Pearls (DCAU)

"NO!" Bruce screamed as shots rang out, splitting the air around them.

His eyes were wide with shock as his father dropped to the concrete alley beneath him. The man lunged for his mother, grabbing hold of her pearl necklace. The delicate pearls broke free from the choker, scattering all over the ground beneath her as the gun fired again.

His mother's scream was only drowned out by that of his own as his mother crumpled to the ground, lying in a pool of her own blood as pearls fell like snowflakes. Bruce looked up from his mother to find the barrel of the gun pointed directly at him.

The gunman grinned maliciously at him, uttering the word "bang" before turning and disappearing down the alley. Bruce stood frozen in fear and shock before his legs finally gave out, causing him to fall to his knees between the bodies of his parents.

He buried his tear-streaked face in his hands as he wept uncontrollably, his body shaking as the devastating realization of what had just happened came crashing down upon him. Time grated to a halt as life as he knew it had come to a shocking end.

He felt a hand on his shoulder, but he didn't move. He didn't want to leave them. Leaving them made it that much more permanent…that much more real. He hadn't been strong enough to stop it from happening. Leaving them felt like abandoning them.

"Come, son," a gentle voice said near his ear. "They wouldn't want you to stay here like this."

Bruce dazedly stood to his feet, his breathing erratic with a staccato beat as he was guided to the back of a police car. Someone put a jacket around his shoulders, the coat swallowing him whole as he scooted into the back seat.

It wasn't long before the sound of Alfred frantically calling his name greeted his ears as he searched desperately for him. He felt a sense of peace stirring inside of him, a bit of comfort coming from familiarity. The back door of the police car opened, revealing the British butler.

Bruce slowly turned his head to look at him, noticing the pain that permeated his eyes. Alfred knelt down before him without a word, opening his arms to the young boy who had just lost his entire world. Without a second thought, Bruce threw himself into Alfred's arms, knowing he was all that he had now.

After several long moments, Alfred drew back, his hands coming to rest on either side of Bruce's face. "Are you alright, Master Bruce? You aren't hurt?"

Bruce shook his head, unable to form words. Alfred drew a shuddering breath as he reined in his own emotions. "You stay here," he instructed him. "I'll be right back and then I'll take you home."

Bruce just sat there as Alfred went to talk to a police officer. They spoke for quite a long time, but Bruce couldn't hear what was being said. Alfred seemed to be rather upset about something before being escorted to the crime scene.

Alfred disappeared from view as he crouched down, straightening up a few moments late. He nodded to the police officer before returning to Bruce. "Let's get you home," he softly said.

XXX

"Alfred!" Bruce yelled, grunting in annoyance as he searched his files for some important documents that his father possessed.

He needed them for a crucial investment that he wanted to make. It would further strengthen what his father had already begun, bringing growth, and adding to the wealth that he was already adding to his father's estate. He knew his father would be proud if he were here.

Bruce swallowed back the familiar lump that filled his throat with the thought of his parents. "Alfred!" he called again, wondering where he could be.

Deciding to check the safe, Bruce got up from his desk to pull on the large painting on the wall, the artwork swinging open like a door to reveal a wall safe. Using the secret code, the lock clicked, allowing him to open the safe.

He began to sift through the numerous files and items that were kept there, tamping down on the emotions that threatened to rise up inside of him with the valuable mementos found there. His father's pocket watch that had once belonged to Bruce's great grandfather, his parents wedding rings, his mother's engagement ring as well as some of his mother's jewelry.

Spotting something in the back of the safe, Bruce frowned as he reached for a small black velvet bag. He didn't remember ever seeing it in there before. Removing the velvet bag, he pulled on the silk string, loosening it enough to tip the contents into the palm of his hand.

A waterfall of white pearls filled his hand, taking him by surprise. He felt his breath leave his body as his stomach found its way into his shoes. These were his mother's pearls…his mother's pearls from that night twenty years ago.

"You bellowed, Master Bruce," Alfred said as he entered the room.

"Where did you get these?" Bruce demanded to know as he turned to face him.

"Oh, dear," Alfred murmured. "I thought I had hidden them far enough in the back that you wouldn't find them just yet."

"I asked you how did you get these?" Bruce asked again, his chest beginning to heave.

"I retrieved them the night your parents were murdered," Alfred calmly replied, clasping his hands before him.

"Why?" he choked out, suddenly remembering losing sight of Alfred that night at the crime scene.

"They belonged to your mother," Alfred continued. "I wanted you to have them in case…"

"In case what?" Bruce questioned him as he moved to sit down in a nearby chair.

"In case you decided to get married someday," he told him. "I think your mother would have wanted your future wife to have them. That pearl necklace was very special to her. Your father had given it to her the night you were born."

Bruce just stared in wonder at the mountain of pearls in his hand. He hadn't seen them since the night that they had been taken from him. He found the myriad of roiling emotions inside of him boiling down to a single, unexpected sensation—gratitude.

