Yes, I am still alive. Life just sucks sometimes, but I am still alive. I HATE midterms!! Anyway, sorry, got that out of my system now, I'm good. Anyway, chapter three is here, I'm working on chapter four, and I'm finally happy with the direction that this fic is going again. Whew!! Once again, as always, suggestions, reviews, critisims, ideas, anything is welcome. I dunno why anyone would want to archive this, but just check with me first on the offchance that you do. The disclaimer is in chapter 1. Hope you enjoy... -krt
Chapter 3: Answer
Bruce turned his chair, swinging half circle so that he completely faced me. He pushed his cowl back, and it came to rest in a swirl of black around the back of his neck. "Go ahead." Dick was off to my side, keeping a poker face. I swear, there are disadvantages to being in a family where everyone can perfectly control their emotions and verbal cues. The only thing I had going for me was that I could control mine just as well as they could if I wanted to, and I wanted to now. It was something I hadn't been anywhere near accomplishing before my departure from Gotham three years ago. I was willing to relax, but they needed to do so first. I was already feeling uncomfortable with this conversation, at least knowing that Bruce could probably only guess at what I was feeling helped a little.
I resisted the impulse to be intimidated by the solemn look on Bruce's face. While getting intimidated was somewhat normal for anybody bearding the Bat in his den, er, cave, it wouldn't accomplish anything or help me in any way. "I'd like to stay here, in Gotham." I was about to continue but movement from Dick sidetracked me. He had turned away from us and was walking away. Uh oh. That didn't look very good at all. I tried not to let it bother me and continued warily. "However, I need to know if it is acceptable with you."
"I couldn't stop you." Debatable, at best. I wonder if he misunderstood me or misunderstood me on purpose. This was beginning to shape up like one of his infernal tests, and once again, I had no clue what he was looking for or what I was supposed to say. Déjà vu. Training night in the Batcave all over again. Yippee.
Time to be totally blunt. "Where ever I am, I'm going to be wearing a mask. If that's Gotham, then you do have the final say in the matter. I'm asking if you will allow me to work in Gotham again." That came out kind of jumbled, but the main idea was pretty clear.
Bruce didn't say anything, just motioned me towards a chair.
I didn't move. "Bruce, I'm just asking. If you don't want me here, that's fine." Not really, but I'd get over it. Eventually.
Bruce looked as inscrutable as always. "What would you do then?"
Ok, now I know that this is a test. Oh well, I didn't have a whole lot to lose, either he'd agree or he wouldn't. I answered him honestly. "I'd leave, probably head for the West Coast." I shrugged. "Go to college, probably."
He raised an eyebrow. "College?"
"Yes." I shrugged again. "I'm not really sure what for, yet. I imagine I'd have to figure that out as I went along." Maybe a science or something. I'd be in the position of having to make a decent salary to scrimp enough to pay for things that Bruce bought in lots of a hundred. Vigilantism needs funds, especially if you're not invulnerable.
"And if I told you not to wear a costume?"
Whoa. Ask a harder one, why doesn't he? Not hard to answer, but hard to verbalize. "If I was in Gotham, that would be your prerogative. If I'm not.." I raised an eyebrow and let my voice go totally flat, "...then it's none of your business." I mentally winced. Here comes the hurricane. My face, however, was carefully emotionless. It was the truth, and if he was going to try to pull that one on me, he was going to be learning a few things about me in a hurry. I inherited my stubbornness from my Dad, after all. Bruce and I exchanged stares for another long minute, as I waited for his response.
It came as Bruce's face cracked just a little and he did his little one corner of the mouth quirk. "Timothy, you are certainly welcome to both stay and work in Gotham, if that's what you want."
I couldn't hold back a grin. "Thanks, I do." I felt like jumping into the air with relief. I was welcome. Wanted, even, if I'd read Bruce's face right. I had a place that I belonged, a place that I could be myself, and people that I could share with.
Dick almost scared the life out of me as he let loose a full-throated cheer. "Yes!!" I whirled in astonishment as he came bounding over from where he had been leaning up against the cave wall. Bruce gave Dick a half-serious glare as he rejoined us. Dick cheerfully ignored him and slapped me on the back. Hard. "Back in black, Timbo!"
He raised his hand to pound me on the back again and I calmly moved out of the way. No more bruises were necessary, thank you. I grinned at him. "Back in something, anyway."
"Man, I thought that you were never going to get around to asking. Worse, I thought you might just take off or something." Dick rolled his eyes. "And then I would have had to track you down..." He grinned wickedly at me, "... and shoot you with a tranquilizer gun from a distance and bring you back again."
I mock scowled at him. "And exactly what good do you think that would do you?" I smirked. "I'd just get away." That might be a brag, Dick ties awful good knots. How would I know this? Trust me. Just trust me on that one.
"Nope. I'd give you to Cass before you woke up. She'd be mad that you didn't stay, too. You wouldn't be running, walking, or crawling ANYwhere for a good long while." Dick mimed a knife slash across the throat with his gloved hand.
I bent over, wrapping my arms around my stomach. "Oh, low blow. Foul. Not fair."
Dick laughed. "It'd serve you right, too."
