Disclaimer: I do not own Justice League or Justice League Unlimited. I merely write this for my own entertainment and the entertainment of others.

A to Z, an Anthology
Waif

After spending literally decades of his life serving the Wayne family, Alfred Pennyworth had become used to unusual situations. Master Bruce's nighttime activities – the ones that did not involve one of the silly socialites of Gotham, that is – had become rather par for the course. From the early years spent on his own putting the city to rights, to Master Dick joining the crusade, to Miss Barbara's eventual involvement and the friction it had caused, to Master Tim completing the set, Alfred had witnessed it all.

When the Justice League had first formed, Alfred had felt a sense of hope. While he knew very well that Master Bruce cared fiercely for his sons and Miss Barbara, Alfred also knew that Master Bruce kept them at arms' length because he considered himself responsible for their safety. Even after Master Dick struck out on his own and re-forged himself as Nightwing, Master Bruce still did everything he could to make sure his son was safe. With the other League members, however, it was different. These were all established heroes, people who knew how to survive on their own. Superman, Green Lantern, Hawkgirl, and the Flash were all seasoned crime fighters, had saved their respective areas many times and knew how to take care of themselves. They did not need Master Bruce to look after them.

As the League continued to grow and work together, Alfred kept a close watch on how Master Bruce behaved in regards to them. Though he did not say so out loud – saying such things was not the younger man's way, after all – Master Bruce respected all six of them deeply. It pleased Alfred to no end, watching his former ward become more sociable – relatively, anyway – with the other members of the League.

The wake of the Thanagarian invasion was something of an eye-opener as well. With the destruction of the Watchtower, both Wonder Woman – Miss Diana – and J'onn J'onzz were left with nowhere else to go. Naturally – that is, with some prodding on Alfred's part – Master Bruce offered them rooms within the Manor until the new Watchtower could be constructed. It was during those ensuing months that Alfred began to see Master Bruce's attraction to the Amazon princess, and her reciprocation of that attraction.

Alfred had actually been a little wary at first. His master's history with women was hardly stellar. Miss Beaumont, Miss Kyle, and Miss al Ghul were cankers in Bruce's past, and the vapid socialites that he consorted with only exacerbated the situation. In time, however, he began to see that Miss Diana was quite different from the women of Master Bruce's past. Whereas his previous loves had all been worldly women each in their own ways, Miss Diana had been refreshingly innocent in comparison. She had not been raised in this world, and thus had not been subjected to its influences since childhood. Coming from a disciplined warrior culture left her as someone who was, in many ways, much like Master Bruce, though Alfred doubted that the master saw it that manner.

He occasionally bore witness to Master Bruce's continued interactions with Miss Diana over the years, watched them grow closer and dance around one another, only to inevitably watch something knock one or both of them away from each other. Despite these instances, though, the two remained firm friends, much to Alfred's relief. The younger man had few true friends, and it warmed him to know that the Amazon was one who stubbornly hung onto that friendship.

Much of this had become routine, and that indicated to Alfred that something was bound to happen. Heaven forbid anything become easy or low-key in the lives of heroes.

It started the day after Master Bruce was scheduled to share a surveillance session with Miss Diana. Master Bruce did not return in the early hours in the morning, an unusual occurrence of itself. He eventually left a message on the computer in the Cave stating that he was on the Watchtower, and that something had happened to Diana during the stakeout. Naturally, Alfred had been concerned for the princess' welfare.

Master Bruce did not return until late the next evening, well after Master Tim and Miss Barbara had left to patrol the city. Alfred had indeed seen many strange things in his time, but watching Master Bruce appear in the cave with a child sound asleep in his arms was one of the strangest. Especially when he got a close look at the little girl, and recognized her as the Amazon princess.

The next six months proved rather surreal. The princess had been regressed to a child thanks to the meddling of Morgaine le Faye, and had no memory of her adult life. Alfred did not know the particulars of the situation, but had been told that Miss Diana would be staying with them for the foreseeable future. That, in turn, meant creating a cover story so that she could fit into Bruce Wayne's public life.

It turned out to be one of the more unusual times of their lives. The house had always been filled to the brim with young men. A lady had not been in residence since Mrs. Wayne. Miss Diana – who was now posing as Master Bruce's daughter by one of his many lady fairs who was conveniently unavailable at a private rehabilitation retreat – was a remarkably stubborn child. She recalled her life on Themyscira and did not understand in the beginning why her mother insisted that she live in Man's World, but in time she became accustomed to her life.

