Collection
Acethebatdog2039
Chapter 3
College
Bruce watched the teenager
The boy was done with high school has of yesterday
His mother had called and said that he hadn't applied to any colleges.
None
He watched as the boy took apart another circuit board.
Terry would look at the pieces and then at the board
Bruce chuckled as he threw the board across the cave floor.
"What you working on Terry?"
The boy looked up from his work and looked over at him.
"Just another remote for the car, the other one is too slow."
Bruce nodded.
"Terry I have an idea"
The boy did what Ace mostly did when he was confused.
"Gotham State as excellent Electrical Engineering program"
He just watched him.
"If that's something you want to do Terry, I can't push you into it."
Terry smiled at him and went back to work.
Bruce guessed he had his answer.
February 19, 2045, Terry age: 22
He was never a fan of his birthday
Alfred always made a big deal about it
He never understood why people wanted to celebrate getting older.
He was turning 85 today.
He didn't want anyone to celebrate that
Bruce knew he was old and he didn't need anyone to remind him of that.
Pulling himself out of bed Bruce grabbed his cane.
He notices that Ace was nowhere to be found.
Making his way to the kitchen he found a plate covered by another plate.
Next to the plates an envelope
He found Ace sleeping in the dog bed Terry had gotten him.
Uncovering the other plate he found a small breakfast.
He had to smirk.
This was all Terry's doing.
Picking up the envelope, he opened it to find a card.
The card was simple, with what seemed to be a father and son on the cover.
Opening the card he found Terry's messy handwriting.
"My father gave me the greatest gift anyone could give another person: he believed in me. ~ Jim Valvano
Happy Birthday Bruce!
I know you hate celebrating your birthday, but get over it.
What do this for you to show you have much you mean to me.
You believed in me when no one else did.
And for that I thank you.
I may have lost one father but I found another one.
Love you, old man.
Terry
Fight (March 2045)
Terry knew reunions like theses never go well.
The one with Barbara didn't
The with Tim definitely didn't go well
Seeing as they all almost died during that one, Terry was sure it definitely didn't go well.
And from the sounds coming from the cave the one with Dick wasn't going well either.
"You're a stubborn old bastard you know that?"
"Oh, and you aren't? It's been over fifty years, Dick"
"You promised after what happened with Tim no one would ever wear of these suits again!"
They were fighting about him.
"Tim was a child and he had no right to be out in the streets, you didn't either!"
Terry looked over at Tim and Barbara near Bruce's desk.
"They always fight like this?" he asked quietly
They both nodded.
"Oh and the kid upstairs isn't a child?"
"Terry isn't a child, he's an adult!"
"Yeah, he is now! What about six years ago? He was sixteen Bruce. The same age as Jason when he…"
"I know how old Jason was Dick. I was there!"
"So, what you let another young boy play hero!"
"Terry doesn't need to answer to you"
"Yeah, that's right, because he only answers to the old man."
Believe to Care (Set after Fight)
"Mr. Grayson?"
Dick turned around from the window.
Standing behind him was the 22 year old Batman.
Dick shook his head, no Bruce was still Batman
In his eyes this kid was playing dress up.
Terry was holding the cowl his hand, getting ready for his night time activities.
"Mr. Grayson?"
"Listen kid. Learn it now… the only people Bruce ever loved were his parents."
The boy tried to hide his anger at the older man.
"He doesn't care about you, me, or anyone. Just his mission."
Terry shook his head, "I don't believe that."
"Believe what you want. But it's dangerous to stand behind him. Get out now or regret it later."
With that Dick Grayson walked out of Wayne Manor once again
Love (May 2045, two months after Fight & Believe to Care)
"Hi Bruce… What's… What's for dinner?" Terry gasped as the pain hit again.
"Terry!"
Bruce rushed as quickly to the boy.
He reached Terry in time just before he fell to the floor.
"Uff! Fainted… Don't worry Ace, don't worry, boy, he's going to be fine… We'll take care of him, won't we?"
He somehow managed to get the young man to one of the beds in the cave, the dog behind him the whole way.
"Ace, your master's a stubborn, stupid old… Told himself he let go of the cape, but never really did…"
Bruce pulled the shirt part of the suit up to uncover the boy's injuries.
"…Because he never knew what he be without it. He—"
Bruce sighed.
He pulled the cowl off the boy's head, brushing some of his dark hair away from his eyes.
"Oh, Terry…"
He sighed again and started to work.
"Then this kid comes along, does the job, and does it so well… Maybe not with my total focus, but without all my pain…"
He thought of the boy's mother and little brother
The lovely girlfriend
The nerdy best friend
"…And the old man who thought he could hand over his life's mission start's to feel threatened, and that feeling grows…"
He cleaned the blood away from the wound
"…So he starts looking for faults in the kid, manufacturing them…"
He set up Terry with a unit of blood
"…While also manufacturing a way he can stay in control…"
He thought of all those nights thinking about Terry's record
"And now he might die before I can tell him what a good soldier… what a good friend he is…"
Bruce dressed the wounds, sighing when the job was done.
"…All because I'm a stupid stubborn old man."
He watched Terry's chest rise and fall
"…That's sweet, Bruce…" Came a light chuckle from the bed. "…But next, just get me a card, huh…?"
Blue eyes met blue eyes
"Terry! How much did you-"
A light grin came across the boy's lips. "I didn't hear anything… you big softie."
Bruce gave him a light smile as well.
"Well… whatever you did hear…" Bruce rested a large hand on Terry's forehead rubbing his thumb back and forth. "…It's true."
"So, what's for dinner?"
Bruce shook his head
"Later, just rest"
Bruce didn't remove his hand until Terry fell asleep
But he did pull up a chair to see by his bedside for the rest of the night.
A/N: ummmm, yeah, My bad guys. Most of the dialogue from this one comes from the Batman Beyond comics they were running with some Hush storyline. It's very good by the way. Thanks to the ones that have reviewed and everything else. Sorry it took so long. Also side note, 4 out of 5 of this shots take place in 2045. Just so no ones lost or anything.
Ace