A Happy Eventuality
A Happy Eventuality
by Christina A & DebC
Summary: After a lot of soul-searching, Bruce and Grace take their relationship to the next, unexpected level.
February 2005
“Wow-wee!” Hope let out an exaggerated whistle as Bruce stepped into the family room. “What’s with the get up?” she asked.
Bruce felt himself flush as all eyes turned to him. Hope had a point. Normally, when he was just hanging around the house, he wore jeans or sweats. Comfy, casual clothes. But today, he was dressed in a tasteful black suit and a button down shirt.
“Bruce is going to see his parents today,” Grace said, answering for him. She rose from her spot on the couch next to her father and crossed the room to him. “Did you change your mind about wanting company?” she asked him, reaching out to straighten the collar of his shirt.
Bruce shook his head, but still leaned in to kiss her on the nose. “Just stopped in to let you know I won’t be long.” Grace’s parents were leaving tomorrow; when she’d asked if he wanted company, he been insistent that she stay and spend more time with her family. And he needed some time alone with his family, as well.
“Okay, love,” she replied. Bruce detected a slight note of disappointment in her voice, though. He knew she wanted to share the experience with him… to be there if he needed her. He knew she always would be, though, and this was something he needed to do alone this time. “We were just discussing lunch at the Gotham Country Club. If you’re done, why don’t you join us?”
“Sounds like a plan,” he grinned back at her and made his good-byes to the others.
In the main foyer, Alfred stood waiting with a bouquet of roses and Bruce’s overcoat. He shrugged into the coat and then took the roses. The limo was outside, but Bruce kept it waiting long enough thank Alfred. They had sat up long after Chad left for home at the end of their patrol, and Bruce had opened up about the things weighing on his mind recently. Alfred, naturally, had been unsurprised by what Bruce had to say, and had advised him to speak to his parents about it. To get it out there, so he could move forward.
Still, Bruce was apprehensive. What he had to say… would they understand? Would the answers be there? The ride to the cemetery was full of questions and nerve-racking silence. He almost wished he had taken Grace with him to steady his nervous, but she’d want to know what was wrong, and he wasn’t ready to talk to her about it yet.
****
Miles stepped out of his car and took the bouquet of flowers from the passenger side. He’d almost forgotten about today, not that it wouldn’t be understood. Running a city demanded a lot of his time, but this was his parents… it was their anniversary. He’d always brought flowers to put between their graves on this day. Always.
Walking up to the headstones, he smiled fondly at the names inscribed upon them. He set the bouquet of flowers between them and pulled away. Standing reverently for a few moments, he sighed at the happy memories of his parents and the last anniversary they shared together and then silently moved away. It was then that he noticed the limo pull up not far from where he was parked. He recognized it easily and closed his coat around him as he moved across the graveyard and gave the young man getting out of the limo a friendly smile. “Today must be the day for visiting,” he said by way of greeting.
“Seems like it,” Bruce said with a small smile. “Though, usually when I’m here, no one else is.” He usually liked to be alone when he came to see his parents. Though, given what was on his mind, he was sure Miles’ presence wasn’t a coincidence. He looked past Miles to the little hillock where his family plot was and his anxiety returned. Looking back to Miles, he gave him another, even smaller smiled. “I came to give her Mom her Valentine’s Day Gift. Didn’t get the chance on Monday.”
“It’s my parents wedding anniversary today. I always bring them a bouquet of wildflowers.” He noticed Bruce’s smile, took in his facial features and asked, “Though… Bruce… is something troubling you. You have that look you get when something’s on your mind.”
That earned Miles a wry chuckle. It was getting so Miles knew him almost as well as Alfred or Grace did… or Courtney even. “I’ve been a lot of thinking lately,” he admitted, although this was an unnecessary statement. He never really stopped thinking. Gesturing to the path leading away from the hillock where his parents rested, he asked, “Do you have a minute, Miles? Or do you need to get back to City Hall?” He couldn’t think this was a chance meeting anymore than he could think meeting Grace was by chance.
