What We're Made Of

Prelude

Chapter 1

7:28 PM February 9th 2003, Haly's Circus

The two bodies land on the ground with a loud gut-wrenching thud. Memories from my parent's death flash through my mind as I watch the husband and wife crash into the floor, splaying out at odd angles. It takes less than a second for me to know the duo is dead. I knew when they were halfway to the ground.

Screams of horror erupt from the crowd, but one stands out from the others. One cry drowns out the hundreds of shrieks and cries from the audience. It commands all my attention; distracting me from the crowd, from my girlfriend Selena Kyle clutching my arm, from the broken bodies on the ground.

My eyes roam the tent for the source of the horrified scream. They land on a little raven haired boy around the age of five on the side of the ring. He is in the same costume as the Flying Grayson's, he must be their son who was supposed to perform the second half of the act. A black-haired girl is holding him back from running into the middle of the ring. A clown comes to her aid and they drag the boy out of the tent.

'Good' I think. He shouldn't be seeing this. Plus reporters have already recovered from shock and have started taking pictures of the dead acrobats. Now the boy won't have his face displayed on all TV stations and newspapers across the country. It wasn't the hardest part of my parents' death by far, but it wasn't easy seeing my crying face splattered in the media after that horrible night.

I feel for the small boy. He shouldn't have had to witness this. No child should have to watch their parents' deaths, especially when it is as gruesome as this.

The police arrive at the scene quickly and begin ushering people out of the tent. Most of the audience has already left or are glad to leave as soon as possible. But I hesitate.

"Bruce," Selena says, trying to get my attention. "We should go. Let the circus and police take care of the bodies."

I nod and lead her out of the tent. Halfway to the parking lot, I hear a cry from the left of the tent. The same cry that pulled my focus earlier. It isn't one of fear or shock, but sorrow. It seems to be coming from where the carnies parked their trailers and keep the animals. I stop and stare in the direction of the sob.

"Bruce?" Selena asks concerned. "Are you okay?"

"Yeah," I answer not looking at her. "I just think I'm going to go check around the place."

"Bruce, there is nothing you can do here. It was an accident 'you know who' isn't needed."

The 'you know who' she is referring to is my alter ego Batman, protector of Gotham. I became Batman in my early twenties to fight the crime that has taken over the city I grew up in. After my parents were murdered in front of me at the age of eight, I became obsessed with stopping criminals.

Selena and I met two years ago while I was on patrol one night. She was robbing a jewelry store as Catwoman and I was there to stop her. When we first met Selina and I obviously fought on different sides of crime, until about a year ago. She had started to show up at functions I attended as Bruce Wayne. Of course we both recognized each other quite quickly, and I slowly started convincing her to stop her life of crime. We have been dating for about four months now.

"I want to check on the Grayson's son" I reply.

Selena gives me an understanding look. "I see, do you want me to come with?" she asks.

"No it's fine. I'll have Alfred come pick me up. You have work tomorrow, go home and rest" I answer while handing her my keys.

Selena is hesitant at first, but then agrees. "Call me if you need help or just want to talk…okay?"

"I will" I say giving her a quick kiss before she heads towards the car.

Police officers are all over the property. I recognize Commissioner Gordon, who is currently talking to 'Pop' Haly the circus's owner. I make my way over towards the trailers; surprised nobody has stopped me yet. Normally civilians aren't welcomed at scenes like this.

The sob rings out into the night again. It is coming from a trailer close to the big tent. As I get closer, I can hear the small boy from before crying. My heart goes out to the child, understanding how he feeling right now.

I wait outside the trailer, not knowing what to do. I can't just walk in and try to comfort the boy, no matter how much I would like to. Knocking on the door is an option that I quickly dismiss. Why would whoever is currently taking care of the boy let Bruce Wayne in? Instead I hide in the shadows, feeling like an idiot and wait for an opportunity to do something.

During my contemplation, Commissioner Gordon, Mr. Haly and a rat-looking woman walk over to the trailer and knock on the door. The woman is dressed in a business suit and has her hair slicked back into a tight bun, stretching her face wider, enhancing the rat appearance.

The door to the trailer opens revealing a giant man, I recognize him as the strongman from the beginning of the show. He has changed out of his costume and is wearing a pair of sweats with a men's tank top.

"Yes?" he asks in a gruff voice.

Mr. Haly answers the carnie, "Pete, this is Commissioner Gordon and Ms. Vice. They are here to talk to Richard."

"Why?" the strongman protests, sounding very protective. "They boy is in mourning, he doesn't need to be pestered by some suits."

The Commissioner explains, "We do not wish to make Richard any more upset than he already is. I just need to ask him a few questions about what happened."

"The rope broke! What else is there to say?"

