"Not going to bed, Alfred?"
"I'm planning some thing for tomorrow," Alfred replied as he took Bruce's empty coffee mug. "Something nice when John brings the boy over."
"Hmm. That sounds good. Thank you," he only looked a second over his laptop as Alfred took the dishes.
"Staying up late, sir?"
"Ohh, yeah. Gotta go over these proposals for starters."
"More coffee then," Alfred stated, already on his way to the family kitchen.
Bruce simply smiled and went back to work. He tuned out his senses to focus on the long essays in front of him. He was only expecting the kitchen noises around him, so the door closing especially caught him off guard. He watched Selina drop her bag on the ottoman, his heart heavy as he sat stunned. Yet when she came his way, Bruce silently lifted his computer aside and let her sit on him.
Selina curled up in her husband's arms, burrowing her face in his chest. Bruce didn't say a word; she would have broke. He only rested his head over hers and she whined before he hugged her tighter.
Alfred came back with the coffee, but stopped in the doorframe. He sighed and went back to the kitchen, hiding his sobs under the running water. He was of course aware of Bruce's plan, but seeing Selina renewed all their pain. Alfred looked around the kitchen for a hot water bottle and filled it up with before he went back to the living room.
Selina was still in Bruce's lap when Alfred came in, momentarily stuttering in her sleep. Bruce acknowledged him when he came in with the bottle and the coffee, and silently thanked Alfred for taking care of them. Alfred simply nodded in reply and went to his room.
Selina woke up with swollen eyes, confused for a second. When her senses cleared out, she found herself snuggling on her husband. Selina looked back and smiled at him, kissing his chin before resting under it.
"Good morning," Bruce said clearly.
"Morning. How long have you been up?"
"How long have you been gone?"
Selina seriously pulled back this time. "Please don't tel me you've been awake for days?"
Bruce stroked her cheek. "You think I'd sleep not having you next to me?"
"I'm sorry," said Selina, picking at his heart through his shirt. Bruce knew it wasn't for her absence. "I'm sorry I ran- ran away. I'm sorry I didn't come home."
The build up to the elephant in the room made even the dark knight tear up.
"I'm sorry I didn't tell- tell you anything. You should have been there." She cried in his chest.
Bruce knew what she meant, but her choice of words hit him hard. His head lay back, blinking back tears. Yes, he should have been there. To protect his family. To keep them safe. He'd failed again. Next time, Bruce would never let them go.
"I... I wanted you there. I needed you there. But," she sobbed and lifted to face him, "I couldn't face you. I couldn't tell you I... I couldn't hurt you."
Bruce cupped her face in a stroke to her hair. "You could never hurt me. It wasn't your fault," he shook his head to support his words. "It wasn't anyone's fault. Maybe it wasn't meant to be this time," he kissed his wife.
"But I promise you, we'll be parents somehow. Some day."
As Selina rested her head on his shoulder, she was reminded of Mother Irene's words. Selina sniffled and sobered up, distracting herself before coming to her point. She noticed the water bottle on her stomach, strumming her fingers over the ridges on the silicone.
"Alfred?"
"Yeah, Alfred."
Selina kissed him with a smile this time and lay down again, still stroking the bag.
"You know who I keep thinking of?"
"Hmm?"
"The kid from St. Swithins. Jason."
Bruce smirked, invested in where this conversation was going. "What about him?"
"I was just wondering what he was up to these days."
"Oh, I don't know, probably waiting for his room to get done."
"Wha- what's that supposed to mean?"
"Anh, I don't know. The rooms here haven't really been updated since we got married. I don't think any today's kid would like the rooms we have right now."
Selina chuckled in disbelief. "He- he's moving in here?"
"Well, once the paperwork gets done. Yeah," Bruce pursed his lips like it was not big deal.
Selina threw her arms around his neck and kissed him.
"You didn't!"
"I did. I was already thinking about it after he left. But after," he stroked her belly, not needing to speak, "I couldn't let him go."
"I love you, do you know that?" This time her tears were of joy.
Bruce held her around the waist as she leaned over him. "I love you too. Day and night."
"Day and night," Selina repeated their vow before kissing him.
She finally got off him and Bruce helped her to her feet.
"Well, those rooms aren't the only thing that need freshening up around here. I'm gonna go take a shower."
