Chapter 21-
A/N: This is it! This is the scene where Megan finds out about Bruce and Batman. I had difficulty deciding how I wanted her to discover that her father was Batman. It was a coin toss between her finding out this way or Ra's al Ghul telling her. I hope y'all like how I did this.
Megan ran up the backstairs and to her room as fast as she could. Fortunately no one had seen her or Sgt. Gordon's car as he drove up to Wayne Manor. It didn't take long for Megan to hop in the shower or change out of her street clothes to her white shirt and black skirt.
Megan climbed down the backstairs that exited by the library. Alfred's sharp voice made her pause in midstep. He acted as if he were upset with someone, although Megan couldn't figure out what her father's butler and oldest friend could be upset about.
In the short time she had known Alfred Pennyworth, he had rarely been upset. His voice never sounded as sharp as it did now.
"When you told me your great plan for saving Gotham the only thing that stopped me from calling the men in white coats is when you said that it wasn't about thrill-seeking," Alfred said, his voice calming slightly.
Megan felt slightly confused. Saving Gotham? Who was saving Gotham? The next voice answered her question. "It's not," Bruce's voice said, sounding distracted.
"What do you call that?" Alfred asked in a pointed voice. Megan peeped around the corner cautiously. Bruce and Alfred were looking at a TV with a news report on it. Megan recognized Batman's car on the screen. That produced another question. What did her father have to do with Batman's car?
"Darn good television," Bruce said, fixing his tie. It was all Megan could do not to laugh at that ridiculous statement. She covered her mouth with her hands so they wouldn't hear the choked giggling.
It's a miracle no one was killed!" Alfred said, getting upset again.
"I didn't have time to observe the rules of the road, Alfred," Bruce said. That final statement caused everything to click in her mind. The way Batman looked at her that first night and his loving attitude towards her tonight all made sense. Batman and Bruce Wayne was the same person! She kept her hand to her mouth so they wouldn't hear the surprised gasp.
"You're getting lost inside this monster of yours. What if someone wants revenge? They could hurt Miss Megan or Rachel just to get to you," Alfred said, throwing Megan and her mother into the whole thing.
"They won't. I'm using this monster to help other people just like my father did," Bruce said, his voice becoming slightly annoyed.
"But Thomas Wayne helping others wasn't about proving anything to anyone! Including himself," Alfred said sternly.
"It's Rachel, Alfred. She was dying. She's downstairs, sedated. I need you to take her home," Bruce said. Megan nearly wilted with relief and sighed silently. Her mom was going to be okay. Her father had kept his promise and saved her mother's life.
"We both care for Rachel, Sir. But what you're doing has to be beyond that. It can't be personal or you're just a vigilante," Alfred said. Megan didn't know if Alfred was completely right. If Batman hadn't of saved her mother she would have died. It was true that you shouldn't want revenge, but you should save the ones you loved if they were in trouble. There had to be a fine line somewhere between being a hero and a vigilante.
"Is Fox still here?" Bruce asked, changing the subject.
"Yes, Sir," Alfred said, going back to the role of butler.
"We need to send these people away now," Bruce said, turning and walking down the hall.
"Those are Bruce Wayne's guests out there, Sir. You have a name to maintain," Alfred said, following Bruce. Megan pressed herself flat against the wall as they came within her sight of vision, hoping that Alfred or Bruce wouldn't see her. She really wasn't up to hearing a lecture from her father about how she shouldn't sneak out of the mansion.
"I don't care about my name!" Bruce said angrily, sounding a whole lot like Megan did when she first came to live with him for the month.
"It's not just your name, Sir. It's your father's and your daughter's name. And it's all that's left of him. Don't destroy it," Alfred said sadly. Bruce didn't say anything as he walked away. Megan watched him go, relieved that he didn't say anything about him finding her at Arkham Asylum. Megan waited until Alfred left the room and Bruce turned the corner. Megan went back up the steps to go to the main staircase. No point in letting Bruce know that she had heard the whole conversation and that she knew he was Batman. She only hoped that her father would be able to send his guests home soon.