Summary: When Buffy fell through the portal in The Gift she awoke to find herself with selective amnesia and back in her six year old body and then she bumps into Bruce Wayne.
Pairings: None
Disclaimer: Joss Whedon owns Buffy. DC Comics owns Batman.
Author's Note: This was a story I started and for the most part never got beyond a handful of scenes. It has more or less been abandoned by this point. So I decided since I probably would never make it into a full fledged story that I would go ahead and give you what I did.
Chapter 1: Year One
Oct. 10th 1987
Buffy woke with no memory of who she was, where she was from or anything other than that she was 6 years old, that she was born in January, and her first name was Buffy. She didn't even remember her last name.
Bruce Wayne had just left the theater and was heading towards his car when Buffy bumped in to him. "Evening, Miss," he said. "Where are you going and where are your parents?"
Buffy looked up at the man and shook her head. "I'm lost, sir. I don't remember anything, can you help me?"
Bruce knelt down next to Buffy. "You remember nothing at all?" he asked concerned. How could a girl as young as the one in front of him have amnesia? What could have caused it?
Buffy shook her head. "Other than my first name is Buffy, my birthday is sometime in January, and I am 6 years old… I don't remember anything else, I'm scared."
Bruce sighed and scooped Buffy up. "How about I take you to a doctor I go too regularly and see what we can find out?"
Buffy nodded as Bruce took her to his car where Alfred Pennyworth was waiting beside it. "Master Bruce?" Alfred asked about noticing Buffy.
Bruce put Buffy in the car and turned to Alfred. "I just found her as I was coming out of the theater. She says she has no memory of anything but her name, month of birth and age. I was going to take her to Doctor Russell and see what he can find out about her memory loss. Then I will see what I can find out using Batman's resources to find her family."
Alfred nodded as Bruce got in to the car. He quickly shut the door and walked around the car to sit in the driver's seat. He then drove to the doctor's office.
Buffy looked at Bruce wondering who Batman was. Like most everything else the name was foreign to her. "Who is Batman?"
Bruce smiled. "He is a friend of mine."
Buffy nodded content for now with that explanation. Once they were at the Doctor's office. Bruce and Buffy were immediately shown in.
Dr. Russell shook Bruce's hand. "What can I do for you, Mr. Wayne?" he asked.
Bruce nodded towards Buffy. "This young lady bumped into me as I exited the theater. She says she has no memory; other than her first name, month of birth, and age. I was hoping you could examine her for a cause. I intend to locate her parents with my other resources."
Dr. Russell nodded in understanding. He was one of only a handful of people that knew Bruce Wayne was Batman. It was why he was Bruce's personal physician incase Bruce got hurt when in his Batman persona. "Of course, Mr. Wayne."
Dr. Russell spent the next few hours running tests before coming back to Bruce, "This is an interesting case. Never have I seen so total of amnesia. Usually most people have some memories left. From the tests it appears she suffered some kind of trauma, not very long ago either. Maybe a few days, a week tops."
Bruce nodded as he looked to Buffy. Was it her parents that had abused her? Was that the cause for the amnesia? "Could it have been from abuse?"
"I can't tell for sure. There is evidence of abuse. But there is also evidence of something else as well; it appears she had quite a fall," Dr. Russell said.
Bruce sighed. He knew from media stories that a fall could be caused by parents abusing their child. It was a common explanation for why their child ended up in the hospital so much.
"Whether her memory loss is a result of the fall or the abuse is unknown," Dr. Russell continued. "The only thing I know for certain is unless a miracle occurs she likely will not regain her memory."
Bruce sighed again. To go through life with no memory of who you are, of where you came from. It is not something he would wish on anyone. "Thank you, Dr. Russell."
Bruce escorted Buffy out the door. An hour later they stood in front of Wayne Manor as Alfred drove the car around to the garage. "Now Buffy you're going to be staying with me while I try to find your parents, okay?"
Buffy nodded. "Okay."
