Fanfic: Alfred Knows
Sep. 12th, 2010 11:58 am![[personal profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/user.png){kind=small}
abbyromanaTitle: Alfred Knows (1/1)
Author:![[info]](https://l-stat.livejournal.com/img/userinfo.gif)
abbyromana
Character(s): Alfred Pennyworth, Dick Grayson/Nightwing, Barbara Gordon/Oracle, Tim Drake/Red Robin, Damien Wayne/Robin, Stephanie Brown/Spoiler, mention of Bruce Wayne/Batman
Pairing(s): none
Rating: G
Genre: general, angst, hurt/comfort,
Warning(s): Spoilers from Batman (comic): Battle for the Cowl, Final Crisis
Disclaimer(s): All characters and things of Batman belong to DC comics, and Bill Finger and Bob Kane, the creators of Batman. Also references to Batman: TAS belong to Bruce Timm. I'm simply borrowing them for creative output.
Author note(s): This story has not been beta'd, so please leave feedback. After trying to do a drabble meme, which I may or may not post, this was one story that came about.
Summary: Alfred is there for Dick once again.
In the years that Alfred Pennyworth had been employed for the Wayne Family, Wayne Manor had never been as populated as it was this evening. Since the death of Thomas and Martha Wayne, there had usually been only two other occupants at a time beside Alfred. More recent events had changed that.
The memories of those events felt like a sharp stab in the chest. Squeezing his eyes shut, he fought off the burning tears yearning for release.
No. I won’t. Not now.
Drawing in several deep breaths, he brought his emotions under control not for the first time. He returned to his work, until he heard footsteps approaching the bedroom. Grazing towards the doorway, he saw the familiar, bandaged form of Dick Grayson.
“Master Richard,” Alfred greeted, quickly taking note of the redness and exhaustion in Dick’s eyes. Beyond that, he also saw there was a familiar question lingering in the man’s eyes. It was a question dating back to Dick’s first year in Wayne Manor.
oOo
Alfred had been putting away the dinner dishes when he heard a familiar, young voice. “Is it true, Alfred?”
He glanced over his shoulder to spot Master Bruce’s seven year old ward, rubbing his left eye with his small fist. “Master Richard, what are you still doing up? It’s well past your bedtime.”
In a tired voice, Dick said, “I couldn’t sleep. I kept thinking about what Bruce said.”
Stepping over to Dick, Alfred knelt before the boy with a smile. “What precisely are you referring to?”
Lowering his fist, Dick’s brow furrowed. The many ridges in his forehead looked out of place on a boy of his age. “The ache… the pain,” Dick explained slowly, “of losing my parents… Bruce said it would never really go away. Is that true?”
Alfred’s lips parted to speak but no words came. He wanted to reassure the boy, provide the parental comfort that Master Bruce did not. He was too focused on honesty and strengthening the boy’s will and body. He thought nothing of the broken heart. Alfred just felt there was much more that the boy needed. For one, Dick needed a father far more than a mentor. This was something Alfred had tried to get across to Master Bruce with much difficulty.
An orphan may understand another orphan’s feelings, but he does not necessarily know the best way to help him heal.
Sighing deeply, Alfred shook his head before meeting the pair of tired, blue eyes again. Alfred wanted to say something comforting to Dick.
oOo
“Well, Alfred?” asked Dick, drawing Alfred attention back to the present. The same tired, blue eyes were staring back at him for an answer, but they were far wiser than those of the seven year old. Yet, the tall man who’d fought beside Batman and adventured out on his own still looked like the frightened seven year old searching for answers from so many years ago.
Alfred’s head dipped. “Loss is never easy, Master Richard, as we’ve all had to learn recently… with the loss of Master Bruce.” He drew in a ragged breath; the ache of earlier returned. “It’s a pain that can be quite potent and lingering… as you very well know.”
Dick nodded in agreement, dropping his gaze to the ground. “I know,” he said with a hard tone.
Alfred knew he could have left it there, just as he had done when Dick was seven. That’s what Master Bruce would want, but he wasn’t around anymore. Alfred made a decision. Straightening his back, he stepped away from the half-made bed. Lifting both of his eyebrows, he stated, “Of course, I’m must say a loss doesn’t mean the end.”
Dick gave him a curious look. His lips parted as if to ask, but his words were cut off by the clatter from down the hall. He glanced out the door just both Damian and Stephanie dashed past.
"This is your fault, fatty!" yelled Damian as Stephanie scowled at him.
“I think you’ll find, Master Richard,” Alfred said, letting a smile played across your face, “that life in all its beauty and bizarreness still offers new chances… opportunities.”
The voice of Tim interrupted Alfred. “Wait until I get my hands on you two!” A second later, Tim covered in a strange white powder ran past.
“Hey!” called out the voice of Barbara from someplace down the hall. “Some of us are trying to get some sleep!”
“And I’d say some of these can bring new, interesting… and quite pleasant surprises,” Alfred explained. He grinned, watching as Dick looked back at him with a surprised expression. “While never replacements for what we’ve lost, they can help the heart to mend. Perhaps in time the pain wouldn’t seem as bad as it does now... much as Master Bruce felt when you... Master Tim… Master Damien… Miss Stephanie… and Miss Gordon joined our bat family.”
