The Boy Who Lived and the Last Lantern
Disclaimer: I have gained nothing but satisfaction from this story and hopefully a few more reviews.
Chapter 3: The Courting Of Bruce Wayne
July 21 1988 Morning
Garden, Wayne Manor, Outskirts of Gotham City
"I told you that you wouldn't catch me, Harry," 11 year-old Kara Zor-El screamed back to the boy running behind her.
Slightly out of breath, Harry panted, "That's not fair. Of course you're faster than me. I have met your cousin, Kara. You have all that alien strength." Harry pouted, causing Kara to laugh.
Still taller than him, the race was hardly fair even without her special powers. In their relationship she was undoubtedly the brawn. Seeing the red in his face Kara stopped and walked back to tousle his hair. "Don't worry champ, you'll get there someday, maybe. But for now, you're still gonna be the Baby Bat."
"WHAT! Baby Bat! Don't call me that or…"
"Or? Or what? What will you do Baby Bat?" Then, seeing the look in his eyes, she hesitated.
"Oh, I don't know Kara. Maybe something like-." And then he pounced. Even with her super-human strength and speed, she still couldn't stand against the knowledge Harry had of her most ticklish areas. She struggled underneath him, squirming to get away from what seemed, to her, to be a major weakness. "Baby Bat? How's that for Baby Bat, huh?"
"If…you don't…like…Baby Bat…what about…Mini-Bat?" she panted in between laughs. "Or…Bat Jr…or…Batman and his…Fantastic…Micro Bat."
In the time since Harry's hospital stay and the start of their friendship, Kara's influence caused Harry to come out of his shell. No longer painfully shy and eager to please, he began acting the way an outgoing seven-almost eight year-old boy should. Cheeky and stubborn, he enjoyed playing with others and wasn't afraid to cause a little bit of mischief. And if you listened to Alfred, he had an extraordinary talent for finding trouble.
As time passed, Kara and Harry grew up, spending more time together in Wayne Manor and the Watchtower. It had become an inside joke among the League members that where you spotted one, the other was close by, and wherever they went you were sure to hear a loud crash or childish squeals of delight. Harry's restlessness often started their little adventures and Kara's strength and flight made them reach levels of trouble not normally seen by two children, usually resulting in some spectacular accident.
Being a Kryptonian on Earth was a heavy burden to bear, it meant that Kara had to hold back her natural abilities when interacting with humans. As hard as it was for an adult like Clark, who had years of experience, it was almost impossible for a child. This forced her cousin to make the tough choice of limiting her time with others her own age. She had to that point spent most of her time in Smallville and the Watchtower, only mixing with people that knew of her powers, like the Kents, or others like herself, who could match her strength.
Being isolated from others caused her to become moody and irritable, both of which Harry could attest to. That was what made their relationship invaluable. In Harry, Kara had an outlet to let herself go, a safe place where she did not need to hide who she was or what she could do. And Harry had someone whose energetic personality and constant need to do things allowed him to truly blossom.
"I won't be Bat-anything. I fly solo," Harry told Kara triumphantly, straddling her stomach where his fingers were still wreaking havoc.
"Fly solo, huh?" Kara muttered causing Harry to narrow his eyes. Without giving him any time to react, she launched them both into the air. Ignoring a yelp of, "That's not fair," she brought them to a hover, ten feet above the garden.
She looked down at the boy hanging from her arms, "Harry, you couldn't fly solo if you wanted to." She laughed as his expression changed into a scowl. Kara knew that while he hated being carried through the air, he loved flying and so they glided over the garden until Harry spoke up.
"Kara, we have to go get ready. Miss Diana will be here to pick us up soon. And you know what she said about playing like this."
"Yes, what did Miss Diana say?" A voice nearby startled them both, causing Kara to drop Harry into a bed of roses where he exclaimed a loud, 'umph'.
Standing below them was Diana, wearing a slight smile. Shaking her head she made her way to Harry and dusted him off from his impromptu landing.
