Yuuuuh girl is back here with another out of the blue update. This story looks a little different because I changed the name of the book from You Know Legends Never Die to To This Day. To those who follow my profile and saw that I posted a new story called To This Day, I deleted it because I was not getting the feedback that I was hoping I would get, so I scratched it. So instead I changed this book's name to To This Day because I like it better. Anyways, here's another chapter that is very long overdue. So enjoy! ALSO don't forget to leave reviews and follow and favorite and all that good stuff!
THIS CHAPTER WAS UPDATED AND PROOFREAD FOR TYPOS, GRAMMAR, AND PLOT/TIMELINE ISSUES AS OF 7/18/2020
XXX
The clock read 10:30 AM when Anslee had finally woken up the next day. Her shoulder ached and hurt with sharp pains when she sat up in her bed. The previous night had been a blur to her. After Joker had thrown her out the window and she hit the roof of the car, only bits and pieces remained in her head. She barely remembered coming to the manor that night either.
Anslee threw the comforter off of her and stood, making her head swarm uncomfortably. The teen groaned and immediately headed for the door so she could go downstairs and get some painkillers.
Once she had made it down the main staircase, she went to enter the kitchen where she knew at least Alfred would be at this time enjoying a cup of tea, but she stopped once she heard her father's voice speak.
"Targeting me won't get their money back. I knew the mob wouldn't go down without a fight, but this is different. They've crossed a line."
Anslee frowned at the statement, but she pressed her ear to the door so she could listen further.
"You crossed it first, sir. You've hammered them, squeezed them to the point of desperation. And now, in their desperation they've turned to a man they don't fully understand," Alfred responded.
What was he talking about? Since when did Bruce go after the mob personally?
"Criminals aren't complicated, Alfred. We just have to figure out what he's after," Bruce sighed.
There was a silence between the two for a few seconds.
"Respectfully, Master Wayne, perhaps this is a man you don't fully understand, either," Alfred paused before he continued speaking, the tone of his voice was different, "I was in Burma. A long time ago. My friends and I were working for the local government. They were trying to buy the loyalty of tribal leaders, bribing them with precious stones. But their caravans were being raided in a forest north of Rangoon by a bandit. We were asked to take care of the problem, so we started looking for the stones. But after six months, we couldn't find anyone who had traded with him."
"What were you missing?"
"One day I found a child playing with a ruby as big as a bandit had been throwing the stones away."
"So why was he stealing them?" Bruce asked curiously.
"Because he thought it was good sport. Because some men aren't looking for anything logical, like money... they can't be bought, bullied, reasoned or negotiated with," he paused again, but continued in a more grave tone, "Some men just want to watch the world burn."
At that point Anslee's head was beginning to pound and she was going to have to cut their conversation short to get some pain medication. She pushed the door open to the kitchen and entered nonchalantly as if she wasn't just eavesdropping on the two mens' conversation. Bruce was sitting on a barstool with a tablet in his hands, and she noted that Bruce was quick to turn the screen off as soon as Anslee had entered.
"Hey, good morning, Ans," Bruce spoke as he stood up to offer his seat up for her.
"Morning," the girl muttered out, taking the seat Bruce gave up for her.
Bruce studied her body language and sighed, "How are you feeling after last night?"
Anslee waited a few seconds before answering, "My whole body aches and it's even worse in my shoulder, I keep getting these shooting pains up and down my arm, neck, and back. Plus I woke up with the worst headache."
"I have got some pain killers right here ready for you when you want them, Miss," Alfred spoke, giving the girl a hopeful smile.
"You're too much, Alfred," Anslee smiled back at the older man, "But thank you."
"If it makes you feel any better, you know that case your mom and Harvey were on this past weekend?" Bruce looked to his daughter.
Anslee glanced back at him, "Yeah. Why?"
"Your mom told me they locked up five-hundred and forty-nine people," he spoke.
Anslee's eyes widened, "You're joking."
Bruce shook his head, "Laue gave up his clients to your mom down at the precinct on Saturday, cops went out and arrested them all and they were tried on Sunday."
"But Harvery told me he fled Gotham after you pulled out of a business deal," she tilted her head.
"The Batman left him on the steps of the GCPD a few days after," Alfred chimed in before he slid a small pill bottle cap with three red tablets in it towards her.
