Terry pulled up to the house as darkness fell. The house was empty and he
moved to the clock. Descending the stairs he saw Bruce's jacket and Sweater
thrown on the floor in succession toward the changing area. Bruce stood at
the computer finishing his suit and looking at a map on the screen. Terry
moved closer. Bruce turned and shouted, "Get in your suit now. They have
Matt; we have to go now."
Terry turned white and ran to gather his gear. When he emerged Bruce had already moved to his car. Terry ran to his car as Bruce continued to bellow, "Andrea has gone to meet them in exchange for Matt. If we don't get there soon they'll be killed."
Bruce and Terry sped toward the city as Bruce continued to tell Terry the details. Time was running out. They landed near where Andrea's car had parked. Bruce was grateful for the tracking devices. There was only one place that Valestra could be with Matt from the location of the car. They moved in the darkness as the ice ripped at them. The cold seemed to cut through their suits. Bruce's body felt like razors were tearing at it. His age made the cold penetrate every joint and muscle, still he had been out in worse wearing less protection and ignored the pain. Terry had to try harder, but the thought of his brother made him press on. As they landed over the roof across from the club they could see through the window. Anthony Valestra raised a gun toward Andrea. They crashed through the windows as the shot hits its mark. Andrea dropped to the floor, but threw a knife at the rope holding Matt; it hit its mark as well and Matt tumbled to the floor.
Bruce landed directly on Valesta's chest and his ribs crunched beneath the weight of Bruce's decent. Bruce turned and threw a barrage of throwing stars and bolos at the men in the room as Terry made his way to Matt. Bruce fought the remaining men with a fury beyond his control. They had stolen her again was his only thought. Terry didn't even have time to take out one goon. Bruce was on a rampage. They moved toward Andrea and Terry placed Matt beside her. Bruce cradled her in his arms. She opened her eyes to see the tears he couldn't hold back. Blood ran from her chest; the wound was serious. She smiled at Bruce and then turned to Matt placing her hand on his cheek. "Its ok, I knew this would happen someday. Take care of them for me?"
Matt stared at her as she spoke. When she was finished her eyes closed. Bruce checked and found a pulse. She wouldn't last long. Police sirens rung out and grew louder. Bruce placed Matt's hand on his grandmother's chest and told him to press hard until the medical techs came. Matt nodded through his sobs and followed his instructions.
Dick and Carlos entered the club as two shadows flew from the window and into the icy darkness. In front of them Matt lay with Andrea. Matt was holding his hand with all his weight over the wound in her chest. Valestra and his hoodlums lay across the floor bleeding; many with bones sticking from their arms and legs. The medics came quickly; responding to the emergency. Matt moved when they placed the gauze on Andrea's chest and not before. There was no time to loose; they loaded Andrea on a gurney and ran from the building.
Mary watched in horror as the paramedics loaded her mother into an ambulance and flew away. Dick brought Matt from the building in-tack, but suffering from emotional shock. Mary took him in her arms. He was too old to be held or carried, but he needed to be a child for the moment. Dick helped Mary and Matt into a police car and soon they were on they're way to the hospital.
Bruce and Terry flew through the city with urgency. They found their way to Wayne Manor's caverns in record time and flew through changing. Bruce led Terry to the garage and motioned him to a new hover car. Terry understood why when Bruce started the engine. It was the same type of engine that powers the Bat-cars. They moved through the city and to the hospital at speeds that made Terry cringe.
Mary stood in the emergency room. Matt sat quietly staring into space. Dick sat next to his nephew and tried to console him. She turned as the doors opened and Bruce and Terry bounded into the waiting area. Bruce was soaked in ice; Terry at least had managed to wrap himself in a coat before they left. Bruce touched Mary's face she pulled herself into her father's arms. He was freezing cold, but she needed him and he threw his arms around her tightly. Terry moved to Matt and pulled him to his lap. Matt finally let his tears and sobs loose.
The operation took hours, but Andrea survived. Still the odds were against her. The doctors apologized and said that it was a matter of time before she would be gone. There really wasn't any hope for a recovery. The doctors led Bruce to her. She lay in motionless; tubes and lines connected to her arms and face made her almost impossible to see. Bruce leaned over and kissed her gently on the forehead. He took her hand and sat beside her. Hours passed without any change; the machines chimed her heart and the passing of time. Mary, Terry, and Dick took turns visiting. Normally the hospital wouldn't allow more than one person to visit at a time, but it didn't matter Andrea was dying. Andrea's monitors changed rhythm and Bruce stood to see her eyes open. She smiled at him and Bruce leaned forward to her. She spoke softly, "Is Matt ok?"
