Second chapter, here we go.
Thanks for the reviews (especially the GuestI couldn't PM to thank directly), I was thrilled to get a reaction so soon. It absolutely made my morning. I'm glad you liked it!
Someone told me, I got the quotation marks wrong. First: Thanks for that, that's exactly what I meant when I asked all of you to correct me. Second (to every one who thought of telling me the same thing): I know, I just couldn't help it, my tablet refused to change them so they're the German way now...
The upcoming days were some of the most tensed Alfred had ever experienced in his time at Wayne Manor. Which meant quite something , considering he had been there both when Master Bruce's parents had died and later when their son decided on becoming the Batman. He caught himself often just staring into nothingness, his thoughts wandering to the unknown boy who was going to live with them. Who was going to be thrown into a completely different life. And an highly unusual one. After all, how many children lived with only a guardian and a butler in an old mansion, beneath which the city's vigilante had his hideout. Not to mention said vigilante being the guardian… This child, Richard, would lead a life in the spotlight and in deepest shadow at the same time. Everyone in the whole city would know his name, the Prince of Gotham's ward. But he'd never know what was really going on in the house he was hopefully going to call his home.
But Alfred's thoughts were nothing compared to what Master Bruce seemed to be going through. The otherwise so calm man (at least at home) couldn't stop walking the hallways, again checking all the empty rooms, trying to decide which one to give to the new member of the household. And he joined Alfred in whatever he was doing at the moment about five times as often as usual. He would come to the room the butler was currently working in seemingly by accident and then stay there. Either looking out of a window or picking a book from some shelf, sometimes actually just watching a clock tick. At one or two occasions he seemed to be on the search for something to say, but always gave up before saying a word. The butler was close to ask, but decided against it. Master Bruce would talk when he was ready.
About a week after the papers had been handed in, the younger man finally started to share his thoughts and worries with his butler. It was at dinner, when he suddenly began to speak, startling Alfred by it.
„Do you think it was the right decision?" His voice was clear as ever but the slight uncertainty beneath the words was obvious.
„Concerning the boy?" Master Bruce nodded at the rhetorical question. „I do believe so, sir. Everything is an improvement in comparison to the juvenile service system, don't you think?"
„Yes, probably you're right. I just …", the younger one hesitated, „it's such a big decision not only for you and me but especially for the boy. It will affect his life immensely and I'm afraid maybe not for the better." His tone got even more insecure. „I do know how he feels right now and I also know what a balancing act it has been to raise me right. He doesn't even have the advantage of being familiar with who he's going to live with from now on, other than me at the time. You had been around my whole life before you started taking care of me, but Richard… He has only seen me once."
Alfred decided, he had to step in before Master Bruce got into it too far. Yes, at first he had been against all this, but the longer he thought about it and the longer he observed how his ward reacted to it, the more certain he became. Taking the boy in would prove to be the right decision, although it maybe could take a while.
„Master Bruce, you need to stop worrying. It won't do any good, only overshadow everything that is coming. You will do well as the child's guardian and, forgive my boldness, you will certainly benefit from his presence, especially if he really is such a energetic young boy as you described."
His employer lifted his head a bit and turned around to look at his butler. „What do you mean by saying I will benefit? I'm not doing this for my advantage!", he started to sound angry. „I know, people will think that, probably call him „charity case" or something, but I'm surprised that you think about this the same way. I wouldn't have thought that you'd accuse me of using him to influence my reputation as well."
As this hadn't been at all what he meant, Alfred hurried to explain.
„No, sir, you mistook me. I never intended to imply anything like it. I only meant to say, it will do you good to have some social contact at home." For he knew what Master Bruce was going to say, he forestalled it. „I know, I am here as well, but I do not count. I am the butler, not someone you can relate to on the same height. And that is just the way it should be, but having someone else here, someone maybe even becoming something like family to you… That will certainly make things better."
The other man seemed to be on the search for words, but in the end only said: „Thanks, Alfred."
