He couldn't stay forever.

His mother wouldn't approve.

If not for the weather she would have already gotten suspicious, and if not for Bruce's age she would have been suspicious despite the weather.

Terry smiled, wondering what Bruce ate around this place and not even thinking of going out to look for the man himself. He went into the kitchen and was surprised to find things he liked: pizza and…a lot of other things.

"I didn't know you were staying."

Terry turned to the voice with a raised eyebrow. "But…you'd hoped I would someday?"

Bruce frowned. "No."

"So…you just…decided to adopt my eating habits because…you're hoping to kill yourself with clogged arteries instead of just from lack of human contact?"

Bruce didn't answer and Terry smiled behind the freezer door, taking out a pizza and going over to cook it.

"You…"

"I know. You've got enough high tech stuff here, Mr. Wayne. I thought you still lived in the twentieth century."

"I do."

"Then why do you have this stuff?"

Bruce looked about ready to burst and Terry couldn't help himself when he laughed. "I guess I came just in time, huh?"

Bruce walked around him to get to the cabinets, pressing the button on the side and finding what he was looking for before Terry could even try to help. He coughed. "You influenced my life, kid. That much is an understatement. I don't…just…don't get any ideas."

Before he could take back his words Terry blocked his path, blatantly rubbing against him. "You sure you don't want me to?"

"Terry…"

Terry licked his lips, smiling just a little and leaning in to whisper. "I know what it feels like…wanting to lash out at something but only finding nothing. I get it. None of the others did, I'm guessing. I'm guessing Barbara hated you because you were too into the Bat and Dick…well he just hated you. But, I care. You gave me…"

Before he could finish Bruce was staring in his eyes directly, almost suddenly morphing into millionaire playboy mode. He smiled. "You like this, don't you? Trying for something that won't hurt you. Terry, just a few kisses…you can take those back. But more than that...never goes away."

"I don't want it to."

Bruce kissed him then, sticking them together like a vacuum and not bothering to let go of his cane while his other hand came up under Terry's shirt and scratched along the skin.

Terry growled, pushing himself closer and fighting to hold on until Bruce pushed him away, shaking his head. "No."

"Fuck, Bruce…you can't just do that and…"

"You think this is a good idea, McGinnis? You think I really want to…?"

Terry glared at him. "I think you do. Why else…"

"You know its wrong. Why can't you just…stop. Just stop acting…"

"I'm not doing anything."

"Yes, you're not doing anything."

They stared at each other silently until Terry pushed past him to the freezer.

Bruce watched him for a moment and then sighed. "Terry."

"You said I'm the one making you kiss me. So I'm just gonna stand here and be totally quiet. No influencing the poor old man."

"Terry I didn't…"

Terry looked at him again. "I never asked. I've never asked you for anything that you hadn't already let me know I could have. Remember that."

He slammed the freezer closed and left the kitchen and Bruce behind.

The phone call was unexpected at best, but Max knew who it was before he even spoke.

"Hey, what's new in the exciting world of…"

"This is Bruce Wayne. I'd…like to talk to you about Terry."

She almost dropped the phone, but found her fingers and held it tight. "Um…ok."

"Terry's…Terry…"

"Is this gonna get somewhere or am I gonna have to drag everything out of you?"

He sighed. "Terry needs to leave here as soon as possible."

She paused. "Leave where? And why?"

"He's been staying at the mansion and…"

"Oh…so…what's goin' on? You feel the need to have an ex-superheroes party all of a sudden and he's not invited? That it?"

Bruce closed his eyes and sat back in his chair, letting out a sigh in the empty study.

"Mr. Wayne?"

"Everything's fine, Miss Gibbons. No need to worry."

He slammed the phone down and pulled the plug out of the wall.

"Penny for your thoughts?"

Bruce looked up and then back down again. "They don't make pennies anymore."

Terry sighed and Bruce turned the chair to the window so his back was to him.

"You were talking to Max. Why?"

"This isn't…this isn't right, Terry. And you need to see that."

"You need to not kiss me back then. That might help."

Bruce stood up and walked around the chair, staring back at Terry with something akin to defeat.

"That wasn't supposed to happen."

"But it did."

Terry crossed the distance between them and leaned up against the desk where Bruce stood. Bruce reached out and gripped his arm. "I'm not sorry it did."

Terry smiled and went to touch his hand just as he whispered, "But…it shouldn't happen again."

"Why?"

"Because I'm old enough to be your father's father. I'm not…this isn't…"

Terry stood in front of him and put his hand around the side of his neck, pulling their mouths together again and holding on tightly just as Bruce pushed him against the desk, growling into the younger man's mouth.

