I had a random thought in the middle of the night for a fic and wrote it down. What I wrote down was actually: Damian trained alongside Cass and the gotten out by her when she leaves David Cain like Cass. So, enjoy what came out of that single sentence. The end of the story is a little more disjointed, but it's that way on purpose. :)

The boy and girl before him are both silent and staring at him. The girl glares and steps in front of the boy. The girl can't be older than fifteen. The boy is probably no more than six.

"It's okay," he says. "I'm not here to hurt you."

The boy and girl share a look and take a step back. Bruce sighs deeply. He's obviously not making any progress. The girl and boy both look Asian, though the boy's skin is darker. They could be siblings despite not sharing similar features. They certainly act like it.

Maybe they don't understand English? Then again, both seemed to understand him, just not trust him.

"Robin," Bruce says. "Come down, please."

There's a slight noise behind him. The girl and Boy's eyes go from Bruce to a point behind him. A moment later, Bruce feels a hand on his shoulder.

"Want me to talk to them?" Tim asks.

Bruce nods. "I'll take care of calling the police and collecting the files." Because if there's one thing Bruce is trying to avoid, it's scaring children. That they don't seem to recognize him… it's worrying. Almost everyone - especially kids and teens - know Batman and Robin are the good guys. Hopefully, Tim has better luck with them than he did.

"Hi," Tim says brightly. "I'm Robin." They don't change how they regard him, wary and scared. Especially the girl. She looks almost ready to jump him if he tries to move any closer. He holds his hands up and takes a step back, sitting on the ground. "What are your names?"

The girl's eyes flicker to the younger boy, who's staring at Tim intently. She looks back at Tim and nods slowly. Somehow, Tim can tell it's not to him.

"Dami," the younger boy says, speech heavily accented. "Cass," he adds after a moment, nodding towards the girl.

"What are you guys doing here?" Tim asks. "In this warehouse, I mean? It's not exactly a comfortable place to sleep."

The girl, Cass, blinks then looks at the boy, Dami. for what, Tim's not sure. Dami looks up at her and starts speaking rapidly in an unfamiliar language. The girl responds in the same language, slower, but she responds. Then both of them sit down on the ground, Cass first, drawing Dami into her lap and hugging him tightly.

"Running," Cass says, also accented, though hers is different than Dami's. "Hiding too. Lots of hiding."

"From who?" Tim asks gently. "Batman and I can help if you want. Why are they after you?"

"Whom," Cass says absently, looking down at Dami again and playing with his hair. "You're supposed to say whom."

Tim blinks and leans back a little, bemused.

"Father," the girl continues. "We're hiding from him. And running. Both. He wants us to listen to him. He's bad."

Tim listens to her carefully. Dami closes his eyes and leans against her. Now that he's looking, now that her words have given him a clue, there are signs of abuse everywhere. They must be siblings, Tim decides, with the way she treats Dami. Probably different mother's though, especially since they look so different from each other and she mentioned their father as if he was both of theirs.

"What's your dad's name? If I have it, Batman and I can make sure he goes to jail. You could live with your mother if you want," Tim says. "We can find some safe family members for you two to live with."

"No," Dami says sharply, eyes shooting open. "No. There is no one else. No one safe."

"There has to be," Tim argues. "There always is. I promise Batman and I can find them."

"No," Cass agrees, gently pulling Dami towards her again, turning him around and hugging him. He relaxes immediately. "There's nowhere we'll be safe. We have to keep going. Keep running."

"We can stop him," Tim says emphatically. "I promise."

"No you can't," Cass says sadly. "No one can. He is… he doesn't ever stop."

"Relentless," Dami offers, looking up at Cass.

"Thank you," she says. "He is relentless."

"I bet I'm more relentless. I could protect you. I wouldn't let him get you two again," Tim says.

He feels like they've been going in circles during this whole confrontation. He just knows he's supposed to help them. It's not even about being Robin, a hero, that makes him want to help them so bad. It's something else, something deeper. He can't even explain it. He's sure they need him, and what's more, he thinks he's going to need them.

They don't look like they believe him. Or more probably, they believe he believes what he's saying, not that he'll actually be able to follow through.

"Listen, have you ever heard of the Batcave?"

"Robin, what are they doing here?" Bruce growls at him.

Tim smiles. "I found out who's after them. Their father. David Cain," Tim says instead of answering Bruce's question. "I figured that warranted the Batcave."

