Child of the Dark Knite

Chapter 8 Loose Ends

It was several weeks before the doctors would release Lissa. When they did, Bruce managed to have her released quietly at night, where they could sneak away, avoiding the reporters at the hospital. Hospital officials were only told to inform the media that Lissa had been released. But to give no other information than that. Some how the press had gotten Lissa's first name, but no more. Which both were grateful.

Bruce was also grateful for hover limos. Reporters of all sorts appeared at the gates of Wayne Manor, blocking it completely. A word to the driver and the vehicle sailed over the gates and landed near the main doors. Terry's mother was there, with ace, on a leash to keep him from barking at the reporters and trying to climb through the gates. The chuffer helped Bruce and Lissa out of the car, and Terry followed with an over night bag containing their medications.

Once all were settled, Mrs. McGinnis and the chuffer left, Terry remained to go out later as the Batman, and Bruce and Lissa sat in the living room to talk. "I have something for you," began Lissa, as Terry handed her her duffle bag she asked him to locate. She reached inside and pulled out a photo frame of old Mahogany wood, an antique even when Bruce knew Jen. "My mother was never really good with a camera. All the pictures of us were either professionally done, or done by my...dad." She handed him the photo. "That's me, about three days old."

Bruce traced his fingers over Jen's image. "So beautiful," he whispered, "and you were a beautiful baby." Terry glanced over Bruce's shoulder and smiled.

'So that was Jen,' he thought. 'Hot stuff, even now.'

"Mom hid the black envelope behind that picture. She told me about it, after she told me about you."

"Like I said," Bruce began, setting the photo upright on the coffee table. "Your mother was a smart woman. Now, tell me about your schooling. I want details. Marks, teacher's comments, the works. Terry don't you have something to do?"

"The new one I suppose," Lissa commented. Bruce and Terry said nothing, but nodded.

"Yeah, I'm going. Can't stay around with the conversation gets good. I'm going!" Terry left for the Den, where Bruce had pointed then turned back to Lissa, as she began to tell of her life. Starting at Kinder Garden.

About three days later, when Fitzroy was confident enough that Lissa was safe to fly, the group found themselves on the Wayne Tech Jet, bound for LA. One fussing over their health, one fussing over the stewardess, one fussing over her father, and the last fussing over not being fussed over. Lissa thought the flight would never end.

Several hours later, the group was in a limo, heading for the LA Hospital to drop off Fitzroy. After the doctor reminded them to take their medications, and reminded Lissa to continue on the blood thinners until they were gone, Fitzroy turned and retreated into the hospital where he held tenier. Soon after that, Lissa found herself waiting outside her old home, wondering who was inside. The limo parked a block away from the house, not being noticed. In this neighborhood, a limo parked on the side of the road was quite common. Bruce tried to call her family's number, only to be told by the machine that his number was blocked from all incoming calls. Then Lissa noticedoungoung man coming around the corner, heading for the house. "Oh god, that's Liam," she said.

Quickly Bruce dialed the young man's cell number. They watched through the windows, as Liam stopped outside the gates of his home to answer his phone. "Hello?"

"Liam, it's Wayne."

"Oh, God, how is she?"

"Ask her yourself. Down the street, we're in the limo." Bruce snapped his phone shut, and they watched as Liam did the same, and made his way to the limo.

Once beside it, he quickly climbed inside, hugging Lissa as he spoke. "God I've been scared shitless ever sense that first call. How you doing?"

"Suffocating, if you don't let go," she said. He let her go with a chuckle, and smiled at her. "Liam, this is Bruce Wayne, my real father."

"Hi, Mr. Wayne, nice to finally meet you," the boy shook his hand. "Its good to put a face to the name, though you're older than the pictures I've found of you on the net. I guess you don't get out that much."

"Not usually," said Bruce.

"Lissa, there's so much I have to tell you. And you're not going to like any of it."

"What's going on?"

"Dad shot Colby."

"What? Why?"

"I don't know, Dad's been a little nuts lately, the day you left he got his gun, of which none of us knew he had, if mom had known she'd've killed him. He took the gun, went to the barn and shot Colby. The Barn owners called and asked what you wanted to have done with him. I took the call, I told them to give him the pet's burial. I know how much he meant to you; especially since mom had given him to you and all. I'm really sorry."

"My horse is dead," Bruce squeezed her shoulder in support, but she was still too stunned to react to his touch. He knew this feeling, between a horse and rider. It was something that had to be experienced, and even then it still defied explanation. He felt it. He'd ridden a horse in his youth that took his breath away with its awesome power, and yet calm and gentle nature. He was sorry to see the noble animal die. Bruce understood, this was something Lissa had to deal with in her own way.

"There's more," Liam continued. "Dad wouldn't let mom be buried in the family plot."

"What?!"

"We all pitched in and bought a plot for her. Here's the number," Liam quickly scrawled the plot number on a napkin and handed it to Bruce, when Lissa wouldn't take it. "It's a nice spot, under a tree, over looking the ocean. Mom would have liked it. Look I have to go. Dad'll be home soon and I don't want to risk him seeing me getting out of here. Besides, I think you guys want to get back to Gotham. I guess that's where you'll be living now, is it?"

"Yeah, I don't have any place else. Dad won't let me stay here."

"Well you have my cell number, and my email address. Keep in touch. Ok? car care Lissa." He quickly gave his sister another hug, and left the limo.

"Lissa, I'm sorry."

"Don't worry about it Bruce, Just get me out of her. Now!"

"Alright, but first things first."

LA Seagate Cemetery was patterned with head stones. One of the keepers led two men and a woman through the see of monuments out to a lone tree, one of the few great oaks that still stood in the area. There, in the shade, a single stone stood. "Well, here you are," he said, "I'll leave you be." Slowly the woman approached the stone.

"Hear lies Jennifer Westler Coster. Wife and Mother. She Lived long, Traveled far, Now parted from us, But she is never gone from our hearts. 1973 to 2028." This is what Lissa read aloud from her mother's head stone. "Well at least dad let her keep her married name." She knelt by the stone and laid her mother's favorite flowers across the base. Pink orchids and baby's breath. "I kept my promise mom," she whispered, "I found him"

Bruce stepped up and laid a deep red rose across the top of the stone. "Good bye Jen, and thank you."