Sins of the Father

A/N: My usual disclaimers, all copyrights go to those who rightfully own them.

I've loved Batman: The Animated Series and Mask of the Phantasm since I was a kid. So this is my tribute to the show and also to Batman, whom I sometimes wished was my dad.

Constructive criticism please. No flames, we are far more mature than that. With that said, enjoy and destroy.

Homecoming

Mom gently shook my shoulder. "Martha? Wake up."

"Hmm?" I yawned, stretching out.

"We'll be landing soon, pumpkin. Come on, get ready." Mom's hands brushed down the magazine cover in her lap. The picture on the front was of a square-jawed man with a bored smile and black hair.

Outside, the overcast grey-brown skies shadowed the metropolis we were coming upon. Bowing over, I put my sneakers on and put my division workbook back in my bag.

Mom picked up the attached phone, probably to call the hotel to see if a taxi would be coming for us. After a few moments she said began talking but I couldn't hear the person on the other end. "Hello Arthur…yeah, I'm calling from the plane…we'll be landing any minute. It'll be good to see you again; Arthur…can't believe it's been ten years…oh Arthur, don't start that again." She looked down at the magazine in her lap. A pained grimace painted her face before she slid it into the seat pocket in front of her. "He's…ancient history. See you then, ok, bye-bye." Mom hung up and leaned back in her seat.

"Who were you talking to, Mom?" I asked politely, trying to get some information. Not that I was expecting her to tell me. We had been on the move for as long as I could remember. As soon as I got comfortable in one place, Mom would tell me to pack my belongings up and we'd go somewhere completely new and different. I was used to it, believing that everyone else did the same thing Mom and I did. That and I got the sense it wasn't a question I shouldn't ask.

"Arthur Reeves, an old friend of mine." Mom took out her lipstick and began applying a touchup of deep red to her lips.

"Old friend?" I asked, perking my ears up. Mom and I pretty much only had each other for company in the first nine years of my life. She was my teacher, confidante and protector on top of being my mother. Come to think of it, I had never heard her talk about her past. Another question I wasn't supposed to ask her.

"Yes, we knew each other growing up. Speaking of which, that's where we're going."

"And where's that?" I asked, my curiosity increased.

"Gotham." Mom said as the plane finally made contact with the ground.

Mom turned the red convertible into the long driveway. I was expecting a hotel or apartment complex. Instead, we drove right up to a nice looking house, the yard green and neat. It looked like something right out of a storybook.

"Well, here we are."

"Here where?" I asked.

"This is where I grew up. Our new home." Mom said, looking over the place with a little pride. But there was some sadness to it. Not unusual, she could be very…distant at times. Almost like there was something important on her mind. Not that she was going to tell me what it was.

"Oh." I said, waiting for her to turn off the car and get out. Within minutes, Mom and I were out of the car, had unlocked the door to the house and were exploring the inside. The house was nice and brightly decorated, and a faint smell of lemon cleaner. But there was a feeling of neglect, like the house hadn't been inhabited for a very long time.

"Arthur must've had a cleaning crew come in. Wouldn't surprise me if he's stocked the pantry and fridge." Mom muttered, putting up her jacket. But something was bothering me, if this place was so nice, then why did Mom leave it? This must've been a very long time ago.

"You guessed correctly! Surprise!" A man called from the front door. Mom jumped and my skin crawled. I hated being startled, no surprise who I got that from. The voice's owner was a tall and skinny man. He held a bottle of champagne in one hand and a bouquet of roses in the other.

"Oh Arthur! You startled us! Come here!" Mom said a little too loudly and wrapped her arms around him. He seemed very surprised, but a smug smile came over his face.

"You're just as beautiful as the last time I saw you." The man said, deepening his voice and growling. I realized that he was trying to be like the heroes in those old romantic movies…and failing miserably. I groaned and rolled my eyes. The man saw me.

"Well, well, who is this lovely little lady?" The man smiled at me. There was something about him I didn't like. He smiled too readily and his blue-black hair had a perfectly slicked gleam to it.

"Where are my manners?" Mom said when she noticed whom the man was talking about. "This is my daughter, Martha. Martha, this is my good friend Arthur Reeves." She then gave me her Be-Polite-Or-Else-You're-Grounded-For-A-Month look.