"Thank you, Alfred," he softly murmured.

Alfred smiled softly, relieved that his charge had seen the importance of keeping his mother's pearls. It really could have gone either way depending on his mood, but thankfully, he had taken it well. He had planned on keeping them safely stored in the back of the safe until Master Bruce had married, but that day didn't seem to be something that would be coming anytime soon.

He quietly exited the room, giving him some time alone. He hoped that those pearls would grace the throat of a deserving woman someday, someone special who could bring Master Bruce the love and happiness that he so desperately needed in his life.

XXX

She slipped through the manor with all the stealth and skill that came with her chosen profession, a definite destination in mind. She knew she needed to be quick. Bruce wasn't a deep sleeper. She needed to get what she had come for and return to his bed before he woke.

Entering his office, she made a beeline for the painting behind his desk. She swung it open, revealing the safe she had been itching to get her hands on…or into rather. She stretched her fingers before putting an ear to the safe, carefully turning the dial until she heard the telltale clicks.

Her lips curled into a grin as she opened the door and reached inside. She immediately reached for the small black velvet bag she had spied inside once when Bruce had opened it. She peered inside to find numerous pearls inside. Taking one out, she studied it carefully, noting that these pearls were not cheap in any sense of the word. These were the best of the best…the most expensive.

These were very special.

She froze when the light suddenly turned on, illuminating her deception, and putting her in the spotlight. She carefully put the pearl back into the black velvet bag before putting them back inside the safe. She silently closed the safe, placing the painting back where it belonged.

"Well, I guess there won't be another romp in your bed tonight," Selina quipped, trying to dissolve the tension that permeated the room.

"There won't be anything with me ever again," Bruce furiously spat out, standing in the doorway in his boxers with his arms crossed against his chest.

"Bruce," she practically purred as she sauntered towards him. "It's not what it seems. I just wanted to see what you were keeping in that little black bag."

"Don't even bother, Selina," he growled. "It's over. You've betrayed me for the last time."

Selina came to a stop before him, a pout on her face as she raised her hand to touch his chest. He snapped like a trap being sprung, his hand clamping down on her wrist in the blink of an eye. His fury was palpable, frightening even her at that moment.

She sighed heavily. "I'm sorry, Bruce," she apologized for what it was worth…which wasn't very much at that point. "I guess I just can't help myself even with you."

"Leave and never come back here," he ordered her.

She lowered her gaze, realization coming over her. "They once belonged to your mother, didn't they?"

Bruce stiffened but did not respond to her. The answer was more than evident.

"I do love you, Bruce," she tried again, her heart breaking.

"You don't know the true meaning of love," he icily stated as he turned and walked away. "Alfred, show her out."

Alfred glared darkly at the woman before him, the defeat and loss she felt evident on her face. He was beyond thankful that Master Bruce had finally come to his senses, seeing the thief as she really was instead of how he wanted her to be.

Too bad, it had to be over his mother's pearls.

XXX

Bruce adjusted his tie for the hundredth time, trying to keep his emotions in check. It was more than difficult with what he had planned for the evening ahead. He checked his pants pocket also for the hundredth time, needing to be reassured that it hadn't disappeared in the last two minutes and twenty-one seconds.

"Master Bruce, if you don't find a measure of calm, you're going to pass out before she even gets here," Alfred told him as he set the beautiful bouquet of flowers in the middle of the table set outside on the veranda.

"It's just…it's a significant night, Alfred," he reminded him with a growl of annoyance as he began to pace. "There's a lot riding on this. It'll change both of our lives forever."

Alfred smiled affectionately as he stopped before his surrogate son. "And stop touching your tie," he gently chided, straightening the tie for him. "This isn't your first date with her."

"I know but this one is the most important," Bruce replied, running his fingers back through his hair.

"Everything is going to be just fine," he reassured him. "You know she's going to say yes."

"No, I don't," Bruce stated, clearly doubting this decision he'd made. "She's an Amazon princess, Alfred. This goes against everything she's been taught…her entire heritage."

"But she's not on Themyscira anymore," he pointed out, double-checking the table setting once more. "This is our world. She's been here long enough to know and understand the customs here."

The doorbell ringing caused Bruce to freeze in fear or excitement…he wasn't sure which at this point. He was just trying not to pass out. Alfred stood before Bruce, placing his hands on his charge's shoulders. "She's an amazing woman," he reminded him. "I have never seen you this happy since losing your dear parents. She loves you, Bruce, and you love her. Now, go make her yours."

Bruce's lips curled into a confident smile as he nodded his head in agreement. He drew a deep breath as he made his way to the front door, opening it to reveal the woman who had caused his heart to beat a completely different rhythm since meeting her. It beat now just for her.

