Fingers wrestled over each other in obvious anxiety as their owner stood stalk still against the cold wind.
"Everything will be fine Miss Han," Alfred, Wayne manor's personal caretaker, soothed warmly in his British accent as he helped the woman down and out from the private plane.
"I-I, yes," The young woman stuttered out as she grasped the elderly man's hand gratefully as she walked down the steps unsteadily in her stiletto heels.
"It's just…"
"I know, I understand."
Miss Heather Han, a registered nurse employed in Gotham General and long time friend of the elusive Wayne heir, stood frozen on the tarp in a stamp pressed suit waiting for the man who disappeared from her life. Beside the nervous woman was the aged and long time butler of the Wayne household. Time and the disappearance of his charge had long since shown on the lines of his face.
Seeing the young woman shiver in her heels, Alfred quickly shuffled into the plane before coming back out with a thick blanket. Moving in front of the woman, the butler paused in his ministrations as he spotted the tears in her wide eyes staring off over his shoulder.
Ever since his charge had disappeared, Alfred had found himself comforting the woman who had come to him and finding comfort with her as well. During his college years, young master Wayne would often describe a young woman named Heather that he had befriended in his weekly calls. And undoubtedly Alfred did not want to meet the woman under horrible circumstances, the day Master Wayne disappeared. Only a couple days after his initial disappearance, and just after Rachael had come to inform him of her encounter with Master Wayne; a young woman rang the bell at the grand gates of Wayne manor in the rain.
The same haunting watered eyes were the first he saw when he made his way out with an umbrella. Quickly ushering her in, Alfred met and befriended the infamous Heather Han.
And through the years, he would be lying if he said a connection wasn't made. The butler had introduced her to Rachael Dawes as well, finding that giving her a female companion would be to her benefit. And dare he say, they were as inseparable as Bruce and Rachael were before they had parted in their college years.
So when he had received the call, the call he had been dearly waiting for. He could not find himself to not tell the small Asian woman.
Wrapping the blanket around Heather's shoulders, Alfred gave her a firm squeeze on her upper arms before moving to her side once again.
Relief and disbelief showed openly on both their faces as a figure came into their field of view.
Dressed in layers of rags and carrying only a simple duffle bag was the man of the hour, Bruce Wayne.
Unable to rip her eyes away from Bruce's weather worn face, Heather barely felt the silent tears fall from her eyes. Sorrow and happiness filled her heart as she noticed the shock in his eyes as he took in her face. Alfred had not told him that she was coming along to pick him up.
"Heather…" Bruce said as he neared the plane with a lighter weight on his shoulders.
His deep voice seemed to break the bonds holding her down. Heather quickly shuffled to Bruce in bubbling happiness, throwing her arms around his broad shoulders. Silent sobs shook her small shoulders as she tried to grasp the situation.
Feeling his arms wrap around her in a firm hold, if there were any chills left in her body, they left in a hurry as his warmth surrounded her.
Bruce held the small woman tightly for both his and her comfort, his tired body suddenly finding the strength to do so. She looked different yet exactly the same. Unable to find the will to break her hold, Bruce glanced up at his butler. Alfred looked at the sight with a warm smile but made no move toward the two.
"Heather," Bruce repeated as she finally eased her hold and backed up the slightest.
"I'm so-"
Despite all his training, Bruce could not predict and stop the hand that ran up to slap harshly against his face. Flexing his jaw, he looked back at his friend to meet her furious glare.
"In my opinion, she should have slapped you long ago. Then maybe some sense would have been knocked into you," Alfred commented as Heather went back to attaching herself to his charge, "Welcome back Master Wayne, you've been gone a long time.
With an arm firmly wrapped around the nurse's waist, Bruce moved them over back onto the plane.
"Yes I have Alfred."
"You look very fashionable," Alfred commented lightly as his smile widened as Bruce chuckled lightly as he glanced down at himself.
