Bella MacLeod's Twilight Fanfiction

The Wayne Legacy: Knightmare

By BetterInTexas

Chapter 18:

Wayne Manor

The trio sat in the upstairs library quietly at first, Bruce and Diana not certain what to say and Kara patiently waiting for them.

After a few too many awkward, silent moments, she ran out of patience. “Bruce, did you say hurtful things to Diana?”

Bruce looked sharply at Kara then relaxed. He didn’t see judgement on her face which was what he suspected given her tone.

Bruce nodded. Turning to his twin, he said, “I shouldn’t have said what I said… about you not being human.”

“Did you mean it? Is that really how you see me?” Diana almost whispered, evidence that she was truly bothered and upset by what he’d said. “Do you think I don’t love Steve, Alfred, Dig… my friends?

“Do you think I don’t love you? Please, be honest.”

Bruce met his twin’s eyes. “No, Diana. I don’t think that. I shouldn’t have said it. I am truly sorry.”

Bruce and Kara had hoped she would smile, a look she usually reserved for when she was right, and someone apologized to her.

Instead, her expression remained sad.

“I did make an offer to her if she went into Arkham, one I suspected she would take. Knowing her as well as I did… her knowledge of the law, her attitude, her tenacity… the assignment seemed perfect for her. I never thought harm would come to her. Regardless of what you think of my intentions, I wouldn’t have sent her in if I thought she would be hurt.

“She was told to stay away, to not look for the underground area. She did it regardless.” Diana told him. “Perhaps I should have kept her out of it. I should have guessed that in her zest to prove herself, she might have taken it upon herself to continue after Crane.”

Bruce appeared thoughtful, honestly admitting, “I know she would have. I tried to talk her out of going into Arkham the first day she reported there. She told me it had nothing to do with you but doing what was right. She did what she felt she needed to do. She wanted to take him down and would try even if it got her killed.”

Having established what they agreed on, he turned the conversation to the root of the argument. “I still don’t agree with what you did after Chill was out. I don’t even care that you killed him. I don’t and I’m not judging you for that. I just don’t understand Rachel.

“You wanted Finch gone, you wanted the corrupt judges gone, but what you did to Rachel… she got played and you had to have known that, Diana. Why did you have to destroy her in the manner you did?”

Diana’s misty eyes now showed a hint of anger behind them. “Because she betrayed us. Dad would have…”

“See?” Bruce snapped, looking at Kara then back at Diana. “You constantly do that. You constantly say Dad would have done the same thing you did. Is that your excuse for everything, Diana? What makes you think Dad would have done something like that?”

Diana’s jaw was clenched, controlling her response in her sudden frustration. “Consider this… what do you think Dad would have done if it had been you and Mom gunned down in that alley, he survived and then Rachel, a girl he treated like family, told him letting Chill go was the right thing to do?

“You say I don’t know what Dad would have done? I know exactly what he would have done.

“Bruce, you didn’t know Dad the way I did. From an early age, he imparted lessons to me that he never gave you.”

Bruce shook his head fiercely, his teeth clenched. “That is a lie, Diana. We are being honest here. Dad always taught us the same values.”

“No, he didn’t.” Diana argued. “Dad chose me to lead this family… chose me to protect it. He taught me how. I learned how to run Wayne Enterprises from him and then from Lucius who passed on what he had learned from Dad.

“Tell, me, do you actually think I could have swung an entire election by myself? Who do you think taught me? Who helped me orchestrate the downfall of all those who betrayed our family? Betrayed our parents!? Who taught me how to blacklist someone across the country?

“Lucius did!”

Diana paused, reigning in her irritation at his questioning of her, trying to phrase things to keep him from asking certain questions.

“Lucius was an inventor, a dreamer… like Kara. But he learned how to run Wayne Enterprises from Dad because Dad needed him and trusted him.” Diana explained. “Dad began teaching me from my first memories, but he actively began preparing me to lead Wayne Enterprises when I was ten. Did he ever mention the business to you, Bruce?”

“Of course not! I was ten! What great words of wisdom did he give you?” Bruce exclaimed, his face growing red.

Diana closed her eyes and took several deep breaths, her anger fading away with each one. She knew he wasn’t going to let this go and she was tired of his accusations. If they were ever going to be able to move forward, be a real family again, she could no longer protect him from certain truths.

“Do you remember my first lacrosse game, Bruce?” She asked quietly.

Bruce’s face took on a look of momentary disgust, remembering what Diana had done to that girl’s face.

“How could I forget? Silver acted as your crony like always. She bumped that girl into you while you ran in the opposite direction, ensuring the poor kid collided with you. You crushed her nose, probably broke her cheekbones.