Taking the hint, I smiled and offered my hand. "It's nice to meet you, Mr. Reeves."

"No need to be so formal. Call me Arthur." Arthur Reeves smiled and shook my hand. Everything about Arthur was sharp, bony…and reminded me of a rat. I didn't like him. No surprise there. "What grade are you in, kiddo?"

"I'm homeschooled and what about you?" I was getting more and more irritated. What does Mom see in this guy?

"I'm a city councilman and do important work for the city."

"Oh, so you're a bureaucrat then." Thank goodness I was bored and did that crossword puzzle during the flight in from New York.

"Martha Victoria Beaumont!" Mom scolded. Now I was going to get it. "You apologize to Arthur right now."

"No, she's fine Andy." Arthur held up his hand. "And to an extent, she's right, I mostly do paperwork. But I was elected to my job instead of being appointed by the mayor."

"Still, you apologize…" Mom warned in a low voice. I knew I was in big trouble.

"Sorry, Arthur." I mumbled, still glaring at Mom. Good grief, Mom must have really bad tastes in friends. Then again…I was pretty much her only companion for nine years…so that might have had something to do with it.

"It's ok, well I hope we get to be good friends soon." Arthur smiled before clearing his voice. "Now kiddo, can your mom and I have some quiet time to talk and catch up?"

"I get the hint. I'm not wanted here." I threw up my hands and left to explore the rest of the house. It was nicely furnished, but it felt more like a museum than a home. There wasn't much to this place, I thought, just like the furnished apartments Mom and I often rent. At least it's better than a hotel.

But still, I thought as I made my way to the garage. It would be nice to stay for longer than a few months. While I had accepted it as something everyone did, I felt like I was missing something…

The garage, unlike the rest of the house, was still dusty. Cobwebs gathered in corners, making me shrink away. I sneezed loudly and dust motes drifted lazily into the air. My elbow jerked back into something, making it fall over with a clang. "Whoops!" I turned around to see what it was and pick it up.

It was a kid-sized bicycle, painted a pale sea green. A basket was hooked to the front handlebar and a little tin bell rested by the handbrakes. Cobwebs laced the dusty frame and the tires were completely deflated. I had always wanted a bike, I remembered as I set it back up. I used to watch other kids ride around the neighborhood, showing off to their friends. But because of our frequent moves, having to take along a cumbersome bike wasn't exactly convenient. I wondered if I would be in Gotham long enough to learn how to ride it.

My mind began wandering, like it did more often than not. I wondered what it was like to be surrounded by other people. Don't get me wrong. I know Mom loved me dearly and I loved her too. But I was jealous of those kids who had masses of friends their age. Or even siblings…what was it like to play with someone my own age?

"Martha? What are you doing in here?" Mom asked from behind. She walked over, her footsteps muffled by the dust that had gathered on the floor. "I see you've found my bike. I got it one Christmas when I was about your age." Mom's hand began tracing the frame, a distant look in her deep blue eyes.

"Arthur's gone?" I asked, changing the subject so I could stop feeling sorry for myself. Even if it meant Mom scolding me for how I acted around Arthur earlier.

"He had a party to go to. Besides, we haven't had a girl's-night-in for a long time. What do you say?"

"Yeah!" I was excited. Girl's nights in were special times for us. We'd watch movies, play board games, order pizza or Chinese and make each other pretty. Painting each other's nails. Trying out a new hairstyle. Things like that. Mom said that she used to do that with her friends when she was growing up, except they called it a sleepover. Looking back on that now, I think us doing those things was Mom's way of making up to me not experiencing what normal girls did.

Mom smiled a real smile. Those were rare and I liked it when she did smile. It made her look beautiful. "Ok. But we're not staying up too late. Because I'm going to take you to your new school tomorrow."

"School?" I asked, raising an eyebrow. This was unusual. When I asked Mom why I wasn't enrolled in school, she said that it wouldn't be fair to me because we moved around so much. So we must be staying here for a very long time.

"Yes, it's called Palisades and here's why. Martha, we're not going to move anymore. Arthur Reeves is going to help me settle some things so that's why I'm meeting him. And after we're done, we'll be able to stay here."

