FIC: Faith Wayne (13/?)

"Xan," Faith paced the floor of the bedroom she shared with her lover as Xander sat on the bed, "I gotta tell you somethin', 'cause you deserve to know, after all it affects me, but you can't tell anyone else, cause it ain't really my secret to tell, it's his, but like I say, if you're with me, it affects you."

"Only thing I can tell anyone is that run-on sentence really confused me," Xander dryly commented.

Faith spun to face Xander and stopped. "You can't tell anyone." Faith paused at Xander's slow nod, if nothing else you could rely Xander's word. That was one of the things she loved about her big hunk of west coast goodness. Faith licked her lips. "Bane attacked me 'cause he wanted to get to Pops. 'Cause he knows Pops' big secret."

Xander's brow furrowed. "Is Wayne Industries a cover for something?"

"Yeah," Faith nodded, "but probably not in the way you mean." Faith took a breath. "Pops is the Batman."

Xander laughed then stared at her, his jaw dropping, then finally closing. "You're not joking are you?"

"No," the strength in her legs suddenly disappeared, forcing her to slump against the wall. "Bane taunted me with it when Pops turned up to rescue his lil precious. I left, Bats caught up with me and admitted it was true."

"Why? How?" Xander gasped.

Faith laughed despite the tension, the look on her honey's face was priceless. "Birds and the bees babe. We've done it often enough, you should know what you're doin' by now, Harris."

"I meant the specifics," Xander glared at her.

"I don't know the positions that were used." Xander's glare intensified. "Everything went down as Pops said, but he knew before the DNA test that I was his daughter, he recognised me on the docks and took a blood sample on that first visit, remember the cuff links? So the second blood test was just for me really."

"Right," Xander stared at her, some of the glaze leaving her boyfriend's eye. "How do you feel?"

Faith threw her hands up and laughed hysterically. "I don't know, I just don't know!" She shook her head. "I mean I'm so pissed he lied to me, I don't trust easy-."

"I've noticed."

Faith ignored Xander's dry comment. "But it's not like he doesn't have a real good reason to keep the secret." Faith shrugged.

"Big secret," Xander carefully commented. "Maybe even bigger than being a Slayer."

Faith's eyes bored into Xander, but then she nodded reluctantly. "Yeah, I guess." Faith shook her head. "But I'm pissed off he checked me OUT, but didn't tell me the truth. But he treats me pretty good I guess…"

"Cut him out, keep him in. Whatever you decide you have my support," Xander said. "And you know I won't tell anyone."

"Thanks hon," Faith smiled. "I kinda decided we'll go to dinner on Saturday like we agreed, then take things from there."

"Okay. Wow, related to Batman." Xander shook his head. "I'm so jealous." Xander beamed suddenly. "Maybe my real dad's Green Lantern or Captain Marvel, someone like that? What do you think?"

"Maybe we'll meet them and you can ask, honey," Faith idly comforted.

Faith stared up at Wayne Manor. Somehow the towering mansion seemed even more intimidating than on previous visits, something that she hadn't thought possible before.

"Are you sure you want to do this?"

Faith started at Xander's voice before her and smiled slightly at the concern in his voice. "No," she shook her head, "but we're gonna."

"Okay," Xander paused as he half-climbed out of the car, "normally I'd be right there for you if you and your dad got into it. But seeing as your dad's Batman, you'll find me hiding in the next state."

Faith half-smiled. "That's my man, a born hero."

"I laugh at fear," Xander paused as they neared the front door, "then quickly change my underwear."

"Ah sometimes, you don't both-," Faith paused as the door swung open to reveal Bruce Wayne's butler. "Alfred."

The snow-haired man smiled politely. "Ms. Lehane. Mr. Harris. A pleasure to see you both, Mr. Wayne is waiting for you in the lobby."

Faith nodded stiffly, still uncomfortable after their last meeting. "Thanks."

Wayne rose from the sofa as his daughter and her boy-friend entered. "Faith, Xander, it's good to see you both." Wayne sighed as he noted Xander's slack-jawed expression. "I take it you told Xander?"

"Xan honey," Faith matched him stare for stare, the Slayer not giving an inch, "could you go through to the dining room?"

"Are you sure?"

"I'll be fine hon." Xander shrugged, an unhappy expression on his face, then walked off. The moment he was out of earshot, Faith launched at him, dark eyes glaring. "Xan knows everything 'bout me, everythin' bad I've done, I don't keep secrets from him. You've got a problem with that, we'll leave right now, but we won't ever be back."

Bruce was forced to smile at his daughter's unbending will. "Very well. I have to admit I have shared the secret of your dual identity with a number of my friends."

"Like who?" Faith's eyes narrowed to slits.

"Nightwing, Robin, Superman, Martian Manhunter, and Wonder Woman, although Diana had already guessed you were enhanced."

"Enhanced? I ain't had any work-, oh right." Faith's high cheeks flushed. "That's a hell of a lot of people, you guys have the Flash runnin' around delivering a superhero newsletter or somethin'?"

Wayne snorted. "Not quite." His expression sobered. "I have no plans to tell anyone else, those who already know are my closest confidantes."