Bruce walked Buffy in to the manor where Alfred took Buffy from him and showed her to the room she would be staying in.
June 16th 1988
Bruce frowned as he looked over at the computer screen in the Batcave. He had been searching for Buffy's parents for months had so far had no luck.
"Still no luck, Master Bruce?" Alfred asked as he walked up behind Bruce.
Bruce shakes his head. "No. And it puzzles me. Why no one has reported a 6, now 7, year old child missing. The only thing I can think of is her parents could be dead. Which will make it harder to find out who she is."
Alfred sighed "Master Bruce, it might be time to think of the next step."
"I have been thinking of that myself," Bruce said. "I've taken in wards in the past as you well know, just never one this young. But it's looking more and more likely she may have nowhere to go. And if I don't take her in, she will end up in foster care. While that is not a bad situation, I would prefer her to stay somewhere where she can be looked after properly, given her condition."
"Actually I was thinking of adoption, Master Bruce," Alfred said. "It's one thing to foster a child as you have done in the past. But Miss Buffy is an entirely different case, with no memory of her past she needs a family now more than ever. And since you and I are the only parental figures she knows."
Bruce sighed and nodded. He had thought about that also. What Buffy needed was her parents or in their absence family. But he had found nothing on any family either. Maybe Alfred was right, maybe it was time to think about raising a family of his own. "I know. I will ask her what her thoughts on that are tonight at dinner."
A few hours later at dinner as Bruce watched Buffy eat. "Buffy?" he said causing her to look up at him.
"Yes, Mr. Wayne?"
"I wanted to ask your opinion on something," Bruce said.
Buffy looked at Bruce as only a child could. "My opinion?"
Bruce nodded. "Yes. I've come to the decision I would like to adopt you, Buffy."
Buffy looked at Bruce for a long moment as she thought about what he was asking of her. Then her thoughts drifted towards her parents. She had seen enough tv shows in the last few months since living at Wayne Manor what adoption would mean, that Bruce would in essence become her father. "What about my mommy and daddy?"
Bruce sighed and shook his head. "I am sorry, Buffy. But I have been searching for them. There have been no police reports of you going missing. Which leads me to believe your parents may have gone to heaven."
Buffy looked down at the food on her plate. She knew the basic idea of what going to heaven meant. That someone was not coming back. Which meant that she would not see her parents again. She looked back at Bruce. If she could never see her parents again then she would like to have a new daddy. If that was the case she would like Bruce to be her new daddy. "Does that mean you would be my daddy?" she asked.
Bruce smiled and nodded. "Essentially yes that is what it would mean."
"I would like that, daddy," Buffy said as a smile graced her lips.
Bruce grinned. "Then tomorrow I will contact who I need to and get the ball rolling."
July 25th 1988
Alfred came in the house with the mail and immediately saw Buffy seated on the stairs as if waiting for him, "Hello Miss Buffy. Wanting to see if it's come yet?"
Buffy nodded, ever since Bruce had asked her if she wanted to be adopted. Buffy had been waiting patiently for word of it being official.
Alfred looked through the mail and smiled. He opened the envelope and nodded. "Why don't you take this to Master Bruce." He handed her the envelope.
Buffy was off with a shot, running faster than he had seen her ever run before. As Alfred watched Buffy run from the room, he frowned. "Something is wrong. She shouldn't be able to run that fast."
"It came," Buffy said as she ran into Bruce's study.
Bruce looked up and held his hand out for the envelope which she gave him. He read over the letter that was in the envelope and then looked at Buffy and smiled. "It's official Buffy. How about we go out and celebrate tonight?"
"I'd like that, daddy," Buffy said as she wrapped her arms around Bruce.
As Bruce pushed the button on the intercom he noticed the big grin on his new daughter's face. "Alfred, can you come and get Buffy. Make sure she is dressed in something pretty. We're going out this evening. Call and reserve my normal booth at Giorgio's."