"I think I said you shouldn't play like that because someone can get hurt." She pointed at Harry, "Just like this."
Kara nodded, chastised. She dropped down next to Harry.
"Sorry Harry."
"No worries. I guess you just have to work on your saving people thing, huh Supergirl?" He teased her.
"Hmm, Supergirl?" She liked the sound of that, but she would not let him have the last word. "Does that make you the damsel in distress?" She grinned, earning herself another scowl.
"Ok ok, that's enough out of you two. Go get cleaned up or we will miss the movie." Diana slung her arms around the two children, pulling them to her. "And make sure to change Harry. You have all that dirt on you." Seeing their nods she let them go with a push towards the house.
Harry turned to Kara, tagging her before he took off. Laughing, he yelled over his shoulder, "Catch me if you can, Supergirl."
Later that Night
Diana sat on the couch in a family room in Wayne Manor. A long morning followed by an even longer afternoon had left her and the children exhausted but after putting Kara and Harry to bed, Diana had been invited to share a glass of wine before she departed for the night. Never one to pass up spending time with Bruce, she accepted.
It must be said that the feelings Bruce and Diana shared were visible to everyone around them, including the would-be couple themselves. The looks, the touches and the way they could communicate with just raised eyebrows were more than enough proof for their friends that the two were headed towards each other. No one was quite sure what exactly was stopping them; even Bruce who had become the main obstacle to the relationship could not come up with a reasonable excuse as to why they hadn't already moved from being friends to something more.
Diana made no attempt to hide how she felt for the man the world knew as the 'Dark Knight'. The Princess of Themyscira had met a vast array of men after she left her island home. From her first adventure with a certain pilot to her fellow superheroes in the Justice League, and all the ordinary men in between, she was not the same naïve Amazon she once was. And none of them could measure up to Bruce Wayne. In him she found what the Amazons valued above all else: courage, discipline, intelligence, and a warrior spirit.
She often teased and flirted with him to see if she could get any reaction; a blush, a stammer, some sort of hesitation to trip up the cool and collected demeanor he always carried himself with. There were no overt signs except for him avoiding her eyes.
Bruce was not oblivious to the increasing tension; he was aware of the attraction between him and the Amazonian princess. The hyper-awareness to her presence or his eyes seeking her out whenever he entered a room were signs that he had felt before. No, he was all too aware. But he could not bring himself to do anything about it. The hesitation he felt stemmed from the experiences in his life that had proven to him that everyone left you sooner or later.
Bruce had had romantic entanglements before. The first among them was the almost relationship with his magic practicing childhood friend, which they thankfully ended before it ruined their friendship.
And then there was Selina Kyle. There were many words that could describe his relationship with the woman that was more widely known as Catwoman. Complicated. Passionate. Destructive. Their time together was more a curse than a blessing. Any relationship where one person was actively hunting the other as a fugitive was destined to fail, no matter how hard or how many times they tried. He had not seen Selina in many years. Something he was very grateful for.
And the most dangerous of his romantic past was Talia al Ghul. The daughter of a centuries old warlord, they had shared an almost tragic romance when Talia chose her father and the cause she was raised in over her love for Bruce. He had been asked to assume control of Ra's al Chul's group many times and every time he had declined which usually caused bad feelings to be shared. He knew deep down that if Talia had chosen to stay with him instead of returning to her father they would have been together now. She was his almost.
And then there was Diana, Princess of Themyscira. In her he had the friendly attachment he had always enjoyed with Zatanna, the playfulness that made Selina so desirable, and a woman skilled and talented enough not to be a liability when it to came to his enemies, the qualities that had made Talia such a great match for him. Diana also provided light, the one thing that no other woman had been able to give him; something he thought he would have to live without once his parents died. The goodness that Selina and Talia could not give because they were too dedicated to their own causes; she provided with ease.
His reasons for hesitating were becoming feebler every time he thought of them.
He broke the comfortable silence that they had slipped into. "So how were the kids today? I hope they weren't too much trouble." He gave her a grin that made her smile back despite her fatigue. 'Yes, Alfred was right. Natural charm,' Diana thought to herself.
