Bella MacLeod's Twilight Fanfiction

The Wayne Legacy: Origins

By BetterInTexas

Chapter 02:

Martha and seven-year-old Diana walked into the Wayne Enterprises Pharmaceutical and Medical Technology Division with bags of food in hand for their meeting with Eliza.

As head of the division, Dr. Eliza Danvers ran the building and occupied the top floor where she also kept her personal lab. Every couple weeks, Martha would bring Diana to Eliza for a quick checkup, and they would have lunch together. Martha and Diana made it a habit to shop afterward before returning to the manor.

It was apparent that today would be different when they entered the lobby and were told by the receptionist that Eliza had been called to Wayne Memorial Hospital for an emergency consult.

Martha was extremely worried at the news, so they immediately left for the hospital. When she and Diana arrived, Martha asked the desk to let Eliza know they were there. The two were directed to the office the woman maintained as a practicing physician.

Eliza looked like hell. Her eyes were red, and her face was showing signs of strain. She offered a weak smile from her desk when the two ladies walked in. The doctor had a six-month-old daughter named Alexandra at home and Martha suspected she was not getting enough sleep. At least, that’s what she hoped.

“Good afternoon, you two. I was just about to call Thomas. Martha, do you know if he is available this afternoon?” Eliza asked, a slightly frantic tone in her voice.

Martha shook her head slightly, giving thought to his schedule. “I believe he said he is stuck in meetings all day but promised he would be home for dinner. Would you like to come over tonight? I can have a car bring you and Jeremiah out. I would love to see Alexandra.”

Eliza shook her head and took a deep breath. “I’m afraid not. Time is of the essence. I was hoping to talk to him… can you call him?”

The sadness and worry in the woman’s voice was evident and had Martha very alert. “Is Alex okay?”

Eliza nodded, relieving Martha a bit. “Then tell me what is wrong. I can help you.”

“I know you would try, but if you approached the hospital board, they would just hold off a meeting, stating the need for Thomas to be there. Only Thomas can pull an emergency board meeting together in an hour or less. He is also the only hope I have of swaying the State Health Insurance Department or the Hospital.” Eliza said.

Martha knew it must be desperate. Eliza never involved Thomas in affairs of the hospital unless it was absolutely necessary. She knew how much responsibility he had at Wayne Enterprises and preferred to handle issues herself. Also, despite their friendship, she had never asked Thomas to intervene on her behalf with any agency or the Hospital Board.

Martha glanced at Diana who was already opening the food, grabbing a box of Chow Mein for herself.

“Diana, could you take your food to the waiting area outside for a minute? I need to talk to Dr. Eliza about some grown up stuff.”

Rather than answering, since she already had a noodle in her mouth, Diana shrugged her shoulders and walked out, chop sticks in one hand and food in the other.

“Whatever this is, let’s get it fixed. I don’t care if I have to pull Thomas out of a meeting with the Pope, I will do it. If you are this upset, I know it’s serious so tell me what is wrong, Eliza.”

Eliza stood up and turned to look out her window. Martha could tell by the sudden rising and falling of her shoulders that she was becoming very distraught. “The whole damn system is the problem, Martha!”

Martha rose from her seat and walked to Eliza, putting an arm around her. “Not even Thomas can fix the system in one afternoon. You said this is urgent so it must be something specific. Calm down and talk to me.”

Eliza returned to her seat and took a deep breath. “I was called into the hospital this morning to consult on a pediatric patient. A newborn girl was left at a fire station, abandoned in the night two days ago. It was at least an hour before anyone came out and found her. The damn mother just left her on the sidewalk, didn’t even knock on the door before running off. The baby was running a fever and having difficulty breathing. She was immediately brought to the hospital. She can’t be over a week old, maybe only a few days.

“For the past two days, the hospital has had no luck getting her fever down which is when they called me in. I ran some preliminary tests this morning and have diagnosed her with SCID.”

Martha was not a medical expert but knew what SCID was from her work with various children’s health clinics. Severe Combined Immunodeficiency was a life-threatening illness.

“She needs a bone marrow transplant and medication, and it has to be done quickly or she will die.” Eliza explained. “She already has an infection but there is medication we can use to treat it. The problem is it is expensive. Even if I had time to produce it, I would be breaking several patent laws.”

