A new story I have been working on, Updates every Sunday after Publishing.
I step off the plane and a sigh escapes my ruby lips. The dark clouds in the sky threaten rain, and a menacing, sharp skyline juts out of the horizon. Another breath and I walk down the steps to the runway to where an unmarked car waited for me.
"Good morning Miss Webb, we just have a short drive before we reach your destination." The driver greets as he opens the door for me and I catch a look at myself in the reflection of the window. I look tired, and that will never do. I am here on business for my father, and I must be presentable.
I smooth my hair and touch up under my eyes to make the dark circles disappear as I ride down a winding and secluded path, the skyline disappearing in and out of trees.
I pick dander off my blouse as we pull into a private drive, gates closing behind us.
I make sure my tights are properly attached to my garters as we stop and the driver turns off the engine.
I re-apply my lipstick as the driver opens the door and I straighten my skirt as I stand.
I gaze onto the manor before me, noting the perfectly kept lawn and clean house, the perfect picture of sophistication- wait.
There is a football tucked under a hedge and a handle bar of a bike peaking around the side of the garage.
A smile creeps across my lips. This is not a house; it is a home.
Something I never had.
My smile drops briefly before I put it back in place.
The door to the home opens, and a well-dressed man steps out, his blue eyes greeting my brown ones warmly.
"Good Morning, Miss Webb, thank you for coming out to meet me at my home today, my youngest is not feeling well and his brothers are unable to stay with him at the moment. It is very nice to see you again, you have grown to be a beautiful young lady." He grabs my hand when I am close enough, helping me up the stairs then kissing my hand politely.
"It is I who should be thanking you, Mr. Wayne, your home is wonderful and obviously that, a home," I reply, motioning the football and he gives an exasperated sigh.
"I thought I told them to clean up, oh well, why don't you come inside, and we can discuss the meanings of your father's business. How is your father, by the way?" The door closed behind us with a surprisingly quiet thud, and Bruce Wayne leads me inside to a home that shows more evidence of the boys who live here. The floors are scratched and scuffed, there are dents in the walls, and random shoes shoved into corners.
"He is doing very well, he is very sorry he could not make it himself, he had an emergency at the branch in Milan, Mr. Wayne, he was loving the idea of seeing an old friend again."
"Yes, it is very unfortunate, but I do get to see his lovely daughter. Unfortunately, Dick and Jason are away at the moment, but I'm sure you will see them soon." He chuckles as he leads me into the study. The driver is there with tea and cookies for us. I must have a slightly quizzical look on my face because Bruce chuckles and introduces me.
"Miss Webb, this is Alfred. He runs the household; I just make the money."
"It's very nice to meet you, Alfred, thank you for picking me up at the airport, you must be very busy," I say, giving him a polite nod.
"It was my pleasure, Miss. Would you like some tea?" He asks as he begins to serve us and Bruce gets his papers in order.
"Yes please, milk and honey in mine, if you don't mind," I reply, settling myself in the large chair Bruce waves for me to sit in. I sink in and suddenly sit back up with a soft 'oh!'. I reach behind myself and pull out a metal pole about 16 inches long.
Bruce sighs and takes it from me. "I'm sorry, it seems the boys left things lying around again."
I giggle slightly, accepting my tea from Alfred with a nod and a smile.
"It wouldn't be home without reminders that people live here, Sir."
"That is true, but enough small talk, for now, time to get to business." He puts his paper into a neat pile and looks into my eyes.
"Yes sir, my father would like to propose a mutual partnership of one of his minor area and one of yours," I say, switching into business mode, pulling papers out of my briefcase.
"Which area does he have in mind, Miss Webb?"
"The Medical Research Field, Sir. My father feels that with your business' technology, and of our shared leading field of experts we can find the cures for almost any disease, especially the ones that can fatally affect infants." I say, and Bruce's eyes soften.
"That sounds like a great idea, let's draw up some paperwork," Bruce replies before turning to his computer. I push a lock of brown hair out of my face.
We talk about how the companies should proceed with the partnership until we hear a knock on the door. We turn to it as it slowly opens and an 11-year-old boy peeks his head around the entrance, his face pale and his eyes tired.
"Sorry to interrupt father, but I was wondering if Pennyworth could make me some soup, I'm feeling hungry."
"It's alright Damian, we were just finishing up, why don't we all stop for lunch?" He replies, standing and walking around his desk. I stand and follow him out the door.
As I walk down the hallway, I notice that the boy is in his pajamas, batman ones, and I smile.
"Hello, my name is Tiffany Webb, but you can call me Tiff," I say, walking beside him. He nods at me.
"I'm Damian, the blood son."
"Blood? Ah, yes, your brothers are adopted. Older aren't they? I use to play with Jason and Dick when we were younger, while our dad talked business. We got kicked out of quite a few arcades." He nods again.
"Why are you doing business with my father? You can't be older the Todd, and even Grayson stays out of that stuff." Damian says, looking me over with a critical eye. I waved my hand at him in a flippant way.
"I do what I have too, and this project is personal to me. There are many diseases that need a cure, especially ones that fatally affect infants." And Damian gives me a quizzical look.
"I was born with a liver disease, Biliary Atresia, I had to get a liver transplant when I was a year and a half old, and at any moment, my new liver can reject me. I take anti-rejection meds to try to keep that from happening." I explain, lifting my blouse to show the crescent shaped scar on my lower abdomen.
Damian looks at it, then traces it lightly with a finger. My muscles flex slightly at the light touch.
"This happened when you were a baby? Why? You had done nothing yet. Why did the world decide to punish you?" He looked confused and outraged, I smiled softly.
"So I could live and save others. Sometimes bad things happen to good people, but those good people grow strong to keep it from happening to others." I reply, and Damian nods like he understands. I just didn't know how well he really did understand, and I didn't see Bruce watching me carefully, then nod.
Our lunch consists of soup and sandwiches, and I explain more to Damian about the liver disease I had and the many other diseases I want to cure, and when I finish, both father and son walk me out.
"Are you staying in Gotham for a while, Miss Webb?" Bruce asks as he shakes my hand. I nod.
"Yes Sir, my father made me the head of this project, and I want it based in Gotham, I will be staying at a hotel in the city until I find an apartment. I also got a job as an intern at Arkham. I'm going to be studying the inmates with unique abilities, and see if we could utilize the outlier genes to create cures and treatments for dangerous diseases." I reply, then shaking Damian's hand.
"I see, well, if you need anything, you are always welcome to visit. I know how hard it is for a 20-year-old to live on their own. I've had 2 already." Bruce replies and I giggle.
"Careful, Mr. Wayne, I may take you up on that." And with that, I get in the car and Alfred takes me to my hotel. What I don't see is 3 figures drop from the roof to the porch, all watching me.
"She's like us."
"Yeah, she is, but she doesn't have to hide behind a mask to do what's right."
"She gets to save people, and be known for it.".
"We are going to have to protect her, too many people here will hurt her. Especially if she works at Arkham."
"Yes, we are." The Batfamily walked inside the house, thunder clapped and the skies opened.