Bruce looks at the two carefully. Cass glares back at him defiantly. She's holding Dami's hand tightly. Both look ready to bolt.

"They stay down here. No name. Get Oracle on the case. Find out more."

Tim salutes lazily. "Yes, sir."

Bruce turns around sharply, cape whipping behind him, and heads… somewhere. Probably to do more work. Whatever. Tim's got other things to do. Including finding out more about why they're so scared of their father. Granted, David Cain is a renowned assassin, so that's probably part of the reason. Also, abuse signs from earlier. At best, he abused them. At worst, he was training them.

"Follow me. I'll get you some better clothes," he says, gesturing. "What you're wearing doesn't look very warm, and lord knows this cave isn't warm either."

They share a look before following him into what Tim's named the 'disguise room'. Called that because of how many things they have for disguise. Tim would go so far as to say it's more stocked than Bruce's actual wardrobe.

Tim browses the clothes for a few moments before pulling out a huge t-shirt and sweater. He grabs fuzzy sweatpants and sock too, tossing the pile to Cass. She has her hands out to catch them before he tossed them, he notices, filing it away for future reference.

"You can change in there," he offers, pointing towards a small dressing area behind a curtain.

He looks for something for Dami next but has much less luck. At least Cass is about his height (which isn't saying something. Tim is short), but finding anything to fit Dami is going to be a challenge. He's tiny. Finally, Tim finds a small pair of grey sweatpants and a neon green sweater. Dick's from his first year as Robin, probably. They're still too big, but they should work.

"Once Cass is done you can change back there," Tim says, handing the clothes to Dami.

Dami nods and looks back at the curtain.

"Cass is your big sister, huh," Tim says. "She seems like a pretty cool big sister. You're lucky to have her."

"She's the best," Dami agrees. "She's always trying to protect me even when I don't need protecting though."

Tim laughs. "I know the feeling, Dami."

They wait in silence another minute before Cass emerges. The sweater she's wearing practically drowns her, but she looks warm. Dami quickly slides around her and behind the curtain.

"Better?" Tim asks, grinning.

"Yes," she agrees. "Warmer. Thank you, Robin."

"You're welcome, Cass. Always happy to help," he says. "Now, what can you tell me about David Cain?"

Cass looks at him, not in the eyes, but she looks at his whole body for a few moments before relaxing fully. "You do not want to talk around Dami, just in case."

"He's only a kid."

"Yes, he is. Thank you. He knows everything, but I do not like making him… remember it again. Think about it."

Tim remains silent. It's not the type of thank you that needs an answer.

"He is my… our father. He never talked to me. Only fought. Shot me. Two if I flinched. Dami came when he was little, but not as little as I'd been when he got me," she says. "I was a baby when he started training me. Dami was bigger. I think Dami's mother didn't want him training as a baby."

Tim feels sick to his stomach. Cass is only a year or two older than him. Dami is probably only six. He knows David Cain is bad, he never thought David Cain is a monster.

"Dami is very smart. He says it was to make me the best. I wouldn't have to talk. I would know what people were thinking or going to do. So would Dami. I couldn't let that happen to Dami. We stayed a little, then ran. We've been running for a long time now." Cass sighs. "I think I'm too tired to run anymore. I just want Dami safe."

"I know," Tim says. "We'll keep him safe, both of you safe. I promise. We'll even get David Cain to leave you alone for good. Both of you."

"That's good. Is there a place to sleep?"

"Yeah, I'll show you," Tim says. Dami's just emerged from behind the curtain, looking adorable in the outfit he's wearing. The fact that it's slightly too big just makes it more adorable. Tim has to try hard not to coo. He thinks both Cass and Dami somehow know what he's thinking anyway because Cass covers a smile with her hand and Dami scowls at him. "They won't be warm since it's just some beds in the med wing of the cave, but I can get you some blankets."

"We'll share a bed," Dami says. "So I can protect her in case he finds us. We won't need any extra blankets either."

Now Tim really wants to coo. That is just too cute for words. Again, they seem to know what he's thinking. His body language must give it away. Tim can't help but be a little impressed David Cain managed to teach them to read body language so well, even though the methods were horrible and abusive.

"Okay then," Tim says. Well then, here's the medical wing. Feel free to sleep. It's pretty late. I'll probably have to ask you guys more questions in the morning though, so I am sorry about that."

