Chapter 20 Pets

Lindsey was patiently waiting in the kitchen for Damian to clean himself up and come downstairs to eat something. Alfred was putting something together for Damian.

"I'm glad you two are back together," Alfred said. "I was afraid what would happen to him if you two stayed apart."

"What did you think was going to happen?" Lindsey asked.

"The worst, he would turn back into the boy he was when he arrived," Alfred said. "Or that he would end his own life."

"You think he would do that?" Lindsey wondered aloud. It was hard for Lindsey to believe that Damian would want to hurt himself that badly. And because of her, of all reasons.

"I didn't know what he was capable of when he was like that," Alfred answered. "He really does love you, Lindsey. That much is obvious."

"Thank you, Alfred," Lindsey whispered, blush rising to her cheeks. "What was Damian like when he was young, when he first got here? His brothers said he was a demon."

"Well, he was a brat back then," Alfred said. "He still is a bit today-"

"I think that's enough Alfred," Damian said walking into the kitchen. "And I wasn't a brat."

"Ah, yes, you were an entitled bastard is what you were," Alfred snapped before placing a plate of food down sharply in front of the chair next to Lindsey. "Here's your lunch, Master Damian. Let me know if either of you need anything else.

And just like that Alfred exited like an elegant badass. Lindsey smiled at how Alfred treated Damian. In the months that Damian and Lindsey have been together she learned one very important thing about Alfred Pennyworth. He didn't take any bullshit from the Waynes, which made him a badass.

Damian sat next to Lindsey before digging into the food in front of him. He ate the food ravenously. But it was to be expected, he hadn't eaten for days. Lindsey sat patiently for him to finish.

As he finished he turned to Lindsey, "As I was showering, there's something I realized."

"What's that? You're not as put together as everyone thinks?" Lindsey asked.

"No, but by now, everyone will realize, you're my only weakness," Damian said, placing a kiss on her cheek.

"Okay, when did you get cheesy," Lindsey said, pushing him away. "What did you realize?"

"There's some more family members you haven't met yet," Damian said with a sly smile.

"There's more?" Lindsey asked. "How many kids has Bruce adopted?"

"You'd be surprised. Do you want to meet them," Damian said with a smirk on his face. Lindsey nodded. Damian took her hand and lead her through the house to the back entrance. They exited the Manor and began walking through the backyard, toward the back of the property.

"Do they live in the servant's quarters?" Lindsey asked realizing they were getting close to the area.

"You'll see," Damian said slyly. Damian then veered to the right going in to opposite direction of the servant's quarters. Lindsey had never been back that way with Damian.

Damian continued guiding Lindsey by the hand until they reached the back of the property. There standing in the corner next to a wooden gated area, was a barn. It was grey in color, but looked like any other barn you'd expect. Damian stopped and let go of Lindsey hand to pull open the large door.

Lindsey looked in and said, "When you brought me back here, I expected the barn to be renovated into an apartment. Not an actual barn."

Damian let out a single chuckle before taking Lindsey's hand again and leading her inside. Damian stopped in front of the only pen with an animal. A single brownish-red and white cow stood there chewing on some hay. It mooed at the two of them and Damian grinned. Lindsey looked at Damian surprised at how he reacted to the cow. An actual smile. Lindsey only got a few of those a day, and only in private.

"Hey Bat-cow," Damian said walking up to the cow and giving it a hug around its neck. "How have you been? Are you being good?"

That's when it dawned on Lindsey. Damian had said before he had a cow. And a dog. And a cat. He said so one of the first times they talked to each other. Lindsey couldn't help but smile at how affectionate Damian was to the cow. He even talked to it like it was a human being.

"Now that I know that you're Robin, the name Bat-cow makes so much more sense," Lindsey laughed.

"The whole story was true," Damian said. "Father and I did rescue her, but I insisted on keeping her as soon as we got her out. She is a member of the family. Hey, Bat-cow, where is Titus."

The cow mooed and got another mouthful of straw.

"Titus?" Damian called out in the barn. "Come on boy!" He whistled only to have a dog jump on him. The dog was thick and full of muscle. It was a black Great Dane and was almost as tall as Damian standing on its hindlegs.

"Shoot!" Lindsey exclaimed jumping back. The dog looked terrifying.

"Titus isn't scary, Lindsey," Damian said as he placed Titus back on the ground. "He's looks scary but he's a big softy. Unless we tell him a command, he's not going to hurt someone."

Lindsey looked at the monstrous dog. If she looked past the height, and muscles, she could see a sweet dog.

"If you kneel down, he'll come straight to you," Damian said.

"Only if you do it with me," Lindsey said still staring at the dog.

"Tt."

Damian walked next to Lindsey, placing an arm around her waist. He gently tugged her to lower herself onto the dirty barn floor. Once they were settled next to each other, Titus walked over and nudged Lindsey's head.

"Don't dogs usually sniff things they're not sure of?" Lindsey asked.

"He sees you with me and has noticed that I'm not hostile to you, so he knows you're okay," Damian explained. "Father was the one who trained him. I just call him my dog because I treat him like he's a normal dog. And he treats me like I'm his master instead of Father."

Titus has gotten onto his back in front of Lindsey and started wiggling around.

"What is he doing?" Lindsey laughed as she watched him.

"He wants you to scratch his stomach," Damian laughed. "It's pretty silly, but it gets the point across."

