𝐃𝐀𝐔𝐆𝐇𝐓𝐄𝐑 𝐎𝐅 𝐆𝐎𝐓𝐇𝐀𝐌 | ᵇ ʷᵃʸⁿᵉ [𝐍𝐄𝐕𝐄𝐑𝐄𝐍𝐃𝐈𝐍𝐆 𝐒𝐓𝐎𝐑𝐘]

𝐁𝐚𝐛𝐲 𝐁𝐨𝐨𝐦

Alfred's P.O.V.

It was late in the night when I heard a doorbell ring. Master Bruce came back from the patrol. We weren't expecting any guests at this time of day.

"How unusual", I opened the front door of the Manor but no one was there. The strange noise caught my attention. I glanced down at my feet and saw a baby left on the doorstep.

"Oh dear." I hurried downstairs to the BatCave to inform Master Bruce of our unexpected guest.

"Master Bruce, I'm sorry for disturbing you. But we have a situation", I said to Master Bruce founding him running around the BatCave. Master Bruce looked very busy. I wondered what was the reason.

"Not now, Alfred. I don't have", baby's cry got Master Bruce's attention and he looked down at the basket "time."

"Someone left him at our doorstep, Master Bruce", I informed as Master Bruce was looking down at his blue blanket. It must be the boy. "They left no note. How inconsiderate if I might say."

"T. D." Master Bruce read the initials. I didn't notice the initials on the blanket. They call him a detective for a reason.

"The fabric looks expensive", Master Bruce said to himself. He was thinking out loud. "He comes from a wealthy family."

"We don't know the reason why someone left him, Alfred. I'll search for his parents. That will be the first thing I would do in the morning", Master Bruce said and went to Batmobile.

"Master Bruce", I cleared my throat. Master Bruce is mistaken if he thinks he can leave me to take care of the baby all by myself.

"Yes, Alfred?" Master Bruce asked getting inside the Batmobile.

"I believe I'll need your assistance--" I glanced down at the baby in the basket. "Are you're going out again, sir?"

"I have work to do. I trust you'll manage just fine without me. It's just a baby, Alfred. How hard it can be?" Master Bruce asked as I raised my eyebrow doubtfully. Master Bruce obviously doesn't have any experience with toddlers.

I tried for hours to put him to sleep. Every effort was unsuccessful. He did not stop crying until Master Bruce came inside the Manor.

"Did you feed him?" Master Bruce asked me entering the living room. It was the warmest room in the Manor and I was waiting for Master Bruce to return from the patrol.

"Do I look like an amateur, sir? Do I need to remind you--" I fed you and changed your bottoms, sir.

"No, you don't", Master Bruce said as the baby started to cry again. "Why doesn't he stop crying, Alfred?"

"I wish I know, sir", I replied as I remembered Master Bruce's words: How hard it can be?

We haven't slept all night.

We finally managed to put him to sleep when the sound of the doorbell ring woke me up. Master Bruce fell asleep in the chair.

"Please, just not another one." I said to myself as I opened the front door of the Manor and found Miss Rose standing. I sighed in relief.

"Good morning, Miss Rose", I greeted, yawning. "What brings you here this early?" I asked as she enterted inside the Manor.

"Good day, Alfred", Miss Rose greeted, looking at me confused. "It's noon, Alfred. It's hardly early. I need to talk to Bruce. This is the third meeting he'd missed", Miss Rose said. I forgot about Master Bruce's meeting this afternoon.

"What is with crying?" Miss Rose asked heading to the living room as I followed her. He woke up again.

"Hello... baby", Miss Rose looked surprised seeing the baby as she leaned towards him and smiled as he smiled back at her. "Is that a smile?" I noticed he stopped crying when she enterted the room.

"You like my curles?" Miss Rose asked in a whisper as the strand of her long hair got intertwined between his little fingers.

"Alfred...", Master Bruce said slowly waking up and suddenly his eyes were wide open. "Rose."

Bruce's P.O.V.

"I'm sorry. I didn't mean to wake you up but he was crying", Rose said looking at me while he was playing with his hair. It seemed he likes her.

"I'll bring us some coffee. Master Bruce", Alfred suggested as I straightened up by back, sitting in the chair.

"Thank you, Alfred." Alfred nodded his head and left the living room, leaving us alone.

"So, this is what kept you from coming today", Rose stated taking him in his arms, settling into the couch.

"The meeting", I remembered. "I forgot." Again. I've had a lot of night work lately.

"It would be easier if you just told me what project you are working on", Rose said. Board members are putting the pressure on her since she supported my newest project.

"Soon. It's not finished yet", I said.

"Bruce?" Rose said hesitantly. She wanted to ask me something.

"Yes?"

"Yours?" Rose asked me glancing down at him. She thought he was mine.

"No", I replied fast. "I mean, he isn't mine. Someone left him at my doorstep last night", I added.

"Who would do such a thing?" Rose asked. "Isn't he adorable? I can't imagine anyone thinking about abandoning him."

"I don't know. But I'll find out", I assured her. I belive there was a good reason. Maybe he's not abandoned.

"Master Bruce, you have a call", Alfred informed me. I stood up from my chair and went to receive a call.

It was businesslike, nothing too much important and it didn't take long.

"He likes her", I stated looking at them standing at the doorstep of the living room after finishing the phone conversation. He kept smiling. I noticed he stopped crying after she came.

"I believe there is no man who can resist her charm no matter of his age, Master Bruce." Alfred looked at me, seeing right through me.

I knew I wouldn't be able to keep as a secret my feelings for her for long not from Alfred but it didn't matter. She'll never know. My world is too dangerous for someone like her.

"She's natural, sir. She'll be a good mother one day", Alfred stated and I agreed not able to move my gaze from them.

"I don't have any doubt", I said as Alfred gave the look. He was thinking about her as mother of my children.

"It will never happen, Alfred", I said determined.

"Having a family, Master Bruce?" Alfred asked. I know he always wanted that for me.

"Batman can't have a family", I stated. Besides, I'm not sure I would be a good father. I wasn't for Dick nor Jason. I tried my best but my best wasn't good enough.

"You said it yourself, Master Bruce. Batman can't have a family but you can, sir", Alfred said.

"Do you continue to blame yourself for what happened to Master Jason? It wasn't your fault, Master Bruce." But it was my fault. I'm the reason he is dead. I made him a Robin and that killed him.

"I'll put them in danger", I said thinking about it. I never thought about it before: for me having a family.

"I'll put her in danger", I added. She is so clueless, it's adorable. I couldn't never do that to her.

"Perhaps you should let Miss Rose to decide for herself." Rose raised her head and looked at me like she knew we had just talked about her.