I decide to leave. Commissioner Gordon will be kind to the boy while asking the questions and it is obvious the child has people here to comfort him. I don't know what I was thinking or planning on doing. I am obviously not needed, Selena was right. I'm about to walk away when the next comment catches my ear.

"We don't think it was an accident Pete" Mr. Haly says.

"That is ridiculous!" Pete exclaims, "Mary and John were great people, why would anybody…"

"IT WASN'T!" a head of black hair leaps from the trailer. I'm not quite sure how he got past the strongman. The boy runs to the Commissioner and cries in a panic, "It wasn't an accident! I saw a man messing with our ropes before the performance! I told him to stop, I did! But he told me he was fixing it! I told him that the ropes weren't broken, but he didn't believe me! He meant to do this to my parents! I know he did!" The child breaks down into sobs.

My heart skips a beat. The Graysons were murdered, and the boy knows. A new sense of sorrow flows over me. This boy's story reminding me so much of my own.

Gordon leans down and tries to comfort the child. "Shhh. Calm down Richard. Do you know the man who tampered with the ropes?"

Richard shakes his head yes franticly and looks at the circus owner. "Mr. Haly! It was the man you were arguing with before the show! He told me that…"

"Shh Richard Shh." Mr. Haly quickly pulls the boy into a hug. He looks up at the Commissioner and explains, "Tony Zucco. He came to me wanting to do some business that I did not approve of. When I refused his demands, he was pretty angry. I didn't expect him to resort to this though.

Tony Zucco. I engrave the name into my brain, swearing to myself to hunt this monster down. I will bring this child some justice. His story will not end like my own.

Ms. Vice clears her throat, gaining everyone's attention. I forgot she was there throughout this entire ordeal. She opens her mouth and a shrill voice says "It is late and I was not planning on working a case tonight. It is time for me to take the child now."

"What!" the strongman exclaims. "He needs to be here with us. We are the closest thing Richard has to a family now. We will take care of him."

The rat-woman's eyes narrow, "Child services doesn't view a circus as a suitable living arrangement for a child with parents let alone without. I will be taking the boy with me."

My blood boils thinking about this poor child leaving with such an unkind woman. When I witnessed my parents' murder, I had Alfred to lean on. In an orphanage, the boy will have nobody.

"Where are you going to take me?" Richard's small voice asks.

Ms. Vice wrinkles her nose at the boy "Well the orphanages are full and there isn't a foster home willing to take in a gypsy. So we have had to make arrangements with the Gotham juvenile penitentiary."

That is when I break. Juvie? Is this woman crazy? They boy looks to be five, at the oldest seven. He wouldn't last one day. I step out of the shadows, into view of the group.

"That will not be needed. I will take the boy." I shock myself by the words coming out of my own mouth. Taking in a child is a big task, one I don't know if I'm equip for. But looking down at poor Richards's sad face, I know what I have to do.

"Bruce Wayne?...What are you doing here?" Ms. Vice's shrill voice breaks my focus on Richard.

I look around at the group of confused faces. Surely I am the last person they thought they would see tonight. "I…I was in the audience during the…incident and wanted to make sure Richard was okay. I couldn't help but remember what it was like when I was eight and in a similar situation. After overhearing what has just been discussed, I think it would be a better option for the child to come stay with me."

Gordon gives me a knowing face, he was the officer to tell me they had caught the man who killed my parents the night it happened. Ms. Vice on the other hand rolls her eyes and says,

"Mr. Wayne. I understand that you may have made some personal connections to this boy's case, but that doesn't mean you are suited for taking care of him."

"I believe could take better care for Richard than a Juvenile penitentiary!" I assert, standing my ground. "He is too young to be going to such a harsh environment. I have plenty of room at Wayne Manor and frankly I know what he is going through more than others."

"Still. This child…" Ms. Vice begins, but is interrupted by Gordon.

"I think it is a good idea. Richard what do you think? Would you like to go live with Mr. Wayne for a while?"

Richard is staring at the ground. He slowly looks over at the strongman, Mr. Haly and then the Commissioner. "Can't I stay with the circus?"

"Absolutely not!" Ms. Vice shrieks. Richard flinches at her tone. Anger towards this woman boils inside of me.

Gordon sends a quick glare to the social worker to quiet her before returning his attention to the boy. "I'm sorry Richard. That is not an option."

The child looks at Ms. Vice, but quickly looks away when seeing her scowl. Then Richard slowly looks up at me with sad puppy dog eyes. I can tell I scare him a bit, being at least three times his size. I loosen my stance, trying to look a bit less stiff and threatening. Slowly, I crouch down, still towering over the tiny boy, and say "You are welcome to come home with me Richard. But it is your decision." I tried to sound comforting, but I know how gruff my voice is.

Richard takes a moment to think before saying "I would like that. Thank you Mr. Wayne."

