Bat Lemons (Batman/Batman Beyond Fanfic)

Bat Lemons

Sometimes making lemonade from the lemons of life still ends up majorly messed up, yet Terry honestly wasn't the type of person to turn lemons into lemonade either. The fact he held in the back of his mind an inkling of the truth didn't help to turn the lemons into lemonade either, but he most certainly did feel as if he'd received the worst kick in the gut a young man could receive.

The video recording in front of Terry rewound, Warren McGinnis' mouth moving in retro speed until the recording he'd found among his father's – well, sort of – things. The man stood there with the usual stern face, and Terry hit play, listening to the words the man left him.

"Terry, if you're listening to this recording, chances are that I'm dead. There are certain things I should have told you sooner but didn't. I'd like to say I didn't tell you because you weren't ready, or because I was trying to respect your mother, but in truth, I did it for self-centered reasons. I mean, I already felt I was losing you, what with your Uncle Jay having a negative influence on you, and I felt telling you that I'm not your real father would create even more friction between the two of us."

Terry rewound the recording again, playing over the words of the last sentence as his mouth twisted into a deep frown. "... you that I'm not your real father would create even more friction between the two of us. I mean, I am your real dad because I'd raised you. I'm sure your real dad, your biological one would tell you that, but... I'm guessing you're wondering who he is? Well, I suggest talking to Bruce Wayne, though he may be closed mouth about the whole thing. Asking your mom, well, she won't talk about it."

The implications of the message made Terry's stomach churn, the anger he felt towards everyone simply not going away. In truth, he wasn't sure he'd ever be okay with the idea of his mother having an affair with Bruce Wayne, of all people. The fact Bruce was old, in fact, old enough to be his mother's father, honestly didn't help, but worse, he'd trusted Bruce as a mentor. "I should have known better."

After all, Bruce was a cold-hearted jerk who liked to make his life miserable, setting the bar of expectations so high, Terry never felt he'd please the man. Thus, he found himself at Wayne Manor, patting Ace on top of the head as he headed down to the Batcave to confront the former Batman. His hands clenched tighter upon seeing Bruce at the screen, the eerie glow cascading on his senile features.

Okay, so maybe Bruce wasn't senile, as he could still mop the floor with Terry, and very well might if the wrong word was said.

Terry, of course, wasn't thinking, and his voice boomed, causing the bats to scatter. "When were you going to tell me!"

"Tell you what?"

"I found a recorded message from my dad, not-dad, saying he's not my real father."

"And?"

"And he told me to talk to you of all people."

"Again Terry, what is your point?"

"You freakin' had an affair with my mother!"

"Huh..." Bruce turned to look at him, a rather amused twinkle in his eye. "Terry, when are you going to learn to use that brain of yours?"

"That does it! I quit!"

"Sure."

"I don't care that you don't believe me when I say it old man!"

He left then, with no plans to come back, ever.

Only to find himself back at his mother's place, still mad at the world. "Terry, you're late."