“I don’t have any meetings scheduled until later this afternoon. So I’m yours for as long as you need me,” he replied, acknowledging the path Bruce gestured to and took a step toward it. He folded his hands behind his back and said nothing else. He knew what was weighing on Bruce’s mind was important, and knew it was best if he started the conversation.
Bruce handed his mother’s roses back to his driver and fell into step beside Miles. The cemetery was quite and pristine. The sidewalks had been cleared and February had so far been mild, as compared to the heavy snows they’d had in January. Bruce hoped for an early spring in Gotham. “Do you believe in fate, Miles?” He asked after they got out of earshot of the limo driver.
“As in the fact that people end up in each other’s lives for a reason, that maybe things that happen don’t happen accidentally. Yes, I believe in that. More than what most people think.” He looked over and studied Bruce’s profile for a long moment. “Been pondering it yourself lately?”
“Among other things,” replied Bruce and he fell immediately silent as he gathered his thoughts. There were so many of them and he was very mixed up… about where to start or what to do. “I feel…” he said at last. “… as if fate has seen fit to replace the family I lost, Miles. I have Grace, whom I love so much more than I have words to say, and Nee, and you… and… Constance… and now there Hopeless and the O’Neil’s.” And Seth and Chad.
They came to a “Y” in the path and Bruce turned right, leading them off into another part of the cemetery. He didn’t want his real family–although they were dead–to hear his words.
“I feel weird watching Grace and her family,” he admitted. “I realize now that things aren’t like I saw them. They would have accepted me–they *do* accept me–as one of their own.” He sighed and trailed off… he wasn’t saying it yet, what was bothering him. Fate had given him more than he could have hoped for, and had done it in such a way that he hadn’t realized how long he’d already had it. A family, living and whole, that he could love. And yet, over the lonely hillock on the other side of the graveyard, his real family lay entombed. “I feel like I’m being torn apart sometimes.”
Miles thought for a moment, weighing all his options before he spoke. There were things he knew, things Bruce didn’t know, that may just help him through a lot of this. But first, there were other things he wanted to say. “You’re right, you know. George and Janet have accepted you. You are very much a part of that family. He trusts you with both of his daughters, and George doesn’t give that trust lightly. You’ve had this ‘family’ for a long time, Bruce. All of us have been there for you, you just had to get to the point where you would let yourself accept us. Now you have… and there are a lot more of us to accept. I have little doubt that it is overwhelming.”
Bruce nodded feebly. Here was one of the few people in the world he felt truly at ease with. He knew he could tell Miles anything in the world and had good reasons to trust hat Miles would understand. Or try to. “It’s just… all at once, you know? I can’t seem to get a handle on it. I’ll walk past a family portrait on the wall or something and… feel like every Wayne who’s gone before me is sitting in judgment. Because I’m replacing them.” He sighed heavily. He loved the Blaires, and he was coming to feel very much the same about the O’Neil family. But all week… he’d be pulled out of a moment of family fun by the feeling that he shouldn’t even be allowing it happen. And yet… the Manor had felt more like home than it ever had before. For the first time in his life, Bruce was living there. He looked forward to going to home after a day of meetings, and not just for Grace. It was so confusing.
Miles stopped his forward progress, knowing Bruce would stop as well. “I know you understand that what I tell you, what I say, I say out of caring. You are family to me… and yes, even to Constance. And your parents, the Wayne’s on pictures in your hall, they would and you to go on, to have a family should you decide that is what you want. Your parents chose Alfred to be your guardian because they felt he was family. He’s never been simply a servant to either of you. But they also had another portion of that guardianship clause,” he smiled softly, knowing that now was truly the time to say this, “one that only myself and Constance know about. There was a codicil that said that should Alfred be unable to provide care for you… we would have. Your parents were adamant about that, Bruce. They wanted you to have a family. If Alfred couldn’t have given it to you, Constance, Courtney and I would have… we are and he is… and so are Grace and the O’Neil’s.”
