Title: One And Only: XIII
Author: D C Luder
Summary: Set four years after the conclusion of Life Is Good. The Family moves on and… apart?
Rating: PG 13 for language
Infringements: All recognizable characters belong to DC Comics, not DC Luder.
Author's Note: It is highly advisable that you read Time Will Tell and Life Is Good or you may be a tad bit lost. I am writing this due to the numerous requests for a sequel. That and I am absolutely obsessed with the concept of the Bat and Cat living happily ever after.
A/N 2: Thanks everyone for reading, and an even bigger thanks to Chris for keeping me focused and entertained.
A/N 3: Dick's dream sequence reflects events seen in the 1966 film "Batman" starring Adam West and Burt Ward. Mega-thanks to Chris for the awesome idea… It's a real hoot!
A/N 4: BWD (Big White Dog) is based on that seen in NBC's "Friends"
V
When I first came to Gotham City, I pulled sixty-hour workweeks without breaking a sweat. I could run off of nothing but Pixie cups of scalding brackish liquid that passed as coffee if you added enough creamer to it. Chasing down bad guys and bringing in murdering scum were daily deeds.
That was twenty years ago.
Since then, I had lost my first wife and son through divorce, brought about because I had been too wrapped up in the job. I had taken custody of my niece, and had done my best to make her a good person in a hellish city. Even still, I had to watch her lose the use of her legs because of a madman's unrelenting hatred towards me. I had lost my second wife, after struggling through No Man's Land, to a single bullet. I bore witness to a man's war on crime grow harder with the passing of every year. I watched a man, who had once been a tiny boy in awe with his mentor, shoot a man in the back of the head, crossing a line he had set years ago, in order to save the lives of his fellow officers.
For the last two weeks, I had done more reflecting on my own life than I would have cared to. When I attended briefings on the third floor or when I was faced with unbalanced work rosters or injured cops in the field, I couldn't help but see my personal problems filter through.
Two nights earlier, I had spontaneously taken Barbara out to dinner. We hadn't spent a great deal of time together and that always bothered me. When she was younger, I had let so many things pass me by, of which I felt guilty for. I should have been there for her…
We had gone to Carmelli's, one of her favorite restaraunts. Over shrimp penne pasta and White Zinfadel, we caught up on life, chatted for nearly an hour before running out of things to say. We had even discussed the shootout and Dick and how we both felt for him. With clean plates and nothing left to talk about, I brought new information to the table, something I had been avoiding for far too long.
The department had been trying to get rid of me for years, wanting someone younger in the position of leading the city's law enforcers. I had no financial dependency on the job, more so a psychological one. If I wasn't the commissioner, what would I be? And how could some yuppie possibly be knowledgeable enough to take on the position?
When I really sat down to think about it, I guess I didn't want to give in to the fact that I wasn't the same James Gordon that I had been when I had stepped off that train twenty earlier.
After I relayed it all to Barbara, I had been surprised when she reached for my hand and squeezed it softly. She didn't look to be shocked at all, if anything, she seemed relieved. I asked her about it and she had replied, "Dad, Gotham is a different city than what it used to be. You don't need to be in the middle of all of this violence… It's time to give someone else a chance… To learn the things you did, to do the things you did."
I had nodded, partially agreeing with her and partially accepting the idea itself.
For the last hour and a half, I had been pouring through the random files and items in my office, clearing up what I could and trying to make sense of what I couldn't. The next day would be the first day of spring and the night was unseasonably balmy and warm. I had cracked open the left hand window slightly, to let some air in, but not enough to disturb the papers on my desk.
After completing the two file cabinets, I took a seat in my chair and began to attack the desk drawers. I had just opened the top one when the air seemed to change in the office. A feeling that I had finally been able to associate with the presence of a certain individual. "Awful early, aren't you?" I asked with a smile. When I turned towards the window, my eyes widened.
"Sorry to startle you, Commissioner," Robin spoke as he slipped into the room.
I remained silent, still in awe that he had evoked the same feeling in me that his mentor did. "Don't worry. I think I've finally gotten the hang of detecting when you all sneak in here." He paused at the side of my desk and peered over at the paperwork and office supplies that cluttered its surface. I shrugged and offered, "Spring cleaning."
