CHAPTER 8
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END FLASHBACK
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It is a lot to take in, but Terry takes it all in stride. He knows Bruce had "wards" in the past, so Jason can just be added as another one. Right? No, he knows better than that. There is always more to a story that the story itself with Bruce Wayne. This one is far from over.
"Not too bad for a first night out. Although he did come pretty close to ending his career before it started. Isn't it a bit gutsy to ride on top of a moving van for your premiere performance?"
Bruce looks back at Terry and cocks his head to the side a bit. "I seem to recall someone almost falling off the side of a building their first time out. Not sure who though…"
"Great, looks like Batman develops a sense of humor in his old age. And it's not like there were instructions on those things. I was winging it!"
"That's what Jason had over you. Two years experience before he even showed up on the scene. Barbara was more like you. She self-trained, but she picked up plenty of pointers along the way."
Terry grins his usual grin, as he realizes Barbara is a lot more than just "self taught." He knows Bruce and Barbara have a past neither likes to talk about, but he lets it slide; for now. "So does that mean I'm going to grow up to be commissioner someday just like her?"
"Cute."
"You and Dana agree on something for once. Oh, speaking of Dana, I think I'm supposed to meet her somewhere to do something important. Mind moving the story along?"
"I suggest you call now, and tell them to either wait, or go home. You're not leaving until you hear the full story. That and I am an old man. I can't be standing on a rooftop forever. I'll catch my death, especially on a cold Gotham night like this."
Is it a trick? Probably. Still, since Terry is intrigued, he agrees. "Fine. The cave awaits, oh fearless leader. On the way, catch me up on what happened next."
Bruce walks and talks as they head to the Batmobile, which has been hovering over their location for the past twenty minutes. In the old days that would have caused a scene, but not anymore. A flying Batmobile is common place in New Gotham. He never thought he would see the day…
"Things went well after the first day. In fact, all was going smoothly until two weeks later, when I got the phone call I was expecting to get two weeks earlier."
"Barbara?"
"Worse. Dick."
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FLASBACK: APRIL 2, 2015 10:46 AM
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Calm sweeps over Bruce Wayne as he walks down the steps of Wayne Mansion. Today, there is hope in his eyes. Jason is proving himself even further every day, both in his deductive reasoning skills, and his fighting style. Last night, Batman and Robin took down a betting ring in the heart of Gotham, run by Killer Croc and his goons. Over the past few years, Croc has mellowed a bit. He now looks towards money based crimes, as opposed to biting the heads off of unsuspecting victims. He must have taken a clue from Penguin.
Today, Jason returns to school and life with his parents, while Bruce Wayne gets set to christen a brand new wing of Wayne Memorial Hospital, focusing on child cancer patients. It is something Thomas would be proud of, he is sure of it. It is also something Bruce would have never thought of if he was still brooding like he was. He is happy to see Jason return to normalcy, and cannot get enough of the fact that he has a family to return to. That is what makes him different. The cape and cowl do not rule his life. It is a mission, but not an obsession. Bruce does not share the luxury, but at least he has Bruce Wayne to turn to in times of necessary distraction.
As he walks towards the door to head to the car, the phone rings. He misses Alfred at the simplest of times. This is one of them.
Hustling towards the phone, he picks it up and hears a familiar voice on the other end. A voice he has not heard in at least three years.
"Old tricks die hard with you, I see."
"I was wondering when you would call, Dick. How's Blüdhaven treating you?"
"As well as you could expect. The city loves having someone to bottle up the bad guys. Nightwing is more popular here than he ever was in Gotham, what with 87 different capes running around these days. Oh wait, never mind! That was a few years ago, when you actually had a family!"
Bruce sighs. He had thing coming for a long time. "That's fine, Dick. Let it out. I deserve it."
"Deserve it? Bruce, you are a piece of work, you know that? First, you abandon Tim to a psychiatric facility in Metropolis…"
"Where he is getting the best help he needs to get better."
"Right, sure. By the way, when was the last time you went to visit?"
Silence.