Diana was wearing a red dress that caused his heart to pound and his mind to race. All of his trepidations and fears went out the window with just the sight of her. He felt nothing but absolute confidence and peace that he was making the right decision by asking her to marry him.

"Good evening, Bruce," Diana greeted him with a loving smile. "May I come in?"

"Oh, yes…sorry," he murmured, stepping aside to allow her entrance. "Please, come in. You look absolutely stunning tonight."

"Thank you," she replied, gracing him with a chaste kiss as her hand came to rest against his chest. "I love your suit. You look very handsome in steel gray."

Taking her hand, Bruce led her out through the back of the house to the veranda where a table had been set up for their special dinner. "Bruce, this is lovely," she commented as he pulled her chair out for her, allowing her to sit down before pushing her chair back in.

Instead of taking his seat next to her, Diana found Bruce going down on one knee beside her, taking her hand in his. "I was going to do this later, but I can't wait another minute," he explained. "You have turned my entire world upside since the day you landed on that plateau four years ago, capturing my attention and then my heart.

"I fought it with every ounce of strength I had, but what I felt for you was just too strong to fight even for me. Letting you into my life was the best decision I could have ever made, falling even more in love with you. Diana, would you do me the honor of marrying me?"

Diana looked down as Bruce pulled a small velvet box from his pocket, opening it to reveal a large pearl surrounded by diamonds. It was the most beautiful ring she had ever seen in her life. Tears blurred her vision as she looked into his eyes, her bottom lip trembling as she nodded her head in stunned disbelief.

"Yes…I would love to marry you," she murmured, their lips connecting in a passionate exchange.

He kissed her with all the love that he felt inside for her, relieved that she had agreed to marry him. He wasn't sure if it was something that she would even consider as not only an Amazon but a very independent woman. Somehow, though, he had managed to capture her heart as well.

Pulling back, Bruce slid the ring on her finger, his heart swelling with the sight of his mother's pearl on the hand of the woman who had come to mean everything to him. He'd had no idea that he would feel this emotional about it, but he knew that it was the right decision.

Alfred had been right. His mother's pearl deserved to be on Diana's hand. He knew in his heart that his mother would've approved.

XXX

The baby's cry echoed throughout the room, Diana sagging against the pillows with relief. Their baby was finally here. Tears streamed down her face as Leslie handed her baby girl to her. "She's beautiful," she murmured, looking up at Bruce.

"Just like you," he replied, kissing Diana's temple. "You were amazing, princess."

"Hello, little princess," Diana whispered as she lightly touched the tuft of jet-black hair on her daughter's head. "Meet your daughter, Bruce."

Bruce took the tiny infant into his arms, completely enraptured by his daughter. She was perfect in every way imaginable. "Hi there," he softly said in awe.

"You know we really need to decide on a name now," she reminded him, loving the sight of him holding their daughter. "We can't go around calling her 'hey you'."

Bruce chuckled softly as he moved to sit on the edge of the bed beside her. "I don't know," he replied. "It sort of has a ring to it."

"Bruce," Diana chided him. "If you don't decide on a name, I'll pick one from my side of the family."

Bruce grimaced with the thought. "No way," he adamantly stated. "I want something she'll be able to spell when she starts school."

"Alright, then pick one," she urged him.

"How about Wren?" he suddenly thought, noticing the songbird sitting on the windowsill of the room.

"Wren…" Diana said the name. "Wren Wayne. I love it. Her code name when she starts patrolling can be Songbird."

Bruce winced with the thought. "Can we just enjoy being parents for a while before we start having her patrol Gotham?"

Diana chuckled in response, taking her daughter from her husband. "Hello, Wren," she cooed, kissing her forehead. "It's perfect."

"Not as perfect as you," Bruce said, pulling a long box out of his pocket. "After losing my parents, I never thought I'd be happy again, but you've made my life complete in every way, Diana. Thank you for being my wife…for giving me a daughter."

Opening the box, Diana gasped softly at the sight of the pearl necklace resting inside. "Bruce, it's beautiful. Are they your mother's pearls?"

Bruce nodded as he took the necklace from the box. "I had them restrung just for you," he replied, Diana tilting her head down to allow him to put the pearls around her neck. "They go with your engagement ring."

Touched by his love and thoughtfulness, tears began to trail down her cheeks again as her free hand moved to touch the pearls resting against her throat. "I know how much these mean to you," she told him. "The fact that you gave them to me…first my engagement ring and now the necklace…I'll cherish it always."

"I love you, Diana," he confirmed with a kiss.

Diana's hand went to his cheek as she returned his kiss. "I love you too, Bruce," she murmured, kissing him again.

Holding his wife and daughter in his arms, Bruce could scarcely believe how his life had come full circle. He had lost the two most important people in his life and now he was holding two of the most important people in his life besides the boys.

His life was truly, finally complete…right where it had first ended.

With a string of his mother's pearls.