Chapter 11

Disclaimer: I own nothing except Sandra.

Alfred had fallen asleep on the couch while waiting and hoping for Bruce to return. Alfred prayed that his instincts about Bruce returning were correct. Alfred stirred slightly when he realized the lulling sound of the television was missing. He opened his eyes briefly and what he saw made him jump.

"God, Bruce," he murmured.

He paused realizing his momentary lapse in being so formal. Alfred turned about to apologize to Bruce when he noticed that the young man was staring blankly into the older man's face. Alfred immediately recalled that look. It was the same one Bruce used to have after a nightmare. Alfred would often open his eyes in the middle of the night to see a frightened boy staring back just waiting for someone to notice him. Alfred would ask him what was wrong and the answer would always be the same.

"May I sit with you for awhile?"

Alfred would nod so often not fully awake and the boy would cuddle next to the older man until he fell asleep. It was a time Alfred recalled with a bittersweet emotion. Bruce soon after that began to shut down completely with his emotions, emotions of any kind. He became a wall which not even the strongest influence could break. Bruce was a boy, caught in between his past and his future. The future was always a bright one while the past was his shadow. Alfred hoped that Bruce would lose that shadow, and still did hope for that. Alfred opened and closed his eyes steadily attempting to wake himself out of the deep slumber he was feeling now that he knew his charge was safe. Alfred looked up to Bruce again realizing that his charge was indeed staring off at him with a lost look in his eyes. Suddenly, Alfred felt very awake.

"What is it, Master Wayne?" Alfred wanted to follow that statement with, 'Did you have another nightmare?', but he refrained. Bruce was no longer a child although sometimes Alfred felt Bruce needed to think he was in order to shatter the past.

Alfred noticed Bruce gently cradling his arm over his side. He peeled Bruce's hand away from his side and saw it was congealed in blood.

"My God, sir, what happened?"

Without waiting for a reply, Alfred grabbed the antiseptics and cloths that were lying quite handy next to him.

Bruce stared quizzically at the butler. Alfred shrugged.

"You never know when a billionaire may stumble into his house bleeding."

Bruce wanted to smile but couldn't. Why was Alfred still being so nice to him?

"Alfred," he began, "I've…done some things tonight…things that I swore I would never do…"

Alfred could guess at least two of them as a condom wrapper fell out of Bruce's jacket and his breath reeked of alcohol.

Looking squarely back into charge's wounded eyes.

"We all do things that we aren't proud of sir. It's what makes us human."

Bruce dropped his head. His hair fell over his forehead and the silence was even driving Alfred insane.

"I murdered a man tonight. Alfred."

Bruce braced himself for the pain that was to follow that statement, but nothing happened. Bruce raised his head to look into Alfred's eyes which were downcast.

For just a moment, Alfred froze, but then without a word continued to care for the wound that was obviously making Master Bruce hallucinate.

"What are you talking about sir?" Alfred replied finally returning the look.

"What man?'

Bruce looked into Alfred's puzzled eyes. Surely, he watched the news? Did he not piece it together?

"The man, Alfred, Crane's man that was found dead under the bridge? That was me. I killed him. You have watched the news haven't you?"

Alfred still seemed confused and then suddenly realized what Master Bruce was talking about. That man Alfred that had seen on the news earlier. The young man so lost…under that bridge. Alfred suddenly pieced it all together.

"Sir, were you sprayed with the toxin?"

Bruce nodded emphatically, "I was, but Alfred that's no excuse for my actions. I should have realized that it wasn't real. I should have realized that Crane's man wasn't…"he paused almost afraid to speak Chill's name. Alfred waited for Bruce to continue daring him to mention the name of the man from his past.

"I couldn't stop myself Alfred," Bruce continued tears falling. Alfred didn't even think Bruce realized he was crying.

"I kept thrashing him….thrashing him until he was so bloody, I am surprised they could identify him so quickly." Bruce paused and breathed a heavy sigh.

"I even snapped his neck. After he was dead, I still snapped his neck. The violence I have seen…the violence I have committed…I am like them…." Bruce whispered.

Alfred wasn't quite sure what to say to Master Bruce's confession. He reached out and grabbed the younger man's hands.

"Who raised you, Master Wayne?"

Bruce thought this an odd question to be asking after his detailed evening.

Bruce's brow furrowed. He didn't answer.

"Answer the question, Master Wayne."

Bruce's eyes lightened a bit. Alfred had flashes of his charge in his younger days when he was caught doing things that weren't exactly "proper".

