9652/Knightfall: Stephanie and an awake Bruce

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Knightfall: Stephanie and an awake Bruce
Date of Scene: 19 October 2019
Location: Interior - Wayne Manor
Synopsis: Stephanie visits after Bruce wakes from his coma. He explains why he needed her to launch the missile at Superman.
Cast of Characters: Batman, Spoiler
Tinyplot: Knightfall


Batman has posed:
Looking at social media, one would think that Bruce Wayne had a few cuts and scrapes. But the truth of it is that Stark's wonder-phone edited out many of the injuries to make it all seem less dire. The Bruce who lays in the master bed of Wayne Manor looks truly ill - still in critical condition despite no longer being comatose. His head is supported by an advanced-looking neck brace, both his legs are in braces that look similar, his muscular torso is heavily bandaged, and he looks to be hooked up to a wide variety of machines.

He lays still in the bed. His eyes are closed, though he doesn't appear to be asleep. Then again, how can one really tell with him? Outside, autumn rain patters against the windows behind the drawn drape curtains. The only light comes from the medical monitors themselves, casting him in an eerie blue light.

Spoiler has posed:
Doctor Thompson moves in and out of the room, checking on Bruce during one of her frequent visits. She departs and then Alfred comes in. He refresh's some water in a container and with a straw so Bruce can easily get at it, and sets a plate of orange slices nearby should Bruce feel like having a little something in his stomach, if the doctor allows it.

Alfred pauses looking down at Bruce Wayne and then turns to depart. His footsteps can be heard out in the hallway, but pausing after just a step or two. "Miss Stephanie," he says, obviously keeping his voice down soft to avoid waking Bruce if he is sleeping. Then Alfred's steps continue off down the hall.

There isn't any sound of footsteps coming nearer. Though those steps happen, Stephanie pausing outside the doorway, only part of her face visible even as she looks in at Bruce lying in the bed.

Batman has posed:
"Come in," Bruce says, his voice smooth and not at all thick with sleep or pain. His eyes remain closed for a moment, chest rising and falling with even breaths. He reaches over with a hand that seems to lack fine motor control, grabbing at an oxygen mask that topples heavily to the floor. His jaw sets in a firm line. He'd put on a brave show for Tony Stark's visit, but he knew his injuries were far more severe than anyone save his doctor really understood.

His eyes turn back towards the doorway and the partly visible Stephanie, watching her impassively as he waits.

Spoiler has posed:
It doesn't take the twenty-one year old long to step into the room. Especially as she sees the oxygen mask fall away. "Now you go and cause a fuss and Alfred will... ah... well no he probably wouldn't, would he?" Stephanie says as she bends down to pick it up. "But Doc Thompson? I think she could drive nails with just a look. Those nails would rather bury themselves in the wood than- she's not behind me is she? She's behind me?"

Stephanie turns to look. Whew. Doc Thompson is NOT behind her. Stephanie turns back towards Bruce, moving over to set the oxygen mask beside his shoulder, but not trying to fit it back to his face now. "You look good. I mean, for a man your age," she says, doing her best to crack a smile for him.

Batman has posed:
"I'm spoken for," Bruce quips at her, "And so are you."

A joke is not really his style, but then nothing about this situation is his style. He's been shot in the face, had his jaw fractured by a beast of a man, yet he always went out the next night. It's been over a week now and he's yet to even get out of bed. The collection of pill bottles on his nightstand tell the tale of him - painkillers, corticosteroids, and even some sleeping pills here and there. It's a wonder he's conscious at all.

He reaches out to take the oxygen mask when it is retrieved, fitting it over his head gingerly and laying back. The machine pumps more oxygen into his lungs, perhaps compensating for their diminished capacity. His breathing is labored, but at least it's steady.

"I'm sorry it had to be you."

Spoiler has posed:
Stephanie gives a soft smile at Bruce's reply. She picks up one of the pill bottles to read what it is. Learning all the medicines there are, one of the myriad of things still on her training list. She sets the bottle back down and looks over to Bruce as he makes the comment.

