Bruce entered his appropriately spacious office. He glimpsed Terry staring out a far window as he made his way to his desk. He settled into the chair, stoic posture revealing none of what he was feeling. He'd been more than patient with his protege's poor attitude these past weeks and was willing to remain that way indefinitely. But he wouldn't allow that attitude to continue to infect the health of WayneTech. Terry's bullyish display with Manti was clear indication to Bruce that he needed to force a change. Personally he wouldn't have minded seeing Manti's self-important attitude humbled a bit. And from the eager expressions he noticed on some of the other department heads when Terry's fist was so eloquently poised near Manti's face, he realized the opinion was a shared one.
Bruce waited in silence for a few minutes until Terry reluctantly came to stand before the desk. He waited another minute allowing Terry to speak first. The young man remained silent, eyes lowered. Bruce steeled himself to speak in a quiet, neutral voice.
"I can't allow this to go on any longer Terry. Regardless of the reasons for the monumental chip you seem to enjoy carrying on your shoulder these days, you will either get rid of it or lose your position at WayneTech. And I'm certain you understand the logic behind this decision as well as I do."
"I understand." Terry nodded and calmly met Bruce's gaze. "And I'm sorry if I embarassed you in there."
"Embarassment has nothing to do with this."
"Yes sir."
"Don't do that." Bruce felt the knot of anger form in his gut. Calling him sir and acting all humble. What a load of crap. Terry taking on the subservient role was way out of character. If that kind of relationship had ever exisited between them it had disappeared early on. So him doing it now meant what? That he was trying to make him angry, hoping to push him away like he'd been doing with everyone else?
"Sir?"
Bruce grit his teeth while maintaining outward calm. Terry saying that word grated like fingernails on a chalkboard. If he said it one more time Bruce wondered if he could stop himself from giving the youngster a fat lip. He managed to continue a calm tone as he replied,
"Don't act like this is some kind of punishment. It's not. This is simply a choice you need to make. And make it you will, whether it's a conscious decision or not." He unconsciously fisted one hand beneath the desk in anticipation of Terry's next words.
Terry said nothing, gaze dropped, his own hands fisting at his side. Bruce could feel it now. The young man's anger. Radiating out invisibly like heat from a fire. But Terry remained unmoved, holding it tightly in check.
Bruce waited.
"It won't happen again." Terry excused himself gruffly before turning to leave.
"Terry."
Terry paused.
"Talk to me."
"About what?"
"Whatever you're thinking right now?"
"I...don't think that would be wise."
"Why not?"
"They're not nice thoughts."
"Do they concern me?"
"Yes."
"Then I'd like to hear them. Especially since doing that would help you."
Terry slowly turned to face Bruce,
"Help me?" Sarcasm laced Terry's voice and expression. "Like you helped me over four years ago when you offered me the 'job' as your 'assistant'?"
Bruce eyed him silently. Terry nodded knowingly,
"I remember how you smiled, reached out your hand and said; 'Welcome to my world.' Did you know what that meant when you said those words?" He raised his brows in question, hard glint in the blue eyes he rested on Bruce. A pause and he gave an exaggerated nod. "Yes. Of course you did. Did you bother telling me what was in your world?" Another pause with a clear shake of his head following. "Nah. Let the boy find out for himself you probably said to yourself. Let him learn the lessons on his own. It'll be good for him--make him stronger--smarter--wiser. Cause that's the way Batman has to be. Better than anyone else. Better than you even."
Bruce remained visibly unmoved by Terry's incensed stare and impassioned words.
A grimace contorted Terry's bearded face. He leaned over, hands slapping the smooth-topped desk, gaze inches away and level with his old mentor's. He spat out the next words with a vehemence Bruce had never experienced from him before.
"Well guess what? I don't like your world. It sucks!"
Bruce was hard-pressed to keep from lowering his eyes against the blaze of Terry's directed anger. Abruptly the young man bowed his head, giving it a dismissive shake.
"This is all wrong." He muttered in disgust and sprung away from the desk, heading for the exit without another look at Bruce.
