Disclaimer: I do not own Batman (hah if I did you'd be the ruler of the world).

Chapter 3

"Hello Bruce." She said as she approached him. He had changed a lot since she had last seen him, and yet he was still the same old Bruce. His chocolate brown hair neat and in place, he wore beige pants and a black turtleneck with a long leather coat. His hazel eyes just stared at her for a few seconds and in those seconds that little voice at the back of her mind told her she never should have come back here.

"Hello Serenity." Bruce replied as he gave her a weak but genuine smile. He was somewhat happy to see her, aside from Rachel she too had been his best friend until he disappeared. "It's been awhile."

Serenity smiled and nodded "Yes it has, its good seeing you again."

"You mean its good that I'm alive right." He said teasingly.

"That too." She laughed a bit just as Alfred chose that moment to intervene.

"Serenity good to see you made it to Gotham alright."

"Alfred, yes I'm fine and how are you?" she said walking over to old butler and giving him a big hug.

"Oh, quite well I assure you now we must be going." Alfred said letting her go and picking up her bag.

"Alfred please you don't have- Alfred raised his hand in a gesture to stop her. "It's quite alright Miss Serenity, now come."

"Always the gentlemen Alfred, is he just as stubborn with you?" she asked turning to Bruce. He chuckled "Yes, but then that's Alfred for you." Alfred just smiled and shook his head. "Glad to know I'm so insufferable." Serenity and Bruce just laughed. "Come Alfred you're right we should get going." Bruce replied guiding Alfred outside to the sleek black Porsche.

Alfred opened the trunk and placed Serenity's luggage inside while Bruce helped Serenity into the front seat and making his way to the driver's seat. Once Bruce had backed up and drove onto the road he spoke. "So I assume you would like me to take you to your mother's." The moment he mentioned her mother her throat constricted making it harder to breath she looked down at her hands and then to the side. She couldn't blame him he didn't know her mother had been killed, after all before he disappeared she was alive. "um….my mother passed away almost 9 years ago." Bruce inwardly kicked himself. "I'm so sorry I didn't mean- "Its ok Bruce really you didn't know." She gave him a weak smile. "I was hoping to stay at a hotel or something until I find a place for myself." At her words he got an idea and before he could think it through he proposed it. "You know your more than welcome to stay in the guest wing- "Oh I couldn't-"its ok really besides its not like Alfred or I use it and its not like we don't have the room." Alfred couldn't believe he had actually proposed that. He thought he would have to talk him into it, perhaps this girl would do him more good than he thought. "Oh well once you put it that way- he smiled to himself "Honestly its not a problem." "Do I have a choice?" she said teasingly he just flashed her a smile. "No not really, I really have to work on sounding more convincing don't I." she just laughed. Before she knew it they had arrived at the Wayne Manor.

When she looked up at the house all her childhood memories assailed her. She could actually see the children that she and her friends once were. This house reminded her of a time when things were carefree and that childhood innocence still existed.Bruce looked over at her and saw the same pain in her eyes that he himself had when returned to the manor 2 years ago. He knew exactly what she was remembering, because once he remembered the same thing too. "Memories?" he asked her she turned to him and answered. "Yeah, those were the days, running around, trying to outwit Alfred." Bruce chuckled a bit, he remembered those times. "Come, I'll show you the rest of the manor while Alfred prepares your room."

Serenity nodded and followed him around the manor as he showed her his home. Serenity particularly liked the small fitness/workout room he had, it would definitely come in handy. Once Alfred was finished with her room Bruce walked her over to the Guest Wing, which was located at the Northeast wing of the manor. "There's a kitchen downstairs, a study, a bedroom connected to a bathroom and a walk in closet, as well as a small living room. You are more than welcome to the rest the manor aside from my room and study." She nodded "That is given, thank you so much, I really appreciate it you didn't have to do this." Bruce turned to her. "Honestly its no problem, your one of my closest friends after all. Until you find a place of your own, consider this your home."

"Thank you." She inched closer to him and gave him a warm hug, "I missed you." She whispered as she let him go and walked into her room.

"I missed you too." Bruce had whispered as he too made his way back to his office.

Once Serenity was in the safety of her new room she went through her backpack and pulled out her long leather jacket, black wig, brown contact lenses and a small booklet. She knew that it would be dangerous for the Black Angel to make her appearance, she would have to wait there was still a lot of things that needed to be done one she could accomplish now. She opened the booklet and found the number that Jorkov had given her. Jorkov had been the provider of all her needs. He had created the contacts that would show no trace of her true eye colour as well as the black wig that too left no trace of her natural colour, along with many other things, he would be sending her motorcycle to a friend he said he had in Gotham one that would give her the help he could no longer provide. She picked up her cell phone and dialled the number. It rang 3 times before the person answered. "Hello."

"Yes is this Lucius Fox?"

Well that's the chapter hope you enjoyed it, sorry it took so I've been busy with school. I'll try to update more often. R&R.

Maeve.