A/N: Thank you Sebastian 1, Xiowolfe, and Wolvies gal 1 for your reviews! ^__^
~*~*~
Batman: I am vengeance! I am the night! I am Batman!
-Batman
~*~*~
Bruce pushed open the kitchen door and casually walked in.
It had been one day since Hank returned with the Fear gas antidote and he never felt better… well he was a little hungry and had had to go to the bathroom like no other, but that was all.
"I see that you are feeling well again." Hank smiled sipping at his coffee.
Bruce nodded fixing himself a bowl of cereal, "I had thought that by now I would be immune to that stuff." He frowned slightly at the choices of cereal he had, 'Corn Pops.'
Hank set his mug down on the table and picked up the news paper Logan had been reading earlier, "I must say, I was almost mugged three times in that city of yours. I must have gone through a bad part of town or something."
"Good ol' Gotham City," Bruce muttered dryly as he dug his spoon into the cereal, he lifted a bit up to his mouth and paused, "How was Alfred doing?"
"Fine. He told me to tell you to call next time you leave dimensions… something about supper being cold now…" Hank furrowed his eyebrows in thought.
Bruce chuckled taking his bowl to the table and sat down. A few minutes later Jack, Virginia, Hayley, Jean, and Rogue walked in finding themselves something to eat.
Rogue peered into the 'fridge and frowned, "Hank? Did Logan eat the rest of the bacon?"
"I believe he made some Rogue… but I don't think he ate the whole package." Hank replied receiving an angry glare from Rogue.
"He would…" She muttered darkly then sighed searching through the 'fridge for something else.
Virginia flopped down in the chair across from Bruce, "What kind of cereal are you eating?" She asked hesitantly.
Bruce swallowed his mouthful and sat his spoon down in the bowl, "Corn Pops." He replied watching Virginia carefully.
"Oh…" She said softly, her eyebrows knitting together in what Bruce assumed was thought.
Bruce raised an eyebrow, "What?"
"I think that's been in the cupboard for about a year now." Virginia smiled sheepishly brushing her bangs out of her face.
"That would explain why it tastes so stale." Bruce frowned looking down at his bowl.
~*~*~
Being a hot summer day most everyone was down at the pool swimming and or sunbathing. Bobby pouted at Rahne, his feet dangling in the water, "I wanna swim." He kicked his legs splashing Rahne who glared at him.
"Not until you're healed enough, you know that." Rahne said splashing him back.
Roberto looked up from his and Rob's game of 'Go Fish', "Quit your whining, Bobby," Bobby looked over his shoulder at him and stuck his tongue out, "Alright then now you can't play cards with us."
Rob nodded, "Because you're being mean!"
"Eh," Bobby shrugged turning back to Rahne who had swam off to talk to Kitty, "Hey!"
Robert snickered turning his back to Bobby who was pouting all over again.
"It feels like things are getting back to normal." Hayley smiled folding her arms under her head in a make-shift pillow.
"Normal? This is normal?" Jack raised his eyebrows.
"When ya live around here it is." Rogue nodded sliding her sunglasses off her head and over her eyes.
"Luke!" Nikki shouted and a moment later a large wolf came bounding out of the mansion lunging into the pool splashing Bobby.
Bobby frowned angrily and climbed to his feet grabbing his towel finding it soaking wet.
'Sorry.' Luke sent to Bobby as he dog paddled his way to the edge of the pool and jumped out.
Bobby snorted, "Right." He frowned turning around.
Luke grinned evilly and shook off spraying Bobby.
"Oh… that does it dog-boy!" Bobby shouted lunging after Luke who swiftly dodged and jumped back into the pool splashing Bobby once again.
"Come on Luke!" Nikki shouted at the wolf from the edge of the pool, "I wanna go for a walk!"
Luke climbed out of the pool next to Nikki and followed along side the boy around the mansion. Bobby glared daggers at Roberto and Rob who were holding their stomachs as the laughed at him.
"T-that was priceless!" Roberto gasped out through laughs.
"What was priceless?" Virginia asked walking out of the back door in a T-shirt and shorts, Bruce and Logan following behind her both looking a tad bit miffed.
While Roberto told Virginia what happened the two men went and sat down on separate lawn chairs and glared at the pool.
"What happened to you two?" Rogue smirked lifting her sunglasses up a bit.
Logan looked at her, "Had to go grocery shopping…" He sighed and looked away.
Rogue raised an eyebrow and exchanged a look with Hayley, "So…?"
"They're acting like that because I made them by a box of pads for us." Virginia told Rogue as she sat down next to Bruce.
Both Logan and Bruce winced slightly, a light blush colored their cheeks.
Rob turned to Roberto looking confused, " What's a 'pad'?"
"You'll learn in due time." Roberto patted Rob on the back snickering quietly under his breath.
~*~*~
The portal opened in a blaze of white and blue light washing the small room in a warm glow. Batman stood at the opening of the portal gazing inside, he turned and looked back at the group his eyes searching for the one person not there.
"She wouldn't come." Logan grunted to him knowing exactly who Batman was looking for.
Rogue looked over at Logan and frowned slightly then turned back to Batman as Logan's arm snaked around her waist.
Batman nodded, his emotionless white eyes turned to Hank, "Thanks." He said, his voice that of Batman and not Bruce Wayne like it had been all morning long.
"You're welcome. Come back and visit anytime."
No, he wouldn't be coming back but he nodded anyways and turned for the portal walking through it without looking back.
"Wait!" A voice cried out as the door swung open slamming against the wall with a loud *Bang!*
Everyone turned to see Virginia standing in the doorway panting hard as though she had ran the whole three miles there.
Her eyes flew to the still open portal, "He…" The words died in her mouth as she took a step forward.
No one said anything as she walked up to the portal wall and stood there staring at it.
"Red," Logan started unwrapping his arm from Rogue, walking up to Virginia and rested his hands on her shoulders, "He had ta go…"
Virginia nodded allowing herself to be guided away from the portal, Hank started to close it down and at the last moment Virginia tore herself away from Logan and broke for the portal.
~*~
Well I don't know what to say
Because there's truth to what you say
I know it kills you I'm this way
There's something different every day
Could It Be that
I never had the chance to grow inside?
Could It Be that
My habit is to find a place to hide
Could It Be that
Sometimes I say things just to disagree?
Could It Be that
I'm only being me?
Not easy living in my mind
A little peace is hard to find
My every thought is undermined
By all the history inside
-Could It Be by Staind.
~*~*~
A/N: Please Review!!