The painkillers started to wear off and Bruce's back began to throb. He screwed his eyes shut and tried to block the pain. Despite his protests earlier, the nap and Advil had been much needed. Diana had been right - he'd patrolled the city every night for the past week and between that and his day job actually running Wayne Enterprises, he was working on very little sleep.

"Gotta be quiet, daddy's sweeping," a little, sing-song voice broke through the haze of pain and sleep.

A smile found its way to his lips and Bruce cracked one eye open. He winced a little and shifted on the couch.

Maya looked up at the noise and her eyes went wide. "Daddy!" she gasped. "I s'pose'd be quiet! Mama say daddy sweepin'."

Bruce laughed a little. "It's okay, Maya. Daddy's awake now."

"Oh," she frowned thoughtfully for a minute. Then she held out her dolls and grinned, "Daddy play?"

As much as he would have loved to sit and play with his daughter, the thought of moving off the couch made his entire back seize up. As an alternative, he held out his hand and said, "How about cuddles?"

Never in a million years did Bruce ever think he would suggest cuddles with a straight face, but here he was.

Maya nodded happily, her pigtails bobbing wildly. She abandoned her dolls to the carpet and scrambled to climb onto the couch. Bruce reached out and grabbed the back of her shirt, helping hoist her onto the couch. She climbed onto his stomach, eliciting a soft groan from Bruce.

"Daddy, I love cuddles," she said sweetly, laying across his chest and tucking her head under his chin. Bruce rested a hand over her back.

"I love Maya cuddles, too," he replied, rubbing small circles against her back. "Why don't you tell me a story about pre-school?"

He knew Maya loved her pre-school class and having her tell a story was the easiest way to get her to sit still and relax for a bit. He wanted to spend time with her, but sitting quietly was the only thing in the cards for him right now.

"Oh!" Maya giggled. "Miss Anna gived us snacks!"

"Snacks?" Bruce feigned shock, lightly tickling Maya's side. "What kind of snacks?"

"Good ones!" she retorted, giggling. "And Leah gots a baby!"

"A baby?" Bruce asked, a little confused.

"Mhm," Maya hummed. "A smelly boy. Her mama broughted it home."

"Oh," Bruce laughed in dawning recognition. "Leah has a baby brother."

Maya wrinkled her nose. "He cries." She snuggled against Bruce's chest and was quiet for a minute before asking, "Daddy, I got a brother?"

Her unexpected question caused Bruce's stomach to lurch and his heart to clench. Maya was technically an only child, but in his heart, Bruce had considered Jason a son. His throat grew tight as he thought about the vandalized uniform down in the BatCave.

Eventually, his voice strained, Bruce patted Maya's back and murmured, "Yes, baby, you had a brother."

Bruce groaned as Maya scrambled to sit up, digging her hands and knees into his chest and stomach. His hands tried to catch her knees and soften the blows, but she was too fast. Before he could really react, Maya was sitting on his stomach, leaning back against his bent legs. She looked down at him, a serious expression looking out of place on her childish features.

"Where's he?" she asked and Bruce could see the wheels turning in her head - making the connection that Leah lived with her baby brother, so if Maya had a brother why didn't he live with them?

"He ... " Bruce paused. There was no way to explain death - murder - to a 3-year-old. Sucking in a shaky breath, Bruce sighed, "He doesn't live with us, Maya."

"Why?" she asked, ever her mother's daughter.

"Because he had to go far away," Bruce mumbled, the memories of Jason taking an emotional toll on him.

"Oh," Maya wrinkled her nose. "Like to Nana Mar?"

Bruce gave a half-smile - Martha Kent had basically adopted Maya as one of her own grandchildren and they took her to visit occasionally. "Yeah," he nodded. "Like to Nana Mar's house."

"Can we visit?" she asked, little fingers twisting in the fabric of Bruce's t-shirt.

"I'm afraid not, Maya," Bruce said quietly, his voice catching in his throat. He brushed a hand over Maya's unruly hair and gave her a weak smile.

Maya shrugged. "Okay," she patted Bruce's chin and then grinned brightly. "Daddy, I show you my puppy!"

She rolled off of Bruce's chest and landed on the floor on her hands and knees. Bruce rolled quickly and pulled his back trying to make sure she was okay. Maya was already halfway down the hallway by the time he finished wincing. That girl was going to be the death of him one day.

He stretched a little, hoping it would ease the dull pain in his back and knowing nothing would ease the ache in his soul.

a/n: omg i had this in my notes forever! i finally sat down and finished it the other day. hope you guys enjoy! :)