Insanity // J.Valeska

Part Three: After the Start

*2 months earlier*

[Bruce Wayne]

The sole surviving member of the Wayne family, Bruce Wayne, had been continuing the pursuit of his parents' murder when the news broke.

Alfred, the boy's beloved butler and now legal guardian briskly entered the dimly lit study, the boy's breakfast and the latest Gotham Gazette in tow.

"Good morning, Master Bruce, I trust you slept all right. Breakfast this morning is a three mushroom omelette, a side of toast, some fresh fruit and a cup of hot cocoa. And as per usual, the morning newspaper at your service." Alfred laid out the boy's meal, handing him the paper, as more words tingled on the tip of his tongue.

The boy had been troubled for months, having become quite obsessed with the aspect of his parents' death and was determined to single-handedly catch the killer and solve the case. However, as he was still just a boy, there was only so much Bruce could handle.

On the other hand, Bruce had also matured quite extensively since the death of Thomas and Martha Wayne. There were things that only Bruce could understand now, especially as he had been the only witness to his family's murder, meaning that perhaps, as Bruce was now beginning to cope, he could sympathize with similar victims.

Such victims included a young Miss Stephanie Quinn Harlem.

The young girl was the most recent victim of Gotham City's cruelty, and now she was suffering alone, as another orphan.

She and Bruce shared many things: both were now the heirs to their father's companies; both were expected to take over said companies after completing their schooling to a high degree; and both were expected to be perfectly okay in the media's harsh gaze.

While Bruce Wayne was finding his peace by spending every waking moment obsessing over his parents' murder, Stephanie had nothing to distract herself with.

"Alfred? The paper? Is something wrong?"

The boy's voice snapped Alfred out of his daze, and he released his tight hold on the piece of paper.

Bruce appeared quite puzzled as he took the paper from his butler. However after briefly scanning over the headline, realization sunk in.

It seemed as though that whoever wanted his parents dead had struck again.

This time on Clarissa and Jefferson Harlem.

**********

Bruce Wayne, accompanied by his guardian, Alfred Pennyworth, made his way through the masses crowding the perimeter of the GCPD. It seemed as though every reporter from every publishing company in Gotham City was outside the building, all anticipating the first snapshot of the deranged orphan who was concealed inside.

Alfred assisted Bruce in pushing onlookers out of their way, as the two made their way into the police station and Alfred immediately scanned the room for detective James Gordon.

It seemed however, that the officer in question, had his hands full with something else.

[James Gordon]

James Gordon was having a rough day.

The phone call announcing a murder on the outskirts of Gotham City had been nothing out of the ordinary. However the moment he heard the names of the newly deceased, dread settled in his heart.

He'd reached out to Babs, who had luckily been meeting a client in the outskirts of Gotham, and was therefore able to race over to the crime scene quicker than he could. It was Barbara that coaxed the shell-shocked girl out from her hiding place, and it was Barbara who offered his distraught niece a shoulder to cry on.