-Later that night-

The limo pulls up to Wayne Manor. Alfred had picked Richard and I up from the circus and put Richard's small amount of luggage into the trunk. It surprised me how little Richard brought. I had told him to bring whatever he wanted, but he barely filled a tiny suitcase and a backpack filled with clothes, some trinkets from his parents, a few "Flying Grayson" posters, and a stuffed elephant which he is currently clinging to.

After Richard had agreed to come live with me, the Commissioner and Mr. Haly helped convince Ms. Vice to let me take the boy home. After signing a few papers as Richard packed and said goodbye to all the circus workers, we were all set.

At first Alfred was shocked by the news. Then after explaining Richards's situation, he was understanding. Richard has been very quiet the entire ride to the manor. I've tried to start up a few conversations, but the only response I received would be a mumble or a shrug. Eventually I gave up.

I step out of the limo myself before help Richard get out. The boy's eyes grow wide as he examines the Manor.

"This is your house?" he asks in awe.

I smirk at his amazed reaction, "Yes it is."

"It's huge! Do you live here by yourself?"

"Alfred stays here with me." I'm glad he has a distraction for a bit. "Come, I'll show you to your room."

Richard nods eagerly and follows me into the Manor while still clutching the elephant. For the first time I notice how cute the child is. Richards's facial structure is very sharp and angular, but has a few soft features such as big light blue eyes which are roaming the property with great curiosity. His dark hair is very shaggy and has a healthy shine to it. The elephant emphasizes how short Richard is, being about half of his size. Richard makes me feel like a giant as he has to take three steps for every one I take.

Eventually we make it into the Manor. Richard's mouth drops as we walk through the extravagant rooms and hallways.

"How am I going to get around? This place is like a maze!"

I chuckle, "Alfred or I will give you a tour tomorrow." We reach the bedroom Alfred had prepared for Richard before leaving to get us. It is next door to my own bedroom. "Here is your room."

Richard hesitates before entering the bedroom. He stops in the doorway and observes his surroundings. When he doesn't move I put a hand on his shoulder meaning to be supportive, but instead it frightened the boy into taking a few steps forward. I sigh, realizing how difficult it will be to get him to warm up to me. Richard makes his way into the room as I turn on the light. They boy's eyes widen as he sees how big the room really is.

"The bathroom is through this door" I show Richard, trying to break the tension. "My room is right next door on this side." I point to the side of the room with a dresser.

As a response Richard only nods and continues inspecting the bedroom. He makes his way over to the bed. Noticing how high the bed is compared to the boy, I mentally kick myself for not thinking about if the boy can actually get into bed. Before I can say anything Richard uses his acrobatic skills and leaps up onto the bed, solving the problem.

I should probably say something, but I'm at a loss of what. So the two of us stay in an awkward silence. Luckily after a few minutes Alfred walks in with Richard's luggage.

"I see the young master has settled into his bed" Alfred says. "I believe it is time for us all to get some sleep."

Alfred's tone tells me that there is some important he has to tell me. It is the same tone he uses when I'm in a business meeting and Batman is needed. I nod to Alfred and return my attention to Richard.

I approach the bed and kneel so I am eye level with the boy. "If you need anything, do not hesitate to come find Alfred or I. Okay?"

The child nods his head implying yes he understands. I give him a smile and make my way out of the room, followed by Alfred. When we are out of earshot from the bedroom, I ask Alfred.

"What happened? Is it Zucco?"

"Yes sir. There was a report about five minutes ago of a sighting in the Dark Pond Lounge. Two other sources confirmed the citing."

I'm in the batcave within a minute, putting on my suit.

-At the Dark Pond Lounge-

It isn't hard to find Zucco's whereabouts once I get down to the lounge. He is sitting on a couch near the entrance for heaven's sake! He must be waiting for someone since he isn't trying hard to hide his location and every so often he checks his phone. As time wears on, Zucco becomes more distressed and checks the phone every minute.

I debate taking down the bastard right now. But considering what part of the city I am currently in, there are probably gunmen everywhere, which I am not in the mood to deal with right now. All I can think of is getting back to the Manor as soon as possible in case Richard needs anything. Tonight won't be easy for him. So I wait and watch Zucco from outside, where I can see him through some windows. After about an hour, Zucco can't stand sitting out in the open any longer and leaves the lounge.

I follow him down the street. Zucco ducks into an alley to make a call.

"Hey! Where are you?" he whispers urgently into the phone. "I told you, I found them. All three of them! The acrobats who…AHHH!"

Before he can finish the call, I come up from behind and slam Zucco into the alley's wall. The phone drops to the ground, snapping in half. Zucco screams from the sudden pain, but quickly recovers and tries to attack.

I easily block the weak punch Zucco tries to inflict towards my head. I grab his arm and use the momentum from his punch to flip the mobster over, so he is laying on the ground with his hand behind his back.