He smirked slightly and patted his utility belt, "That's my project for later. I thought I would drop you a line, we'll be infiltrating the clubs Friday night."
With a sigh, I searched for my calendar and nodded, "Friday. Busy night."
"Best way to do it," he said, "We'll contact you if anything turns up."
He and I had been working together in finding information on the string of Missing Persons in Gotham. There was a Special Crimes Division taskforce but through experience, I found it was a bit faster to work with the help of vigilantes in this town. I found it interesting that Batman had allowed his younger protégés to take on such a challenging case, but then again, it was impossible for him to handle such a grand problem on top of the rest of the city's issues.
As I glanced at my watch, I said, "Well, I best be getting out of here, or I'll never… leave." I looked to the side of my desk and then back at the window that was opened just as far as it had been when I had unlocked it earlier. This time, my face wasn't turned in shock, but a broad smile. I had learned to detect whenever they arrived, but it was still a damned mystery on how they slipped out without a sound.
As much as things had changed, it was nice to see that some things never did.
V
I had just lowered the heat on the sizzling onions, broccoli and sausage when I heard footsteps in the hallway. They grew louder as I evenly spread the contents of the skillet over the bottom of a piecrust I had prepared earlier that morning. When the sounds passed through the kitchen doorway, I had already begun beating the eggs, milk, pepper and salt.
"Good morning Alfred."
I peered over my shoulder briefly before pouring the egg mixture over the ingredients covering the pie crust, "Good morning Master Bruce, a rather early one if I may say so," I added after glancing at the clock: 5:51.
Before I could offer him something to drink, I watched him out of the corner of my eye as he retrieved a clean mug from the cupboard and poured coffee for himself. He then took a seat on one of the four stools that surrounded the island counter and stared at the mug as it cooled.
After setting the quiche into the oven, already preheated to three hundred and fifty degrees, I set the egg timer for twenty-eight minutes and then went about cleaning the skillet and mixing bowls. On the very rare occasion that Master Bruce was unable to sleep in or even at all, he often sought out my company, no matter what the hour. I tended to reflect back on the weeks following the death of his parents where he would rarely be out of my eyesight as I tended to my duties.
I was surprised after cleaning off the dishes and the countertop that he had yet to make a move for his beverage. I offered to make a fresh pot and he shook his head slightly. After glancing at the timer, I spoke, "I'm afraid the quiche has another twenty minutes, sir. Is there something I can get you?"
Another subtle shake.
"Bruce?" I asked softly.
When he looked up at me, I recognized the deep bags under his eyes and the thoughtful, yet worried look on his face. He made contact with my eyes and asked, "Have I been punishing him, Alfred? Pushing him away when I should be drawing him near? Is it too late to…" he sighed and looked back down at the countertop.
I drew a stool out and took a seat myself. Ms. Selina had informed me the night before of their small feud that took place after dinner in town. She had regretted being forward, but at the same time had been pleased to have finally gotten "through his thick skull." Master Bruce had yet to speak a word of it to me, further proving her influence.
After a long moment of silence, I said, "There have been times when Richard has needed to be let alone, to have time to himself to understand his feelings… Just the same as you, sir. However few, there are also instances where he needs comfort, support… sympathy," his eyes locked onto mine, "Just the same as you."
When he didn't reply, I did my best to further explain, "I recall a young man who was once very lost in his existence, uncertain as to whether or not he could live the life he had known for so long… Had there not been support from his loved ones, I fear that he would not have been able to come back and he would have been lost to us forever."
I watched as he blinked twice quickly, no doubt battling a flood of memories from that very traumatic year of his life… The one that had been taken from him. I had no doubt that he did his best to repress those recollections of his recovery, but it was impossible for myself to go through a single day where I did not think back on the uncertainty of if he would ever regain his mind, body and life. Even catching the slightest glance of the faint scar on his brow would unleash the hours spent in the operating room with Leslie, days wondering if he would ever wake up and then the following months that it took for him to learn to walk, read and speak.
All in the past, but also always there in every present moment.
His voice interrupted my thoughts suddenly, "What reason would he have to listen to me, after all this time?"
