"Bruce," Leslie said as Batman stood from where he'd just placed two roses on the dirty street. "I'd like to ask a favor."
"Anything." He said without hesitation. Even that signature gruffness could not hide the note of affection in his voice.
Leslie smiled. He was a good man, but he was not going to love her request.
"Remember the Sewer King case? All those children?" She turned with him and he walked her back to her car. It was an unusually quiet night. Crime Alley was almost entirely deserted save for a cat that lounged on some cardboard beneath a boarded up window.
"Hard to forget." Bruce said dryly, eying the cat. The elevated train rumbled overhead and nearly drowned out his low voice.
"Well, I recently checked in on the children and I was pleased to learn many of them have transitioned well into foster care and some have even been adopted already."
"That's great." Bruce said, truly glad to hear it. He thought of the squalor and terror he'd found those kids living in.
"But," Leslie glanced up at him. "There are a handful still living at the children's home. I went to visit them. Some of them still won't talk or can't, most suffer extreme panic from the dark. And there's one little boy who is simply terrified of men. Cowers even at the sight of one."
Bruce shook his head slowly, his mouth downturned in a somber grimace.
They reached Leslie's car parked beneath a street light and Bruce noted a pair of shadows that melded back into the dark of a narrow side alley. An old lady with such a chaperone clearly wasn't worth the trouble.
"Where are you going with this, Leslie." he asked, a good natured suspicion coloring his words.
"I'd like you to pay them a visit." She said simply. "Just once."
Batman's face scrunched up in confusion. "But why?" It was a genuine question. "Bruce Wayne won't mean anything to those children and I'm sure his presence would only upset that little boy you mentioned."
"Not Mr. Wayne." Leslie said, a sheepish expression forming. "You." She gestured at his general person. "Batman."
He gaped at her, as much as one in a bat cowl could. "What?"
"You're the one who saved them from that awful monster. I read some of their testimonies. You were the first kind presence in most of their lives."
"Leslie, I can't-"
"Just sit with them, Bruce. They're frightened children and seeing you might bring them some comfort."
"How could this," Now he gestured up and down at himself. "comfort a frightened child?"
"Because," Leslie explained. "that frightened child watched you save him or her from a life of cruelty and darkness. That's how."
Bruce sighed. "Is this a request or a requirement?"
Leslie smiled, ignoring the question. "They draw lots of pictures and who do you think is featured in most of them?"
"Let me guess."
She grinned outright. "Will you do it? It would be so good for the children. I know it!"
"The children's home will keep it quiet?"
"Of course! I've already discussed it with them."
"You already-" Bruce sighed and shook his head. "Of course you have." Leslie just smiled more.
"And you feel confident" he said, voice resigned. "that Batman is not going to terrify already traumatized kids?"
"I'm much more convinced that a visit from you will only aid in their roads to recovery." He opened the car door for her and watched her climb into the driver seat. She looked up at him. "I can't thank you enough, Batman."
"Don't thank me yet." He said with a grim smirk. Then he shut the door. She pulled away from the curb and his eyes followed her car until it disappeared around a dim corner. Putting a gloved hand to his head he huffed out a half laugh half sigh.
"Dammit Leslie."
With another disbelieving shake of his head, he reached for his grappling gun, aimed it and launched. A second later he was airborne, vanishing into the darkness above.