"Great," Bruce commented, still on the couch while she was halfway through the door.
"I am going to need a hand, you know," she smirked at him.
Bruce chuckled at her flirtation and got up. "Glad to help," he swiftly picked her up bridal style and walked up to their bedroom.
John brought Jason over at lunch time. Alfred had taken the liberty to make something casual that would interest their young guest. The hamburger helper was thoroughly enjoyed: some things never changed around Wayne manor.
After lunch, John helped Alfred clean up and catch up. The last few days had been tough on all of them. John didn't know the pain personally, but watching two of the strongest men he'd ever known be so broken, upset him. As they watched Bruce and Selina take Jason upstairs, the both of them prayed for brighter days ahead.
"Dick said I'm going back to the foster home?" Jason told them in the library once it got too quiet.
"You don't like Swithins?" Bruce asked.
"I don't like foster homes, period. They're so boring. And annoying!"
"Well, we have plenty of rooms in this home. Would you like to stay here instead?" Selina offered.
Jason lit up. "You really mean that?!"
"Of course! We loved having you around the first time. We have more than enough space," Bruce smiled, "and we're definitely not boring."
"So... I can pick any room in the house?"
"Yup," Selina replied, already knowing which one he would like.
The boy got to his feet. "Can we go look at them now?"
Bruce stood up first, then Selina. "Let's go."
Their first -and only- stop was at the suite on the right of the library. The left was Bruce and Selina's.
"No way!" Jason exclaimed as he couldn't decide where to go first.
There was an arcade on one side of the room, with a foosball/ping pong table, boxing bag, arcade basketball and skeeball. The other side was a lounge, with a couch and bean bag chairs and a fridge. A tv was set up in the wall across the sofa, hooked up to many video gaming consoles.
"What is this place?"
"It's called a suite," Bruce offered.
"It's a house inside a house!"
"Basically," Selina shrugged.
"Where do I sleep?" Jason asked and Selina pointed out the double doors across the entrance and Jason ran to it.
He opened the doors to reveal a bedroom. There was a queen sized bed in the center, a walk in closet at one end, a shelved wall right next to the front door, and a door he assumed would lead to the bathroom.
"For your books and things," Bruce explained as he walked by the shelves.
The bathroom was big too, too big for one person. Jason walked through to the other doors in the bathroom; one lead back to the lounge and one went into another bedroom.
"This is so amazing!"
"So? Would you like to stay?" Selina asked as she leaned against Bruce.
"Like to? I'd love to! Should I... um..." he nervously picked at his arm.
"Why don't we go shopping?" Bruce suggested, "New place needs new clothes and everything." He wasn't too keen on sending Jason back to where he came from.
Three weeks later, they went shopping again, this time for Jason's school uniform. He was enrolled in Bruce's alma matter, Anders Prep Academy. Selina expected him to dislike wearing a monkey suit, and he did, but Jason didn't protest so much since he got to go to school.
After dropping Jason off one November morning, Selina went to her apartment downtown, the only one she had left now. She caught up on old work, and then called Sylvia over to hang out. They talked and ate and shared, and that's when Selina told her old friend her family's plan to adopt Jason.
The next morning, the Van Waynes received a very prompting email, convincing them that Bruce Wayne adopting a child would screw them of their rights to the company. Rather than talk to Bruce about it, they took him to court.
Bruce was mad to high heaven. He didn't understand how his uncle even came to find out about it. At Bruce's insistence, his lawyers made Van submit the email sent to him to the court. Court technicians couldn't backtrace its origins, but Batman had more complicated technology.
It traced back to a radius around known Falcone properties. Now how was he supposed to explain this? Bruce knew the don would go any lengths to twist his arm, but how the criminal got to know about Jason was beyond him. The only people outside of the manor who knew were Kate, Dick, and Ellen.
Falcone had set up Selina for murder, her secret on the brink of exposure. Reach had been paid to attack Selina. Ellen back traced the money line to off shore accounts owned by Falcone. Falcone murdered his child. And now Falcone was trying to take away Jason.
Bruce was exhausted, fighting this battle on many fronts. Falcone was holding his happiness hostage, all so he could hijack Bruce's invention. But Bruce would never let him win. He would find a way to keep his family and and get the Don off his case. He just needed to catch a break.
