The first one-shot of Snippets of the Song! Before reading any of these one-shots, it's highly recommended to the main stories of my Songbird Series (check out my profile for all of them).

Disclaimer: I own the cover image of this fanfiction, and it should not be copied in anyway. I do not own anything DC Comics related. I only own the characters that will probably never be apart of the DC Universe. (This disclaimer is meant for all of the chapters in this fanfiction.)


Gotham City, Gotham Park

June 30TH 4:16 p.m.

Bruce's Pov

Alexis and I were taking a stroll in the Gotham Park, taking advantage of the beautiful afternoon. That, and because I needed to speak with her about her cover mission; I needed to apologize to her.

"There's something on your mind," Alexis spoke up. "It's not about Dick either, because you would've just called and asked about him. He's still grieving, but he's had better days."

"Your observation skills have improved a lot, considering how you were always taking your time to process my lessons," I commented, the corners of my lips curling just noticeably.

"According to everyone else, I'm still as hard-headed. I guess that just runs in the women in my family though." Alexis smiled sadly. "Savage knew exactly how to drill things into my head though." Alexis crossed her arms, holding them tightly. Her flower-print sundress revealed her scarred arms. Her scars were faint, but I could make them out on her dainty arms. "It's ironic cause when he punished me, I never remembered my dad hurting Karie and I. All I could think about was the pain."

Her words surprised me, especially when her voice had come out so broken and quiet. I read her body language, expression and her eyes. She hasn't even told Dick about this. I led her to a park bench that faced the famous fountain. I watched as she cried silent tears beside me. I had asked her to go on that mission, even used her weakness against her; protecting others. The guilt was overwhelming. It was the same when Karie and I raced to save Jason. "Alexis, I'm beyond sorry for putting you through that."

"There's nothing to be sorry for, my mission was successful. For you, and for the Light," Alexis said, trying to wipe her tears.

She stared at the fountain watching as a child made a wish with a penny from his parents. She smiled, as she finally turned to face me. My heart fell seeing how vulnerable she really was. She was so pure and full of life, but she was broken to an unfixable extent. All she could do was try to forget everything that made her broken.

"I knew the Light was using the Reach the moment Vandal and Klarion had sent me to Smallville. Lex Luthor never once said anything good about the Reach. At first, I thought it was because of the runaways, and then we were sent to sabotage their efforts on Earth," Alexis said, as her shoulders relaxed and leaned on the back in the bench. "Savage made me stronger so I could help break the Reach and turn their meta-humans into weapons against them. I guess my dense head couldn't process it all and put it together."

"He probably didn't expect for you to turn against him, or the runaways either. I think you were able to process who to really trust, and that was Dick," I said, correcting her. She started smiling. "He knows what he wants and what he needs. I guess you do as well."

"That is why I chose to go on that mission. Phase 2 ended in failure, the Light fell apart, the Reach left Earth, I even heard from Karie that our mom woke up a few minutes after my disappearence. But what I think is most important for you to hear me say is that I'm still here, walking beside you telling you to that this doesn't have to be a burden anymore," Alexis said, looking on the brighter side of things. She was being brave, not for herself, but for those around her.

"I still remember when you had first thanked me for trying to protect your mother almost eleven years ago." I smiled at the irony. "You were trying not to cry, smiling for your crying sister and father. You were so brave, and you still are."

All the pain she went through and she has the courage to smile.

She suddenly wrapped her arms around me, resting her head barely reaching over my shoulder. "I'm really okay. Everything I went through was not your fault. They were just little setbacks of my mission."

She was my first failure.

We started walking to a nearby diner to grab some coffee. As we walked in a silence where nothing had to be said, I realized how much Alexis has grown and matured. I remembered what I had told her father eleven years ago on the fateful night about both Karie and Alexis. "They'll grow up to be great people."

Alexis started up a conversation. She stared up at the clear, striking blue sky as she said to me, "You gave us a loving home with open arms."

She and Karie fit right into the family. In fact, they made the manor feel like a real home at the manor, and not an empty estate.

Alexis turned around suddenly. She said with a smile, "You know, you were more of a father than my own in those three months when Karie and I stayed at the manor and became part of the team."

She sees me as more of a father than her own ever was when she and Karie needed one the most.

"Even though we aren't related by blood, you'll always be my dad."

She sees me as her dad.

"I love you, Bruce."

I smiled.

I see her as my daughter.


I really loved this chapter, maybe it's because it shows how much they've both grown, and because it shows how Bruce felt all of these years after sending her off on the mission. Also, if you have any ideas, tell me through your reviews! I'd love to hear what ideas you guys have! You never know, I might even write your idea. Lastly, what do you all think of the cover image? It was something I put together pretty quickly, but are there any guesses of what it is? Answer in your reviews, I'd love to see who can figure it out.

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