Takes place during chapter 12 of Reach. Be aware: I skip around with time/location. There's one big jump and a small jump marked with an ellipsis. Even my 1500 word drabbles get kind of in epth. Also, my D key is still broken, so you know. Typos.
At the Batcave, 10:00 am
"Master Bruce," Alfred chided. "Do control your temper."
"I'm sorry, Alfred," Bruce snapped, not sounding very sorry, although the aged gentleman knew his apology was sincere. "I can't believe she did this!"
Alfred stooped and righted the chair that Bruce had just kicked, placing it in front of the monitors where it belonged. "I understand that, Master Bruce, but that is no reason to damage furniture."
"She left me a note Alfred," the young man growled.
"I see that, sir."
"Do you know what it says?" The young man pushed the cowl off his head, as though to get his point across to the older man even better. His blue eyes were full of fire and his mouth was set in a firm grin. He held a slip of paper under the older gentleman's nose.
"No, sir, I do not. You haven't read it out loud. I can only guess as to what Miss Kyle's message may be."
Bruce flourished the paper, which Alfred took with only a somewhat annoyed expression at having it waved under his nose.
Thanks, hon. Bring it back ASAP. When I get back- Alfred cleared his throat as he accidentally read over something that was clearly meant specifically for Bruce and raised his eyes to his young employer, accusing. Bruce glared at the offending paper and gestured for Alfred to read the bottom portion. The older gentleman dropped his eyes to the end of the note. Oh, and I took out the tracker. Love you.
Bruce spread his arms wide to emphasize his exasperation. "I had not realized that Miss Kyle had declared her love for you."
Bruce's mouth fell open into a bewildered gape. "That is not the point here, Alfred."
"Do you share her feelings, Master Bruce?"
Alfred's voice was detached and businesslike as always, but was that hope Bruce could detect just beneath that veil of disinterest? "I… Alfred, she stole the Bat-ship!"
"Yes. Well, Master Bruce, I really don't know what you expected." The gentleman began tidying the area around the monitors, turning his back on Bruce, who was still watching him with an expression that was no less shocked than it had been, if a little more indignant. "You have given Miss Kyle full entry to the cave, not to mention each of the Bat-bunkers located around Gotham. You did this in good faith; however you knew of Miss Kyle's habits and especially her attitude toward stealing, or in this case, borrowing without permission."
Of course, Alfred would cover up his paternal scolding with a burst of random cleaning and dusting. After taking a few seconds to recover from his shock, Bruce blurted, "So you're saying this is my fault?"
"Of course not, Master Bruce. I'm merely asking you to consider your own actions, along with Miss Kyle's."
On the Bat-ship, 11:00pm the next day
Robin was sulking in the corner, as he had been for a while. Starfire hadn't approached him since she kissed him on the cheek, and he was at once glad for that and annoyed that she was doing it. He had other things to worry about, though. They were traveling at warp-speed. With Starfire expertly navigating, they'd be home any minute.
Bruce would not be happy.
Hopefully, he'd recognize that Robin was a victim in all this. And Starfire, too. He didn't really want to deal with Bruce being mad at her. Not that it really mattered. Starfire was just some girl. Not even that- she was just some criminal. Some criminal that he'd failed to arrest so far. Some criminal that he'd just traversed the galaxy to find and, if you wanted to put that spin on it, rescue.
When had it gotten so out of control?
…
"Out of control, Selina!"
Robin had returned to sulking, although this time he was leaning against the body of the Bat-ship as Bruce shouted at Selina.
Selina had dropped Harley and Starfire off at whatever ragtag place she lived in now… a converted animal shelter, by the looks of it… so at least that wasn't a problem. Robin would have gotten out with them, but it would look so bad for him to go with Starfire instead of come back home.
Bruce was mostly ignoring him, anyway, and right now he had Selina by the arm. He was dragging her up a little, and her feet weren't really touching the floor. Judging by the smirk she wore, Selina wasn't intimidated.
"I told you I'd bring it back. Here it is." Selina rested her hands on Bruce's wrists. "I don't see what the problem is."
Bruce pushed her against the Bat-ship, growling. "It's not about the ship. It's about you breaking into the cave and using what you want, when you want."
Selina rolled her eyes behind her goggles. "Sorry, I'll knock next time."
"I gave you access for emergencies only," he told her sternly, lowering her to the ground but keeping his hands on her, keeping her in place. She didn't seem to mind.
