Chapter Three.
An insistent ringing was the next thing to capture his ears, a sound that would not stop just droning on and on in the background without end bringing him out of his peaceful crime-free dreams and into the light and finally upright!
"Dick?!" Bruce called out, where was he? Had he dropped him? Had he lost him? Was it all just a dream?
"No need to panic Mister Wayne he's quite well with Mrs Cooper in her room. I thought you could do with a longer sleep this morning so I let you to lie in and took…Richard I presume now – up to Mrs Cooper who insisted on seeing him too."
"Thank mercy." Bruce collapsed back into the chair as Alfred headed over to the impatient telephone and answered it.
"Yes of course Sir, I'll fetch him." Bruce was already at his side.
"Bruce Wayne speaking." He spoke for a few minutes with Chief O'Hara, Commissioner Gordon then Chief O'Hara again and then a woman before putting the phone down.
"Is everything ok Sir?" Alfred inquired.
Bruce looked a little pasty and sat down on the sofa before speaking. "They asked me if I would consider taking him in as my ward, since I'm well off enough and have you two around for support they couldn't think of a better place for him."
"That IS good news Sir." Alfred smiled as bright as he could.
"Is it?" Bruce looked to him sternly, a look that he very rarely saw. "Is it really the best thing for him Alfred? I'm a crime fighter a man of the law, I can't be responsible for his safety for his upbringing - his lifestyle. I don't know this child let alone do I have time as Bruce Wayne to take care of him and give him the love…and attention…and patience parents come ready for."
"No you do not."
"Then it's settled."
"Is it Sir?"
"Yes, I told them it was out of the question and they said the earliest he could get fostered would be the 24th of December."
"Christmas eve Sir, a highly unadvisable time and quite bizarre."
"Yes they said the family who would be fostering him until he could be adopted was away until Christmas but someone would be by to pick him up then."
"That's a whole month away."
"Yes I know but until then we'll just have to put up with him I'm afraid."
"He shall be no burden on me Sir I can quite assure you of that and Mrs Cooper has already taken to him."
"Well don't get too attached he's not staying, absolutely not."
"Yes Sir." Alfred replied knowing it was useless to argue with him when he was like this.
"Sir?"
"What?!" Bruce replied rather stiffly
"Breakfast is set."
"Oh." Bruce wasted no time, he couldn't eat dressed like this so he rang in to Wayne enterprises and told them he wouldn't be there today and also took a shower and got changed. By the time he'd gotten to the breakfast table Mrs Cooper, Richard – or Dick as they all seemed already to prefer – and Alfred were eating.
Alfred only ever ate breakfast with them the rest of his meals were kept separate in the kitchen and out of the way – just how he liked it.
"Well." He smiled as he walked into the room going over to Mrs Cooper first and attempting to kiss her cheek, she in turn turned away to Dick and huffed a little. Standing a little dumfounded Bruce tried to shrug it off but lasted about as long as getting to his chair.
"Is this about Dick?"
"What do you think Bruce Wayne?" She commented in her overly sarcastic tone.
"Auntie Harriet he can not stay in this household, I simply do not have the time for a baby let alone do you have your health and Alfred…"
"I have already made my point on this matter clear to the both of you."
"…Auntie Harriet I…"
"No say no more Bruce, you and your money are far more important to you than the life of this poor defenceless child. He can't speak up and beg you to keep him so he's not worth your money or your affection I quite clearly see you are JUST like your father Bruce Wayne. JUST."
She picked Dick up rather hurriedly and carried him out of the room and up the stairs back to her bedroom. Alfred stood when she adjourned herself from the table and remained standing until Bruce sat down in a hump.
"Would you like some…?" He was cut off.
"No Alfred I would not, now kindly leave me be." He gritted his teeth in between words of anger.
"Now when I found out my brother and his wife had passed away, I made it my appointment to take care of Bruce. I brought him to my home in the Gotham City outskirts not far from here – a little cottage so to speak in the back country. My late husband and I planted all the wonderful flowers around the home, until you couldn't see the grounds." She turned the page of the photo album and looked to Dick propped up against a pillow on the bed, the album in front of him.