“I covered for you with Dad, like I always did but I should have told him. I should have warned him what you were going to do. I say Silver was your crony, but I was as much of an enabler.” Bruce grudgingly admitted. “Maybe if I had told Dad…”

“Dad knew.” Diana cut in.

Bruce was stunned into momentary silence.

Shaking his head, he replied vehemently, “No, he didn’t. He asked me that night if it was an accident and was relieved when I told him it was, and you felt guilty about it.”

Diana sighed, leaning back in her chair, finding his refusal to believe her exhausting. “He was relieved because you said nothing to him. He was proud of you for having my back, protecting me… even from him.

“He visited me in my room the next morning where we could talk, away from Mom and away from you.”

Her eyes unfocused slightly, staring at a point beyond his shoulder as she thought back to that conversation and what her Dad had taught her that day.

Diana had just finished preparing for the day when she heard a knock on her door. She knew it wasn’t Kara based on the strength of the sound and the slow and steady heartbeat in direct contrast to Kara’s always racing heart because she ran everywhere.

“Come in, Dad.” She called.

Her father came in, wishing her a good morning with a hug and large smile, then moved to her couch and had a seat. He waved Diana over to sit next to him and angled his body towards her.

“We need to talk about the game last evening.”

“Was I too good?” she asked, knowing it was important that she not appear to be too dominating.

Thomas shook his head. “You played perfectly. We need to talk about what happened to that girl. I noticed you almost lost your temper before the game and Bruce had to calm you. That was your first mistake. Your second mistake was whispering in her ear after she was injured. I was close, coming to check on her, and heard you tell her that ‘you warned her the game would end with her face in the dirt’. Someone else could have heard you as well.

“It was sloppy, Diana. Besides those two mistakes, you were perfect.

“Tell me, why did you hurt her so badly?”

“She insulted Rachel, thereby disrespecting me. Disrespect is something Waynes do not tolerate.” She told him, not upset he was lecturing her. It was during these conversations that she learned so much.

“And?” Thomas encouraged her, knowing there was more. “We’ve discussed measured responses. Your response leads me to believe more happened.”

Diana’s face turned red, and it wasn’t because of embarrassment. She clenched her fists to the point every muscle in her body was straining.

“She called Kara a bubble baby.” Diana hissed.

Thomas nodded, having suspected only something like that would push Diana to such an extreme reaction. When he had seen Diana angry, then speak to Silver, he had assumed they would rough the girl up during the game. He had never expected the devastating injury the two girls caused.

“You talked Silver into helping you. She is loyal, did as you asked with no hesitation. Friends like that are hard to find. Hold on to her.” Thomas replied approvingly.

“Yes, Daddy.” Diana said, calming down.

“You planned the retaliation perfectly. You waited until the game was in full swing then struck out when your enemy least expected it, all because she made the fatal error of angering you by slighting our Bunny. Do you feel guilt over this?”

“I only regret that I could not do worse.” Diana said sincerely.

Thomas nodded, seemingly satisfied with the answer. “You did well. Remember to be clean. Never lose your temper in public, let it fuel you internally and never give any hint that you may have been involved when the reckoning has happened. Show your kindness to the world. Never let them see the avenging angel inside of you unless it is absolutely necessary.”

Thomas kissed Diana on the forehead. “I’m proud of you, Princess.”

Diana’s eyes refocused, seeing the shocked look on her brother’s face.

“That was but one example. We often had talks in this vein. Dad and I would take walks through the manor’s woods and hide in hunting blinds. There was a hawk that constantly hunted on our grounds. We would watch the hawk and Dad would explain to me the nature of predators and prey.” Diana told her siblings. “He told me stories of the battles he had seen and been a part of… the lives he had seen end and the ones he had to end… how a life would depend not only on the skill of the surgeon, but the soldier’s will to live.

“As I was fighting Cronus, it was Dad’s voice running through my mind, telling me not to give up, to fight through the pain, protect my family… and show no mercy .”

Bruce was silent, as was Kara, both staring at her, obviously trying to understand.

Eventually, Bruce shook his head. “Dad would never tell us those things as children. He never talked to me about his time in the military.”

“I know, but he did talk to me about that time in his life… he knew I needed to know.” Diana said, almost eerily calm now, which should have been a warning sign to her twin.

“You are lying.” Bruce said angrily.

Diana sighed, tired of this argument and feeling a headache coming on rapidly. “There are things he would never tell you because… it doesn’t matter.”

“Yes, it does. Tell me.” Bruce demanded.

“She said it doesn’t matter.” Kara told him, wanting to calm things down.

“I deserve to know. She brought it up and she isn’t going to stop now.” Bruce said, glaring at his twin.

Diana held up a hand trying to placate him. “When I was a child, Dad told me that one day, I would be the leader of Wayne Enterprises, that I would lead the company and the family, that I had to learn to always be the predator and never the prey. It was all on me.”

