Okay guys we're nearing the end of this story! We have one more chapter and then probably a pretty lengthy epilogue, so if you have an opinion on how you want each characters to end up now's your chance to speak.
Enjoy!
Somewhere That's Green
Bruce
It's 6 AM when I make it to the breakfast table, body painted with the usual bruises and worries of last night's promises, most of which I don't even remember. Damian, Cassandra and Stephanie are already eating silently when I approach. "Good Morning everyone." I say plainly as I lower myself into my chair at the head of the table. Before any of them can respond I'm assaulted by bouncy flamboyant energy as Dick pops into my field of vision. "Good morning Bruce! Are you excited for our trip today?" I try to keep my face as stoic as possible but I'm so confused I can't help myself. I raise a questioning eyebrow in response and his smile droops. "You didn't forget did you?" And here come the puppy dog eyes. Where is Alfred when I need him? Then I have to remind myself that Dick is a grown man and can handle the truth. "I have no recollection of planning any sort of trip for today." This is when Damian pipes up from his nearly empty plate of waffles. "It's true father, last night you promised us a trip to New York today." New York? When? My head swims with last night's adventures "The Young Master is right Sir," Alfred chimes in as he enters from the kitchen, setting plates in the remaining spots around the table. "Last night you promised all of the children a trip to New York today without the slightest tone of sarcasm in your voice."
I stand and follow Alfred into the kitchen while the table bursts into excited conversation. "Are you sure Al? It's a Tuesday!" He nods and smirks under his moustache. "I'm just telling you what was said Master Bruce, it's up to you to follow through… or not." I run a hand through my hair. I definitely don't have the energy for New York today, let alone a long car ride with apparently "all of the children." Shit, that means Jason's here, and he'll either have no recollection of this just like me, or be completely outraged and I won't see him for several weeks. I weigh my options. "Have you already called their school?" I inquire. Alfred shakes his head "Not yet, because I knew you would change your mind."
I reenter the dining room and find it has grown with the addition of Barbara and a very subdued Tim. They ll greet me with hopeful eyes and I open my mouth to crush their dreams (which, according to Tim is my purpose in life.) when I'm stopped by the sight of Jason bounding down the stairs sporting a "I 3 NYC" shirt. I sigh inwardly. Shit. Before he reaches the table I begin my spiel. "I'm sorry but no, we are not going to New York today." I continue over the moans of protest. "I don't know what I said last night but it's a Tuesday and you guys have school and work and we have patrol tonight, so maybe we can go some other time."
Jason freezes at the door, rips his shirt off aggressively and hurls it to the ground. As he storms off to the front door I can catch his snarl "Figures." I bring my hand to the bridge of my nose. Tim growls from my right. "I told you Dick. It's his purpose. You owe me $50 bucks." I shake my head and retreat back up the stairs.
"Hurry! She's gonna fall!" The screams of a nearby firefighter snap me out of my day dream. I look up to see Cass hanging from her hands from that fire hose. Why? Why didn't I just make us stay home today? I could have just made us stay home today.
I look around me, and can't help thinking… How? How did all of this happen in the span of who knows how long, Dick might end up losing his hand, Barbara is paralysed, Tim and Stephanie are… are dead. Damian might never speak again, Jason as far as I know is alive but badly injured, and Cassandra is dangling from a fire hose 70 feet above the ground. I try to take a deep breath but the air seem devoid of oxygen. Then… Then the building shudders and the hose begins to drop, Cassandra is losing her grip. I move closer instinctively. No. No she's up too high still, no she's not in position. No. No. No. She loses her grip and falls feet first. I can see her trying to maneuver herself onto her back to land in the life net. The crowd takes a collective gasp. I'm running now, trapped in some delusion that I can catch her. I'm so close, I'm so close.
She lands in the center of the life net, on her outstretched left leg. The tendons snap and the joint bends backwards completely. My mind wants to shut down at the sound of her wails, but my legs keep moving, and moving, and moving. They lower the net and I collapse to her side. One of her eyes is dark purple and swollen shut, while the other flutters in agonizing confusion. She's screaming, she's grasping the edges of the net as if her life depends on it. I try to speak but find my words locked behind despair. Medics rush to her side and lift her ever so gently onto a gurney. She must know I'm there because she reaches out for me, and I take her hand, hungry for human contact.
"Sir? Sir? Are you her father?" One of the medics asks in a frenzy. "Yes. Yes I- I am, yes." The medics nod and they set her down and blur through my vision. "I need you to keep hold of her hand, we're going to have to set this leg and it's going to be very painful." coughs one of them. I nod numbly and enclose our entwined hands in my other. She looks into my eyes, and when they set her leg, it's like my reality shatters. Shards distort the sounds, the earth shattering scream that erupts from within her. I just hold her hand firm, her grasp threatening to snap tendons. I feel myself talking to her but I'm unable to catch the words I'm speaking. I'm supposed to protect her. It's my job. It's my job to protect all of them, and now- just look for yourself.
My mind jumps to several years ago, the first time Dick got hurt on patrol. I was petrified, I hadn't been that scared in a long time. But after so many, cuts and broken bones, the feeling dulls. But I'm supposed to protect them, and their suits, their suits are supposed to protect them too. How much damage would have been prevented if they had their suits I wonder? I designed them to keep us all safe.
The armor has to be light enough to move, to fight, but strong enough to protect. But sometimes… a great too many times… it's not strong enough- I'm not strong enough. I wasn't strong enough for Barbara, who may never walk again. I wasn't strong enough for Damian or Cassandra, who have been broken one too many times. I wasn't strong enough for Tim or Stephanie … two more casualties, two more funerals, two more graves. And I wasn't strong enough for Jason. Willful Jason, who ignored danger, who spat at risk. Who was never frightened enough. I've always wondered… Always… Was he scared at the end? Was he praying I'd come save him? And in those last moments when he knew that I wouldn't… Did he hate me for it? And now, when he knows I've let him down again… Will he forgive me for that?
Cass goes quiet and I step tentatively back into reality. I give her now lax hand a reassuring squeeze, attempting to let go to let the doctors work, but she clings to me. I look back to her face, half of it swollen and angry, there is blood and tear trails down her cheeks. Her whole body shivers yet is glistening with sweat. I take off my jacket instinctively and drape it over her small frame. "Bruce?" she quivers. "Yes Cassandra?" I ask as sweetly as I know how. "It's Jason." My blood runs cold and I feel my stomach begin to churn. I think back to that day in Ethiopia, the fires, the stench of burned fabric and blood. His small 15 year old body draped in my arms, already cold to the touch. I swallow the memory away. "What about Jason?" She meets my eyes with a solum wisdom, a bittersweet intelligence that I can feel tearing her apart. "He's dying." and they tear her from my grasp.
The words resonate in my ears. "He's dying." But I choose to be ignorant, I chose to not believe her. No, I know she's right. According to what the others have said about him, he's lucky to be alive right now. Right now… Is he alive right now?! I sprint back to the side of the life net. I peer through the haze of smoke and milky light, his name already forming on my lips, when I see him lean out the window and pull the hose back out of sight. I release the hold on my lungs and let hysteria paint my face with a bittersweet smile. He's alive. He's alive.
For now… Anyway.
