Love and Heroes

Love and Heroes


Bruce Wayne smiled slightly as he saw his one true friend, butler, a father and grandfather figure all rolled into one, step out of his families personal jet. Alfred called out formally “Master Wayne, you’ve been gone a long time. Bruce’s smile widened slightly as he answered. “Yes I have.” Bruce smirked when Alfred said deadpan. “You look very fashionable.” He returned the smirk and added “Apart from the mud.”

Once they were settled inside of the jet and had taken off, Alfred asked his charge, as the charge in question looked out of the window. “Are you coming back to Gotham for long, Sir?” Bruce replied “As long as it takes.” He commented around a weary sigh. “I want to show the people of Gotham, their city doesn’t belong to the criminals and the corrupted.”

Alfred commented, fondly in memory of the late Thomas Wayne. “In the depression, your father nearly bankrupted Wayne Enterprises combating poverty. He believed his example could inspire the wealthy of Gotham to save their city.”

Bruce asked, already knowing the answer, but wanting to hear Alfred admit it out aloud. “Did it?” Alfred replied “In a way. Their murder shocked the wealthy and powerful into action.”

Bruce said “People need dramatic examples to shake them out of apathy. I can’t do that as Bruce Wayne. As a man I’m flesh and blood, I can be ignored, destroyed. But as a symbol, as a symbol, I can be incorruptible. I can be everlasting.”

Alfred was eyeing Bruce thoughtfully and asked “What symbol?” Bruce replied “Something elemental, something terrifying.” Alfred closed his eyes and asked “I assume that as you take on the underworld this symbol is a persona to protect those you care about from reprisals?”

Bruce eyed Alfred knowing who he was referring to, how could he not; he had thought of her everyday that he was away from her. His heart ached terribly for her. But he answered Alfred as if he did not know who he was referring to. “You’re thinking of Rachel?”

Bruce stifled a sigh, when Alfred shot him a knowing look; the older man knew exactly what he was playing at. He shook his head. Alfred replied “Actually sir, I was thinking of myself. But mainly a certain blond Metropolis reporter, by the name of Chloe Sullivan, not only her, but the future generation line of Wayne heirs, sir.”

Bruce went ridged in his seat and eyed Alfred in disbelief. He choked out. “What? The future Heirs, what do you mean by that. Last time I checked I was not somebody’s father. What is going on Alfred?”

Alfred closed his eyes and leaned back in his chair and sighed before reopening his eyes and revealing what he was sure Chloe would not get the chance to do, as she and rest of the world assumed Bruce Wayne was dead.

“As that may have been Sir before you left. But you sir, left unknowing that you had left a gift, two little twin gifts to be more precise, behind for Miss Chloe to deal with.”

Bruce’s eyes widened as he took in what Alfred had just revealed to him. He asked in a choked voice. “You mean I unknowingly got Chloe pregnant before I left, and she has spent the last seven years bring them up, not knowing whether I was dead or alive. Tell me Alfred have you met them?”

Alfred smiled sadly before reaching into the inner pocket of his jacket. He then brought out his wallet, before revealing a small photo. He handed the photo to Bruce, who took it with a slightly trembling hand. He turned it over to reveal the smiling angelic faces of his son and daughter. They were dressed in a school uniform.

Alfred watched memorized as his charges hardened features soften completely. He saw the small and soft smile of disbelief on his face. His eyes had softened, Lucia’s eyes, he realised. Chloe would bring the children to visit him twice a year. He had been stunned when he had first learned of their existence.

They were beautiful, Bruce marvelled at his children. His son looked almost exactly as he had as a child, except Alfred had Chloe’s eyes. Then there was his daughter. He almost melted at the sight of the little girl. As blond as her mother, she even had her mother’s looks. But what really caught his attention were her eyes, they were his.

Bruce looked up at Alfred, who was smiling gently and knowingly at him. Bruce said, with evident regret in his voice “Christ, Alfred, I’ve missed so much. What are their names? “Alfred replied “Their names sir, are Alfred Thomas Sullivan, named after your father and I.”

He added “And your daughter is called Lucia Amelia Sullivan. Lucia being light in French, as Miss Chloe insisted, the little girl and her twin, are the only light in her life.” He added “And Amelia was the name of a friend, of Miss Chloe’s who is also a journalist.”

He proceeded to explain “Each child has Miss Chloe’s last name. She couldn’t use yours sir, as no one except I and a few select individuals know that your their father. Bruce was clearly stunned, as he lovingly traced his children’s features with his finger tips. He asked. “Who knows I’m their father, apart from you that is?”

Alfred replied “I know sir, as does Clark Kent, the childhood friend of Miss Chloe. And of course Mr. Kent’s mother knows, Mr. Perry White, Miss Chloe’s boss. And finally Miss Rachel also knows.”

He concluded “No one else knows sir. Miss Chloe wanted it to be like that. She did not wish to expose Master Alfred and Miss Lucia to the public eye in less she strictly had to.” Bruce nodded in understanding, knowing his children and Chloe would have been hounded and their every day lives turned into a media circus.

He asked “Have you told anyone I’m coming back?” Alfred laughed slightly before commenting. “I couldn’t figure the legal ramifications of brining you back from the dead.”

Bruce raised an eye brow and asked “Dead?” Alfred replied “You’ve been gone seven years.” Bruce closed his eyes and asked incredulously. “You had me declared dead?” Alfred revealed “Actually, it was Mr. Earle. He’s taking the company public.” Bruce shook his head and eyed Alfred in disbelief.

Alfred told him “He wanted to liquidate your majority shareholding. Those shares are worth quite a bit of money.” Bruce commented off handily “Well, it’s a good thing I left everything to you, then.”

Alfred answered “Quite so, sir.” He lay back in his chair and closed his eyes before jokingly commenting. “And you can borrow the Rolls, if you like. Just bring it back with a full tank.”

Bruce smirked. That smirk was soon wiped away from his face, as he suddenly realised, that if Earle had declared him dead to the world, then that would mean Chloe would also believe he was dead. He felt the colour drain from his face.

He called out in alarm. “Alfred as soon as we land, we’ve got to go straight to metropolis. I will not allow Chloe to go on believing me to be dead any longer then I have to, she doesn’t deserve that.”

He added as Alfred opened his eyes and looked at him. “Plus I hardly think it fare that she should have to continue bring up our son and daughter on her own. I’m back and it is time I did my part in their up brining. I’ve lost so much time, Alfred; it truly is a sad fact.”

Alfred asked cautiously, not wanting to over step his bounds and offend his young charge. “Master Wayne, if you don’t mind me asking, do you still love Miss Chloe, as I know you did before you disappeared?”

Bruce closed his eyes and sighed sadly before replying. “Not a day went by where I did not think of her. Not a single day went by where I did not yearn and ache for her and want so desperately to hold her and kiss her and never let her out my sight. I missed her so much Alfred, it was almost like a physical ache. I never for a single second cease to love her.”

Alfred nodded and smiled slightly, having had his suspicions confirmed. He knew Bruce and Chloe were very much in love with each other. He had not seen a couple so in love with the other since Thomas and Martha Wayne were alive and so very much in love with each other.

Alfred nodded and added “Very well Sir, but might I suggest cleaning yourself up before Miss Chloe sees you. I’m certain mud and swap muck is not entirely to her likening Sir.”

Bruce eyed his butler in amusement, before looking down at his own clothing. He shrugged and replied “Yes, I suppose you are quite right Alfred, I shall see to my appearance before I go to her and my children.”