Disclaimer: DC Comics and Time/Warner own All the characters; this is an original story that does not intend to infringe on their copyright.
Birthday Blues
By
Peggie
Alfred sat the kitchen table staring at the pile of envelopes that were stacked up on the table in front of him with something approaching dread. Every one addressed to Bruce Wayne. He knew each one would contain a card wishing the young man a Happy Birthday, some hope! The boy had only just started to pull out of the deep depression that he had sunk into following his parent's murder almost ten months ago.
This time last year had been so different. It had been a time of joy and excitement. He had been planning a party for the young master and fifty guests. Both the Master and Mistress had been getting under Alfred's feet for days, as they had secretly planned the event. At every possible opportunity the three of them had met up to review the guest list, plan the menu, arrange the entertainment and discuss the boy's gifts.
Alfred felt overwhelming sadness wash over him. He did miss his friends. They had been good people, it had been hard to cope with losing them. It had been harder to take on the care of their son. He'd always been fond of the boy. They had bonded from him first starting work at Wayne Manor. Alfred had frequently had the boy in his care when his parents had to be away from home. He was the oldest in a large family so he'd been used to caring for young children. But this was different, he now had sole care of the boy and it was often hard to know what was the right thing to do, especially as the boy was so ill after witnessing his parent's murder. Although it wasn't a job Alfred would relinquished, because along with his increased responsibilities came an increased sense of love. He was all the boy had and Alfred would die to protect his young charge.
Bruce's birthday had first been discussed at the last Wayne trustees meeting. These meetings were held every month at the Manor. Alfred had been requested to attend the last meeting. That in itself was unusual, the trustees usually gave Alfred his orders, but they never asked his opinion. He frequently bent the orders he was given to suit what he saw as the young master's best interests, but he was obliged to follow the instructions he was given. To be asked to attend the meeting had been worrying. Had he upset the trustees enough to be sacked? Desperately worried he'd neatly dressed Master Bruce in his blue suite, he himself was dressed formally and properly as Butler. As each guest arrived at the manor Alfred greeted them. Outwardly he had appeared to be relaxed, inside however he was very nervous, what was this meeting about? What had these men decided to do with the young master. Were they going to send him away to school?
Leslie Thompkins had been the last trustee to arrive, she had been delayed by a medical emergency. Alfred had feared she wasn't coming, at least Dr Thompkins understood the boy's needs. Without her there, there would be no chance of stopping these men overriding Bruce's wishes.
Dr Thompkins had arrived ten minutes before the meeting had been due to start. Bruce had rushed forward to greet her with a hug. She was the only other person Bruce felt comfortable with. When the other trustees had arrived he had shaken hands with each person, but as always he'd kept a close watch to make sure Alfred was close by.
Dr Thompkins was the only person to greet Alfred as an equal. As she shook his hand she'd smiled at him, then frowned as she'd detected the worry in his eyes.
"Alfred, what's wrong?" she'd asked. Alfred had just shaken his head.
Concerned she had led him towards the kitchen. Bruce clutching his other hand keeping close to his side.
"They want me to attend the meeting Dr Thompkins, I am just worried about why they want me there."
Bruce had moved closer to Alfred he'd picked up on the man's unease.
Leslie smiled at them both. "Alfred, it's ok, I, want you there. It's about the 22nd." here she'd winked at the man. Suddenly Alfred had understood, he'd smiled brightly, relieved that his fears had been groundless. Then frowned as he considered a new problem to overcome.
"By the way Alfred, for the last time, you are to call me Leslie," she'd insisted. He'd looked at her so unsure that he could breach etiquette that far that she had laughed out loud, "Well, let's compromise, how about Dr Leslie, for now anyway?"
Alfred had smiled at the young woman "Very well, Dr ..... Leslie."
She had taken Bruce's other hand and they had gone to the meeting. While Bruce had been sat in an adjoining room drawing, with the door open so he could see but not hear them, the trustees had discussed what arrangement should be made to celebrated Bruce Wayne's Birthday.
Two of the trustees had questioned if they should just let the day pass as any other. The other three trustees along with Leslie and Alfred had objected to that.
"We cannot let Bruce think no one cares about him. Of course a large party would not be suitable. I am sure Alfred would agree, that Bruce couldn't cope with a large group of people just yet." Leslie had said.
All eyes had focused on Alfred. Leslie had smiled at him encouragingly.
