A fully recovered Batman makes his way to the League's meeting room, Dick Grayson flipping directly behind him.
"Wait out here."
With a sigh, the boy agrees. "Fine. But hurry up; you promised we wouldn't be late this time."
Batman enters, only to be bombarded by a roar of applause and congratulations. Confused, he looks to his friend, Superman. "Everyone's congratulating your recovery." The Krytonian answers.
"We thought you were a goner, Bats!" Green Lantern pipes up. "We also voted a new leader." Superman spoke again. "Congratulations, Bruce."
Clark places his hand on Batman's shoulder once more, and he feels the once familiar feeling of being around someone you loved.
But that couldn't be right... Could it? No! He didn't love Clark. They were just friends; partners! Even if he were, how could he explain it to the media, the League? How could Batman and Superman ever be a couple? They couldn't, and that was the sad truth.
Wonder Woman speaks, snapping Bruce from his thoughts. "Congratulations to our new leader!" The laughs and comments of rejoice ripple throughout the room. Something about it makes Batman surprisingly uneasy.
"I need to go." He says, and everyone turns to him, confused. "I'm taking Robin to a movie. He doesn't want us to be late this time."
"Oh," Clark speaks. "Have fun then!"
"Yeah, we get it." Flash says. "A little 'father:son' time." Wonder Woman flashes a smile, indicating that he should go.
"Bruuuuuuce!" A loud whine is heard from outside the room. "Hurry up! It's about to staaaaart."
Superman chuckles, and ushers Batman to leave. "Have fun, Bruce." With that, he leaves the room, with Dick speed-walking excitedly behind him.
------------------------------------------------------
After the movie:
"That. Was. AWESOME! " Dick practically screams, obviously in a good mood.
"You think I'd be able to to that?" He asks his father, beaming with excitement. Bruce glances down at the boy, skepticism in his eyes. "You already can do that."
"That's not what I meant, Bruce. I know I can, but nobody gets to see it." The boy groans, annoyed with his current situation.
Bruce only lets out a small chuckle, "I get so see it." Dick glares at his mentor. "You don't count."
A sleek black limousine arrives, ready to escort the Playboy Pince and his ward home.
Behind the limo, a dark van, the color of ink grumbles to a stop. From the rear, a door flies open, and a man in burlap clothing emerges. The sack-like mask on his face is twisted into a maniacal grin.
"Scarecrow." Bruce says, as barely a whisper.
"That is indeed correct, Mister Wayne." The man replies, and about a dozen men in dark clothes file out of the door from which Scarecrow has just exited.
Johnathan Crane stalks toward Bruce, and places an arm casually over his shoulder as if they were long time friends.
"You see, Bruce-, May I call you Bruce? Good. You see, I need a small favor from you."
"W- what is it?" The billionaire's voice trembles slightly, in an attempt to sound scared. In an attempt to keep his secret.
Scarecrow smiles at this charade, and continues his inquiry. "I need for you to stop funding the Bat. I know he gets all his money from you, and I need you to stop sending it to him."
Bruce seems to contemplate the question, as he remains silent.
"How about I sweeten the deal?" Scarecrow says with a flick of his wrist. One of his men understand the signal, and grabs Dick from his 'hiding spot'. "Stop sending the Bat money, and I won't have your boy killed."
"Alright!" Bruce almost yells. "Alright. Fine, I'll do it."
Crane allows a smirk to slide across his face once more, before gesturing for his guard to release Bruce's ward.
"Now I do hope you'll stay true to this, Bruce; or I may need to return. You wouldn't want that, now would you?"
Bruce and Dick shake their heads 'no'. Scarecrow send to take their answers as satisfactory, because he begins to walk away.
For a second, as his men are reentering the vehicle, he stops and turns his head so that only his profile is seen.
"And I request you not tell Batman about this." Is all he says, before he gets into the van, and drives of.
