Disclaimer: I do not own Gotham or anything to do with Batman and the DC universe.
"Master Bruce! Please open the door," whined the nanny at the locked door belonging to the preteen. It was a weekly occurrence for Charlotte to fight with Bruce about the aspect of School. Normally it didn't last as long – nor did the boy ever lock himself inside his room. The kid was overly bright for his age and claimed the education he was receiving wasn't challenging enough. Charlotte agreed with him for the most part but when she brought up the topic to Mr and Mrs Wayne they both agreed that although he may not be challenged enough it was important he was interacting with children his own age.
"I would rather stay home today and spend the time with father," came the boy's voice through the wood.
"Bruce, both your parents have left for work and you know that... or we wouldn't be having this discussion," Charlotte sighed, knocking on the door once again.
"I'm not going."
"Bruce," the woman began to raise her voice in a warning tone. "Get out here this instant. You're twelve years old. Grow up and start acting your age."
"No."
Taking a deep breath, Charlotte stepped back from the door and clenched her fists. "Master Bruce, if you aren't out here in the next twenty seconds then you leave me no choice but to get Alfred."
The threat was a low blow. She had never personally involved the Butler in any of their arguments but the boy was trying her patience that morning. Her fowl mood from the night before hadn't changed much and the last thing she needed was to snap at the boy. Alfred was a tough luck kind of guy and was capable of making Bruce do anything – much to Charlotte's disgust.
"And what makes you so sure I'd help you out?" Alfred spoke out from down the hall.
The Irish woman turned her glare towards the Brit. "Bite me."
Alfred continued to walk towards her, eyebrows raised in amusement. "Who pissed in your coffee this morning?"
"What did I do to you?"
"Well... Miss O'Brien, I clearly remember telling you to clean up last night and when I stepped into the kitchen this morning I found your bowl of mushy half eaten cereal sitting out," he answered crossing his arms over his chest, looking down at the smaller woman.
Charlotte let out a snort and rolled her eyes. "Can you please just get Bruce to come out of his room. He needs to get to school and I'm over this argument."
Alfred eyed the nanny for a moment before knocking on the door. "Master Bruce. That is enough, grab your book bag and get your butt out here."
The room was quiet for a minute and then Bruce emerged, carrying a backpacking and glaring at the Butler. "You said if I played along I wouldn't have to go to school today."
Charlotte's jaw dropped in shock as she looked back and forth between the man and the boy.
"I think you've been mistaken, Master Bruce."
Said boy huffed in response and stomped away down the hall and the staircase.
"You arse," Charlotte sneered, poking Alfred in the chest. "You set this up. I can't believe you, you gobshite."
Alfred smirked at the way her accent became stronger as when she was upset. "Your Irish is showing."
This comment made Charlotte's anger increase. "My Irish is showing? No. You'd know when my Irish is showing when I'm screaming at you in Gaelic."
"There's a difference?" he asked smugly.
With another deep breath – this time clenching her jaw, Charlotte walked past the infuriating man in the same direction of the twelve year old. Refusing to reply to the man.
"Next time you'll think twice about leaving me to clean up after you," Alfred called after her before she made it to the stairs.
-:-
"Charlie," Bruce voiced from the back of the vehicle.
Charlotte glanced up at the boy through the rearview mirror then quickly focused back on the road. "Yes, Bruce?"
"I'm sorry about this morning."
"Thank you. But it was just as much Alfred's fault as it is yours."
"Why are you driving me to school instead anyways?" questioned the boy.
"I needed to get out of the house and I'd rather not be around him at the moment."
"Why?"
"I'm just in a bad mood right now, I guess," she said looking into the mirror again. He didn't need to know about what had happened the night before during the party.
Bruce nodded to say he understood, dropping the conversation for the rest of the drive. As Wayne manor was on the outskirts of Gotham, the drive to Gotham Academy was long and it gave Charlotte plenty of time to think and calm herself down.
After forty-five minutes the car finally pulled up in front of the academy.
"I don't know why I have to come here," Bruce mumbled as he starred out the window towards the building. "Why can't we just hire tutors."
"We've been over this, Bruce. Both your parents think it is best you're around children your own age. And I agree with them."
"I'm not a child," Bruce said under his breath.
"What was that?"
"I don't get along with any of these kids," he continued ignoring his nanny's question.
Charlotte got out of the car and walked around towards the boy's door, opening it to allow Bruce out. "I'm sure if you put your mind to it, then you can change that."
"I guess," he replied climbing out of the vehicle.
Shutting the door, Charlotte wrapped her arm around the boy's shoulder as she walked him up to the front of the academy. "You'll be fine, kid. I promise when you get home from school I'll have a freshly baked pumpkin pie read for you to eat."
Bruce gave a small smile and hugged the older woman.
"Thanks, Charlie. You're the best. I love you."
It must have been from the mood she had been in since the beginning of her day but she had to fight back tears that threatened to spill over. Thoughts from the night before resurfaced in her mind. "I love you too."
Bruce let go of his nanny and smiled again at her before turning to enter the school.
Dread slowly began to reform in her stomach.
-:-
Arriving at the manor, Charlotte quickly parked the car and began to take groceries out of the back only to be stopped by the very man who had upset her that morning before she left.
"What do you want?" Charlotte asked crossing her arms over her chest, a sense of suspicion in her voice.
Alfred stood in front of her, hands clasped behind his back as he would when greeting guests. Making eye contact with the woman, the Butler cleared his throat. "It was brought to my attention this morning before you left to drive Master Bruce to school, that perhaps I was in the wrong. You had a rather upsetting night and you didn't need more stress adding to what was already building."
"Did Bruce tell you to say that?" she replied raising an eyebrow.
"I guess you could say, I'm sorry."
"Are you?"
"No. But it's the thought that matters now isn't it?"
Charlotte cracked a smile at the man. "I expect nothing less from you. Now get the groceries and bring them into the kitchen for me."
"What! No please or thank you?"
"Only when I think you deserve it."
Throwing a smirk in her direction, Alfred moved past Charlotte, leaning into the trunk of the car and grabbed the bags. As he stood, Charlotte shut the trunk and walked to the manor side by side with the Brit.
"I promised, Bruce I'd make him a pie this evening for after dinner," she said making conversation as they walked through the house.
"The Waynes will be out this evening. I'm afraid it is only you and I for dinner." replied the Butler glancing towards her. It felt nice to be having a civil conversation with each other for once but that didn't mean the teasing and little spats no longer amused him. They rarely spent time alone together and when they did it was even more rare for them to have proper conversations. Most of the time they were in the Wayne's presence or just Bruce's. The only other interaction they often had was when they both wound up in the library at the same time, reading and enjoying the silence when they are able to find time to themselves.
"Oh," Charlotte voiced, sounding disappointed for a moment. "That's all right, they can just save it for after their evening out."
"Or we could eat it to ourselves," Alfred winked at her, causing Charlotte to blush.
It was times like these she swore the man was flirting with her.
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