It took a couple days, but eventually Gordon rounded up the rest of Genesis' cultists. In the days that followed, funerals were held for those who were murdered, and repairs began almost immediately at Gotham Square. Zatanna was able to treat some of the more serious injuries they sustained before she left for her next show in Central City, but Batman was still sore for the next week. And unfortunately, magic wasn't able to heal everything.
"You learned something through that Genesis mess, didn't you?" Alfred asked, as the two were cleaning up the parlor in Wayne Manor.
Bruce was restacking books that had fallen from the bookshelf, when he picked up a picture frame that had fallen as well. The glass was shattered, but the photo inside was of him and a young Dick Grayson, taken on Dick's first day of Gotham Academy.
"I suppose I have," Bruce answered, staring at the photo. "Maybe I can't do things on my own anymore."
"I think you're missing the point." Alfred said. "These last few months, you've been trying to prove to yourself that you don't need help...that you never needed Robin. But I hope you realize now that, when you do need it, there is no shame in asking for help...that you have allies that will still be there for you when you need them to be."
Alfred put a consoling hand on Bruce's shoulder, and gently grabbed the photo from his hand. "And I also hope you realize that includes Master Richard...even if he's flown the nest. You're a father to him Bruce, and he just wants to know that you'll be there for him, too."
Later that night, Batman was in the cave, updating some case files after Alfred had gone to bed. He pulled out his phone and hovered his finger over Dick's contact info. After several moments of mulling it over in his head, he pressed call.
Ring.
Ring.
Ring.
Ring.
"Hey…" Dick answered quietly, picking up the phone.
"Am I calling at a bad time?"
Dick looked over at Barbara, who was asleep next to him, and quietly got out of bed and stepped into the hallway outside his bedroom. "No, no. What's up?"
It was awkward...for both of them.
"I just...how are you Dick?"
Dick chuckled. "What's going on Bruce, are you alright?"
Bruce chuckled too. "I just want to make sure you're doing okay. You don't...need anything?"
"I'm doing great, real great."
"That's...good to hear." Bruce lost his nerve. "Anyway Dick, it's late. I should let you go."
"W-well, hey," Dick interrupted. "Barb's got this friend's wedding in Gotham next weekend, so I'll be in town. Maybe we can…?"
"Yeah Dick, I'd like that." Bruce answered.
"Awesome, yeah. Well, cool. I'll talk to you soon, Bruce."
"Goodnight, Dick."
Dick had a goofy smile on his face, as he crawled back in bed. He didn't expect Bruce to be the first one to reach out. It was...refreshing.
"Who was that?" Barbara asked, half asleep.
"Trust me babe," Dick answered, wrapping his arm around her. "You wouldn't believe me if I told you."
The next morning, Bruce felt the best he had in months. There was something about the conversation with Dick that lifted so much weight off his chest. Even Alfred noticed, as Bruce was working on the batmobile.
"You seem rather...chipper this morning. There's a...vibrancy to you."
"I guess you made a really good omelet." Bruce responded, crawling under the car. He could never admit to Alfred that he made the call to Dick. Bruce perfectly imagine the "I-told-you-so" look that would've been on his face.
But while the amends he had started to make with Dick did lift his spirits, his heart still ached. He hadn't seen or heard from Linda since they broke up. And while he didn't have the courage to go talk to her, he thought about her all the time. And as if it were some divine providence, as he was thinking about her that moment, his phone started ringing.
He rolled out from under his batmobile, and looked at his phone. It was Leslie Thompkins, of all people.
"Hey Leslie, how are you?" Bruce answered the phone.
"I should be asking you that, dear. I walk by Gotham Square every day."
"I'm doing fine, thanks for asking."
"When's the last time you've come and visited me at the clinic?"
"You know why I haven't." ...Linda...
"Pish-posh," Leslie retorted. "Now, you owe this old lady a visit. And if you want to come in your batsuit so she doesn't recognize you, so be it. But I want to see you Bruce!"
"Alright Leslie." Bruce relented. She was, after all, a mother-figure, and he had great respect for her. "I'll come by later this afternoon."
"Good, I'll see you then." She said happily, before hanging up.
"What was that about?" Alfred asked.
"Not sure. But something tells me Leslie is up to something." Bruce responded.
He continued to work in the cave until late in the afternoon, where he felt like he couldn't put off his visit to the Park Row Clinic any longer.
