Chapter 7: Welcome to Wayne Manor
The morning after, Gordon drove Dick to Wayne Manor.
Where Bruce stood outside awaiting them.
Gordon steps out of his car and shakes his hand.
"Mr. Wayne, it was generous of you to take the boy in willingly. Some of the Circus folks would too but I'm afraid Dent would try and shut him up, too." Gordon said.
"It's the least I can do. I just can't believe it was Harvey who gunned down his parents." Bruce said.
"Harvey's lost to us now, Bruce. He has to be brought in for murder now." Gordon said.
"I know." Bruce said.
"I should warn you the boy hasn't eaten since it happened. Hell he only sleeps when he feels like it." Gordon said.
Bruce turns to the boy seeing how angry he is.
He does feel for him he lost his parents the same way he feared what might be running in his system.
"I understand what he's going through. My parents were killed in front of me, too. I was just a child." Bruce said.
"And I was a captain. Commissioner Lowell reconciled the case but I did promise you I'd find the man who did it." Gordon said.
"You were a kind Commissioner." Bruce said.
Gordon nods and a minute after he drove off Bruce held out his hand to Dick and shook hands.
"How are you doing? I'm Bruce Wayne." Bruce said.
"I know who you are. We all did it at the circus. They say you're my caretaker now?" Dick asked.
"That and...hopefully your friend." Bruce said.
"Just know I might not stay long. I mean I'm almost 18. So I can afford it on my own." Dick said.
"I'm sure you can. Meantime come inside." Bruce said.
Bruce escorted the teenager inside where they encountered Alfred with a pleasant smile.
"Welcome to Wayne Manor, Master Dick. Alfred Pennyworth at your service." Alfred said.
"Pleasure." Dick said.
"Can I help you settle in?" Alfred asked.
Dick: No thanks. I like to blow off some steam. You guys got a gym or something.
"Sure I'll show you. First let's get you settled. Alfred?" Bruce asked.
"This way young, sir." Alfred said.
Alfred escorted the boy up stairs as Bruce left for the study which contains the entrance to the Batcave.
Alfred helped Dick unpack; he hardly said anything still grief-stricken about his parents promising himself he'll get Two-Face for this.
Alfred stumbled upon his circus uniform with an R on it.
"If I may Master Dick what does the R here stand for?" Alfred asked.
"Oh, that's...something my father came up with before the Flying Graysons were a hit. We called ourselves the Robin's. My father always flew like one. I just wanted to be like him." Dick said.
"I'm sure you're more like your father than you know." Alfred said.
Dick nods and the next thing they hear are meows. They turn around to see Ms. Kitty walking in rubbing on the doorway meowing and purring.
"Oh you have a cat?" Dick asked.
"She belonged to Master Bruce's ex wife. Left in our care." Alfred said.
Dick nods, petting the cat.
"What's her name?" Dick asked.
Alfred or Bruce didn't know what Selina called her cat so he came up with one.
"Isis." Alfred said.
"That's a pretty name. What happened to Bruce's wife anyway?" Dick asked.
"She and Master Bruce had business problems putting dents in their relationship." Alfred said.
"That's too bad." Dick said.
Dick stands up and looks at his circus uniform again and saddened again he picks it up and gives it to Alfred.
"Look I don't think I'll need this anymore so will you throw it out?" Dick asked.
Alfred observes it with an alternative.
"I think I'll just put it in the lower drawer." Alfred said.
Alfred does he said and looks Dick with a smile.
A good friend of mine once told his boy wings only break to be mended in time. One day Robin shall fly again. That I promise.
Alfred left the room leaving Dick to his thoughts as Ms. Kitty leaped up on his bed.
Hours later the manors gym Bruce took Dick to blow off steam like he said he would and they were fencing.
Dick was being aggressive like he was trying to kill Bruce.
"You're wasting some energy. Try to control." Bruce said.
Dick only responded by going for the kill which Bruce easily dodged him in as a result Dick fell on his chest.
Bruce took off his helmet nodding at him.
"See what I mean?" Bruce asked.
Dick slammed his fist on the floor frustrated as he pulled off his helmet.
"What's gotten into you?" Bruce asked.
"I was pretending you were Two-Face." Dick said.
Bruce frowns as Dick gets back up aggravated.
"I want to kill Two-Face for killing my parents. He took everything from me! I thought if I train I can hunt him down!" Dick said.
"Believe me, kid. I feel for you. But killing Two-Face won't bring your parents back." Bruce said.
"Spare me the pep talk, Bruce. I don't need your pity!" Dick said.
"All I'm saying is...I've been where you are." Bruce said.
Dick looks at him as Bruce faces down.
"When I was nine years old...my parents took me to see a movie...about a hero I looked up to as a boy. But then my parents gave their lives for me to defend me from an armed man...who shot them down." Bruce said.
Talking about this made Thomas & Martha Wayne with Bruce flashback to that tragedy.
Even hearing Jack Napier's words: "You ever danced with the devil by a pale moonlight?"
After hearing the gun shots Bruce wakes back up in reality.
"Hey...you alright?" Dick asked.
Bruce almost answered till he looked out the window behind Dick seeing the: Bat-Signal.
Batman was needed.
"Sorry, Dick. Something just came up. Alfred will tend to your needs." Bruce said.
Bruce left in a hurry with Dick frowning in confusion he then turned around and saw the Bat-Signal too which Dick thought was incredible but...curious.
To Be Continued…