RESURGENCE PG-13

            Kendra showed up to find Terry and Dana already waiting at the Manor.  As soon as she walked in the door Dana cried, "We're waiting for her?"

            Terry cleared his throat.  "Dana, this is Kendra, Mr. Wayne's date."

            "His date?  So do you charge by the hour or is there a day rate?"

            "It's strictly pro bono dear," Kendra purred in response.  "Speaking of charity, what Goodwill bin did you drag that dress out of?"

            "Ok, why don't you and I go and get the car, Dane?"  Terry grabbed the young woman's arm and hauled her out the door before she could physically launch herself at Kendra.

            "That wasn't a very good start to the day," Wayne said as he came down the stairs behind her.  She turned and saw him dressed sharply in a dark tailored suit.

            She whistled.  "Well don't you clean up nice?"

            Ignoring her he continued, "You certainly know how to rub people the wrong way."

            She sniffed.  "She started it.  I don't know what he's doing with that high-maintenance princess anyway."

            "Jealous?"

            "Me?  Jealous of her?  Oh hell yeah.  I mean Terry's catch-of-the-day yummy."  Outside a horn honked.

            "Let's get this over with."

            They rode to the wedding in silence, Dana periodically turning towards the back to glare at Kendra.  The ceremony was garishly elaborate and boring and all were relieved to get to the reception hall.  At the entrance an older woman came up to the group.  "Mr. Wayne!  I can't tell you how delighted we are that you could make it!"

            "Mrs. Waverly.  Congratulations on your daughter's nuptials.  This is my, uh, friend, Kendra Baker," he said.

            "Kendra darling!  It's been ages.  Tish will be ecstatic to see you again dear.  How do you know Mr. Wayne, though?"

            "Friend of my Grandfather Bert's.  We go way back.  It's good to see you again Mrs. Waverly," she replied sweetly taking the woman's hand.  The quartet weaved their way into the dining room and found their table.  Two other couples were already seated, both elderly.  They nodded their greetings.  Somehow Kendra and Dana found themselves seated next to each other with the men on either side of them.

            "Do you mind not crowding me?" the young Asian asked snidely during the main course.

            "Well perhaps you could learn not to chew with your mouth open?" Kendra retorted.  The two other couples looked up, eyes wide.

            "Ladies, civil please!" Terry leaned forward to whisper to them.  Kendra glanced up to see a smirk fading off of Bruce's face. 

            During dessert she stage-whispered to Dana, "Be careful dear, that cheap material wasn't designed to handle that much extra pressure."

            "Why you…!"

            Terry stood up, "Dana, let's dance!"  He grabbed her arm and led her out to the dance floor.

            "I would think you were raised better than that."

            Kendra shrugged.  "You know what they say, 'All's fair in love and war'."

            "But don't you think it's a little one-sided on your part?"

            "You don't think I have a chance with him?"

            "Do I care?"  Kendra laughed half-heartedly. Then she pushed her plate away and crossed her arms over her chest, watching the young couple glide and turn on the dance floor, smiling at each other intimately.  "Are you just going to sit there mooning over him the whole evening?"

            She turned back to Wayne.  "I'm sorry, how rude of me to ignore my date.  Let's see, what can we talk about?  So, have you seen the new 3D flick at the cinema?  Remake of the old classic, 'Gladiator', it's totally shway.  No?  Well what do you think of the new cut off of the latest 'Satan's Rejects' disk?  Killer tune."  He stared at her.  Looking across the table she said confidentially to the other guests, "He's not too lively now, but just wait until I get him home," with a wink. 

            Wayne slid his chair back, and for a moment Kendra was afraid she'd really made him mad.  She was on the verge of apologizing when he dropped his hand to her and asked, "Would you care to dance?"  Her jaw literally dropped and she sat motionless.  "Finally at a loss for words?"  Shaking herself she stood and accepted his hand as he led her out to the dance floor.  They faced and she placed her arm on his broad shoulder as his circled her waist.  Kendra was used to being eye level with most of the men in her life, but Bruce Wayne towered over her by several inches.  Taking her other hand in his, he began to lead her around the dance floor in simple moves.  She was cautious at first, but he didn't seem the least bit unsteady, his grip firm.  Little by little she allowed herself to relax and enjoy the motion.  "You're doing very well," he whispered into her ear.

            "Thank you.  You're a great partner."  She found herself blushing.  They came upon Terry and Dana, and Kendra impulsively stuck her tongue out quickly at the other girl, giggling at the face she made in return.

"Has anyone ever tell you what a troublemaker you are?" he said to her.

            "Sometimes you just have to make trouble, or else things get really boring."

            "Am I boring you?"

            "No!  Not at all.  That's not what I meant."

            He nodded, and then said, "I haven't done this in a long time.  I guess it's something you don't forget."

            "Dancing?  Why not?"

            "Too busy waiting to die."

            Kendra bit her lower lip.  "I'm sorry about that."

            Before anything else could be said, a loud commotion came from the front of the room, followed by an even louder explosion of gunshots.  All the guests dropped to the ground, except Wayne and Terry.