The elder did not attempt to stop him. It was a strange new twist to their relationship, realizing the student had reached a level of growth where he could surprise his mentor. There was a greater depth to Terry's anger than Bruce had realized. And yet he sensed Terry was holding it in tight control. So what else was he not seeing? What else was this amazing young man capable of? How much longer would it be before Terry came to grips with this troubling episode in his life and moved on to a higher level?
Hopefully before he alienated everyone and everything around him with his negative emotion and before his toying with alcohol became more than a knee-jerk habit to distract himself from his thoughts. That's probably where he was going now. To get a drink.
Bruce watched Terry storm for the office door, pause before it to gain composure, then step through and close it quietly behind him. He nodded approval. Another sure sign that Terry controlled the anger and not vice versa. Trusted gut feelings told him that Batman would return in time to help save Gotham from Ras Al Ghul's all-encompassing evil. Childish sentiment or wishful thinking? Hardly. Simple benefits of a long, full life of experiences and faith in the resilience of the human spirit.
**********************
Max slipped into Terry's office unannounced, not wanting to give him a chance to avoid her. If he heard her enter he didn't acknowledge it. He was where she assumed he'd be. At the small bar built into the office's back wall, throwing back the last of a drink.
Approaching slowly, she stopped halfway across the room. He eyed her and said nothing, turning instead to refill the glass.
She stated the words in a neutral tone. "I heard what happened."
"From the janitor I'll bet." Terry remarked sarcastically while pausing his pour from bottle to glass. "What's the rumor this time? That Wayne had enough of his 'pet' project and was giving the dumb sucker his long deserved boot out of the company?"
"Don't be ridiculous." Max scolded and took a few steps closer. "You were out of line in there. It's Bruce's job to keep the meeting orderly and on topic. He would have done the same to anyone under those circumstances."
"I didn't do anything wrong."
Her eyebrows arched, "So you didn't threaten Eric Manti with a right jab?"
Terry chuckled. "I just wanted to see how much the pansy would flinch. I wasn't actually going to hit him."
"Sounds pretty childish on your part."
"Okay, it probably was." He admitted gruffly and took in a fresh swallow of liquor. "But I did get him to take me seriously for a change."
"You're smarter than that Terry."
"Forget about it Max. I'm not feeling repentant and I'm not in the mood for a lecture telling me why I should be." He finished off his drink in two gulps and turned back to the bar for a refill. Turning to face her again, Terry saluted her with it and tipped the glass to his lips.
Something snapped inside Max as she watched him. She had seen enough of his self-destructive behavior over these last weeks and refused to remain a passive observer any longer. An unfamiliar part of her compelled her angry stride to end the distance between them.
Within reach her arm flung out to smack the freshly filled glass of booze from his hand. She saw his expression of surprise and followed his gaze to the carpeted floor where the spilled liquid was staining it. His eyes were narrowed and questioning on her as she spoke.
"I won't let you keep doing this to yourself. This is not who you are."
"How do you know who I am? I don't even know! And what do you care? You walked out of my life, remember?"
"And what about me walking back into it? Do I get any credit for that?"
He grunted a nonanswer and went to pour himself another drink.
Max stepped into his path, making him jerk to a stop.
"What the...?" His irritated stare turned indignant. "The old man offered you some kind of bribe to get you to come back didn't he? Cause I sure don't get the impression you enjoy my company."
"What do you expect when you act like an ogre all the time. I'm surprised your office staff didn't pool their money together and hire a hit man to get you off their cases."
"Funny." Terry sneered as he stepped around her to get a new drink.
Max sidled over to block him again and wondered what kind of fire she was playing with when he settled angry, smoldering eyes on her.
His arms came up as if to grab her, then dropped back. He pivoted and began to walk away. There were other places he could get a drink. The brief touch of Max's hand on his shoulder stopped him. The sympathy weighting her husky voice both comforted and infuriated him.
"I'm sorry for what you had to go through Terry. I wish it wouldn't have happened."
"It might not have..." He clipped, twisting to face her. "... if you'd been here."
