Chapter 2

He was angry. At the world and himself. He was pretending that he didn't need to deal with Wayne Enterprises. He was kidding himself because he really knew that Lucius would not want to be CEO of a company forever. Bruce knew the man would need and want to retire. But now Bruce had no plan. Well, the only plan was that he would need to resume his position as CEO of Wayne Enterprises while attempting to make sure Lucius Fox was as comfortable as possible in his final days.

Bruce had booked the most unassuming vehicle as he could, nothing flashy that would get him recognized. It wasn't even the Joker or Harley that he was worried about; he didn't need a mob of people, even though it was still early in the morning in Gotham.

He dialed Selina as he drove and she picked up after the first ring.

"Hi sweetheart. How are you doing?" Bruce asked as cheerfully as he could. It was exhausting.

"We'd be better if you were home," Selina said. "But we are making do," Selina said.

"Hi Daddy!" Amelia popped up.

"How's my girl?" he asked.

"I'm okay. Mommy's sad. Where are you and when will you be back?" she asked.

Bruce paused. "I'm on a business trip for work. And I'm here to see a friend that's sick. I'll be home soon. You'll take care of your mommy til then, right? For me?"

"Yup! Bye!" she said before bounding away.

"Selina?" Bruce asked quietly.

"She's in the other room building big tall skyscrapers. Seems like she takes after you."

"I don't know how long I'm going to be here."

"I know that."

"And I don't know what I'm going to do with Wayne Enterprises. I never really came up with a back up plan," Bruce admitted.

"I know that, too," she nodded. "We'll figure it out. Just like we always do. You worry about Lucius Fox first. Are you going to the hospital first?"

"I'm about a mile away. I want him to know I'm here before I check into my hotel," he said.

There was a moment of total silence before the both of them spoke.

"I love you."

"You take care of yourself and Lucius, Bruce. I'll take care on this end. And if we need to move to Goth…"

"Don't say that."

"I'd do anything for you, Bruce Wayne. Even move my daughter to the cesspool that is Gotham City. We will do what we need to do, okay? Just don't forget about us out here, all right?"

"Never. Never ever, Selina," Bruce said. "Maybe I could run the company from Italy."

"Don't worry about Wayne Enterprises right now, please," Selina said. "Just go check on Lucius."

"As much as I would like to do just that, I have a lot on my mind. You and Mel and…"

"Then don't worry about us. You know we are fine. And it sucks so much that Lucius is sick, but you know can do anything. One food in front of the other. Just the one step at a time."

"Thank you," he said simply. "Love you."

"Love you, too. Keep me posted, Mr. Wayne. And give my love to Lucius," she asked.

"Of course," Bruce replied.

They disconnected the call and Selina slumped against the kitchen counter. The coffee she'd had an entire pot of hadn't even been able to really give her the pep she'd wanted.

Amelia's life needed to continue on as normally as possible and Selina was committed to making that happen. Today they were going to see the school Amelia would be attending in a few weeks and tomorrow, they were still going to visit the museum.

"Mom!" he child shrieked from the next room and the coffee cup Selina held crashed into a million pieces on the tiled floor. Selina sprinted around the shards and found that her daughter's terrified scream was caused by the fact that she'd pinched her finger in the toy box. Selina was going to need to get her nerves in order if this was all going to work out the right way.

She got her daughter's finger cleaned up and put a superhero band aid on it and Amelia happily continued to play with her blocks and other toys. Selina moved back into the kitchen to clean up her mess.

Bruce Wayne had been to the Gotham City hospital – old and new – more times than he could ever count. So he was very familiar with all of the ins and outs of the building – specifically an entrance where he would cause the smallest scene. Just because he didn't give two shits about the Joker or Harley anymore did not mean he wanted everyone in town to know he was there.

Bruce made a quick stop at the nurse's station to find Lucius' room number and then made his way down the thankfully deserted corridor.

He was barely in the room when he heard a familiar voice.

"You made good time," Blake said from the chair in the corner.

"You look like shit, Blake," Bruce said.

"Gee, thanks. I could say the same to you, man," Blake replied. "I'm hoping this look is a recent development. I'm glad you're here, Bruce. He's been asking about you and Selina and Amelia. And Alfred. But mostly you."

"Thank you for letting us know," Bruce said to Blake while studying Lucius' face.

Lucius looked small as he lay in the hospital bed. But Bruce knew it was just the effect of the space. Lucius, anywhere else, filled the room with his personality and intellect.

"I should have been here," Bruce said quietly.

"No. You were exactly where you were supposed to be. This – this wasn't caused by a criminal or you not being here. This is just what happens when we get older," Blake said. "Lucius would always have wanted you to live your life – and he is so damn proud of you for finally getting to do just that."

"Yeah."

"Where are Selina and Amelia?" Blake asked.

"Home," Bruce said. "Home – home. Italy," he clarified.

