There was a brief knocking on the door to the McGinnis residence. Mary McGinnis, being the only one awake, answered it in surprise. An elderly man and a teenage girl with an eye patch over her right eye stood in front of the door. "Is there something I can help you two with?" Mary asked politely.

The old man spoke for both him and his companion. "As a matter of fact, there is," he said cordially. "Mary McGinnis, I presume? My name is Bruce Wayne, and my friend here is Coba Brooklyn. We would like to speak with Terrence McGinnis if he is around."

Mary nodded stiffly in surprise, hardly able to believe her eyes and ears. "Of course," she said. "Please, come in and make yourselves comfortable. Would any of you like some coffee?"

"I would love some," Bruce said kindly. "What about you, Coba?"

"I wish I could," Brooklyn explained, "but I've been advised not to if I wish to recover quickly."

"How about water?" Ms. McGinnis asked the girl.

"That would be good, thank you."

Bruce and Coba followed Mary inside and sat down in the nearest couch. Coba winced and gritted her teeth as she tried to get comfortable, feeling her cracked ribcage scream in agony. Bruce propped a pillow behind his ward's back in an effort to help her feel better. The girl felt the soft pillow and relaxed a little upon contact. "I hope you don't mind milk," Mary said to Bruce as she came back with a cup of coffee and a glass of water. "We're out of cream."

"I prefer it," Wayne said kindly, accepting the hot mug of coffee.

Although she held very little respect for the girl, Mary could not help but feel sorry about her suffering as she handed Coba her glass of water. "What happened to her?" she asked the old man concernedly.

"She got into a fight with some Jokerz last night when they came after me," Bruce masterfully fibbed. "One had slashed a knife across her eye, then the others rammed her against the concrete wall supporting the gate to my estate. She got banged up pretty badly, but she's still a true warrior. Wouldn't you agree?"

"Yes." Obviously falling for Wayne's lie, Mary finally began to see that the girl she despised for so long- -for a reason that was incorrectly justified, she also realized for the first time- -was actually a very selfless person. "Yes, I agree. What would you like to see Terry for?"

Coba noticed Mary's realization and gave the woman an appreciative smile as Bruce chatted away with her. Not that Coba was prideful of her own actions and glad to see someone taking notice of them, but that Mary was finally opening up to her for once. Mary smiled back as she excused herself: "I'll go tell Terry that both of you are here."

"There's no need, Mom," Terry said from behind, "I'm right here." He looked at his half-sister in concern. "How are you feeling?" he asked.

"Better, thank you," Brooklyn replied.

Mary looked at Terry quizzically. "You never told me that you knew Bruce Wayne."

Terry exchanged glances with Bruce and Coba for a moment. "Well, actually- -" he began rather sullenly.

"Why, I owe this boy my life," Wayne intervened. "He defended me against a bunch of hooligans once, he and Coba. I tried to reward them both, but they absolutely refused."

"Mr. Wayne wants to offer you a job," Mary told her son.

The teen looked at Bruce in surprise. "A job?"

"It's not much, mind you," the man explained. "I find that at my old age I could use a part-time assistant- -at least until Coba recovers. You know, a go-fer- -go-fer this, go-fer that- -an ally as it were. Would you be interested?" he finished, although he and Coba both knew what Terry would say.

"Well, of course he would," Mary said somewhat excitedly, "wouldn't you, honey? I mean, to work with someone as famous as Mr. Wayne."

Terry grinned. "Sure."

Bruce set his coffee down on the coffee table and stood up slowly. "I warn you, I can be a difficult task-master. I accept nothing short of excellence from all who work for me."

"I think I can handle it."

"Very good then, Mr. McGinnis," Bruce said with a smile, extending his right hand. "Welcome to my world."

McGinnis smiled back as he shook Wayne's hand in agreement. He's going to let me be Batman, he thought. Then again, he might just want the suit back. It's still hidden in my room, after all. But why would he want his suit back if he can't use it?

Coba grinned, although she felt a wave of uncertainty and happiness at the same time. Things are going to be different. I still have yet to find out if it's a turn for the better or not, though. Ah well, better to live for the moment anyway, isn't it?

~!~

Terry came over to Wayne Manor later that day, the Batsuit hidden underneath the clothes he was wearing. He had his backpack slung over his shoulder. Wayne and Coba greeted him warmly, but Ace, of course, growled at him in disapproval. They sat down in the Batcave together, discussing what the current crime scene was and where it was taking place.

"If they're robbing the bank, then why are the police not there yet?" Terry inquired.

"The robbers are holding over thirty citizens hostage," Bruce explained. "They threatened to kill the hostages if the police didn't let them get away without hassle."

"I guess that's where I come in," Terry said matter-of-factly, pulling his mask over his face.

Coba's eyes lit up. "You mean where we come in," she stated.

Bruce rose an eyebrow at his young ward. "Are you sure that you're in good enough shape for this?" he asked concernedly.

"Yep, bring it on," Coba said, nodding.

"I don't like this, Coba," Terry said with an air of doubt. "I think that you should stay here this time. You'll be in better condition the next time this happens."

Brooklyn shook her head. "Not a chance, bro. I mean, these guys are not quite as dangerous as Powers and Fixx."

McGinnis looked at her seriously. "How do you know?"

"Just a feeling I have in my gut- -you know, like the feeling I had the night you were being chased by the Jokerz." At least, I think it's a gut feeling. It could be something else.

Terry gave a sigh of defeat. "Okay, get your suit, we leave in a minute."

Coba simply took off her shirt. "I've had it on the entire day," she said with a grin as she pulled the cowl over her face.

The teenage boy also grinned. "Pays to be prepared, eh?"

"My thoughts exactly. Let's get going!"

Wayne watched in admiration as the two siblings dashed out of the cave, casting bat-like silhouettes as they did so. It really does feel good to have kids around again. A little annoying sometimes, but a good feeling. "Good luck, Batman and Batgirl," he murmured with a smile. Ah, yes: having crime-fighters back in Gotham to clean up the crime feels great, too: whether I'm one of them or not.

Author's Notes:

That's it for this book! I hope you enjoyed it as much as I enjoyed coming up with it! Who knows: there might be a sequel to it, since there was something of a cliffhanger at the end of this one.

The character poll I made for this story is still on my profile page. Please go vote now if you have not already!