"We raised him there until Bruce was old enough to move out and move out he did. Oh my we struggled to contain him and restrain him from going after his parents killers. But he was sure as determined, he took every physical lesson he could and made himself a black belt within the first year he lived with us." She turned a couple of pages. "But Bruce never did find his parents killers. Batman did though and they were put to death under the county state law."
Bruce pushed the door open a little and listened to Auntie Harriet talking about his parents and Batman a little longer before he interrupted. "Auntie Harriet." He whispered. She disregarded his presence and continued. "After that Bruce was finally allowed access to his father's fortune and put himself through a very tough and restricted schooling before taking over Wayne enterprises that my husband had taken on for Bruce's father. Eventually my husband passed away not long after and Bruce moved us all into this house."
"And so we lived happily ever after?" Bruce asked looking to her she again refused to speak to him.
"Are you going to give me the silent treatment until Dick is old enough to beg me to let him stay?"
"If I have to. Bruce Wayne why are you so cold hearted when it comes to this young boy? He's just lost everything in the world to him, just like you did but at least you were older, he can't tell you how lonely he feels or how much he misses his mother but your willing to throw him into another foster home and what for? So he can turn out like them dastardly criminals you see on the television? The Joker? The Riddler?"
Bruce stuck his hands in his pockets and took a long awaited sigh before looking up to her. "He's staying for a month Auntie Harriet and no more. Now I'm going out to buy him some things, a cot, a blanket, some clothes. I need to take him with me." Bruce walked over to the baby and picked him up carefully.
"You be careful with him Bruce Wayne and as soon as your back you can bring him to me and Alfred so you can have your precious time to yourself." She walked into the bathroom and 'shut the door loudly.'
He shook his head a little and took Dick down the stairs and to the front door where Alfred was already waiting. "You're coming too?"
"No Mister Wayne, I have chores to catch up on here but I wanted to show you the baby seat I put in the front of the car." He was completely official, typically unlike Alfred. Bruce made a mental note to say sorry to him later and left the house with him.
After a few minutes of instructions on the car seat Bruce and baby took off into the wind. They spent hours shopping for everything they would need of course Bruce had hired someone to carry all the bags for him and that one person had now turned into six people. Finally they came to the last store and he stepped inside, pushing the ready made pushchair in with him that he'd brought earlier. To be honest Bruce had thoroughly enjoyed spending all this money on the little tyke.
"Can I help you Sir…Oh my you're Mr Bruce…Oh my goodness when did…"
"Please." He put his hand up to the young lady. "He's not mine."
"Then who is this adorable young creature?" She touched his little button nose and let him grip her finger. "The is Dick Grayson, my ward, temporarily of course."
"Your ward? Can I be your ward?" She asked gazing bemused at him.
"…No…I just came here for a matter of bottles, feeding bottles to be precise."
"Oh yes of course…" She straightened herself out. "We have all ranges from starter packs to individuals from top of the range to on a budget price ranges."
"May I see them?" He asked curiously. She took him over to the counter and he began browsing. "Which do you recommend?"
"Well I would say the…" She was interrupted by the stir of the baby in the pushchair. There was a soft moan that escalated into a loud cry and Bruce was straight in there.
"What are you doing?" She asked as he quickly worked Dick from his cradle and to his shoulder.
"You see young lady I'm working on the theory that as soon as he cries he wants something therefore a boy of his age and knowledge could only want what he knows which will be one of three things – feeding, changing or comfort. I always start with comfort since it tends to be the most common."
"Why's that Mr Wayne?"
Bruce didn't know that answer, he assumed it was because of loosing the mother and nursing carer at such a young age but…It could of course been something completely different. "He's an orphan and I assume it's his natural instincts wondering where his mother and primary carer is, kicking in."
"Ah I see and you being his primary carer makes you the one he trusts as much as trusts his mother."