“It was on us.” Bruce argued. “He gave us equal shares of the company.”

Diana nodded. “He wanted all three of us to own the company, but he was training me to be the leader… of the company and the family.

“He told me you were like mom… that you were a pure, gentle soul who only wanted to heal. He said you would be a doctor, not a soldier. A healer, not a leader.”

She paused a moment, a hint of sadness in her eyes though her voice was firm. “He told me you didn’t have what it took to run Wayne Enterprises. It wasn’t in your nature to be a business leader… and he was right.”

Bruce stiffened at those words, clenching his fists. “I don’t believe you.”

“It doesn’t matter what you believe, Bruce… only the truth matters. You wanted honesty, so I am giving you honesty.” Diana replied, unflustered in the face of her brother’s accusation. “These are truths I never wanted you to know, I didn’t want you to question yourself because Dad loved you as you were… a gentle soul who longed to help others.

“Dad taught me lessons early on about life, lessons you didn’t need to know. Lucius taught me everything Dad taught him. After I took over as CEO of Wayne Enterprises, Lucius gave me a letter from Dad written two years before he died. I took his words to heart.

“While it is hard for you to hear, I knew Dad better than you, Bruce. I loved him, idolized him, wanted to be him and have done my absolute best to emulate him, the good and what you consider the bad, but I consider the necessary.

“If you believe Dad took Wayne Enterprises to the heights he did through acts of mercy and forgiveness, you are lying to yourself.”

Bruce was silent… staring at nothing.

Kara was crying silently. The heart break over their parents’ death was so apparent and the hole they left even more so. This was a conversation that should have never happened.

Bruce should have gotten to be a doctor, he should have stayed gentle.

Diana never should have been forced to take over so young. She should have worked beside their dad, not basing her actions from life lessons when she was a child and second hand information from Lucius.

“Let me see the letter.” Bruce quietly demanded.

“No.” Diana’s reply was immediate.

“Diana… I know you have it. You would never throw anything of Mom or Dad’s away. Let me see it.”

She shook her head. “The letter was not meant for you, you do not need to read it…”

“Bring it to me, Diana!” Bruce exclaimed, his face red with anger.

Diana looked at Kara who shrugged. “Dad left it for you, not him, but it may help for him to see it.”

“Diana…” Bruce said quietly. “… if you want me to believe you, to believe you have done what Dad would have done, then show me.”

“So be it.” Diana stood up and walked out. Minutes later she was back with an envelope. Her hand was shaking when she handed it to her brother. “I’m only showing you this so you know my actions are what Dad would expect of me and I’m tired of your accusations. There are things in here that will not sit well with you… things I’ve kept from you for your own good… you’ve been warned.”

Bruce took the letter without hesitation. Kara moved to his side and read alongside him.

Dearest Diana,

I have asked Lucius to give you this letter in the event you one day take control of Wayne Enterprises and I am not standing proudly by your side. I can only pray your mother is with you, but not even she knows the contents of this letter. It is for you and you alone.

If I fall for any reason, Lucius will take my place in the company and pass down to you what I have taught him. At the point you receive this, you are prepared mentally, emotionally and intellectually to take the helm of our great company.

You are ten years old as I write this letter. We have just come from our blind and our favorite hawk had flown off with a snake. We talked about the snake at length. It was a venomous reptile and near little Bunny’s favorite spot where she plays with her dolls. We talked about how, while snakes are sometimes necessary evils in this world, when one could pose a threat to our family, often a hawk is needed to deal with the reptile. I told you that one day you would be that hawk.

Now the time has come. While you, your brother and sister will have equal shares of the company, it will be you who leads, not only the company but the family.

Kara is a dreamer. Never let the cold truth of business darken her dreams. Keep her apart from the harsh realities of the world. Harshness is what those like us deal with, so our loved ones do not have to. I hope someday she can live a normal life but if that day never comes, give her the best, do whatever it takes to give her every happiness. She deserves no less as you already know.

As for your brother, where Kara is a dreamer, Bruce is a healer, and I suspect he will be a doctor, nurse or caregiver of some sort. Protect him from the ugly side of our business, Diana. He may own his shares, but he doesn’t not have the cold steel running through his veins needed to make the hard decisions. He isn’t like us. That is why this company is in your hands.

Do not take this to mean I think him weak. His mother is the same as him. She is loving, the most wonderful person on the planet and strong in her own right, yet I must protect her from harsh truths of this world we live in as you will protect Bruce and Kara.

The Waynes made their fortune hundreds of years ago, selling pelts. We were hunters then and will always require a hunter at the helm.

You are the hunter. You are the one I take to watch hawks kill snakes because you are the one who will lead this family and protect them from the darkness of the world.

