"Bruce," Dr. Kapoor said to Bruce once his exam was complete. "The loss of cartilage is quite severe."
"Right," Bruce said, already knowing this. He had been having cartilage loss and pain in this knee for years. "So how to we proceed?"
"Well, ultimately," the doctor said. "You will require a knee replacement."
Bruce began to laugh.
"I'm in my late 30's," Bruce told the doctor.
"Bruce," the doctor said. "We discussed the possibility of this being required one day. Your body has sustained a lot. Your knee-"
"My knee is fine," Bruce said. "What about stem cell therapy? That has worked before."
"As I said..." the doctor said. "The loss is advanced. We can try but you will continue to be in pain for some time. For your comfort, I believe a knee replacement is the best option."
"I know about knee replacements," Bruce said. "I'd be laid up for a couple of months. Won't be able to walk on my own without a walker for weeks. Months of physical rehab."
"Yes," the doctor nodded. "But after your recovery your knee will not bother you. Your life will resume as normal."
"I can't take months off," Bruce said. "It's not a good time."
The doctor spoke to Bruce very calmly.
"You have not practiced vigilantism in some time," the doctor said. "Now is the perfect time."
Bruce couldn't argue, but the last think he wanted was to be struck down with the recovery of a knee surgery. He was too young for this, he thought.
"We'll try stem cell therapy again," Bruce said.
"Stem cell therapy has it's limitations Bruce," the doctor said.
"I'll be in pain while in treatment, but the Vicodin is working just fine," Bruce said.
"You will not be able to continue with Vicodin for more than three more days," the doctor said. "It is not a long term pain treatment. Acetaminophen will take the edge off, but my concern in that your pain will increase. You could be in for surgery this weekend Bruce and be on your way to full recovery by springtime."
"I've made my decision doctor," Bruce said and sat up.
Bruce knew that stem cell therapy had helped him tremendously in the past. He was young and fit and knew his body would pull through again.
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"Daddy!" Arsenio said excitedly as Bruce came into the kitchen in Wayne Manor.
"How did everything go at your appointment?" Adriana asked as she picked up one of the soft macaroni noodles Arsenio dropped onto the floor.
"Heyyy," Bruce said and picked up Arsenio from his high seat. "Everything went fine."
"Great," Adriana said, even though she could hear that there was more to it in Bruce's voice.
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.
"Stem cell treatment?" Adriana asked Bruce when they were alone. "Will that really work?"
"Yes," Bruce assured her. "We've used it before. It's an excellent treatment."
"Are you sure?" she asked him as he sat at the desk at his in home office.
"Positive, dear," he said. "There's no need to worry."
Adriana watched as the took a prescription bottle out of his desk drawer and took a small pill.
"Did you have to take opiates when your knee bothered you before?" she asked him, even though she already knew the answer.
"Sweetheart," Bruce said and stood up, placing a hand on either of her shoulders. "I am fine. This is temporary and I am going to recover."
"You said the doctor told you that you have cartilage loss...I don't think stem cells are going to do much-" Adriana started to say.
"Adriana," Bruce cut her off but she kept speaking.
"Was there any other alternative? This can't be the only option..." Adriana said. "I hate seeing you in pain."
"I'm not in pain," Bruce told her.
"Thanks to Vicodin," she said.
"You'll see," Bruce said. "In a few weeks everything will be as it was."
Adriana looked at him dubiously.
"How did everything go with Jack?" Bruce asked.
"You mean my apology?" she asked. "He accepted it."
"Very good," Bruce said and kissed her forehead.
"He also said he wants me off the team," Adriana said. "That he doesn't want me to go when it's time to retrieve the physical evidence from police storage."
Adriana waited for Bruce to defend her or to be upset about what he was hearing.
"Well," Bruce said. "Can you blame him?"
Adriana rolled her eyes.
"I can't believe this," she said. "So you're taking his side?"
"I am not taking sides," Bruce said. "We are all on the same side here."
"So you agree with him? You think I shouldn't go?" she asked him.
"The decision is yours," Bruce told her.
"I know that," Adriana said. "But...I want to know what you think I should do."
Bruce knew to tread carefully. He did not want to argue or offend his wife.
"He...did say that you lost grip of the case," Bruce said gently. "Which caused him to have to tranquilize-"
"So you're saying you don't want me to go," Adriana guessed.
"That's not at all what I said-" Bruce said.
"Whatever," Adriana sighed. "You two can handle the physical evidence. I'll probably be busy anyway."