"How'd you work that out?" Bruce asked curiously.
"Well…Just from the look on his face of course, he's comforted and you succeeded in your task, he trusts you as much as his own mother…That's truly a gift Mr. Wayne." She said and moved back behind the counter. Bruce stood contemplating the words for a few seconds before he finally jolted himself back to existence and turned back to the counter, picking out the one he liked best and waiting for them to be bagged before leaving and handing them to one of his carriers.
The comments made by all sorts of people all day had been enough to give Bruce one hell of a headache and not only that he just "felt" in a bad mood, he couldn't be bothered with all this farcing around, carting a baby in and out of the car, into the pushchair and out of the pushchair, he couldn't be doing with it all.
"Bruce I hear you're a father who's the lucky woman you've been hiding?" Bruce slammed the door shut on the reporter and strapped the young child into his baby seat a little huffily, Alfred had come to pick him up and once he'd gotten all the bags crammed – only just – into the boot he scooted into the driver seat and drove away as quickly as possible, Bruce was in an even worse mood now than he was when he left.
Alfred refused to speak if only to nod affirmatives and congratulate the master on a well deserved break from his shopping trip. "How did you manage with Dick today Sir?"
"Terrible." He huffed and looked around out the window gazing at the moving grass going by so quickly even though it was clearly a lie, he'd enjoyed every second of it.
"May I enquire as to…?" Once again he was cut off.
"No you may not Alfred and would you kindly concentrate on your driving or are you trying to get us all killed?" He snapped unintentionally for the second time that day. He made another mental note to apologise after his headache wore off.
"I took the liberty of sending the packages you had sent home earlier with the car being unwrapped and set up the baby cot is now vertical in your bedroom Sir."
"In my room!?"
"Of course Sir where else?"
"We have fifteen other master bedrooms couldn't you find one farthest away from me?" Bruce said sarcastically.
Alfred was silent for a moment trying to contemplate whether he was serious in his words, in all his days he had never seen someone or –in particular – Bruce loose his temper like this before. He was normally so kind and probably one of the best people to work for but today it was like a mental breakdown in communication and in wits.
"Sir." Alfred replied as if he was complying with Bruce's wishes to have the cot moved.
Bruce failed to reply.
It was getting on for 10pm and Bruce had yet to have one moment to himself to lie down or take any painkillers for the banging headache he was torturing. Little things that never seemed to matter so much before were now an absolute chore with a baby around. That and Alfred and Mrs Cooper were just as quietly unhelpful as they could be.
Night time had arrived though and Bruce had been lucky in the fact Harriet was playing with Richard long enough for him to get a shower. He'd made it a long one too as he stood there with his forehead rested against the wall for the longest of times, the shower allowing droplets of water to soothe his aching head.
Upon exiting the bathroom he made his way to his bedroom and prepared himself mentally for another night with baby Dick. "Give me strength oh lord." He whispered as he pushed the door open and closed it quickly so as to avoid waking him. But he was not there, nor was the cot. "Strange." He noted and left immediately crossing the hall and almost barging in to Auntie Harriet's room.
"Bruce Wayne!" She covered herself. "I know I taught you manners."
"Where's Dick?" He looked around for the cot, not in here either.
"Why is something wrong?" She asked.
"Where's Alfred?"
"Probably with Dick, Bruce but why!?"
"Alfred told me the cot was set up in my room…"
"Well he's obviously not in here…Oh my I'll help you look."
"No…No Auntie Harriet you go back to bed dear and I'll look for him, I'm sure he's just taken him to see the stars or something."
"Well…Okay but let me know please."
"Of course." He agreed and left the woman to worry herself silly over nothing, it was one of her less appealing attributes – overprotection.
He walked from door to door to door and nothing. He couldn't find a shred of evidence to show where Alfred and Dick were…Then the thought crossed his mind…Would he? Bruce made his way to his study immediately and closed the door. Walking over to the figure head he opened the secret passageway to the Bat-Pole and to the Bat-Cave.
