Diabolical | T. Drake ✔

[42] Demon Spawn

Tim managed to convince Stephanie to take their family in confidence about what had happened. Barbara and Cass already knew so they handled the situation much better than Steph could have thought of herself.

As a result, the whole family supported her and encouraged her to take the decision that would be best for her. Steph knew she wasn't capable enough to look after a child just yet and there was a lot going on in her vigilante life as well so she did not want to be unfair to the young soul.

She chose to abort the baby although it was quite a difficult decision but the rest of her family stood by her through that trialing time.

Days passed into weeks and weeks into months and life for them all returned on track.

Tim had not applied for university earlier as he wanted Steph to get better and then they would apply together although their majors were different. In the meantime, he went to Wayne Labs regularly and as Jonathan Crane had joined the team, he helped him out in adjusting as well.

Things were starting to brighten up at last but of course, nothing in their lives could remain stable for long.

And just like Tim suspected, an unexpected twist came to their lives in the form of a menacing thirteen-year-old who claimed to be Bruce's son.

Apparently, Bruce had had a brief relationship with Talia Al Ghul, daughter of the Demon Head of the League of Assassins. And that relationship resulted in Damian's existence however, Bruce was kept unaware of that fact.

Now thirteen years later as the League had been put in turmoil, Talia showed up in Gotham and introduced Bruce to his biological son, asking him to take care of him until she dealt with the League's enemies.

The rest of the family wasn't aware initially so Richard had been very shocked to find the assassin kid on the loose in Central Gotham going after Ubu, Deathstroke's henchman. He had been out on patrol when he found that little menace and had to subdue him until Batman showed up.

Therefore, a short time later, the cave was a sight of chaos as Bruce had to introduce his son to the rest of the vigilantes and Tim who just happened to be in the cave 24/7.

"I can't believe this," Richard was mumbling to Alfred who was patching up the cuts that he had received due to the fight with Damian, "after all the lectures he gave us on using protection..."

Tim smirked, coming to sit beside him, "oh really? When did that happen?"

"Shut up."

"Gladly," he chuckled, taking out an ointment from his pocket, "you might wanna try this instead, no stitches needed then."

"Is it tried and tested?" Richard asked, watching Alfred examine the small jar Tim had given him.

"Yup. Certified by yours truly," Tim remarked breezily, "and don't worry, Isaac tested it too. It's fully safe to use."

Isaac was the head researcher and scientist at Wayne Labs so if he had tested the ointment, that definitely meant it was safe for use.

As Alfred was patching Richard up, Tim's eyes flickered back to the thirteen-year-old boy arguing with Bruce to let him go after the people threatening his mother. He looked back at the cuts Richard had sustained then asked, "you sure this thing is Bruce's child?"

"He says so," the elder brother replied, "and he does look a lot like a mini version of Bruce."

"I wonder if Bruce was just as bratty when he was a kid," Tim resumed, "hey Alfred, you would know how Bruce was as a kid."

"Master Bruce was a perfectly amiable child," Alfred replied, "although he has been through a rebellious phase in his teenage years, not very unlike Master Damian."

"Oooooh, what did he do?"

But he couldn't get the answer to that as Bruce came toward the two, steering a rather furious Damian.

Tim looked at the boy closely in curiosity but maintained a safe distance as he did not want to get cut up by that sharp katana. 

"Damian, this is Tim and you've already met Richard. I hope you will not cause any more trouble and adjust with your brothers in due time."

"I don't have any brothers," he snapped, turning his head away intentionally, "certainly not these irritable nuisances."

Richard ignored him but Tim seemed quite enthusiastic to answer, "yeah no issue there. We don't want to have a demon for our brother either."

"Tim," Bruce rebuked him slightly and kept his hold tight on Damian so that he wouldn't lash out, "I don't want you two to get into an argument."

"Father, he called me a demon!" Damian's emerald eyes flashed before landing on Tim in a haughty sneer.

"In my defense, he is acting like one," he shrugged nonchalantly, unfazed by the cold glare the boy was sending his way.

"Tim, please," Richard too had to join in before things got worse, "let him be. You know better than to get involved in petty fights."

"I know but that doesn't mean I will tolerate him being rude to me. And we were here first, biological son or not, he has to respect that fact. It's not our fault that his mother dumped him with us on such short notice."

Damian fired up at that remark and lunged at Tim despite Bruce trying to hold him back. Tim seemed quite ready for the attack but he didn't move an inch, letting the demon child try to strangle him.

"Damian, let him go," Bruce tried to intervene but to no avail.

"How dare you talk to me like that, you imbecile!" Damian seemed quite enraged and in no mood to back off but surprisingly Tim had a very amused look in his eyes at his reaction. "Don't you dare mention my mother, you hear me! Or I swear I will..."

But his voice trailed off, feeling a heaviness start to take over him.

"Sweet dreams, little demon," Tim smiled as innocently as possible, and shortly after Damian slumped back, unable to comprehend what had just happened.

He had felt a stab in his arm and looked to see a needle sticking into it. But before he could brush it off and charge at Tim in anger, his eyelids started to get heavy. It seemed as if whatever he had been injected with was rendering him helpless.

Bruce too looked in shock as Tim took out the syringe that was now empty and flicked it away into the dustbin. "Timothy, what did you just inject him with?"

"Ah nothing, just a relaxant. He needs to chill." Tim remarked breezily as he left the chair he was perched on, "I'll see you guys in the morning. Good night everyone."

Bruce and Richard exchanged a worried glance then looked back at Damian who seemed to have drifted off into a deep sleep. It was obvious that the kid would wreak a lot of havoc the second he woke up and Tim would be his first target to get revenge from.

There wasn't much they could do at the moment so Bruce sighed wearily and lifted the sleeping boy up, taking him to the room Alfred had set for him.

However, it was quite obvious that breakfast was going to be hell for them all.

***