Sorry for taking forever to update. There be fluff ahead

Please tell me what you think :)

L.L.A.P

~Laces

Chpt.17

When Batman took Athena back to the Batcave, she was very quiet and closed off. Cassie had explained what happened to Batman, and it appeared that Athena didn't want to talk to anyone after the incident.

"Would you like some Dinner, Athena?" Batman questioned once inside the cave. "I'm sure Alfred has some prepared." He was worried how Athena was acting ever since one of her abilities accidentally went off. He didn't enjoy seeing her looking so depressed and he didn't mind it when she talked.

"No thank you." She whispered, her eyes staring dully on the floor. "May I please go to my room?"

Batman didn't want her to be hungry, but he wasn't going to force her to eat.

"If that's what you want." Batman stated, and the girl slowly made her way up to her room.

Batman sat at his computer chair and slid the cowl off of his head, running his hands through his hair, trying to release some stress.

As he let out a loud exhale, a voice inquired,

"Tea, sir?" It was Alfred, and Bruce mutely nodded his head.

Alfred knew when something was wrong, and he could feel that something was definitely awry.

Alfred calmly poured the tea into the cup, and handed it gently to Bruce.

"I saw Miss Athena walking to her room. Has she already eaten?" the older man inquired, and Bruce shook his head.

"No. She says she's not hungry, but she is merely…" Bruce paused. "I don't know, Alfred. One of her abilities went off when she got frustrated, and it sent Wonder Girl flying into a wall. It was an accident, but I think it scared her." He informed.

"And what do you plan to do about it?" Alfred inquired calmly. Bruce looked away from the butler to glare at the computer screen.

"What can I do, Alfred? I doubt there is anything I could do that would make her less frightened about her abilities." Bruce stated, his voice tight, but he took in a deep breath to calm himself.

Alfred placed a light hand on Bruce's shoulder.

"You can talk to her, Sir." Alfred advised. "It does not even have to be about what happened. Just be there to talk to her, and let her talk back. Perhaps this might alleviate any worries she has."

~*~*~*~*~*~Athena's Room~*~*~*~*~*~

Athena really wasn't hungry. The giant knot in her stomach made her appetite sour.

"Ralph, I could have hurt Cassie." Athena informed, looking at her teddy bear sadly. "I could have hurt her. I didn't mean to but…" Athena trailed off, shaking her head. "Ralph, I don't want to hurt people. I… I never want to hurt anybody. I was made to hurt people, but I don't want to. I don't want to hurt anybody!" Athena exclaimed and objects in her room shook.

Athena's eyes widened and she grabbed Ralph, hugging him tightly.

"Calm down, Athena. Just calm down. Your flight is controlled by joy, shock, and anxiousness. Maybe your ability to move things are also controlled by emotion. Just calm down." Ralph said gently.

"Right… right… just calm down." Athena sighed, taking in a deep breath, and the objects in her room stopped shaking.

"Athena?" there was a soft knock on the door, and then it slightly opened. "May I come in?" the girl could recognize Bruce's voice.

"Yes." She nodded, and Bruce walked into the room along with a cup of tea.

"I figured you might want something to drink." He informed, placing the tea on her desk.

"Thank you." Athena smiled weakly, and Bruce walked over to her and sat by her side on her bed.

"How are you feeling?" he inquired with some concern.

"Not good." She answered, looking down and playing with her fingertips.

"Why don't you feel good, Athena?" Bruce inquired, but quickly added in a gentle tone, "You can talk to me."

"I don't want to hurt people." Athena whispered. "I never do. But… if I can't control what I do…" Bruce wrapped his arms around her quickly in a strong hug. He could see that she was about to cry, and Bruce didn't want that.

"It will be okay Athena. Do not worry about these things because we are here to help. You won't hurt anybody. It will be okay." He stated strongly.

Athena didn't answer him, but she wrapped her arms around his torso, hugging him back. Bruce lightly stroked her hair, trying to calm her.