I rested my hand on his forearm, "You are his father. That should be sufficient."
"That may not be enough this time, Alfred," he sighed.
A sound in the hall caught my attention and I paused before standing, "It is more than enough, Bruce."
The kitchen door opened to reveal Ms. Selina, clad in her husband's robe, appearing to be half-asleep. She scanned the room under half-closed eyes, spotted Master Bruce and then asked, "Bruce? Where have you been?"
He shrugged slightly as she moved next to him and wrapped an arm around his broad shoulders.
I went about making myself appear busy while doing my best to study their interactions. She whispered something into his ear and he made no move to respond. As Ms. Kyle stepped back, letting her arm slip off of him, she sighed, "Come upstairs, Bruce, it's too quiet for me to sleep when you're not snoring."
A moment after she had slipped into the hall, he rose as well. When he turned back briefly, mouth open as if to speak, I nodded, "The quiche will hold, sir."
Later, after the egg timer sounded, I went about removing the dish from the oven just as I heard another set of footfalls in the corridor. As the door swung open, I did not see my guest at first, as she was shorter than the island counter. I heard a soft grunt of effort and then saw the very top of the young child's head as she seated herself on the stool "Morning Alfred."
"Why good morning, Miss Mattie."
She rested her elbows on the countertop and planted her small chin into the palms of her hands, her pout in full force. "Is there something amiss?" She arched her brow and I asked, "Is there something wrong, young miss?"
Her tiny incisors nibbled on her lower lip before she replied, "I went to wake Dad and Mom up… But the door wouldn't open."
I went about pouring her a glass of orange juice, "I can assure you that I have seen them both this morning. They did mention about getting a bit more rest however."
She thanked me as I handed the glass to her and then asked, "Alfred, can I have a straw too… Please."
"Certainly," I nodded before retrieving a small plastic straw from a drawer. I watched as she popped it into the glass and took a long sip. Before releasing it, she smiled and showed that the straw tip neatly fitting into a small gap in her front teeth.
"Congratulations are in order, Miss Mattie."
She laughed softly and pushed her glass away, "It was wiggling pretty bad last night, and Dad said it come out soon…"
"Do you still have… the tooth?"
She nodded, "On my dresser so, tonight, I can have it for the Tooth Fairy."
The child beamed as she finished her juice and the slipped off the stool, no doubt going back upstairs to find a way into her parents' bedroom. From wiggling loose teeth to sneaking in to wake her father, Miss Mattie already showed determination beyond her years.
V
"Dad? Mom?" I asked as I pressed my face to the floor in front of their doors. There were no lights on and I could barely hear anything. Before coming to their room, I had checked the time, 7:48, a little early but it was Saturday and I wanted to know what we were going to do.
"Mom?" I asked, slightly louder, adding a soft tap on the door.
Well, if I was going to sit on the floor, I might as well get comfortable.
I skipped back to my room, pulled a blanket and pillow off of my bed as well as my stuffed horse that I slept with. Taffy had been sleeping under the covers and when I moved everything she woke up and decided to follow me. I carefully spread my blanket out in front of their door and set up my horse and then picked Taffy up and set her on my pillow. Then I went back to my room to see what else I could bring. After five trips, I had brought a drawing pad, my bucket of crayons, two of my cat stuffed animals, my make-believe makeup kit, and another pillow for me to sit on.
After pretending to put make up on, I began to draw, doodles at first and then I moved onto draw snowmen. Dad had a bunch of my drawings at his office in frames so everyone could see them. But he kept the best ones at home, just for him.
There was a soft sound from inside the room I paused for a moment to listen. I could hear Dad's voice but I couldn't understand him through the door. I set my crayon down and then laid back on the floor. The carpet was pretty thick so it was hard to see anything under the door, but it was squishy enough for me to stick my fingers under the door. After I did so, I wiggled them a bit to see if it caught their attention.
More soft words from Dad, and then Mom spoke as well.
I pulled my hand out and leaned against the door after sitting up. Were they going to stay in there all day?
Before I could pick my crayon up to finish my drawing, I heard footsteps approach the door and then felt it open from behind me. I let myself fall onto my back and looked up to see Dad staring down at me, "Morning Dad," and then smiled to show off my missing tooth.
