Demigod in Gotham

15) BatBoys BatBoys, Whatcha gonna do?

-Dick POV-

It had been two weeks since they had seen Nico. Jason had told them that he said he was leaving, so they didn't really panic after he was gone a week. It was understandable that he would need some time to process. After all, it's not everyday that a random person finds you in an Italian Market, introduces you to their brothers, you fall from a tree, meet their father, spend the night, and then get asked to join the family. It was understandable that he needed a week to himself. However, after a week, they got worried. They had been keeping an eye on his apartment but he hadn't returned and other than 'with his cousins,' they had no idea where go look. Bruce started having his tech scan every camera he had access to, looking for the kid.

The boys didn't know how to feel because on the one hand, they had only really known him for a day as far as he knew. Nico didn't know that he had saved two of their lives. And yet they felt like they clicked. Something about having Nico there, it made them feel like they fit together better. That day that Nico had joined in on their Be Normal Day, they actually felt normal. It felt like the final piece was in place.

Jason had set up shop in his safe house across from Crime Alley for the time being so they could keep an eye on him and on the second Saturday that Nico missed, the brothers had all gathered there after patrol. They hoped that maybe he would come back that night or at least they'd hear from him. None of them thought to get his number and there was no record of him in any phone company's data. They had already tried to reach out to the landlord but the number listed was just an answering machine for some strawberry farm in Long Island.

As the boys sat on the sofa and chairs in the safe house, none of them knew what to say. They kept glancing out the window facing his apartment, praying to see a light.

"I almost wish he would press the distress button we gave him, at least then we would know where he was." Tim said as he slumped back in his chair.

The all nodded, though Dick knew it wasn't fully true. Right now it was like scheodinger's cat; Nico could be perfectly fine or in trouble, but if he pressed that button, then they knew it was bad. It was torture not to know, but none of them wanted to face the fact that something could have happened to him.

"Are you sure Father's cameras have not picked up anything?" Damian crossed his arms, turning away from the window. "He said he would either be in California, New York, or Texas. Those three states should have millions of cameras."

Dick shrugged. "He managed to stay mostly off the radar for 4 years after leaving his boarding school, according to the files Tim found. I don't think he'd be spotted unless he wanted to be."

Jason stood up and began pacing. Dick knew he was taking it the hardest. Jason had bonded with the boy as himself before even knowing who he was. He had seen himself in Nico and the fact that he just disappeared without a word to any of them was disappointing, to say the least. "How does he not have any other relatives on his file? We know he has at least one cousin and a half sister, shouldn't they be on it?"

"All the relatives he mentioned seem to be on his father's side and his Father's file might as well have been blank with how little it told us." Tim ran his hands over his face. "Even the police report from his death was useless. What detective writes 'his body was discover by one of his children. Autopsy confirmed it was suicide.' and then calls it a day?"

"A useless one" Damian muttered.

"And are you sure there wasn't an obituary for him? Even in the newspaper?" Dick asked, already knowing the answer having helped Tim when he searched, but still needing to hear it again.

"None. It's like he didn't exist." Tim said defeatedly. "I'm not sure I even believe that 'Haden' did exist anymore. All of the records seemed half baked, like he was merely an idea of a person rather than a real one."

"Plus add in all the weird lineage stuff that Nico said about Ancient Greece. He's more of a myth than a man," Jason said in an exasperated tone.

Dick saw Tim's 'I'm on to something' look cross his face and was about to ask when Damian shot to his feet and ran to the window. "The lights are on."

Immediately there was a mad rush to the window, Jason completely shoving the youngest to the side to look. Usually that would have caused a fight but Damian just righted himself and squeezed back in to look with his brothers.

There was no denying that the lights were on, but the question was if it was Nico who turned them on. They all stared, holding their breath, until a familiar small form walked past one of the windows. They began debating what to do as Damian called Bruce to tell him.

"I want you all to stay there and trade off keeping watch. In the morning you can go over and just pretend that you've been checking in every few days." Bruce's voice was clear over the speaker phone and they all sounded their begrudging agreement before hanging up. They all knew that if they showed up minutes after he got back at 3 in the morning, it would probably creep him out and only make him want to run away again.

They divided up watching shifts so the others could sleep, but they all knew that none of them were getting much rest that night. Nico was back on the grid and nothing else seemed to matter.

A/N: this one is still pretty short, but its longer than the last one so that's something. If you like Percy, then you'll love next chapter. Personally I'm loathing it because I remember how much dialogue there was and I know its gonna be a pain to edit.

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