I am hopeful I have taught you these lessons myself, but if not, there are things I want to tell you, from my words, not Lucius and the teachings I have passed down to him.

Family first and always, Diana. Waynes are loyal to those we love and love us in return. If someone harms or betrays our family, show them no mercy. Leave nothing left. If we allow even one a reprieve, others will try. One small hole in the dam will often lead to many and then the entire dam comes tumbling down.

Your physical strength means nothing. It is your mind that makes you truly special, Diana. Your indominable will, your heart, dedication and the fire that burns so bright in your soul enables you to do what others cannot or will not.

I regret this falls on you, but I am also relieved and grateful that you are my daughter. Protect those we love and use Wayne Enterprises to change the world. Love the weak and destroy those who prey on them.

I love you, my Diana, my blessed angel who was given to me from the Heavens. Know that I am with you always and I know you will continue to make me so proud.

Dad

Bruce folded the letter and placed it back into the envelope, sliding it across the table to Diana.

“I’m not that kid anymore. I stopped being that boy in the alley.” He told her in a much subdued voice.

“I thought so as well. It was why I wanted to run Wayne Enterprises together before you abandoned your family with no word. I thought you had gained that which you lacked to run the business. But the other night you proved you hadn’t. You still don’t have what it takes inside to do what is necessary.” Diana told him with no reservations. “I’m not sorry, Bruce. It’s a good thing. It’s what Dad would have wanted… but you can’t have it both ways. Hawks eat snakes. They don’t tie them up and report them to the authorities.”

Bruce raised an eyebrow, his breathing a bit more rapid than normal.

“You didn’t have a problem with my methods on Themyscira.” He reminded her.

“Because it was easy for you to justify your killing spree. Those we fought and killed did not look human to you, but they were living beings with souls… souls that Soultaker devoured according to Tatsu, so you may want to rethink your rationalizations when it comes to Themyscira.

“For me, it was never a question. They stood in the way of me saving Kara… so I destroyed them.

“You are strong, Bruce. You are a fierce fighter but last night you showed your true self. I don’t judge you for being who you are. It makes me feel good to know the compassionate part of you is still alive. I cannot afford to let it live in me though.”

Bruce sat back and crossed his arms. “Last night? You mean when I almost died, catching Crane?”

“No, Bruce,” Diana shook her head sadly. “When you almost let him live.”

The silence that descended over the three with those words was deafening as much as it was damning.

The intensity of her stare effectively pinned Bruce in place as she continued. “When Crane asked where you got your equipment from, he already knew. He knew Kara was involved. How long would it take him to place you as the one behind the mask? The second he said that, I told you to kill him because it is what I would have done. It’s what Dad would have expected me to do… it’s what he would have done.

“You just read that letter so tell me I am wrong about what Dad would have wanted. What would Dad have expected me to do?”

Bruce said nothing, realizing she was right. Diana would have snapped his neck and his Dad would have killed Crane as well.

“I’m not going to change, Diana.” Bruce told her quietly. “I don’t kill.”

“I don’t want you to, but I can’t afford to change either.” Diana stated, going back to the reason for their fight. “Rachel betrayed our family. I knew she was played but I could not let her participation in that man’s release go unpunished, not by the code I was taught, not by the instructions our Dad left me. What was expected of me was very different than what was expected of you.

“If it had been mom and you who had been shot in front of him, Dad would have never shown Rachel the mercy I have. Dad made the hard choices so we wouldn’t have to, so we wouldn’t see the ugliness of this world. He protected us from the snakes of the world so we wouldn’t know they were even there.

“That’s what I must do now. I’m sorry if you don’t like it, but I won’t change either. I can’t. Whether you agree with my methods or not, I am necessary.”

Bruce said nothing for a while and Kara squeezed his shoulder then resumed her seat.

“Okay,” she began breaking the silence. “I think this is something we cannot resolve tonight. Maybe it’s something that doesn’t need to be resolved. Bruce is sorry for the things he said and won’t say them again, right, Bruce?”

Bruce was broken from his thoughts and nodded.

“Diana?”

“Yes, Kara?” Diana said quietly, also in deep thought.

“Bruce has a right to make his opinion known if he doesn’t use hurtful words. I’ve had a hard time but if he is going to be a part of our family, we can’t use the fact that he left color our every interaction. We are going to have to forgive some things if we are going to be a family again.”

“You are right, Kara.” Diana conceded.

“I think we are done for tonight.” Kara said. “I’m tired and Bruce is still recovering from a head injury. It’s been a stressful three days for all of us.”

The three walked out of the library, Diana moving down the hall to her bedroom while Kara and Bruce descended to the second floor.

When she walked in, Steve laid the book he was reading on the nightstand. Diana undressed and lay in bed, curling up into him.