He smirked, "It came out."
"Yep, this morning. Didn't hurt at all."
He looked at the blankets I had set up and then back at me, "What's this?"
I replied, still laying down, "We're camping out."
Dad nodded with a slight smile on his face, "Mind if I join?"
After I shook my head, I sat up as he took a seat beside me. When I crawled onto his lap, he kissed the back of my head and then picked up my snowman drawing, "Did you draw this today?"
I nodded and leaned back against his chest, "Yep. Miss Kallie said spring started today, so I thought it would be silly to draw snow."
"Very silly," he murmured. I felt his chest rise and then fall as he sighed, "You know what else is today?"
I shook my head and looked up at his chin.
"It is Dick's twenty-eighth birthday."
"It is?" I asked and he nodded, "Wow, that's really old…"
He laughed silently, "Not that old. So, I was thinking about maybe taking a trip to Bludhaven, to take him out to lunch for his birthday."
I bounced on his lap, "Can I come?"
He kissed my head, "Yep. It will be just you and me."
"Mom's not coming?"
"No," he answered, "She has to go up to the Preserve for a while." When I didn't answer, I felt his fingers on my shoulder just before they reached to tickle my neck, "So what do you think?"
I laughed loudly and squirmed away from him, "Daddy…"
As he went up onto his hands and knees to follow me, I saw him wince for a second, and when he caught me looking, he smiled again. Odd…
"What is going on out here?" Mom's voice asked. We both looked up to see her standing at the door wrapped up in a robe. I told her I had been camping out in front of their door and when she looked at Dad he nodded. She shook her head, "Well then, since you two are already on the floor, why don't you pick everything up so we can have breakfast?"
What had taken me five trips of carrying things, Dad carried in one arm and me in the other. He didn't carry me around all that much but when he did, I loved every second of it. He was the strongest, tallest Dad in the world.
I sat next to him at the breakfast table and instead of reading his paper like he usually did, he asked me about school and my friends. Usually Mom was the one who asked me questions about stuff like that, where Dad would ask about schoolwork and what I was learning. Aside from that, breakfast was nearly silent, Mom and Dad not saying a word to one another. Sometimes they did that, kind of ignored each other. But I did it with my friends at school so I guess it was kind of the same thing.
As Dad left to get things ready to go see Dick, Mom took me upstairs to wash up and change. I packed my backpack with a few books, reading and coloring, and a few small toys to take with me. It seemed like it took forever to get where Dick lived so I always tried to bring something to do along with me. I also packed the CD Tim made me with a whole bunch of Disney movie songs on it. Hopefully Dad would play it for me on the way.
I kissed Mom and Alfred good-bye before following Dad out into the garage. He helped me into the back of the car, buckled me in and before he shut my door, I handed him the CD and pouted, "Can we listen to this please?"
He nodded and took it from me.
We listened to music for most of the trip as Dad watched the road out in front of him. I didn't mind though, because it wouldn't be long before I was with Dick, and I was sure he would tell me his silly Knock-Knock jokes and tickle me until I cried.
That's what big brothers were for.
V
"What in the…?" I asked as I looked down at myself. Bright red tunic, waist length satin yellow cape, pixie boots and a pair of green Speedo-esque underwear.
Before I could think any further as to why I was sporting a uniform I hadn't worn since I was a teenager, I realized I was in the passenger seat of the Bat-mobile, one of the earlier models with an open top and gaudy red piping. When I looked to my left, I saw Batman was holding a red telephone in my direction, his face oddly at ease. He nodded at me and I took a hold of the phone.
Before I could think, I spat out, "Operator, please get me the Pentagon in Washington, the Navy Department," and not a second later, Batman took the phone from me. Without him noticing, I pressed the speakerphone button so that I could have some hope as to figuring out what the hell was going on and why I was just asking for the Pentagon.
A soft female voice answered, "Admiral Fangschlieer's office."
"Hello, Batman speaking."
"Oh, hello!" then a mumbled voice in the background that she answered with, "Batman."
"Hello, Batman. Ahoy!" the Admiral's suddenly voice boomed, "What can I do for you?"
"Hello, Admiral. A routine question. Have you recently sold any war surplus submarines, and if so to whom?" Batman asked.
