Bella MacLeod's Twilight Fanfiction

The Wayne Legacy: Origins

By BetterInTexas

Chapter 05:

Lee Thompkins was fresh out of medical school and had been assigned for a one year stint at Gotham Preparatory School as part of her clinical training in psychiatry. Once this year was up, she would go to Arkham Asylum where she planned to work in the Women’s Wing for two years before being certified and ready to take any opportunity that may come her way.

Lee was currently reading the information on her laptop, the file of Diana Celeste Wayne, to pass the time until the sixteen-year-old girl arrived.

The Wayne twins had never been to a single counseling session, so there was nothing in Diana’s file other than grades and extracurricular activities. The twins were Gotham Prep’s star students and the faces of the school when recruiting other gifted children to the prestigious high school.

Today, she was meeting with the two for the first time… first Diana, then Bruce.

Diana and Bruce Wayne wished to skip their junior year and graduate early after next fall’s session, basically leaving school a year and a half early. The two definitely had the credits and grades for such a jump but needed a counselor to sign off on the action.

Lee had been hoping to meet with them since arriving at the school, but so far, she had no interaction with either of them. Both were popular with students and yet could be closed off with anyone they didn’t have to speak with, especially in regards to faculty.

She did watch them from a distance, during free periods and at lunch. Bruce and Diana were always by each other’s sides. They had the same friends, attended the same classes, participated in nearly the same sports. Both played soccer and swam in the spring for the school. Both played lacrosse in the fall.

Other children flocked to them and they were welcoming, never lacking for a smile. Diana, Lee noted, was especially good at making others feel welcome, to make them feel special just being able to spend time with her. While Bruce didn’t seem to have any friends that would be considered close, Diana had two that were always around her: Rachel Dawes and Silver St. Cloud.

Unlike stereotypical popular teens, the Wayne twins did not display behavior normally associated with the ultra-rich and privileged. They did not hold parties, disrupt classes, expect preferential treatment, and seemed to make it their duty to ensure no bullying of any kind happened on school grounds.

Despite having a multitude of acquaintances, Lee had the suspicion the Wayne twins used them as cover, hiding something only they knew, with the exception of Diana’s two companions. She saw the twins often alone, whispering to each other, their faces and demeanors extremely serious, as if they lived in a different world and were merely blending in for appearances sake.

They never talked about their home life, nor invited anyone to Wayne Manor. Despite the estate being a prime place to have get togethers for young people, she knew from faculty and other students that the Wayne twins never invited others to their home. Perhaps Diana invited her two close friends but if she had, the girls never bragged about it.

They were orphans and worse, Bruce had been present when his parents were killed. Despite this traumatic event, it seemed it had not affected him at all if one were to look at the surface and his well-adjusted social persona. The fact that Bruce so easily fooled others to what must have been a traumatized psyche, told her just how much was hidden behind the twins façade of normalcy.

Though the two seemed equal in every way, Lee had a feeling Diana Wayne was the Alpha of the two. She had observed them enough to make the hypothesis, but she would soon find out if it were true.

A voice through her intercom told her Diana Wayne had arrived. Before she could tell her secretary to allow the girl in, the door had opened and Diana was present, taking a chair in front of the desk without being asked.

“Good afternoon, Dr. Thompkins.” The brunette said confidently. “Congratulations on finishing medical school. I understand after your counseling stint at our fine institution, you will be spending time at Arkham Asylum, helping those unfortunate souls. You have achieved much at such a young age.”

Lee almost didn’t know how to respond. She had done her homework, but it appeared Diana had as well. This set her on edge. Lee was used to knowing more about her students than they did about her. “A pleasure to finally be able to speak to you, Diana. I had hoped to have met you sooner. You are not one for counseling sessions, are you?”

Diana shrugged her shoulders and grinned pleasantly. “I prefer to keep my own counsel, no offense. You have a noble profession but one I am not in need of, thankfully.”

This was a young girl whose parents were murdered less than five years ago, yet she never felt the need for any counseling. Surely her guardian would have ensured she spoke to someone.

Lee decided not to pursue that line of inquiry. “I’ve looked over your records and they are very impressive. You speak three languages fluently.”