Alfred walked into the room a moment later. "Miss Buffy why don't you go on up to your room, I will be there in a second. I need to talk to Master Bruce," he said asBuffy nodded and left. He then turned to face Bruce. "Master Bruce. I witnessed something that should be impossible for a girl her age. She seems to be able to run quite fast, faster than a child her age should be able to run."
"Interesting," Bruce said. "I will call Dr. Russell tomorrow and see what he can learn."
July 30th 1988
Bruce walked in to Dr. Russell's office. He had gotten a call from the doctor an hour ago wanting to talk to Bruce in person. "Well, Doctor?"
"This is as much a mystery as her amnesia is," Dr. Russell said. He had run tests on Buffy. Her strength and speed were remarkable as was her agility. He had even drawn blood work from her trying to find an explanation on why she had abilities only a few superheroes had. I can find no medical reason for her speed, and strength. I clocked her and she is able to run easily twenty miles an hour. I expect by the time she is eighteen I would bet she could easily double or even triple that. I don't know."
"From what you know of Superman's people, could she be one?" Bruce asked.
"I asked Superman to come here with the intent on asking that question in person," Dr. Russell said. "He insists that he and Supergirl were the only survivors of Krypton. He even provided a hair sample for DNA comparison. She is not Kryptonian. There is no medical reason for her to have the abilities she has. There is something else. When I took blood samples from her, her healing was magnificent. Seconds after I took the samples there was no mark on her skin to show that I had ever taken the samples to begin with."
"How is that possible?" asked Bruce. "When I first brought her too you. She had evidence of bruises from possible abuse and a fall."
"I don't know," Dr. Russell said. "It's almost like these abilities are a recent development. Either that or when I saw her last year they were lying dormant, and something recently activated them. Was there a change in her home life?"
"Yes," Bruce said. "I officially adopted her."
"I see," Dr. Russell said. "It's possible that could very well have been the trigger. We may never know for sure."
Bruce nodded. "Her mystery continues to deepen. Are these abilities dangerous to her?"
"I don't believe so," Dr. Russell said. "Despite her lack of memories she seems to know how to control them, like it's instinctual somehow. But I would recommend she receive training none the less, just in case she should hurt herself or others because she somehow lost control."
Bruce sighed and nodded. He hadn't wanted to train another Robin. Not since Jason Todd had been killed by the Joker. "Thank you, Dr. Russell. Much like my other files I suggest these be shredded. I can't imagine what would happen if someone learned of what she was able to do."
"Of course," Dr. Russell said. "May I ask will she one day be helping Batman?"
Bruce sighed again. "I don't know. I've grown quite fond of her over the last year. I'm not sure I want to put her in that kind of situation. Of course if she does help him, it likely will be a few years away."
Dr. Russell nodded in understanding. "I understand. Then I hope never to see her at Batman's side. But if she does one day help him I will be ready."
"Thank you," Bruce said and then he turned and left. As he and Alfred drove home he looked at his butler, father figure and friend. "Alfred, I need you to set up a training regimen for Buffy."
"Will she be the next Robin?" Alfred asked, hoping the answer would be no. He understood Bruce's hesitance to train another Robin.
Bruce sighed. "More than likely, yes. Though I don't want her too, she has grown on me Alfred. You were right in suggesting I adopt her, she has become to me like she is my own daughter. Anyways for right now she needs to learn control over her abilities."
"Of course, Master Bruce."
Chapter 2: Year Two
Oct. 10th 1988
The Master stood in darkness as his eyes gleamed. "Welcome."
"Thanks for having me," Buffy said as she looked around. "You really ought to talk to your contractor. I think you've got some water damage. "
The Master laughed. "Ah, good. The feeble banter portion of the fight. Darling, why don't we just cut to the –"he said as Buffy spun and shot an arrow from her crossbow. He caught it an inch from his heart. "Nice shot."
Buffy loaded another arrow into the crossbow, never taking her eyes off the Master.
"You're not going to kill me with that thing," he said.
Buffy laughed. "Don't be so sure."
The Master smiled evilly. "You still don't understand your part in all this, do you?" he asked. "You're not the hunter. You're the lamb." He stepped back, disappearing into the shadows.