Another two days later, the two men were standing in the hallway leading up to Master Bruce's bedroom, trying to decide, which one of the empty rooms at either side was going to be given to young Richard. The one to the left was slightly bigger, but the one to the right had a wonderful view over the park behind the mansion. In the end, they decided view was more important than space in a house as enormous as this, quite apart from the fact that it was very well possible to switch again, if the boy wished to. The next problem to face was the one of furniture. A huge bed, a desk, a wardrobe and an empty shelf were already in there, but nothing of it looked very childlike. What did you have to do to a room to make it appealing to an 8-year-old? A different colour for the walls? Some playthings? As neither of them knew, they just left it the way it was for now.
There were other things to be thought about as well, what school the boy was going to attend, for example, but they had to wait until Richard arrived, so the only thing left to do was wait. Which was a lot harder than expected… Both Alfred and Master Bruce could often be seen wandering around, lost in thought once again.
Three and a half weeks after the initial incident, the so long awaited day finally arrived. At 2 pm, Mister Bruce Wayne had an appointment with a member of the CPS to take Richard John Grayson home with him. Alfred, of course, came along.
When they arrived early, the butler for once in his life not being exactly punctual, Master Bruce seemed to be excited. Well, as excited as he was able to be. He checked the fit of his suit twice, before entering the building, in which Richard currently lived. It was a catholic orphanage, he had moved here about a week ago after he got beaten up by some other kids at the juvenile service system facility.
Inside, the two men met with Mrs. Johnson, the social worker in charge of the boy. She was a stern but just looking woman in her fifties and she showed no sign of timidity face to face with the famous (and slightly intimidating) Bruce Wayne.
„Mr. Wayne, I'm Alice Johnson. We telephoned." The man took the offered hand and shook it, smiling friendly.
„Yes, Mrs. Johnson, I remember. Pleasure to meet you."
„You too." She turned slightly away from them, now facing the hallway leading deeper into the building. With a wave of her hand she asked: „Shall we go then? Richard is waiting in one of the common rooms."
Alfred noticed the pleased look on his employers face. The younger one had never liked people who wasted time. When the three of them started walking, the butler stayed a few steps behind, keeping an eye on the surroundings. The walls were bare and needed a repaint, the ceiling was low and decorated with cobwebs. This most definitely was not a good place for children to grow up.
They reached a shabby looking door, which Mrs. Johnson opened for them. At the first moment, the room behind it seemed to be empty except a huge table in the middle. Only on a second, closer look, they saw the small boy sitting on a chair in a corner of the room. He didn't look up when they entered, so they could only see the tousled black hair, but not his face.
„Richard, this is Mr. Wayne." Before the woman could say anything else, Master Bruce had walked over to the child and kneeled before him. He hold out his hand.
„Hello, I'm Bruce. You're Richard, right?" The boy nodded, but didn't take the hand. He kept staring at the floor. Mrs. Johnson piped in again.
„Richard, don't you want to be polite and greet Mr. Wayne?" Her voice wasn't scolding, but she didn't tolerate dissent either.
„Hello, Mr. Wayne." The boy was barely audible, but he looked up and finally took the still offered hand. He had a friendly face but his eyes looked as if he had been crying a lot lately.
„Call me Bruce, please. And this", the man gestured towards his butler who lowered his head in greeting, „is Alfred. You will live with us from now on, did Mrs. Johnson tell you about that?"
Richard nodded again. He looked at his new guardian attentively. „I have seen you before."
Now Master Bruce smiled. „Yes, you have. We met at the circus." At this, the boy cringed and the man put his hand on one of the child's knees.
„I'm sorry", he apologized. „I know how you feel."
„No, you don't," Richard murmured so low, it was hard to understand.
„Actually, yes, I do. When I was a kid, my parents died, too. Alfred there took me in, so I didn't have to live in an orphanage or a foster family. And when I saw what happened to your family, I decided, I wanted to do the same thing for you. It took a while until everything was settled, but now I'm here and I ask you, if you want to come and live with us."
The boy shrugged. „It doesn't matter to me." Alfred was startled about how detached he sounded. A child shouldn't be so sad that it didn't make a difference anymore, where it lived.