Her micro-expressions reveal a lot of emotion inside, and also reveal it being suppressed down. The smile that doesn't use the muscles around her eyes as much as a normal smile would, indicating some measure of it is forced, though it does end up still looking like a pleasant enough smile.

"Someone had to," she says, giving a simple shrug and then seeming to try to move the topic on rather than have the injured man talking about something like that. "I've been hitting my area hard. Making sure no one gets any ideas. The new batarangs are just sweet as can be, the ones that wrap people up. Really good at distracting them," she comments.

Batman has posed:
"If you need one of the cars," Bruce tells her, the words coming out a bit slower than normal, "Take it from the Cave. Saw that Tim had already started work on the new model but the old ones are still effective. Model seventeen would suit you - the bike is good but lacks shock and awe. Electrocutioner's last sighting was in Red Hook - shouldn't be afraid to hit him with a car if you need to."

His features contort momentarily into some unreadable expression, but it passes just as quickly. He lowers the oxygen mask back down to his side, closing his eyes again and staring up at the ceiling.

"We'll pick up your training again soon," he promises, "Haven't forgotten."

Spoiler has posed:
Stephanie moves to sit on the edge of the bed. "You shouldn't be remembering that. You should just be focusing on healing," she says in a quieter tone than normal. "I'll check on the car," she says quietly, hoping that will remove one more such topic Bruce's mind.

"Talia's been helping out too," she comments. "Think she even might be turning in a mission report. I imagine Barbara will nearly choke if she does," Stephanie says. She manages a small bit of a smile, but it is more subdued than the normal vivacious one the girl would give.

"Anything I can get for you, Bruce?" she asks him quietly.

Batman has posed:
"No," Bruce shakes his head, letting the word hang between them in the silence that follows. From where he lays, he watches her carefully. Every stare from him is like being examined by the world's most powerful electron microscope - nothing is overlooked.

"How are you?"

It is a simple question, but given Bruce's usual interactions with members of his Family it is an unusual one. But in spite of it, he seems to be interested in the answer.

Spoiler has posed:
"Oh, I'm good," the blond says, trying to affect her usual upbeat demeanor. The blue eyes are lacking that brightness that they normally get in her light-hearted moments. "Managing to keep up with school, though I still don't know what to do for a major. I'm afraid at this pace I'm going to end up with a teaching degree, which is what it seems to me like people end up with who can't seem to make up their minds," she babbles.

"And, things with Dick are good. We're both busy with the patrols so haven't managed to catch up for a few days," Stephanie says. "Mom... I think she's still clean. Though I haven't been able to stop off as much as I'd like to keep an eye on her," Stephanie says, her answer quickly straying from herself to others in her life.

Stephanie clears her throat, and then gives Bruce another soft smile. "So you just need to heal up and then everything'll be better," she says, reaching over to gently pat his shoulder.

Batman has posed:
"Right."

Bruce offers no particular inflection one way or another, but the briefest of flashes behind his eyes suggests his own apprehension. It doesn't take an encyclopedic knowledge of his history as Batman to know that these are perhaps the worst injuries he has ever sustained.

He can't nod his head, though he blinks and momentarily casts his gaze downward as a means to the same end.

"It was the right thing to do," he explains to her, "Whatever was in his head was insidious. You didn't speak to him - I did. I saw what it was doing, what it was going to do. If these news reports are correct - you've saved thousands, perhaps millions."

Spoiler has posed:
The young woman's eyes drop away from Bruce as he brings the topic back up, and speaks on it for long enough she can't just push it aside. She swallows and her hands rest in her lap as she listens.

"I'm glad you trusted me," Stephanie tells Bruce softly. "And... and I wouldn't have wanted Dick to-" she says, before her voice is cut off, her throat tightening for a moment.