Dick just stared at him for a moment, and Alfred held his gaze. A moment later, a broad smile broke across Dick’s face. “You’re right, Alfred,” he said, “as usual. Thank you... as always.”
Author:
abbyromanaCharacter(s): Alfred Pennyworth, Dick Grayson/Nightwing, Barbara Gordon/Oracle, Tim Drake/Red Robin, Damien Wayne/Robin, Stephanie Brown/Spoiler, mention of Bruce Wayne/Batman
Pairing(s): none
Rating: G
Genre: general, angst, hurt/comfort,
Warning(s): Spoilers from Batman (comic): Battle for the Cowl, Final Crisis
Disclaimer(s): All characters and things of Batman belong to DC comics, and Bill Finger and Bob Kane, the creators of Batman. Also references to Batman: TAS belong to Bruce Timm. I'm simply borrowing them for creative output.
Author note(s): This story has not been beta'd, so please leave feedback. After trying to do a drabble meme, which I may or may not post, this was one story that came about.
Summary: Alfred is there for Dick once again.
In the years that Alfred Pennyworth had been employed for the Wayne Family, Wayne Manor had never been as populated as it was this evening. Since the death of Thomas and Martha Wayne, there had usually been only two other occupants at a time beside Alfred. More recent events had changed that.
The memories of those events felt like a sharp stab in the chest. Squeezing his eyes shut, he fought off the burning tears yearning for release.
No. I won’t. Not now.
Drawing in several deep breaths, he brought his emotions under control not for the first time. He returned to his work, until he heard footsteps approaching the bedroom. Grazing towards the doorway, he saw the familiar, bandaged form of Dick Grayson.
“Master Richard,” Alfred greeted, quickly taking note of the redness and exhaustion in Dick’s eyes. Beyond that, he also saw there was a familiar question lingering in the man’s eyes. It was a question dating back to Dick’s first year in Wayne Manor.
Alfred had been putting away the dinner dishes when he heard a familiar, young voice. “Is it true, Alfred?”
He glanced over his shoulder to spot Master Bruce’s seven year old ward, rubbing his left eye with his small fist. “Master Richard, what are you still doing up? It’s well past your bedtime.”
In a tired voice, Dick said, “I couldn’t sleep. I kept thinking about what Bruce said.”
Stepping over to Dick, Alfred knelt before the boy with a smile. “What precisely are you referring to?”
Lowering his fist, Dick’s brow furrowed. The many ridges in his forehead looked out of place on a boy of his age. “The ache… the pain,” Dick explained slowly, “of losing my parents… Bruce said it would never really go away. Is that true?”
Alfred’s lips parted to speak but no words came. He wanted to reassure the boy, provide the parental comfort that Master Bruce did not. He was too focused on honesty and strengthening the boy’s will and body. He thought nothing of the broken heart. Alfred just felt there was much more that the boy needed. For one, Dick needed a father far more than a mentor. This was something Alfred had tried to get across to Master Bruce with much difficulty.
An orphan may understand another orphan’s feelings, but he does not necessarily know the best way to help him heal.
Sighing deeply, Alfred shook his head before meeting the pair of tired, blue eyes again. Alfred wanted to say something comforting to Dick.
“Well, Alfred?” asked Dick, drawing Alfred attention back to the present. The same tired, blue eyes were staring back at him for an answer, but they were far wiser than those of the seven year old. Yet, the tall man who’d fought beside Batman and adventured out on his own still looked like the frightened seven year old searching for answers from so many years ago.
Alfred’s head dipped. “Loss is never easy, Master Richard, as we’ve all had to learn recently… with the loss of Master Bruce.” He drew in a ragged breath; the ache of earlier returned. “It’s a pain that can be quite potent and lingering… as you very well know.”
Dick nodded in agreement, dropping his gaze to the ground. “I know,” he said with a hard tone.
Alfred knew he could have left it there, just as he had done when Dick was seven. That’s what Master Bruce would want, but he wasn’t around anymore. Alfred made a decision. Straightening his back, he stepped away from the half-made bed. Lifting both of his eyebrows, he stated, “Of course, I’m must say a loss doesn’t mean the end.”
Dick gave him a curious look. His lips parted as if to ask, but his words were cut off by the clatter from down the hall. He glanced out the door just both Damian and Stephanie dashed past.
"This is your fault, fatty!" yelled Damian as Stephanie scowled at him.
“I think you’ll find, Master Richard,” Alfred said, letting a smile played across your face, “that life in all its beauty and bizarreness still offers new chances… opportunities.”
The voice of Tim interrupted Alfred. “Wait until I get my hands on you two!” A second later, Tim covered in a strange white powder ran past.
“Hey!” called out the voice of Barbara from someplace down the hall. “Some of us are trying to get some sleep!”
“And I’d say some of these can bring new, interesting… and quite pleasant surprises,” Alfred explained. He grinned, watching as Dick looked back at him with a surprised expression. “While never replacements for what we’ve lost, they can help the heart to mend. Perhaps in time the pain wouldn’t seem as bad as it does now... much as Master Bruce felt when you... Master Tim… Master Damien… Miss Stephanie… and Miss Gordon joined our bat family.”
Dick just stared at him for a moment, and Alfred held his gaze. A moment later, a broad smile broke across Dick’s face. “You’re right, Alfred,” he said, “as usual. Thank you... as always.”
