AN: Hullo. No idea. Don't even ask. Title comes from the Mudvayne song, idea came from a really lucid dream. Fairly AU, I suppose-but not exactly...you tell me-, but I couldn't help myself. I grew up on these sorts of stories (only better ones, I'm still learning the finer points), and the Keeney mansion just begs for some attention.
Updates will be on Wednesdays.
"Your father is going to kill me."
"Why?"
"I'd hardly call the state you're in 'one piece', Kitty."
"Ada* knows what line of work we're in. Even if he blames you, he loves me too much to kill you."
Well, that was reassuring.
"Good."
As much as he hated coming back to Georgia, Batman had yet to track them here. Besides, it was safer to voluntarily visit Kitty's parents. Mrs. Richardson had threatened to visit them in Arkham if they didn't, and that would probably get them an earful.
He had another reason for making the drive back here. His old childhood home was a possible source of money. It had a handful of antiques-books, knick-knacks, et. cetera-and somewhere on that property was the deed to the place. He'd looked for it before and come up with nothing, but he hadn't been particularly thorough. He didn't like being in there.
God, he was tired…
No matter. They were here at last.
"Kitty Richardson, what did you do to yourself?"
"Batman did it, Mum."
"Come here and let me look at that."
"It's just a cut, Mum."
"Don't argue with me. You're next, Jonathan, so stop smirking."
"Yes, Ma'm."
It was threatening rain-had been all day-and he was glad to finally go inside and get a glass of ice water.
"What happened this time?"
"He found my lab and took exception." All that work lost. Idiot. No respect for the scientific community. "That's from being thrown into broken glass."
Kitty shot him a dark look but otherwise kept her mouth shut.
"Is that so? I need to meet this masked friend of yours."
"It's fine, Mum. We lost him."
"Not now, dear."
Ahh, couch. The only thing that would make his life better was a shower-a really long, hot one with actual water pressure and no interruptions. And hopefully no stolen clothes.
"All right, good enough. Jonathan, come here."
"I'm gonna grab a shower, Mum."
"Hurry up, we're in for a storm." Her finger tapped a cut on the bridge of his nose. "What's this?"
"Batman broke my glasses."
*'Ada' is Elvish for 'Daddy'. Kitty and her father are Tolkien nuts. LOTR used to be her bedtime story, and she broke out of Arkham to see The Hobbit with him.