"Right-," Faith's jaw dropped then closed. "Wait a minute, Nightwing and Robin, they have to be your foster-kids right?"

Wayne stared at Faith, nonplussed by his daughter's astute guesswork. "What makes you say that?"

"Stands to reason don't it?" Faith smirked at him, clearly enjoying his discomfort. "My guess is you're closer to ol' Alfie than anyone, and he knows your secret. Then there's your two charges, 'sides from Alfie, I doubt anyone's near as close to you. You all live in the same home, you've had two, no three charges, and three different Robins," Bruce felt a painful stab at the oblique mention of Jason, but kept an impassive face. "Haven't worked out which is which mind, but I figure the older one has to be Nightwing, right?"

"You seem to have worked it all out," Bruce said. "I'd appreciate it if you kept all this to yourself, and not mention it to the Council."

"Not a problem," Faith replied with a casual shrug. "I don't keep secrets from family, but Xander's my family not the Council."

Bruce noted but chose not to comment on the apparent distance between Faith and the Council. What information Alfred and Clark had managed to furnish him on the Council left him with a very low opinion of it. "Shall we join Dick and Barbara for dinner? The cook's making one of her specialities, a roast lamb. I got her from the London Savoy, so she's most accomplished."

"Wicked," Faith turned to face him at the door of the dining room. "Does-, do the rest of the staff know?"

"Just Alfred," Bruce replied. "It's part of his job to keep the rest of the staff unaware and warn me if anyone starts sniffing around."

"Cool," Faith turned to the door.

"Faith," Bruce waited until his daughter had turned back to face her. "I'll take you and Xander down to the Batcave after dinner."

"Wicked." The smile the brunette shot him was blinding. "Xander will be buzzed."

Faith followed her father, and that was still wicked weird to think of, her dad was the Bat, as they walked into the expansive, well-lit dining room, Xander and the others sat around a long, antique table, a stilted conversation going on between the two dark-haired men and one strawberry-haired wheelchair bound woman. The conversation instantly ended upon their entry, the strange man rising and reaching out a hand. "Hi, I'm Dick Grayson, Bruce's former charge. You're even more beautiful than your photograph."

"Yeah," Faith forced a grin, "that's me. Even better in live and in living colour."

"Modest too," Xander muttered.

"Modesty been known to run in the Wayne line," commented the flame-haired woman with a soft laugh. "I'm Barbara Gordon."

"Hey, Faith," Faith unnecessarily introduced as she reached across the table to shake the other woman's hand. "Um," Faith decided to plunge right in, "what's with the chair?"

A brief shadow flickered across the other woman's face, making Faith momentarily regret her forthrightness but Barbara answered civilly enough. "The Joker shot me in my spine."

"Right," Faith glanced instinctively at Bruce.

"It wasn't your father's fault," Barbara said. "My father is Commissioner Gordon, the Joker did it to break him. Your father saved my father."

Faith nodded even as she glanced at her expressionless father. Damn, this was a dangerous city. Any other comment was prevented by Alfred opening the doors at the dining room's far end. "Dinner will be served in five minutes. Please take your seats"

"Whoa."

Bruce smirked as his daughter's whisper echoed back to him as the elevator's steel-grey door opened. His daughter discovering his secret identity complicated matters, but it was gratifying to hear such awe in her voice. "This is my command centre," he said as he wheeled Barbara out into the vast cavern, the lights automatically turning on with the opening of the elevator doors. "From here, with the help of Oracle," he glanced at Barbara, the others having been informed of her identity, "I monitor all crisis points in Gotham, the US, and the world." Bruce walked over to the computer. "Through this. It's a supercomputer with specs on par with any of those used by the leading national security agencies, permitting global surveillance and connecting to a world-wide information network." He chose not to mention the information stored on both Batman's allies and his foes. "I have satellite link-ups allowing me access to my computer anywhere in the world, and any attempt to breach security sends an alert to both Oracle and I."

"Oh god," Faith's mocking whisper echoed through the entire cave. "Daddy's a geek. I'm so embarrassed."

"As you can see," Bruce allowed himself a thin smile at Dick and Barbara's shocked expressions at Faith making fun of him. Yes his reputation really was that bad. "As you can see, the cave also contains state of the art crime-fighting facilities – forensics, drugs, and pathology labs the match of any you'd find throughout the nation, medical facilities, my crime-fighting library, mechanised workshops for my gadgets, personal gymnasium, and as you can see, the hanger space for my various vehicles."

"I don't suppose…"

Xander's voice trailed off at Bruce's firm headshake. "I don't do joyrides."

Xander flushed at his amused tone. "No," Xander shook his head, "I didn't think you did. Worth asking though."

"Whoa," Faith started walking around, eyes shooting everywhere, "serious coinage, pops."

"The Wayne pockets are deep," Wayne commented.

"Yeah," Faith whistled as she looked around. "Gettin' that."

Xander pursed his lips as he looked at the neatly typed accounts. In theory this was Freddy's job, but as manager of the Gotham City branch of the Watchers' Council, he had to okay all paperwork.