"No, Master Bruce could not cope with a crowd. I also fear a small more intimate party would also cause problems. It is often the small things that trigger the young man's nightmares. I have learnt to be vigilant, to try and spot the possible associations that could cause the Master distress. I fear that a party of any sort could cause more harm than good." He'd stopped obviously embarrassed that he'd said too much.
Dr Leslie had been smiling at him and two of the other trustees had been looking at him in a more friendly way.
"So what would you suggest Mr .. Alfred?" David Saunders had asked.
Alfred had swallowed a couple of times, he felt sure they would object, but when Dr Leslie had smiled at him so brightly he'd decided to speak.
"Since being seven Master Bruce has been wanting to have a go at carting. Dr Wayne had said he must wait until he reached the safe minimum height before he could go. Master Bruce is now one inch taller than that set height. I would therefore propose that a days carting course, with perhaps a picnic luncheon, would be the ideal way for the young man to spend his Birthday."
So it had been agreed, Dr Leslie and he would take Bruce carting. The meeting had broken up with everyone relieved to have found such a sensible solution to the problem. David Saunders had shaken Alfred's hand warmly before leaving. Dr Leslie had stayed behind after the others had gone she intended having supper with Bruce as she did every week.
"Look Leslie," Bruce had said excited, "I can now draw trees."
Leslie had been rightly impressed with the young man's work. "They are life like Bruce, where ever did you learn to do that?"
"Alfred, taught me." he'd said.
Leslie had smiled warmly at the man and Alfred had felt like an awkward teenager.
Alfred still felt a warm glow when he thought of the pleasant evening that he'd spent discussing Bruce and his care with Dr Leslie after the young man had gone to bed. Somehow part way through the evening he'd found the topic of conversation had changed and he was telling Leslie about his life and his family in England. He'd suddenly stopped, becoming very embarrassed, he had been certain that he must have been boring her to death. Yet she'd just smiled at him with an amused glint in her eyes. Leslie had briefly kissed his cheek as she left and Alfred still couldn't believe how wonderful it had felt. He'd always had a soft spot for the young doctor and since the break up of her engagement he had been thinking about her more and more. Alfred shook himself out of his daydream and collected the envelopes together, adding one of his own to the pile. He then prepared a tray for the young master and one for their guest.
He knocked and waited for Dr Leslie to answer before walking in to her room. He was most relieved to find her up and dressed. She had given him that half amused look at he found so unsettling, it was as if she could read his mind and he hoped she couldn't, because his thoughts were very unprofessional at this precise moment.
"Ah, Dr Leslie, you're up." He said stating the obvious, awkwardly. "I was just about to take Master Bruce's tray into him..?"
He'd left it as an implied question.
"Then I'll come with you. I'll have my breakfast in Bruce's room." She said with a smile.
Alfred followed behind the young woman pushing a small trolley holding the trays and a small number of wrapped gifts along with a larger box containing a crash helmet, goggles, overalls and the tickets for the carting centre. Alfred entered the boy's room without knocking and opened the curtains. Leslie went to sit beside the young man noting how tangled, his bedding was also it was not the same as it had been the night before. She was sure the sheets had been blue and the boy had been wearing blue pyjamas. Now the sheets were red and the boy had on brown pyjamas. Leslie glanced at the man collecting the trays, noting for the first time how tired he looked. It seemed Bruce had had another disturbed night.
"Well, morning Birthday boy, Many Happy Returns she said brightly!" handing the boy her card and present.
Bruce had spent a happy half-hour opening cards and presents, excitedly showing his two friends what he got.
Alfred quickly spotted the boy starting to become distressed as he remembered previous Birthday's.
"Are we having a party?" the boy asked quietly.
"Well, actually no, because I doubt we'll be back in time for one."
Bruce had blinked back the tears that were forming in his eyes. "Back from where?"
Alfred handed the boy the large box. Both adults had been overjoyed to see the young man bouncing up and down on the bed whooping with excitement at the prospect of the outing.
"We'll leave you to get ready young man, and no skimping in the shower, a full ten minutes understood. I'll be in the kitchen packing the picnic."
As Alfred left the room Leslie followed him. "Alfred, you're a marvel." With that she'd kissed him on the mouth, then laughing at his shocked expression headed back to her room.
Alfred had to admit today certainly would be happily remembered by both residents of the Manor.