“Rough conversation?” Steve asked her.

“One I hoped to never have… also, one that’s probably been needed for a while.”

“So… do you want…”

“Yes?” she asked innocently, laughing softly.

An hour later, they fell asleep. Thirty minutes after that, Diana shot up in bed. Something was wrong with Kara. She didn’t feel distress, but something was off. It had been an extremely stressful few days, but Kara had handled it well.

Diana listened and heard a crash from Kara’s room. She arrived and was through Kara’s door a second later, just as Dig was bursting out of his room with a gun drawn.

The two stood still, watching Kara in her pajamas, a sharpie in her hand, writing on her blue walls. Her framed posters that had been on the wall had been thrown to the floor.

“Kara.” Diana called, walking slowly toward her.

Alfred, Bruce and Steve arrived in seconds of each other, stopping to stand by Dig.

“This still happens?” Bruce asked.

Alfred nodded. “Only once or twice a year when she has been unduly stressed. We could no longer up the dosage of her sedative without making her groggy all day. Diana is able to talk her back to bed.

“Last time it happened was about six months ago.”

Dig relaxed after scanning the room and finding no enemy. He had expected the worst when he heard a frame in Kara’s room crashing to the ground. Usually her bedroom was completely silent at night.

“Somebody explain what is going on?” Dig asked.

Bruce cleared his throat. “Sometimes, when Kara is particularly emotional, her mind can run away, and the sedative isn’t enough to help her sleep. It’s like it all builds up in her head and comes out at once. It’s her form of sleep walking. Only instead of constantly walking into walls, she is solving complex equations.”

“Okay…” Dig said, figuring it made sense in a Kara sort of way. “What sort of equations?”

“When she was seven, she solved the Riemann hypothesis and won a one million dollar Millennium prize from the Clay Mathematics Institute which she donated to the Injured Firefighter’s Fund. She wrote it on the wall in her sleep and figured out what it was the next morning. She had no memory of doing it.” Bruce explained as they watched Diana whisper to Kara while not touching her.

Steve added. “We weren’t sure what she solved six months ago. Diana moved her to her bedroom and wiped the walls when Athena couldn’t identify the equation.”

Kara finally stopped writing and stepped away from the wall. Diana gently took the sharpie from her hand.

“Bunny, let’s go back to bed.” Diana whispered and gently put her hands on her sister’s shoulders steering her to the mattress, helping her settle back under her sheet.

Once Kara was in bed, Diana blurred past the men then blurred back in, phone in hand, pointing it at a series of numerals and numeric symbols decorating the walls.

“Athena, what is this?” Diana asked quietly.

Athena answered at low volume from Diana’s phone. “I am unable to comprehend the equations, but it is likely representing the block universe model as it relates to time. Based on this model, Kara could develop technology that would eventually allow her to see everything, past, present, future, alternate universes. This model would give her god-like knowledge of everything. She could conceivably develop technology that would allow for time travel, based on these formulas.”

Diana shook her head while the others listened with wide eyes. “Of course she could. We were talking about the past and changing things, so Kara figures out time travel in her sleep.

“Athena wipe this conversation and all images and memory of this equation from your servers immediately. This never happened.”

“Done. ”

Diana looked at the group. “She won’t remember this when she wakes. No one ever mentions this to her… ever. I’ll clean her wall, hang her posters back and make sure she has no memory of this when she wakes. The last thing she needs is the temptation of having god-like knowledge and changing time.”

The men exited the room as Diana began cleaning.

Dig returned to his room and tried to fall back asleep but had difficulty, his mind on his young charge. He obviously knew how smart she was. He had seen her make amazing things, saw her projects made real, knew the genius of them. Now he had seen her solve time travel in her sleep.

Kara had always seemed so normal, so humble, like an innocent, carefree young teen. This was the first time he had ever seen her do anything strange and awe inducing.

What else was in her head? Was there anything she couldn’t solve? How did she live like that, having all that knowledge in her mind yet interacting with everyone normally?

Some would think it would be amazing. Dig suspected it was hell.

He knew she was struggling with the Helios project. He had wondered what was so special about this problem that she would have a difficult time with it. With what he’d just witnessed, it made sense to him that she could be subconsciously holding herself back. Maybe she suppressed ideas of great magnitude simply to deal with everyday life, to function as a normal person.

Time travel was one thing but the ability to see everything, all space and time, the ramifications would be horrible.

She could accidentally see her parents’ death as if it were happening in the present. She could see her own death one day.

It was no wonder Diana looked more afraid than impressed. Kara’s mind could unlock the secrets of the universe, but some things needed to remain secret.

He finally fell asleep around three, still pondering the mind of the girl he had pledged his life to protect.