Xander heaved a relieved sigh at the sound of the phone ringing. "Hello," Xander greeted as he picked up the phone, "this is the Xander Harris House of Advanced Math."

"Oh dear, have I rescued you from your accounts?"

The temperature dropped as he recognised Giles' voice and remembered his mentor's doubts about Faith. "Yeah," he replied, "thanks for that."

"Xander?" Giles queried. "Are you alright?"

"Yeah, just struggling with the accounts," Xander lied. "How can I help you Giles?"

"Um yes," the Englishman sounded a little flustered by his formality. "I've collated that information you requested on behalf of the Batman. I'm afraid we didn't have much to add, however, my secretary will send it over."

Xander found himself smiling despite himself. "Still can't work the email can you?"

"Computers are the instrument of the devil," Giles replied with a short laugh. "And no I can't." Giles paused, the sound of his fingers drumming on the desktop clearly audible over the trans-Atlantic line. "Xander, I assume if Batman and his sources come up with any information, they will share information, it is after all our area of expertise."

Xander chuckled. "Giles, I hate to burst your bubble but any one of the Wonder Woman, Martian Manhunter, Captain Marvel, and oh yeah, the big Kryptonian, could take out a couple of hundred Slayers without breaking a sweat. And that's without taking in account all the Green Lanterns and the like."

"That's as maybe," Giles huffed, Xander could almost see him rubbing at his spectacles, "but the Council has centuries of expertise and records in the supernatural."

Xander rubbed at his forehead. "Look if you want me to negotiate a territorial dispute between you and Bats, how can I put it diplomatically? Forget. It."

"As you wish," Giles grunted. "And how our operations going in general?"

"Well that depends if I can get these accounts to balance," Xander dryly replied. "If they balance, pretty good."

"Good, good," Giles nodded. "And no major injuries? None of the girls suffering from any lack of morale or depression? No major threats on the horizon?"

"This is the city of the Bat, vampires tend to give it a wide berth," Xander glibly replied. "As for emotional problems, Faith doesn't allow them on her watch, she says with her psychosis and my self-esteem issues we already have enough problems to keep both of the Cranes going 'til retirement."

"Ha," Giles chuckled, "she probably has a point." Giles' tone sobered. "And how is her relationship with her father developing?"

Xander's shoulders tensed. "I told you once and I'm not going to do it again. If it was Buffy with the famous father, you wouldn't worry about her spilling secrets. I'm tired of the double-standard Giles, and I won't take it anymore."

"Xander, no!" Giles said. "I didn't mean to suggest-."

"Save it." Xander took a calming breath as he hung up the phone and shook his head. No, that didn't work, he logged off his computer and rose. He needed to work some tension off, and he knew just the place to do it.

"What ya workin' on Pops?"

Bruce raised an eyebrow as he continued to scan the information on the screen before him, struggling to concentrate while his daughter peered over his shoulder. "I'm trying to work out just who hired Constantine Drakon."

"Drakon?" Faith queried.

"The man who attempted to kill you," Wayne replied. "I'm trying to find out if it was a supernatural or criminal enemy who hired him."

"Oh," his daughter shrugged casually, "happens so often these days, I forget their names." Wayne cast the Bostonian a guilty glance. "So what ya got?" Wayne stared blankly at the Slayer. "On the hirer?"

"Oh," Wayne nodded and scowled. "Nothing as yet, it appears there was an one million dollar deposit in Drakon's Cayman Islands' account-."

"A million dollars?" Faith beamed. "Finally someone understands my worth."

Wayne rubbed at his forehead. If his daughter hung around for much longer he'd have to buy shares in Aspirin. "But apart from that, I can't trace the money back to its original source, so I'm no closer to knowing if it was one of your supernatural enemies, although I assume they'd be smart enough not to send a human after you, or someone knows of your relationship to me, and my own secret identity."

"Right," Faith paused, "so what's the next move, Pops?"

"I'm not entirely sure, I have Oracle running an electronic worm tracking the money back to its source." Wayne rubbed at his forehead. "That however will take time, bank system passwords take time to crack. And don't call me Pops."

"'Kay," Faith looked briefly deflated then beamed. "What 'bout Daddy?" Bruce groaned. "The Old Man?" Faith grinned at his grimace. "Pa?"

"Bruce would be just fine," Wayne said through gritted teeth.

"Jeez," Faith elbowed him in the side, "grow a sense of humour why don't ya?"

"I'm the Batman," Bruce stonily replied. "I'm not supposed to have a sense of humour."

Faith's laugh died as his daughter peered at the computer screen and pointed at a face on it. "Who's that?"

Bruce wondered at the sudden frost in his daughter's voice. "Ra's al Ghul," he grated, "a very old enemy of mine."

"Well he ain't too keen on me either," Faith replied. "I had a Slayer Dream and in it this prick really wanted me dead!"

Bruce looked at his daughter. These Slayer Dreams wouldn't exactly hold up in court, but it was enough for him. Him and Ghul were going to have to have a very intense talk in the near future. Forcing a smile, he rose. "You said something about a work-out?"

"Yeah," Faith tore her eyes away from the screen. "Let's see what the old man can do."