"Will you be coming back to Gotham for long sir?" Alfred asked from across the worn down billionaire. Yet despite his attire, the young man seemed to be much more stronger and wiser than before. Leaving the aged butler to wonder what he had been through, what he had to face. But all the same.
'It seems as though some things endure the test of time,' he thought wistfully as he watched his charge stare at the sleeping Miss Han sitting on the seat beside him. Their hands were still somehow connected, her grip on Bruce's hand had loosened when the lack of sleep finally caught up with the young lady yet Bruce still held on gently.
"As long as it takes," Bruce stated as he diverted his stare from Heather's relaxed face toward the window, "I'm going to show the people of Gotham than their city doesn't belong to the criminals and the corrupt."
Alfred glanced down before looking back at Bruce with an indescribable look.
"During the depression, your father nearly bankrupted Wayne Enterprises combating poverty. He believed his example could inspire the wealthy of Gotham to save their city."
Bruce looked at Alfred and Alfred could see a hint of the boy Bruce used to be, eager to see the happy ending of a story.
"Did it?"
"In a way. Their murder shocked the wealthy into powerful action."
Bruce immediately looked down to avoid Alfred's stare.
"People need dramatic examples to shake them out of apathy and I can't do that as Bruce Wayne. As a man out of flesh and blood can be ignored and destroyed but as a symbol, as a symbol I can be incorruptible. I can be everlasting."
"What kind of symbol?" Alfred questioned wearily, not quite sure where their conversation was going.
"Something elemental, something terrifying." Bruce whispered out in thought.
"I assume as you're taking on the underworld. The symbol is a persona to protect those you care about reprisals," Alfred said out in a stronger tone as he took a pointed glance at the slumbering woman.
"You're talking about Heather and Rachel," Bruce questioned but knew the answer.
A chuckle and slight smile was his answer.
"Actually sir, I was talking about myself."
His comment did it's job as a amusement filled Bruce's hardened eyes.
"Have you told anyone about my arrival, besides Heather?" The look in the young master's eyes promised a future discussion in how Alfred had met Heather. Though he had a hunch to the answer and right now he was just thankful that she was there. It was a relief to see Alfred and her after all these years, still relatively the same.
"I figured, the legal ramifications of bringing you back from dead-"
"Dead?" Bruce interrupted with an incredulous look.
"You've been gone seven years."
"You had me declared dead?"
"Well actually, it was Mr. Earle who was taking the company public. He wanted to liquidate your majority share holding. Those shares were worth quite a bit of money." Alfred replied with a smile.
Bruce stared at his butler in disbelief before chuckling the slightest.
"Well good thing I left everything to you then."
"And you owe him. Or rather, since technically everything is his now. You're practically a guest now," A sleepy voice cut in causing both males to meet the tired eyes of Heather staring at Bruce and Alfred with a smile.
"Quite so, sir and madame," Alfred leaned his head back against the recliner with his eyes closing in hidden exhaustion, "And you can borrow the Rolls, if you'd like. Just bring it back with a full tank."
Bruce smiled at the relaxed form of Alfred before looking back at Heather.
"A symbol is a powerful thing Bruce. Once it takes effect, how much control of it do you think you will have?" Heather asked, fully knowing that Alfred was listening. She sat up but kept her body facing facing toward the aisle.
"When it takes full effect, it will be out of my control when I no longer need to be there." Bruce said with a reassuring smile before turning to look out the window.
'But will you ever stop needing it?' She thought sadly as she took in his rugged looks, 'I don't think you realize how much you've changed. It's not just Gotham that needs this symbol is it…'
The smile from Bruce's face slipped the slightest as he fully took in Heather's input. He knew that the only control he would be guaranteed would be that of his own actions. There were many things that could go wrong, but Gotham was worth it. The people in Gotham deserved better.
Rachel deserved better.
Alfred deserved better.
Heather deserved better.
Heathers hands squeezed his hand gently as her thumb stroked the back of his hand.
She would be worth all that was there to come.