Blake was quiet.

"What?" Bruce asked.

"I am just surprised that you are here without her. And your daughter."

"It isn't safe to bring Amelia here. She doesn't know anything about Gotham and I would like to keep it that way."

"She's how old now?"

"Almost five," Bruce said. "And I would really, really like it if she didn't ever experience what I did when I was child," he added.

"So there's no chance I'm going to get a night of while you're in town?"

"Not so long as you're Nightwing, man," Bruce said. "Unless all the criminals in Gotham changed their ways."

"Are you smiling? That's so weird," Blake replied.

"Can't an old man get any sleep – even in a hospital?" Lucius said from the other side of the room.

Bruce moved to his side at the bed.

"It's good to see you, Lucius. But if you wanted me to visit, you could have just asked. No need to go to all of this trouble," Bruce said.

"Still got that same smartass sense of humor," Lucius said.

"I guess I never grew out of it."

"It's nice to see you in a color besides black," Lucius said about Bruce's blue t-shirt.

"It's still my favorite color though. But a four year old asks a lot of questions about mom and dad always wearing black. And not always at the most appropriate times," he said.

"Four years old. I hope she's as obnoxious as you were at that age."

"Double the trouble since she's a lot like Selina as well. I am to send her your love. She's in Italy with Amelia," Bruce said.

"That's very sweet."

"Yeah."

"I'm going to grab something to drink. Do either of you…" Blake asked.

"Thank you, John. I'm fine, though," Lucius said.

Blake exited the room a moment later.

"I should never have left you with all that work, Lucius," Bruce said. "I ran away."

"No, no I wouldn't have wanted it any other way, for either of us. You deserve a life, Bruce Wayne. You sacrificed so much for so long to take care of a city that you refused to give up on, even when they gave up on you," Lucius said. "John has been here since it all happened. Stayed with me."

"Has anyone called your niece yet?" Bruce asked.

"Stacy is coming in a couple days. She had to get someone to watch the kids while her husband is cross country for work," Lucius said quietly.

"Okay, good."

"I'm glad you're here, Bruce. But you didn't…"

"Yes, I did. Now, you rest," Bruce said.

Lucius nodded tiredly and closed his eyes.

Bruce waited until he was totally certain of Lucius being asleep before pulling out a tablet and beginning to read through so many of the memos from Wayne Enterprises that he'd ignored for the last six months. He needed to re-familiarize himself with it all before going into the boarding meeting on Monday.

…

"So what happens to Wayne Enterprises when…you know…" Blake asked over breakfast later that morning.

"I have to get that figured out."

"Do you want to…"

"Come back to Gotham? Hell no, Blake. You and I both know I want to be done here. I'm sure you're ready to be done," Bruce replied.

Blake leaned back. "It's not so bad. Well, it wasn't until the Joker rumors and sightings started again. And that's who they thing broke Harley out of Belle Reve."

"It's cute that Waller really things she had all of them in her back pocket."

"It was nice while it lasted though. All of them were busy stopping stuff instead of making more trouble," Blake said. "Rumor has it Harley and the Joker have since broken up now though."

"How could you even tell?" Bruce asked. "He pushed her around all the time."

"She blew up Ace Chemicals. And then every mobster and criminal in town went after her. Somehow she blew up Roman Sionis, too."

"Pity."

"I know. Couldn't have happened to a nicer fella," Blake said. "Oh. And I heard she's got a pet hyena named Bruce now."

Bruce rolled his eyes. "Fantastic. Because Gotham needs a hyena running around as well as two clowns and you know, whatever else. Where were you when Sionis was blown up?"

"Letting him be blown up. Guy was an asshole."

Bruce gave him a look.

"I know I don't have the moral high ground here, but the man was a blight and he was responsible for the deaths of almost fifty people in Gotham last month. I've decided to let that one slide."

"I see," Bruce said.

"Really? How do you do that? With just a look, you make me feel like I'm twelve and I'm in a hell of a lot of trouble?"

"It only works on you now. Both my wife and daughter are immune to it," Bruce replied in a flat voice.

"Sounds about right," Blake nodded. "You should get checked into your hotel and get some sleep. Besides, we got company."

Blake was motioning to the men that just walked in – definitely members of the news outlets in Gotham City.

"Definitely time to go," Bruce said.

They'd clocked him. Probably tipped off by someone in the diner.

Bruce put money down on the table that more than covered both their meals and the men stood to make a speedy exit from the building.

"Bruce Wayne! Bruce Wayne! Is it true your CEO is dying?"

"Wow," Blake said. "Back off," he started to push the reporter.

"Where are your wife and child?"

"Please move!" Bruce said plainly.

A moment later, Bruce had found the button on his phone and the cameras and devices died instantly.

"Gee, thanks, Wayne!"

…

Author's note: So what did you think? Let me know.

And please make sure you're taking care of yourselves. Be well.