"Then it sounds like those criminals got what they deserved, hopefully that'll take some pressure off of mom now," a small smile graced the girl's face.
Ans reached down to grab the pill bottle and tip it into her mouth to dry swallow the pills.
"Speaking of your mom," Bruce spoke as he took a seat on the barstool next to the girl, "She said she'd be back here to pick you up when she got done at the DA office tonight."
The girl nodded, "I assume you're working today as well?"
"A bit give or take," the man spoke considering he knew he was going to have to get to work on some of the stuff to do with the Joker, "But I'll be home all day, don't plan on leaving at all."
He could see Anslee's shoulder's untense at his response. He knew she was still pretty shaken up from the night before and he was glad she finally saw him as a person who could be a protector.
"Are you feeling okay after last night?" he offered.
"I already told you my body hurts," Anslee spoke plainly.
"Anslee," Bruce persisted, "Talk to me."
"I don't want to talk about it, okay?" the girl snapped back at him.
Bruce looked back at her and nodded, "That's fine...I'm not gonna push you. When you're ready to talk about it, you know I'm here."
Bruce stood up from the barstool and gave Alfred a nod before he headed out of the kitchen.
Anslee sighed and ran her hands through her hair.
Alfred watched the girl. The older man knew that internal struggle all too well.
"Alfred, do these things get easier?" she looked back at him.
The man smiled back at Anslee, "Only time will tell, Miss Wayne."
XXX
A few hours later, Anlsee was laying on the couch in the downstairs living room with her laptop laying on her stomach. Missing another day of school was not on her agenda and she was not planning on being behind again. Although she found it nearly impossible to focus on her schoolwork considering what happened last night couldn't seem to leave her mind.
As she finished up a quiz her class took in government today, the doorbell rang.
Anslee sat up and moved her laptop off of her. Even though normally Alfred would answer the door, the girl figured she was closer she would go ahead and do it. She made her way to the main foyer and then looked through the peephole in the large wooden front doors just in case there was someone she wasn't particularly too keen to see on the other side of the door. (Mostly the Joker or his men, she was a bit paranoid if you can't tell) But the person she saw on the other side of the door made her frown in confusion.
Anslee quickly unlocked the door and pulled it open, "Nico? What are you doing here?"
Nico Gargano stood outside of the door smiling, a small purple gift bag was in his hand.
"I heard about what happened last night...the news outlets have been having a field day with it," he gave her a half-hearted smile when he mentioned it.
Anlsee smiled weakly, "Alfred wouldn't let me look at the news this morning..how did you know I was here?"
"I noticed you weren't at school today after I saw the news and when I came home my mom gave me this to give to you. I told her about asking you to prom and she saw the news too so she went out and got you a little care package as she called it," he laughed, "So I went to your apartment. Your mom answered and said you were here."
"Wait my mom's already home?" Anslee frowned.
"She said she came home for a late lunch," Nico confirmed.
"Gotcha," Anslee nodded, "I'm so sorry, come in."
Anslee moved out of the way for Nico to come inside. Nico stepped inside the manor and went to take off his tennis shoes.
"Don't worry about that, Alfred's not one of the 'this is a shoes off house' people," Anlsee chuckled, heading towards the living room where she was before.
Nico looked around at the manor as he followed her, "Wow, I never thought I'd be walking around in Wayne Manor."
Anslee looked around at the place, "I promise it's not that extravagant," she laughed "Maybe that's because I live here."
She sat on the couch by where she set her laptop down and Nico followed.
"Here you are," Nico smiled, handing her the bag.
Anslee took it from him, "Your mom did not have to do this, but it's incredibly sweet."
Anslee looked in the bag and pulled out an array of mini snacks plus a get well card that had a gift card to one of Anslee's favorite cosmetic stores in it.
"I know, I know. She just wanted to make sure you were doing okay and wanted me to check on you," Nico smiled.
"Thank you," Anlsee smiled before reaching over to hug him.
Nico hugged her back, "So we were talking about prom today at lunch with the big group."
"Yikes, sorry I wasn't there," Anlsee frowned, "Anything important I should know?"
"Dinner is at 7:45 at Bellarmine's," he spoke, "that was about the only thing we figured out."
Anslee nodded, "I did get a dress this weekend."
