Justice League: Generation Worth Millions

Chapter 13: Father and Daughter

I only got three hours of sleep. I woke up at 7 am to get ready. I knew the information about Justin's location was in Batman's computer. All I needed to do was extract it and find a way to get there and back without raising suspicion. My past forced me to be good at sneaking and stealing anything from information to apples, but investigating was not so much my strength like it was for Tim. That was probably why we worked so well together. He did the most of the calculating and pondering, while I offered brief tidbits to inspire. Then, he would watch my back while I punched, bit and clawed my way through whatever I wanted or needed to. He was practically a genius, with ideas galore. I was a survivor, plain and simple.

I noticed myself shaking as I tied my shoes. My nerves were getting the best of me, and I didn't even know where he was yet.

What was I going to say to him? How would he react to seeing me? I didn't want to open up any old scars, for either of us, but this was something I needed to do. I was sure that my dad was hidden somewhere behind Justin's cold hazel eyes, and I'm probably the only one who can bring him out.

But, if I did bring James out, if I did get my dad back, what about Bruce?

I shook the questions out of my head, so much that my neck strained.

I can't talk myself out of this. I would deal with Bruce later. I needed this. I had so many questions, so many unresolved conflicts that he couldn't help me with. He wouldn't help me with. Seeing Justin was the only viable option I had left and I'm sure part of him was responsible for Bruce's recent anger toward me. I was going to do anything possible to get to him.

Footsteps began to approach my room. I shoved my shoes under the bed and constricted myself in the blankets. I kept my back to the door and slowed my breathing to mock sleep.

Alfred and Bruce stopped right by my bedroom door.

"Master Bruce, I see you are ready for your appointment. Shall I wake Krystal so she can accompany you?" Usually I joined Bruce for his business meetings because rich folk tended to have this weird unwritten law about having guests accompany you everywhere.

"That won't be necessary."

I knew he wouldn't take me with him.

"You can't avoid her forever."

"I'm not avoiding her, I just have to take care of a few things first."

I heard Alfred give a sigh of disapproval. "She is your daughter, Master Bruce. She may be difficult, she may borderline hate you and miss her old father, but if you listened carefully to what she was saying, you'd know she was crying for you. You're never there for her. Even now, you brought her to live here and you treat her like some kind of burden. She needs you to be a father, not an innkeeper."

Bruce replied with a hint of frustration in his voice. "I just want to keep her safe, but she's too stubborn to listen to anything I say."

Alfred continued gently, "The two of you are so much alike. The fact that you don't see that breaks my heart."

I waited for Bruce to say something, but he was silent.

"I'll prepare the limo for you." Alfred's steps echoed down the stairs.

When he was gone, the door knob began turning, and Bruce stepped in. He walked in with the warm, delicate strides Batman uses while moving through shadows. He stopped at the edge of my bed and stood there. I couldn't see what he was doing, so I had no way to read him.

"What am I going to do with you?" He whispered quietly.

Throw me away. My chest caved at the dark thought.