Necromancer | Daughter of Batman

Chapter IV

Bruce leaned forcefully against the viewing window as he watched the surgeons prick and prod hopelessly at his young daughter. He clenched his fists, staring into her colorless face. Her eyes were taped shut, and a breathing tube was shoved down her throat. Her face was all he could see, for the surgeons had placed drapes over the rest of her body. His jaw clenched with anger at the thought of losing her to the Joker. He heard footsteps behind him, and quickly regained his composure. "He's gone." Dick sighed. "He must have left shortly after shooting her."

"He drew a smile on her face... He wanted me to know it was him." Bruce hung his head. "I was foolish to let her out."

"Bruce, we found her naked. Do you think—"

"Don't." Bruce lifted a hand in the air, his stomach turning at the thought. Slowly, she shook his head. "I don't know what they did, but there was an injection site on the side of her neck. I noticed it when I first saw her. I'm not sure what they did, if they drugged her or..." He sighed, unable to utter another word. The two stood in silence for a long while before Bruce whispered: "I don't know if she'll make it..."

Dick looked down and closed his eyes, fearing for his sister more than ever before. If only he himself had escorted her to Wayne Tower, perhaps he could have protected her, or even taken the bullet for her. He shook his head and returned his attention to Bruce, who couldn't seem to take his eyes off of the floor.

Bruce stared into the linoleum tiles blankly, recalling a time when Kimberly was just about the height of his knees, constantly begging for attention from her father. On most days, he was in a rush, or he'd only just gotten back from patrol, exhausted. In spite of that, even in full Batman gear, he always made time for her, for she never feared him, even as the ruthless vigilante by night. He recalled the times where he'd come home, the horrors of the night haunting his mind. Until she was nearly 12 years of age, she spent each and every one of those nights in his bed, allowing him to forget the blood, gore, and death he'd always seen. The thought of never seeing her silly smile again caused a frog to rise up in his throat. He swallowed hard, refusing to allow his emotions to get the better of him. He returned his attention to the surgery happening before the two of them. He caught sight of the anesthesia dial at the far end of the room. It had been turned down. They seemed to be finishing up. Just as Bruce began to make his leave toward the waiting room, a nurse emerged from the operating room. "Is she...?"

"She'll be alright." The young woman smiled gently. "She should be able to breathe on her own, which is a good sign. Once she's fully off of the anestesia, we can remove the tube and begin her recovery with some close monitoring. If you'd like, your family physician has requested a private ICU for Kimberly. I can take you there now." She gestured toward the hallway, and began to walk down. Bruce and Dick followed like two ducklings to their mother.

"Reynolds really hooked us up." Dick crossed his arms as he treaded down the hallway beside Bruce.

"Let's just get ready to see Kim, alright?" He placed his bloodied hands in his pocket, unable to look at his child's blood staining his clothing and skin any longer. He was grateful for Dr. Reynolds's generosity in the matter. Since the early days of Batman, the skilled doctor often practiced within the Wayne household, when Bruce's injuries were too grave for Alfred to mend. He'd always known the identity of the Batman, and that of all the Justice League members, and never said a word about it to a single soul. "Dick... I need you to be here for her as much as you can."

"You know I will, Bruce. We grew up together." He shrugged. "Besides..." He looked down. "She needs all the support and protection she can get."

Bruce nodded in approval. His expression soon hardened as his mind returned to the injection site planted on Kim's neck. "We need to find out what else he did...