“They wanted–” Bruce broke off and shut his eyes, afraid of the sudden rush of emotions that he was feeling. Confusion, happiness, shock and relief were all just a few of the things stirred inside him. “Why didn’t–?” He began to ask and then broke that off, too. He knew why no one had said anything sooner: he hadn’t been ready to hear it. At first, he was too young, and then the pain and grief had pulled him away from everything he once cared about. He was only now rediscovering what he had lost. What he had thought he’d never had. “I know you were all close,” he said, opening his eyes. “I never consider, Miles. I just thought you were reaching out to because of your friendship with Dad… and because of Courtney. I–” He met the other man’s eyes fully. “Would you really have taken me… just like that?” He knew the answer, he thought, but he needed to hear it.
“We would have done it without a second thought, Bruce. There would have been no need for discussion on either of our parts… mine or Constance’s. Your parents asked and we both said ‘yes’, without even having to talk to each other. It’s true, we were very good friends with your parents, but we cared about you… very much and would have been proud to have you as a part of our family too.” He knew, if he let Bruce think on it for a few, the young man would deduce that that may have also been the driving force behind Constance’s desire for Bruce and Courtney to marry. She had been more vocal initially about wanting Bruce with them. Not because of the love of his money… she had been close to him when he was young. Bruce had simply forgotten.
“I would have–I *am* proud to be a part yours, too,” Bruce admitted, feeling some of the weight lifting off his heart. It felt good to say it, because it was true. And also because, now, something Alfred had tried to tell him last night had begun to make sense. He had been too miserable to hear it last night, and of course, Alfred had been vague. Or he had been stubborn. It was one of those two, anyway. The bottom line was his parents had wanted him to be happy. Wanted him to be loved, so much so that they made the Blaires his guardians should Alfred be unable to fulfill his duties. Part of that made Bruce’s heart ache because he didn’t remember like he should. The past was clouded most of the time. But mostly, this knowledge made him feel better, because it meant they wouldn’t be angry with him for finding happiness in a new extended family.
Miles reached out and placed a hand on Bruce’s shoulder. It was always so difficult to resist the urge to hug Bruce… because no matter what, he did feel like a son. He held back though because of Bruce, because Bruce wasn’t sure about his place in the family. Now… Miles believed he understood. So without any further restraint, he squeezed Bruce’s shoulder and gave in to the urge to hug him… to let him know with actions just how important a member of the family he was.
*****
When Bruce and Miles approached Bruce’s limo, the driver got out and retrieved the bouquet of roses. Bruce thanked him and took them, looking thoughtfully at the long-stemmed red flowers.
“You know, Miles,” he said as he selected three roses and pulled them from the bouquet. He handed two of them back to the driver and told him to set them on the seat. “I brought these for my mother,” he explained. “And I really think… that maybe Constance might like this one.” He held it out to Miles, who accepted it gladly. The others he would give to Grace and Janet when he joined them for lunch.
“I’m sure she will, Bruce.” He smiled at Bruce, glad to see that their talk had eased the young man’s mind.
Bruce smiled back. “Thank you,” he said, meaning much more than the delivery of single rose. He thought, now, that he knew what he needed to say to his parents, and for the first time since he set out from the manor that morning, he wasn’t nervous.
After taking his leave of Miles, he headed up the hill to his parents’ graves.
Kneeling, he brushed the snow off the ground by the base of the headstone and laid the roses in the clearing. At first, he did not speak, and remained crouched with his fingertips touching each other. A few weeks ago, he’d brought Grace here and it had felt right. They’d spoken and he believed that they had accepted her, welcomed her. He could feel that same acceptance now, as if his parents knew what he might be about to.
“Hi, Mom… Dad,” he began. “I know I missed Valentine’s Day, but were kind of busy Monday. Actually it’s been a lot busier lately and not that good, either.” He told them about Hope moving in, Courtney’s kidnapping, and the flack Miles was taking in the press. “Of course, some people here are starting to stand up and say they never doubted Miles. And Hope is writing an article from an insider’s point of view. We think maybe it’ll get the heat off Miles for a while.”
