Disclaimer: All the characters are owned by DC Comics and Time/Warner; this is an original story that does not intend to infringe on their copyright
Bullying
By
Peggie
Alfred stood frowning at the eleven-year-old boy with his nose stuck in a book on a beautiful Saturday. He looked at his watch and shook his head sadly before moving off to the kitchen to prepare lunch. Alfred had tried his best to persuade the young man to go on an outing to the beach.
"We could invite your friend along." the man had encouraged. "I am sure Master Daniel would enjoy a day at the beach. I could teacher you both how to surf."
Alfred had been pleased to hear from Bruce's teacher that he seemed to be making new friends. Especially since the boy had very few friends his own age and certainly no one close.
Daniel Williams was a very suitable choice of friend for Master Bruce. The Williams, like the Waynes, were an old Gotham family. He felt sure Dr Wayne would have approved of his son associating with the Williams boy. Alfred also knew the Williams' butler Jensen, so he could get to know how thing were going between the boys. It wasn't as if he could walk up to Mr. or Mrs. Williams and discuss how the boys were getting on because although Alfred was Bruce's guardian, he was also an employee, therefore not someone the Williams would readily associate with.
"No thank you Alfred, I think I'll stay at home and get some more reading done." Bruce had replied to his butler's suggestion.
Alfred had just said "What ever you think fit sir." After all it was not his place to tell the young man how he should live his life. First and foremost Alfred was an employee, the butler, even though he was also the boys guardian. He took both jobs very seriously but understood he couldn't be the boy's father, he knew no one could, or should try to replace Dr Wayne. Although he loved the young man very much, he was unsure of the boy's feelings; recently he had become very distant. Bruce seemed to withdraw more and more into himself at home. The shock of seeing his parents murdered right in front of him still caused nightmares. But now the young man didn't want Alfred to hold him after such dreams. Now all the man could do was go into the boy's room and inquire if he needed anything. It was as if Bruce was an adult not an eleven year old boy. But then again he was growing up. Alfred just wished he were not doing it so fast.
They no longer went out on outings, together, those too had stopped about a month ago. Alfred had started taking his days off when Bruce was at school. He now spent them help at the Thomas Wayne Memorial Clinic. Although he enjoyed helping at the clinic, his main reason for volunteering was to be able to spend time with Leslie Thompkins the clinic's director. Leslie and Alfred were old friends. If the lad didn't want his company at least Leslie was pleased to see him.
Alfred blamed himself for the change in Bruce, he didn't know what he had done wrong; perhaps he'd let the boy brood too long on his parents murder. But he didn't know how he could have done things differently. Whatever was wrong, whatever had changed with the boy it had to be his fault, there was no one else to blame.
After Lunch Bruce said "Alfred, it's your afternoon off isn't it? If you want to go to the clinic to help Leslie, you could drop me off at the Williams' house. I am going to help Daniel with his homework. You can pick me back up at five when we have finished."
"Yes Sir. As you wish."
Leslie was surprised but pleased to see Alfred.
"I thought you and Bruce would have been off out on a lovely day like today." she laughed.
"No Bruce wanted to visit a friend." Alfred said. "I am just happy the lads found a friends of his own age at last. Master Daniel seems a popular lad. He has got a great many friends, hopefully associating with him will bring Master Bruce out of his shell."
Leslie wasn't so sure, she knew the boy's father; Mark Williams was on the board of governors at the Clinic. Leslie found him to be a supercilious, pompous, ass. But Alfred was right, Bruce did need a friend his own age. So she said nothing to dishearten the man.
As the week progresses Alfred noted the alteration in the boy behaviour, since he started associating more with Master Daniel. The boy no longer treated him as a friend, it was if they were just Master and servant. Although Alfred had always been careful never to over step the mark, he would never attempt to be a replacement for the boy's parents' he had prided himself on being a good friend and advisor to the lad. As the days went by Alfred was finding it difficult to adjust to Bruce's altered behaviour. Bruce was now acting the part of master of Wayne Manor to perfection. Although Alfred had encouraged the boy to accept this role in life, he had done so in the knowledge that the boy would look to him for guidance and advice. But Bruce had changed, Alfred now found himself being ordered around, civilly enough, by an eleven-year-old but with no show of friendship or even interest Alfred's thoughts or feelings. Although he was used to working in a formal household he could not get used to the boy's cold attitude.