"That's great, can I see it?"
Ans shook her head, "If I won't show my dad, you don't get to see it until prom night either."
Nico laughed, "Playing that game huh? How will I know what to match my tux to?"
"I'll send you a picture of the color and that's all you get to see," Anslee gave him a mischievous smile.
"Deal," Nico winked at her.
"What's going on here?" Spoke a voice from behind the two, "Ans, you never told me you were having company over."
Both teens turned around to see Bruce was leaning against the woodwork of the entry way with his arms crossed over his chest, a big smirk was plastered on his face.
"I didn't know I was having company over here either, rude," Anslee scolded him, "Nico's mom got me a get well gift and he came to drop it off and check on me."
Bruce lifted his head to see over the back of the couch. He looked at the purple bag, "Hm. Well I originally came up here to tell you that your mom is on her way here to come get you, which means Nico, you should probably be making your way home."
Up? What did he mean come up? Was he not in her grandfather's study doing work?
"Right, sorry," Nico stood up from the couch and pulled his keys out of his pocket, "I'm glad you're doing okay, Ans, I'll let my mom know too," he smiled down at the girl before making his way out of the living room. He made sure to give Bruce a nod before going to let himself out.
One the sound of the door opening and shutting sounded, Anslee glared at Bruce, "You didn't have to do that, you know?"
"I didn't do anything," Bruce tilted his head. He really didn't want to voice how Nico gave off a bad vibe to the father because he didn't want to upset her. Then again this was his house and if he wanted to tell the boy to leave, then he had every right to.
"Sure you didn't," Anslee narrowed her eyes at the man.
"Be ready for your mom when she gets here," Bruce narrowed his eyes back at the girl.
"Is she even on her way? Or did you just say that to get Nico to leave?"
Anslee didn't need an answer. Her phone had pinged almost as soon as she asked with a message from Rachel saying that she was about five minutes out from the manor.
Bruce turned from the living room with another wide smirk on his face.
Not even five minutes later, Rachel had been at the manor and standing in the foyer waiting for Anslee to come back downstairs with her bag. Bruce had joined the woman.
"How are things going now that you guys took care of Laue and put away all those people?" Bruce asked the woman.
"Still busy and incredibly hectic, especially after last night. Harvey had a hard time getting Laue to cooperate today with the court, but once he figured out it was either to cooperate or go to county, we got him there fine," Rachel spoke, "How about things with the Joker?"
Bruce shook his head, "I didn't get much time to analyze that today or last night with Ans being here. I'll be out tonight with some new tech that Fox gave me. Hopefully it'll help us in taking this guy down."
"Mm," Rachel looked him in the eyes, "How's she doing?"
Bruce glanced behind him to see if Anslee was behind them, "She said her body is very achy and she's getting sharp pains up and down her arm, neck, and back from her shoulder."
"But how is she really doing?" Rachel raised her eyebrows at the man.
"She wouldn't talk to me about it, and I did try to ask her," Bruce sighed, "I just want her to be the way she is with you with me."
Rachel looked to the ground, "I'll try and get through to her tonight. It's just her and I tonight. Harvey decided to stay at his place because he's nervous someone might try and pull something after what happened. But, thank you for staying with her today."
"The pleasure's all mine. I'm glad I got an extra night with her this time around," Bruce smiled.
Rachel smiled back at him as footsteps sounded near them. Anslee entered the foyer to see the two smiling at each other. That was kinda weird.
"What do you say we grab dinner and then we head home, Ans?" Rachel asked.
"I'm down for that," the seventeen year old nodded as she approached her mom. But before she had reached the door, she turned back to look at Bruce.
Just like last time before they parted ways, Anslee walked forward and wrapped her arms around the man to give him a hug that felt more genuine than it had the first time she did it. Bruce wrapped his arms around her in return and reached down to kiss her head. This was a feeling he never wanted to let go of.
"Bye dad," Anslee spoke softly.
"Bye Ans, I love you," he spoke in return before he let her go.
Anslee pulled away with a soft smile, "Thank you."
Bruce gave her a nod and glanced back at Rachel, "Bye, Rach," he smiled, wanting to add the I love you to hers too, but he knew he couldn't.
"Goodnight, Bruce," Rachel smiled in return.