Seventeen Years Ago
Barbara Gordon walked down the steps of the Batcave in exercise pants and a tank top. She'd just gotten off patrol and needed to head back to her dorm for a couple hours of rest. She reached a landing and stopped, seeing Caroline Lance standing across from Bruce.
Her mischievous side kicking in, Barbara hid out of sight while eavesdropping.
"Caroline, whatever it is, I'm busy," Bruce told Caroline. Barbara glanced at the scene to see him try to move around her but her hand grabbed his arm gently.
"Bruce, I need to tell you something. Once I've said what I need to you can be on your way," Caroline stated and he looked at her with that serious brooding look he always had.
"Alright then, what is it," Bruce said, trying to move this along so he could get back to work. Caroline sighed before stepping back.
"I'm pregnant, Bruce," she stated and Barbara nearly fell to the ground from her crouched position. The look on Bruce's face was priceless – shocked, speechless.
"You… you're, you're pregnant," Bruce stammered out, sounding unsure of himself. She nodded.
"Please don't hate me but I'm leaving Gotham," Caroline said and Barbara saw the pain flash across Bruce's face. It was almost as if two lethal blows had just been given to him.
"Stay, please," he stated. "Give me the opportunity to know my child."
"I can't Bruce. I want my child to know all the happiness in the world, be given everything," she stated.
"Caroline, I could provide for you and the child. We both know I can afford it," Bruce said and she shook her head at him.
"Yes, you could provide financially and I'm sure you'd be a terrific father, seeing how you are with the young bats. No, this child will be known to the criminal world as the child of Batman and The Black Canary. Every criminal out there will be after him or her because of us. It would be bad enough if he or she was the child of one legendary crime fighter but to be two would be an immediate death sentence Bruce. I want my child to have a shot at living a normal life," Caroline said and Bruce nodded.
"I will not stop you, but I want you to promise that when he or she is eighteen you will tell them the truth about me," Bruce stated though Barbara could tell he was trying not to sound as heartbroken as he was.
"I promise Bruce," she says. She kisses his cheek before moving towards her bike. She slid on and left the cave. When Bruce was alone he went to the computer and began typing only for Barbara to witness him breakdown. It was the first time she'd seen the emotional side of him like this.
Barbara couldn't help it. It broke her heart to see her friend and mentor in such agony. She skulked up to him and wrapped her arms around his shoulders. He tensed but didn't pull away. That spoke more of his feelings than anything else could. "It'll be okay," She whispers to him. "Everything will be fine."
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