Bruce seemed to feel the same. When he glanced at his butler, his face spoke of deep concern. After a second, he turned back to the boy. „Well, maybe you'll come to like it. Will you give it a try?" He stood up again and waited until the boy moved, too, before beckoning to Alfred. The three of them left the room, the social worker waling ahead, leading the way.
They went to the dormitory Richard was currently sleeping in to get his belongings. Both the butler and his employer were shocked on how few things the boy had been allowed to keep, when social services removed him from the circus. Only enough clothes to fill a small rucksack including his old costume, two photographs of his parents and a stuffed animal, a small elephant.
When they got back to the front door, Alfred going ahead to open it for the other two, the butler suddenly backed away.
„Master Bruce, there appear to be quite a number of journalists outside, apparently waiting for you and young Master Richard to come out. I suggest using the back door in order to avoid them. I will get the car and meet you there." The other man grimaced, he hated all those vultures, always had.
„Thank you, Alfred", he said before turning to the boy. „Will you come with me, Richard?" He only earned a small nod, otherwise the boy stayed silent. It seemed like it could take a while, before they got him talking again.
When the two younger ones had disappeared into the building, Alfred opened the door and walked past the journalists. Luckily, none of them recognized him. It had its advantages always to be in the background. He got to the car without any incidents, glad he had chosen an inconspicuous vehicle instead of the limousine. While he drove to the backside of the facility, he saw some of the writers turn their heads towards him. Please, don't let them follow. At first it seemed as if his prayers had been heard, but when he reached the second entrance and got out of the car to open the doors, some of the journalists appeared around the corner. He tried to hurry, but it was too late. The first cameras flashed and questions attacked the man and the child at his side, when they got out of the building.
„Mr. Wayne, are you planning on adopting the boy?"
„Mr. Wayne, who is the boy?"
„Hey there, what's your name? Where do you come from?"
„Are you going to live with Mr. Wayne?"
Master Bruce tried to shield the boy with his body from the attackers, but despite his huge figure, he didn't quite succeed. Richard was completely frightened and seemed unable to move, he just stood there, frozen to the spot, his eyes wide in shock. After two seconds, Master Bruce picked him up and carried him over to the car, holding the boy's head to his shoulder to protect him. He hurried onto the backseat, Alfred closed the door, got behind the steering wheel and started the engine. He had to be careful when he drove past the journalists as they tried to hinder the car on leaving. As soon as they reached the main road, he accelerated towards Wayne Manor. From behind him he could hear Master Bruce talk to the boy.
„It's alright, Richard, it's alright, they're gone." Alfred glanced in the rear-view mirror. The child sat on the very edge of his seat, leaning as far away from his new guardian as possible, while the man tried to calm him down.
„I'm sorry you had to experience that, I had hoped to avoid the journalists. But I promise you, they won't get to you again, I'll protect you. And they can't get to the house, so you are completely safe there."
The words didn't seem to have any impact on Richard, he stayed silent, until they had nearly reached their destination. Both men turned their heads in surprise, when all of a sudden the high pitched voice of the boy timidly asked: „Why?"
Master Bruce turned to him again. „Why? Why what?" He tried his best to sound friendly to not scare the boy even more, but apparently he didn't know what the question was aiming at.
„Why were they there, why did they ask so much?"
„You mean the journalists? Didn't Mrs. Johnson tell you about me? I thought she explained everything." Alfred could see the man shake his head in the mirror. „I am sorry, I assumed you knew. See, a lot of people know me because I own a company here in Gotham and so, Journalists always try to get new information about me and my life. Someone must have seen me enter the building and told them where I was, so they came to see why I was there. And since you were with me, they tried to learn about you, too. But I promise, Alfred and I will do our best to keep them away from you."
„Indeed we will", the butler muttered under his breath.
Richard didn't say anything, just kept his gaze on his knees and crouched at the far end of his seat.
Poor boy... :-( Let's see how long it'll take him to ease up a bit.