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Alfred was helping out at the clinic once again. It was a Wednesday, Alfred enjoyed helping at the midweek children's clinic, he had been doing so now for quite a few weeks.
Leslie noted Alfred's depression as he was helping her set up for afternoon surgery. She joked,
"Come on Alfred, if your face was any longer you'd cause it to rain."
He tried to smile, but couldn't quite bring it off, although his face had the mask of a smile his eye remained troubled.
Worried, she watched her friend closely, something was not right. He surely couldn't be jealous of Bruce's new friends. She knew that the boy's lack of playmates had always worried the man. Alfred would be the first to celebrated Bruce acting like a normal eleven-year-old.
Leslie decided to get to the bottom of things, so she invited herself back to the Manor for supper. In the past Alfred would have asked her back to the house as a matter of course, but over the past few weeks he had taken to just leaving straight after the clinic closed, without saying a word.
Although Leslie tried to get her friend to talk on the drive to pick Bruce up from school, apart from the usual polite conversation you would have with any chauffeur she got no further. Bruce met them on the sidewalk, he stiffly thanked Alfred for opening the door. There was no more communication between them other than that. Leslie had been at first surprised. She remembered them always exchanging smiles and the young boy showing his friend what he had been doing, but not today. Seeing Leslie in the car had brought a smile to the young mans face.
"Leslie what a lovely surprise, I didn't know you were coming to visit."
Leslie looked at the boy and smiled "No neither did I until Alfred invited me."
She saw the man in the front flinch slightly.
"Oh, Alfred didn't ask me if he could invite you back."
Leslie frowned, "Why would Alfred need to ask permission?" she inquired.
"Well it is usually polite if staff, ask the master of the house, before they invite guests over." Bruce said in a rather pompous manner.
"Sorry Sir," Alfred said, "I forgot, I will not do it again." With that he slid the partition between the passengers and himself shut.
Leslie looked at the young man sitting next to her shocked at his words, "Bruce, that's no way to treat Alfred!"
Bruce just looked at her puzzled, "You don't understand Leslie, Alfred is my butler."
Leslie stared at the young man totally amazed at his response. "Alfred is a dam sight more than just your butler Bruce, and don't you forget it. Without him you would be either in hospital or care. That man has given up a lot to look after you. How dare you treat him like that! Whatever's got into you young man!"
"You wouldn't understand Leslie, you have never had servants. Mr. Williams say's that knowing how to teat staff is the sign of a gentleman."
Angered by his comment Leslie slid the partition open and spoke to Alfred, "Please pull-up Alfred, I wish to get out."
Alfred brought the car to a halt.
"You cannot get out here Leslie," Bruce said looking with concerned at the rundown street they where parked in, "it's far too dangerous an area."
Leslie just looked at the young man. "The company here will probably be better than the company I am at present keeping!" she said. "They will be more in my class."
Alfred got out of the car and opened the door, "Please Leslie, Master Bruce is right, I cannot allow you to get out here it's much too dangerous."
She looked into his worried face, and nodded. She opened the front passenger door and got in. "You can drop me at the next taxi rank Alfred, if this GENTELMAN, does not mind giving a lift to riffraff."
"Please sir, may I drive Dr Leslie back home?" Alfred asked looking pleadingly at the boy. Bruce nodded, Alfred noted tears in the boys eyes. But when he tried to give a comforting look to the young man he just turned away.
"How long has this been going on?" Leslie asked as Alfred escorted her to her door.
