Actually, Dick felt there wasn't much to discuss. After all, Tim was already an adult preparing to apply for university, and having a relationship while young wasn't necessarily a bad thing. As for Baia, the family wasn't entirely sure of her exact age, given the unknowns about her birth and upbringing, but she was growing up rapidly. He didn't even believe there was anything between them, despite the subtle atmosphere during Tim's visit to Dr. Langstrom with their little swallow that night.
Of course, this was before he heard the recording of "for richer or poorer" and saw the video of Baia kissing Tim.
Baia sat across from Dick, fully focused on eating the white chocolate cranberry cookies Alfred had made, her mouth speckled with crumbs. The cookies were rich with a hint of tartness and were only this crisp within a few hours of coming out of the oven.
Bruce had given Dick a couple of instructions before leaving for the office.
Baia felt a bit uneasy, her big brother was smiling calmly, but she tucked her slender legs under herself on the couch, her long eyelashes drooping as she tried to shape the cookie into a batarang. She had no idea what they needed to discuss about Tim.
She had completely forgotten what she did to Tim that day in Metropolis.
Dick, watching Baia's somewhat uncooperative posture, worried she might choke, poured her a glass of orange juice.
Baia drank it, licked her lips, and looked up at him, reminding Dick of the obedient Baia from before.
"Do you like anyone?" Dick asked.
The question puzzled her. Baia puffed out her cheeks and thought hard—her reaction exceeded Dick's expectations. She stared at a corner of the carpet, thinking a great detective should burst in and fight Nightwing three hundred rounds, so she wouldn't have to consider if this question had a hidden trap. Was he planning to warn her against early romance? Testing the waters first?
In her mind, Baia pictured Bruce stepping out of a luxury car, disdain in his eyes, throwing a check: "Here's five million, leave my daughter."
The scene shifted, and Tim said, "Hmph, the Wayne family is not worth staying with!"
As soon as he spoke, a group of black-clad League of Assassins members knelt before Tim: "The three-year term is up, welcome Red Robin to switch sides!"
She shook her head to dispel the terrifying fantasy and nodded.
"Yes," Baia decided to be honest, then quickly countered, "What about you? Do you like anyone?"
If Bruce were here, he'd immediately see through Baia's intent and frown, saying they were talking about her. But Dick, understanding her ploy, still smiled brightly, "Yes."
"Is it Barbara?"
"Yes, why?"
Baia looked a bit troubled, "Will Commissioner Gordon offer you five million to leave her?"
Dick: "…? You're overthinking it. Commissioner Gordon doesn't have five million."
Their focus shifted entirely. Watching through the surveillance, Bruce and Tim sighed in different locations simultaneously.
"But you don't need to worry," Dick added, "As long as you're happy, I think Bruce will support you. He wouldn't do what you're imagining."
Then he realized he was supposed to advise Baia against being impulsive—perhaps she had a fledgling crush because Tim had helped her a lot. Now, he found himself encouraging her instead.
"That's great!" Baia's expression brightened, her eyebrows lifting. "You'll always help me, right, Dick?"
"I guess…?" Dick felt half-sure, half-doubtful, suspecting Baia was setting him up.
"Do you want chicken soup tonight?" Baia leaned closer, looking at him with sparkling eyes, trying to please him. "I can make it."
"I—" He was planning to go back to Bludhaven that night.
Before he could finish, Baia jumped up and cheerfully ran to the kitchen.
Dick watched her retreating figure, feeling a bit brushed off. She had been so well-behaved when they first found her, and now she had changed.
Baia wasn't brushing Dick off. After all, chicken soup needed to simmer for four hours. How was that dismissive?
"Today's conversation was weird, and Tim's acting strange too." Baia mused, watching the soup bubble for a while before covering the pot.
Baia was curious but hesitant about recalling the events that had led to her current situation. She remembered crying all night but couldn't remember much else. The system offered to help her recall:
"Do you want me to tell you or just transmit the memory directly?" the system asked.
"You can just tell me," Baia replied, feeling that it probably wasn't something good.