Bruce spoke, his tone dry. "If you two are done..." He let the sentence trail off, his tone threatening dire consequences if we didn't become done immediately, if not sooner. Dick and I exchanged glances and shut up, although Dick shot Bruce a smirking grin as retaliation.
Oh my gosh, it is so good to be home.
TBC....
Chapter 3: Answer
Bruce turned his chair, swinging half circle so that he completely faced me. He pushed his cowl back, and it came to rest in a swirl of black around the back of his neck. "Go ahead." Dick was off to my side, keeping a poker face. I swear, there are disadvantages to being in a family where everyone can perfectly control their emotions and verbal cues. The only thing I had going for me was that I could control mine just as well as they could if I wanted to, and I wanted to now. It was something I hadn't been anywhere near accomplishing before my departure from Gotham three years ago. I was willing to relax, but they needed to do so first. I was already feeling uncomfortable with this conversation, at least knowing that Bruce could probably only guess at what I was feeling helped a little.
I resisted the impulse to be intimidated by the solemn look on Bruce's face. While getting intimidated was somewhat normal for anybody bearding the Bat in his den, er, cave, it wouldn't accomplish anything or help me in any way. "I'd like to stay here, in Gotham." I was about to continue but movement from Dick sidetracked me. He had turned away from us and was walking away. Uh oh. That didn't look very good at all. I tried not to let it bother me and continued warily. "However, I need to know if it is acceptable with you."
"I couldn't stop you." Debatable, at best. I wonder if he misunderstood me or misunderstood me on purpose. This was beginning to shape up like one of his infernal tests, and once again, I had no clue what he was looking for or what I was supposed to say. Déjà vu. Training night in the Batcave all over again. Yippee.
Time to be totally blunt. "Where ever I am, I'm going to be wearing a mask. If that's Gotham, then you do have the final say in the matter. I'm asking if you will allow me to work in Gotham again." That came out kind of jumbled, but the main idea was pretty clear.
Bruce didn't say anything, just motioned me towards a chair.
I didn't move. "Bruce, I'm just asking. If you don't want me here, that's fine." Not really, but I'd get over it. Eventually.
Bruce looked as inscrutable as always. "What would you do then?"
Ok, now I know that this is a test. Oh well, I didn't have a whole lot to lose, either he'd agree or he wouldn't. I answered him honestly. "I'd leave, probably head for the West Coast." I shrugged. "Go to college, probably."
He raised an eyebrow. "College?"
"Yes." I shrugged again. "I'm not really sure what for, yet. I imagine I'd have to figure that out as I went along." Maybe a science or something. I'd be in the position of having to make a decent salary to scrimp enough to pay for things that Bruce bought in lots of a hundred. Vigilantism needs funds, especially if you're not invulnerable.
"And if I told you not to wear a costume?"
Whoa. Ask a harder one, why doesn't he? Not hard to answer, but hard to verbalize. "If I was in Gotham, that would be your prerogative. If I'm not.." I raised an eyebrow and let my voice go totally flat, "...then it's none of your business." I mentally winced. Here comes the hurricane. My face, however, was carefully emotionless. It was the truth, and if he was going to try to pull that one on me, he was going to be learning a few things about me in a hurry. I inherited my stubbornness from my Dad, after all. Bruce and I exchanged stares for another long minute, as I waited for his response.
It came as Bruce's face cracked just a little and he did his little one corner of the mouth quirk. "Timothy, you are certainly welcome to both stay and work in Gotham, if that's what you want."
I couldn't hold back a grin. "Thanks, I do." I felt like jumping into the air with relief. I was welcome. Wanted, even, if I'd read Bruce's face right. I had a place that I belonged, a place that I could be myself, and people that I could share with.
Dick almost scared the life out of me as he let loose a full-throated cheer. "Yes!!" I whirled in astonishment as he came bounding over from where he had been leaning up against the cave wall. Bruce gave Dick a half-serious glare as he rejoined us. Dick cheerfully ignored him and slapped me on the back. Hard. "Back in black, Timbo!"
He raised his hand to pound me on the back again and I calmly moved out of the way. No more bruises were necessary, thank you. I grinned at him. "Back in something, anyway."
"Man, I thought that you were never going to get around to asking. Worse, I thought you might just take off or something." Dick rolled his eyes. "And then I would have had to track you down..." He grinned wickedly at me, "... and shoot you with a tranquilizer gun from a distance and bring you back again."
I mock scowled at him. "And exactly what good do you think that would do you?" I smirked. "I'd just get away." That might be a brag, Dick ties awful good knots. How would I know this? Trust me. Just trust me on that one.
"Nope. I'd give you to Cass before you woke up. She'd be mad that you didn't stay, too. You wouldn't be running, walking, or crawling ANYwhere for a good long while." Dick mimed a knife slash across the throat with his gloved hand.
I bent over, wrapping my arms around my stomach. "Oh, low blow. Foul. Not fair."
Dick laughed. "It'd serve you right, too."
Bruce spoke, his tone dry. "If you two are done..." He let the sentence trail off, his tone threatening dire consequences if we didn't become done immediately, if not sooner. Dick and I exchanged glances and shut up, although Dick shot Bruce a smirking grin as retaliation.
Oh my gosh, it is so good to be home.
TBC....