"You, sir," he responded.

Alfred smiled gently.

"What have I always taught you when you feared that the darkness in your dreams would become a reality?"

Bruce thought reflectively back on those conversations.

He whispered, "You always said that no son of mine would ever commit such acts because it wasn't in his nature to be in between the dark and the light. No matter what, he would find the light even in his darkest hour."

Alfred couldn't remove the proud look that displayed across his tired features. Bruce really did pay attention after all of these years.

"But, Alfred, "Bruce interjected, "I don't understand what that has to do with this situation…"

Alfred sighed, "Sir, I thought you were the detective." Alfred paused prepared to explain.

"You said that the toxin affected you before you killed that man?"

Bruce nodded, "Yes, and I took the antidote I had carried with me. When things didn't seem right with the situation and the images started to change from Crane's man to him…..I know it was a mistake… I knew that it was the toxin so I took the antidote but it was too late."

Alfred grasped Bruce's hands harder.

"Listen to yourself."

As Alfred continued to clean and stitch the wound Bruce went over the words he had just said. Things still seemed so foggy...foggy….blood stained hands….wait never blood stained…..he snapped the man's neck…hadn't he?

"The toxin sir," Alfred continued, "was a different strain than the one dispersed into the narrows months ago. It was stronger dose, one which wouldn't be erased completely or as effectively with the antidote you had." Alfred smirked and gave a chuckle.

"You may have indeed beaten him to a bloody pulp as I saw on the news with my own eyes, but you certainly didn't kill anyone."

Alfred thought his answer seemed efficient, but Bruce had many questions.

"But Alfred I snapped the man's neck." Bruce repeated in shock. "I heard it snap."

Alfred was beginning to realize what a brilliant imagination Bruce had.

"That was your handcuffs snapping on his wrists, sir."

Bruce's eyes grew hopeful. "You mean I'm innocent?"

Alfred finished up his stitching and picked up the empty condom wrappers that had fallen in the floor. Bruce grinned sheepishly.

"Innocent, sir? No, but you are no murderer."

Bruce sat completely still as he took in Alfred's words. So, the whole thing was an illusion that his mind concocted. Bruce winced at the pain in his side as Alfred dabbed it gently. Well, not all of it was a hallucination. His mind briefly thought of Sandra. Hopefully, the best part wasn't.

"Come along, Master Wayne. It's time for bed."

Bruce looked at his mentor. Suddenly Bruce felt so small and vulnerable for the first time in a long time. He dragged his fatigued body to the couch and lay down unable to move, but filled with such relief.

Alfred put a warm blanket on him as he watched Bruce's eyes close gently.

Alfred whispered more to himself than Bruce.

"May I sit with you for awhile?"

Alfred wasn't sure if Bruce heard him or not. For once in a long time, Alfred knew that the nightmares would cease at least for tonight. Alfred returned to his couch and closed his eyes dreaming of the past, the future and everything in between.

THE END

Hope you all enjoyed again! Please review. Did you like the twist? All in the mind. A mind is a powerful weapon in itself. It is one that often defeats Bruce.

As Ducard said

"You fear your own power, the power to do great or terrible things."

-BATMAN BEGINS

. Here are some clues I threw in the chapters. One of my favorite parts in the movie the Sixth Sense was the end when you get to see all of the stuff you missed and how it was all pieced together.

Chapter 1: We never saw Bruce killing anyone; only what he said he saw before he ran.

Chapter 6: When Bruce is about to enter the hotel, he was so absorbed in his fantasy that he didn't notice the lost souls and rotting walls. (Fantasy-although that could have been taken as with Sandra too I know).

Chapter 8: Bruce becoming sober…effects starting to wear off (I think personally that the alcohol intensified the toxin for him and prevented the cure from following through-but what do I know?-he noticed the room and how horrible it was for the first time. He kept thinking back on how he could kill someone and his blood stained hands when he suddenly shot up in bed. (He couldn't clearly recall blood stained hands- WE never saw Bruce wash his blood stained hands because there were none.

Chapter 9

Alfred sat in the room watching television and saw the poor man whose life was lost forever –in jail. He never said he had died.

I think I got everything here. I hope that helps. So if you ever read it again, look for the clues. This is my first drama/mystery but I tried to think how Bruce would in piecing little things together to make sense. I hope it did (although I do know some of the clues weren't blatant, but I couldn't give it all away. So many of you thought Bruce actually killed someone? Thank you again for reading and reviewing!