"No, they were great. We did a lot so we're all tired. I can't begin to explain how very glad I am that Harry doesn't have any powers. The trouble those two can get into is worrisome now, I can just imagine what it would be like if he did." Diana shuddered dramatically, causing him to laugh. She reached out to place a hand on his arm. "You are doing a great job with him, Bruce. He's not the same boy he was when he first came into our lives."
Bruce smiled at her in gratitude. "It took all of us to get him where he is today. You, Diana, have helped more than you could ever know. He's lucky to have someone like you in his life, and I think he knows that." And they lapsed into silence, both feeling the pull that was always present whenever they were alone.
Diana smiled as she remembered the day she spent with the kids.
"I asked Harry what he might want for his birthday, Bruce." She paused.
He waited for her to continue and when she didn't, asked, "Well, what did he say?"
Flashback
Diana and Harry were waiting in the lobby of the Cineplex while Kara joined the line for food. Diana spent a lot of her time at the manor, and once a month she took the kids out; this allowed them to experience the world beyond the walls of Wayne Estate, or in Kara's case, the isolation associated with her powers.
It was nearing the end of July and they were all getting ready for Harry's birthday.
"So Harry, your birthday is coming up. Is there anything special that you want?" She held up her hand to stop him when he made a move to talk. Laughing she said, "And no, you can't ask for a cake; you are going to get one of those anyway." That brought him up short.
She could see the struggle he was having with himself, deciding whether he would ask for something or not. Even with how far he had come, he was still affected by his past and it showed in his hesitation to ask for things and the inability to trust that people would keep their word.
Harry looked at Diana and tried to determine if he had a chance of getting what he asked for.
"Well," he started, hesitantly, "I was wondering. Since Bruce always introduces me as Harrison Wayne and he adopted me after we met, I thought well…maybe…I can call him…dad."
Not expecting anything like that, Diana's smile fell off her face. The silence began to make Harry uncomfortable and when tears came to her eyes and a small frown formed on her face, Harry took it to mean no and tried to backtrack.
"I'm sorry, it was stupid. I didn't really mean it. I'm happy with what I have. 'I shouldn't have listened to Kara,' Harry thought to himself.
Diana knelt down and reached for the boy's hands. Taking a breath to calm herself she said, "I think that is a great idea, Harry. And I think that Bruce would love it, too." Harry looked up with hope shining in his eyes.
"Really?"
Diana nodded and pulled him into a hug just as their moment was interrupted. Kara had bought a giant tub of popcorn that hid her top half from view.
In a voice that could be barely be heard from behind the snack she said, "I'm not sure this will be enough but it was the biggest they had."
End Flashback
Diana looked at Bruce. She knew he and Harry had not spoken about labels when the adoption was finalized and neither had really thought much of it. But if Harry wanted it enough to ask for it then it was important to him and she would see it through to the end.
"Bruce? Did you hear me? What are you thinking?" Hearing his name brought his attention back to her.
He turned toward her and quietly said, "He's my son."
Diana beamed.
August 2 1988 Morning
Executive Office, Wayne Tower, Center of Gotham City
Dressed in a fine suit, Bruce Wayne walked down the corridor of the executive offices with his son, the mysterious Harrison Wayne. These were the offices of the company that had been in his family since the 17th century. At first just a small business, it did not officially become a corporation until the 19th century under Alan Wayne; Wayne Enterprises would become a strong player in global markets.
Wayne Tower, a beacon of prosperity in Gotham had not changed much since the first time he visited. He could still remember the day that his father, Thomas Wayne, brought him to the main offices to see first-hand what his family had built.
Flashback
"This Bruce is where the Executive Board meets. All of the important decisions are made in this room; the big things, like ideas for products to plans for expansions. The recent founding of factories in China was decided in this room." He took Bruce by the hand and walked him over to the CEO's chair, his chair.
"And this Bruce, this is where you are going to sit when it is time for you to lead this company."