Bruce pulled away again and stared down at him. He reached out and traced the side of Terry's mouth with two fingers, sighing. "Terry."

"Don't…just…don't."

Terry pushed whatever was behind him off the desk and jumped up on it, then grabbed onto the sides of Bruce's coat pulling him closer. Bruce kissed him again softly, pulling on his mouth with another growl and then pulling them apart with his forehead against Terry's.

"We can stop. Just tell me…we…"

"I don't want to. I…will you be…"

"I'll be fine. We…Terry, we shouldn't do this..."

Terry sighed. "Br…"

"Here. We shouldn't do this here."

Terry smiled. "Oh."

Bruce smiled back and kissed the top of his head. "I think you should go upstairs. I have to…there's something I need to do first. I'll just be a minute."

Terry frowned when he pulled his whole self away. "But…"

"McGinnis, go upstairs."

Terry slipped off the desk and cracked his shoulders before turning to glare at his predecessor. "You swear?"

"Terry, just give me a minute."

Terry nodded and left him alone just as Bruce leaned down and put the phone cord back into the wall and dialed.

"Hello."

Bruce coughed. "Hello Commissioner."

"Bruce, don't call me that."

He smiled. "I…"

"Why are you calling me, Wayne? I'm assuming this isn't about Batman or we would've…"

"It…it's not about Batman, no. It's about Terry."

A pause. "He's young, Bruce. Too young."

Bruce laughed nervously. "I always hated when you did that."

"Reading your mind? I know you too well, Mr. Wayne. And I've seen you and this kid together. You admire him as much as he admires you. I've seen it before…many times."

Bruce closed his eyes and rubbed his forehead. "He's…it's hard to see the reasons not to, Barbara. And with this storm…"

"The storm?"

"He's been staying with me since the rain last night. And now the snow."

She sighed. "It's one o'clock in the afternoon, Bruce. You don't think he could get a ride home? There are such things as cars."

"It's a blizzard, Barbara. I am not going to throw him out in the snow because I can't keep my hands to myself."

She sighed again. "He's seventeen."

"Eighteen. Just turned."

She laughed. "Why are you calling me again? I thought we had this settled."

"We have us settled, Commissioner. Not this. I…god Barbara, I kissed him."

"Bruce."

"And he…he's always there. I…"

"It's a bad idea, Bruce. That's all I have to say. A horrible, bad, horrible idea."

He stood, staring down at the phone. He punched up the video screen and surprised Barbara with his image.

"I care about him."

She held one hand across her eyes as she sighed again. "Bruce."

"I…"

"Bruce, go upstairs."

He blinked just as she pulled her hand away and stared at him with tears on her face. "You deserve to be happy for once in your life. I'm not going to tell you what to do this time. I…I have better things to do."

"Barbara…"

"And…don't try and talk yourself out of it. And…don't ask me how I knew he was upstairs waiting for you because I don't want to get into that right now and…"

Bruce swallowed, reaching out and caressing the screen. "I loved you."

"Not enough. Never…enough. You need someone who understands and…damn if this kid doesn't."

He sighed. "I'm sorry I hurt you. I'm sorry…"

"Don't. Just…go upstairs and stop calling me for help making decisions you already know you want to happen. I…don't like to drudge up the past. You know that."

Bruce smiled a little. "And this is a little too close for comfort."

She smiled, shaking her head. "I'm glad you trust me but…don't talk to me about this again, all right? Unless I ask."

"Which you won't."

She grinned suddenly wiping her eyes. "You never know. I might surprise you."

Bruce shook his head. "Goodbye Barbara."

She sighed and whispered, "Goodbye," and hung up the phone before he could.

Bruce fell back in his chair again, groaning and closing his eyes.

"You gonna listen to her?"

He smiled, shaking his head. "You never listen, do you?"

"No. Answer my question."

Bruce looked up still smiling. "Go upstairs, Terry."

Terry licked his lips. "Bruce."

"Yes?"

"Um…I just…um…"

"Terry."

"I haven't broken up with Dana…yet. And…as much as I want to, god do I want to, I don't…"

Bruce smiled. "Go upstairs Terry."

"I just think…"

Bruce stood up and walked over to where he stood, putting his hands on Terry's hips. Terry stared at him a little nervously and he kissed him. "Go upstairs and wait for me."

"Dana…"

"We won't do anything you haven't already done with Dana."

Terry smiled. "That's…um…well…we've pretty much…done a lot."

Bruce smirked. "I know."