Kara woke up that morning in Diana’s arms. She was a bit confused since she had gone to bed alone.

“What happened?” She asked her sister.

“Good morning, Bunny. You got a little bit stressed last night mediating between me and Bruce and sleep walked.” Diana told her, smiling gently.

“Oh, no. Not again. What did I draw this time? I didn’t solve one of Clay Mathematics Institute’s unsolvable equations again did I? I told them after the last one, I was done.”

“I’m not sure. Athena didn’t recognize it, so I cleaned your walls. There is no need to worry about it.”

Kara sighed and sat up. “Diana, I think it’s my decision, don’t you? It came from my head.”

Diana sat up as well, taking her sister’s hand and squeezing it comfortingly. “None of that. Trust me, okay? If I erased it, there is a good reason. Do you think I would hide your work from you for malicious purposes?”

Kara knew beyond any doubt, Diana would never do anything to hurt her, which is why she was troubled that her sister felt the need to erase what she’d written. Kara chewed on her lip and looked at her now spotless wall.

“It was something bad, wasn’t it?” The blonde asked dejected.

Diana leaned over and kissed Kara’s cheek. “There is nothing to worry about. I’ve taken care of it, and you are okay. No more late night sibling meetings, alright?”

Kara nodded, suspecting Diana was right. Diana had her reasons, and it was best not to worry about what she had written while dreaming. “Are you going into the office today?”

Diana nodded. “Later, but I want you to stay home. I’ve lifted the code red but until I have dental confirmation of Crane’s body, you are to stay at the manor. You can move around the grounds of course but stay here. You haven’t played a round of golf in a while and you did promise Dig you would teach him.”

“Sounds good,” Kara grinned, liking that idea. “And Didi… be careful today, okay? I worry about you, too.”

Diana took note of the heartfelt look in Kara’s blue eyes, truly touched at the concern she saw there. She smiled, leaned forward and kissed her sister’s forehead. “Never worry, Bunny. I worry so you don’t have to, and I take great pride in that. I’ll see you at breakfast.”

---

Wayne Tower

Cathy knocked on the doorframe of Sam’s open office. The new Vice President looked up at her, slightly more harried looking than usual.

“Exciting couple of days, yeah?”

“It freaked me out a bit.” Sam said, smiling widely and waving her in. “Okay, it freaked me out a lot but it’s one of those things I will have to become used to, I guess. I knew what I was getting into when I took this job… for the most part. It was a good introduction to my new bodyguard though.”

Cathy nodded. “Yes, we are having a desk brought up for her. Tatsu still refuses one. Dig was impressed with Sasha, and it takes a lot to impress Dig. I know it was probably scary, but it was just Diana being overprotective because of the Crane guy.

“You are looking a bit frazzled this morning. Is there anything I can get you?”

Sam shook her head. “I’m just trying to catch up. I’ve got so much research I need to do on our natural gas holdings… the information is in the system but having to search the drives for it can be so time consuming and I never feel I ever have enough time.”

Cathy smirked. “Yes, if only you had someone who could conduct that research for you, pull up the information you need and have it prepared and professionally organized for you, as well as manage your schedule…”

Sam held up a hand. “I get it. I know I need an Executive Assistant. I’ve interviewed ten so far and they all have great credentials and seem very sharp, professional and personable, it’s just… none of them felt right.”

“Maybe you should do what Diana did and use temps until you find the right one.” Cathy told her, looking thoughtful, then expanded her point. “I had a long talk with her after she became CEO while I was still in school about what position I was interested in. She wanted to put me somewhere else in the company based on my major, but I only ever wanted to be by her side, helping her as she makes the world a better place. She finally agreed and used temps until I graduated college.”

Sam raised an eyebrow, intrigued. “Diana wanted you in another part of the company? Where?”

“She told me I could have a job anywhere I wanted. I have a master’s degree in international finance. I didn’t want that though. I wanted to be by her side… I’ll always be there.”

“So Diana let you decide where you wanted to be in the company? The two of you had a friendship before you came to work here?” Sam asked, really curious now.

“A friendship? No. I owe Diana my life.” Cathy smiled at the memory, settling into a seat in front of Sam’s desk. “I left my small hometown just after graduation with my Prince Charming. I was only seventeen. By the time I turned nineteen, he had put me in the hospital three times. I had no job history, no money, no SAT scores or way to pay for college. I thought I had nowhere to go.

“One day, I passed by a Wayne Foundation safe haven for battered women. Something snapped inside me, and I ran to them, asked for protection. They were really nice. They called the police, and the police took a statement. Since I didn’t have any noticeable injuries at the time and had lied about my previous injuries in the hospital, there was no way they could arrest him.”

