23 Aug 22 - Safe Place
Title: Safe Place
Author: Beriaearwen
Crossover: Buffy the Vampire Slayer / Batman’s
Rating: Suitable for people over 13
Word Count: 998
Disclaimer: The characters of Buffy the Vampire Slayer belong to Mutant Enemy, etc The characters of Batman belong to DC Comics, etc. All are used here without permission. No copyright infringement is intended.
Related Fic: Gothamdale
Note: Very busy day/evening and haven’t had time to write, then I got an idea and needed to find the right AU to stick it in. Never thought I’d come back to this one. :-)
Summary: “They have issued a severe thunderstorm watch for the area, sir.”
Safe Place
By Beriaearwen
Buffy tense and quiet as they began to eat dinner.
Bruce noticed and glanced at Alfred who only gave him a look that said he needed to handle it himself.
Bruce and Joyce had only been married for four months and, while he thought they were settling in well together, this was the first time Joyce had left he, Buffy and Alfred to go on a buying trip.
He and Buffy had been getting along, he felt fairly confident of his place in her life and she had stared calling him Papa, since Hank had been and always would be her Daddy. Unsure how to proceed he cleared his throat, drawing Buffy’s attention. “Did you do anything fun today?” he asked. It had been a work day for him and the last minute meeting caused him to get home just in time for dinner.
“Yes,” came her soft reply, even as her hand seemed to tighten around her fork.
“What did you do?”
Buffy blinked at him.
“Did you read a book? Play outside? Dig a tunnel to China? Go exploring on a spaceship?” Bruce felt a smile of victory creep onto his face as he first earned a smile from his daughter and then a soft giggle.
“No, that’s silly,” Buffy insisted, spearing one of her honey-glazed carrots. “I played exploring adventure,” she informed, relaxing slightly and focusing more on her food.
“Exploring adventure?” Bruce asked, shooting a look at Alfred who only offered a smile in return.
“Yep, I was exploring in the spooky part of Europe and came across a castle with lots of rooms that I had to explore and find treasure.” Buffy explained, both hands being used to explain, a carrot dangling dangerously on the end of the fork she was waving around.
“And how did you get to the castle in the spooky part of Europe?” Bruce asked his little girl, amused by her imagination.
“I had to fly in the plane and then take the horse wagon from there to the castle on the hill,” Buffy informed before continuing to recount her adventures in the spooky part of Europe more commonly known to Bruce and Alfred as the attics in the East Wing of the manor.
Bruce felt himself relax as he imagined her adventures with her.
~!~!~!~!~!~!~!~!~
It was late and he was doing just a short patrol. That had not been the original plan, but getting Buffy to settle and sleep had delayed his departure. Apparently she was struggling with Joyce being out of town almost as much as he was.
He shook his head. Those were Bruce thoughts. Right now he was Batman and he had a job to do.
So far he had stopped three muggings and one robbery.
He was currently standing on the top of one of the buildings near Park Row trying to see if there was anything going on that needed his attention.
Then his com clicked and Agent A’s voice came across it. “They have issued a severe thunderstorm watch for the area, sir.”
“Hn.” he grunted in response. It wouldn’t be the first time, nor the last he patrolled in severe weather. If the criminals didn’t stay in, he wouldn’t either.
“If I might remind you, sir, Little B does not do well with thunderstorms and frequently seeks comfort.”
Batman was silent for several minutes. He looked to the West and could see distant flashes in the clouds. “I’ll be back in ten minutes.”
“Very good, sir,” Agent A responsed.
There was another click to indicate the end of the conversation and Batman turned to run across the rooftops, leaping from one to the next until he reached his transport.
~!~!~!~!~!~!~!~!~
Buffy jerked awake suddenly, not sure what woke her up.
A soft shriek escaped her a moment later when lightning flashed and a boom of thunder sounded.
Clutching Mr. Gordo closer to her chest, she wildly looked around the room. Her nightlight wasn’t on.
Gathering her courage, she reached out and tried to turn on her lamp.
When nothing happened, she felt tears begin to build in her eyes.
After another flash of lightning, she pulled the covers over her head.
The thunder rolled a low growl across the sky only a few seconds later.
Then there was a flash and a loud crack.
Buffy screamed. It sounded like the gun that killed her daddy. She didn’t want to be there. It wasn’t safe.
Throwing the covers off, she raced to the door, Mr. Gordo in one hand. It took her a few moments to open the door, her coordination hampered by her tears and sobs.
Eventually the door opened and she ran as fast as she could to her parent’s bedroom, the flashing crackling booms chasing her all the way.
She didn’t stop to knock on the door. She needed safe now!
This door knob opened more easily and she raced to her mother’s side of the bed, but she wasn’t there. Another sob escaped her and her papa seemed to jerk awake.
“What’s wrong?” he asked, blinking as he tried to get his mind working.
Before Buffy could answer there was a simultaneous flash and boom, followed by a shriek of terror.
“Oh, hey,” Bruce soothed, reaching over and drawing the small girl into his arms. “You’re safe here. I’m here, you’re here, Alfred’s here, Mr. Gordo’s here and your mom probably isn’t even getting rain where she is.” He kept her wrapped in his arms as she curled more tightly into him and started rubbing her back to hopefully calm her breathing. “You’re safe,” he repeated. “I’ve got you.”
Eventually, the storm moved off and he realized Buffy had fallen asleep. He debated bringing her back to her own room and just rest in the chair by her bed like Joyce did, but, despite the shortened patrol, he was tired.
Slipping down into a prone position, he adjusted Buffy and closed his eyes. Confident he could keep his little girl safe.
