The question is: How does the Batfamily come together if Bruce never became Batman? With a few more coincidences and a lot less deaths.

This first chapter is, essentially, a synopsis of what would be a much, much longer fic. One that I'll probably never actually write to it's potential, but that I would love to write one-shots for.

The Synopsis

The story starts the same. Martha and Thomas Wayne are killed, Bruce sees it happen. It's a defining moment in shaping who Bruce Wayne is, who he becomes. Which is to say, Bruce is still a commitment-phobic playboy with a heart of gold, he's just also a ruthless businessman man and philanthropist whose smile brings terror to the hearts of the corrupt.

Batman is never born.

The Martha Wayne Foundation and Wayne Industries prosper under the strong hold of their young captain. The tabloids call him Brucie as a joke and he mocks them in his interviews right back. It's the most stable relationship he has, outside Alfred of course.

When he watches the Flying Graysons fall, Bruce sees himself in the orphan left behind. There is no version of Bruce Wayne that doesn't offer Dick Grayson a home. He's too young to be his father, but he gives it his all.

Dick Grayson goes to all the best schools, knows all the influential people, and has every opportunity and privilege afforded to him as Bruce's son. When he's 18, he joins the Bludhaven PD - to make a difference, to serve justice, to make all of his parents proud. He is…confused…when he comes home to find another young orphan in Bruce's house.

Bruce finds Jason with a tire iron in hand, stealing the last tire off his limo. The boy has a chip on his shoulder and a glint in his eyes. Bruce takes him for burgers. He's not as young as when Dick came into his house, but he's still not old enough to be a father. Jason doesn't seem to mind much.

Jason goes to the same schools that Dick had. Dick stumbles and starts through brotherhood - Jason does mind that. He's rough around the edges in all the ways that Dick was soft and the Gotham Elite will never accept him. Bruce quickly learns why parenting two children is harder than one and thanks the heavens he never had any siblings.

Tim Drake is an observant child, only a little younger than Jason, and it is due to both of their earlier upbringings they end up in the same class. Once a stalker, always a stalker, but Jason catches on when Tim fumbles with a book in the library. The ensuing confrontation does not go as Jason expects.

"I thought you were cool." "Me?!" "Yeah. You're always reading a different book and your essay on Jane Austen was enlightened." "…how did you read my essay-" "I have a spy camera."

The friendship worries Bruce, but not nearly so much as the Drakes constant absence. The guest room next to Jason's bedroom holds more of Tim's things than the room he has at home and Alfred puts his name on the chore chart within a month.

Jason and Tim are sixteen when they decide to investigate the mask vigilantes of Gotham. Tim has a spy camera after all and it would be a shame to waste. As long as they're home by midnight Alfred won't rat them out to Bruce.

It takes two weeks to figure out that the ferocious Red Angel is actually Bruce's cousin Kate. Jason spends twenty minutes trying to figure out how he missed it before - she'd once skipped out on a Rosh Hashana celebration to fight the Joker! Really, he should've known. Tim laughs at him for another five before Kate calls Bruce. He is unamused.

They never do manage to find the Oracle, but they catch glimpes of the Birds of Prey and they literally stumble into the Spoiler. Stephanie Brown gives them all she's got on the Cluemaster and they publish it in the school paper. Her dad's back in jail within the week.

Bruce demand to meet their source. He looks Steph up and down, sighs, and then steps out to make a phone call. When Spoiler steps back out into the world of vigilant crime fighting, she's got training and a direct line to the Birds of Prey. Even Catwoman gives her some advice.

When Bruce is considering a deal with Luther Corp a reporter shows up on his doorstep (or more accurately, in his kitchen) with a dossier on Lex. The deal is dropped and the Daily Planet gets an exclusive look at the Wayne family - by now working on its fourth child after Bruce notices a young girl following him in the rain. Bruce's body language is distinct, no matter the universe.

The League of Assassins sent Talia to infiltrate Wayne Industries years previously. She caught Bruce at an off-time with Selina. When she pops back up with a little boy, Cassandra is there to recognize her.

"My father has ill-intentions, I believe he will be safer with you."

Talia's words ring true in Bruce's ears and in Cassandra's eyes, so Bruce hires a security team with a roster bigger than the Gotham Guardsmen's football team. Jason and Tim each get a lineman at college, much to their annoyance. Dick just points at his badge when Bruce offers him protection as well.

When an assassin gets too close for comfort, Bruce caves and makes the call. A reporter and a hacker, together they know every superhero on the planet.

Three weeks after Damian's ninth birthday Bruce gets word that the Thomas', who'd once saved his life during Hurricane Rene, have died and their son is in foster care. By now, Bruce's attorney just keeps the adoption forms in his top drawer.

Duke is hesitant at first, but Cassandra assures him the house has been too quiet. He asks Alfred about her hearing after the first week. The butler laughs.

"Miss Cassandra is not wrong, Master Thomas, with Jason away at school during the week and Tim at the penthouse three days a week, it is much quieter than it was."

Chanukah that year is practically a full ball, even with just immediate family and friends.

"I say we blame Dick," Jason shouts, "He's the one that invited the capes." Dick is suddenly aware that he never answered Tim and Jason's email about the vigilantes in Bludhaven. His life flashes before his eyes as Jason introduces himself to Kori and Roy.

When Selina and Bruce (finally!) tie the knot, bets are made as to when the next kid will drop (and where they will come from). Alfred wins and everyone is too distracted by baby Helena to ask how he knew Selina would be giving birth six months after the wedding.

The Daily Planet does another exclusive a few years later. Clark has stopped asking how Bruce meets his kids - no one really seems to care anymore anyway - but he does ask for the Wayne parenting book.

"Lois is expecting again ya see, and all your kids seem so happy. Not to mentioned the 22 year old COO." "Dick just made Captain too." "Seriously, does Alfred slip something in the cookies?"

Reviews Appreciated!