The young woman's blue eyes glisten a bit as she looks back to Bruce. Stephanie reaches her hand over, gently slipping it into his own to hold Bruce's hand. "No one else knows. They were all... the computer and... and trying to get out. I told them you needed to not have to worry about us," she says.

The emotions she's kept bottled up are trying to spill over, though Stephanie is still just managing to keep enough of a lid on them. "I need you to get better, Bruce, ok?" she asks softly, looking over to him.

Batman has posed:
About recuperation, Bruce says nothing. He remains silent, watching the ceiling for a long moment. Perhaps his recovery is a foregone conclusion that doesn't bear discussing? Or perhaps he himself is not truly convinced he will heal completely?

"It's your secret," he tells her, the squeeze of his hand on hers too gentle - as though all the strength has been truly sapped from it, "I won't tell them the role you took. But I do need to tell you why. Why I had to choose you. Why I couldn't do it myself."

Spoiler has posed:
The blue of Stephanie's eyes continues to have that extra measure of reflected light that speaks of moisture, though not enough for any tears to have fallen. But for the girl who is almost always vivacious and upbeat, the difference is quite noticeable.

Stephanie doesn't say anything now. There are times for speaking and times for listening, and Stephanie can tell this is something Bruce needs to say. She keeps holding his hand, her own there gently in his. The medical monitors beep softly in time to Bruce's heartbeat, a quiet background notice that is itself reassuring after all of the fears that she had about Bruce's condition.

Batman has posed:
"He is - was - my friend," Bruce explains, his voice quiet and barely carrying now, "When I saw what he'd become, I knew what would happen. When the moment came, and I had to pull the trigger? I wouldn't do it. I couldn't bring myself to take a shot I knew damn well might kill him. That speaks to my weakness, Stephanie, and your strength. You did what needed to be done where I couldn't."

His eyes turn slightly, away from her and facing towards the window mostly concealed behind the heavy, dark drapes that allow him to sleep at most any time of the day.

"I didn't save anybody that day. You did."

Spoiler has posed:
Stephanie listens quietly, getting the kind of explanation from Bruce that is rare on even moments that are far lesser than this. Though she gives Bruce a little shake of her head. "You made the preparations. You were willing to be ready for what you never wanted to have to face. For what other people would just... not let themselves think about," Stephanie says quietly.

Stephanie's eyes drift away from Bruce for a moment. She's still visibly torn up inside, that is easy enough to see. But there's not been any blame in her voice or her expression when she looks at Bruce.

Stephanie looks back over to Bruce Wayne, swallowing and drawing a deep breath that rattles past the emotion that has climbed into her throat. "I'll be ok," she says softly. 'And you did save us. You always have," she whispers. Stephanie leans down, brushing a kiss to Bruce's forehead. There's a tiny wet splash there as well, a tear that finally was shed, falling free before she could wipe it away.

Batman has posed:
It was enough for him to admit what he was thinking. Admit a failing or a weakness. The show of emotion, however, is a bridge too far. He can't join her there, and he simply becomes still and silent as she kisses him on the forehead. He lets the silence reign for a long time, only the whir and beep of his machinery filling the air.

"My files on Buchinsky," he begins, using the Electrocutioner's real name, "They're allocated to your personal server. He might seem like a lightweight - he gets in his own way - but he's a cutthroat. You need to be on your guard with him - just like you would be with the Joker or Dent."

Spoiler has posed:
Stephanie Brown sits back up, a hand briefly wiping across her eyes. "I'll be careful," she tells Bruce. "Ram him with the car. Or maybe freeze him. Those discs Dick made are pretty useful," she says as she gives Bruce a small, affirmative nod.

Stephanie stands back up. "You've got a really good group here," she tells Bruce. The more positive things on his mind, the better he'll heal. Or that's her thought on the matter anyway. "Take care of yourself. Try not to let that doctor strong arm you too much," she says in a gently teasing voice, one that is closer to her normal self than he's heard so far today.