Martha was beginning to understand Eliza’s concern. Speed was not something the medical field was known for in regard to certain cases, like wards of the state or those without insurance.

“Why can’t the hospital procure the medication?”

Eliza sighed, her frustration obvious. “The State Insurance Board does not believe it is guaranteed to help and the cost is high. The hospital could pay for it, but it would need approval from the board. I haven’t been able to get any of them to listen to me. They have written her off as a lost cause. The chances of her living even a year are extremely low even with treatment. Only ten percent of children with this condition live past the first year.

“Due to her illness, the chances of her being adopted are nil. She is on her own and everyone has given up on her. First her mother and now the state. I can save her, Martha. I just need the medications to buy time for the transplant treatment plan to be administered. The only hope I have is if Thomas can force the board to do as he wants. They will follow his lead.”

Eliza quieted for a moment. “Martha, am I wrong? Even if I save her, she will be in the state foster system. She will never get the care she needs, and the odds are high that she will die before her first birthday.”

“You aren’t wrong.” Martha whispered, her heart breaking for the abandoned girl she had not even met. She pulled out her cell and dialed Thomas’s office.

Eliza listened with hope in her heart but knew there was only so much that could be done in a short amount of time.

“Yes, I want to speak to Thomas now.” Martha said into her phone. “I don’t give a damn what he is in the middle of. I am his wife. Tell him he has ten seconds to get on this phone or there will be hell to pay for the next ten years.”

It was only a few seconds later when Martha greeted her husband. “Meet me at the hospital now. No, Diana and Bruce are fine. There is a situation I will explain when you arrive. Meet me in the Neonatal Unit. I want you to call the board together immediately for a meeting. Don’t ask questions right now, just do as I say.”

Martha hung up and looked at Eliza. “Let’s go.”

When the two opened the door, Diana was standing in front of it.

“Are we going to save the little girl?” she asked her mother, having heard everything even from the waiting area.

“Yes we are, Princess.” She smiled down at her daughter, seeing the concerned look on her young face.

A few minutes later, all three entered the Neonatal Unit and Martha demanded to speak to Dr. Merced, the head of the department.

The doctor came out, surprised to see Martha Wayne and her daughter of all people but a quick look at Dr. Danvers behind them, it was obvious as to the reason for the visit. “Mrs. Wayne, a pleasure to see you. I can guess by Eliza’s presence that she has informed you of the situation with Baby Kara.”

“Kara?” Martha asked.

Eliza nodded. “When she was found, all she had on was a diaper and a pink cotton gown. A piece of paper was stuck to her gown with ‘Kara’ written on it. Since we don’t have a legal name, we have been calling her that.”

Martha turned back to address Dr. Merced. “I understand there is medication available to help this child, is that correct, Doctor?”

The nervous man nodded slightly. “Yes, but it is quite expensive and without authorization by the State Insurance Board or the Hospital Board, we cannot administer it. I have been on the phone with the state, and we are working as quickly as possible. They hope to have a meeting in the morning to determine if it is viable.”

Martha knew what ‘viable’ meant. “You mean to determine if there is a high enough chance that she will live or if it would be a waste of money.”

The doctor looked away from her and cringed, saying nothing, telling Martha that Eliza was correct. The people who had Baby Kara’s life in their hands had given up on the child.

“Take me to her.” She said, barely contained anger in her tone.

“Mrs. Wayne…”

“Now, Doctor.”

The man sighed and beckoned her to follow. Diana, Eliza and Martha were given masks and gloves before they entered the room. In the middle, was an enclosed incubator, holding the small infant.

The three walked up to it and Martha lost her breath upon seeing the tiny occupant. The child was beautiful. She had bright blue eyes and fine blonde hair all over her tiny scalp.

It was obvious the child was extremely sick. Her breathing was labored and there was a tiny IV giving her fluids.

“Kara.” Martha whispered, eyes tearing up as she gazed at the baby. “Hello, little one.”

Diana spoke up, her voice soft but determined. “I’ll take care of her, Mommy. I’ll do whatever I can to make sure she doesn’t get sick. If we can get her medicine, I’ll take care of her and always protect her… I promise.”

