OF BATS AND ARROWS- Chapter 11
Ollie took another slow, deep drag from the cigarette. Cissie would have a conniption fit, and he really should know better having watched what had happened to Bonnie, but Lord help him if this kid wasn't going to be the death of him, anyway.
"Don't you think that's highly inappropriate, given the situation?" a deep, familiar voice asked.
"Great, another one," Ollie grumbled.
"Another what?" Bruce Wayne asked as he took a seat on the bench next to Ollie.
Ollie stamped out the cigarette. "Another one of you people."
Bruce quirked an eyebrow. "I don't follow."
"Drop the act, Bruce, it's just me here." He waved his arms around to indicate their empty surroundings. "You know damned well what I mean."
"Fine."
"What the hell are you doing here, anyway?"
"Dick called. He said Bonnie took a turn for the worse. I came as soon as I could get away from my case."
"I guess it really is a family affair, now." Ollie held his head between his hands. "How did one of mine end up with one of yours?"
"Well, Cissie is an exceptional young woman, you have to admit that."
"Yeah, yeah, but why him?"
"Ollie, I understand how you feel. I have a daughter of my own, you know. If I could, I'd lock her in a tower to protect her."
"I'm surprised you haven't," Ollie snorted.
"It's… difficult, seeing as she and I haven't had contact with one another for the last seven years."
Ollie's eyebrows shot up. "She's a chip off the ole Bat, isn't she?"
"Don't remind me," Bruce grumbled. "Ollie, my point is, don't drive your daughter away just because you don't like the decisions she's made."
"Most of her decisions I'm fine with, just… why him?!"
"I know I'm a bit biased here," Bruce replied, "but believe me when I say that Tim is a good man."
"You got proof of that?"
Bruce smirked. "Give him a chance and I think you'll find it out for yourself." Bruce got up and left.
"He's still a Bat," Ollie muttered before following.
***
It had taken Dick and Tim mere minutes to devour their cafeteria burgers and fries. "So," Dick sipped his Zesti-Cola, "you wanna talk about it?"
"Which part?" Tim sighed. "The part where everyone's pressuring me to marry Cissie, or the part where Bonnie's asked me to assist in her suicide?"
"She's WHAT?!"
"Shh," Tim's eyes darted around nervously. "I gave my word I wouldn't mention it to anyone."
"Okay, okay," Dick gulped. "What did you say?"
"I said, 'No,' of course. Besides going against everything we believe in, I just couldn't do that to Cissie."
"Alright," Dick nodded. "So, what about the Cissie thing?"
"The Cissie thing?"
"Yeah. Who's been…?"
"Your son, for one," Tim cut him off. Dick nearly shot Zesti through his nose. "At the museum today, he asked me if I was going to marry her. That wouldn't have anything to do with you and your wife planting ideas in his head, would it?"
"Who, us?" Dick batted his eyes. "I don't know. He may have overheard me and Babs talking about you guys, but I don't think we've ever mentioned marriage. Just how great you guys are together and how much we like Cissie. She's really good for you, Tim."
Tim nodded.
"Okay, so who else?"
"Ollie. He just up and asked me when I was going to make an 'honest woman' out of his daughter. I mean, who says that anymore?"
"I dunno. Old people? Wait a minute, Cissie's his daughter? Like, actual daughter, not just another Arrow?"
Tim nodded.
"Wow, and I thought my father-in-law was tough."
"He's not my father-in-law," Tim snapped.
"Whoa there," Dick held up his hands. "Okay, he's not your father-in-law. But why not? Do you not want to marry Cissie?"
Tim crossed his arms tightly and stared hard at Dick. After a moment or two, his resolve broke. He reached into his pocket and slid a ring box across the table.
"What do you think?" he asked.
Dick opened the box and looked at the ring. "How long have you had this?"
"Two months."
"And you haven't asked her yet?"
Tim leaned his elbows on the table and twisted his hair in both fists. "I keep chickening out. I want it to be perfect, because she's perfect. And what if she says 'no'?"
"Do you really think that?"
"There's no reason for her to say 'yes'."
Dick sighed. Tim always did have an inferiority complex, though he'd never understood why.
"Okay, sure. There's always a chance she'll say no. Hell, Babs turned me down six times before we got married."
"And that's supposed to make me feel better?"
"Okay, bad example. Point is, you know, carpe diem. Why not ask her now?"
"Now, I feel like I'd be taking advantage of her situation, getting a yes out of her when she's grieving and vulnerable."
"Okay, fair enough. But Cissie will get through this, and when she does, I expect a wedding invitation."
***
Roy, Dick and Tim were huddled together in one corner of the waiting room, with Bruce and his trusty Alfred sitting solemnly in another. Ollie checked in with Connor who was chatting with a redheaded woman in a wheelchair. Connor told Ollie that Cissie was still with Bonnie, and had been for over an hour now. Ollie decided to look in on them. He wandered through the waiting room doors, and down the hallways, crisscrossing through what seemed like a maze, before he found Bonnie's room. He peeked through the window on the door before entering. Cissie was curled up on the bed, her head resting on Bonnie's shoulder, Bonnie's arms wrapped around her. Bonnie's cheek lay atop Cissie's head.
Ollie gulped. Should he be interrupting them at this moment? As though she had sensed his question, Bonnie waved him in. Ollie entered cautiously. He nodded toward Cissie.
"Asleep," Bonnie spoke softly.
"How is she?" Ollie pulled up a chair and stroked Cissie's hair.
"She'll be fine. Put on quite a show earlier, though. She gets that from you."
Ollie smirked. He'd buy that. Shifting his focus from Cissie, he asked, "And how are you?"
"About ten times worse than I'm sure I look right now."
Ollie winced.
"It's better with her here, though."
Ollie smiled. "Yeah, she really lights up a room, doesn't she?"
Bonnie nodded. "Always did… I'm sorry I kept her from you."
Ollie's chest tightened. "Water under the bridge, Bonnie."
"I just wish this could be it. You, me, our girl. I want to remember her just like this. At peace. Ollie," her eyes pleaded, "help me remember her like this."