"For somebody all-powerful, you sure do like to hide," Buffy said as she looked around the cavern trying to find the Master again.
The Master's voice comes from the other side of the room. Buffy spins, standing in front of a pool of water.
The Master smirked. "I'm waiting for you. I want this moment to last."
She noted that his voice seemed to come from the other side of the cavern as she spun. From the sound of dripping she was sure she stood just in front of a pool of water. "I don't."
The Master grabbed Buffy from behind as he knocked the crossbow to the ground. "I understand," he said as he held her by her arms. He smirked as she made a futile effort to try and break free of his hold. "You tried. It was noble of you. You heard the prophecy that I was going to break free and you came to stop me. But prophecies are tricky creatures. They didn't tell you everything." He leaned closer so that he could whisper in her ear. "You're the one that frees me. If you hadn't come, I couldn't go. Think about that."
The Master buried his fangs in her neck as Buffy cried out. As he drained her blood he shook with the power that flooded into him. Her cry became a mewl, the expression of pain and horror freezing in her eyes. He reared his head back. "God, the power!"
Buffy sagged in his grasp as she lost consciousness. "By the way..." he said as he let her fall to her knees, and then face-down into the pool of water. "I like your dress."
Buffy woke screaming as Alfred and Bruce came running into her room.
Bruce sat on the bed and pulled her into his arms. "It was just a bad dream," he said.
"I remember something that shouldn't be possible," Buffy said, knowing with certainty that her dream had been real. That she had remembered some of her life before she lost her memories. But she knew it shouldn't be possible. For how could someone get younger?
"What?" Bruce asked, confused.
"Me, I think I was sixteen years old in the dream," Buffy said. "I was fighting something. I drowned."
Bruce sighed as he reitereated. "It was only a bad dream, Buffy. Only a bad dream. Go back to sleep."
Buffy nodded as she Bruce tucked her under the blankets. He then turned and walked with Alfred out of the room, closing the door behind them.
"Was it a dream or as she thinks a memory?" Bruce asked. "If it was a memory how did she get younger?"
Alfred sighed as he shrugged his shoulders. "I don't know. But I know this no one on this planet could have done it. Maybe you should contact Superman and ask him about this. Since his people are from another planet, maybe there is something they have encountered that could explain this."
Bruce nodded in agreement. "Yes I think I should do just that."
In Buffy's room she was asleep again. If Bruce and Alfred had still been in their they would have heard her say one word. "Dawn."
Oct. 15th 1988
Buffy peaked around the corner of the door into Bruce's study. She watched as Bruce hit three notes on the piano and a doorway opened into a secret passage. As the door started to slide closed she ran into the room and through the door seconds before it closed completely. She followed Bruce down into a cavern below Wayne Manor and there she watched as Bruce put on the Batsuit.
"Daddy?" Buffy said.
Bruce turned to face Buffy his eyes wide. He then removed the cowl and walked over to Buffy and knelt beside her. "Sweetie, what are you doing down here?"
"I followed you," Buffy said. "Are you playing dress up?"
Bruce sighed. He knew eventually Buffy would find out about his being Batman. He had hoped it would be later in life. "No, Buffy. I'm not playing dress up, I am Batman."
"You are?" Buffy asked as her eyes went wide with excitement.
"Yes," Bruce said. "But you can tell no one. If anyone found out you and I both could be hurt. Do you understand?"
Buffy slowly nodded, but truth be told she didn't understand why she couldn't tell her friends that her daddy was Batman. And Bruce was no idiot, he could tell that she didn't understand. He walked over to an intercom and pressed it. "Alfred come down the cave, Buffy followed me. I need your help in explaining to her why she can't tell her friends about me."
"I'll be right there," Alfred said.
Two hours later Batman looked out over Gotham from the top of Wayne Tower as he watched Superman land next to him. He had spent the better part of an hour with Alfred trying to explain to Buffy why she could not tell anyone why he was Batman. In the end he knew she would have more questions, but she had agreed not to tell anyone. He hoped she wouldn't.
