(Untitled)

[dragonbat2006]

Prompt: Cross the line

Timeline: The night Bruce Wayne’s life changed forever

Thanks to Kalin and Debbie for the beta!

Of Fears and Doubts and Changing Circumstances

"He’s sleeping, now, Alfred." Leslie dimmed the light in the small examination room and ushered the shaken butler into the hallway. "It’s not an uncommon occurrence after a long cry."

The

Comments

[quiet__tiger]

Awww. I like Alfred fics. It's nice seeing him this early, think about what the whole experience was like for him, having a little boy thrust upon him by fate.

But thank God Leslie was there to slap some sense into him, literally. Bruce would be even more screwed up if he were shuffled away so quickly.

Nice fic. :)

[dragonbat2006]

Thanks! I love Alfred, too. But I don't think he started off as the 'perfect' surrogate father. Luckily, he did learn as he went along. Glad you liked!

[jij]

This is a wonderful Alfred fic! I loved Leslie here, and Alfred being anything other than totally cool and confident tugged at my heart unbearably. Beautiful.

"You?" He whispered. "I… I won’t have to g-go to an orphanage?"

*sniffles a lot* This is such a wonderful portrait of a pivotal moment for both of them.

[dragonbat2006]

Thanks! *blush* I have to say that there is one scene in Jeph Loeb's Dark Victory which shows very clearly that Alfred didn't always handle everything perfectly when raising Bruce. (It's a scene where Alfred finds Bruce in his parents' room and Bruce says he's all alone. Years later a similar scene plays out with Dick--but this time, Alfred says the right thing.) Maybe it sticks with me exactly because it's one of the few times when Alfred isn't shown as infallible, but it was at the back of my mind for this fic.

Glad you liked!

[jij]

That's right! I remember that scene and I had the same reaction--it's shocking to imagine an Alfred that messes up, but it makes perfect sense. I wonder if he ever sees it as his fault, somehow, that Bruce ended up on the path he was on...