"Okay," Bruce said, agreeably.
"Do you think your knee will be okay by then?" Adriana asked. "I could talk to Dr. Kapoor-"
"Thank you, my love, but that won't be necessary," Bruce said. "I will be just fine. We may have to push it back a week or so but Jack and I will handle the physical evidence. I have a feeling it will go well."
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"So...can you tell me or is is patient doctor privilege?" Adriana asked Dr. Kapoor.
"Well.." the doctor said. "Both you and Bruce agreed that I could share your medical information with each other after your abduction."
Adriana released a sigh of relief. She vaguely remembered the agreement.
"What is going on with his knee? Is he really going to be okay with just stem cell therapy?" she asked.
"Stem cell therapy will not rebuild the amount of cartilage he has lost," the doctor told her up front.
"So...why are you giving him that then? What does he need? Surgery?" she asked.
"He refuses to have a knee replacement," the doctor told her.
"Why?" Adriana asked.
"The recovery process, the down time, his age," the doctor went on. "I am afraid I cannot change his mind."
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"There must be something," Bruce said to Lucius. "A knee replacement would impact my strength, my abilities."
"Yes," Lucius agreed. "But I'm not sure what you would like from me. Do you plan to return to vigilantism?"
"I may have to some day," Bruce said.
He remembered Sidi's prediction of the future. Gotham would need him.
"Instead of becoming weaker," Bruce said. "I want to become stronger."
"How?" Lucius asked.
"Give me a bionic knee," Bruce said.
Lucius raised his eyebrows.
"It's possible, isn't it?" Bruce asked.
"Perhaps..." Lucius said. "But it would take...a long time to construct. I would need to conduct trials, research..."
"Then let's make it happen," Bruce said, feeling relived.
"Bruce," Lucius said. "It would take a year or more. This is not something I can just whip up."
"A year," Bruce said.
"At the very least," Lucius told him.
"Then let's work on it," Bruce said.
"I am concerned about the health of your actual knee, Bruce," Lucius said. "If you need a replacement and refuse it for too long, your knee could end up damaged beyond repair. I could construct something to increase your strength and abilities. Likely beyond the scope of strength any human possesses-"
"Yes," Bruce nodded. He needed this.
"But it will not benefit your true joint," Lucius said. "What I could construct may be more a brace. Nothing can correct your joint but a replacement surgery. You will still be in pain. This is not a medical remedy."
"I will be just fine," Bruce said. "Get my capabilities back...hell, expand them! That is what I need right now."
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"Daddy and I have to go to a really boring fancy party," Adriana reminded Arsenio as she packed his overnight bag.
"Boreeee!" Arsenio said.
"Yes," Adriana said. "But you get to spend the night at Jack's place for the first time. Won't that be fun?"
"Yup!' Arsenio said and pulled off his socks.
"Sweetie, I'm just going to have to put those back on," Adriana laughed.
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"You're due to go to bed in eight minutes," the Joker told Arsenio who was on his couch looking at cars racing across the screen on the TV.
"Ten!" Arsenio said clearly.
"Right then.." the Joker said. "I'll give you two extra minutes, but no more."
Arsenio picked up the remote and began to press random buttons.
"Hey kiddo," the Joker said to him. "Do you solemnly swear not to move from this couch while I use the restroom?"
"Swear," Arsenio said.
"Thank you," the Joker said.
The Joker stood up and began to leave his living room when Arsenio began to shout.
"Daddy! Daddy! Daddy!" Arsenio said over and over.
"What is it?" the Joker said and returned to the living room. "Want me to call your father? You want to talk to him?"
"Daddy!" Arsenio said and pointed at the TV. "Mommy!"
And sure enough, a news report showed Bruce and Adriana arriving at a party in downtown Gotham. After a few seconds a commercial break started.
"Yes, that was them," the Joker said and turned the TV to a children's channel. "Do me a favor and don't touch this remote until I return."
"Okeeeee," Arsenio said and reached for his car that had gotten trapped in the couch cushions.
Once the Joker finished using the bathroom he heard the doorbell ring. He left the bathroom and made sure Arsenio was still on the couch.
"Thank you for being well behaved," the Joker said to Arsenio who was still in the same spot he was when he left.
"Door!" Arsenio said and looked at the front door.
"Yep I got it," the Joker said and looked out. It was his neighbor.
"Hi!" the young woman said as soon as he opened the door.
"Hello, Rina," the Joker said to her.