"You kissed Tim," the system said.
"I kissed…?" Baia was incredulous.
"You also held Tim's hand and recited wedding vows while giggling," the system added.
"I held Tim's hand and recited…?!" Baia's shock grew.
"Batman and Superman were watching," the system concluded.
Feeling a mixture of embarrassment and disbelief, Baia banged her head against the refrigerator, attracting Damian's attention as he entered the kitchen, hungry.
"Careful, you're not that bright to begin with. Don't knock yourself into a stupor," Damian chided.
Baia lifted her head, looking despondent. "I'm losing the will to live; why worry about a stupor?"
Damian, uninterested in gossip and not having joined the family discussions about Baia's feelings, assumed she was still upset about the previous incident. Dr. Ziegler had later talked to Batman about Baia's psychological state, but given Batman's own psychological issues, Bruce found it difficult to provide answers that Baia would accept.
Baia didn't believe in the inherent evil of human nature and didn't want to acknowledge the inevitability of tragedy, concepts that were common for Bruce. However, she was young and would eventually find her own answers.
Thinking she needed a distraction, Damian suggested, "Do you want to go on patrol tonight?"
Baia looked out the window, puzzled. "Is the sun rising in the west?"
"Tch, never mind then."
"I didn't say I wouldn't go," Baia replied. "But Bruce won't agree to it."
"Then don't let him know. We'll send Drake to patrol with him," Damian said eagerly. He liked patrolling with Bruce but noticed the tension between Tim and Bruce since their return to Gotham. The idea of Drake getting some alone time with Bruce seemed perfect to him.
Whether Tim liked it or not, Damian was very pleased with this plan.
"That… could work," Baia said. "Have you found Francine's whereabouts?"
"I have a theory," Damian replied, commanding, "Friday, display the map of Gotham."
Baia's wristwatch lit up, projecting a holographic map into the air.
Damian pointed to several red dots. "Man-Bat's crimes are very cautious, sometimes with intervals of up to half a month, making it difficult to track her. But her tactics are nothing in front of me."
"The bat swarm follows a pattern," Damian continued. "They now have specific prey preferences, and their flight speed can help estimate their roosting area. Overlapping the crime scenes, we can pinpoint her location. So, want to go?"
"Just the two of us?"
"More than enough, meaning I can go without you too."
"Sure," Baia agreed. With her skills and Damian's prowess, there wasn't much to worry about.
As dusk fell, the family gathered for dinner. The great detective finally returned home, lazily flicking its tail at the Wayne Manor entrance.
Tim sighed, "I'll get the door. Even though it has its own access, it insists on us opening the door for it."
With Tim occasionally helping out and Baia's presence easing Alfred's concerns about the family's safety, the butler was in high spirits, even his sarcasm becoming irrefutable.
Tim wouldn't dare say that Alfred was spoiling the great detective.
The cat would sit there, and Alfred would indulgently open the door for it.
One day, Tim saw the great detective sleeping on Alfred's lap, a privilege previously only Baia had. Damian could only feed it, Dick and Tim could only pet it, and Bruce, well, the cat would sometimes walk across his keyboard when he started working.
Tim recalled an old story about an elderly woman who developed shoulder issues because her cat always perched there, but she still indulged it.
The great detective was delighted to see Baia home, reluctantly circling around her legs a few times before proudly walking away with its tail raised. Baia managed to catch it and gave it a thorough petting, leaving its fur all ruffled.
That night, Baia quietly put on her uniform, waiting for Damian to knock on the window as they had planned to sneak out of the mansion together.
Knock, knock, knock. The sound of three taps on the window echoed.
Baia pulled back the curtain, only to find that the person crouching outside was not Damian.
"Want to go on patrol together?" Tim asked, his eyes curving into a gentle smile that seemed to light up the night like an extra moon in the sky.
"Where's Damian?" Baia inquired.
"He's out with Bruce, of course," Tim chuckled softly. "What else?"
Oh, that wasn't a moon-like smile. It was the smile of a clever, scheming little fox, pleased with his success.