Diana shook her head. “Actually, I speak nine languages fluently. Only three are offered by this school. I know Spanish, Mandarin, Russian, Arabic, Italian, Portuguese, French, German and, of course, English. Languages are a hobby of mine. I have a gift at picking them up rather easily. I hope to learn Ancient Greek, Sumerian and Egyptian Hieroglyphs in college.”

Lee raised an eyebrow. “Ancient languages? Is linguistics something you plan to pursue in college?”

Diana shook her head and smiled as if the notion were absurd. “Of course not. They are just a hobby I find interesting.

“Bruce and I will major in business, complete our MBAs quickly and begin working under Lucius Fox until we are ready to take over the company as co-CEOs. Our little sister will join us when she is ready.”

“This would be Kara?” Lee prompted, hoping to learn something about the youngest Wayne beyond what was reported in the media.

“She is the only sister I have. I am sure you did your research before this meeting took place, so you know this.” Diana said with an edge to her voice that was not present earlier.

Lee nearly cringed at the slight rebuke. Diana was not responding as a normal child would. A normal child would have simply answered yes.

“Kara is homeschooled right?” She asked, proceeding a little more cautiously.

Diana nodded. “It is necessary. Attending a normal school would be a waste of her time. She has one of the highest IQs ever recorded, soaks up knowledge with ease, and has passed nearly all advanced level high school courses and will begin working on college basics in the next few months. Her true love is electrical and mechanical engineering so she wants those pesky core classes done so she can focus on what she loves. I’m thinking when she is fifteen, if things go well, I will let her begin attending classes with others at Gotham University’s School of Technology.”

Lee raised an eyebrow. “You will let her? I understand your guardian is an Alfred Pennyworth. Wouldn’t he make that decision?”

Diana glared at the woman for a moment, a look that sent a shiver down Lee’s back, but the look was gone quickly, hidden behind the friendly smile of the beautiful, sixteen-year-old girl. “Of course, Alfred would make the decision, but he holds my opinion in high regard. Kara and I have always been close, and she looks to me for guidance.”

Definitely the Alpha, Lee realized. She had suspected between her and Bruce that she may be the one who provided direction, but did she control the entire household at her age? How Lee wished she knew what went on behind the walls of Wayne Manor. She now wondered if it were solely Diana’s idea to skip a grade in school, miss out on a year with her friends, all so she could race through an MBA and take over her parents’ company.

Clearing her throat, Lee decided on another course to perhaps get the girl to open up more freely rather than responding to direct questions. “Tell me, Diana, what would you say your goal in life is? I realize you have your education and career planned out but are there goals of a more personal sort you wish to attain?”

Diana nodded, her expression deadly serious. “I want to rule the world.”

Lee looked at her for a moment, hoping to see a smile, hoping to see a hint that Diana had a wicked sense of humor. Instead, the teen stared at her, not offering more.

“I see.” She replied, probing further. “Why would you want to rule the world?”

“If I am going to live in it, I will control it.” Diana stated. “You have a residence, correct? You live there so you like things to be a certain way. You have favorite colors for curtains, appliances and furniture you chose. You decorate it as you like. I am no different. I just consider my residence to be the world and wish to make it to my liking.”

Lee didn’t know if she wanted to smile or shiver and hide in a corner. Was Diana Wayne secretly psychotic and no one ever really knew?

“How do you plan to rule the world?” she asked carefully.

Diana laughed lightly and leaned back in the chair. “Relax, Dr. Thompkins. I’m not a James Bond villain. Ruling the world does not mean sitting on a throne while nations fall at your feet. There are too many countries, too many extremist factions, too many religions for one person to rule a world from a throne. Ruling the world means making sure the major decisions are left in your hands. You don’t need a position of authority. What you need is a strong influence over those who do.

“For instance, as of right now, Wayne Enterprises only earns three percent of annual income from the American Military Industrial Complex. This has to change, and it will when Bruce and I are in control.

“We already own the most important market in the world: technology.

“The computer you are using and the operating system it runs, the virus software that protects it, all comes from Wayne Enterprises. There is a sixty-two percent probability that your cell phone is made by us. The world is digital. Wars aren’t fought with just tanks and guns, they are fought with software and economics. The United States knows this.

“As of now, the Government uses various companies and think tanks to develop all weapons, conventional and unconventional. My plan is simple. Hire the smartest people, make our products better, make them come to us for the best, not allow them to recruit their own.