"Hi, Jack," she said, smiling sweetly. "Sorry to bother you but do you happen to have two eggs I could borrow?"
"I believe so," he said and let her in. "Help yourself."
"Thank you-" she said and then noticed Arsenio on the couch. "Oh! Hi!"
"Hi!" Arsenio said to her.
The Joker walked over and picked Arsenio up.
"This is Arsenio-" the Joker started to say.
"Riiiina!" Arsenio said repeating her name.
"Yes...that's my name," Rina said. "Wow you're very smart. How old is he?"
"Eyyteeem moff!" Arsenio replied.
Rina was stunned.
"Did he just say eighteen months?" she asked the Joker.
"Yes," the Joker told her. "He is...very intelligent."
"Wow," Rina said. "I...actually I had no idea you were a father."
"Oh, I'm not," the Joker clarified. "This is my friend's son. I'm just watching him for the night."
"Really?" Rina asked, confused. "Are you related?"
"No...no we aren't," the Joker went on, lying.
"He looks just like you, Jack," Rina said. "I mean..the resemblance is crazy. You're sure you're not related at all?"
"Positive," the Joker told her, not wanting Arsenio thinking too much about them looking alike. "The eggs are on the bottom shelf."
"Got it," Rina smiled and touched Arsenio's hand before disappearing into the kitchen.
When the Joker looked at Arsenio, he appeared to be examining the Joker's face very closely. He touched the Joker's eyebrows and cheeks.
"Dak...like me.." Arsenio said. "Dak you like me? Same.."
"Well..." the Joker said. "Many people in the world look similar. Right?"
"Oh.." Arsenio said touched the Joker's nose.
"You only have two left," Rina said when she came back from the kitchen, holding the carton with two eggs remaining.
"All yours," the Joker said to her.
"Thanks, I'll try to bring a couple by tomorrow," she said.
"Don't worry about it," the Joker said to her.
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"The food was delicious but I'm glad that's over," Adriana joked to Bruce when they got into the back of their stretch limo after the party. "Felt like people were looking at me funny."
"Well it was your first event since.." Bruce said and took her hand.
"The abduction," Adriana said.
"Yes," Bruce nodded. "I'm sure everyone is happy you're doing well."
"Yeah," Adriana said and kissed Bruce.
As they kissed she noticed that his body was tense.
"Are you alright, sweetheart?" she asked and touched the side of his neck.
"I am fine," he told her. "Just very tired."
"Me too," she told him and rested her head on his shoulder.
They returned to Wayne Manor half an hour later and Adriana pulled off her heels as soon as they came through the front door. Bruce picked up her shoes and they greeted Alfred before going to their bedroom.
Adriana used cold cream to melt off her makeup and as she wiped it away, she thought about her week in the city. The number of users of the street drug that pretty much turned people into zombies was on the rise. So far, none of the people that she had detained had returned to their former selves. A couple of them had been let go by their families. Since the drugged individuals did not eat or take in any water on their own, the only thing keeping them alive was hydration through IV fluids or feeding tubes. It was a horrible thing to think about. Each of them had died quickly due to heart rhythm disturbances caused by electrolyte imbalance that came on quickly after being taken off of IV fluids.
When she was done Adriana left the bathroom, but Bruce was not in their bedroom. She went to go and find him, and assumed he would be in his office. She was right.
She entered quietly. The door was slightly ajar. When she came in she saw Bruce taking a pill.
"Hey..." she said gently and he turned to her. "What was that?"
She didn't need to ask. She knew exactly what it was.
"Just something for my knee," he said and tossed the orange bottle into his desk drawer.
"Is it Vicodin?" she asked. "I though you weren't supposed to take that for more than a week-"
"That was my last one," Bruce said and picked up his suit jacket from the chair behind him. "I've taken them sparingly so I had one left over."
Adriana suddenly became nervous. He was lying to her. She could hear it in her voice. She knew this type of problem needed to be dealt with as soon as possible.
"Shall we?" Bruce said, taking her hand, meaning that they would go back upstairs to go to bed.
"Bruce..." she said, stopping him. "Can I see the bottle?"
Bruce looked at her strangely.
"It wasn't empty," she said. "I heard-"
Adriana heard a sound coming from her watch. A new device that Lucius had created for her to give her notifications.
"Something's...happening downtown," she said. "It sounds like they'll need me.."
"Okay," Bruce said, concealing relief in his voice as he began to leave his office and Adriana followed him. "I'll await your return."