"For good?" I held my breath.

"Of course, silly. What do you say?" Mom asked.

"Yes!" I hugged her, excited. "Thank you so much."

She returned the hug and gave me a peck on the forehead. "You're welcome, honey. I just wish it didn't take so long for you to have a normal life."

I decided to finally ask her what was taboo to ask her. "Mom, why did we move around so much?"

"Now don't worry your pretty little head about that." Mom teased and playfully ruffled my thick black hair. "Today is the first day of the rest of our lives."

Bruce Wayne surveyed the room, pretending to be enjoying himself. The great hall of Wayne Manor was filled with people in formalwear, laughing and chattering amid the slow sounds of a piano. At least this was for a good cause, a fundraiser for the Gotham Children's Hospital.

Becky snuggled into his arm, her bleach-blonde hair pooled on his shoulders. "Oh Brucie, all alone in this big mansion. Haven't you thought about marriage? Not even once?"

The words pained him; of course he wasn't going to let it show. Of course he wanted to settle down. But The Promise got in the way. It always had to get in the way.

"Oh now don't say the M word around Bruce." Sandy cooed, the pink dress she wore complimented her coffee colored skin. "It makes him nervous."

"What about the I word?" Leah asked, her dark brown eyes glinting.

"The I word?" Bruce asked.

"In-gagement." Leah winked. Bruce rolled his eyes. God, why can't they be like…her…?

"I'd watch out for Bruce if I were you." Veronica Vreeland said, straightening out her ivory skirt. Oh yeah, Bruce remembered, he stood her up on a date last week…no thanks to Joker. He didn't doubt that she was still sore about that. Well it wasn't like he could say that he was Batman. Especially now, considering he's wanted for the murder of Chuckie Sol. "First he wines and dines you. Makes you feel like you're the only woman he's ever been interested in. And just when you're wondering where to register the china…" her smile turned into a cold glare. "He forgets your phone number!" Bruce felt her throw her red wine into his face as the other girls gasped. "That's Bruce Wayne's style."

He excused himself, deciding to get away and clean up. It wasn't the worst thing that happened to him. Dealing with jilted women was a walk in the park compared to what he had to put up with night after night.

"Friend in need?" A smug voice asked as a handkerchief dangled in front of his face.

"Councilman…" Bruce said politely as he took the handkerchief from Arthur Reeves and began wiping his face dry. "So how goes the Bat bashing?" Reeves was the main demagogue behind the smear campaign to discredit Batman. It also didn't help that he was arrogant, selfish, rude and full of himself…too bad Batman didn't have evidence of him committing crimes…

"Better than your love life." Great, he just had to rub it in. Bruce grimaced. "Honestly Bruce, it's like you pick them because you know it's not going to work out." Reeves took a glass from a glowering Alfred. At least he had somebody supporting him, Bruce thought. "At least since that one girl…what was her name? Anne? Andy? Andrea! Yes! Andrea Beaumont!" Reeves knew that hurt him. That's why he had to remind him. "Now there was a sweet number. How did you let her get loose?"

He had to get away. He had to gather his thoughts together. "Thanks for the handkerchief Arthur. You know where you can stick it." Bruce shoved the handkerchief back into Arthur's lapel pocket and stalked off.

The pain was back. He hid away in his office. Oh God…Andrea…Bruce looked up at the portrait of his parents smiling down at him. If only they hadn't gone down that alley. If only he protected them. If only they were alive.

It wasn't fair. Instead of living a normal life, he walks the fine line between justice and vengeance. What kind of a man would Bruce Wayne be if he had the life he wanted to have?

A husband?

A father?

Batman stood alone in the dark office with his thoughts until Alfred interrupted him with the news that a Miss Bambie was dancing on the piano. Time for the Bat to hide. Plastering on a fake smile, he returns to the charade of Bruce Wayne, playboy billionaire.

A/N: Ok, I think it's pretty clear who Martha is in relation to Bruce. But I'm worried that the characters are acting OOC. That and I'm not sure if Martha is a likeable character or not. R+R please? Reviews make me happy and a happy writer is a productive writer. So, please?