What Makes a Man? Chapter 35.
Everyone stood staring at Bruce with wide, shocked eyes. Dick's mouth gaped openly, Jason was biting the inside of his lip, arms still folded while Barbara made a futile attempt to hide her glee with a hand flung over her open mouthed grin.
Dick was the first to say something.
"Bruce!" He cried joyously, running to the man and enthusiastically wrapping him in a solid round-the-shoulder embrace. "Conrgatulations, Mr Dad!"
Barbara stood with two hands hiding her mouth, eyes squinting in an obvious attempt to stifle the tears. Slowly a long, drawn out squeal of absolute, undiluted joy emitted from her lips and she began dancing up and down on her tippy-toes, before she began giggling uncontrollably, pouncing on the man in an embrace too.
"Oh Bruce!" She said when the squeals of joy had managed to subside "I'm SO happy for you!"
Bruce was chuckling, returning the hugs. He turned to Jason, who shrugged a half-hearted acknowledgment.
"Congratulations." He said lacklustrously.
"Thankyou" Bruce said, a little less than warmly.
"Jason...come on..." Dick reasoned.
"Don't start, Dick!" Warned Jason.
"You're being a stick in the mud-" Quipped Dick.
"Just SHUT the hell UP, Dick!"Snapped Jason, he turned back to Bruce.
"No, really. Congrats. What a lucky kid. Hope she has a good life with parents who don't fold on her like mine did."
He dropped his arms and his tone darkened. "Every single one of them." He added pointedly glancing at Bruce, and then at the cowl which Dick was now removing from his head.
ohh Bruce realised.
"Jay..." Bruce began, in an effort to explain his reasonings. "It's not that I wouldn't trust you as Batman ever just not yet-"
"Forget it, Bruce! I don't even wanna hear it! Go on with your baby plans and your Batman plans and your pride-parades without me!." He paused, furiously wiping the tiny pricks of hot tears in his eyes. He paced over to his motorcycle.
"I've got better things to do anyway. Like finding my mother!" He kick-started it, letting it humm ferociousy fo a few momets to warm up.
"Not that you've noticed I've even been searching for her! He shouted. He turned to take one last look at Bruce. Both stood, suspended for a moment in time. Bruce fought with himself, he desperately wanted to move himself, to run over and pull the boy of the bike and wrap him in a healing embrace- but his legs wouldn't move.
Jason chuckled cynically and turned back to face the road.
"Whatever." And he drove.
Bruce, Dick and Barbara watched in silence as the tires screeched along the gravel, as the youngest member of their famiy left them, driving off into the night.
No one spoke, but the slowly heaving chest on Bruce told Dick and Barbara to leave without question. Silently they walked into the elevator, flinching as the loud , angered cry flung itself out from the other side of the door.
Meanwhile...
Winslow sat at her kitchen table, absentmindedly reviewing files for the third time that day. They had spent the larger part of the past week preparing for the imminent arrival of "Joo Wayne" as they referred to her. She gazed at the brochures, the surgical notes, referalls- everything. All legitimate. She was even in the process of booking an actual date. Her eyes darkened, as she scoffed and pushed them aside to the floor. Letting her elbows slide forward along the table, she rested her eyes in the palms of her hands, clearly suffering from some miserable, internal struggle.
"All lies." She lamented, gesturing towards the fallen brochures. The shadow of another being fell across her, but she didn't notice it until it spoke.
"Oh give it a rest will ya?"
Winslow bolted up in shock. Standing over her was Harley Quinn, dressed inconspicously in a civilian outfit instead of her usual Jester-get up.
"How the hell did you get in here?" She demanded of the blonde-haired woman as she jumped out of her chair.
"That's a secret, ya know-what was that old one?" Harley started. "Oh yeah! "Secrets kept best are easily-!"
"Don't you dare quote my mother!" Snapped Winslow. A malicious grin coated Harley's features. She enjoyed pushing buttons. It was her next favourite thing to getting out the Whoopee Cushion...still, she had to think of the matter at hand.
"I guess you're wondering why I stopped by." Stated Harley. Winslow noted with confusion that Harley had dropped her Brooklyn brogue- reverting to the accent she adopted in college- Winslow secretly wondered which one was the real accent. If either.
"I'm here on business." Harley stated. "You see, I'm a little concerned..." She began pacing back and forth before Winslow, who was growing ever more nervous.
"I just realised that YOU'VE been holding out on me!" Announced the Clown-girl accusingly.
Oh no... Thought Winslow. God, she's onto me. She's aware that I know about Bruce...
"About what, exactly?" Winslow asked, keeping her cool. She wasn't going to let on to anything.