Sliding down he avoided the automatic costume change and dropped diligently to his feet looking around and finally spotting the young master, though as he drew closer he could hear why Alfred had brought him down here.
"Alfred?" Bruce asked gingerly.
"Mister Wayne!" Alfred tried to shush the crying Dick Grayson.
"He started crying in my room didn't he?" Bruce saw the cot over by the wall. "Alfred I…" This time it was his turn to be cut off.
"No…No I couldn't let you just let him cry all night, in your fowl mood I think that'd be even worse for the young master."
"I wouldn't…"
"I don't know…"
"Alfred I'm sorry about snapping at you all day…My thoughts are still jumbled and I don't deserve a great butler such as yourself. I appreciate everything you do you know that of course don't you?"
"Of course Master Bruce and I…Well I would only want the best for Master Dick."
"I know." He touched the Butlers shoulder. "Friends?"
"Until the end Sir." Bruce smiled brightly for the first time all day. Dick was still crying. "I'll let you take over now then sir?"
"I guess though I don't know why he's so comforted by me."
"Maybe he thinks you're his father." Alfred laughed jokingly.
Bruce gave him a funny look but a look of friendship followed. "Where are you going?"
"To return the cot to your bedroom Sir."
"Very good would you inform Auntie that all is well? She's worried about Dick's whereabouts."
"Very good Sir." He again nodded and headed into the service elevator with the cot. Bruce looked around and found a chair to sit on. His back rested into it and he held the crying infant a little away from him.
"Hello there." Bruce tried but his head started pounding again and this baby would not stop crying for even him now. He decided to change and feed him but after both he was still crying, Bruce had by this time retired to the bedroom, the others had gone to sleep but he was sure they would be awoken by Dick's constant crying. "Maybe he's unwell…" Bruce thought and laid the baby on his back on his bed. It seemed to stop him temporarily and slowly he began to shut his eyes, Bruce had won.
He softly put the baby in his cot and covered him now was the moment he'd been waiting for all day. He turned off the light crept over to the bed, got in, pulled the covers over him and just as he rested his head on the pillow…A cry loud enough to wake the dead almost rocked the building.
"Damn!" Bruce sighed and sat up getting out of bed and going over to the crying infant once more. "What is it this time?" He tried for an hour or more and still nothing, he was almost at wits end. He wanted to wake the others but he was afraid that he would be showing his weakness and admitting he needed help Bruce didn't want that he didn't need that and he knew he could do it…He thought.
He laid down and repeated his steps from earlier, the constant pacing up and down the room along with warmth of the fire place burning off had made him rather hot, pulling his top off he clambered into bed with only the table light on the beside table next to him on. Pulling up the covers he picked Dick up off the bed and sat him on his well toned stomach of course with Bruce supporting him.
Finally he began to calm and Bruce almost allowed himself to feel relief. "Now what's wrong with you huh? How come it's 3am again and me and you are still wide awake? You know this just wont do at all Dick we've got to get you into a proper routine."
Dick seemed more interested in his facial features than he was on concentrating on what Bruce was saying. Bruce didn't really expect him to understand after all he was only young and there was time for such talks yet but still…
Dick looked into his eyes and for a moment there was a hint of pureness of self confessions of protectiveness that Bruce would do absolutely anything for him right now and no matter what nothing was ever going to come in the way of that. He could talk to this boy about anything even to do with Batman and he knew it would be safe.
"I…" He whispered looking into the baby's beautiful eyes. "I…"
Gently leaning his arm back he turned the light off and noted the only light source was once again from the diminishing fire. Softly Bruce started rocking the little man against his thighs and slowly he seemed to drift away. Bringing him forward he gently let the young baby rest against his bare chest, his muscles flexed as his cheek touched his skin.
Dick Grayson gently nestled in and Bruce brought his little arms up so he could move them freely with restriction of the blanket he gently nested over the two of them, wrapping an arm around him ever so gently he laid back into the bed never more happier than he was right now.
His little man was safe in his arms - the arms of Bruce 'Batman' Wayne.