"About six weeks, I don't know what I've done to upset him, he just came home from school one day and he didn't want anything to do with me. He doesn't even want to go on outings anymore. It's as if he's ashamed at having me for his guardian." The man said obviously upset.
Leslie took his hand; "He's wrong, very wrong, he should be proud. No one could be a better guardian to him."
The next day while changing the sheets on Bruce's bed Alfred found, hidden under the mattress, a letter addressed to him. Reading it he saw it was an invitation to the annual prize giving at the school. As guardian to Bruce Wayne, one of the boys to be getting an award, he had been allocated seats at the front with the parents of other winners. Alfred looked at the crumpled letter in disbelief. Every other year the boy had been so eager to have him attend. Alfred didn't understand what had he done to upset the young man so much that he would hide the letter. Was he so ashamed to have Alfred as his guardian? He felt totally bereft; he loved the boy as if he was his own son, yet the boy was ashamed of him. That was hard to accept.
When he went to pick Bruce up from school Alfred placed the letter on the rear seat of the car. Bruce was waiting at the front of school as Alfred pulled up. He waited for Alfred to open the door for him, without saying a word Bruce stepped into the car. Seeing the letter he stood frozen to the spot, he looked at the letter then back to his butler.
"You need not worry young man, I wouldn't dream of embarrassing you by turning up at your prize giving." With that he closed the door not quite slamming it shut, but with more force than normal. Alfred got into the driver's seat, made sure the partition between them was closed and set off towards the Manor.
Bruce sat in the back of the car looking at Alfred. He didn't know what to do, or what to say. He had never seen Alfred so angry and upset.
As they arrived at the Manor Alfred opened the car door, he looked at the boy with hurt eyes and said, "It seems sir, that you are no longer satisfied with the arrangement that I be your guardian. It therefore would be best if you consider who you would like to take my place. As soon as arrangement can be made for your care I shall tend my resignation. I think that will probably suit us both."
Bruce looked at the man horrified. But Alfred just walked away.
Leslie was surprise to hear a frantic knocking at her door. Looking at the clock she saw it was nearly 7.30pm. Opening the door with the security chain on she inquired who it was. Seeing Bruce gazing back at her she quickly opened up. The boy was stood there obviously trying hard not to cry.
It took Leslie twenty minutes to get the young man coherent enough to understand him. "He wants to leave me Leslie, he's going to go away. Alfred.. doesn't want to look after me any more. He said he was going to tend his resignation." The boy looked devastated, almost in shock.
Leslie was holding the boy close listening to his words, she could feel him trembling. Leslie knew things had been bad between them, but she had never imagined they had got this bad. It would take a lot for Alfred to contemplate leaving Bruce. Leslie knew how much Alfred loved the boy. She also knew that Alfred was Bruce's last link with life as it used to be, before his parent's murder. Without Alfred she feared Bruce would laps back into his grief and depression.
"Where's Alfred now?" Leslie asked.
"At home." the boy said softly. "I left without him knowing and got a taxi. Leslie make him stay, I don't want him to leave!" As the boy started to lose his battle with the tears the phone started to ring.
"He's here Alfred, stop worrying, he's safe. I'll bring him back to the manor with me. You sit tight. Please calm down, you'll make yourself ill, he's safe. Ok, we'll see you in half an hour."
On the drive back Bruce told Leslie about the letter and how upset Alfred had been.
"But darling of course he was upset. How would you feel if Alfred didn't want you to meet his friend because he was ashamed of you."
"I am not ashamed of Alfred, it just the others, they... they think its funny that my butler looks after me. They keep calling me names. Daniel keeps calling me 'The Butlers Baby'. They think it's funny that Alfred takes me with him on his days off. Tony was laughing because he saw us at the Fun Park together. Paul thinks Alfred will take advantage of me if I am too friendly with him. Mr. Williams says you shouldn't be friends with servant. That I shouldn't love Alfred, because Alfred's just an employee. Daniel keeps saying that Alfred only stays…. because he's paid to." That last sentence came out in a whisper.