"It is okay," Cass says. "It will help keep us safe."

Dami looks at Tim with eyes much more serious and dark than a childs' should ever have the right to be. It's sad. Something about the way Dami looks at Tim is familiar too. But he can't put his finger on it for the life of him.

Oh well. It'll just be another mystery for tomorrow.

"Tim, are they settled?"

"Yuppers, B," Tim says. "I questioned the older one, Cass, just so you know, a bit though. Apparently, David Cain was training her to be able to read body language like a language, though she didn't tell me in so many words. He didn't talk to her ever."

Bruce makes a noise that's somewhere between a grunt and a groan. Obviously, it means he can't believe someone could do that to their own children.

"Also Dami has a different mother, either that or Cass doesn't know who her mother is, which would make it possible they share the same one. Dami didn't start that same training until he was a toddler at least, I suspect older though. She ran away to protect him. Both of them read body language amazingly well though, so I think they stayed with him for at least a year before escaping. I think Dami was also fluent in English and at least one other language that I haven't identified. He seems to be the one to have taught her to speak English and another language they used to communicate with each other at first."

"Anything else?" Bruce asks (ie: growls). "Ages? Full names?"

"No," Tim says. "They seemed tired. I'm letting them sleep. I think Cass is fourteen or fifteen though. Dami is probably about six."

Bruce nods. "I make note of that. You'll question them in the morning."

"Of course," Tim agrees. It has less to do with Bruce not wanting to and more to do with the fact that Tim is better with kids and teens, being a teen himself. Tim also thinks it makes Bruce uncomfortable, just teens in general. They remind him too much of Jason.

"Go to bed, Tim," Bruce says. "You can stay in a guest room if you want tonight since your parents are gone."

"Um, I don't have any spare clothes. I think I'll just head home. It's not like it's that far. Thanks for the offer though, B."

"Get home safe."

Tim nods, waves once, and throws a jacket over his Robin uniform. He'll change out of it at home. Then it'll be right back to the Batcave in the morning to talk to Cass and Dami again.

When Tim arrives back in the morning, Cass and Dami are both awake and in the middle of the Batcave eating breakfast. Alfred must have sent it down to them via Bruce, either that or he put a mask on. Bruce isn't in sight, but Tim's sure he's lurking somewhere.

"Hey," Tim says. He's not wearing his uniform since he's not going out until tonight. He's just dressed in jeans and a hoodie with the addition of sunglasses. He probably looks way less intimidating to them without the 25lb body armor.

"Hello," Cass says, looking at him. Dami turns away from Cass and nods at him before looking at Cass again with adoration.

"So, B and I are working on everything. We'll keep you guys safe. I just wanted to ask a few questions, if that's okay?"

"It is okay," Cass tells him, smiling slightly.

"Great. Well, how old are you guys? Do you know?" he asks.

"Fifteen," Cass says. "Dami is seven, right Dami?"

"Yes," Dami says. "December was my birthday. Cass' is in January."

"We always had 'gifts' from him, on birthday's," Cass says without much emotion like it's a fact and not something terrible that happened to them. "Missions, special training. Things like that. Staking out his targets so we could kill them when we were older."

"Okay," Tim says. "And are your full names Dami and Cass? Or something else?" Tim asks because he can't make himself think about their childhood further. It's just… awful. Tim knows his childhood has kinda sucked so far, but at least his parents didn't train him to kill people.

"Cassandra and Damian. I like Cass better. He likes Dami."

"No, I don't," Dami snaps, shoving her slightly and scowling. "I prefer Damian."

"Only I get to call him Dami," Cass says, whispering loudly like it's some sort of secret. Damian scowls more at her.

"Do you guys want anything while Batman and I track him down?" Tim asks, smiling slightly at their antics.

Damian leans into Cass' side.

"A cat. Dami wants a cat."

"Um, I'll see what I can do?" Tim offers because there is no way Bruce will let Tim bring them a cat.

"Thank you," Cass says. "For helping us."

Damian and Cass stay in the Batcave for two weeks. In that time he and Bruce have no luck tracking down David Cain. It means it's probably safe for them to be out and about occasionally, but not often. And they need to go back to the Batcave after.

Somehow - Tim's not sure how - Cass manages to get a cat for Damian, who promptly names it Cassandra Robin. Tim's flattered, he is. He's pretty sure Bruce finds it adorable. He's also fairly sure Bruce plans on adopting them; Tim's seen the papers. Now Bruce just needs to tell them.

