Panther

Chapter twelve: The decisions.

I sat at the edge of the bed in which Richard was asleep while dangling my legs which don't touch the ground. Man I am so short. I didn't notice Alfred come in. He said, "Ah, there you are Crys." I smiled at him and said, "Hey Alfred." He removed his hands from behind his back and showed me the velvet cake that I ever so badly wanted before my supposed death.

He said, "I'm quite apologetic that you lost consiousness before I could get for you a slice of the cake." I smiled politely and said, "It's alright Alfred. I'll be eating it now." After he gave it to me and walked out. I didn't even touch the cake, not that I didn't trust it. I was just waiting for Richard to wake up. Right on cue, he began stirring in his sleep.

He then checked the bed with his hands and when he didn't feel anyone there. He sat up very panicked and I laughed then said, "It's alright Dickie. I'm still here." He hugged me tightly and said, "Please don't scare me like that." I laughed while hugging him back and said, "I make no promises." He turned to look at me with a serious face and said, "I'm not joking."

I mutely nodded and beforehand he could say anything else, Bruce and Selina walked in. If Richard and I were adults, this would be a very compromising position. But we're kids so it's fine. Selina just raised an eyebrow while Richard and I let go of each other. Bruce said, "Richard, we'd like to speak to Crys privately." He nodded and left with out another word.

Bruce said, "We've decided that Selina's going to become your legal guardian. But until then, no more Panther." I quietly looked at the both of them and blinked. "You haven't been in my life for thirteen years and now that I'm letting you, you want to take one of my coping mechanisms away from me. I should just run away right now." Is what I wanted to say but Bruce then said, "And to ensure that, you'll be living with me until Selina gets the necessary paperwork done."

Bruce's POV

After Crys leaving the room, Selina said, "Bruce may I ask for a favor?" I turned to her and said, "Of course. Anything." She said, "Will you please take care of Crys until I find a suitable place for us to live?" I raised my eyebrow and said, "You both could just live here." She put her hands on her hips and said, "You know how that worked out last time around. I got pregnant and you cheated on me. I don't want you near my daughter but it seems I can't avoid it."

I was hurt by what she said, I wanted to tell her the truth, I really did. But what's done is done and the truth won't change anything. I said, "I'll take care of her but I'm not going to house her as a criminal. For the time that she's with me, No more being Panther for her." She looked like she wanted to argue with me but decided against it. She said, "Fine. Let's go tell her." She turned to start walking away from me but I caught her hand and said, "I'm truly sorry that you had to go through the pregnancy alone. I'm sorry I wasn't there for you."

She said, "That apology is fourteen years late." I replied, "I know, I wanted to reach out to you but, I was too busy ignoring some truths and raising Richard. I love you, Selina. It's you and only you and it's always going to be you from now on. You will never see me in another woman's arms until the day you accept me."

She turned her face towards me and said, "Tough luck champ. Because after you got me pregnant and left me to handle it alone for some blonde bimbo, I don't believe a single word you say. Because it's always lie after lie after lie after lie. And if we didn't have a kid together, you can bet your entire inheritance that I wouldn't be back here."

I raised my eyebrow again and playfully smirked. I asked, "Is that so?" I pulled her closer to me and hugged her from behind. I began dropping light kisses along her neck and she began unraveling. This action took less than three minutes. I let her go and began striding outside of the room, "I'd win that bet Selina." I could here her curse softly as she followed me to the infirmary. One day she will accept me out of her own accord and I will not make her regret that choice. Not one bit.

We reached the infirmary and found Richard and Crys hugging and practically about to kiss. Okay, these two are going to have their rooms so far apart, it'll look and feel like they live in two separate buildings. I said, "Richard, we'd like to speak to Crys privately." He nodded and walked out. That was too easy.

Crys' POV

I sighed and just decided to agree. This might be good for me. I nodded and said, "Okay but only if you turn my adoptive parents mansion into a shelter for street kids. And run it." Bruce said, "Consider it done." At least Jason will have a proper roof over his head in the coming winter. I miss that little twerp. I think I'm going to visit him and the others soon. Afterwards I said that I wanted to sleep so Bruce and Selina left the room. I decided to just eat the velvet cake and now that I realize I actually asked for a funnel cake, I wanted one as well.

Later on I decided that I wanted to talk to Bruce and tell him that I had to be somewhere but he was nowhere to be seen.