Work Text:
“Bruce, watch this!” Richard cries as he does another trick on the balance beam. He flings his arms in the air, smiling proudly. Bruce grins up at his son and gives him a round of applause.
“You get better every day!” Bruce praises Richard and the boy preens.
“I know!” Richard grins so hard that Bruce can see his dimples. “C’mon, give it a try with me.”
Bruce shakes his head, “I better stay here and make sure someone’s spotting you.”
Richard gives Bruce puppy-dog eyes, “C’mon, please Master Bruce?”
Bruce frowns at the boy, “What did you just call me?”
Richard cocks his head in confusion, “Master Bruce, you need to wake up now.”
“Master Bruce!” Alfred leans back as Bruce sits up, suddenly wide awake. “Oh, Master Bruce, you gave me quite a scare.”
“Alfred. Alfred, where’s Dick?” Bruce turns toward Alfred, panic written across his face.
Alfred’s brow furrows, “Now, Master Bruce-”
“Where’s my son?!?” Bruce pleads, “Please tell me he’s just in his room.”
“My boy,” Alfred soothes Bruce’s brow, “He’s gone. I got here just as you collapsed and that man leaped out of the window with Master Richard in his arms.”
“No,” Bruce drops his head into his hands and rubs at his eyes.
“Was it the Talon you spoke of the other evening?” Bruce looks up at Alfred, his confidant. His caregiver. A man who raised him and is practically his father. Bruce breaks, his heart is cleaved in two. Alfred pulls Bruce into his chest as he weeps. Alfred uses one hand to hold Bruce tight and the other to stroke through his child’s hair. Alfred murmurs reassurances and promises into Bruce’s hair, “You’ll find him. You’ll find him, my child. Once you have done that, we’ll burn down the wretched Court of Owls. Even if I have to do it myself.”
Later, much later, Bruce pulls on his kevlar reinforced suit and strides toward his car. The door opens with a hiss and Bruce pauses to look up at Alfred. “I’ll burn them to the ground. Every one of them until I find Dick,” Bruce promises. Without waiting for a reply, he gets in and the door slides shut. Moments later the car roars out of the cave. Overhead, the bats screech and take flight, swarming out of the cave and into the night air.
Alfred watches until the car goes around the bend and out of sight. Alfred picks up the tray with empty dishes and turns toward the stairwell. “I know you will, my boy.”