What truly marveled Alfred, however, was the change Miss Diana's presence wrought with Master Bruce's behavior. She was no longer the woman he had known, but a young girl in need of guidance in a world that was even more alien to her than when she had first left her island home. He became very considerate of her, spending a great deal of time with her. Alfred even spotted Master Bruce taking Miss Diana out onto the grounds to the swing attached to the large oak tree in the gardens. Of course, Alfred was not so foolish as to point out the changes in his behavior. He knew that to do so would only result in vehement denials, and quite possibly he might begin to avoid the princess. Therefore, Alfred said nothing.

In the following months, Alfred watched Miss Diana become a part of the family. Master Tim took to her quite well, treating her as a younger sister. She was highly curious about the Cave, and Master Tim began to spend hours down there, teaching Miss Diana how to use the computers and other gadgets. That instruction turned out to be lifesaving roughly four months later.

Master Bruce had gone on a business trip to London, leaving Master Tim and Miss Barbara to look after Gotham. Miss Diana had been watching Master Tim's patrol and thus was witness to the Joker and Harley Quinn kidnapping him. Her quick action in alerting Miss Barbara and directing her onto the villains' path likely saved Master Tim's life. Master Bruce rushed home the moment he was informed of the situation, and Alfred saw the shaken expression in his eyes, his mind no doubt filled with imagined horrors that the Joker would have inflicted on the boy if it had not been for Diana.

Christmas was received with great joy that year, the first in quite a long time. Miss Diana was unfamiliar with the holiday, but both Masters Dick and Tim were happy to introduce the tradition to her. Even Master Bruce, usually dour throughout the holiday, was dragged in by her subsequent enthusiasm.

Things were getting along splendidly. That should have been the first clue to Alfred that it would not, could not last.

It ended as suddenly as it began, really, and Master Bruce was just as vague on how it ended as on how it started. All Alfred really knew was that the curse Morgaine le Faye had placed on Miss Diana had been lifted, and she had returned to her adult self, with her memories intact.

Just like that, Wayne Manor went from the happy, cheerful place it had become, to the haunted, shadowy place it had been. With Miss Diana's restoration, it was as though she had taken the very life out of the house with her.

At least, until now. Now she had come back, and was currently sitting at the kitchen table with him, sipping on a cup of tea.

"If I may ask, Miss Diana, why are you here?" he asked her curiously.

She set her teacup down, a faint blush rising up her face. She did not meet his gaze, much as she hadn't in the previous months when she had done something. Most clearly he recalled her and Master Bruce eating a large quantity of candy. It had been a nightmare trying to get her to go to bed that evening due to the high sugar intake.

"It's odd, but I…" she paused, clearly struggling. Then she continued, "I just… feel like I grew up here. I know six months as an eight-year-old is hardly a lifetime, but…"

She trailed off, clearly at a loss as to how to explain herself further. However, Alfred smiled and reached across the table to pat her hand. "You will always be more than welcome here, my dear. I hope you will always remember that."

Miss Diana returned his smile and squeezed his hand in return. "Thank you, Alfred," she whispered. She glanced around the kitchen, a wistful look crossing her eyes. "Not every person is fortunate enough to have had two childhoods and to have treasured them both."

They sat in silence as they finished their tea. Alfred found it most soothing, continuing a ritual they had established during her time living in the Manor. As he started to gather up their teacups, she asked, "Is he here?" She did not have to elaborate on who she was talking of.

Alfred nodded. "In the Cave, Miss Diana."

She shook her head. "He spends too much time down there," she muttered, and then a small, rueful grin crossed her lips. It was a comment she had made many times in the past months.

After she left the kitchen, Alfred continued cleaning up everything used to make the tea. However, Miss Diana was not down in the Cave more than five minutes, when he saw her walk past the kitchen again, Master Bruce's hand clasped firmly in hers as they moved toward the back door and out into the gardens.

Alfred stood at the window, drying one of the teacups and watching them. They walked directly toward the large oak tree that sported a single rope swing. Miss Diana stepped up to it and sat down on it while Master Bruce remained standing in front of her, just a few feet away. Alfred could see Miss Diana's lips moving, though he could not comprehend what she was saying. He did, however, see a bright, happy smile spread across her face when Master Bruce suddenly walked behind her and began to push her on the swing.

Alfred chuckled to himself. He watched them for a few moments before returning his concentration to his work.

Perhaps things were not so hopeless after all. Perhaps they would be able to move forward, changed by the experience, and would not destroy what they had built in the past six months.

Childhood had worked another miracle, it seemed.

Note: TheLadyIsis also assisted me with an earlier incarnation of this story, because she's just that amazing. Many thanks!

Waif: n. abandoned child; thin young person.