"Bruce do you think Alfred only stayed because you pay him?"
"I don't know the boy cried, I didn't think he did, but they keep saying so at school."
"Bruce, Alfred loves you, I know that he loves you very much. He wouldn't dream of leaving except if you didn't want him to stay. He would only leave if you didn't love him. But you do love him don't you?" Leslie asked quietly.
The boy nodded and hiccuped.
"Maybe Alfred needs to know that, because you've hurt him a lot. He doesn't know what he's done to upset you and he thinks it's his fault. I think you need to talk to him."
Alfred was standing at the door as the car pulled up. Leslie looked at Bruce, "You stay here I'll talk to Alfred."
Bruce saw Leslie speaking to his friend. Then watched as Alfred shook his head. Bruce held his breath, would Alfred want anything to do with him after what Leslie said? Would he want a friend who'd let other people tell him how he should feel? He saw Alfred turn away, Bruce put his head in his hands and started to cry.
He heard the car door open and waited for Leslie to tell him Alfred did not want to see him. Instead a pair of strong hands lifted him out of the car then he felt Alfred's arms close around him holding him tight. "Come on young man we need to talk."
Bruce wrapped his arms around Alfred's neck. "Please don't resign Alfred, I didn't mean to hurt you, please, don't leave me!"
"I am going nowhere young man, I just wished you had explained the problem to me."
Alfred listened to Bruce tell him about the name-calling and jokes that he was had to put up with at school. All because he had a butler for a guardian, when most of the other pupils at his school wouldn't be seen dead talking to their butlers. He listened to Bruce telling him about Mr. Williams' views on being a gentleman.
"Bruce it doesn't matter what friends do for a living, how rich or how poor they are; what matters is they are genuine friends. Why is Daniel your friend?" Alfred asked. "Is it because he likes you or is it because you can help with his homework? If he liked you would he make jokes about you having a guardian who is also your butler? Would you make jokes like that about your best friend?" Bruce shook his head. "So Daniel isn't really a friend. As for being a gentleman!" Alfred shook his head. "Your father was my employer but more importantly he was my friend. Your father was a real gentleman."
"What other people say should not matter Bruce." Leslie said. "It may hurt if you listen to it, but it doesn't really count. It's what you know about someone that matters. You can not let others tell you what to think. Would it have been worth losing Alfred just to be friends with Daniel?"
"No" the young man said forcefully. He looked at his friend, "Alfred, will you come to the prize giving, please?" the boy asked pleadingly.
"I would be proud to, if you really want me there?"
The boy nodded.
Wearing casual slacks and sports jacket Alfred met Bruce in the hallway. "Un-butler like enough for you young man?" he asked with a smile.
Bruce grinned, Alfred then led him outside. Instead of the Rolls a 1930's Harley-Davidson stood in front of the house with two helmets on the seat. Bruce gazed at it in awe. Alfred handed a helmet to Bruce. After checking Bruce had fastened his right, Alfred put on his own helmet; they mounted up, Alfred started the bike and they sped off.
They arrived at the school just in time for Bruce's fellow students to see them. They soon had a crowd of admirers clustered around the bike.
"Wow, Bruce, it must be great to get to ride pillion on one of those," Mike Sergeant a classmate of Bruce's said. "Did you buy that?"
"No it belongs to Alfred, but he let me help him restore it. We worked on it all winter. Alfred's a great mechanic."
As the boys clustered around Alfred heard Sergeant say "Must be great to have such a cool guardian Bruce. My guardian couldn't tell one end of a Harley from the other."
Leslie joined them at the entrance to the school. She smiled at Alfred, "Well your Street Cred, just went through the roof."
The man smiled, "More importantly Bruce's 'Street Cred' as you put it, just went sky high."
Alfred and Leslie watched proudly as Bruce got his prize for best student in his class.
It was a proud Bruce who climbed on to the motor bike behind his best friend.
"Alfred, could we go surfing this weekend?" Bruce asked.
The man smiled, "If you would like to young man."