“I will eventually have my little sister, the most brilliant mind in the world, working by my side. Kara will be the best engineer this world has seen since Da Vinci and everybody wants to be on the winning team, so more will follow my sister. People will be begging to work with our Research and Development teams, in a wide variety of fields.”

Lee swallowed hard and wished she had a bottle of water with her as she listened.

Diana continued, unconcerned at the pale look on the councilor’s face. “Once we gain control over the Military Industrial Complex, we will begin delving deeper into alternative energy sources while keeping a tight control over our natural gas and oil interests, setting market prices and guiding the world slowly towards a cleaner Earth without crashing an economy… unless we decide it’s necessary.

“Whoever controls energy, controls the world, sets prices, makes nations rise and fall. We will back politicians we approve of, fund campaigns, here and overseas and ensure they are elected, no matter how much the cost.

“Also, Dr. Eliza Danvers is the head of our pharmaceutical division and we have several medications that have just completed FDA trials and will soon be released to the public, some of which you may be prescribing to patients in the coming years. These latest rounds will place us as leaders in the medical field. We will soon be the largest pharmaceutical company in the world.”

Seeing the look of rapt attention on the woman’s face, Diana smirked. “Are you beginning to understand?”

Lee nodded numbly.

Diana was smiling now, her posture relaxed as she laid out her plans for world domination. “We will hold the power over natural resources and distribution, the worlds cyber security and communication, satellites, cell phones, computers. We will have politicians and military officials who rely on us to protect this nation and our allies. We can boost or crash a country’s economy, push through laws and reforms through politicians who will essentially work for us, all while not firing a shot or running for a single office.

“My family started Wayne Enterprises a hundred years ago and it has grown into a world power unto itself. When Bruce and I take control, we will take it farther, make it more powerful than our family ever dreamed possible.

“That, Dr. Thompkins, is how you rule the world. Money isn’t enough, political power isn’t enough and intelligence isn’t enough. But if you have all three, you are unstoppable.

“Now would you sign the waiver allowing us to skip a year of school we do not need?”

Lee sat back and took the girl in. She was brilliant but frightening. The sixteen-year-old girl already ruled a vast fortune, and it was very conceivable she would rule the world and soon, perhaps in less than fifteen years.

“I… I admit you have some lofty goals and have obviously put a lot of thought into them.” Lee replied, her voice shaking somewhat before she tried to steer the conversation in a different direction. “Let’s discuss opportunities you may miss out on socially should you be advanced…”

Diana raised her hand. “Dr. Thompkins I say this with all respect. I appreciate what you are doing but this interview is just a formality. If you don’t sign the waiver I will simply get someone else to do so.

“Not many people know this, but I instructed my guardian to buy the school at the beginning of this year. I… we have big plans for it in connection to Wayne Enterprises. Those plans do not include me staying here longer than necessary, nor do I have any desire to attend the prom.

“I won’t take up any more of your time. My brother will be here shortly. I’m sure I don’t have to remind you that you are not allowed to have any written or recorded notes on sessions involving me or my brother nor can you speak of what is said here to anyone. It’s in the fine print of your contract.

“Have a great day and I wish you the best in your career, Dr. Thompkins.”

Diana rose and walked out of the room, not waiting for Lee to say anything else.

Lee sat open mouthed, taking in what just happened.

“What the hell was that?” she finally whispered, shaking her head and realizing she had been steamrolled by a sixteen-year-old.

The girl had been correct. She did notice the part of her contract that expressly forbid her from taking notes of any kind on the Wayne twins. The other students she was free to take notes of all counseling sessions but not on those two.

That didn’t stop her from trying to diagnose the girl in her head, but she wasn’t sure where to begin.

Diana fit into no known psychological diagnosis she could think of. In her entire discussion, she had not mentioned private luxuries of any kind. She obviously had control over her estate, despite having a legal guardian. The girl was brutally honest, most likely not feeling a need to lie knowing no one could touch her regardless.

Despite her public persona, Diana felt superior to those around her, and her assertiveness was an understatement. Lee suspected she saw her best friends as loyal subjects but would never admit it, even to herself. She also saw herself as the decision maker for her brilliant little sister and apparently had good reason to believe so.