"Well, just a moment, I'll have to look that up," followed by a high-pitched whistled rendition of "Anchors Away." I rolled my eyes just as the Admiral continued, "Answer affirmative, Batman. We disposed of a war surplus submarine last Friday. A pre-atomic model to some chap named P. N. Guinn."
Batman repeated the name and continued, "Did this P. N Guinn leave an address."
"Just a post office box number. Would you like it?"
"No thank you, Admiral. You've been very helpful."
"Avast and belay, Batman, your tone sounds rather grim. We haven't done anything foolish, have we?"
"Disposing a pre-atomic submarines to persons who don't even leave their full addresses... Good day, Admiral!" Batman said before hanging up pointedly. He looked at me briefly before announcing, "With the Penguin involved, there's only one place to go. Sea Breeze Sound."
"The day spa?" I asked, my voice oddly pre-pubescent.
He nodded and said far too excitedly, "Let's go!" before hitting the accelerator.
It wasn't long before we were walking into the front door of the Sea Breeze Sound Day Spa, one of Cobblepot's legitimate businesses that used as a cover. Young men and women alike were dressed in loudly colored shirts that were nowhere near matching the hue of their pants. It was like the sixties all over again…
A pair of thick-chested thugs in black pants and shirts approached us holding a small stack of folded white towels. Their names blazoned in white over their pectorals: Tern and Gull. Unbelievable.
To my utter horror, Batman paused before them, hands on his hips and said, "Greetings." The thugs glared back silently for a minute before Batman continued, "We wish to have a booth, please."
The thugs looked at one another before giving each of us a towel and leading us to one of many individual sauna rooms. As Batman wrapped the towel around his waist I asked, "What are you doing?"
He spoke in a quiet voice, his words unevenly spaced for emphasis, "Robin… we need not draw attention… to ourselves," he pointed to the towel in my hand, "And it would be wise… to fit in, chum… As a clever disguise is the key… to solving many crimes."
After reluctantly donning the towel, and noting as several passing girls pointed and laughed at me, I followed Batman down the hall, only to realize the thugs had disappeared. I was about to tell him that they had gone to report to the Penguin when a razor blade tipped umbrella flew by me, nearly putting a tear into my gaudy cape.
"He's making an escape, Batman," I called out as I ducked into a corridor, ripping my towel off.
"That he is… Quickly, outside, we haven't a moment to lose," Batman took his towel off as well and darted down the corridor, running like a… not like a six foot tall man.
Once out on the sidewalk, the whirring of a helicopter could be heard over the Penguin's noticeable quacks. We both looked up at the same time, six stories, an easy climb on the fire escape that was further down. I was about to recommend it when I saw Batman throw a line up to the rooftop.
"Up you go, chum," he said while handing the line to me. There was no retractor gun or anything, just a thin white cord. How was that going to help me get up to the roof?
I held the rope in both hands, one in front of the other, and then placed my feet on the wall, taking slow, sure steps on the surface. Batman followed on the same line, and we freakishly moved synchronously up the wall. I suddenly feared the line would give and we would be guano all over the street below.
That was the least of my concerns.
The window to our right suddenly popped open, nearly causing me to lose my hold on the rope. And the second I regained it, I nearly let it go again when I saw two familiar heads peer out at us: David Letterman and Paul Schaffer.
"Greetings, citizens," Batman paused.
"I'll be… Batman and Robin…" Letterman grinned, ear-to-ear, "It was my hopes that I would run into the two of you while I was in town."
"How so, Mr. Letterman?" Batman asked in response.
The late night host looked back at the dark-glasses sporting Schaffer before explaining, "Well, I was wondering if you would be interested in making an appearance on my program."
As he went about regretfully informing Letterman that he was a civil servant with no interest in fame, I cleared my throat and resumed climbing. Batman bid farewell to his admirers with a quirky smile before he began climbing once more. The very second we reached the rooftop, a row of thugs stood just in front of the helicopter, each of them a hair smaller than Bane. The Penguin's stout form was just the left of the row of goons, dressed in coat tails and a purple hat, called out at the sight of us, "Make them into bird feed!"
