To [Not] Be A Bat

Past and Future

"Why did you freeze up? Why didn't you do anything as she was beaten up Bruce? Why didn't you help her?!" Jason screamed into Bruce's face, digging his nails into Bruce's shoulders. "Tell me! Why did you let her have to go through all that?!"

"Jason, calm down." Dick tried to coax, but knew his voice was drowned by Jason's anger. A chill ran down his spine as a code blue was mentioned through the low hospital speakers. He hoped it wasn't for who he thought it was.

"Aren't you bothered at all? Pissed off that Bruce didn't do shit to-"

"He tried." Tim defended, hating that his voice cracked. He hated that the lump in his throat made it hard to talk, that he was still not taken seriously. "He tried to help her Jason."

Tim still couldn't erase the picture from his mind. To see his sister rushed into the emergency room, her body covered in bruises and blood, watching as different personale checked on her as she was rushed to her first room of the long night.

"Tried?" Jason asked, letting go of Bruce, walking towards Tim, only for Dick to stand between them. "He didn't do shit." Jason pointed at Bruce, Tim watching as their father turned his head to the side. "He froze the minute he saw that crowbar in that asshole's hand. He watched as that jackass beat our sister to near death." Tim let a tear slide down his face as he watched their father turn away in shame. "If hadn't followed him, if I hadn't stepped in to stop Joker from stabbing Marinette to her dea-"

"That's enough!" Dick yelled, pulling Tim closer to him, Tim attempting to retain his sobs as he let himself breakdown. It went to vain. "Do you have to remind us of her condition?"

"But he's right." Bruce admitted, Dick startled by the quietness of his voice. "He's the one who saved Marinette. The one who stopped Joker from completely-"

"Bruce, it's not-"

"I've failed her..." Dick frowned, scooting over to him. He tried to place his hand on his shoulder, only to stop at his next words. "I even tried to isolate her to prevent this and yet," Bruce let out an exasperated breath. "It still happened." Dick swore he watched Jason's eyes fill with sadness for a minute before they were filled with anger. "I've failed again. For the second time... and to the same bastard."

"You're still on that?" Jason asked, turning to face Bruce. "Do you still feel guilty about not saving me all those years ago?" Jason said in a whisper. "I forgave you, I let the 'not-killing-Joker' thing slip by, but this?" Jason jabbed Bruce's chest. "This has to stop."

"Jason, you're not-"

"Stop blaming yourself, of guilt-tripping yourself about this. Don't you see what this is causing?" Jason grabbed him once more, their faces an inch apart. "You're letting your guilt and fears control you."

"I know." Bruce admitted, watching Jason huff. "I should've known better than this. I should've known she would try to prove herself... to try and prove she can handle our lifestyle. I shouldn't have kept her in the dark... even if it meant exposing her to the dangers..."

"So tell me. What are you going to do now?" Jason said, ruffling Tim's hair. "He once took me away from you... and now that bastard almost took Mari away from me. I know what to do from now on." Of course, Jason wasn't going to mention the possible death of Joker that night. "But what about you? How do you plan on treating her from here on out?"

Bruce stood there in silence, Jason's words echoing in his mind.

Where should he go from here?

His mind suddenly wandered to Sabine's letter, to the day he met his daughter for the first time.

If you're reading this, then that means that my time in this world has come to an end. Most would like to die with their secrets, but you know that's not me. I'm sorry for keeping this from you, despite the many attempts of trying to tell you. As you can see in the attached DNA result-

"You're... you're Sabine's daughter... and you're also-"

"My name's Marinette Dupain-Cheng." The small french girl cut off, her sunhat blocking her face. "And to answer your question, yes. I am your daughter. So I guess that if my mother had married you, I would've been Marinette Wayne-Cheng." As she said that, Bruce was met with the most intricate shade of blue.

Bluebell.

Just like his mother...her grandmother...

I know this is a lot to ask from you, especially since I kept this from you... but please. Protect our daughter.

"I plan on keeping my promise to Sabine, but I'm also going to do it with Marinette's best interest in mind." Bruce looked at his children. "I want us to be a family. An actual one that will welcome Mari with warmth and love the minute she wakes up. Help me achieve this. Help me fix this broken family of ours."