Batman and Spider-man

Chapter 9

It was the grand opening of the Thomas and Martha Wayne Hospital and a seven-year-old Bruce Wayne was tired of being shoved around and playing with kids he barely knew, accompanying his dad as he talked about boring contracts and the news with old people. He didn't understand why opening a hospital was such a big deal and most importantly, why he couldn't be at home playing Nintendo with Alfred. Young Bruce Wayne was bored and annoyed and he definitely wasn't going to let his parents rest without knowing that.

"I don't get it, dad," Bruce said. "What's the big deal with hospitals?"

And what was the big deal about being a doctor? Bruce was no stranger to the icky things his father had to deal with.

Through the rear-view mirror Bruce could see that knowing smile on his dad's face which meant a lecture was incoming.

"Hospitals and by extension Doctors are very important Bruce," Thomas said. "In their hands they hold countless human lives. In the past, those hospitals weren't available to the less fortunate."

"Less fortunate?" Bruce asked.

"People who can't get medicine as easily as we can," Thomas said. "With this hospital, now everybody can get medicine easily. That's why we opened it."

They drove on, the hospital a tiny speck in their rearview mirror.

"Life is a very important thing, Bruce," Thomas said. "Doctors go to great lengths to preserve it. With this hospital we can save millions of lives, lives we couldn't save before without it."

"Wow," Bruce said. "You think I can be a doctor someday?"

"I hope you can be a doctor," Martha said, laughing. "Some days I even pray for it."

Thomas smiled. "And hey, maybe one day you'll open, up a hospital of your own. Wouldn't that be great?"

As they drove back home to the manor, Bruce grinned. Opening a hospital of his own. He liked that idea.

...

The Wayne Memorial Hospital, built during Bruce's fifth year of being Batman. Built after one too many people fell under the radar. Named after the memory of people who brought so much joy to Bruce, memories that were now tainted.

The Rolls Royce parked in the middle of a mostly empty parking lot. Bruce Wayne solemnly sat in the back; his Butler unable to read his face through the rear-view mirror.

"Drugs," Bruce said. "The hospital my father built when I was seven to make healthcare affordable to the people of Gotham was being used to push drugs."

Alfred matched his Master's silence.

"That's not it, Alfred," Bruce said. "All privately owned hospitals in Gotham were used to launder money. Alfred we worked so hard to rid the hospitals of corruption because that was what I felt my parents would've wanted but now..."

Bruce let out a defeated sigh. "Gotham, the media used to say that crime was at an all time low when my parents were alive but that was a lie. It was there, my parents just paid to cover it up."

Bruce stared out of the black tinted windows.

"What is the Master Planner's next move?" Alfred asked.

"He plans to bomb the hospitals," Bruce said. "Innocents, they've been warned beforehand but..."

"So, what's your plan of attack?" Alfred asked. "He must have people in the hospital if he has a plan that elaborate." Bruce was silent, he didn't meet Alfred's eyes. "Master Bruce?"