Harley gazed deeply into her eyes, her ability to read people was always shockingly accurate.
"I don't know..." She said, Brooklyn accent returning. Winslow mentally sagged in relief. Harley continued
"But word on the street says that you've been spending a lotta time outta town." She paused tapping her foot. "and my sources tell me that you've actually been in contact with one of those birthing facilities."
Winslow stiffened.
"I thought it would look more realistic..." She began, but was silenced by the sudden slamming of Harley's clenched fist onto the kitchen table, sending crocker rattling and a fruit bowl rumbling. She flinched.
"WRONG!" Cried Harley. "You leave too much evidence! Don't make me take matters into my own hands, Winnie!"
"Don't threaten me, Harley!"
"Who'se threatening? What have you got to lose?"
Both women paused, one staring angrily, the other grinning maliciously. The latter being blonde- she cast a glance over to a photograph hanging on the wall. In it stood the figures of a family. Two children, one a teen girl, obviously a younger version of Winslow. The other a boy about three years or so younger. They sat beside an elderly, kindly smiling woman. Behind them, with hands lovingly placed on the shoulders of the children, stood a man and woman. The man was dressed in Academic regalia. Obviously well educated. Their smiles had been captured in eternity- It looked like it could be one of the happiest photos she'd ever known- not unlike the one she had seen in Bruce Wayne's office. Winslow and Harley both noted with bitterness that look could be deceiving.
"Where are they, Winnie?" Asked Harley in a sly tone, indicating the happy family on the wall.
"Shut up and get out of my home, Quinzel" Ordered Winslow in a dark, low tone. "Or do I need to remind you about what it's like to lose something that means everything to you."
Harley's eyes immediately widened.
"How dare you!" She grabbed the fallen files upon the floor. "We're not finnished, Winslow! - and if you're thinkin' about bailin' on this whole operation, I will NOT hesitate to have you implicated for the deaths of those fellows!"
Winslow blanched.
Deaths?Harley burst into raucous laughter.
"I can't believe you!- what, you thought we'd just send 'em on vacation? Have you ever watched the News, princess? We're The Joker and Harley Quinn!"
Harley continued laughing as she collected the files and shoved them in a small shoulder bag she had carried with her. She sauntered over to where Winslow stood, silently. The blonde women leaned into the other and smiled cruelly.
"and if you really help them out, I'd be pretty pissed off. Maybe even enough to write your dear old Daddy a letter." She leaned in close enough to whisper. "and you wouldn't want that-"
"OUT!" Cried Winslow. "GET THE GOD-DAMN OUTTA MY APARTMENT!" She screamed.
"Ok, ok!" Called Harley. "Geez! Take it easy! Just a casual threat, nothin' to cry over!" She began to climb out the window, turning back only to briefly address Winslow. "But I do mean it, West. You let me down, you'll be sorry. You understand what I'm sayin?"
Winslow cast her eyes downwards. She nodded slowly.
"So you're not gonna let me down, are you?" Harley asked slowly, patronisingly.
Hating herself for it, Winslow nodded again.
"Good." Harley said, she looked over to the photo and nodded as if saying goodbye to an actual person. "See you round, Mr West. I'll leave you to discuss how proud you are of your li'l girl!" Harley jumped out of the window before the bowl of fruit managed to smash into her.
At last alone, Winslow let out all her unvented furstrations. Screaming, she kicked the now smashed fruit bowl, sendinhg it smashing into the wall beside the photo.
"Shut up." She said to the people in the image, as though their grins were patronisingly directed at her.
"Just shut up-".
She stood there for a moment, raising her arms to wrap them around herself, in a small attempt to find comfort. Shaking her head, she gazed back into the picture, a tear sliding down her cheek as she remembered...
Some Years Earlier
"Everybody say PHD!"
The bright flash of the camera subsided to reveal the smiling family as they stood in a group together, laughing joyously. Two children, the girl probably around thirteen, with the boy ten or so. Next to them sat the kind-eyed figure of an elderly woman, while standing behind them, hands lovingly placed on the shoulders of the children before them, stood a man and a woman. The woman spoke.
"Well, Daddy's finally done it! Six years of hard labour finally pay off!" She laughed "Maybe we'll finally be able to start paying off the house." She teased as she gazed lovingly into his eyes.
"It's true. While I was hoarded away in my study at all hours, YOU had to pull double shifts to make up for my tuition." He leaned in and pecked her lightly on the lips. "Thankyou so much, sweetheart. I couldn't have done it without you." He leaned in for another kiss, this time lingering much longer. The two children guffawed in gasps of "ewww," and "Dad, that's gross!" while the Grandmother laughed happily.