"Batman, what can I do for you tonight?" Superman asked.
"A year ago a little girl came to me," Batman said without looking toward the other caped superhero. "She had no memories, other than her name, month of birth, and age. The other night she had a dream in which she was sixteen years old. She claimed it was a memory. This girl has advanced speed, and strength. I would say in time she may be near your levels. I wonder how she could be that strong and the fast. But what worries me is this dream, a dream of where she is sixteen years old. She just said she had been sixteen and she had drowned."
Superman nodded listening. "This is interesting. I assume this is the girl that Dr. Russell consulted me on to make sure she wasn't Kryptonian?"
"Yes," Batman said as he finally turned to face Superman.
"I see," Superman said. "And I am assuming by telling me about this dream you are wondering if it is possible to make a person younger?"
Batman nodded. "Yes."
"Not that I am aware of," Superman said. "But there are many things on this planet I have witnessed that I cannot explain. Such as the supernatural, I myself have encountered of what some would call demons and vampires."
"If it were anyone else, I would think they had gone crazy mentioning vampires and demons," Batman said. "But I know you well enough, Clark, to know that you're telling the truth. It makes me wonder if there is something with the supernatural that could erase her memories and for what purpose?"
"For whatever purpose, she needs to be prepared. I know after what happened to Jason that you don't want another Robin. But may I suggest you train her as such anyways. It will prepare her for whatever she is meant to do. From what you've told me tonight I am sure she has a destiny to fulfill." Superman said.
"I will think about it. Thank you, Clark," Batman said.
"No problem, Bruce," Superman said as he took off flying toward Metropolis.
A moment later Batman left as well.
Chapter 3: Year Three
January 20th, 1989
Quentin Travers, the head of the International Watcher's Council sat in his office going over reports of the current Slayer, India Cohen. He was extremely pleased at how well she was doing. He was so engrossed in his reports he didn't hear Laura Key Weathermill enter the room, Laura was a sorcereress that helped to find active Slayers when they went missing or just after a Slayer was killed.
Laura coughed drawing Travers attention to her. "Yes?" he said.
"We seem to have two Slayers," Laura said. "In a training exercise with Gwendolyn Wyndam-Pryce. She detected a second Slayer in the United States."
"She must have been wrong," Travers said. "There can't be more than one Slayer at a time. It's impossible."
"I double checked her findings," Laura said. "There is another Slayer in the United States."
"Find out who she is, and how she came to be a Slayer," Travers said.
January 31st, 1989
Travers looked up as Laura entered his office. "Yes?"
"We've found her, sir," Laura said. "But we have a few problems. The first is she is only eight years old."
"How is that possible?" Travers asked. "No Slayer has been called at so young an age before."
"We don't know," Laura said. "It should have been impossible. But our problems don't end there. Are you familiar with the Wayne family in Gotham City, Delaware?"
Travers nodded. He remembered when his father was a Watcher. Quentin Travers the first had been sent on special assignment to America to recruit Thomas Wayne as a Watcher. Of course Thomas had outright refused. "Yes, I am. My father was to recruit Thomas Wayne."
"Shortly after your father made contact both Thomas and Martha Wayne were killed, leaving son Bruce Wayne an orphan," Laura said. "A very rich orphan with the family butler as his legal guardian."
"And this has to do with the new Slayer, how?" Travers asked.
"Bruce Wayne adopted a girl just under two years ago. The girl he adopted is the Slayer," Laura said.
"Thank you, Laura," Travers said as Laura left. He sighed as he looked over at Roger Wyndam-Pryce; his advisor and one of his few friends. "Well?"
"It's a safe bet that since his father refused to become a Watcher that he very likely will refuse to allow us to take the girl," Roger said. "We may have to take her by force and stage her death."
"We may have an additional problem," Travers said.
Roger sighed and nodded having seen the news reports, even there in England, about Batman. "Yes, he might pose a problem."