He paused, as if quietly waiting upon their comments. After a moment, he nodded and spoke some more.
“Miles and I had a nice talk before I came up here,” he said. “He told me about the will, about you wanting them to be my family… and now they are.”
The wind that always seemed to linger about this hillock caressed Bruce’s cheek and he smiled. Reaching out, he touched his mother’s name. “They aren’t you,” he said softly. “No one will ever replace you in my heart. But I’m happy, Mother. Father. I’m happier than I’ve been in so long.” The wind stroked his cheek again and picked up the scent of the roses so that it wafted over him. His mind was immediately filled with a memory of his childhood, helping his mother with her rose garden. Playing hide and seek in among the topiaries.
“Constance Blaire talked Grace into joining the garden…and a handful of other social committees. Grace has been a dear about it, of course. She’s finally coming to realize that my home is hers. That’s all I’ve ever wanted.” He closed his eye for a moment, recalling the wedding picture used to sit on the corner of his father’s desk. He chuckled wryly. “I want that too,” he told his father.
Oh, he hadn’t thought that he had wanted it, but he knew that it was all his heart desired beyond a family. Grace as his wife. When the wind touched him this time, instead of a February chill, it was warm and comforting, and it washed over all of him. Bruce smiled, knowing that he knew they understood and did not begrudge him his happiness.
He remained in quiet reflection for a few more minutes and then said his good-byes. His heart was lighter on the ride from the cemetery to the Gotham Country Club. After lunch, he would speak to Alfred about having the Wayne family jewels brought out of the vault, aired and cleaned. His grandmother’s engagement, perhaps, would do… if Grace wanted it. She would, though, she’d want it and him… of that, Bruce was certain.
*****
Alfred was in one of the lesser used rooms in the Manor, dusting the mantle piece when Bruce found him. Bruce walked over and picked up a spare dust rag and started in on the other side without preamble.
“Good afternoon, Master Bruce. I see you’re home finally.” Alfred acknowledged him with a nod. He didn’t ask how it went at the cemetery, though he did study Bruce closely. “Is there anything you wish to discuss?”
Bruce grinned at that. Trust Alfred to cut straight to the chase. “Yeah, actually, there is. I did a lot of thinking last night and today.” Alfred nodded, encouraging Bruce to continue. “And I also ran into Miles today, too. We talked, a little, and he made me realize a few things.”
“I see, sir. And if I may say… yes, there is much you have been fighting lately, and not just your demons, sir.”
Bruce nodded. “I know, but I’ve not going to… now. There’s something I’d like you to do for me.”
As Alfred listened, Bruce spoke quietly about what he wanted and how soon he wanted it. “I know it’s a lot to ask, so soon, but I want to do it while her parents are here. They shouldn’t have to hear about it on the news like they did with the attack.”
“Of course not, sir. They are leaving tomorrow, however. If you cannot convince them to stay, they will have missed the big moment anyway.”
“Yeah, I know. I had thought of that, too, but it’s irrelevant if you can’t get the ring ready by then.” Even as he said the words, he knew Alfred’s answer.
“Leave everything to me, Master Bruce.”
So assured, Bruce thanked the butler and hurried off, hoping to catch George and Janet alone so he could speak to them.
*****
“Look at this, honey,” Janet said softly to her husband as she pointed to a painting. “Do you realize… this is an original.”
George moved to stand beside her. “Well, I didn’t realize it. You are the art expert here, darling. I just nod and say it looks pretty. Which this one does, actually. I like it.”
“It is worth more than our house and both our cars with your business thrown in for sport,” she said, laughing lightly.
The couple was in the foyer, having decided to walk through a few areas of the house they were familiar with and get a closer look. “Well, it is pretty anyway,” George reiterated.
