Gotham's Angel of death

This isn't a goodbye

I got back the Toms place around 11:30 last night, and I went straight to bed. I was woken up by the smell of eggs and bacon. Which is the best thing ever. As I walked it the kitchen I heard Tom say,
"Morning sleeping beauty."

I yawned.
"Morning,"
I said opening the fridge to grab the orange juice.

As I poured two glasses Tom dropped the question.

"So how did it go?"
He asked inquisitively as he placed the bacon on the two plates.

"Great."
I said truthfully. I think it went well at least.

"That's good, so are you still going to stay here?"
Tom asked bluntly.

I scoffed as I set the two drinks on the table.
"I actually don't know yet."
I said sitting down as Tom brought over the food.

"That's a first."
Tom retorted as he sat down.
I chuckled at his statement as I took a bite of a piece of bacon.

"Well in my defense it is a bit complicated."
I said laughing softly at the situation I was in.

"Yeah? Hit me."
He said before taking a bite of his eggs.
I raised my eyebrow at him thinking maybe I should drop this bomb on him.

"Not literally-"
He said with his hands up, not liking the pause I took.

I laugh before caving in.
"Fine, but you need to promise to not freak out or tell anyone."
I said looking at him with a serious expression.

"Kid who would I have to tell?"
Tom asked in a serious yet jokingly manner.

I nodded in agreement.
"Okay, so basically umm.. you know how I hacked the GCPD to help with cases?"

"Mhmm."
Tom hummed as he chewed on his bacon.

"So yeah I found out who tried to hack me, and it turned out to be Batman, and so now he wants me to work with him."
I blurted out wanting to get this over as quickly as possible.

When I opened my eyes again I saw a shocked Tom.

It was like he had gone to another dimension and he left his body here. After a few seconds of me waving my hand in his face he yelled,

"BATMAN wants to work with you?!?"
Which made me jump a little.

"Yes."

"Well why the hell are you still here?! THE BATMAN offered you a job, and you just sit here, eating bacon with an old man who owns a random ass pawn shop!"
He yelled as he took away my plate which made me whine.

"Get up! And get ready!"
Tom said clapping his hands together.

I swear Tom acts like he's a teen or a young adult.

I grumbled as I got up and went to get dressed.
Once I was done I came out to Tom asking me even more questions.

"So when are you supposed to meet him?"

"I told him I would contact him."
I said walking over to my laptop.

After I logged in I saw I had an email.
The name read Alfred. So I immediately just clicked on it.  In the email it said that Bruce had already taken care of my favor, and I could just come to the Wayne manner at any time.

"I know where he is, and I can go see him at any time ."  I said as I pulled my main thumb drive out of the laptop.

"Then you're going now!"
Tom said dragging me to the door, and quickly grabbing all my stuff.

"Tom calm down."
I said laughing.

"No kid this is a big opportunity, and you're not going to miss it. So don't you worry about me, and you go out there and protect people who need protection."
Tom said giving me a warm hearted expression as he stops in his step to hand me my things.
"Wow..a real life super hero. You're doing it kid."

I chuckled.
"Tom this isn't a goodbye. I will come and visit you. I'm not just going to stop seeing you. You're my only true friend right now. So yes I will go, but I will not be leaving you forever."

Tom gave me a small smile, pulling me into a hug.
"You stay safe though, you got that?"

"Yes Tom, I got it."
I said laughing.

After breaking from the hug I sling my bag over my shoulder, and I was about to leave when Tom yelled,
"What about this?!"
He asked holding my laptop.

"Keep it safe will you?"
I asked giving him a smile.

Tom nods, returning my smile as he held it to his chest.
"Gladly."

"Until next time my old friend."
I said as I walked out the door.

And there would be a next time.

I would visit Tom every month and tell him about my adventures. And he would always ask for a souvenir, so I made sure to get him something from every case I took. Which he kept in one hiding spot along with my old laptop.
He had ripped up the floor boards and placed a secret compartment right under his rocking chair that he would sit in all the time.
But even as the years passed he would always call me kid.

That was until he died on March 23rd, four years after I left that day. He was 60 years old and he still wore a smile when he was dead.
I know.
I'm the one that found him sleeping, but he wasn't actually asleep.
But he was happy.
Which did eased the pain.

Like he always would.