May 14th, 1989
Buffy walked down the sidewalk of Gotham Academy toward the car where Alfred waited. Suddenly out of the blue she was snatched by three men and hustled into a van.
Alfred ran toward Buffy and the van, he managed to get the license plate as it drove off. He proceeded to walk into the school and its front office. "Afternoon. My name is Alfred Pennyworth. I need to use your phone to call the police. Miss Buffy Wayne has just been kidnapped."
The secretary quickly reached for the phone dialing 911. "Yes this is Gotham Academy. I have Alfred Pennyworth, the butler of Bruce Wayne, wishing to report the kidnapping of Miss Buffy Wayne. Yes, please hold." She preceded to hand the phone to Alfred who told the police everything he had witnessed and gave them the license plate number of the van.
Once Alfred was done with the call to the police he immediately called Bruce and filled him in also.
At Wayne Manor Bruce immediately headed to the Batcave where he put on his batsuit. He then put the license plate number of the van into the computer and found that it had been a rented in Metropolis. He cursed as he got into the Batmobile and drove out of the cave.
In the back of the van somewhere in Gotham, Buffy sat scared as she looked around. She hoped her dad would find her soon.
As Batman scoured the streets of Gotham he heard over the police channel that the police were following the van which was heading out of town. He hit the accelerator and joined the chase.
In the van the driver cursed when he noticed that Batman had joined the police. He looked at the rest of his team. "I knew when Travers sent us to Gotham to get the girl, it was a mistake."
The other two men couldn't agree more. The driver looked ahead and cursed. They were boxed in. Ahead were two more police cruisers. He debated plowing through the cars. But his orders had been to return the girl unharmed. Travers had wanted to run tests to find why a Slayer had been called not only so early in life but also during a time when there was another Slayer. And if he plowed through the chances are she would get hurt. He looked at the other men. The Watcher's Council had enough pull that all charges of kidnapping would disappear; besides they had diplomatic immunity the world over. So the driver pulled the van over.
Two hours later Buffy was safely back at Wayne Manor. She could hear Bruce and Alfred in the next room talking heatedly about her kidnapping and schooling. The men had been released within the hour and had quickly disappeared, having left town. Bruce had no leads on who they were or where they were from. Other than that the men had both powerful connections and diplomatic immunity.
"If you do not wish her to return to Gotham Academy," Alfred said. "And the public schools are out of the question. I think the only other opportunity is for Miss Buffy to be home schooled and a teacher hired for such an endeavor."
Bruce nodded as he thought about it. "Make the calls, find someone to teach her."
May 31st, 1989
Travers frowned. The idiots had failed to acquire the Wayne girl. And with Batman's interference he decided reluctantly not to try again. To do so now would draw attention to them. Attention that would not be ideal. "We will wait and try again in a few years. When she is older and hopefully this Batman is long gone from Gotham."
Roger nodded in agreement. "I agree."
Little did they know that the opportunity would never appear again?
Chapter 4: Year Eight
Oct 13th 1993
Bruce shook his head as he watched 12 year old Buffy practice boxing as she hit the bag in front of her. "Buffy, you dropped your elbow," he said as he moved beside her and brought her arm up. "Always keep your elbow up. Always be on your guard."
"Dad, I've been wondering," Buffy said. "Have you been training me to be the next Robin to your Batman?" Alfred had explained to her what had happened to Jason and understood why Batman didn't currently have a Robin.
Bruce sighed. "Yes. But that isn't the only reason I've trained you for the last 5 years. You needed to learn control over your abilities. With your strength and speed you could hurt someone by accident. And Batman, and Robin, are not about punishing or hurting people. Punishment must always come from the courts. Batman uses what he knows to bring criminals to justice that police have a problem with."
"But that's not why you started being Batman though," Buffy said as she remembered the story Alfred had told her of how Bruce's parents had been killed. "It was about Grandpa and Grandma dying at the hands of the mugger wasn't it? When you first started you wanted revenge?"