All four members of his crew shouted in unison, "Yo, ho, ho sir!" before leaping at us, punching and kicking and doing their best to obey their boss. While Batman clobbered two of them, the remaining pair knocked to me the ground. Loud pounding noises filled my ears and I called out for help….
"AGH!" I cried out, suddenly sitting up in bed. The knocking noises were still echoing in my ears as I tried to shift out of my dream and into my somewhat wakeful state, "That's the last time I'm having Thai food before going to bed…"
I looked at the bedside clock to see it was a little before noon before running a hand through my hair. When I pulled it back, my hair stood on end, a result of showering before going to bed. Having only two towels in the entire the apartment, my showering schedule ended up being fairly sporadic.
"What the hell?" I muttered as the knocking grew to pounding. I climbed out of bed and put a shirt on as I shuffled out towards the door, "Hang on…" I paused and peered through the peephole.
Bruce stared back at me, looking impatient, but then again he usually did.
"Holy nightmare," I muttered as I reached over to pinch the skin on my arm.
No, even worse. This was real.
V
I listened as the locks shifted from the other side of the door and then watched as Dick pulled it back, opening it halfway. He looked fresh out of bed, rumpled flannel pants, stained tee shirt and hair that was defying gravity.
"Hello, Dick."
"Uh, hi, Bruce."
Before I could say anything else, Mattie stepped out from behind me and called out his name loudly as she ran at him. He swiftly picked her up and hugged her, "Hey munchkin."
Mattie's arms locked around his neck, "Happy Birthday, Dick!" before kissing his stubble covered cheek.
The shocked look on his face made me wonder if he had forgotten what day it was. He smiled and thanked her before stepping back, "Come on in, Bruce."
From the hall, with Dick's body in the doorway, the place hadn't looked that bad. After I passed through and he shut the door, realized that maybe we should have talked out in the hallway.
The den I remembered was long gone, buried under piles newspapers, boxes of files and dirty laundry. Where there were usually end tables at the arms of the couches, upside down milk crates rested, also buried alive. The carpet, once blue, had taken on a dark grainy appearance in spots where there wasn't items on the floor. As I took a step into the room, I kicked a sock aside and frowned to see the difference in color.
"Can I get you something to drink?" he asked as he set Mattie down. When I looked at him blankly he continued, "I have water, Coke, maybe some juice."
I glanced at his kitchen and swallowed hard, "Coke," I said, thinking it was at least in a sealed container. Mattie followed him as he walked back to the open kitchen and I quickly followed her just in case some monster dust bunny leapt out from under his furniture. She climbed up on a surprisingly empty stool and swung her legs back and forth, a smile plastered on her face. Somehow, her older sibling, no matter what he did, had the ability to captivate her. Similar as to how Tim looked up to Dick, as well. I never understood it completely…
As Dick opened the door to the refrigerator, my eyes caught sight of a small, graying box of Chinese takeout food. They widened as I read the label to a restaurant that had been closed for nearly a year. When he turned and handed me the can, I looked up at him and said, "Thanks." Mattie asked for water and I shuddered at the thought of her drinking out of a glass. Thankfully, he pulled out a bottle of spring water and opened it for her.
A moment of silence passed before Dick asked, "So, what's up?"
I paused before saying, "I thought we could go out to lunch."
"Why?" he replied.
Mattie laughed, "It's your birthday, silly."
He reached over and poked her side, "I know that, goofy…" he leaned against the countertop and looked down at himself, "Well, you give me fifteen minutes to make me look like a human and I can do lunch."
While Dick changed, shaved and washed up, I had Mattie remain on the stool while I looked around his apartment a bit. The newspapers that had been in the living room had been copies of the Bludhaven Bugle, most of them from the last two weeks with front-page stories on the shootout. The top newspaper boldly stated that the awards ceremony was going on as planned the next afternoon on the steps of the courthouse. Several Medals of Valor were to be handed out in addition to certificates of appreciation and commendation to all of the officers involved in the event.
And it also displayed a picture that been haunting me for weeks.
