You frowned as you entered your house, eyes scanning everything within the room before making a slow approach. You drew your gun silently. Someone had been through your house and you had a pretty good idea of who. You still remained silent as you walked through each room. You were vigilant of every minute detail. You felt the air shift even if you had no idea which room Bruce was in. He was good at stealth, but you were a better hunter.
You were a special forces agent and the most decorated soldier in decades. You had medals that nobody knew what they meant or even how you got them. What nobody else knows is that you came across Batman while he was training inside the League of Assassins while you were on your own special mission.
You knew exactly who was in your house based on how he entered the space. You knew that Bruce has finally come to ask for the favour you promised years ago. What concerned you was that he brought company. You two had lost touch in the years, but you did promise him one favour at any time no matter how weird the request, and he promised the same. Neither of you had to take the other up on their offer until tonight. Tonight, the Dark Knight paid you a visit.
You looked around each room and finally you spotted the dark shadowy figure lurking in the corner with a cape wrapped around another shadowy figure. You sighed and holstered your gun while rolling your eyes. Bruce has only become more dramatic as he aged and your flare diminished until you got into fights. You asked calmly,
“What do you need, Bruce? And who is hiding in your cape?”
A kid in bright colours poked his head out from the cape that acted like a curtain upon being mentioned. Unfortunately for Bruce, his kid was a blabbermouth with far too much confidence. He tilted his head and asked,
“Is this your lady friend, B? She’s pretty. Why’d you break up?”
He looked up at Bruce for an answer. Bruce said nothing, but you knew exactly what his silence meant. He was embarrassed. The child looked up as Bruce took off his cowl and introduced him as Dick Grayson.
You crouched to his level with a melancholy look on your face. You remember his parents well. How could you forget? You worked on reviewing the case any time you had free time away from your missions and actively sent files over to Bruce as you made breakthroughs in the case. Your missions never ended and by the time you had time to sit down and finish the case, Bruce already handled it with his new child sidekick Robin.
“I’m so sorry about your parents, Dick. I wish I could have helped you more than I was able to.”
Dick didn’t know why that was so touching to him, but it hit him harder than he thought it would. He was used to sympathy, but you made it seem like you were trying your best to help whenever you could, and he never even knew of your involvement. Bruce never told him where he got half of his information and instead focused on what he learned by himself.
Bruce looked around to make sure he took out all of the tapwires in the house. You waited patiently until he was confident that you had no one listening in and briefly patted you down for any hidden wires. You returned the favour and patted him down exactly as your were trained to do. Bruce nodded once he was satisfied and you nodded back. The discussion can begin. Bruce started by saying,
“We need all of your information on the Court of Owls. We know you have been hidden in the ranks as a sleeper agent, and they have scheduled a shipment. We need to know what this shipment is and who is going to be involved in the operation.”
You knew everything. Your spy work was top tier and elite among assassins and within the military. You went to your laptop and opened the file after scanning it again for any malware or tampering. You found none, but you were expecting the heat to come after Batman is found leaving your home unscathed. You said as you opened the important files that you locked down,
“The shipment is by the docks downtown around two in the morning. It’s pretty tight-lipped about what the shipment is, but I’ve gathered it’s tech from Lex Luthor. Cloning equipment, biomechanical parts, and cybernetics. I’m not sure what the purpose is quite yet, but I’ve gathered that they plan to make an android version of the Justice League using a combination of gathered DNA samples and the cybernetics that Lex is sending over. I’m sure it’s going to be swarmed with Talons, so I’d bring everybody that you can.”
Bruce listened intensely, but Dick wondered the room. Dick paused at a photo of Bruce and you with Bruce kissing your forehead and his arm wrapped around you protectively. You were laughing at the time based on the slight shakiness of the photo and your big smile. Dick stared at it. When did this happen? Bruce looked younger than he was now and less buff, so this must have been during his journey to becoming Batman. He’s sure Bruce doesn’t know this photo exists or Alfred would have it in his personal collection of milestones in Bruce’s life. Why did you two split? What happened to end your budding relationship?
Dick jolted in surprise when he felt a heavy hand land on his shoulder. It was Bruce. He looked at the photo with a bittersweet expression. He missed your relationship. It felt unbreakable until your mission ended and you had to leave the Arabian peninsula before he finished his training. You had no way to stay in contact. You were constantly on the move on top secret missions and had no digital footprint to trace.
Bruce’s eyes moved back to you like he was wondering if now he could keep in contact. He was surprised he could even find you in Gotham given how deep undercover you were. Bruce’s eyes softened as all of his memories with you ran through his mind. You met his gaze with the same affection that Bruce has been unable to resist all those years ago. It was one of the few times you were unguarded entirely. He remembers the loving, warm, and intelligent person that left him in the desert years ago.
“Hey, chum, go meet me in the Batmobile. I have to discuss something alone.”
Dick gave him a look that told Bruce that he knew exactly what Bruce had to say to you, but left for the car nonetheless. Bruce made sure Dick managed to get into the car safely before turning to you again. He admitted,
“I missed you.”
Bruce didn’t have to say the underlining context. You both wished things turned out different. You knew that he wanted to ask you on a date, but he didn’t have the words that he wanted to express as much. He remained silent while you gathered your thoughts. You carefully said,
“I’m going to be in Gotham for the next couple of months if you wanted to go out.”
Bruce quickly agreed and gave you his contact information should you find a way to stay in contact with him. He didn’t think you would, but he could hope at the very least. He even gave you his fax number to both the BatCave and his office, which you found amusing but knew the necessity of it. There was no telling how you’ll be able to communicate or even if you could. Bruce will probably even give you a burner phone during the date. With all of his contact information as well as Alfred’s information and everything he could possibly think of installed. He was never letting you go now that you were reconnected.