            Turning to the younger man, Wayne said, "You've got it?"

            "In the car.  I'm on it Boss."  Without another word he turned and headed for the rear looking for an exit.

            "Terry!" Dana hissed.  "Get back here!  Where's he going?"

            Kendra crawled over to her and said, "He's going to get Mr. Wayne's medicine you twit, can't you see how sick he is?"

            "What?" Dana asked, looking up at Wayne.  "Sick?  Hey!  Don't call me a twit, you cow!"

            "Easy girl, one battle at a time, ok?"

            From his vantage Wayne could see the three party crashers.  A young woman with flaming auburn tresses and two large men, each with varying shades of red hair.  All were armed with big guns and dressed completely in black.

            "Malcolm Boudreaux!" the woman shrieked, pointing at the head table.  Wayne noticed that the groom had gone pale and the bride was grasping at his arm.  "How dare you leave me at the alter for this here piece of dandelion fluff?  We were betrothed!"  She turned to her brothers, "Go get 'em boys!"

            The bride leapt up and screamed, "Mother!  She's ruining my wedding!"  One of the hulks shoved her aside easily and then each grabbed one of the groom's arms.

            "Over so soon?  I haven't even had any cake," a voice called out from above.  Several gasps were heard as Batman leapt from a skylight landing on the head table, overturning glasses and the centerpiece.  From her place on the floor, Leticia Waverly-Boudreaux wailed.  "I think he's got other plans tonight boys.  Why don't we tangle instead?" Batman asked the redheads.

            While all eyes were on the scene in front, Bruce silently made his way around the perimeter of the dance floor, stopping at the table to retrieve his cane.

            Batman engaged the hulks, punching one of them then flying overhead to kick the other.  Looking at the newlyweds, he growled, "Get out of here."  The bride grabbed her husband's hand and dragged him away from the fight.

            They were racing towards the exit when a voice cried out, "And where in Sam Hill d'ya think y'all are going?"

            The couple stopped and turned around slowly.  Malcolm finally spoke.  "Now Edwina, sugar, don't get upset…"

            "Upset!  What makes you think I'm upset?" she waved the gun at him.  "Just cause you took off and left me for this here Barbie wannabe, leaving me a laughing stock of the whole damn city?"  Leticia huffed angrily in response.  Ignoring her, Edwina continued, "Well now, we're gonna make this right, Malcolm.  You're coming home with me!"

            "I think he'd rather stay," a low gruff voice came from behind her.

            "Who the hell do you think you are?" she asked as she turned, eyes filled with hate.  She was met with the downswing of a cane, striking her upper arm and causing her to drop the gun.  She yelped in surprise and pain, and was grabbed by a powerful hand.  "Let me go you old coot!"   But her struggles were no match for him.

            Batman, finished with the brothers, walked over with the hulks secured and trailing behind him.  "Impressive," he commented before depositing the two men on the floor then using his boot thrusters to fly up and slip out the way he came in.

            The police were there shortly and took the three into custody.  Barbara Gordon made her way through the crowd to stand before Wayne.  "When I heard it was the Waverly wedding I figured I should check into it personally, but I guess you had everything in hand."

            "Hey commish," Terry quipped walking up to the pair, dressed again in his best suit and tie.

            Looking from one to the other, she said, "You two had better watch out.  One of these days you're going to step on the wrong toes, and don't be surprised to find out they're mine."  With that she followed her men out of the door.

            "Terry, where have you been!" Dana exclaimed, running up to him, Kendra on her heels.

            "You know Dane, around."  He hitched a shoulder.  "I'm glad you're safe." 

            "No thanks to you.  If Batman hadn't shown up, who knows what may have happened."

            "You're right," he said nodding gravely, then bent down to give her a kiss.

            "Are you alright?" Kendra quietly asked Wayne.

            "Never felt better," he replied.  Offering her his arm, he said to the group, "I think this party's over.  Shall we?"

 

            "Kendra!  Telephone!" Vivian Baker called up the stairs.

            "Who is it?"

            "Probably just one of your friends.  He said he was 'Bruce Wayne'."

            After a moment's pause, Kendra called, "I've got it up here!"  Vivian shook her head in exasperation at her eldest child, while placing the receiver back in the cradle.  In her room Kendra picked up the phone, "Hello?"

            "Hello, Kendra?"

            "Mr. Wayne?"

            "Yes.  How are you?"

            "I'm just peachy, and yourself?" she asked feeling a slightly confused.  It had been exactly a week since the wedding-turned-disaster.  Her course load had become extremely heavy with finals fast approaching, and she hadn't had even a spare moment to think of Gotham's most reclusive resident.

            "I'm well thank you.  I called to ask you for a favor."

            "Of course, I'm at your disposal sir."  She couldn't help but feel this was a joke of some sort, but of course Bruce Wayne was as unfamiliar with the concept of a joke as she was with nuclear fission.