"Ready?" I heard his voice as he came down the hall. He had changed into a pair of dark jeans and a slate blue V-neck sweater over a blue and white striped button down shirt. He grabbed a wallet off of a milk crate that towered with manila folders and then reached for his leather coat that had been resting on the back of a large ceramic fiure of a white greyhound that I hadn't even noticed. I called Mattie's name and when she didn't come I walked towards the kitchen.
"Mattie?"
Before panic could set in, I heard her voice from behind me, "I'm right here, Dad."
I took her hand and crossed the room again, "Just making sure…"
I had parked in front of the apartment and helped Mattie in as Dick took the passenger seat. As I stared at the back of his head while walking around the back of the car, I realized that we had shared a dozen words since Christmas, and not many more since Thanksgiving. This could be an interesting lunch, I thought to myself.
It wasn't.
We barely spoke to one another, let alone looked at each other. He spoke with Mattie a great deal and kept the conversation light and entertaining for her. I then realized what he was doing, putting off the harder topics until later and hopefully out of her hearing range.
Not four blocks from the restaurant, I knew of a small park that was fairly well kept and free from troublesome loiterers. A rare commodity in Bludhaven. As we stepped out the front door, I suggested we walk for a while and when I mentioned the park, Mattie was ecstatic. She bee-lined it to the swings as Dick and I took a seat on a bench nearby. Another small boy was also swinging and I could hear her talking to him.
Not even a teenager and she was already after boys…
"So what are you really here for Bruce?" he asked suddenly.
I crossed my legs and watched as Mattie began to swing. I didn't have an answer for him. The entire drive over I had been pondering on what I would say to him, how I would go about things. Hell, over the last week, as I'd pooled over past cases as an excuse to keep myself busy, I had been thinking about it. Perhaps too much…
"I want to… apologize for not…" I took a deep breath before continuing, "I remember every criminal I've ever put on Death Row. The one that stands out though… 'Slasher' Samuels… I had gone the extra mile to bring him in…"
Out of the corner of my eye, I noticed he had turned his head towards me, a shocked look on his face. Instead of looking at him, I studied the calluses on my palms, "It had been the evidence that I had found that allowed the DA to pin him with first-degree murder with aggravated circumstances… Without it, he would have been lucky to get away with second-degree murder charges. When I had found him and turned him over to the police, I knew what his fate would be… Four months before I married Selina and I was practically sentencing this man to his death…"
We watched Mattie swing back and forth for a good four minutes, neither of us making a shift to speak next. For once, I made the first move. I looked over at him and said, "That's why I have no right to criticize your actions. To judge what you did or even your career as being wrong…"
I stood and called over to Mattie. She stopped swinging, hopped off and said good-bye to her new friend before skipping towards me. Before she arrived, I continued, "When you get a chance, Alfred would like to have you up to the Manor so he can feed you something."
Mattie paused next to me and smiled before moving over to Dick, who was still sitting on the bench. She climbed up next to him and leaned against his arm. It took him a moment to realize she was there but when he did, Dick instantly relaxed and put an arm around her shoulders. She giggled before kissing his cheek, "Happy Birthday, Dick."
Dick smirked, "So are you my present?"
She shook her head and reached into her pocket. Her tiny hand pulled out a small black and blue friendship bracelet, "Mom helped me make it. She said they were your favorite colors."
He took it from her and put it on, "They sure are…" I watched on as he looked down at her, "Listen, kiddo, I'm sorry I didn't make it to your birthday party…"
She shrugged, "It's ok. You were working."
Dick touched her arm and continued, "That's no excuse. Listen, how about we go out sometime, just you and me, we can celebrate both of our birthdays. What do you think?"
She leapt at him as she at his apartment, "Yeah!"
"All right, I'll get it all figured out… But you better get going with your dad."
Mattie smiled when she looked at me and then back at Dick, "He's your dad too."
Dick stood with her in his arms and kissed her cheek. He then glanced at me and nodded, "That he is."
V
I waited forty minutes after he returned from patrols before I went to thank him.
A little after eight-thirty that evening, Barbara had called me. I had just put Mattie to bed, after she had told me for the millionth time that Dick was going to take her out to have a double-birthday outing. When I answered, Barbara's voice was quieter than usual, as if she was trying not to be heard. I asked why she was whispering and she told me that she didn't want to wake Dick up.