"I'll have you know it was an emergency."
"What kind of emergency?" he asked doubtfully.
"I had to rescue Starfire from marrying a Sklerch," she informed him.
He released her fully, although the intensity of his Bat-glare doubled.
"That's not an emergency."
Robin furrowed his brow at his mentor. That was sort of cold. No. Robin made himself relax. Of course he wasn't concerned. Starfire was a criminal. Had he reminded himself of that enough lately? It would have been convenient if she had been married.
"Excuse me?" Selina demanded, her voice suddenly icy.
"Come on, Selina. I don't know why you're keeping her around for so long, but it has to end soon. She doesn't belong here."
"Why?" Catwoman demanded, crossing her arms over her chest. She flexed her right hand and her claws popped out of her glove. "Because she's an alien? How is she different from Superman, then?"
"That's different. Superman was raised here. His alliances are-"
"Alliances!" Catwoman spluttered. "What about Marian Manhunter? Aren't you afraid that he's spying for Mars?"
"Martian Manhunter is a refugee."
"Hawkgirl?" Catwoman retorted. "Stop making excuses for your prejudice."
Robin could almost visualize a tail twitching agitatedly. He was watching silently, calculating. Bruce couldn't be prejudiced. He's known so many different aliens. It wasn't that.
"It isn't that. When she first came here, the only that kept her from allowing Gotham- and possibly the entire planet- destroyed was diplomacy. Diplomacy, Selina. I don't have time for a little alien girl who can rip streets apart with her bare hands and works off of politics."
"She's learning," Selina hissed. "She didn't know the right words. She'd been locked away on a slave ship. She was scared."
Bruce crossed his arms and narrowed his eyes at her. "Now who's making excuses?"
She snarled at him. "Don't you dare. Take your damn ship back." She whirled around and slashed her diamond-tipped claws over the body of the ship, leaving deep scratch marks on the surface, as well as creating a truly horrible noise.
Robin had never seen Bruce and Selina fight before. He'd heard them- Selina was fond of throwing glass- but they'd never done it in front of him. It looked like Bruce was about to let her walk away without a word, and truthfully, Robin expected him to. But he snatched her wrist as she was walking away. "Wait."
"Let me go," she snarled at him.
"Why do you care for the girl so much?" Bruce demanded, struggle in his voice. As he spoke, he flipped his cowl back so she could see his face. Confusion, not anger, shaped his features.
She wrenched her wrist out of his grip. "Ask your kid. Then you might find out the answer." She exited the cave and entered the Manor.
"What's that supposed to mean?" Bruce demanded, rounding on Robin.
Robin threw up his hands innocently. "I have no idea. Don't drag me into the middle of this."
"Why her? There are so many girls her age that Selina could make her project instead. Why her?"
Robin shook his head to signify that he didn't get it, either. Maybe it was that cat gene thing that Starfire supposedly had. Maybe it was her superpowers. Maybe it was that she was lost. "I don't have an answer."
Bruce tensed and pulled the cowl over his head, tossing it and the attached cape on the ground.
"No. You don't. You weren't supposed. I was supposed to ask you so that I would realize," Bruce explained, mostly to himself, and he took the stairs going to the elevator that would bring him to the Manor two at a time.
"Realize what?" Robin called after him.
As the gate-like door of the elevator closed, Bruce answered, "Why did I take you in?"
Robin furrowed his brow again, the rattling of the elevator fading as it rose, leaving him in silence. It was a question that Robin asked himself many times. Why had Bruce taken him in? Was it because he was looking for a sidekick, and Robin was markedly acrobatic at that time? Maybe it was some kind of connection, although Bruce hadn't seen very connected before his Robin training at all.
No. It wasn't either of those things at all.
Robin's parents died in front of him. Both of them in one fell swoop. His whole life changed in seconds.
It was because Bruce saw himself in Robin.
He was wrenched from his thoughts by the sound of glass shattering. Ah. This was the familiar part of the argument. Plates, from the sound of it. Bruce had better be careful, Selina was good at throwing those.
A weird place to end it, really. But that's what I got. This was really more about Selina thank it was about Robin or Starfire and a little about Bruce. In the comics, Bruce did not like Starfire. He felt like she was too powerful and that she had too much sway over Dick's actions. I don't think I'll ever be able to write something where he approves of her entirely. Hesitant approval is probably the best you'll ever get from me.
Up next: Crash