Disclaimer: I do not own Bruce Wayne or any other DC characters.
oOo
Five Children Bruce Wayne Never Had
Lily
"Alfred?", Bruce called into the emptiness of the cave, removing his cape and cowl.
Alfred emerged from the shadows at his right, one finger to his lips and the other hand gesturing in the direction of the Batcomputer. Bruce spotted a lock of red hair draped over an arm of his oversized computer chair and sighed exasperatedly.
"Miss Lily was most insistent that she wait for you down here, sir," Alfred whispered. "Shall I carry her to bed?"
"No Alfred," Bruce said, handing the butler his gloves, belt, and cape. "Let me."
"As you wish." Alfred's eyes twinkled knowingly, but he kept his usual dry wit in check as he busied himself restocking a utility belt.
Bruce approached the monitors silently. His little girl was curled up in the chair, only the top of her red head visible as she huddled under one of his capes. He set the cape aside and gently lifted the child, cradling her close to his body. Bleary green eyes cracked open. "'Lo Daddy", she mumbled, still half-asleep. She snuggled closer, her arms wrapping around his neck and her head resting on the yellow symbol on his chest.
Lily was once again sound asleep before he even made it to the grandfather clock.
Being careful not to wake her, he tucked Lily in with her favorite Batman blanket and stuffed Robin doll, then softly kissed her forehead. He then put his stealth training to use, creeping around the room to check the locks on the windows and pull the door to as he silently headed back to the cave.
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Hours later, long after the rest of the household had retired for the night, Lily began to whimper. Trapped in the grips of a nightmare, she clung tightly to her doll as she thrashed about, legs tangled in sweat-soaked sheets. The potted rose bush on her nightstand began to stir. A single branch reached out, entwining through the iron headboard and slithering over the pillow. One of the buds burst into bloom, white petals gleaming in the moonlight. The flower lovingly brushed the sleeping child's cheek, as green as the grass after spring's first rainstorm, until the worry lines on her forehead were chased away and she once again slipped into a peaceful sleep.
oOo
Author's Note: Bruce Wayne and Poison Ivy/Pamela Isley.
I'm not exactly happy with this, but it's been so long since I've posted something that I decided to go ahead and put it up anyway.
Also, the title of this series might be "Five Children…", but I've got a couple more ficlets I'd like to add before I close it out.
I don't really have a solid history in mind for how Lily came to be, but I'm fairly certain that it isn't a happy story. Whether it was an experiment or something more sinister, Bruce had little choice in her creation. However, I think he's too much of a good person to allow something like that to affect how he treats his own daughter.
Also, I know that Ivy is sterile. Let's assume, at least for the purpose of this fic, that she found a way.