Martha was surprised for a moment. She had been so caught up looking at Kara, she had forgotten Diana was by her side.

Diana was staring at the girl in wonder, as caught up by the child as Martha was. Diana’s gloved hand was pressed against the clear incubator and her face was pressed into it.

Martha’s decision was easy. She had never been an indecisive woman and would not start now. “Dr. Merced, the Hospital Board will be convening in the next two hours. They will approve any costs related to her care. Begin administering the medication immediately and any other procedures she may need. A search should be started for bone marrow transplant donors if it hasn’t already begun.”

Merced looked sharply at Eliza and then smiled at Martha. “As soon as the Board convenes and approves…”

Martha turned to face the man fully. “Do you know who I am?”

“Of course, Martha. We have known each other for years.” The man replied cautiously.

Martha shook her head. “I doubt you truly know me. My husband is the man who tells people what to do and they do it. I am the woman who tells my husband what to do.

“In the next hour, adoption paperwork will be filed and by the end of this week, Baby Kara will be Kara Elizabeth Wayne, my legally adopted daughter. If my daughter dies, so does your career, Doctor. I would suggest you do everything in your power to make sure she lives. If any Board member feels like losing their career by disagreeing with my husband, my insurance will reimburse the hospital. Do you know how I know this?”

“Because you own the Insurance Company?” the extremely nervous and suddenly sweating doctor guessed.

Martha patted him on the shoulder. “Now you are beginning to see how this works, Merced. It doesn’t really matter as I have the money and will pay for the treatment. The Board’s approval is just a formality at this point, so why are you still standing here? Don’t you have work to do?”

The Doctor called to a nurse and began giving orders as he left the room.

“You are really going to adopt her?” Eliza asked hopefully, completely blown away with this turn of events.

“Yes, she is my daughter.” Martha replied, hugging her friend.

“And she is my sister.” Diana added, smiling down at the little girl.

Martha cleared her throat. “Eliza, I know you must be exhausted but until Thomas can get a handle on her condition and treatment…”

“She will be my number one priority. I’ll be able to save her, Martha.” Eliza assured her. “Shouldn’t you talk to Thomas about this? Adopting her, I mean?”

“Did you not hear the part about me being the woman who tells him what to do?” Martha smirked knowingly before her expression relaxed in appreciation of her friend’s concern. “He will be fine. He will know his daughter when he lays eyes on her, the same as I did.

“Diana, why don’t you go to the waiting room and bring Daddy back here when he arrives.”

Diana was hesitant to leave but did as her mother asked with Eliza following while Martha held vigil over the baby in the incubator.

Thomas arrived soon after, having been given a quick briefing by Eliza before Diana pulled him into the room where Kara lay.

Thomas took one look at the tiny girl and time stopped for him.

“I knew you would feel it.” Martha told him, recognizing the look on his face. “Meet your new daughter, Thomas. Her name is Kara Elizabeth Wayne. I need our lawyer on this tonight. The State should have no issues with us adopting her. They will most likely be relieved. Have you called the Board together?”

Thomas nodded silently, still staring at the tiny blonde whose eyes were opened. He could swear she was looking him in the eyes, even though he knew her eyesight was not far developed enough to understand what she was seeing.

“Eliza told me Merced has already begun gathering the medication necessary to fight the infection and it will be administered in the next hour. I do own this hospital and, while I may not be able to force them to go along with my wishes, I can force them off the Board if they vote against me. They will do as I say. Regardless, she will get everything she needs. Martha…” Thomas hesitated, looking down at Diana, not wanting to say that this may not work in front of his oldest daughter. Kara was hanging on to life by a slim hope and it may already be too late. “Over the next few days, anything could happen, even with the best treatment.”

“I know, Thomas.” Martha assured him. “I know there are many ways this could go but it will be okay. Have faith. She is a fighter… just look at her.”

Thomas smiled, despite the severity of the girl’s health. “Though she be but little, she is fierce. ” He whispered, a line from his favorite Shakespearean play, A Midsummer Night’s Dream .

He believed his wife… he just knew it would be okay. Thomas was taught by his father that with enough prayer and money, anything could be accomplished.

“You want to keep her first name?” he asked.

Martha nodded. “She has had everything else stripped from her at birth. If Kara is her name, I won’t let that be taken from her. It’s a beautiful name. It suits her.”

