Baby Hood

Chapter 13

When Bruce woke up he thought was going to have a panic attack. The bed around him was empty, none of his sons anywhere in sight.

He tore back the covers, running out of the room and down the stairs, calling out the entire time. "Boys! Boys, where are you?"

"In here, father!"

Bruce calmed his racing heart and breathing before entering the living room to see his four sons snuggled on the floor in a pillow and blanket fort, Jason wearing a blanket like a cape.

When he saw his father, his eyes lit up and he scrambled out of his brothers' limbs, racing towards Bruce. "Daddy! We are playing Justice League! I'm Batman, like you!" He giggled, warming Bruce to his core. "Come play, Alfred is going to join us 'in a bit' as he said."

Bruce smiled, allowing himself to be tugged into the fort. "If you're Batman, then who am I going to be?"

Jason squished his tongue out as he thought. "Hmm, you can be Superman!"

Bruce chuckled, accepting the blanket-cape his son handed him, tying it around his neck. The family played Justice League for a bit until Bruce's phone rang, bringing him out of the happy little world he created when he saw it was the real Superman calling.

"Clark, what is it?" Bruce admits, he could've answered in a kinder tone. But Superman interrupted his play time.

"Did you forget that the Joker is still at large?" Bruce cursed. "I'll take that as a yes. Bruce, if you want I can handle-"

"No, no, it's okay. I'll do it." Bruce sighed, running a hand through his hair. "Do you mind watching the boys while I do so, though? I don't want another Talia incident."

Damian flinched at the mention of his mother, pulling Jason closer to him.

"Of course. I'll be over soon." Clark hung up and Bruce went back to playing with his sons, Jason oblivious to the stress his family was under. It didn't take Superman long to arrive, so he let himself into the manor and found the family. "Bruce, its me."

"We're in here!" 

Superman chuckled when he saw what the boys had down to the living room, bending down to see inside the blanket fort. "What's going on in here?"

"We're playing Justice League!" Jason called out, grabbing Clark's hand and pulling him inside the fort. "You can be Miss Wonder Woman!"

Clark chuckled, accepting the pillow  for a shield. He nodded for Bruce to leave, signaling that he had everything under control here. Bruce still hesitated, so Dick stood up and drgged him from the room. 

"Look, the faster you catch the Joker the faster you can return home to us, got it?" Bruce nodded. "Good, now go catch that psychopathic clown."

Bruce left for the Batcave, leaving his family to continue to play Justice League while he hunted down the Joker. Dick returned to the group, diving right back into the game.

Jason, being five and easily distractible, decided he was done playing Justice League and was now hungry. "Can we bake some cookies? Please, Superman, please!"

Superman looked to the other three boys who all were getting a bit hungry. "Its a little early for cookies, can we bake pancakes instead?"

Jason looked appalled. "No! I want cookies!" Jason stomped his foot, much more comfortable with the family now to be able to show his emotions. "Not pancakes!"

Tim sighed, getting down on his knees so he was eye level with Jason. "Jay, we can bake cookies later. Right now it is morning and we can't have cookies in the morning. We need breakfast."

Jason got red in the face as he began to hold his breath. His brothers panicked, not sure what to do. Superman calmly walked over and breathed in his face.

That didn't work.

"Quick, get him to the sink, he is turning purple!" Clark grabbed Jason and flew him to the sink, holding his head under the faucet as he turned on the cold water. Jason let out a shocked gasp as he began to breath again, spluttering as the cold water hit his face. He started sobbing. Superman held him close, shushing him gently as he rocked him. "Jason, what is really going on? Is this actually about the cookies?"

"N-no. I'm scared. I had a really bad dream last night about a woman who said she was my mommy." The brothers winced, instinctively coming closer to Jason. "She made me do bad things to Timmy and Dickie and daddy. It felt so real."

Dick looked at his brothers, unsure of whether or not to tell Jason it was real. He decided not to, taking Jason from Superman's arms. "Oh Jay, you could never hurt us."

"B-but what if I could? This lady...she said I had abilities to be like daddy and Dami and Timmy and you. What if I did hurt you?" Jason sniffled. "On accident."

Dick looked to Damian, knowing he had the best luck with Jason. Damian crouched next to Jason, smoothing his hair back from his face. "Jay, you could never hurt us. Want to know why?" Jason nodded tearfully. "We are super heroes. And the heroes never hurt each other."

Jason sniffled again, wiping his nose with the back of his hand. "Really?"

"Really really. Now come here and let's bake those cookies."

"But Timmy-"

"Forget what Timmy said, father isn't here. Besides, I bet I can make the best chocolate chip cookies, better than you."

Jason giggled, taking Damian's hand and walking to the kitchen. "Nuh-uh. Mine will be better."

As the two youngest made their way to the kitchen, Tim and Dick exchanged a look with each other and Superman, unsure of what to do about Jason's increasing anxiety over what he did to them.

As they were making their way towards the kitchen, the doorbell rang.

"I'll get it." Dick trotted off to go answer the door. When he got there, he opened it and was surprised to see Doctor Fate standing there with Klarion the Witch Boy, his arms restrained and his mouth covered.

"I heard you have a problem we could fix."