Bruce approaches them when Tim's busy with homework. He's in the cave because Cass is a cool person and Damian makes Tim wish he had a little brother. Or a family that cared, really. Either would be nice. Anyway, he's in the cave with them, but not really interacting. They're playing with Cassandra Robin. (Damian insists they call her by her full name at all times.)

Vaguely, Tim hears Bruce start talking to them. He hears Bruce mention that he's telling them his name and automatically starts paying full attention to the conversation but staying quiet and out of it. Then it happens. Bruce Wayne, he says. He adds that Robin will share his identity if he wishes. Then he asks them the big question he's been working up to.

"Would you like to stay with me? For good."

Tim looks up now and watches Cass and Damian, who seem to be having a whole conversation with body language. Tim definitely isn't anywhere near as good at reading body language as Cass and Damian are, but he likes to think he's okay. Better than Bruce, at least.

"Will we be safe?" Cass finally asks.

"I will always do my best to keep you safe," Bruce promises. "Both of you. Even if he tries to get you, I'll stop him. Robin and I will keep looking for him too."

"May I keep Cassandra Robin?" Damian asks, sounding young and confused. It's probably the most age-appropriate response Tim's ever seen him have.

"Of course," Bruce says. "You may."

"Okay," Cass says. "Okay. We will stay with you. Thank you, Mr. Wayne."

"You can call me Bruce," Bruce says.

"Thank you, Bruce," Cass repeats. "Thank you."

"Why don't we head upstairs to my house. I'll let you choose rooms for yourselves," Bruce says. They start to follow Bruce, but at the last minute, Damian turns back.

"Are you coming, Robin?"

Tim looks up, surprised to see the three of them waiting for him expectantly.

"Yeah, yeah I am. And my name is Tim, Timothy Drake, but I prefer Tim," he says, hopping up and running to join them.

The media is in a frenzy once they get wind of adoption rumors. Tim doesn't know how many tabloid stories he reads in the next few days, but it's a lot. There's a lot of mention of Jason and what happened to him. Speculation that being adopted by Bruce Wayne will put these new children in harm's way, paint targets on their backs and they'll meet the same fate as Jason.

Tim visits every day after school still. Damian refuses to call him anything other than Timothy, though Tim suspects it has less to do with being rude and more to do with the fact that Damian is just an incredibly strange child, even for being raised by an assassin.

Dick comes back exactly one week after the first tabloid article appears. He storms into the Batcave, probably expecting to have Bruce telling him it's a lie or possibly Tim. Instead, he sees two new kids, a teen girl and a little boy playing with a kitten and Tim.

"Hey, Dick," Tim says sheepishly, sitting up and rubbing the back of his neck. "How are you?"

"So it's true?" Dick asks, ignoring Tim's question. "When did this happen?"

"Like a week ago," Tim says placatingly. He doesn't want Cass and Damian's first experience with who's going to be their older brother to be yelling.

"He didn't want you to be sad or think he was replacing you or Jason," Cass says calmly. "He loves you too much to hurt you."

Dick freezes and the anger seems to deflate as suddenly as it appeared.

"I guess I should know your names if I'm going to be your big brother," Dick says. "And the cat's name. How'd you convince Bruce to let you get one anyway?"

"I'm Cass. That's Dami."

"-an," Damian says sharply. "Damian. My cat's name is Cassandra Robin. She will be referred to as such. No silly nicknames."

"Well, I'm Dick Grayson. Bruce's first… acquisition. Tim is the third."

"Why doesn't Tim live here then?" Cass asks, turning to him. Tim folds in on himself. "Oh. I understand. Nevermind."

"So, how did Bruce find you two?"

"They were in a warehouse we were busting," Tim says. "Hiding from their father."

"David Cain," Cass says. "Tim promised to help us. He is trying to find David Cain."

"We haven't found him yet, but we won't let him get them again," Tim finishes. Damian nods in agreement and drags Cassandra Robin into his lap. She seems content to be pet repeatedly. Spoiled thing. "I'm still not sure how Cass managed to get Bruce to let them keep Cassandra Robin though."

"A mystery for the ages, huh?" Dick asks, smiling.

And Tim knows now that they'll be okay.

Two months after Cass and Damian are officially adopted David Cain appears in Gotham. He's technically on a job to assassinate a powerful politician, but it's obvious he only took it as an excuse to try and get Cass and Damian back.