Bruce sat down at the head of the large table that was used by some of the wealthiest, most powerful men in Gotham City. At nine years of age, with his chin barely making it over to the edge of the table and his feet swinging high off the ground, he looked far from ready to lead them. But one day his would be the keenest mind to have ever led Wayne Enterprises.
"Is this where you go every day?" Bruce looked towards his father.
"No." Thomas Wayne laughed. "I only come here for the truly major decisions. I spend most of my time at the hospital. That's where I work. This is a place for more…business minded men." Kneeling by the chair, Thomas made sure he had Bruce's attention. "This is something that has been in the family since before my great-great-great-grandfather, and it would be a shame to lose it now. It is our job Bruce, to make sure we are able to pass it down to future Wayne's for as long as we can."
"Don't worry Dad." He seemed to be enjoying the view from his spot at the table. "I already have plans to make sure this company is the best."
His father laughed. "That's good. Now I'm sure you're bored, I know I've never been one to sit still in these meetings. I want you to meet an associate of mine. A very smart man, his name is Lucius Fox…"
End Flashback
This company was a lasting monument to what his family had accomplished and here he was, sharing it with his son.
Dressed in an equally fine suit with his hair slicked back and keeping up with a confident stride, Harry looked nothing like he did when he first met the Justice League. With no need for glasses, his emerald eyes were often cooed about by all of the female employees at his father's company; he seemed to be a scaled down replica of Bruce. The entire world had heard about the mysterious Wayne heir from local talk shows and gossip magazines and this marked the first time that Harrison Wayne was so visibly out in public.
Bruce was still looking forward when he addressed his son. "This is our family's company, Harry. It has been in Wayne hands for over four centuries and for as long as I can remember it has been the leader in global markets."
Harry nodded, listening avidly to everything he heard. This was his family's history and he could not get enough of it. Walking the halls listening to his dad; dad, that word still made him smile every time he thought it.
"And it is our job to make sure that it is passed down to future generations."
"And just look at this dapper fellow," a deep voice interrupted their conversation.
"Lucius."
"Hi Mr. Fox." Harry waved. He had seen Lucius many times at Wayne Manor on official business and not-so-official business.
"Hello Mr. Wayne, young Mr. Wayne. I believe that we have some business to attend to?"
Bruce nodded. "Harry, we just need to go over some business proposals. Why don't you wait for me in my office, okay?"
"Sure dad, business proposals." He included a not so sly wink that caused Lucius to laugh. "I'll wait for you in there."
September 29 1988 Early Evening
Wayne Manor, Outskirts of Gotham City
"Master Bruce, Mr. Kent and Ms. Kent have arrived."
"Thank you Alfred. Kara I'm sure that you want to find Harry, he's in the-." Kara did not need to hear another word as she took off, heading for the door that led outside.
"Kara, wait!" Halfway through opening the door she stopped, but not before a loud splintering noise was heard. In her haste to find Harry, who she assumed was outside, she had pulled the heavy, solid wood door right off its hinges.
"Sorry Bruce."
Rubbing the bridge of his nose Bruce sighed, "Harry is in his room reading a book and please do me a favor, call out and get him to open the door." She nodded and raced up the stairs.
The two men stood in the foyer and watched the pre-teen loudly make her way to her friend. Clark sighed; he knew what it was like growing up with abilities that you had no control over. The fear of hurting others and the feeling of loneliness it caused made for a very tough childhood. His parents were the only reason that he made it through puberty with a good head on his shoulders.
Kara was very lucky that she had a friend that accepted her for who she and did not fear her powers. He knew that if she did not have Harry, it would be that much tougher reining her in when she threw fits. A pre-pubescent girl with an attitude was bad enough; a pre-pubescent girl with superhuman strength, speed and the power of flight made those tantrums all the more dangerous.
A shout of, "Harry, hurry up and open the door!" was heard from upstairs.
"I don't know how she does it." Clark turned to Bruce.
"What do you mean?"