She lowered her eyelids against the indictment. That possible truth continually haunted Max, though she knew the reasons she had left were valid.
"Maybe." She admitted softly. "But neither of us can go back and change it. And just for the record -- which I will say for the last time -- I have never given up on you. I have always believed in you Terry. And I always will. The problem is ---- you've stopped believing in yourself."
Bruce waited in silence for a few minutes until Terry reluctantly came to stand before the desk. He waited another minute allowing Terry to speak first. The young man remained silent, eyes lowered. Bruce steeled himself to speak in a quiet, neutral voice.
"I can't allow this to go on any longer Terry. Regardless of the reasons for the monumental chip you seem to enjoy carrying on your shoulder these days, you will either get rid of it or lose your position at WayneTech. And I'm certain you understand the logic behind this decision as well as I do."
"I understand." Terry nodded and calmly met Bruce's gaze. "And I'm sorry if I embarassed you in there."
"Embarassment has nothing to do with this."
"Yes sir."
"Don't do that." Bruce felt the knot of anger form in his gut. Calling him sir and acting all humble. What a load of crap. Terry taking on the subservient role was way out of character. If that kind of relationship had ever exisited between them it had disappeared early on. So him doing it now meant what? That he was trying to make him angry, hoping to push him away like he'd been doing with everyone else?
"Sir?"
Bruce grit his teeth while maintaining outward calm. Terry saying that word grated like fingernails on a chalkboard. If he said it one more time Bruce wondered if he could stop himself from giving the youngster a fat lip. He managed to continue a calm tone as he replied,
"Don't act like this is some kind of punishment. It's not. This is simply a choice you need to make. And make it you will, whether it's a conscious decision or not." He unconsciously fisted one hand beneath the desk in anticipation of Terry's next words.
Terry said nothing, gaze dropped, his own hands fisting at his side. Bruce could feel it now. The young man's anger. Radiating out invisibly like heat from a fire. But Terry remained unmoved, holding it tightly in check.
Bruce waited.
"It won't happen again." Terry excused himself gruffly before turning to leave.
"Terry."
Terry paused.
"Talk to me."
"About what?"
"Whatever you're thinking right now?"
"I...don't think that would be wise."
"Why not?"
"They're not nice thoughts."
"Do they concern me?"
"Yes."
"Then I'd like to hear them. Especially since doing that would help you."
Terry slowly turned to face Bruce,
"Help me?" Sarcasm laced Terry's voice and expression. "Like you helped me over four years ago when you offered me the 'job' as your 'assistant'?"
Bruce eyed him silently. Terry nodded knowingly,
"I remember how you smiled, reached out your hand and said; 'Welcome to my world.' Did you know what that meant when you said those words?" He raised his brows in question, hard glint in the blue eyes he rested on Bruce. A pause and he gave an exaggerated nod. "Yes. Of course you did. Did you bother telling me what was in your world?" Another pause with a clear shake of his head following. "Nah. Let the boy find out for himself you probably said to yourself. Let him learn the lessons on his own. It'll be good for him--make him stronger--smarter--wiser. Cause that's the way Batman has to be. Better than anyone else. Better than you even."
Bruce remained visibly unmoved by Terry's incensed stare and impassioned words.
A grimace contorted Terry's bearded face. He leaned over, hands slapping the smooth-topped desk, gaze inches away and level with his old mentor's. He spat out the next words with a vehemence Bruce had never experienced from him before.
"Well guess what? I don't like your world. It sucks!"
Bruce was hard-pressed to keep from lowering his eyes against the blaze of Terry's directed anger. Abruptly the young man bowed his head, giving it a dismissive shake.
"This is all wrong." He muttered in disgust and sprung away from the desk, heading for the exit without another look at Bruce.
The elder did not attempt to stop him. It was a strange new twist to their relationship, realizing the student had reached a level of growth where he could surprise his mentor. There was a greater depth to Terry's anger than Bruce had realized. And yet he sensed Terry was holding it in tight control. So what else was he not seeing? What else was this amazing young man capable of? How much longer would it be before Terry came to grips with this troubling episode in his life and moved on to a higher level?
