He lie awake till dawn trying not to think about it.

Yeah, like that was gonna happen.

Terry closed his eyes just as the rain began to turn into snow and sighed, relieved at the coming sleep.

There was a hand on his shoulder and he groaned. "No…no…it's…not morning."

"Then what do you call that bright, yellow light coming through the window"

Terry sighed, still not opening his eyes or moving from his position.

"Hell"

He heard a chuckle, which instantly caused his eyes to open, but didn't dare move.

There was a long silence, and Bruce still didn't move the hand he had on Terry's shoulder and he sort of hoped it meant that last night…

"It's snowing."

He blinked. "Snowing"

"Yes…badly. The meeting's been cancelled. That's why…you can sleep in as long as you need."

Terry turned over to see the look in Bruce's eyes and was disappointed that there was nothing more than the same tired expression he always wore.

"Oh. So…I guess if the snow…"

The hand was removed and he felt the loss, pinching at the sheets with his fingers and staring down at the shiny red material.

"Of course. You're welcome here. I…but about last night…"

Terry sighed, closing his eyes. "How is it that the first time you want to talk about something it turns out to be this"

He felt the movement on the bed and opened his eyes, biting his lip at the expression before him.

Pity.

Shit.

Bruce sighed. "Terry, you've been through more than most your age have and come out of it…wonderfully. It's natural for you to grow…attached…to me after your father..."

"Wait, stop. Please."

Bruce raised an eyebrow and Terry shook his head. "Just…don't. You're freaking me out. I don't…I don't know what it was about or…if I really need to know, okay? I just…lost my head. It won't happen again. I guarantee it."

Bruce smiled. "A momentary lapse of judgment"

"Something like that…or…sanity, whichever."

Bruce looked away from him, silent for a moment until Terry coughed.

"Bruce, I…I'm sorry."

"You're sorry."

"Yeah. I just…I'm sorry to throw this stuff at you. My messed up head and…all."

Bruce's hand was on his hip through the blanket and Terry froze, his eyes staring at the hand and not up at the man beside him.

"It's fine really. Your messed up head is partly my fault."

"That's not true."

The hand moved up and down and at Terry's sharp intake of breath Bruce stopped the movement, but kept his hand in place.

"Go back to sleep, Terry. I'll call your mother for you."

Terry looked up and saw the fire behind those tired eyes, which sent chills down to his toes.

"She's at work. I'll just call her later. I…Bruce"

The hand was taken away and he sighed, standing up with his back to Terry before he spoke.

"I have…calls…to make…I…"

"Bruce…"

Bruce stopped, turned around to meet his eyes and sighed. "Don't."

Terry wanted to ask, wanted to ask about everything but all he could get out was"Thank you" before his mentor left the room and he was alone again in Bruce's bed.

He closed his eyes and sighed softly, fingers pulling the sheets up to his cheek. The silk rubbed against the skin and he opened his eyes abruptly, turning over and grabbing for the phone.

The ringing took any thoughts out of his head and he smiled, relieved.

Everything was normal.

He was going to be eighteen in eight months and two days.

He was in love with his girlfriend Dana.

And he was Batman.

He did not…did NOT…want his boss.

Oh, and he didn't like guys.

Important, that one.

"Hello"

"Hi, mom"

"Terry, what are you…oh the snow! Are you trapped there for the night again"

Terry ran a hand through his hair, sighing. "Yeah…you could say that. I'll be back tomorrow night though. I'll make sure of it."

She laughed and he smiled. "Well…all right. I hope you're not imposing upon Mr. Wayne. You're not making any trouble for the man, are you"

Terry smiled. "Well, I'm trying not to but I just can't seem to stop invading his…space."

"Honey."

"Really ma it's okay. He's cool about it He…he understands. Don't worry. I'll be back home in one piece by the time I'm out of here."

She sighed. "All right. Well, I hope the weather stops soon. Your brother and I miss you around here."

"Well tell the twip…"

"Terry."

He sighed. "Tell him I miss him too and…he better stay out of my room."

"All right honey, I will. Oh, that's the video feed. I have to go. Goodbye Terry."

"Bye m…"

He heard a dial tone in his ear and shook his head. "Stupid phone."

"It's an antique…late twentieth century."

Terry looked up at Bruce with a smirk. "Well, it should be in a display case instead of by your bed."

He nearly bit his own tongue when he realized what he'd let slip, but saw no change in Bruce's eyes.

"Well, I prefer to have it in use. It's never needed to be fixed in the years I'd had it."

Terry swallowed. "Well, that's technology for ya."

Bruce nodded, sitting in a large armchair beside the bed with a coffee cup in his had. He took a slow sip, his eyes meeting Terry's over the rim causing the tension in the room to raise another level.

" I thought you were going back to sleep. I would have called your mother for you."

Terry shrugged. "Don't matter. She would've freaked if you'd called anyway. This was just easier."

"Yes well…since there is more time than we've ever been able to have in the proximity of the cave I thought this afternoon might be a good time for you to try out some new weapons and maybe other suits."

"What for"

Bruce sipped his coffee and licked his lips before answering. "Practice"

"For what"

"Fun"

Terry's eyes widened and Bruce smiled at him. "Yes McGinnis, I do know what fun is. And I thought that with you trapped in my home there would be cause for some fun to be had."

Terry narrowed his eyes to a slit and he smiled slyly. "Who are you and what have you done with Bruce Wayne"

Bruce stopped smiling and locked eyes with his successor, not moving any part of his face.

Terry looked away. "Oh…kay…I guess you're still him."

"I can still be both Batman and Bruce Wayne at the same time. It's hard to be one or the other without the…nights."

Terry looked back at him and their eyes met, causing the younger man to move closer to Bruce in the process. He put his arm on Bruce's knee and whispered"Is it that bad"

"Terry…"

"I don't…I don't want to hide behind the Bat like you want to. I…I want to be me and be Batman at different times."

Bruce took the hand away and their noses were close enough to touch when he mumbled"After a while…there isn't a difference."

Terry's hand came out on impulse and covered Bruce's just as he leaned in to kiss his predecessor's mouth more roughly than he had been able to the first time.

Bruce's hands instinctively came into Terry's hair and the younger man growled into his mouth while putting a hand on both of Bruce's knees. He sighed, pulling his mouth away and breathing against Wayne's neck.

"Well, that…"

"Was a mistake…and it won't happen again."

Terry moved away to look into his eyes, glaring. "A mistake."

"Yes."

"Fine. A mistake."

Bruce got up silently and left Terry to dress, but the younger man chose to forgo his choice and curled right back under the comforter to fall asleep again.