            "I have an engagement tomorrow that I would like you to join me at.  Normally Terry would take me, but he can't afford to miss any more school unnecessarily at this point."  Kendra held the phone to her ear and blinked.  An engagement?  "If it's an inconvenience, I can always hire a driver…"

            "No!  That won't be necessary.  I would love to help, er, join you."  She momentarily thought of the accounting class she was close to failing that would have to be missed.  But compared to her self-proclaimed mission to get the old man back into the world of the living, it seemed trivial.

            "Can you meet me here at 8 am?"

            "I certainly can."

            "Very well then, and thank you."

            "Goodbye," she said and the line was disconnected.

            Not certain what sort of engagement she was heading to, Kendra dressed in a tailored pantsuit, the outfit she thought of as 'Young Miss Junior Executive'.   She thought it was better than her other choice, 'Miss Ready to Party All Night'.  Hair pulled back in a loose clip and handbag hung over her shoulder, she made her way to Wayne Manor.  This time when she pressed the intercom button the gates immediately opened.  She got out and rang the bell to the front door.  While waiting she heard soft but rapid footsteps from behind and spun to see Ace charging.  "Hey boy!" she cried as he skidded to a halt and allowed her to scratch his ears.  "Some guard dog you are.  Just turn to mush whenever someone gives you a little love huh?"

            "Normally he's more diligent about his duties.  I think he's sweet on you."  Kendra's head jerked up, she hadn't heard the large door open.  She grinned and blushed.

            "What can I say?  It's a gift.  Apparently only you are immune."

            "Don't be so sure about that."  He closed the door and started walking to his car, climbing into the passenger side.  She was positive she hadn't heard him correctly.  Shaking her head she followed him.

            Getting into the driver's seat, she said, "Where to?"

            "Gotham General Hospital."

            "Are you sick?" she asked suddenly worried.

            He looked at her as if she were daft.  "Do I look sick?"

            "I plead the fifth," she responded and proceeded to drive away.

            Per his instructions, she parked around the back of the hospital and they entered through a service entrance.  A young woman with a clipboard met them.  "Mr. Wayne, it's so good to see you.  I'm happy you could make the ceremony."

            "Thank you Ms. Carmichael.  May I introduce Kendra Baker, an associate of mine?"  The two women shook hands.

             Ms. Carmichael led them to an elevator and then through several corridors.  They entered a large room filled with chairs facing a podium, already full of people.  She motioned for them to sit in front.

            As soon as they were seated a man stood and went to the podium.  Speaking into the mike he said, "We are all pleased to be here for the dedication of the Thomas and Martha Wayne Memorial Wing, to house the terminally ill children that come to this hospital everyday for the finest Gotham General treatment.  May I please introduce to you the head of the Wayne Foundation, which has so generously provided funding for the wing, Mr. Bruce Wayne?"  Bruce stood and applause rippled throughout the room.  Flashbulbs went off from the back.  The man continued, "Now if we'll all proceed down this hall, Mr. Wayne will officially dedicate the wing by the traditionally ribbon cutting ceremony."  Kendra followed as inconspicuously as possible, standing near him as he cut the ribbon, which was followed by more applause and flashes.

            Apparently the dedication ceremony was only a formality, as the rooms were already filled with children.  Ms. Carmichael led them down the halls to meet with the young patients and their families.  In each room, Bruce shook hands and spoke playfully to tykes.  Kendra followed his lead and did the same.  She picked them up over and over again hugging them, playing with their toys and games, kissing those that were too weak to climb out of bed.  They wound up in a common room and Kendra found herself telling stories, elaborating with sound effects and gesturing with her hands, bringing the words to life, the children laughing and begging for more.  A few times she looked up from the group to see Wayne standing off, watching her.  She was certain he was smiling.

            The day grew late, and they finally had to leave.  Ms. Carmichael escorted them back downstairs and thanked them for their time.  "I know the children really enjoyed it."  She waved goodbye and left them.

            Back in the car, headed for the Manor Kendra looked over to him.  "You didn't really need me to drive did you?"

            "One can't take any chances these days."

            "You are very charming when you want to be."

            "And you can be very sensible.  And very entertaining."

            "Stop, you'll swell my head with all these compliments."

            "Did you enjoy yourself today?"

            "Absolutely!  I love children."

            After a few moments of silence he asked casually, "Why are you studying business?  You're not doing very well at it."

            "How do you know?"  She took her eyes off of the road for a moment to glare at him then sighed.  "No I'm not doing well at all.  It's my father's idea."

            "What do you want to do?"

            "You'll laugh."

            "Not likely."

            Chuckling to herself she said, "No I suppose you wouldn't.  I want to be a veterinarian.  But you probably already knew that.  You've looked into my school records?"

            "Among other things.  Why don't you?"

            "My father has other plans."

            "It's your life."

            They had returned to the Manor and Kendra turned off the ignition.  "With all due respect, you're the last person who should talk about doing what one wants versus what one has to do."

            He sat silently for a moment.  "Perhaps you're right.  I apologize.  Thank you for joining me today.  You did a wonderful job."

            She smiled at him.  "Anytime."  Then she leaned across the seat and kissed him on the cheek.  They both got out of the car and she watched him walk up the steps and into the old house, Ace right behind him.  With a shrug she got into her own car and headed back home.