Fresh Start

It was about one in the morning and the hospital was already packed. It seemed that a number of college kids had had one of their "Hell Night" parties as the hospital corridors were pack with drunken fools. There were a few minor cases that the doctors were trying to get too but had to step between the passed out kids. There had also been a minor car crash. So the waiting room was already packed. So it was very hard for Bruce to find a seat. He eventually found a seat next to an out of order bathroom.

He had called Terry's mom Mary and she said she get there as quick as possible. As far she knew Terry had been injured while running some errands for Bruce. She knew perfectly well that Jokers and other thugs were extremely thriving in Gotham. Therefore she wasn't suspecting anything other then Terry had been caught in the crossfire of some gang fight. On the other hand she wasn't ready for the shocking news of what happened tonight at all. She had no idea at all she'd discover someone else at the hospital waiting for her, someone who'd transform her whole life forever.

Bruce just had finished using a wireless PDA to download all of Terra's information into the Gotham mainframe. He then took Terra's family photograph and modified it just enough so that Mary would better accept the tale he was about to tell her. Mary just arrived as Terry and Terra had been wheeled into surgery.

"Mr. Wayne! Oh, Mr. Wayne! Oh there you are! Tell me what happened?" she exclaimed panicky. Her charming features were etched with concern and woe. He smiled at her and gave her a cup of coffee. She gingerly took it and sipped a bit. It didn't really seem to help her nerves any though.

"Hello, Mrs. McGinnis. I'd believe it be best for the doctor to tell you what's going on. I think you'll be in too much shock and disbelief if I'd tell you want happened tonight. I think its best if you sit down and wait," Bruce informed her benevolently as he pulled out a seat for her to sit upon.

Mary wanted to ask more questions, but she respected Mr. Wayne's choice. He wouldn't have told her to sit and wait if he didn't think she faint or something from whatever happened to her son. Thus both of them waited anxiously for the longest twenty minutes they'd ever felt before a young brunette physician with bright jade eyes appeared. She looked at the chart in her left hand and walked over to them.

"Hello, are you Mrs. McGinnis?" she asked sympathetically. She had a very kind face and she seemed to be a doctor with good bedside manner. The kind that wasn't phony but really truly in tune with patients blights.

"Yes, I'm Mary McGinnis. How is my son? He's he okay? What happened to him?" she inquired franticly. The doctor took a seat next to Mary in the navy blue chair. She then took Mary's hand and squeezed it reassuringly. Mary could tell this doctor was also a mother too, not by the ring on her finger, but how her eyes filled with the same expression she had on her own face. That was something only a mother could do.

"Mrs. McGinnis, hi, I'm Dr. Lisa Wilde. I don't mean to worry you. But the damage was exceedingly extensive to your children. Your son and daughter were both badly injured. They'd various deep lacerations across the chest and a few large contusions on the upper body, and both had a few burns on top of that. They are now both in surgery with a team of the finest surgeons in the whole city. They'll both be in the hospital a few days but they should be home by next Saturday," Dr. Wilde explained compassionately but she saw to her bemusement that Mary had an equally confused look on her face.

"What do you mean both of my children? My other son is at home with a babysitter. I don't understand what you are talking about at all."

"I'm talking about your twins, Mrs. McGinnis. You're son Terry and your daughter Terra. I did a routine blood work and all evidence points to the fact that young woman in surgery at this moment is your daughter. Why are you looking so surprise?"

"I don't have a daughter. There must be some other explanation."

"Mrs. McGinnis, if I may say something," Bruce interjected thoughtfully to the bewildered mother. She looked at him confusingly. "Is it possible that you had twins and that Terra was given to the wrong family? I mean every now and then a twin hides behind another. I recently hired Terra as another gopher, and I was amazed how much she looked like Terry. They were coming to help me with some things tonight when both got caught in the crossfire of some Jokers. You see, Mrs. McGinnis, Terra recently lost her family in a fire and she been trying to find a new home. Here's a picture of her family."

