, and Bruce had no arguments left. So, he made him a costume.
Two weeks after Dick’s ninth birthday Robin made his debut. The agreement was that he would help Bruce take down Zucco and then put the mask down until he was older. But it took much longer than he thought to find Zucco.
By the time he was behind bars they had been working as a crime fighting duo for two years and Dick was not going to stop without a fight. Robin became a permanent fixture at Batman's side.
During those two years Bruce helped to form the Justice League. Never telling them about his identity or his young son/partner. Another vigilante also joined the Gotham scene and after a few months was found out to be Barbara Gordon. Dick’s best friend and the daughter of the newly promoted Commissioner Gordon.
Bruce’s first thought was to go to the commissioner. But he would have to do it as Batman and he wasn't sure that the commissioner would even believe him. So, he started training her.