I'm not afraid of tomorrow,
I'm only scared of myself,
Feels like my insides are on fire and I'm looking through the eyes of someone else

Tomorrow, SR-71



2058

            "So you walked in on them?"

            "Yes.  No!  That's not the point!"  They were still sitting on the edge of the underground ravine.  Irritably, Grace threw a stone into the huge black hole.

            "But you succeeded.  In your mission."

            "Sort of, well yes, but that's not the point either," she sighed in exasperation.

            "What is the point Grace?  I don't see how you 'failed miserably'?" Ben asked, pressing close, unconsciously taking her hand in his.

            "The point is I realized it's not who I am. You just can't force a square peg into a round hole," she insisted.

            "Yeah that's what you said before, but I don't understand how it can not be you, I mean it's practically in your blood."

            "Blood?" she said with a horrified expression.  "Blood? It's in my blood?  If it was that easy my family would be alive right now."

            "I don't understand."

            She pulled her hand away and wiped the back of her hand across her mouth.  "My sister was perfect, you know.  Even deaf she still managed to be perfect.  Beautiful, intelligent, witty, and above all completely Batman's daughter.  She should have been the one to survive, she'd take care of everything.  All I want to do is sleep."

            "That's a perfectly normal response…"

            "To what?  Having my entire family incinerated in front of my eyes?"  She shook her head.  "I wasn't even supposed to exist.  And now here I am, alone and it's all my fault."

            Ben was overcome with empathy to her despair.  "I don't believe that.  You are beautiful, and talented, and caring.  And I'm incredibly grateful that you do exist."  He leaned closer and so did she, as if they had suddenly become magnetized, and before he knew it he was kissing her.  It was even sweeter than he had imagined, but he forced himself to pull away.  "I'm sorry," he said with a husky voice.  "That won't ever happen again."

            She licked her lips and said, "That's too bad."

            "Uh, I just mean, that given your age, it would be rather inappropriate.  It had nothing to do with the kiss itself," he sputtered.

            "I turn eighteen on Christmas," she replied.

            "We'll just have to see.  Until Christmas then."  He leaned back to give himself the proper distance, to be the proper cop.  "Now, why do you think it was your fault?"

            "I shouldn't have kept quiet.  If only I'd told," she mumbled sadly staring off into the darkness.

            "Grace honey, stay focused.  I want to help you, but I can't if you aren't straight with me.  Okay?  Now from the top, please?"

            "Okay," she agreed.  "It was my parents' thirtieth anniversary, you knew that, right?"  He nodded and she continued.  "It was getting late and Mom asked me to come down here and find out what was keeping Bella and Terry…"

Three Days Earlier

            Grace happily skipped down the steps.  Mardi had finally relented and had allowed her to wear the diamond earrings and necklace she'd gotten from her father, Simon, many years ago.  With her red – okay dark pink – dress, she finally felt like she was close to growing up, and oh was she ready to not be the baby of the family anymore.

            At the bottom she heard Isabella's strained voice.  "Terry can you hear me?  Come in!"  She was sitting at the computer, leaning forward, anxiety stretched across her face.

            "Hey.  What's up?" Grace asked, but Bella held her hand up for silence.

            "Terry?" she said, almost pleading.

            There was a horrible silence and Grace was sure her brother-in-law was dead, that he had finally met the enemy he couldn't defeat.  But then there was a brief spurt of static and his voice, choked but strong, came through.  "I'm okay."  Bella sagged in relief and Grace clapped her hands softly together.  "They came out of nowhere and jumped me.  At least twenty of them.  But just as quickly as they came, they took off.  I don't know, it was weird."  He coughed heavily.

            "Terry?" Bella asked nervously.

            "My ribs.  I don't think they're broken, but they're definitely bruised."

            "Okay, just get back here ASAP, Mom and Dad are waiting."

            "I'll be there before you know it.  Batman out."

            Isabella sat back and rubbed the bridge of her nose.  "What happened?" Grace asked.

            "He was investigating a Kobra nest.  God I hate those slimy rats," she huffed.

            "Don't you mean snakes?"

            Isabella waved at her in dismissal.  "I guess they surprised him."  She stood up and smoothed her dress.  It was sleeveless and made out of a shimmering silver color, the thin silver band around her head looking like nothing more than a chic matching accessory.  "So where did you get those?" she asked as she pointed to Grace's neck.