“You were stuck there.” Sam said sadly, wanting to hug her. “The cops would’ve questioned him, so he knew you left and talked, and you were more exposed than ever. You must have been terrified.”

“You’re right, I was.” Cathy confirmed. “I had slept at the shelter that night, but I knew I couldn’t hide behind the doors forever… then she walked in.”

“Diana.” Sam guessed.

Cathy nodded, smiling as she reminisced. “Her dark hair, flowing over her shoulders in waves, wearing a blood red dress that fit her as if it had been made for her, which it probably was, wearing six inch heels putting her well over six feet tall… she was breathtaking, the most beautiful woman I had ever seen. She was like some superhero, walking with such confidence.”

Sam could understand. She had thought the same when observing Diana. Diana took control of every room she was in from the moment she entered. Her strides were long and graceful, never hampered or slowed by heels that were closer to extensions of her feet.

“I was in the sitting room, watching television while my mind wandered.” Cathy recounted. “Diana was there to check in with the director. What I know now is she checks in on our Gotham charities personally as much as her time permits. Anyway, she stopped and looked my way, her eyes seeming to peer into my soul.

“She walked over to me and asked my name, then said ‘Cathy Perkins, I have a good feeling about you. You might change the world one day. Tell me what has brought you here’ .”

Sam was surprised to see tears gather in Cathy’s eyes. “I told her everything. Something about her comforted me and I opened up to her more than anyone I ever have to in my life. We talked for hours. She made me feel safe. She asked and I gave her the name of my boyfriend. She gave it to one of her security guys and whispered something to him.

“The next thing I know, I am in an SUV with her and her guards. She takes me to this nice apartment building, and I follow her to this huge apartment. I was told this was my home, all bills paid, and she would cover all expenses for me to go to college. The only requirement was I worked three years at Wayne Enterprises when I graduated.”

“Wow. She just looked at you and your whole life changed.” Sam said, realizing how rare that was.

Cathy nodded. “So you understand. There was never going to be anywhere in this company I would work other than right here… by her side. I want to help her as much as she has helped me.

“Just a sidenote, I saw that boyfriend one more time. He was walking towards me on the sidewalk, saw me and ran the other direction. He literally ran.

“Diana Wayne made my dreams come true. She gave me a life I could never have imagined for myself. Though she would allow me to move to another part of the company if I wanted, I am satisfied being by her side. I never want to be anywhere else.”

Sam smiled, her heart warmed at the story. Diana constantly talked about loyalty and how it was everything. Apparently it went both ways. If you were loyal to Diana, she was very loyal to you.

“Talking about your heartwarming Cinderella story?” Terry asked, sliding in the door and walking up to the two ladies. “I was coming to tell you Diana is coming in later, but my honey is still confined to the manor… at least until Dig is satisfied dental records show that the fried body belongs to Crane.

“So, Sam still can’t find her work soulmate?”

Cathy shook her head. “She is looking for ‘the one’.”

“Just find someone who sings and dances. We are always fun and good for stress relief.” Terry suggested.

“Sam doesn’t have the same taste as Kara.” Cathy reminded him.

“I’m everyone’s taste.”

Sam stopped them both. “Sing and dance? This I have to hear. Terry, how were you hired?”

“Uhm… well, you see I was a singer and actor who played off Broadway traveling shows. I lost my part when I came down with laryngitis and found myself broke, stuck in Gotham.” Terry began telling his story. “I attended a party with a friend who hangs out at high-end events. One of those present mentioned he heard Kara Wayne was looking for an Executive Assistant. He called Diana Wayne’s people and asked if I could apply, so I sent in my resume and a week later got a call from…”

“Not Kara.” Sam guessed, knowing better.

“Nope. The Queen herself. She invited me in for a medical screening at three p.m. and interview at four that day if I was cleared. It was well known in Gotham, even to an outsider like me, that to get to Kara, you had to break through the steel wall that was Diana Wayne.”

Cathy snorted. “He was so scared to meet Diana.”

“What do you expect me to be when I am in the tallest building in the world with the Master of the Universe? I was terrified.” Terry admitted. “I honestly can’t remember most of the questions she asked or how I answered but I heard her when she said Kara wanted to speak to me. Apparently, Kara had been using Athena to listen in on the interview. I walked into her office and immediately knew I had found my hetero life mate and work soulmate.”

Cathy smiled brightly, her tears receding. “Diana smiled for days because of that interview.”

“What happened?! Don’t leave me hanging!” Sam demanded, loving this look into the Wayne sisters personality and history.

Terry cleared his throat. “I walked in, and Kara is behind her desk, her posture straight and her eyes hard. I can tell she has my resume in her hands because it was on my stationary. There are two couches in the room, but they have been pushed to the walls and the huge office is mostly empty. The empty space was quite intimidating.