Bruce nodded. "Yes in the beginning I wanted revenge. Eventually, though, I drew the line that I have since never crossed. What Batman does can never be about revenge, he is a symbol for Justice."
"I understand," Buffy said. "On another topic, I had another dream. I was 20 years old; I was on a tower of some kind. There was this girl with brown hair. I think I died for her."
Bruce sighed. "Buffy, it's all in the past now. Don't worry about it. You're alive now that's what matters."
Buffy wasn't so sure. Something was telling all her dream/memories were of a future time, not in the past. But she never told Bruce that, she didn't want him to think she was any crazier than she was now.
Jan. 19th 1994
It was morning and Joyce was clearing plates from the breakfast table while Buffy got ready to leave for school.
"Mall trip for your birthday on Saturday. Don't forget." Joyce said.
Buffy smiled. "Miss out on a mom-sponsored shopping opportunity? Not likely."
"So, does seventeen feel any different than sixteen?" Joyce asked.
"Funny you should ask," Buffy said with a laugh. "I actually woke up feeling more mature, responsible and level-headed."
Joyce looked at Buffy suspiciously. "Really? That's uncanny."
Buffy smiled. "And yet, true. I now possess the qualities one looks for in a licensed driver."
Joyce sighed. "Buffy."
Buffy sighed as she looked at a nearby calendar. "You said we could talk about it again when I was seventeen."
"You've been seventeen for forty-eight minutes," Joyce said.
"And –" Buffy said.
"First of all - you promised you'd stay out of trouble in school." Joyce said.
Buffy nodded. "I try. You know I do. But Principal Snyder has it in for me—"
"I know. But ... You behind the wheel, it worries me," Joyce said.
Buffy laughed. "It worries all moms. It's biological imperative. But I'm going to drive sooner or later, so we might as well deal sooner, right?"
Joyce turned to Buffy, a plate in her hand. "Do you really think you're ready, Buffy?" she asked as the plate slipped from her grasp and shattered on the floor. "Oh, damn it." She stooped to pick up the pieces as Buffy just stood there, obviously freaked out by something. She nodded toward the broom in the corner. "Grab the broom, would you Buffy?"
Buffy suddenly woke and looked around the room as she got her bearings. Then she remembered the calendar in the dream. A calendar from the year 1998. "It is the future I'm seeing." She jumped out of bed and ran to Bruce's room and knocked on the door.
"What's wrong Buffy?" Bruce asked as he opened his bedroom door.
"My memories or dreams," Buffy said. "There of the future."
Bruce shook his head. "Buffy, that's not possible."
"In my latest dream I looked at a calendar and saw the year," Buffy said, trying to convince Bruce that what she was seeing in her dreams was real. "It was 1998. I was 17. My mom's name is Joyce by the way."
Bruce looked at Buffy with concern and then nodded. It wouldn't hurt to look even if just to prove to Buffy that what she was dreaming was just that dreams. "Come on we will research this down in the Batcave."
Buffy nodded and followed Bruce. A few moments later they sat at the computer in the Batcave as Bruce inputted the information they have. A hit came up almost immediately: Joyce Summers. Husband Hank Summers. Married March 1980. Daughter … Buffy Anne Summers … born January 19, 1981. "Looks like we got a hit on your family, and their still alive. Wonder why they never reported you missing." A moment later they had their answer, "It appears this may not be your family after all. According to public records, that Buffy is attending school in Los Angeles."
Buffy nodded as she thought back over what she remembered from the dream. "It sounds right though. You don't think I might be dreaming about her do you?"
Bruce shrugged. "I don't know. There are quite a few things that are still a mystery regarding you."
Chapter 5: Year Ten
January 20th, 1996
Alfred entered the batcave to find Bruce sitting at the computer as he looked over Bruce's shoulder at the screen he frowned at what he saw. "Do you not trust Miss Buffy's judgment, Master Bruce?"
Bruce didn't look up from the screen on which displayed the image of Thomas Armstrong with his family, whom Buffy was going on a date with that evening. "Of course I trust Buffy's judgment," he said.