"Alfred, I'm going to stop by Leslie's before I go out for the night." Bruce said, making his way over to the batsuit.
"So you will be taking the batmobile, sir?"
"Yeah, of course." Bruce answered, getting dressed.
"But it isn't fully repaired." Alfred protested. "Its cloaking mechanism isn't operational yet, and for heaven's sake, the hubcaps aren't even installed! Not to mention several other minor things."
"It'll be fine Alfred, the alarm is functional, and I'll be close by if someone was stupid enough to tamper with the batmobile."
"Very well, sir."
Whenever Batman visited Park Row, he always made it a point to visit the place his parents were murdered. So parking his car in Crime Alley, he spent several minutes meditating over their memorial. Even though the area held awful memories for him, and it was morbid, he felt a strong connection to his parents whenever he was at their place of death. Maybe it was because this was the last place he saw them alive, or maybe it was because Bruce Wayne actually died here too.
He knelt down and dropped a couple roses, before turning out of the alley, and walking to the nearby clinic. Leslie was standing outside, waiting for him, and embraced him in a hug.
"Br- I mean Batman- it's so good to see you." Leslie was a short, elderly woman, who barely came to his chest. Her gray hair was kept in a messy bun, and large glasses rested on her nose. She wore a doctor's coat, with a simple graphic tee and pair of jeans underneath.
"It's great to see you too, Leslie." Batman answered, as they walked in together. Batman had been dreading this moment, just holding his breath until he had to see Linda again. And sure enough, there she was at the front, filling out some paperwork on a clipboard.
His heart skipped a beat when he saw her, it was almost painful. He tried to avoid looking at her as he walked by, but instead stared down at his feet. He felt like a child.
"Batman?" She stopped him as he walked by, and his heart began pounding. "I just wanted to say thank you, for saving my dad and I. Really, I owe you so much."
Her smile. Her gorgeous smile.
"How is he? Your father?" Batman asked awkwardly.
"He's doing great. He's having to adjust to life with a prosthetic, but thanks to you, at least he has a life to adjust to."
"I'm glad to hear he's doing well." Batman said.
"Well, we have some important things to discuss in the back, we should get going." Leslie said, tugging on his cape and pulling them forward.
"Geez…" She whispered once they were out of earshot. "I wonder if she felt the tension there.."
Once they were in her office, Leslie smiled pleasantly and sat behind her desk.
"So, how are you?" Leslie asked. "We're in a closed office, you can take off your mask."
"Leslie…"
"Take it off, and let me see your face!" Leslie demanded.
Batman sighed. "I'm doing just fine, Leslie." Batman finally answered, as he reluctantly removed his cowl.
"This whole...Genesis debacle...you weren't injured too terribly? Nothing I need to take a look at?"
"Nope, I was healed...unconventionally this round."
"Good to hear. But how are you Bruce?"
"I don't know what you want me to say Leslie, I'm doing just fine."
"I don't buy that."
Bruce just nodded, and for several moments didn't say anything, until finally he let out a long sigh.
"Honestly? Lonely, I guess. I think Dick and I have started on a positive path again, and Alfred's still there for me, but… I don't know. I never felt this way before. Isolation has never been a fear of mine...for the longest time, it was a necessity...in some ways, it still is. But…"
"You fell in love with Linda."
"And lost her."
"She just wants what every woman wants...a man that will devote himself 100% to her." Leslie laughed. "You didn't lose her, Bruce. You just have to prove to her that she's an important part of your life. And if you feel that way, then why should it be so hard?"
"You know better than anyone Leslie, my life is complicated."
"So tell her that. And I mean, really tell her that."
"Alfred thinks I should tell her, too."
"You should listen to your elders, dear." Leslie chuckled.
"It's just, so very few people know about...the real me. The only people I've told are-"
"People you really care about. And if you really care about Linda, it should be no different."
Maybe Leslie was right, and so was Alfred. He had to stop being selfish. If she was going to be a part of his life, then she needed to be a part of it, as Alfred had said.
"Alright Leslie, I'll tell her." Batman said, standing up and putting his mask back on.
"Good, you can tell her right now." Leslie said, hopping up and running to her door
"What? Leslie, that's not what I-"
"Linda, will you come back here, dear?"
"Leslie!" Bruce growled.
"Yes?" Linda asked, poking her head in.