            "Mom lent them to me.  Jealous?"

            Isabella smiled, relieving the strain of before.  "Hardly.  I was wearing them when you were still in diapers.  Speaking of jewels, did you see what Dad got her for their anniversary?"

            Grace nodded.  The stunning amethyst and diamond necklace with matching bracelet he had ordered to go with Mardi's wedding ring made the trinkets she was wearing look like cheap paste and were about the most amazing things she'd ever seen.  "She'll love them.  What do think he'll say about the cruise?"  Mardi had arranged a trip circumnavigating the globe on a luxurious ocean liner.  They would be gone at least six months.

            "He'll protest at first, but I think he'll give in eventually, especially if we help apply pressure.  They never had a real honeymoon."

            "They didn't?" Grace asked with a perplexed expression.  "Why not?"

            Isabella raised an eyebrow.  "Because Mom was pregnant, and feeling pretty lousy from what I've heard."

            "She was pregnant?"

            "Do the math squirt – today's their thirtieth anniversary…my thirtieth birthday is…."

            Grace frowned and began tapping at her fingers counting the months.  "Oh!" she cried out.  "I never realized that before."

            "That's okay."

            "So how are things at the office?" Grace asked idly to pass the time.

            Isabella yawned.  "Not bad. Mac said I'm ready to take on a deal on my own, so I've been trying to acquire this little factory in Kansas."

            "Kansas?" Grace asked with the contempt of a Gotham native who believed the world began and ended at the city limits.  "What's in Kansas?"

            Isabella laughed in response.  "An amazing new material that's going to change the way we do things in space, and Wayne Enterprises is going to be the proud new owner, much to the dismay of some other CEOs.  I've been on the phone all day trying to seal the deal."  She squeezed Grace's arm gently, and then turned towards the exterior cave entrance.  "I think our boy's home."

            The Batmobile stopped with one final whoosh and Batman leapt out, pausing for a second as he hit the ground and held his chest.  He approached the sisters and removed his cowl.  A slight bruise had started forming on his left cheek.

            "Oh Ter," Isabella whispered sadly.  "You look a mess."

            "I'll be good as new after a shower, Belle," he said with a smile and kissed her on the forehead.  Turning towards Grace he said, "How you doing munchkin'…"

            An alarm sounded suddenly splitting through the quiet of the underground grotto and the Batcomputer came to life.  "Warning!  Unauthorized radio signal intercepted emanating from within Batcave.  Repeat, warning…"

            Grace looked around expecting to see someone or something foreign standing close by, but Terry and Isabella were already in motion towards the 'Mobile.  A step behind him, she spotted the small blinking device on his shoulder.  "Hold up Terry."  She plucked it off and showed it to him.  Without another word he took it and pressed it between his gloved fingers.  The strength of the suit turned it into silicone dust in less than a second.  "My god," Isabella breathed.

            Grace walked up to them.  "What was it?"

            "A tracer," Bella answered.  The three shared a look.  "The Kobras must have placed it during the fight.  That's why they took off.  So they could track you down later."  He nodded grimly.

            "We have to tell Dad," Grace said with a cracked voice.

            "No," Terry replied firmly.  "We took care of it.  They won't have enough time to track it."

            Grace looked at her sister who nodded in agreement.  "You can't be serious.  He needs to know!"
            "Honey, it's their thirtieth anniversary.  You don't want to mess that up do you?  Terry's right, they can't trace it that fast.  We'll talk about it with him tomorrow.  Everything will be fine, I promise."

            "What's going on down there?" Mardi shouted from the study entrance.  "We heard a noise."

            "Nothing Mom," Isabella called back up not taking her eyes of Grace.  "False alarm."

            "Well that's fine, but we have reservations at seven.  We need to be going."

            "We'll be up in a second."  She raised an eyebrow at Grace who closed her eyes and turned away in disgust.  "Get a move on Terry.  Your tux is in the changing room."

            "Yes dear."