Bruce couldn’t help overhearing them as he entered from the door leading to the library. “There,” he said, drawing their attentions as he approached. “I’ve been telling Alfred all along that I feel like I live in a museum rather than a house. I think you just gave me the proof I need to convince him I’m right.” But he was joking–mostly–and couldn’t contain the smile which appeared on his face.
“More like an art gallery,” Janet said with a smile. “I do believe I’ll vouch for you… being an artist myself… though no where near good enough to earn a spot in this gallery.”
George shook his head. “I’d rather a home full of Janet O’Neil’s… any day.” He slipped his arm around his wife and kissed the side of her head. He then turned his complete attention to Bruce. “If I may say, you’re looking much better this afternoon, Bruce.” He had noticed the expression on the young man’s face earlier and that he looked amazingly
better after his solitary excursion… though he was curious as to what it was that changed him… what had happened.
Bruce’s smile turned sheepish. “Yeah, well… I’ve been struggling something lately that kind of cleared itself up this afternoon.” He’d honestly had a hard time containing himself at lunch, when he’d joined Grace, Hope and their parents at the Gotham Country Club. He’d so wanted to tell her… to tell the world… but he always wanted to make it special when he did. “That’s actually why I hoping I’d run into you both right now,” he went on. “Although, maybe the foyer isn’t the place for us to discuss it?” He motioned for them to follow into the library, where they could have more privacy.
George and Janet exchanged worried looks as they followed Bruce into the library. It was more like confusion than anything else. He didn’t want to discuss whatever this was out in the foyer, so it had to be important, but he was smiling so perhaps it wasn’t bad. George’s gaze turned even more perplexed when Bruce shut the door to the library behind them. He led Janet to the sofa Bruce indicated but found himself asking, “Is everything okay, Bruce?”
“Yes,” Bruce said, going the extra step to lock the door as well. He was aware of George and Janet’s eye on him and knew that his behavior could be considered alarming. “Everything is fine. Or will be.” He turned back to them and crossed the room to take the overstuffed chair closest to the sofa. “To start out with, I’d like to apologize to you both for being such a terrible host this week. I am admitted not very good in family situations, as I’m you’re both aware, and well, it has been more than evident lately. A lot has changed in my life recently and I fear I haven’t been dealing with it very well.” He paused, though not long enough for them to speak. Normally, he would have said all of this facing the window, as was his custom. But he wanted George and Janet O’Neil to see that he was sincere. “I’ve spent so much time alone that it hadn’t been easy for me to even acknowledge that I’m not anymore. That I have a family now, for the first time in years. And I do… I have a wonderful family. But there is one more thing that would make it complete.”
Janet, being the hopeless romantic in the group, squeezed George’s hand tightly. She’d completely forgotten about everything that Bruce said prior to his life needing one more thing for completion. She hoped she knew what that was. Actually, she said a quick, silent prayer that she knew what it was. Because if that’s what it was… She looked at George, waiting for him to speak.
The lawyer in George took everything the young man said and evaluated it. “I can imagine that it would be overwhelming. Letting Grace into your life has brought an entire family along as well. Prior to her, you had Courtney and her family. Now you have all of us and friends as well. Not to mention people living in your home. It has to be overwhelming. You are, however, handling it well.” He nodded in belief of his statement. “Now, what would make this all complete for you, son.”
Bruce didn’t think he’d been handling well at all, but wasn’t going to argue it at a time like this. Glancing at Janet and seeing her look of nervous anticipation, his gave a soft smile. “For you–both of you–to grant me permission to marry your daughter. Please.”
Janet watched George’s face and when she saw his reaction, she nearly leapt out of the chair and hugged Bruce closely to her. “Bruce… I was hoping… I mean, when you talked about completion… I was hoping this is what you meant. Of course you have my permission.” She pulled away and held his face in her hands, smiling widely before letting go.
George couldn’t help but smile as well. When Janet finally released Bruce, George stood and held out his hand. “Speaking for myself and my wife, Bruce, we’re honored to have you ask us for our daughter’s hand and we grant it with all the love we feel in our hearts.”