End
Author: Beriaearwen
Crossover: Buffy the Vampire Slayer / Batman’s
Rating: Suitable for people over 13
Word Count: 998
Disclaimer: The characters of Buffy the Vampire Slayer belong to Mutant Enemy, etc The characters of Batman belong to DC Comics, etc. All are used here without permission. No copyright infringement is intended.
Related Fic: Gothamdale
Note: Very busy day/evening and haven’t had time to write, then I got an idea and needed to find the right AU to stick it in. Never thought I’d come back to this one. :-)
Summary: “They have issued a severe thunderstorm watch for the area, sir.”
Safe Place
By Beriaearwen
Buffy tense and quiet as they began to eat dinner.
Bruce noticed and glanced at Alfred who only gave him a look that said he needed to handle it himself.
Bruce and Joyce had only been married for four months and, while he thought they were settling in well together, this was the first time Joyce had left he, Buffy and Alfred to go on a buying trip.
He and Buffy had been getting along, he felt fairly confident of his place in her life and she had stared calling him Papa, since Hank had been and always would be her Daddy. Unsure how to proceed he cleared his throat, drawing Buffy’s attention. “Did you do anything fun today?” he asked. It had been a work day for him and the last minute meeting caused him to get home just in time for dinner.
“Yes,” came her soft reply, even as her hand seemed to tighten around her fork.
“What did you do?”
Buffy blinked at him.
“Did you read a book? Play outside? Dig a tunnel to China? Go exploring on a spaceship?” Bruce felt a smile of victory creep onto his face as he first earned a smile from his daughter and then a soft giggle.
“No, that’s silly,” Buffy insisted, spearing one of her honey-glazed carrots. “I played exploring adventure,” she informed, relaxing slightly and focusing more on her food.
“Exploring adventure?” Bruce asked, shooting a look at Alfred who only offered a smile in return.
“Yep, I was exploring in the spooky part of Europe and came across a castle with lots of rooms that I had to explore and find treasure.” Buffy explained, both hands being used to explain, a carrot dangling dangerously on the end of the fork she was waving around.
“And how did you get to the castle in the spooky part of Europe?” Bruce asked his little girl, amused by her imagination.
“I had to fly in the plane and then take the horse wagon from there to the castle on the hill,” Buffy informed before continuing to recount her adventures in the spooky part of Europe more commonly known to Bruce and Alfred as the attics in the East Wing of the manor.
Bruce felt himself relax as he imagined her adventures with her.
~!~!~!~!~!~!~!~!~
It was late and he was doing just a short patrol. That had not been the original plan, but getting Buffy to settle and sleep had delayed his departure. Apparently she was struggling with Joyce being out of town almost as much as he was.
He shook his head. Those were Bruce thoughts. Right now he was Batman and he had a job to do.
So far he had stopped three muggings and one robbery.
He was currently standing on the top of one of the buildings near Park Row trying to see if there was anything going on that needed his attention.
Then his com clicked and Agent A’s voice came across it. “They have issued a severe thunderstorm watch for the area, sir.”
“Hn.” he grunted in response. It wouldn’t be the first time, nor the last he patrolled in severe weather. If the criminals didn’t stay in, he wouldn’t either.
“If I might remind you, sir, Little B does not do well with thunderstorms and frequently seeks comfort.”
Batman was silent for several minutes. He looked to the West and could see distant flashes in the clouds. “I’ll be back in ten minutes.”
“Very good, sir,” Agent A responsed.
There was another click to indicate the end of the conversation and Batman turned to run across the rooftops, leaping from one to the next until he reached his transport.
~!~!~!~!~!~!~!~!~
Buffy jerked awake suddenly, not sure what woke her up.
A soft shriek escaped her a moment later when lightning flashed and a boom of thunder sounded.
Clutching Mr. Gordo closer to her chest, she wildly looked around the room. Her nightlight wasn’t on.
Gathering her courage, she reached out and tried to turn on her lamp.
When nothing happened, she felt tears begin to build in her eyes.
After another flash of lightning, she pulled the covers over her head.
The thunder rolled a low growl across the sky only a few seconds later.
Then there was a flash and a loud crack.
Buffy screamed. It sounded like the gun that killed her daddy. She didn’t want to be there. It wasn’t safe.
Throwing the covers off, she raced to the door, Mr. Gordo in one hand. It took her a few moments to open the door, her coordination hampered by her tears and sobs.
Eventually the door opened and she ran as fast as she could to her parent’s bedroom, the flashing crackling booms chasing her all the way.
She didn’t stop to knock on the door. She needed safe now!
This door knob opened more easily and she raced to her mother’s side of the bed, but she wasn’t there. Another sob escaped her and her papa seemed to jerk awake.
“What’s wrong?” he asked, blinking as he tried to get his mind working.
Before Buffy could answer there was a simultaneous flash and boom, followed by a shriek of terror.
“Oh, hey,” Bruce soothed, reaching over and drawing the small girl into his arms. “You’re safe here. I’m here, you’re here, Alfred’s here, Mr. Gordo’s here and your mom probably isn’t even getting rain where she is.” He kept her wrapped in his arms as she curled more tightly into him and started rubbing her back to hopefully calm her breathing. “You’re safe,” he repeated. “I’ve got you.”
Eventually, the storm moved off and he realized Buffy had fallen asleep. He debated bringing her back to her own room and just rest in the chair by her bed like Joyce did, but, despite the shortened patrol, he was tired.
Slipping down into a prone position, he adjusted Buffy and closed his eyes. Confident he could keep his little girl safe.
End