"Then why are you checking up on her date and his family?" Alfred asked, knowing full well that if Buffy found out she would be majorly pissed at her father.
Bruce sighed. "I don't know the boy enough to trust him. Besides, Buffy is my little girl. It is my job to watch out for her and protect her."
"I thought I would find you two down here."
Bruce and Alfred turned and found Buffy walking toward them.
"How do I …" Buffy said as she started to ask them their opinion on her choice of clothes for the night when she saw the computer. "Dad, what the hell are you doing? Checking up on Thomas? Don't you trust me?"
Bruce sighed. "Of course I trust you, Buffy. It's the people out there I don't trust. Batman's enemies aren't the only ones we have to worry about coming after you because you're my daughter. Remember when you were eight and those people that kidnapped you. We still don't know who they were or why they kidnapped you. It could have been for all we know to try and extort money from me for your safe return. I'm being cautious."
Buffy sighed. "I understand your worries, dad. And if you trust me, you should trust me enough to know that I would have saved you the work." She moved to the computer and inputted her password and login into the system and pulled up a file. "When he asked me out I checked out his family, for the same reasons you gave. Mr. and Mrs. Armstrong have both been loyal employees of Wayne Enterprises for twenty years. They have had nine years to try and kidnap me. Don't you think they would have done it by now?"
May 20th, 1996
"I don't think we should see each other anymore."
Buffy stood in the school hallway, it was one of the few times she still attended Gotham Academy, for mandated classes such as science that she could not be easily taught in at home. She stared at Thomas with surprise and shock. Her eyes opened wide.
"You don't?" she asked, confused. "When did this happen? Where was I?"
"Lately you seem to be keeping secrets," Thomas said. "About your past."
Buffy sighed. "I'm not. I told you I have amnesia. I can't remember anything past when I was six."
"I'm not talking about that. I'm talking about a lot of things since then." Thomas said. "I'm really sorry." He turned and walked away.
Buffy stood there, alone in the hall, watching Thomas go. She felt very young and very alone. She could feel the tears forming in her eyes.
An hour later as Buffy walked into Wayne Manor the tears still dropped from her eyes.
"Miss Buffy," Alfred said. "How was …" He then noted the tears. "What's wrong?"
"T-thomas," Buffy stuttered and then she buried her head into Alfred's chest.
Alfred held the crying girl, unsure how to comfort her. He knew if it had to do with Thomas that only one thing likely had happened. That the boy had broken up with Buffy. He looked up and noted Bruce's eyes on them. Both of them had little experience with girls. And when things like this happened they both felt lost when it came to trying to comfort Buffy.
Bruce turned and walked into his study, calling the only woman he knew that could be of help in this situation. His old partner and the commissioner's daughter, Barbara Gordon. "Barbara, its Bruce. I need your help."
"Anything, Bruce. What do you need?" Barbara asked.
"It's Buffy," Bruce said. When he had adopted Buffy he had told both Dick Grayson and Barbara about her. "I think she could use a woman's …"
"Say no more," Barbara said. "I'll be right there."
Barbara had come and found out what had happened from Buffy and took the girl out for ice cream. When they had returned both Bruce and Alfred saw a marked difference in Buffy. While admittedly not back to her old self, she was happier they could tell. Bruce had been right that only a woman could help Buffy through her first break-up.
Chapter 6: Year Eleven
January 20th, 1997
"Buffy are you sure you're ready?" Bruce asked as he looked at his daughter.
Buffy smiled. "More than ready, dad."
Bruce sighed as he handed Buffy the keys and she put them into the ignition. He had dreaded this day for as long as he could remember. Teaching Buffy to drive was going to be a headache.
While Buffy did not get them killed, she came close a couple times to having an accident. But that was because Bruce kept yelling at her to watch out for this or that, and distracting her as a result. By the time they got home. Bruce was shaken. As he walked past Alfred he handed the man the keys. "Next time you take her out."