Hopefully before he alienated everyone and everything around him with his negative emotion and before his toying with alcohol became more than a knee-jerk habit to distract himself from his thoughts. That's probably where he was going now. To get a drink.
Bruce watched Terry storm for the office door, pause before it to gain composure, then step through and close it quietly behind him. He nodded approval. Another sure sign that Terry controlled the anger and not vice versa. Trusted gut feelings told him that Batman would return in time to help save Gotham from Ras Al Ghul's all-encompassing evil. Childish sentiment or wishful thinking? Hardly. Simple benefits of a long, full life of experiences and faith in the resilience of the human spirit.
**********************
Max slipped into Terry's office unannounced, not wanting to give him a chance to avoid her. If he heard her enter he didn't acknowledge it. He was where she assumed he'd be. At the small bar built into the office's back wall, throwing back the last of a drink.
Approaching slowly, she stopped halfway across the room. He eyed her and said nothing, turning instead to refill the glass.
She stated the words in a neutral tone. "I heard what happened."
"From the janitor I'll bet." Terry remarked sarcastically while pausing his pour from bottle to glass. "What's the rumor this time? That Wayne had enough of his 'pet' project and was giving the dumb sucker his long deserved boot out of the company?"
"Don't be ridiculous." Max scolded and took a few steps closer. "You were out of line in there. It's Bruce's job to keep the meeting orderly and on topic. He would have done the same to anyone under those circumstances."
"I didn't do anything wrong."
Her eyebrows arched, "So you didn't threaten Eric Manti with a right jab?"
Terry chuckled. "I just wanted to see how much the pansy would flinch. I wasn't actually going to hit him."
"Sounds pretty childish on your part."
"Okay, it probably was." He admitted gruffly and took in a fresh swallow of liquor. "But I did get him to take me seriously for a change."
"You're smarter than that Terry."
"Forget about it Max. I'm not feeling repentant and I'm not in the mood for a lecture telling me why I should be." He finished off his drink in two gulps and turned back to the bar for a refill. Turning to face her again, Terry saluted her with it and tipped the glass to his lips.
Something snapped inside Max as she watched him. She had seen enough of his self-destructive behavior over these last weeks and refused to remain a passive observer any longer. An unfamiliar part of her compelled her angry stride to end the distance between them.
Within reach her arm flung out to smack the freshly filled glass of booze from his hand. She saw his expression of surprise and followed his gaze to the carpeted floor where the spilled liquid was staining it. His eyes were narrowed and questioning on her as she spoke.
"I won't let you keep doing this to yourself. This is not who you are."
"How do you know who I am? I don't even know! And what do you care? You walked out of my life, remember?"
"And what about me walking back into it? Do I get any credit for that?"
He grunted a nonanswer and went to pour himself another drink.
Max stepped into his path, making him jerk to a stop.
"What the...?" His irritated stare turned indignant. "The old man offered you some kind of bribe to get you to come back didn't he? Cause I sure don't get the impression you enjoy my company."
"What do you expect when you act like an ogre all the time. I'm surprised your office staff didn't pool their money together and hire a hit man to get you off their cases."
"Funny." Terry sneered as he stepped around her to get a new drink.
Max sidled over to block him again and wondered what kind of fire she was playing with when he settled angry, smoldering eyes on her.
His arms came up as if to grab her, then dropped back. He pivoted and began to walk away. There were other places he could get a drink. The brief touch of Max's hand on his shoulder stopped him. The sympathy weighting her husky voice both comforted and infuriated him.
"I'm sorry for what you had to go through Terry. I wish it wouldn't have happened."
"It might not have..." He clipped, twisting to face her. "... if you'd been here."
She lowered her eyelids against the indictment. That possible truth continually haunted Max, though she knew the reasons she had left were valid.
"Maybe." She admitted softly. "But neither of us can go back and change it. And just for the record -- which I will say for the last time -- I have never given up on you. I have always believed in you Terry. And I always will. The problem is ---- you've stopped believing in yourself."