"Yeah, that's what I figured. I got the phone call from Tim last night asking me what the hell you're doing with a new Robin. You promised this would be it, Bruce! You promised not to put someone new in danger, and now it's some teenager none of us even know???"
"His name is Jason Todd. He…he broke into the Batcave two years ago."
"See, this is why I tell you to change the locks every now and then…"
"He broke every security code I had, at the age of thirteen. The child is a prodigy, and he was looking for guidance. I turned him away, Dick. I tried to tell him not to do this because he'll only get hurt, but he wouldn't take no for an answer. He believes in the mission. He believes in Batman, and feels I need a partner to function properly."
Dick pulls the receiver away for a minute trying to mull his words over. It is far from easy chewing out your father figure, especially when you feel you are move grown up than he is most of the time.
"You didn't try hard enough, Bruce. You love having someone around to share the burden. Then what do you do when you're done, huh? You throw the trash away! First you kick me out…"
"That was for your own good, Dick, and you know it!"
"Yes, and I've come to terms with that. It's still relevant to my line of thought though, so let me finish. First you kick me out for questioning your methods. Then, when Tim needs a father most, you kick him out too. No comment from you yet, I need to say my piece. Tim was damaged beyond repair by The Joker. His psyche will never completely recover. I understand he needed help and still does, but you are his legal guardian, Bruce! You don't send what is essentially your son to a facility in another city and not visit him. You just don't."
"I…I didn't think he would want to see me."
"Seriously?"
"It's my fault he ended up hurt. Without me, Tim would have been a normal teenager, living his life to the fullest."
"Do you forget that you rescued him from a life with a deadbeat father? Tim worships the ground you walk on, Bruce! The fact that Clark has visited more than you have is just…plan…wrong. Face it pal, you screwed up. Big time. Then you go and take in another kid without even asking Tim? How do you think that makes him feel?"
"Jason…is not mine. He has a family; a loving mother and father, school, and a best friend to his name. He wants nothing more than to be able to protect them and the rest of Gotham from harm. I train him, he helps me. That was and is the deal."
"Fine. I get that. But you still messed up."
"I know."
"Well, what are you going to do about that, Bruce? You seriously don't want me to come down there and drag you to see him, do you?"
A deep sigh, followed by a cough to clear his throat. Bruce is choked up, for all the wrong reasons.
"N…no. No Dick, you don't have to do that. Jason and I will take a day trip tomorrow. I pulled scholarship strings to get him out of school for a while to train, so the school and Jason's parents knows me and trusts me. It will be easy to do. I'll ask Tim face to face, man to man, and have him meet Jason. If he does not want him to be Robin, well…I'll see if Barbara would like a partner."
Dick snickers a bit. "Yeah, Babs and teen sidekicks don't mix. I learned that back in my Robin days. She broke my heart, you know?"
"I know."
"Did you break the news to her about your new partner yet? That's another promise you made you seem to be breaking."
"Not yet, but that's another thing I'll have to tackle eventually. She's busy with the police academy anyway. No need to sour her mood over something like that."
"Just promise me you won't mess this one up. Deal?"
"There are always risks, but I will certainly do my best."
"You better, because I won't take seeing another kid broken over the job."
"Me neither." Bruce pauses for a moment, as he decides to say what is really on his mind. "I…miss you, Dick."
"I miss you too, old man. We should talk more often, but next time, don't make me do it to let you know how wrong you are. Deal?"
"Deal."
"It's not that I'm not happy to see people in your life again Bruce. I was just kind of hoping it would be a woman. I mean come on; you've got to pass on the Bat-genes somehow, right?"
"Even if I don't have a biological son, I have two boys I'll always be proud of."
"What, you trying to choke me up now?"
"Never. I don't believe in tears, remember?"
"Right. And let that new kid know if he ever needs any embarrassing stories on you, he's got someone to call."
"Take care, Dick."
"Take care, Bruce. I won't be a stranger if you won't."
As he hangs up the phone, Bruce Wayne is confident that now is the time he must face his demons, and come to terms with past mistakes. If not now, then when?
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