The truly frightening thing was how cool and logical she was, almost unemotional as if she were explaining chess moves. She was unerringly put together and spoke of her plans as if they were foregone conclusions.

She was both awe inspiring and terrifying.

As Lee thought on it, Diana fit into a number of behavioral diagnosis and yet not one fit her completely or encompassed all she was.

A few moments later, her intercom buzzed telling her Bruce Wayne was present.

Unlike his sister, Bruce knocked on the door and held out his hand to greet the doctor. She asked him to take a seat and he thanked her.

“I must apologize, Dr. Thompkins. I spoke to my sister in the hallway just now. I recognized the look on her face. I assume she came on strong and I hope she did not offend you. I know Diana would never purposely offend anyone, but she has a way about her than can make others… uncomfortable. I have tried to work with her, help her be more open and less aggressive over the years, but the lessons have not stuck all that well. Her heart is in the right place though, I assure you.”

Lee nodded projecting a sense of ease despite still being very unsettled. “She does come off as having a somewhat overwhelming personality, but I was in no way offended. She is very charming and… driven. Extremely goal-oriented. That is rare to see in teenagers.”

“Thank you for understanding.” Bruce said. “I assume you have some questions regarding our request to move ahead a year and graduate early. Please feel free to ask anything.”

Lee decided to test if this were true and see exactly how open Bruce Wayne would be. Playing with these kids was like playing with fire, but they were the only true mysteries in this year-long assignment. “I understand this is only a formality. Apparently, your sister owns the school?”

Bruce cringed. “So… she mentioned that. I seem to spend a lot of my life apologizing for her. Our guardian, Alfred, thought it would be a good investment for Wayne Enterprises and discussed it with Lucius Fox. When the groundwork is laid, Wayne Enterprises plans to use this school as a proving ground for the best young scientific minds in the world. The school will remain open as a boarding and day school to those who can afford it. Those who cannot, will be given scholarships with the stipulation that they would intern with Wayne Enterprises during the summer. It will give us a leg up on recruiting the best talent when they graduate college, or at least that is what I am told. I am afraid I am not as involved in the goings on of the company as my sister.”

Lee laughed, appreciating Bruce trying to soften the blow he obviously knew his sister could land with her presence alone. “So, if you are not as involved, what are your interests, Bruce?”

The young man smiled grimly. “I am afraid my twin and our younger sister are the overachievers in the family. Did Diana mention that she wants to rule the world?”

Lee nodded.

“She is serious.” Bruce confirmed. “My interests are more locally oriented. The Wayne family founded Gotham City, we have seen it grow, seen it thrive and seen it fall. I want to take back this city, make it great again. I want a Gotham City people are proud to call home, where they feel safe to walk the streets at night.”

Lee realized Bruce may have just given an insight to the trauma he experienced but decided not to push. This was an academic counseling session after all, not a psychological one.

Despite her correct assertion that Diana was the Alpha, most likely over the entire household, Bruce was not weak, and she did not want him to turn on her. “So why do you wish to leave school early? I know you enjoy sports. Don’t you feel like you will be missing out on the social experience an extra year of school might bring?”

Bruce shook his head. “There are things my sister and I want to accomplish in life and we both feel it is time to move towards them, not be held back because of things like sports, school dances and such.”

“Do you feel that way or does your sister feel that way?” Lee asked.

Bruce stared at her for a moment. “We both feel that way. As a Wayne, we have greater responsibilities than the average citizen. If our parents were still alive, I assure you, neither of us would be in a hurry. As it stands now, our company needs us to be prepared as soon as possible.”

“I see. You are interested in business school as well? Do you and your sister’s interests align that much? You don’t have to major in business to run a company, do you?”

Bruce was quiet for a moment, his expression blank. “My sister and I have plans that coincide. It is a relief to have someone as good as Diana to go through life with and our educational experiences will be the same. We need to be on the same page. I have no particular educational interests. We will both run our company together, so we need to have the same knowledge and experiences.”

Lee nodded. As she suspected, Diana would lay the path. The girl had definite control issues and rather than fighting against them, Bruce seemed to accept it because he didn’t seem to care. He didn’t have the lofty goals his sister had. His goals were focused on the city, not the world.

“What will that be like?” she asked. “I mean running a company as co-owners. I can imagine a lot of arguments in your future.”