Clark thought about all the close calls and missed parties in his youth. "When I was growing up, I couldn't be around others without having to worry about hurting them. You've seen the damage she can do when she isn't thinking. But that never happens when she is playing here. The amount of control she has when she is with Harry is amazing."
"Are you sure that Harry won't get hurt? I've seen what she can do when she isn't being careful and he is only eight years old."
"We had a long talk about how to treat people on Earth and she understands the need to think before she acts whenever she plays with him. She cares about Harry very much. I don't think she could stand the guilt if she was to hurt him." Bruce hoped he was right; he had been in too many hospitals with Harry already.
"So Kent, you're pawning off your kid on me?" Bruce slapped him on the shoulder with a laugh.
Clark had a look in his eye that would have looked familiar had it been on Kara's face. It usually preceded trouble of the most spectacular kind. "No, I'm just doing a friend a favor."
Bruce was confused for a split second then he noticed the silhouette leaning against the door to the kitchen and everything stopped. Standing there in a knee length black dress was what could literally be described as a gift from the gods, even if you did not know her real identity.
Bruce Wayne had remarkable willpower, stronger than any man in the world. That was the only reason he was not making a fool of himself in front of the gorgeous woman who had a look on her face that he could not identify. He could not hear what Clark had said to him when he patted him on the back but Bruce knew he had left the room; leaving him alone with the woman sauntering up to him.
"Clark is going to be doing me a favor." Diana spun around for him. "I am all dressed up to go to dinner and I have no one to keep me company." She looked at him coyly through her eye lashes. "What am I to do?"
Bruce looked her up and down, his stare bringing a flush to her cheeks. Clearing his throat he said, "I think I could spare Alfred for the night, he is an excellent dinner companion." This retort elicited a scowl and a jab from a super strong pointer finger.
"No, what's going to happen is you're going to go upstairs and you are going to pick out one of those tuxedos that make you look dashing, and then we are going to spend a quiet, romantic dinner at one of the finest restaurants Gotham City has to offer."
"Are we?"
"Yes, we are." She stepped closer to him, invading his personal space to the point where their breath mingled and her nose touched his.
"And if I don't want to?" He knew he had lost this race; the round went to her but he just could not give in without some token resistance.
All but leaning on him, she snaked her hand up his chest, grabbing onto the lapel of the sport coat he had worn that day, she said, "I never said you had a choice." She lifted him by the shoulders and flew off towards the stairs, leaving only the sound of his laughter in their wake.
Securing a reservation at the last minute was easy for someone who outright owned almost every upscale restaurant in Gotham City. They ended up having dinner at a small but exclusive Italian restaurant named Antonelli's. Diana chose it for its intimate atmosphere, something she prized in this, her concerted effort to court Bruce Wayne.
Conversation was easy to carry. They spoke about things they shared in common, their love of history, world politics and the major change in both their lives, Harry. That lasted them well into the dinner and they only stopped when Diana mentioned there was a band and small dance floor. And as luck would have it, a romantic slow song started to play.
"This is nice Bruce." Diana was a moderately tall woman, but even with her heels her eyes only came up to just past his lips.
He held her gently to himself as they swayed to the song. He could have stayed there the entire night, a soft song playing, a beautiful woman in his arms, and no need to worry about secrets or the danger she could possibly be in. He felt peaceful, a sensation he had never felt with a woman before. With all he had accomplished for the world in his life, this was the first uncomplicated thing he had ever done.
"So this was your master plan, then? To bring me here and woo me?" He pulled back to look her in the eyes. The smile on his face gave hint to the joke.
"Why would I need a plan Bruce? I know you feel the same way I do; it's in your eyes. I thought bringing you here would help get past whatever is making you hesitate…Is it working?"
He pulled her close and spoke softly into her ear, "My life is not something anyone should have to share. It is full of masks, deceit and shadows. There's no light Diana. And I don't know how to make it better. Why would anyone want to be a part of that?"
