ANGELS WEEP || bruce wayne

the ninth

🦇

There was an awkward silence greeting her as Stacey snuck herself into the parlor, trying not to make a sound as Dory lead her through the halls she once considered a second home. Dory had refused a no to an introduction, saying that Stacey had grown up so much that she felt like a different person.

Stacey didn't feel different. But upon revisiting her memory of Bruce's stinging words she mentally kicked herself for it. She was much too old, too much had happened since then to linger on the words of a child.

No matter how much it had stung.

"May I present Doctor Stacey Alicia Maroni!" Dory annouced to an otherwise silent room, and Stacey cringed inside. Outwardly, she smiled awkwardly and stepped into the main room of the Manor, her eyes tracing over the gothic details she had once memorized.

"Stacey," Alfred said warmly, opening up his arms for a hug.

Stacey complied, smiling as she melted into his embrace. "Still looking as sharp as ever, Alfred. Looking good for your age."

"Picked up a few gray hairs," he replied, pulling back to hold Stacey by the shoulders and study her face. "You haven't aged a day."

"I've aged several days."

He let out a quick chortle at that and let go of her shoulders, gesturing towards the table in the center of the room set with black dishware and a set of expensive-looking cakes. "Shall we?"

"Sure." Stacey sat down and served herself a variety of cakes and macarons, nodding in thanks as Alfred poured her tea.

"Two sugars?"

"Yes, please," she answered, and he looked pleased at her consistency.

They sat for a moment, Stacey stuffing herself with sweets as Alfred watched fondly, sipping his tea occasionally.

"So, Doctor, huh? What's your focus?"

Stacey swallowed her bite of cake. "Oh, I'm a pediatrician at a private hospital in the upper part of the city. It's not too exciting, but it pays the bills." She leaned forward. "Have you heard of the Gotham Angel?"

Alfred paused, as if composing himself. "No, what's that?"

Kicking back in her chair, Stacey brought the cup and saucer of tea to her lap, smirking at Alfred as he rolled his eyes at her familiarity. Though he acted annoyed, Stacey knew he was secretly happy she was back.

"I'm the Gotham Angel. I help people that have been hurt in dealings with the Batman. And, y'know.... Can you keep a secret?"

Alfred leaned forward conspiritorially. "Absolutely."

Stacey's voice lowered to a whisper. "I helped the Batman, once or twice."

He looked impressed. "Once or twice?"

"Yeah. He was in my bathtub, in only his pants and weird cowl he wears on his head, and I was patching him up. Isn't that crazy?" Stacey sighed a sigh of relief. "I've been dying to tell someone. Don't tell anyone I told you."

"I have no one to tell, miss, besides Dory and Bruce. Your secret is safe with me."

A silence fell over them, and Stacey had to bury the tears that threatened to spring from her eyes.

"How... how is he?"

Alfred looked up from his tea. "How is Bruce?"

She nodded.

"He's fine, I suppose. He sleeps during the day, and usually works at night. His Circadian rhythm is a little off since he... well, he just prefers it at night. You know how that is?"

"I do," Stacey answered immediately, listening intently. "I work at night, too, the whole Gotham Angel business. As soon as I pay off my debt I'm going to try to make it a main hustle instead of just a side gig."

Alfred perked up. "Oh, did you-"

"If you're going to ask if I need help with paying off my debt, that's a firm no. But if you're asking me if you can help out with the Gotham Angel business, I'd gladly appreciate any contribution you may have."

"What will my contribution go toward if it's not helping with your debt?"

"Bandages, medical supplies. I'm almost out of rubbing alcohol, I need to get some more of that before tonight."

The bright red sun of dusk halted her train of thought, and Stacey watched as it refracted around the room, bathing it in a bloody-hued glow.

She pushed herself up from the table and set her cup down, backing towards the door.

"I'd love to stay, but I think I ought to get home. I need to start setting up for tonight..."

"It's no problem, Stacey, I would love for you to come over for tea again next week. I still have yet to hear your wondrous tales of college-"

And usually works at night. Stacey continued to back towards the door, alarm bells ringing in her head. What would she do if she saw him, what would she say? Would she be silent, would she say hello, what-

"Alfred-"

Stacey backed into someone's side and oofed, drawing her hand out to steady herself on her assailant's chest.

Oh. God.

Stacey felt her world shift.

Felt her worst nightmare come true.

"Oh, God, this day is just getting better and better."

Bruce looked down at her, holding her by her shoulders, clothed in a black band t-shirt and black hair hanging loosely in her face. Through the strands Stacey could see his icy blue eyes peering down at her in surprise, and a whole other onslaught of emotions she couldn't get from the glance she spared upwards.

"Tace?"

"I was just leaving," she floundered out, patting his chest awkwardly and making a mad dash for the exit.

"Alfred what did you- Tacey!" Bruce yelled after her, pushing aside the doors that Stacey tried to close behind her with ease.

"Tacey, wait-"

"Stop!" She called back sternly, her voice quivering at the end of the word. "Stop."

"Hey!"

Stacey was out the door before Bruce could catch her, and he watched as she ran out the entrance of the Manor and onto the street below.

"Alfred, what did you do?"

"Don't be so accusatory, Master Bruce," Alfred answered, offended. He mimicked Stacey's past actions and sat back, pulling the tea onto his lap. "I merely asked her for tea, so we could catch up. I didn't realize how late it had gotten."

Bruce, having returned to the parlor, looked through the gothic windows to the street below. "You know how... complicated our past it. Why would you do this?"

Alfred strained to hear his haunted whisper. "What, two children fighting? Don't you think it's time you moved on from what happened a decade ago?"

Bruce was silent. "So you agree, she was here for me?"

"No, Master Bruce. If you want that, you're going to have to ask her here yourself. Not as Batman, and not through me. As Bruce Wayne."

"What if I don't want that!" Bruce hissed, turning to face him but not quite making eye contact. "What if you're just a meddling old man trying to set up children?"

Alfred shrugged, sipping his tea. "Then it's none of my business. And I'll continue to have tea with the woman I consider my niece."

"Alfred-"

Alfred flicked his eyebrows and turned in his chair. "It's none of my business, Master Bruce. Anyways, don't you have a Gotham to attend to?"

🦇