Lindsey placed both her hands on the dog's stomach, she could feel the muscles on its stomach and she almost retracted her hands. But the dog stopped moving when he felt her touch. Lindsey begun to scratch the stomach of the dog. He seemed to enjoy it.

"He likes you," Damian said. "If Titus likes you, Pennyworth probably won't."

Lindsey looked at Damian confused. Alfred likes her a lot. Then she remembered-

"Right, your cat's name is Pennyworth," Lindsey said. Titus then sat up in front of Lindsey and licked her face. Lindsey giggled at the dog's action. But as soon as he finished his lick of Lindsey's face he walked away.

"Did I do something?" Lindsey asked.

"No, it's something else about Titus," Damian said. "He doesn't like physical touch too much. He can only handle so much of it. And having two people show him a lot of affection is too much for him. He needs to be left alone for now."

"You know so much about him," Lindsey said.

"Whenever I wanted away from Father, I always came back here and spent time with Titus and Bat-cow. Sometimes Pennyworth would find his way back here and keep me company. These are the only friends I needed. Until I met the Teen Titians and Jon."

"You actually know the Teen Titans?" Lindsey asked.

"I was apart of the team for a while," Damian said. "I thought it was common knowledge that I was."

"I don't really follow the Teen Titans closely," Lindsey said. "And especially not back when you were a member."

"That was six-seven years ago," Damian said. "I talk with the occasionally. Just not as often as I should. I call them on birthdays, holidays, and when important stuff happened. Like when you became my girlfriend."

"Aww, you told them about me?" Lindsey cooed.

"Tt. It's not a big deal," Damian said looking away.

"Okay then, who's John?" Lindsey asked.

"Jon is best friend," Damian said. "I know a lot of people don't think I have friends, or a best friend. But he is. His Dad's a hero as well and works close with Father. So when we were younger, they would give us missions together. We became close friends. And whenever I don't spend a weekend with you, it's with Jon."

"Am I going to meet him, soon?" Lindsey asked.

Damian shrugged his shoulders. "He's a year younger than me and has school, but he's like advanced smart. He does a lot extra curriculars and stuff. Plus the whole 'Son of a Superhero' thing. It's a miracle that we can hang out."

"So do you want to tell me everything now, or do you want to wait for another time?" Lindsey asked.

Damian lead Lindsey over to a bench at the back of the barn and sat them down. It was going to be a long conversation, both of them knew, but they were willing to have it now.

Damian started from the beginning, telling Lindsey as much as he could remember. From the time trained with the League of Assassins. To the time he was dropped off in Gotham after the death of his grandfather. To his time with the Teen Titans and fighting a demon, Trigon. To the first time he appeared on TV with Batman. All the way up to him appearing at the Gala last Fall.

"The Commissioner said that before the Gala you weren't really around," Lindsey said. "Why? Did something happen?"

"It was the summer, so I went to live with the Titans for a while. Then I went to live with Dick for a while. And last I went back to Tibet. I wanted to see what happened to where I grew up. It was a bad idea."

"But what about before that? You were seen less and less the upcoming months before you left?" Lindsey asked.

Damian fell silent and looked away from Lindsey. She knew that Damian wouldn't say anything he wasn't comfortable with. If he wanted to keep the reason to himself, then he would. Lindsey knew better than to push. It was what made their relationship so great. They each knew when to push and when to pull back.

"You don't need to tell me," Lindsey whispered. "I was just wondering."

"I wanted to see if being Robin was really what I wanted and just not something that Father, Mother, and Grandfather put into my head to be something I needed to prove myself to them. For a while it seemed that was true. Until I met you," Damian said. "Now I know that there's someone precious to me that I have to protect and not just this damn city or the rest of the world. I love you, Lindsey."

"I love you too, Damian," Lindsey whispered wrapping her arms around him.

Damian put an arm around her waist, tugging her onto his lap. Lindsey let out a soft laugh and she situated herself on his lap staring at Damian. Damian pressed a kiss to her cheek. The two stayed out there until the sun went down. They began to walk inside, but Damian stopped once the house was in view.

"What's wrong?" Lindsey asked.

"All the lights are out," Damian said. "Alfred wouldn't turn them out if he knew I was in the barn."

"Did he leave?"

"Not this late. Stay close to me when we go inside. You never know what might happen, when we go inside."

"Okay. You'll protect me right?"

"Always."

Damian held Lindsey's hand and walked to the house. It was completely dark inside. Damian lead the way to the front of the house to the living room.

"Surprise!"

Damian pushed Lindsey behind him as the lights flipped on and everyone jumped out from their hiding spots. There were all of Damian's adoptive brothers, Alfred, and a lot of people Lindsey didn't recognize.

"What the HELL!" Damian shouted.

"Happy Birthday, Son," Bruce said as he came up to Damian. He wrapped his arms around Damian who stood there stiff as a board.

"It's your birthday?" Lindsey exclaimed.

"You didn't know?" Bruce asked Lindsey.

"No I didn't! Damian!" She looked to Damian in shock.

"Who all is here?" Damian asked looking past his Father to the others in the living room.

"All the people who wanted to celebrate your birthday," Bruce shrugged. "Especially since Lindsey broke up with you. Which I guess is no longer the case. Damian why don't you introduce Lindsey to your friends."

"Who?" Damian asked before someone shouted.

"BRO!"