"Alright you two!" The grandmother chided teasingly. "It's time for that celebration pie I baked especially for the occasion! It's the best in the world"
The man smiled.
"Mama, if by "baked" you mean "had Mikey stop by Old Miller's Bakery to pick it up" then I agree. They are the best in the world." He winked at the young boy- Mikey.
"Oh, you stop teasing your mother-" Swatted the grandmother, obviously enjoying the playful banter. "Now, if grandma can just get herself up out of the chair-"
She struggled to hoist herself out of the chair, faltering. The Man and Woman immediately looked concerned.
"Mom, please- your osteoporosis!" Cried the woman rushing in to assist.
"Aww, I'm not dead yet!" She scolded. "Give an old lady her independance. It's the least she deserves after a lifetime of-"
"Ok, Ok, Mama, we're just being dutiful by you." The man waited until his mother was firmly grasping her walking frame before turning to his two children.
"Ready to go home for some pie, kids?"
The boy's face lit up in a great big grin, but the girl looked quite apologetic.
"Winnie?" The dad asked inquiringly. She turned to look at him, biting her lip.
"I kinda promised Tiana and Grace that I'd go shopping this afternoon..."
Everyone's face dropped.
"You sure, honey?" Asked the Grandmother.
Winnie ducked her head, nodding slightly. The father spoke again, this time in a voice slightly higher than a whisper.
"Winslow...you know Grandma's gotta go back to the Nursing home tonight. This might be her last chance to see us all together before the surgery."
The young teen shrugged.
"Daddy, there's a sale on, I arranged it with Tiana to pick me up from here and..."
The man raised his hand to halt her.
"It's fine, Winslow. I've always been supportive of your right to make choices. If this is your choice for this evening, well, we'll just deal with it. Won't we?"
Even though his words were effectively letting her "off the hook", the girl could see the hurt in her father's eyes. He stood looking deeply into her own for a moment longer, before turning back to the grandmother.
"Well, aren't we all going back for pie?" She looked hopefully around at the family. "Well, it ain't like it's the last I'll ever bake, if Tuesday goes well." She glanced back towards Winslow.
"You coming?"
The girl averted her eyes, the grandmother could see this for what it was. She wrung her hands and dropped her gaze.
"Oh." Was all she said. "..oh."
They waited for the friend to pick her up and then they went home, the family minus the daughter, to eat the last pie their grandmother ever baked.
. . . .
. . . .
Flash to some years later.
"Everybody say INTERNSHIP!"
Another flash of a camera shot, not disimilar to the one years before. This time the brightness subsided to reveal the same family, this time a few years older. The father and mother stood with arms lovingly wrapped around the shoulders of the girl- now a graduate herself. The son stood close by, smiling broadly.
"You did it! And an internship at Dad's hospital too!" Cried the mother.
"It's technically Thomas Wayne's hospital, dear, I just manage Surgery..." The father modestly expalined.
"You say that now, Daddy, but one day you will be running the show there." Responded the daughter. "And I'll be there as your right-hand girl!"
His smile enveloped her, and she felt warm all over. She turned to look at her brother, standing next to them.
"And let's not forget Mikey. One more year and we'll have a bonafide Civil Engineer on our hands!"
The brother laughed.
"The world needs us! All the collateral damage by those super-heroes.." He chuckled and playfully nudged her on the shoulder. "But seriously, you've done so well to get through this."
It was a smiling, glorious moment for a family to share, the mother had her arm around the son, who had a hand resting comfortably on the girl's shoulder. All around people were cheering and laughing- one of many special occasions in a families life. Especially between this particular father and his daughter.
"No man could be more proud of a daughter than I am of you right now-" He said, kissing her head. "Well, at least until the next time you make me proud, which happens all the time."
"I love you."
Present
Winslow realised with sudden clarity that she had wandered to the couch and was now sitting curled upon it, clutching her arms tightly around herself, the tears sliding silently down her face.
Authors Note.
Ok.
Ok.
Ok.
So, I read "Flashpoint: Knight of Vengence". EVERYONE HAS TO READ IT. I almost wish I had completed some of my later chapters before it, because there are some minor *minor* similarities (ok, not really. Just one basic concept that will crop up later). But anyway, EVERYONE HAS TO READ IT!
By gosh, I almost want them to continue this Alternate Universe, it's so mind-boggling. Seriously, the BEST Batman tie-in- even as a standalone- story I have read in the past few years. AMAZING.
On that note, I will now be including some comic titles for my chapter names, because the rest of the Animated Series titles aren't really gonna make sense...
ANYWHO
RRR
Remember, Read and REVIEW! Reviews make authors write faster, proven fact .