Bruce fought back his emotions, "Yes, he'll be fine. Try to rest."
Andrea saw the truth in Bruce's eyes. She was in a fight she couldn't win. Bruce looked at her gently. He tried hard to smile and make her hopeful, but it was obvious that it was time for her to let him go. "Bruce, you need to let me go. I love you, but we were never meant to be. Don't worry about me; our parents are waiting for me."
She watched as his chest rose and fell. His head dropped. He knew she was right, they were never meant to be, but he loved her dearly. "At least this time we got to say goodbye. I'll miss you Andie."
Bruce placed her locket into her hand. Andrea closed her eyes. "Take care of them for me. I'll miss you too." She took one last breath and slipped away. The monitors rang out, the doctors and nurses ran in and tried to bring her back, but Bruce knew that she was going to a place that would be happier than the one that they had shared. He moved back to the walls and slid from the room. He walked slowly down the hall and to his family. Mary saw him and knew that her mother was gone. Matt looked to Bruce and he soon found himself lifted into the old man's arms. Bruce held him tight and told him that everything would be ok. Matt was heartbroken, but he felt better at his grandfathers words. Bruce moved to Mary and put his hand to her face. "Its ok, she's free now. We'll be ok."
Dick moved to his father. "Do you want me to stay?"
"Do you mean in Gotham or at the hospital?" Bruce's voice was soft and level. Dick understood that he wanted him to stay with him for a little while, but that he could go and take care of his business for now.
Dick smiled, "I need to finish up some paper work. Then I'll grab my things and head to the house. Should I call Tim?" Bruce stopped, he hadn't considered telling Tim about this. Everything had happened too quickly for him to even let Tim know what was happening. Dick continued, "Tim doesn't know about any of this yet, does he?" Bruce shook his head. Dick could see that Bruce was in no shape to deal with telling Tim the details. "I'll call Tim." Bruce looked grateful for his help and nodded. Dick left stopping to hug Mary and check on Terry. Dana had arrived and was holding his arm. Dick knew that he couldn't do anymore and left.
Terry turned white and ran to gather his gear. When he emerged Bruce had already moved to his car. Terry ran to his car as Bruce continued to bellow, "Andrea has gone to meet them in exchange for Matt. If we don't get there soon they'll be killed."
Bruce and Terry sped toward the city as Bruce continued to tell Terry the details. Time was running out. They landed near where Andrea's car had parked. Bruce was grateful for the tracking devices. There was only one place that Valestra could be with Matt from the location of the car. They moved in the darkness as the ice ripped at them. The cold seemed to cut through their suits. Bruce's body felt like razors were tearing at it. His age made the cold penetrate every joint and muscle, still he had been out in worse wearing less protection and ignored the pain. Terry had to try harder, but the thought of his brother made him press on. As they landed over the roof across from the club they could see through the window. Anthony Valestra raised a gun toward Andrea. They crashed through the windows as the shot hits its mark. Andrea dropped to the floor, but threw a knife at the rope holding Matt; it hit its mark as well and Matt tumbled to the floor.
Bruce landed directly on Valesta's chest and his ribs crunched beneath the weight of Bruce's decent. Bruce turned and threw a barrage of throwing stars and bolos at the men in the room as Terry made his way to Matt. Bruce fought the remaining men with a fury beyond his control. They had stolen her again was his only thought. Terry didn't even have time to take out one goon. Bruce was on a rampage. They moved toward Andrea and Terry placed Matt beside her. Bruce cradled her in his arms. She opened her eyes to see the tears he couldn't hold back. Blood ran from her chest; the wound was serious. She smiled at Bruce and then turned to Matt placing her hand on his cheek. "Its ok, I knew this would happen someday. Take care of them for me?"
Matt stared at her as she spoke. When she was finished her eyes closed. Bruce checked and found a pulse. She wouldn't last long. Police sirens rung out and grew louder. Bruce placed Matt's hand on his grandmother's chest and told him to press hard until the medical techs came. Matt nodded through his sobs and followed his instructions.