Bruce shook his head. “Diana and I have similar views, regardless of how it may appear to others. We work best together, can examine issues from different sides and come to an agreement. We have always been able to do this. Sometimes, it’s like we share the same mind.”

“And your younger sister?” Lee asked. “Will she become a part of the decision-making process as well one day?”

Bruce nodded. “If she wants to. Kara’s interests are elsewhere right now. She is only nine and less concerned with leading. She… likes to build things.”

“What things?”

“Anything she can think of.” Bruce answered bluntly. “And she can think of a lot. The ongoing repair bills at the manor can attest to that. She prefers to experiment by trial and error.”

“Diana told me a little about her. What is it like living with a genius younger sibling?”

Bruce sighed. “Humbling. Very, very humbling.”

Lee laughed at the playful frustration in his voice. Diana may have been controlling and driven at the expense of those stupid enough to step in her way, but Bruce was the charmer, the one who perhaps kept Diana grounded if such a thing were possible.

Throwing caution to the wind, feeling she had established a rapport with the young man, she asked, “Have you ever talked to any counselors…”

“I’m sorry, Dr. Thompkins. I can understand your interest, but I do not talk about some aspects of my life to anyone outside my family. Our family has suffered losses and we have our challenges, but we tend to keep to ourselves in regard to those issues.”

Lee felt stunned. Bruce had been open with her, but he just cut her off at the knees when she hinted she may bring up his tragic history.

“I did not mean to upset you or overstep, Bruce.” she told him sincerely.

Bruce laughed it off. “Relax, Dr. Thompkins. Diana is the bull, not me. I appreciate your concern, but it is not necessary. I probably should get going. I have a date tonight.”

That caught Lee by surprise. “A date? Which one of these lucky girls gets the pleasure of your time, Mr. Wayne?”

“She doesn’t go to school here.” Bruce said. “I suppose there won’t be a problem with the waiver?”

Lee shook her head. “Of course not. You have given this a lot of thought and I hope for the best for you both.”

Bruce walked out of the office, not surprised to see Diana waiting for him in the hallway.

“Having a bad day, Diana?” Bruce asked, smirking.

“That took ten minutes longer than necessary.” She responded.

Bruce was not surprised at his twin’s annoyance. “What did you think of her?”

“I think she should have signed the damn waiver and said, ‘good day, Miss Wayne’.” Diana grumbled.

Bruce disagreed. “I found her to be amiable.”

“You thought she was hot.” Diana countered with a smirk.

Bruce wasn’t going to admit that outright, but he did smile. “She is very lovely, but she could also be useful in the future. We made sure she was assigned to this school for a reason. We wanted to watch her interact with the other students. She is personable and they like her. After her rotation at Arkham, she will have a keen insight into the minds of criminals. She could be an asset one day.”

Diana huffed as the two walked out of the school. “What could we possibly need with a psychiatrist who may come to specialize in insane criminals?”

Bruce shook his head, frustrated with her once more. “Because we agreed that we would take back Gotham. Some criminals are smart and have run some of the most violent organizations in Gotham. To beat men like them, you have to understand men like them. Having someone with that skill be familiar with us could be an advantage in the future. At least it would be if you didn’t shake her up. She still looked pale when I spoke to her after you left.”

Diana tuned him out, tired of this same argument. “She asked questions, I answered. I’ve told you we would clean up Gotham, but we have to look at the larger picture, not worry about insane criminals who might be on the street. Criminals are easy to understand. They hurt people, they are arrested or dealt with in a more physical fashion.

“You think too small. The world is bigger than that alley, brother. At some point, you are going to have to leave it behind. I’m ready to get home. Kara is having trouble with French of all things.”

Bruce laughed, not surprised. If it didn’t involve engineering, Kara was not enthused by academic pursuits. “I am afraid I won’t be home until late.”

Diana stopped and turned to her brother. “Excuse me?”

“I’m taking a taxi to visit Selina. I’ll get a taxi to bring me home. No big deal.” Bruce replied even though he knew this wasn’t the case. Every time he visited the neighborhood Selina lived in, Diana became upset.

“More of your understanding the criminal mind, Bruce? Since when did understanding become screwing?” Diana’s tone was biting as was her obvious disapproval.

