A Little Birdy Told Me (Bat Family)

Birds of A Feather

Bruce

I sat at the table with my family, eating the breakfast Alfred made. We were still all in our pajamas. It was a late breakfast as most of us were up late on patrol last night. Jason was two seconds away from falling asleep and drowning in his cheerios. Damian was bright eyed and bushy tailed as he meticulously ate his crepes and drank his orange juice. Timothy was quietly eating his eggs Benedict. And Dick was scarfing down his waffles. The girls chatted quietly though Stephanie was still in her room, fast asleep. I sat with bacon, eggs, and French toast on the plate in front of me.

"You'd think those were the last waffles on earth the way he's eating them." Barbara giggled to Cassandra. Cassie grinned and nodded.

"Hey I'm a growing boy!" Dick said with his mouthful.

"You're twenty-five, I don't think you have anymore growing to do, unless it's for that already big head of yours."

"My head is the adequate size for my body!" he argued.

"Actually I think it's kind of small..." Jason said, half asleep.

"Thank you?" Dick raised an eyebrow.

"I don't believe she was talking about the head on your shoulders, Grayson." Damian smirked. The whole table quieted, and as soon as Barbara blushed everyone bursted with laughter. That was a new one, Damian was never one for innuendos. I ruffled my blood son's hair.

Our glee was interrupted when the telephone in the living room rang. Who could be calling at.... 11:30? Oh, well that could be anyone.

"Alfred?"

"On it, sir." he left the kitchen and the ringing stopped. We all leaned in to listen.

"Wayne Manor, may I help you?" Muffled, we barely heard Alfred speak. Then it was silent for the longest time. "Hello? May I ask who is call-?" It was silent again and Alfred walked back to the kitchen.

"Who was that, Pennyworth?" Damian pried.

"I'm afraid they never gave any identification. They didn't say anything at all."

My eyes narrowed. "Do you know where they were calling from?"

Alfred nodded. "Yes sir, I took the liberty to trace the call, it was coming from a payphone in Brooklyn."

"Brooklyn? Who do we know there?" Barbara inquired.

I thought for awhile, it could be numerous people, I'd investigate later, but for now, family time. "Probably just a wrong number." I dismissed it, and they shrugged it off. Just then, Stephanie appeared, looking as if she was just raised from the dead.

"Nice of you to join us, Steph." Tim smiled genuinely.

"Shh." She shushed the nineteen year old and he frowned. "Alfred, can I have some coffee, please?" Without a word, Alfred fixed her coffee and set it in front of her as she took her seat next to Damian and Barbara. She sipped it and the life seemed to return to her face. "Sorry bout that, Tim, you know I'm not me without my coffee." The blonde smiled at him.

At that exact moment Jason's face made total contact with his bowl of cereal. He snorted and jolted up, his face dripping with milk and covered with whole-grain O's. His eyes were wide and he licked his lips. There were snorts and giggles all around the table, I even found myself chuckling.

I lived for days like this, I knew the rest of my family felt the same. We would try to do things like this twice a month but things kept getting in the way. This will be our first family day in five months. It was usually just me, Damian, Titus, and Alfred, -sometimes the occasional Tim- hanging out here at the Manor. Dick stayed in Blüdhaven or even sometimes Chicago. Jason and Steph did their own thing here in Gotham. Cassie either stayed with Barbara or in Hong Kong. It was virtually impossible to get us all together at one time, but we managed. And when we do get together we do our best to hide grudges or animosity towards one another, usually Barbara and Tim toward Damian or Jason towards all of us.