Batman swung down next to one of Dick's favorite confidants. He refused to
talk to the beast, but it was a good place to think. Close enough to his
city to notice any problems, yet far enough that he could sit still and not
be seen by anyone who happened to look up. Yesterday, during one of their
few open moments, Dick had told Bruce how he thought of their clan as a
mosaic. It was an incredibly accurate analogy.
Batman was once more frustrated with his JLA teammates. He'd
overheard Kyle complaining about how Batman's pride kept everyone out of Gotham. Didn't Kyle understand that Batman's pride was the slightest of the reasons for what he did?
All they ever saw was the sharp edges of the mosaic. They didn't see the whole that had been assembled, nor did they understand what it took to make the whole. The clan was a reflection of Gotham. Just as they were a mosaic, so was Gotham.
He didn't care for his pride nearly as much as his frien- teammates. Why had he been thinking THAT? It's not as if they wanted him for anything more than an advisor at the best of times. He was amazed that they didn't see the truth. Kal seemed to understand, at least partially, and Bruce considered him a friend and suspected the feeling was mutual at times.
The paranoia and driven state were not an attempt to shut others
out, but an attempt to do all he could to keep from losing anyone else. But back to where he began, the Mosaic.
In ancient times, people did not make or buy pottery to turn into mosaics. One the pot was broken, then it was deemed fit for use in a mosaic. His - teammates were whole. They were not a part of Gotham. Gotham was a cruel, cold mistress who would sink her talons deep into a man and never let him go. Dick had managed to flee to her younger sister, but the tale was the same. They were free, and she would not watch her do to them what she had done to him. He would not watch her break them and put them in the same chains he wore. Physically, he was free, but he knew he could never leave her.
So he was the Grim Avenger, the Dark Knight. He was the man that
everyone thought cared for none because all they saw was an
emotionless facade. But that wasn't it at all. He stayed in the
shadows, watching for anything - anyone that would drag them down with him. He would not let any deny them their freedom.
Perhaps Roy was more right then he would ever know when he called Bruce Daddybat. Of course, every time Roy said it within earshot of Bruce, or at least when someone could conceivably figure out that he was within earshot, Bruce gave him The Glare. Deep down, however, Bruce had always enjoyed the moniker, and still did. Daddy-bat not only to Dick and his clan and Gotham, but Daddy-bat to the Justice League as well. He would do all he could to make sure that none of them were hurt again. He was shattered, but he would weave the shattered into a new whole and keep the whole from being shattered. Why couldn't they see that this was what it was all about?
He'd let Dick talk him into letting someone who was whole into his life once. Now she was stuck in a wheelchair. He wouldn't see that happen again. That was why he had to get Dinah out of Gotham. Now.
Secondarily, League interference often put months of detective work at risk, not to mention lives within and without the masked life. Nearly every time he had to scramble to save the sting, prevent the tip-off, save his skin, save their skin...the list went on and on. When they came, they didn't understand that Gotham had different rules, and put everyone at risk.
He was a predator, but in this dog-eat-dog city the only way to
survive was to be the best. To be able to snarl nastier and hit
harder than the competition. He was what he was in order to survive. The had to stay out. When they didn't, they risked their own safety, not to mention his and his city's safety. Stay out. Stay safe. But they never understood.
Gotham's unusual silence was suddenly shattered by sirens. Batman readied his jumpline and swung out into the night, away from the snarling beast that had watched Gotham since before he was born. It was somehow pleasant to sit with a fellow watcher, but now it was time to put away those thoughts. His help was needed, and his cruel, cold mistress sunk her claws a little deeper into his heart.
Batman was once more frustrated with his JLA teammates. He'd
overheard Kyle complaining about how Batman's pride kept everyone out of Gotham. Didn't Kyle understand that Batman's pride was the slightest of the reasons for what he did?
All they ever saw was the sharp edges of the mosaic. They didn't see the whole that had been assembled, nor did they understand what it took to make the whole. The clan was a reflection of Gotham. Just as they were a mosaic, so was Gotham.
He didn't care for his pride nearly as much as his frien- teammates. Why had he been thinking THAT? It's not as if they wanted him for anything more than an advisor at the best of times. He was amazed that they didn't see the truth. Kal seemed to understand, at least partially, and Bruce considered him a friend and suspected the feeling was mutual at times.
The paranoia and driven state were not an attempt to shut others
out, but an attempt to do all he could to keep from losing anyone else. But back to where he began, the Mosaic.
In ancient times, people did not make or buy pottery to turn into mosaics. One the pot was broken, then it was deemed fit for use in a mosaic. His - teammates were whole. They were not a part of Gotham. Gotham was a cruel, cold mistress who would sink her talons deep into a man and never let him go. Dick had managed to flee to her younger sister, but the tale was the same. They were free, and she would not watch her do to them what she had done to him. He would not watch her break them and put them in the same chains he wore. Physically, he was free, but he knew he could never leave her.
So he was the Grim Avenger, the Dark Knight. He was the man that
everyone thought cared for none because all they saw was an
emotionless facade. But that wasn't it at all. He stayed in the
shadows, watching for anything - anyone that would drag them down with him. He would not let any deny them their freedom.
Perhaps Roy was more right then he would ever know when he called Bruce Daddybat. Of course, every time Roy said it within earshot of Bruce, or at least when someone could conceivably figure out that he was within earshot, Bruce gave him The Glare. Deep down, however, Bruce had always enjoyed the moniker, and still did. Daddy-bat not only to Dick and his clan and Gotham, but Daddy-bat to the Justice League as well. He would do all he could to make sure that none of them were hurt again. He was shattered, but he would weave the shattered into a new whole and keep the whole from being shattered. Why couldn't they see that this was what it was all about?
He'd let Dick talk him into letting someone who was whole into his life once. Now she was stuck in a wheelchair. He wouldn't see that happen again. That was why he had to get Dinah out of Gotham. Now.
Secondarily, League interference often put months of detective work at risk, not to mention lives within and without the masked life. Nearly every time he had to scramble to save the sting, prevent the tip-off, save his skin, save their skin...the list went on and on. When they came, they didn't understand that Gotham had different rules, and put everyone at risk.
He was a predator, but in this dog-eat-dog city the only way to
survive was to be the best. To be able to snarl nastier and hit
harder than the competition. He was what he was in order to survive. The had to stay out. When they didn't, they risked their own safety, not to mention his and his city's safety. Stay out. Stay safe. But they never understood.
Gotham's unusual silence was suddenly shattered by sirens. Batman readied his jumpline and swung out into the night, away from the snarling beast that had watched Gotham since before he was born. It was somehow pleasant to sit with a fellow watcher, but now it was time to put away those thoughts. His help was needed, and his cruel, cold mistress sunk her claws a little deeper into his heart.