And it worked.

She took in deep breaths, and Bruce's words put her at ease and made her grasp the concept that everything was going to be alright.

She looked up at Bruce, and her eyes widened. Bruce was wearing a button up shirt, but the first two buttons were open, exposing his skin. Athena could see a pale scar that seemed to start at the bottom of his neck and trailed down under his shirt.

"You have scars too?" she inquired in a small voice, and Bruce raised an eyebrow. The statement seemed very random to him.

"Yes." He said with a curt nod, and Athena couldn't wrap her mind around that concept. The concept of Batman having scars. Of Batman getting hurt. It just seemed impossible to hurt her. Batman appeared like a dark shadow that absolutely nothing could penetrate, let alone touch.

"Were you experimented on too?" Athena inquired, looking at the man curiously. However, Bruce shook his head.

"No, Athena." he informed, then sighed. "But I did get my scars from evil people."

"How'd you get that one? The one that starts at your neck?" she questioned, full of wonder of what could have possibly pierced the man's skin.

"Catwoman scratched me with her claws." Bruce informed, and Athena nodded. It was still strange to her how Batman could be hurt.

"What's your favorite scar?" Athena inquired, and Bruce looked at her confused.

"My favorite scar?" he inquired, making sure he had heard that right.

"Yes… like this one is mine." She informed with a small smile, pointing at a pale line on her hand. Bruce couldn't help but ask,

"What makes it your favorite?"

"Because I gave it to me." Athena informed proudly, and Bruce wasn't going to correct the girl's grammar. "Nobody else gave it to me. And it was an accident. And it didn't hurt much." Athena explained, giggling lightly.

"I tripped and then fell backwards, and my hand snagged on something on one of the guard's... something. Probably his armor. Anyway, I got cut, but it's one of my favorites." It was the only scar on her body that didn't have a traumatic story to go along with it, and Bruce quickly realized that.

"See this scar?" Bruce questioned, pointing to a thin line on his thumb. "I acquired it while trying cut meat to make a father's day dinner for Alfred." He informed with a small smile.

"Well… did he like the dinner?" Athena inquired after taking a long look at the scar. Bruce shook his head, but remained grinning.

"No. he told me that he appreciated the thought, but I should stay out of the kitchen." He answered.

Bruce enjoyed talking to Athena. it was relaxing just to sit, and talk, and he could tell that Athena was feeling better as well.

"Hey… Bruce?" Athena questioned, sounding slightly apprehensive. Bruce quickly rested a hand on her shoulder.

"Yes?"

"Do you think I'll become a monster?" she questioned in a soft voice. "Like... If I could gain abilities after years of not having them... could something change inside me that would make me want to hurt people?"

Bruce could see the fear in her eyes, and he shook his head.

"No. You wouldn't do that." To be honest, Bruce would have said that her future was very unclear, however, he didn't have the heart to be blunt and tell her so, due to her terrified look.

"Athena, know that if there is anything wrong or you think something about you is changing, that you can talk to me." Bruce informed seriously. Athena nodded sternly.

"Thank you... Father?" her eyes looked at him with some worry, wondering if she was going to reprimanded for using the word.

Bruce's eyes widened and Athena looked away, immediately regretting calling him so. She knew that Dick was okay with Nii-san, but she wasn't too sure about how Bruce would react to the term Father.

"Sorry." she said quickly. "I wasn't sure if I was allowed..."

"Yes." Bruce said quickly. "You can call me that. I..." Bruce took in a deep breath. "I am your father so you are allowed to address me as such."

Athena smiled and Bruce kissed the top of her head.

"Are you sure you don't want any dinner?" Bruce inquired with a small smile. He knew that she was most likely starving.

"I may be having second thoughts." she said with a sheepish smile.

"Alfred has a plate warm for you in the oven." Bruce grinned and he and Athena walked downstairs to the kitchen, letting her hold her hand.

Alfred was right. Just talking helped Athena more than Bruce had thought.