Dick and Carlos entered the club as two shadows flew from the window and into the icy darkness. In front of them Matt lay with Andrea. Matt was holding his hand with all his weight over the wound in her chest. Valestra and his hoodlums lay across the floor bleeding; many with bones sticking from their arms and legs. The medics came quickly; responding to the emergency. Matt moved when they placed the gauze on Andrea's chest and not before. There was no time to loose; they loaded Andrea on a gurney and ran from the building.
Mary watched in horror as the paramedics loaded her mother into an ambulance and flew away. Dick brought Matt from the building in-tack, but suffering from emotional shock. Mary took him in her arms. He was too old to be held or carried, but he needed to be a child for the moment. Dick helped Mary and Matt into a police car and soon they were on they're way to the hospital.
Bruce and Terry flew through the city with urgency. They found their way to Wayne Manor's caverns in record time and flew through changing. Bruce led Terry to the garage and motioned him to a new hover car. Terry understood why when Bruce started the engine. It was the same type of engine that powers the Bat-cars. They moved through the city and to the hospital at speeds that made Terry cringe.
Mary stood in the emergency room. Matt sat quietly staring into space. Dick sat next to his nephew and tried to console him. She turned as the doors opened and Bruce and Terry bounded into the waiting area. Bruce was soaked in ice; Terry at least had managed to wrap himself in a coat before they left. Bruce touched Mary's face she pulled herself into her father's arms. He was freezing cold, but she needed him and he threw his arms around her tightly. Terry moved to Matt and pulled him to his lap. Matt finally let his tears and sobs loose.
The operation took hours, but Andrea survived. Still the odds were against her. The doctors apologized and said that it was a matter of time before she would be gone. There really wasn't any hope for a recovery. The doctors led Bruce to her. She lay in motionless; tubes and lines connected to her arms and face made her almost impossible to see. Bruce leaned over and kissed her gently on the forehead. He took her hand and sat beside her. Hours passed without any change; the machines chimed her heart and the passing of time. Mary, Terry, and Dick took turns visiting. Normally the hospital wouldn't allow more than one person to visit at a time, but it didn't matter Andrea was dying. Andrea's monitors changed rhythm and Bruce stood to see her eyes open. She smiled at him and Bruce leaned forward to her. She spoke softly, "Is Matt ok?"
Bruce fought back his emotions, "Yes, he'll be fine. Try to rest."
Andrea saw the truth in Bruce's eyes. She was in a fight she couldn't win. Bruce looked at her gently. He tried hard to smile and make her hopeful, but it was obvious that it was time for her to let him go. "Bruce, you need to let me go. I love you, but we were never meant to be. Don't worry about me; our parents are waiting for me."
She watched as his chest rose and fell. His head dropped. He knew she was right, they were never meant to be, but he loved her dearly. "At least this time we got to say goodbye. I'll miss you Andie."
Bruce placed her locket into her hand. Andrea closed her eyes. "Take care of them for me. I'll miss you too." She took one last breath and slipped away. The monitors rang out, the doctors and nurses ran in and tried to bring her back, but Bruce knew that she was going to a place that would be happier than the one that they had shared. He moved back to the walls and slid from the room. He walked slowly down the hall and to his family. Mary saw him and knew that her mother was gone. Matt looked to Bruce and he soon found himself lifted into the old man's arms. Bruce held him tight and told him that everything would be ok. Matt was heartbroken, but he felt better at his grandfathers words. Bruce moved to Mary and put his hand to her face. "Its ok, she's free now. We'll be ok."
Dick moved to his father. "Do you want me to stay?"
"Do you mean in Gotham or at the hospital?" Bruce's voice was soft and level. Dick understood that he wanted him to stay with him for a little while, but that he could go and take care of his business for now.
Dick smiled, "I need to finish up some paper work. Then I'll grab my things and head to the house. Should I call Tim?" Bruce stopped, he hadn't considered telling Tim about this. Everything had happened too quickly for him to even let Tim know what was happening. Dick continued, "Tim doesn't know about any of this yet, does he?" Bruce shook his head. Dick could see that Bruce was in no shape to deal with telling Tim the details. "I'll call Tim." Bruce looked grateful for his help and nodded. Dick left stopping to hug Mary and check on Terry. Dana had arrived and was holding his arm. Dick knew that he couldn't do anymore and left.