Martha and Thomas walked out for a moment to talk with an excited and animated Eliza, leaving Diana remaining with the baby girl.

“Hi, Kara. I’m Diana. I am your sister. You have a brother named Bruce. He will be here later.” Diana told little Kara, the baby intently focused on her. “I know you are probably scared but don’t be. I’m here now and I won’t let anything happen to you. It’s a secret but I can tell you since you are my sister. I’m very strong. I’m strong and fast, kind of like a superhero in a comic book but I’m real. I save Bruce all the time and I will make sure nothing ever hurts you. I already love you and you are going to love me. I’ll be the best sister any girl could want. You are going to have the room next to mine and can sleep with me whenever you want if you scared at night.”

The baby kept her eyes on Diana as if she understood what the seven-year-old was saying. Given Diana’s abilities, maybe she did. “We have a big house and a lot of land to play on. I’ll teach you to play with dolls and to sing and dance. Just get better and everything is going to be wonderful. I’m here now. They might make me step out into the waiting area, but I won’t be far away.”

While Thomas gathered the Board together, Martha and Eliza stood outside Kara’s room, watching Diana talk to the baby through the glass window.

“How fast can she have a bone marrow transplant?” Martha asked.

Eliza had been so focused on holding off the infection Kara had now, she hadn’t even considered the time frame for the rest of the treatment. It would depend on Kara surviving the next 24 hours before any procedure could be set up.

“The medication for the treatment Thomas is approving is the latest in PEG-ADA . It will restore T cells in the short term and fight off this infection. The next step will be the bone marrow transplant. She will need at least a day for this infection to clear up if the medication works. I would recommend having the transplant done the second she is clear.”

Martha understood and was confident Kara would survive. A woman had told her seven-years-ago that the Fates decided she was worthy of Diana and Martha had no doubt that fate would be kind to her family again. She felt it, the same sense of completion she felt the first time she saw Diana’s face and Bruce’s face less than ten hours later.

“Do we have a donor list?” Martha asked.

Eliza nodded. “A parent or sibling would be best but obviously that won’t happen in this case. We will have to look on the British Bone Marrow Registry for a match.”

“Test me.” Martha told her. “I’ll be a match.”

“Martha, the odds of you being a match are not good.” Eliza warned her. “I can screen you of course but the odds of being unrelated and having the genetic markers are slim.”

Martha waved it off, confident in her feelings. “The odds of the girl living as long as she has considering the care she has had since birth are not good, but she will live, and she will be strong. I will be a match, Eliza, I can feel it in my gut so let’s get this started.”

Eliza did not doubt Martha’s confidence. The entire day had been surreal to her. She had seen critically ill babies before but this one struck her hard.

Once she had her diagnosis and found the best treatment plan to give the girl a chance at life, she was told the medication was too expensive to be given without approval. She wasted the morning arguing with Administrators of the Hospital and the State before giving up and returning to her office to contact Thomas, the only man with enough power and sway to get things moving quickly.

Perhaps it was because Eliza was a new mother herself that she felt the need to fight so strongly for this girl.

Now, a few hours later, thanks to Martha Wayne, this little girl was not only getting a chance at life… she was getting a family.

Eliza just had to keep Kara alive so she had the chance to live the life she could now have.

“Mommy?” Diana whispered from the doorway of the baby’s room.

“Yes, sweetheart?”

Diana motioned for her to come closer. “Come here. I told her I wouldn’t leave her, and I have to whisper to you and Dr. Eliza.”

Martha smiled warmly and moved to her daughter. “Diana, she is very tired. I doubt she is aware who is around her right now.”

Diana shook her head. “She knows. I can feel her, Mommy. You know how I get those feelings sometimes about people? She is confused and scared but feels better with me near. Dr. Eliza? What is a bone marrow transplant?”

Eliza gave a rudimentary explanation to Diana on the process, hoping to ease her possible worry about her mother donating.

Diana looked around and quietly asked a question neither had considered. “Wouldn’t it be better if she had my stem cell marrow stuff? I never get sick and I’m really strong. Could you make her like me?”

Both women looked at each other, then Eliza sighed and shook her head.