Mary took the photo and couldn't believe her eyes. Terra's family looked remarkably like her and Warren but there were some difference. But even she couldn't deny that the teenage girl in the photo did look exactly like her son Terry.

"Well," she said slowly still gazing at the picture in disbelief. "It is entirely possibly that I did have twins. I was heavily sedated and the ultrasounds were incredibly hazy. And I was a bit bigger then I expect from carrying just one baby. And children get mixed up a lot more then people admit. And I can't deny she looks just like my son. And if the DNA test says she my daughter then who am I to argue? Please Dr. Wilde do all you can to help them."

"I let you know when they're out of surgery. In the meantime I recommend you get ready to introduce yourself to your daughter. She's had a lot of tragedy lately and I'm sure she'll be just as shocked to find out her family wasn't her biological family. Still all you need to do is love her and give her a home. See you in a bit." Dr. Wilde said as she got up and glided away.

"You ever have something like this happen to you, Mr. Wayne?" asked Mary as she looked again at the photo. The family looked like her family so much and she just knew that girl in the OR was her daughter. She had always wanted a little girl so as much as this was a shock it was also a blessing.

Bruce looked at her calmly and said, "Mrs. McGinnis, I've witnessed along with heard much more then you'll ever to be able to comprehend. My lifetime has been full of surprise and extraordinarily shocking revelations. You probably wouldn't believe all the things that I've had to endure. Nevertheless I do comprehend what it's like to be completely taken by a bolt from the blue by something life-changing. Still we must just deal with it and hope for the best."

A few hours later Terry and Terra found themselves waking up from the surgery. Both had been placed in the I.C.U. Terra found that the pale peach and lavender tones to be both soothing and a bit ugly at the same time. She tried to sit up but couldn't. The nurse next to her was checking her IV. Her curly blond hair bounced at Terra sudden awareness. She took her gently and laid her back down. She did fluff her pillow for her and then spoke in a soft voice so not to disturb the other patients.

"Wow, there, girlfriend. You need to take it easy. That was a five hour surgery session you just went through. You're gonna need save some of your strength if you want to get better. That goes for you too, young man. Now hang tight, I'll go get you two something to eat. I'm sure your mother will be here soon. So please just take it easy till the doctor gets here," and with that the curly haired nurse left.

Terra managed to weakly turn her head to face her brother. She smiled at him and he smiled back at her. "So," she asked weakly to him, "Do you think Bruce was able to convince your mom that I am her daughter?"

"Don't worry, Terra, there nothing that Bruce Wayne can't do, except perhaps laugh. I don't think I ever heard him laugh," both of them chuckled at that, but stopped immediately as soon as they saw Bruce and Mary cross the threshold into the room.

"Hello, Terry. How are you feeling?" asked Bruce to Terry. He wanted to give Mary some time to break the ice.

"I'm doing as best that can be expected. I feel like I got hit by a burning bus. But I should be fine in a week or two. Just hope I get paid for it," he added hopefully.

"You just get better, okay? You know how much I need you to help me. After all who would walk Ace if I can't do it? And who would help me clean my home after he's run through the mud?" he remarked playfully.

Terry and Terra laughed at that. But Terra crystal blue eyes just stared at her mom. It was shocking to see her mother's face. Yet as much as this woman was her biological mother she still wasn't her mother. Yet this was a puzzling feeling. Still it would be nice to have her mom back. And if she couldn't have her sister back then two brothers wasn't too bad of a tradeoff.

"Hello, Terra? Your name is Terra right?" asked Mary cautiously to the raven hair young lady.

"Yes, well that the name I go by. My real name is Terrene, but everyone always called me Terra."

"Well, Terra I know this may come as a shock but I'm your real mother. I know you just lost your family in a fire and I'm really sorry. But I would like to give you a chance to make a fresh start, if you want too. I don't want to replace your family that you grew up with, but I still want to be your mom if you would let me. So how about it, Terra? Would you like that?"

"Yes, I would like that very much."

And soon as they were released from the hospital Terra went home with her 'new' family. She was at least happy to be back with her mom and she knew given time, love and tenderness she would adapt to her new home and make a fresh start on her life.