"What do you want bat? I wasn't doing anything!" Zucco gasps.

"Don't try pulling that on me, I know what you did at the circus." I yank on the arm so he is kneeling. "Why did you kill the Graysons?" I demand.

Zucco smirks and says "I had a job and needed to get rid of what was in the way."

"Who hired you?" I hiss.

Zucco laughs "Please. Whatever you or the cruddy police in this town do isn't nearly as bad as what would happen to me if I let that information slip. Especially when it is such a big matter to the boss."

After years of fighting criminals, I know when one is willing to talk. I can tell that Zucco won't be giving up anything. Maybe if I had more time to interrogate him, but right now I need to get back to the Manor. It only takes one hard punch to the head to knock Zucco out.

After dropping Zucco off at the police department, I head home. Alfred is in the cave waiting for me when I return. It only takes one look for Alfred to know that I got Zucco. With a satisfied grin Alfred helps me take off the batsuit.

"Have you checked on Richard lately?" I ask.

"Yes, right before your return. It took a while for him to adjust to his new surroundings, but eventually the young boy fell asleep about an hour ago."

"That's good. I'll check on him before I go to bed myself. You get some rest too Alfred."

Alfred chuckles and replies "I shall try Master Wayne."

Heading up to the bedrooms, I receive a phone call from Commissioner Gordon. I had given him my cell phone number at the circus in case anything came up about Zucco. Sure enough, it is a call telling me about how Zucco is in police custody. Knowing Gordon is on the case gives my mind a bit of peace. Gordon will make sure Zucco goes to jail the rest of his life. With a little convincing, he may also allow Batman to do a bit of interrogation on the mobster.

I reach Richard's room and as quietly as I can, open the door. Like Alfred said, it appears Richard has fallen asleep. He looks like a doll sleeping in the gigantic bed. His mouth is slightly ajar and I can see his hair is messy beyond belief. The stuffed elephant it cradled to his chest in a tight squeeze. Frankly, the sight is adorable.

Feeling satisfied the Richard is fine for the moment; I head to my room. After a quick shower, the exhaustion of the hectic day sets in and I am asleep the second I lay down on the bed. I get a couple good hours of sleep before I'm awoken.

A terrified scream erupts around me. It takes a second for me to comprehend what is going on, but once the events of the night resurface in my head I jump out of bed. The screams are coming from the Dick in the room next door. Imagining the worse, I crash into the newly occupied bedroom.

"NOOOO! MOM! DAD!" Richard screams from the bed. I am relieved to know that there is no immediate harm such as an assassin (which I was imagining when I first awoke). But then grow even more concerned for the wailing boy. At a loss for how to handle the situation properly, I do the only thing I can think of.

Walking over the bed, I scoop the tiny child into an embrace and begin shaking him lightly, trying to wake him from the nightmare. At first the boy only thrashes around, trying to escape. Until he awakens and sees his surroundings.

"Where am I?" he asks just as terrified as before.

"You are at Wayne Manor Richard."

The boy looks up at me. I see the memories of the horrible events from only hours ago flash through his mind. He breaks down into sobs.

I rub Richards back, trying to comfort him. But I know that all I can do right now is let him cry. There is nothing I can say or do that would make this moment any easier for Richard.

"They're really dead" he weeps. "They're gone."

"I'm so sorry Richard" is all I can think to say.

"It's my fault. I could have stopped Zucco. I…"

"You couldn't have done anything." I tilt Richards head so he looks me in the eye, "This is not your fault. None of what has happened is your fault."

Richard breaks out into another fit of tears. After a few minutes he asks "What if Zucco comes after me? What if he gets me and tries to kill me like my parents"

"That won't happen."

"How do you know?"

"Because I wouldn't let him get near you. Besides you don't have to worry about Zucco any longer. Do you remember Commissioner Gordon from earlier tonight?"

"Yeah" Richard hiccups between cries.

"He called me. They caught Zucco. He is going to jail and you won't have to worry about him any longer."

"They caught him! Really?" Relief spreads through the child's face.

"Really."

Richard cuddles into the hug I have him in. He cries for a good while longer as I gently rock him. Eventually Richard falls asleep, still clinging to me. I lay back on the bed, trying not to wake the boy. I look down at his small face. It is hard to imagine something so horrible would happen to such an innocent child. That someone would deliberately take away his parents, causing Richard so much pain. And for what? A small amount of cash from a circus. What was the mob expecting? Even if Haly had agreed to giving them money, it would have been a tiny amount. Was it really worth them killing two people? Then again, my parents were killed because of a necklace.

In that moment I swear I will not let become me. I will not let the bitterness of this awful event define who Richard is like it did me. I will do everything in my power to make sure this child doesn't grow up with the anger I had.