“Diana,” She said quietly, putting her arm around the young girl’s shoulders. “We are still trying to understand what makes you so strong and healthy. You remember how fast you heal? We wouldn’t be able to take any donations from you. I wish I could inject your blood into her and make her strong, but it isn’t that easy.

“We will get her well, but it is going to require a lot of effort and medicine. Try to relax and keep her company, just make sure you keep your gloves on and don’t touch any of the equipment leading into her little bed.”

Thomas arrived with the good news that the Board was, unsurprisingly, willing to do whatever he wanted, and the treatment began.

Eliza took Martha to the sixth floor to be tested. Despite what she had said earlier, Eliza was not really surprised that Martha was a match. The odds were astronomical but little Kara was beating the odds.

That night, Alfred and Bruce joined Thomas, Martha and Eliza in the hospital cafeteria. Diana had refused to leave the unit and stayed in the waiting area just outside of Kara’s room, promising she would eat when they returned. Rather than arguing, her parents let her stay, knowing she would not cause any trouble.

“So what is our plan, Eliza?” Thomas asked. “Gene Therapy?”

“That’s what I think. We can continue giving her antibiotics over her life. Martha’s markers are remarkably close, almost as good as a related donor so I feel that the transplant will be successful. I can improve drugs for her, make treatment regimens but we both know that the FDA takes years to approve new medications and SCID is rare so the market for drugs is very small.”

“Eliza, you aren’t the head of Wayne Pharmaceuticals because you are my friend. You are there because you are a genius, the best of your field.” Thomas told her. “You have an idea how to keep her alive and not be in a bubble all her life, don’t you?”

Eliza admitted she did. “It’s going to take a new division at the company, one devoted to stem cell and gene therapy. It will be expensive, but I believe I can create an artificial immune system for her. There will always be dangers. New viruses could occur, and she will have set backs. Her health will always be at greater risk than her peers.

“The treatments won’t be easy, but she won’t be trapped. It may be years before she can be surrounded by the public and she may never go to school, but we can fight for her. Give me the money, resources and manpower and we can save not only her but every child in her situation.”

Thomas nodded immediately. “Whatever you need. I’ll be updating the basement medical center. The room I have is sterile, but it can be better. This way you can have complete autonomy over her case without hospital boards looking over your shoulder. Give me a list of equipment and what you need to start. We can treat her at home once she is strong enough to leave here.”

Martha perked up. “So we can take her home soon?”

Thomas sadly shook his head. “She will need to be here for at least two months and possibly up to six because of the transplant. This is the safest place she can be right now. We are thinking about the future, Martha. I have a feeling some things Eliza might need to do would be… best kept quiet as far as Kara’s long term health. For now, every hour is critical.

“Eliza, I will stay here tonight. I’ll assign you as primary and have myself as secondary. I’ll work from my office here and ask Lucius to oversee the day to day at Wayne Enterprises.”

Eliza raised an eyebrow. “You still have an office here?”

Thomas shrugged his shoulders. “Yes. It was previously Merced’s office. I’m going to be head of the department until I can appoint a new one.”

“Where is Merced?” Martha asked suspiciously.

“He is probably at home updating his resume.” Thomas guessed. “He asked me after the Board Meeting if it was wise to spend twenty thousand dollars for medication to be administered to a child with a low probability of living. I told him to clean out his office and never return to my Hospital.

“Go home and rest, Eliza. Alex needs her mother as well and the next few days are going to be hectic.”

After Eliza had left for the evening, Martha introduced a fascinated Bruce to his new, soon-to-be-legal sister and Martha convinced Diana that Kara would be asleep for the night and to go home and rest, promising her Alfred could bring her back in the morning.

Kara was still alive the next morning, already showing some improvement.

Two days later, she had beaten the infection.

A day after that, Martha donated her bone marrow and Kara was given a transplant.

She was monitored intently by Eliza and Thomas, while Martha stayed in the hospital, sleeping in a room set up for her to reside for the length of Kara’s stay. Owning the hospital did have its advantages.

Word spread quickly through the hospital and, as with anything involving the Wayne family, Gotham society quickly learned of the new girl who was the focus of so much of Thomas and Martha Wayne’s attention.