Bruce raised his hand to ward off more criticism. “Not in the mood to hear it, Diana. Just because you choose to remain celibate, doesn’t mean I have to follow your lead. You want to conquer the world, but you won’t have the slightest clue how to clean up a block.”

Diana frowned, but didn’t want an argument. If he wanted to hang out with trash like Selina Kyle, it wasn’t her problem, unless Alfred had to pay someone to get him out of jail and cover it up.

“We have to discuss Bunny tonight.” She said, choosing to change the topic instead of arguing with her brother in public. “She wants to join a private swim team and enter competitions. We were all going to discuss the pros and cons and make a decision.”

Bruce laughed sharply. “Why do Alfred and I need to even be there, Diana? You make the decisions for Kara. You want us there to act as if we three are a team and take equal blame when she is denied. If you don’t want her to compete, take the blame yourself.

“You want my opinion? Let her do what she wants. She stays cooped up in the manor all day, her only social skills revolve around interacting with us. It’s just swimming! She swims laps every morning. What do you think is the worst that can happen? She isn’t going to get knocked around or accidentally be cut.”

Diana crossed her arms, not happy with his attitude. “We are a family, and it falls to the three of us to make decisions for her. She is only nine-years-old. She relies on me… on us to guide her. Yes, she swims but this will be in a pool she shares with any number of other children.”

“That’s what chlorine is for.” Bruce retorted. “Get over yourself, Diana. She hasn’t had a major illness in a few years.”

“Last month…”

“Last month, she had a cold and was over it in four days, like any of us. Eliza’s meds and the gene therapy are doing great, but she is going to go insane if you don’t let her out of the house.

“I’m sorry, Diana but I’m tired of arguing about this. She will do what you say no matter what we decide so leave me out of it. Go plan world domination while I learn how to take back the streets that killed our parents. I’ll talk to you at home tonight. Don’t bother leaving me dinner.”

Bruce walked away from his frustrated sister and made his way three blocks away where he hailed a taxi.

Twenty minutes later, he arrived at a neighborhood only two miles from Arkham Asylum. The crime rate here was only slightly lower than the Narrows.

He raced into the dilapidated apartment building with his backpack and took the stairs to the sixth floor. He found the number easily enough and found the door unlocked.

Selina was sitting on the windowsill, looking out at the streets below. Without a word, Bruce entered the small bathroom and changed clothes, donning faded jeans, a grey hoodie and a grey ball cap.

“Have a good day at school, Bruce?” Selina finally greeted him when he exited the bathroom.

“Yep, getting out a year early. What about you? Since you have a new foster family, have you given thought to going back to school?” Bruce asked, glancing around the rundown apartment. It didn’t seem large enough for a married couple much less a couple with foster kids. “Where are your new fosters anyway?”

Selina shrugged her shoulders. “At home I would imagine. We worked out a deal. I get half the money from the state, they get the other half, and we leave each other alone. I show up for social worker visits and then I am gone.”

Bruce rolled his eyes. “Did you even take a chance to know these people?”

Selina shook her head. “No point. I rely on myself Bruce. One day, you will realize that’s the best way to live.

“So what do you think of the new place? A woman died here last week. The lights and water stayed on and it takes a while for any place in this neighborhood to be rented. It will be great for a couple months.”

Bruce thought of arguing with her, telling her he could give her whatever she needed, but he knew she wouldn’t accept and would most likely become angry enough that she would take off and not speak to him for a month. It was a miracle she kept the cell phone he gave her just so he could reach her.

“Yeah, looks great, Selina. What do you want to do tonight?”

Selina walked to the boy and kissed him. “Don’t you want to take me to some five star restaurant, Money Bags? Or do you want to walk on the wild side with me?”

Bruce grinned at her playfulness. “I believe you said something about teaching me how to enter any building or residence undetected. Sounds fun. Maybe a run on the rooftops. I think my parkour is getting better than yours.”

“Are you sure you don’t want to stay in? We can break in that disgusting couch.” Selina suggested.

“Work first, play later.” He said.

Selina rolled her eyes. “Now you sound like your sister, except she would say work first, play with Kara later, or play with Kara while working or…”

“Lay off my sisters, Selina.” Bruce warned her. “Let’s go have some fun.”