            Dinner was as near to perfect as you could get.  The staff was extra attentive and ensured every course was flawless thanks to the promise of a hefty tip and the flash of a brilliant smile from Gotham's reigning princess.  Grace pushed aside her doubts about the evening and joined in with the celebration, even toasting with her small glass of champagne.  Gifts were exchanged after they finished eating.  Mardi loved the jewelry, throwing her arms around Bruce and holding him so long they thought she'd become permanently attached, dabbing her eyes as she finally sat down.  He was expressionless as he read the itinerary for the proposed trip.  Grace and Isabella were about to launch into a dual assault in anticipation of his rejection, but before they could he leaned over and kissed Mardi very tenderly on the cheek.  "It's wonderful," he said.

            In the middle of the restaurant was a small dance floor complete with band.  As if on queue the musicians launched into an old love ballad.  At its first notes Bruce and Mardi looked at each other, then he held his hand out.  "Shall we?"

            She laughed softly, but took his hand and he led her out to the middle of the floor drawing her close.

            The vocalist stepped up to the synth-mike and started singing in a clear voice:

And I'd give up forever to touch you
'Cause I know that you feel me somehow
You're the closest to heaven that I'll ever be
And I don't want to go home right now

            Heads turned to watch the handsome couple glide slowly across the floor.  There were smiles and nods and whispers of approval, but no one made an effort to join them, leaving the pair to the solitary dance they'd never gotten to enjoy on their wedding day.


And all I can taste is this moment
And all I can breathe is your life
'Cause sooner or later it's over
I just don't want to miss you tonight

            Grace elbowed her sister.  "Did you arrange this?" she hissed.  Isabella gave her a mild 'Who, me?' look and returned to watch her parents with a contented expression.


And you can't fight the tears that ain't coming
Or the moment of truth in your lies
When everything feels like the movies
And you bleed just to know you're alive

            Bruce bent down and kissed Mardi's temple.  "Thank you," he whispered to her.

            She looked up with wide, gentle eyes.  "What for?"

            "For standing beside me when you had every right to run in the other direction.  For giving me the two beautiful daughters that will keep my family alive.  For giving me something to live for besides vengeance and being an extraordinary wife and mother even though that's never what you wanted."

            She swallowed hard and gave a nervous laugh.  "Stop, you're making me blush."

            "I love you Mardi," he continued firmly, "and I'm sorry if I have ever given you any reason to doubt that."

            Reaching up she caressed his cheek fondly.  "Never.  And I've never for a moment stopped loving you in return.  Either of you," she sighed.  They kissed and danced slowly and held each other tight.

And I don't want the world to see me
'Cause I don't think that they'd understand
When everything's made to be broken
I just want you to know who I am

            Finally the time had come to go home.  Halfway to the door Grace threw her hands up in exaggerated frustration.  "I forgot my handbag."

            "Well go get it sweetheart," Mardi said.  "We'll be out waiting in the car."

            She rushed back to the table and picked up the small tote, surreptitiously looking around for the cute waiter she'd noticed all night.  He was across the room taking an order, but he looked back at her and winked.  Blushing wildly, and smiling so hard her face hurt, she turned back and headed to the exit, walking at a sedate, unhurried pace.  The doorman nodded while he held the door, and she stepped outside just as the quiet Gotham night turned into a raging hell.

            The blast threw her backwards ten feet.  When she was able to look up she saw the gaped-tooth hole in the restaurant front, debris everywhere, smoke, and chaos.  The screams and confused questions of the patrons were jumbled together in a mind-numbing cacophony.  Grace was so shaken up that for a moment she couldn't remember where she was or why.  When her head finally cleared she jumped up and dashed for the door.  A man – possibly the cute waiter – grabbed her by the waist and held her back.  "Let me go!" she screamed, kicking and thrashing wildly, her fear a living creature that demanded release.  "My family is out there!  LET ME GO!"  Then she recalled all that her dad had taught her.  The waiter whimpered in agony as he cradled his broken fingers and bloody nose.

            Outside a smoking black crater took up half the block, bodies of the injured or dead strewn around like rag dolls.  She looked up and down street desperate to see some sign, some hope.  Maybe the car hadn't been pulled up yet, but if so where were they?  Sirens announced that help were coming, even if it was woefully too late.  People rushed past her speaking words she couldn't even comprehend.  She tried yelling for her parents but couldn't produce more than a ragged whisper.  This couldn't be happening, it had to be a mistake, or a nightmare.  "And it's all my fault," Grace muttered to herself, turning in an unconscious circle.  "My fault."  Over and over again as first the restaurant, then the blackened street came alternately into view.  "All my fault."

            The world spun away as she fainted.