"Come in here, dear." Leslie said, motioning her in. Linda was puzzled, but did as Leslie asked and stepped inside. "Now I have to check on a patient, but I'll be right back. Hang on a second." Leslie then looked at Bruce and winked, before leaving the office and closing the door.
The two of them stood in awkward silence for several moments, but Bruce eventually gathered the nerve to speak.
"Linda, there's something you should know."
"O-okay?" Linda said, hesitantly.
Batman disengaged his cowl and slowly pulled his mask off. He looked up at her and their eyes met.
"Bruce?!" At first, Linda's eyes grew wide with surprise, but then she started laughing. She didn't believe him. "Bruce, what is this? Is this a joke?"
But Bruce wasn't laughing, but instead was looking at her with a complete seriousness.
The smile left her face. "Oh my God...you're serious." She whispered.
"Linda… I love you. And I need you to know that I want to share my life with you...all of it."
Linda was speechless, with several broken questions sputtering from her mouth. "But..? How...? The…? What..? I'm sorry Bruce, this is too much to take it in. I've… I've got to go."
"Linda, wait!"
She whirled around and threw open the door, before running down the hall. "I'm sorry Dr. Thompkins, I've got to go." She told the stunned doctor before grabbing her coat from the coat rack and exiting the clinic.
Bruce put his mask back on and walked out into the hall, feeling absolutely devastated.
"It's okay dear, she'll come around. It's just a lot to process." Leslie said, patting him on the back gently.
"That was foolish of me." Batman said through gritted teeth.
"No, dear! It was the right thing to do."
"Here Leslie, it was nice visiting." He unfolded a check from his belt and handed it to her. He had written it to the Park Row Clinic for $100,000. It wasn't the first time he had made a large donation to the clinic, but it had been a while. And it was long overdue.
"Bruce, thank you so much!" Leslie exclaimed, staring at the check. She looked up from the check however, and he was gone.
The air was bitter, and cold. Snow covered the ground and the wind cut through even his suit. As he stood on top of the Park Row Clinic reflecting on things, he tried to push Linda from his mind. And whether Linda was out of his life for good or not, there were still people in his life he could count on...allies he could trust. He had to admit, he couldn't do this alone anymore. Alfred, Barbara and Jim were all there. And though he would never ask for their help, at least he knew he could depend on them when the time came. And if he could learn to accept their help, maybe he could learn to accept the help of others, too.
"Sir, there seems to be a problem." Came Alfred's voice from the comm-link, interrupting his thoughts. The sun was just setting, and Batman hadn't even begun his nightly patrol. Gotham was never quiet for long.
"What is it?"
"The silent alarm for your Batmobile was just triggered. I hate to say I told you so, but I'd hurry to investigate."
It was probably just a cat, or perhaps one of Gotham's many homeless bumping into it on accident. Hopefully that was the case, because Alfred definitely did not hate saying I told you so. Regardless, he would check it out.
It only took a few moments for him to return to the car, dropping down beside it silently. Immediately he was alarmed, because it was missing a front tire. This is what he got for not replacing the hubcaps before he went out!
He could hear the cranking of a tire iron on the other side of the car, out of his sight. The criminal stealing his tires was still in the act! Batman clenched his fists, though he'd try the subtle approach first.
"Ahem." He coughed. A head popped up from behind the car, the head of a child. Black, messy hair, and dirt all over his face, he had the look of well...a criminal caught in the act. Batman knew...the boy was immediately terrified.
"Oh crap." The boy muttered.
"Where are my tires?" Batman asked, through gritted teeth. The boy dropped the tire iron and bolted away, lunging for a nearby ladder, and scaling the building with pretty impressive athleticism.
"Well, this should be fun." Batman muttered to himself. Even after all this time, Gotham still surprised him.
Author's Note: Well, it took longer than it should have, but it's done! Please, please please tell me what you thought! It was my first crack at FanFic, so hopefully it was up to par! I have a lot more time on my hands now that I've graduated, and would love to do more of these if the feedback warrants it! I love writing just for my own creativity, but the amount of research and time that went into this story makes feedback all the sweeter.
But a couple questions: Would you like to see a continuation on this story, following an early Jason Todd, or should I choose another place in the timeline? As for a villain, should I invent another, or stick with the classic rogues? And if so, should I choose Mr. Freeze or Mad Hatter (it's a toss up!)? Anyway, thank you in advance for any and all feedback! I look forward to starting Batman's next adventure.