“Thank you so much,” Bruce said, grasping George’s hand and shaking it almost as enthusiastically as Janet had hugged him. “You have no idea how much this means… how happy it makes me… Grace is everything to me, I just… thank you so much!” He stopped when he realized he was babbling on like a giddy teenager. Closing his eyes, he felt himself blush. “Thank you both, so much,” he said again, opening his eyes. “I have to ask one more–no make that two more–things of you. If that’s okay?”
Janet nodded vigorously. Right about now, she’d have jumped into the frozen swimming pool if Bruce would have asked her to.
Though Janet was the one nodding, it was George who said, “Of course. If it’s in our power to give, you have it.” He really wasn’t going to tell Bruce no to anything. He’d just given the elderly man what he wanted most in this world… his daughter’s happiness. He had little doubt that Grace would say yes to this proposal and follow through with the wedding.
Bruce nodded his acknowledgement of their words. “I haven’t asked Grace yet,” he continued, though this perhaps obvious if he’d sought them out first to obtain permission. “So, I’d love it you didn’t say anything to her… to anyone… until I do. I kind of want to surprise her with it. But also, I’d really love it if you were still here tomorrow so we can celebrate afterwards… as a family.” What he wanted was to not only surprise Grace, but to make up for everything that George and Janet had had to hear about from the media. Grace’s attack, their reunion. It was important to him that they be here.
George looked at Janet who was still nodding vigorously. It was an almost insane thought that floated through his mind at that moment. If she continued that, would it become a nervous tick? Giving Bruce his full attention, he smiled and said, “You know, I don’t think there’s anywhere else in this world I’d rather be right now than right where I am. We’d love to stay. I’ll just call the office and tell them I’m going to be an extra day. Nothing in this world is more important than family.”
Janet was beaming as well. “And we won’t say a word to her… though I don’t know how she’s not going to notice that we’re excited about something. She’s so perceptive to those she loves. Maybe I’ll just head up to our rooms until after.” She was almost as giddy as a schoolgirl. “Might be best if she just thought I was napping.”
Bruce couldn’t help but laugh. Janet was right about that, it was going to be hard to keep Grace from noticing their excitement. She’d already asked him about his mood once, in the limo on the way home from the country club. Grace had opted to ride with him and let Hope drive their parents back to the Manor. Bruce had countered her questions by kissing them into the back of her mind, but that wouldn’t work every time. “Thank you,” he said again. He couldn’t say it enough. “I never expected to get married,” he told them honestly. “My life is so messed up sometimes that I could never imagine willingly subjecting other people to it, but Grace… Grace breezed into my life and for the first time in my life, I want to share it with someone. She makes everything better… brighter.” He stopped talking now, choking on the words. He couldn’t even begin to cover how life had been those four months without her. Torture didn’t quite cover it. ‘Living hell’ came close, maybe, but even that seemed tame.
Janet smiled knowingly and reached out to take her future son-in-law’s hand with her own. “She is a light in all our lives, but I know, just by watching you two, that she completes you. You complete her as well. Personally, I believe we wander around this life looking for the person who is the other half of us. Only when we find them are we truly able to be happy. Plato said that, and I believe it.”
George smiled. “She’s also a romantic, which is one of the things that drew me to her right away.” He put his arm around his wife and smiled. “When do you actually plan on popping the question? I assume you have something planned out for that.” George, from the stories Grace had told him, knew that Bruce had romantic tendencies as well, so he had little doubt that the young man had something up his sleeve.
“I plan to surprise her over lunch tomorrow. Take her someplace private here on the grounds… someplace special…” His voice trailed off as he was suddenly seized by an idea. He needed to speak to Alfred about it, again, but the idea was really beginning to appeal to him. “We’ve always been good doing things that are unique to us,” he told them, and they were. Grace had always inspired him to reach beyond the norm… to seek out something that would create a special memory for them both. If Alfred could do it, what he had in mind now would be the perfect memory.
