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Sometimes Alfred wondered how it had changed, sometimes he remembered that it had changed. Sometimes he just knew, and thought about how it was perhaps better before.
Soon after he would forget - but sometimes he would remember.
When he remembered, it usually started with the bad stuff - started with the arguments. It started with what he could be thankful wasn’t a problem anymore.
After that he remembered them living different places, sometimes visiting each other, but they weren’t trapped under the same roof.
After that he remembered Cassandra, and her love for Hongkong, how she had moved there - because she loved it.
In those moments he wondered: Why did she give that up?
In those moments he remembered all the friends, that they all used to have. Remembered the teams, that they used to be on.
In those moments, where he remembered, Alfred didn’t know how it all ended up like this.
Alfred forgot again afterwards, forgot when he started thinking about doing something about it. He forgot when he wanted to change how it all worked now.
Alfred forgot.
And then he went back to the old routines, went back to cleaning, and feeding, and caring for, all those in his charge.
Went back to watching the family.
Because they were still a family, that played with each other, and bickered, and made activities together. A family that had game nights, and dance battles - that had any competition they could imagine.
And sometimes, even as he remembered, he thought that he wished it would never change.
Those times he could remember longer.
Those times, he would later hope, that whatever put them in this position, didn’t hear.
Hope that, Gotham willing, whatever made them forget, couldn’t hear it.
Because Alfred didn’t want this, he wanted them all to have a choice. Alfred wanted them to be together like this, but he wanted the family to choose to be together like this.
He wanted them to be able to bring their friends.
Alfred wanted…
Alfred forgot.
Shouldn’t he start the dinner now? It was about time.
It was nice to have a full house to cook for.