Cheek to cheek, he guided her through the next song as she let herself process those words. Feeling her pull back, he stopped leading her through the slow steps around the floor when she pressed her forehead to his. Feeling his steady breath on her face she spoke, "I know there are dark things in your life and I know that it can make the world seem bleak some days but what we have is good. You have friends, you have Alfred, you have Harry your son and I will always be there Bruce."
"No one has stuck around before."
"You have me and I'm not going anywhere."
"I think that only leaves me with one question." He pulled her close then dropped her into a dip,. "Miss Prince, would you do me the honor of accompanying me on an outing tomorrow night?"
With a radiant smile she responded, "Why Mr. Wayne, I would be delighted." Then she pulled him down to meet her. The patrons at Antonelli's received a full view of Bruce Wayne, wealthy socialite and notorious for protecting his privacy, passionately kissing a woman right there on the dance floor.
This would undoubtedly be front page news the next day.
September 29 1988 Just before Midnight
Wayne Manor, Outskirts of Gotham City
It was a harried and ragged looking Clark Kent that greeted the new couple upon their arrival back at Wayne Manor.
Harry and Kara had spent a lot of time being watched by other members of the Justice League when either Bruce or Clark were deployed on a mission. Hours had been spent in the care of the Flash, J'onn, and even John Stewart but their favorite time was when the 'Man of Steel' himself was watching them. Little children, like dogs and horses, could sense weakness and with instinct born of years of practice, they exploited all his weaknesses. And for all his strength, Superman was a pushover when babysitting.
Already late in the day when he and Kara arrived, Clark had expected a little play time before bed and then peace and quiet while he worked on articles for the Daily Planet. But as he now knew, children watch adults make plans and they laugh. Four games of hide and seek and two movies later, he finally had the kids tucked in and made it downstairs in time to welcome Bruce and Diana back home.
He took one look at their joined hands and smiled to himself.
Clark was the closest thing Bruce had to a best friend. He saw how the man worked tirelessly, sacrificing time in his life to work towards a self-imposed mission. Watching Bruce and Diana circling each other for quite some time, he could not believe how ridiculous their little dance was. He had never met two people more suited for each other than these two.
But now they were back and he could go get some rest before rushing to finish the article for tomorrow's deadline.
"It seems as though my sacrifice was worth it. The kids are sleeping and I'll pick Kara up on Sunday. Bruce, Diana, have a goodnight." He made his way towards the door only to stop and turn around. "Bruce, you might want to get the washing machine and dryer looked at. I don't know how or when but they got in there and it's not pretty," he said and then made his way out the door.
"I don't understand how two children can be the cause of so much trouble," Bruce whispered loud enough to make Diana laugh.
She wrapped her arms around his neck and pressed a soft kiss to his mouth. "And you wouldn't have it any other way."
"No, but there are other things I would like to have, princess."
Unbeknownst to them, there were three sets of eyes watching from the top of the staircase.
Harry and Kara had snuck from their beds when they heard voices echoing up the stairs. They had watched Clark leave and stopped in shock when Diana began kissing Bruce. The shock turned to giggles, which then attracted Alfred to the scene.
There they stood, all three in a row, watching with wide eyes.
Then a mixture of, "Oh wow," "My word," and, "What is that?" was whispered as the kissing became more involved. Alfred had seen enough to be happy for the eldest Wayne and knew they were fast approaching very intimate adult time. Clamping his white-gloved hands over the innocent eyes, he guided them back to their rooms, ignoring the stereo version of, "C'mon Alfred," that it elicited.
"That's enough spying for one day and it is well past your bedtime." He shepherded them back to the main corridor and up to their rooms, which faced directly across from each other. "Now, I don't want to find you two awake when I come back to check on you."
His decree was met with a chorus of, "Yes, Alfred."
"Goodnight you two." He waited for them to finish up and get to bed.
"Goodnight Alfred." Harry and Kara spoke in unison before entering their rooms.
Walking back down the corridor, Alfred had a much livelier step. Things were beginning to look up at Wayne Manor.
Beta'd by AntHil