Kara had been in the hospital a total of fifteen days when the adoption papers were finalized. Rather than waiting for rumors to spread, Thomas Wayne called for a press conference outside the Hospital and told Gotham City that there was a new member of the Wayne Family, asking for privacy in the matter.

Any other celebrity couple who made this type of announcement would have been inundated with questions.

But this was Gotham City. Thomas and Martha Wayne were the well-respected and loved King and Queen. Though Thomas had no doubt some would try, no outright questions were asked in the media about the circumstances that led Kara to the hospital, how the Wayne family became involved or how serious her condition was. No one at the hospital talked, the entire staff respected the Waynes too much and the little girl, who was quickly beating the odds, became a beloved figure at the facility.

Lucius Fox made a call to Dr. Merced, congratulating him on his new job while pointedly reminding him of the ramifications of speaking to anyone about Wayne family business. Merced assured him it would not be a problem.

At four months, a helicopter arrived at Wayne Memorial Hospital transporting Kara in a special incubator from the roof of the hospital to the front of Wayne Manor.

Bruce, Diana, Martha and Thomas accompanied the youngest Wayne to her own room. The house had been thoroughly cleaned. The servants who cleaned and maintained the manor during the day were given new sanitization procedures to follow and Kara would be spending more and more time out of her incubator, learning about the new world around her.

Despite the odds the little girl had beaten in the first five months of life, there was always a tension, an anxiety felt by the family that things could go bad any minute.

Eliza arrived every morning to examine the girl and adjust her medications if needed. Despite the successes, an artificial immune system was tricky and would constantly need to be monitored.

Kara would face challenges her entire life. She would not have the carefree childhood shared by others. She would be examined, given gene therapy, stem cell therapy, antibiotics and still, at times, fall to illness.

They were not out of the woods and may never be, but Kara would not live in a bubble. She would have the opportunity to experience a somewhat normal life.

As Diana had first promised her sister in the hospital, she easily convinced Bruce to abandon his room next to Kara’s so Diana could be next to her. He took the room across the hall where he could be close to both.

Martha had removed Kara from the incubator, planning to give her a bath for the first time at home.

While she was gone, Diana brought up an issue with her father she had given a lot of thought to. “Daddy, I’ve been thinking about renovating my room. I think I should have a door that opens up into Kara’s room so if she needs me, I will be able to reach her quickly. She would feel better knowing I am near her.”

Thomas suspected Diana may have wanted this when she talked Bruce into changing rooms. He did not laugh at her assertation that Kara would feel better. Diana had said things like this many times in her short life and after a while, Thomas and Martha just accepted them as true.

Diana could tell things about people that she couldn’t understand herself. She once told Alfred that she suspected a long time servant of being dishonest and deceitful. Alfred assured the young girl that the servant had been faithful and trustworthy for many years.

Despite those assurances, Alfred watched the woman closer and two days later discovered her stealing small items from around the manor.

Diana’s feelings were something her parents just accepted as being part of her unique nature, like her strength, speed, and enhanced senses. At the hospital, they could be in the cafeteria and Diana would know the moment Kara woke up, or when Bruce arrived, or when Martha was particularly tense.

“I don’t think a door is necessary. She will feel you nearby and be happy. There is no need to reconstruct the wall to add a door.” Thomas assured her.

“She will feel better,” Diana told him. “I will feel better.”

“I’ll talk to your mother about it. For now, she is going to be sleeping in your sister’s room a lot to make sure she is okay during the night. Kara will feel fine, and you will still be right next to her.”

Diana shook her head, not happy with her dad’s reasoning. “But what if…”

“Diana, it will be okay, I promise. Maybe we can look into it in the future once she starts walking, but for right now, just relax.” Thomas told his headstrong daughter. “It’s going to be okay, and she will be okay. I want you to be her big sister. It is your mom and mine’s job to worry about her.”

Diana sighed. She would worry about her little sister regardless. It wasn’t something she could just turn off. Instead of pointing that out to her father, she simply smiled.

Once Kara was old enough to walk, Diana will have talked him into adjoining the two rooms… or she would just break the wall.

Diana had learned much watching her Mother and Father throughout this ordeal. When it came to family, it was okay to use any amount of money, intimidation, manipulation and every other manner of power necessary to protect the ones you love.

It would be a lesson she took to heart and never forgot.