Cass sneaks out. She takes spare parts of Tim's extra Robin uniform and a cowl from Bruce's uniform. Tim only notice her when David Cain is about to kill him and she pushes Tim out of the way.

"No."

David Cain laughs. "What are you doing, telling me no? You know I'm not just going to stop, darling daughter. If you come, I won't hurt Damian."

"Yes, you will," Cass whispers tremulously, staring at a point behind David Cain. In the end, it's an anti-climactic death. A cop shooting him while he's distracted.

Tim knows he should try to stop the bleeding, try to keep him alive, but he can't bring himself to, or at least not more than a token effort. Cass is already gone. Tim can hear her talking to Bruce through the comms.

"Why did you do that to them?" Tim asks because this is the only time he might get an answer. "To your kids?"

David Cain laughs wetly and smiles. His teeth are red.

"My kids? What a joke. Only Cassandra is my kid. Damian is, well, Maybe you'll find out someday."

And then he dies.

Tim can't get those last words out of his mind. Cass and Bruce are yelling at each other on the drive home. Tim sits in the back and thinks. If only Cass was David Cain's child, who's son is Damian? Was he just a kid who was kidnapped? Is that why (according to Cass) he'd been able to speak and taught her to talk after they escaped? That's almost more horrifying that him being David Cain's son.

And what's more, does Damian know? Who his real family is? If they gave him up or if he was kidnapped? Should Tim mention anything?

He doesn't think he should.

So he doesn't.

Cass wins the fight and ends up being the new Batgirl. Tim is inordinately proud of her. Damian begs to go out too. Tim promises him that he can be Robin when he's older.

Later that day Tim gets the news about his parents.

He moves in with Bruce.

Jason appears. Alive.

As soon as Damian finds out he hides in his room for a few days. Only Cass and Cassandra Robin are allowed in.

Jason tries to kill Tim.

Cass stops him, and like always, she knows just what to say to make Jason happier.

Somehow Jason comes back to the Batcave with them.

Jason is alive again, well, legally now, when Tim's dad wakes up.

Tim moves out and into a condo.

His dad remarries.

Tim likes Dana. He doesn't think she knows what to think of him. Tim, who's too smart and too short and too strange. Tim who has a girlfriend but always spends time with Cass and has her over just as much as Stephanie. Tim who hates sports but somehow still works out every morning in the garage and then by going for a run.

At first, Dana joins him for those. She stops after not being able to keep up with him. Later, she suggests he try out for track. Tim explains he doesn't really like sports.

Then his dad and Dana find out he's Robin.

And it's the end of an age.

Tim gives Damian Robin. Damian is only ten, but he's ready.

He doesn't like being a civilian, but he lives with it. He still keeps up the same work out routine. When his dad confronts him, Tim tells him it's not because he's still Robin. He tells him that it helps to relax him. It's not a lie, but it's not the whole truth.

Then his dad dies while Dana's pregnant and she breaks down. Tim goes back to the Manor. Bruce adopts him. Tim hyphenates his name. He becomes Red Robin because he needs to. Everyone starts to die. Bruce dies. But at least… at least Tim has his family. Dick takes over as Batman because Batman can't just disappear.

Before Tim leaves to find Bruce - because he can't be dead - he finds Damian breaking down in his room.

"He was my father," Damian says quietly. The tears are still falling, but silently now. "My real father. I never told him. My mother is Talia al Ghul. She wanted me trained by the best and gave me to David Cain when I was four. Cass saved me and we ran until we met him."

"It's okay, Damian," Tim says. "I promise I'll find Bruce."

"He's dead though," Damian says. "But if anyone can do the impossible and bring him back, it's you."

"Thanks, Dami."

"-an. It's Damian," Damian replies automatically.

Tim cracks a smile.

"Thanks, Damian."

Quick note about ages. At the beginning of the story, Tim is thirteen, Cass is fifteen, and Damian is seven. When Jason comes back to life Tim is fourteen, Cass is sixteen, and Damian is eight. Tim goes to live with his dad about two months later. He lives with his dad and Dana for about a year. Tim is fifteen when he is adopted by Bruce. He's sixteen when everyone dies, pretty much, and he goes looking for Bruce. Cass is eighteen. Damian is ten.

Anywho, hope you all enjoyed my random story. :)