The two had just entered their third department store, this time breaching an electronic lock, security system using motion sensors and metal bolts using magnets, when Bruce heard it… the cry of a terrified woman not a block away.

He jumped out of a second story window, rolling as he hit the ground and continuing to run. Turning the corner, he saw four men surrounding a woman. One man had her pressed against the alley wall, his hand over her mouth.

Bruce struck the closest man in the back of his head, sending him to the ground. Before he realized it, the other two had attacked. He found himself on the defensive quickly, dodging and absorbing punches and kicks. The men were strong but untrained. Bruce spent hours every morning training with Alfred, sparring with Diana, working on his own, to be better than this.

A leg sweep and a kick to the jaw sent one man to the ground. The other wrapped his head from behind but Bruce flipped him over his shoulder to the ground. He had no time to follow up as the woman’s assailant punched him in the face, causing him to stumble back, directly into the fist of the first man he had taken down.

Bruce lost his equilibrium and began to be pummeled between the two men. He suddenly found himself on his back, the two men standing over him. One had a steel bar and swung it down towards his head.

It was stopped by a trash can lid. As Bruce made his way to his knees, he saw all four men running from Selina who now had the bar in her hand.

She offered him a hand which he ignored. “You okay?”

He rubbed his jaw and wiped his nose, noting a bit of blood on his fingers. The back of his head felt like it had been hit by a sledgehammer, but his eyes were clear, and nothing felt broken.

“I should have taken them.” He said, angry with himself.

“You put up a good fight.” Selina told him. “The woman got away. Maybe she will think twice about coming here without a taser.”

Bruce began pacing, his anger building up inside him. “Damn it, Selina, I work every single day. I push my body to the limit, so I can take guys like those out. They were street fighters, no skill, just common thugs and I couldn’t take the four of them out. What mistake did I make? Did I go for the wrong guy first? Did I…”

“You are Bruce Wayne.” Selina said, cutting off his ramble.

Bruce looked at her, not understanding.

“You are Bruce Wayne.” Selina said again. “I love you, Bruce. I know there is more to you than you show the world. But you are still Bruce Wayne. You will never understand guys like that.

“They grew up here, they fought to survive, and it made them mean. These streets turned them evil. You will never beat them because you will never be them. You’ve had some dark shit happen in your life, but at heart, you are still the kid who grew up on an estate, the one who never went hungry, the one with the nice bed and the butler who make sure your laundry is done, your house is clean.

“I’m sorry Bruce, but to fight these guys and not get beaten or killed, you have to be like them, and you just aren’t. You never will be. No amount of training is going to change that.”

Bruce shook his head, knowing she was right. As much darkness as he had in him, it would never be enough… unless he turned himself into something completely different.

He would always be Bruce Wayne to the world but that didn’t have to be who he truly was inside, who he was under the cover of night.

But how could he make that happen? If he tried living on the streets, Diana and Alfred would find him easily enough. If nothing else, Diana would crush skulls until someone talked.

“Relax.” Selina told him, kissing his cheek. “I like Bruce Wayne. That was brave stepping in to help. Next time, wait for me, okay?”

Bruce took her hand and the two began walking back to Selina’s borrowed apartment. “You are right, Selina. Bruce Wayne will never be enough to save this city.”

Selina shrugged her shoulders. “How do you save something that doesn’t want to be saved? Gotham City is a big, dark hole in the world, Bruce. Your people may sit in ivory towers but the people who live on the ground, they are used to the way things are. They know it could be worse.”

“How Selina? How could it be worse?” He asked, genuinely wanting an answer. “This city needs to be shown a better way. Scum like those that attacked that woman should be afraid to come out at night, not emboldened enough that they would rape a woman in public without fear of being punished.”

“Maybe one day, when you and your sister run this town, you can hire a hitman or something like that to patrol the streets. That’s the only way.” Selina told him. “We have been walking all night, breaking into buildings, and have yet to see one patrol car. That’s just the way Gotham is. Police only come here to collect their takes.”

It wouldn’t always be this way, Bruce promised himself.

One day he would stop being Bruce Wayne. He would become something else, and Bruce Wayne would exist only as a disguise.

Diana would understand. She was used to hiding her true nature. He would be no different.

He would make criminals fear him and if he had to leave Bruce Wayne behind for that to happen, then so be it.