“She throws my resume over her shoulder and says I am completely underqualified for this job and wondered why I even bothered to interview. She asked me if I have ever worked as an EA or realized the responsibility that came with this job.

“I wasn’t sure what to say so I stayed quiet and stood there awkwardly. Then she opened her mouth and sang the words that changed my life.

“ ‘Just a small town girl, livin’ in a lonely world, she took the midnight train going anywhere’.” Terry sang.

Sam laughed, not having any trouble believing that, seeing it in her mind.

Terry smiled. “So of course, that snapped me out of my haze, and I immediately sang, ‘Just a city boy, born and raised in South Detroit, he took the midnight train going anywhere’.”

Cathy closed her eyes. “I couldn’t believe what I was hearing. Kara had only been here a few weeks.”

Terry winked at her and grinned, thinking back to that day. “By the time we got to ‘Don’t stop believin’, we were on top of her desk back to back. Kara was singing into a stapler, and I had an empty pen holder for a microphone. Then she asked me if I could dance. We must have danced for a half hour. We did everything: ballroom, disco, hip hop and invented a few styles of our own.”

Cathy cut in. “When Diana and I walked in, they were copying Uma Thurman and John Travolta in Pulp Fiction .”

Terry smiled fondly at the memory. “I hadn’t even noticed Diana, but Kara suddenly turned and said ‘him, I want him’. That was the beginning of the healthiest relationship in my life. I can’t imagine working for anyone else. I never want to. Kara is changing the world and I will be part of that. She is also the personification of joy… if joy made really dangerous, deadly weapons.”

“Very true.” Sam snorted, shaking her head and laughing. “I’m thinking sandwiches for today. Even if Dig and Kara won’t be in, Diana and Tatsu will be here later. We can have a welcoming lunch for Sasha.”

“That sounds wonderful. I’ll go pick up sandwiches from Kara’s boytoy.” Terry offered, turning to head out of her office before whirling back around. “Wait… she hasn’t dumped him yet, has she?”

“She isn’t going to dump him. She loves him.” Cathy argued.

Terry caught a bit of surprise in Sam’s eyes then saw her look away quickly. “Does she now? Sam, you have seen them together. What do you think?”

Sam shook her head. “I have no opinion.”

“Terrance, stop causing drama where there is none.” Cathy exclaimed, admonishing him.

“No drama? You haven’t been paying attention, Cathy.” Terry informed her with a wide smile. “There will soon be much drama. I give it a month before she finds herself single and a week later, she’ll find herself in handcuffs being frisked.”

Sam had been taking a sip of coffee to avoid the conversation but spit it out at that comment.

“Terry!” She exclaimed.

“As I thought, Sam knows it’s true.” Terry replied, his eyes twinkling in mischief.

The elevator dinged, letting them know Diana had arrived.

“Time to get back to work.” Terry said, adopting a more serious demeanor. “Think about what you want for lunch.”

---

Carmen’s Deli

Terry did get sandwiches that afternoon, but he wasn’t the only visitor of note. At two o’clock, when the lunch crowd had died down, Tommy and his assistant were cleaning up when an unexpected visitor showed up.

“Alfred?”

The man smiled in greeting. “Good afternoon, Tommy. We hardly ever get to spend any time together. I was in the city and thought we could have a cup of tea at this shop around the corner I am fond of.”

“I’m coming out to the manor after I close up.” Tommy reminded him.

“Yes, but I am here now. Surely your fine employees could do without you for an hour or so?”

Tommy shrugged. “Yeah, of course.”

Ten minutes later, Alfred and Tommy were at a corner table, a tea pot between them.

Alfred prepared them a cup. “Before I found this place, I believed I was the only one who could brew a proper cup of tea in Gotham. I must say, this place is outstanding.”

“I’ve never been much of a tea drinker before I met you.” Tommy admitted, taking the cup. “You have made me an addict now.”

Alfred smiled, pleased. “You are very welcome. I find coffee so offensive to the palate, but Diana loves it.”

The two drank in silence for a few minutes before Tommy’s curiosity got the better of his patience.

“So what brings you to the city?” he asked.

Alfred smiled thinly. “I’ve always considered myself a father figure for dear Kara, even if I haven’t always done the best I could have or should have. I wanted to speak to you about her and I would prefer if this conversation stayed between the two of us. I don’t want Diana or anyone else to know we spoke. Could I have your word, Tommy?”

“Of course, Alfred. I assume you want to know my intentions towards Kara?” he guessed.

Alfred shook his head. “I want to know your intentions if she does not return your feelings.”

Tommy stared blankly at the man, then went to drink only to notice his cup was empty.

“I… I wasn’t really expecting that.”

Alfred nodded in understanding. “Then perhaps just listen to my concerns and we can go from there.”