Apparently, not even two hours after having lunch with Bruce, Dick had showed up at her doorstep with an overnight bag and smirk on his face. He had stepped through the door, picked her up out of her chair and held her for a good ten minutes. She said he was laughing so hard that she had been scared he would drop her. They ordered in dinner, had a picnic in the den and talked for hours. She had said, "It's just like old times…"
Well, if they could make up, I suppose we could.
He had been sitting in that throne of a chair in front of the computer, cowl pulled back and typing up a storm on the keyboard. I padded up in his loafers and his robe, making my presence loud and clear. He didn't even hesitate.
I sat on the arm of the chair and wrapped an arm around his shoulders and waited for him to respond. When he didn't, I leaned over and rested my head on his. Still nothing. "Bruce?"
Not even a grunt.
I looked up at the screen and watched as the words he typed showed up on the screen. Eighty-five words per minute with a near perfect accuracy. That was when he was left alone. I slipped off of the chair and leaned over the back of it, my hands finding the tension in his shoulders that surfaced when he typed in his logs after patrols. I smirked when he had to hit the Backspace button to fix three typos in one paragraph. My hands then slipped over his collarbones and rested on his chest gently. When I traced the Bat emblem, he had to fix two typos in one sentence.
As I drew my hands back, his head turned slightly, "That's my robe."
"What are you, the world's greatest detective?" I waited for him to respond and when he didn't, I continued, "But from what I hear, you were the world's greatest dad today. Ought to get you the mug-."
"What are you talking about?" he asked while trying to hide his intrigue.
I informed him about Dick coming to stay with Barbara and he grunted softly. I then said, "Whatever you did, whatever you told him…" I paused and kissed his cheek, "Thank you."
When I stood and began to walk away, I heard him stand, "That's it?"
"Yep," I said, still walking away from him.
The soles of his boots clanked loudly on the stone floor as he quickly moved towards the costume vault. I had just reached the stairs when I heard him jogging after me. As I took the first step, he was at my side, dressed in a pair of black shorts and a turtleneck long-sleeved shirt.
As we ascended the stairs, he looked down at my feet, "Mine?"
I nodded and hooked my arm with his, "Yes, dear."
After we passed through the clock entrance, I waited as he locked the entryway and watched him take a quick step to the side. He took a sharp breath before turning back to face me. I hid my concern with a half-smile and reached for his hand. On the way upstairs, we stopped to check in on Mattie in her room. Bruce adjusted her blankets a bit and brushed back a strand of hair that had slipped over her face as I watched from the doorway.
"Ready?" I asked softly.
Bruce nodded and came towards me. When he was an arm's length away, he moved down suddenly, putting one arm behind my knees and the other behind my shoulders. I kept from calling out in shock by biting the tip of my tongue. He lifted me effortlessly and began walking down the hall towards the bedroom doors. When at a safe distance from my daughter's room, I asked, "What are you doing?"
"Taking back my robe and loafers."
Logical.
Once through the doors, he set me on the bed before walking into the bathroom. After partially shutting the door, he flicked the light on and I heard him open the medicine cabinet. Not fifteen seconds later, he shut the light off and came out.
"You okay?"
He shrugged slightly, "Headache."
"Must be all that being nice. Tends to get overwhelming when you don't practice it on a regular basis."
"Funny," he said quietly before sitting on the bed next to me.
I reached over and set my hand on the back of his neck, guiding his head to face me. He smirked slightly as my nails traced the cropped edge of his haircut. I bit my lower lip, "You love me a lot, right?"
"Of course. Why?"
"Because… of this…" I tugged suddenly, removing the long gray hair on the back of his neck. It had been bugging the hell out of me for nearly two months.
His hand flew up to his neck as he asked, "What was that for?"
"Mutual grooming…" I shrugged as I sank back against the pillows, "It's a common sign of affection in animals."
His scowl quickly turned into a smile, "Oh really?" he asked as he moved towards me.
"Yes, really," I answered as he settled above me, bearing his weight on his legs on either side of mine.
With his lips a mere inch from my ear, he whispered, "What kind of animals?"
I paused before answering, "Pin-headed apes for the most part."
V
Holy Two Updates in One Week, Batman!
