Bedside Visits

Batman and all related and recognizable characters belong to DC Comics, not DC
Luder.

^V^

"Until you have a son of your own... you will never know the joy, the love
beyond feeling that resonates in the heart of a father as he looks upon his
son."

Kent Nerburn

^V^

Despite the bruising and bleeding and the ringing in my ears, I managed to walk
on my own, following Ubu to the infirmary. Never had any of my encounters with
Ra's left me uninjured, but this had been the first time I had ever been offered
medical treatment.
It would have been awkward, had my mind not been preoccupied with the thought
that my child was alive and well…

My mind couldn't help but flash back to six years earlier, sitting at Talia's
bedside as she cried into her pillow. The tremor in her voice as she told me we
had lost the baby before ordering me to leave. So long ago and yet the pain was
sharper than ever in my gut.

As our footsteps echoed in the empty corridors, my mind tried to piece together
the events over the last few hours. The last thing I physically remembered was
facing off with Ubu and another on the roof of Wayne Tower, unfortunately
succumbing to Ubu's infamous head lock. That had been just after one in the
morning, but being knocked out made it difficult to determine just how much time
had lapsed. The clock that I presumed would be in the infirmary would no doubt
read sometime midday as we had most likely crossed numerous time zones through
the night.

"This way, you two."

I looked up to see the white coated form of an older woman, I doctor recognized
from previous encounters with Ra's. Weltman, if my foggy mind served me
correctly. We passed through the door into a large, vacant nursing station
outfitted with numerous gurneys, monitoring equipment and even a radiography
area. Far be it from Ra's to have his injured men suffer in less than state of
the art quarters.

After sitting on the gurney furthest away, I watched on as Ubu selected the one
closest to the door. I studied him carefully as the doctor retrieved supplies,
appraising his injuries as way of ignoring my own. I had obviously broken his
nose, but he had deserved it after slamming my gunshot wound repeatedly. Two
weeks ago a lucky henchman had fired a shot that had pierced the Kevlar and
ripped into my abdominal cavity. Alfred, who had been after me for weeks to wear
the most recently reinforced Batsuit, showed very little pity towards my injury.

Ubu snarled at me and I realized he had caught me gawking. Dr. Weltman
approached me first, firmly pressing gauze pads over the bleeding sutures on my
side before taping them in place. After wiping her hands clean of blood, she
took my pulse before dilating my pupils with a small flashlight. I felt as her
fingers probed my sore trachea and examined the bruising that had resulted from
Ubu's lock hold. She disappeared for a moment before returning with a sterile
suture kit. As she went about removing the torn stitches, I found my gaze
falling once more on Ubu's form.

It pained me to know that one of my enemies was closer to my son than I was.

If it was indeed my son…

Never one to be hopeful, I was unable to overlook the fact that Ra's would use
such a painful memory for his personal gain. At the time those few months had
been the closest I had ever been to happy as I had worked by his side, training
his men to use non-lethal force, sharing his dining hall with the Demon's Head,
searching for our mutual enemy…

Marrying Talia.

As with every chapter of my life, it had ended tragically and smoldered like an
ember in the back of my mind.

Less then fifteen minutes later, my side was sutured and abdomen was wrapped in
fresh gauze. Dr. Weltman asked if I required any pain medication and when I
shook my head, she sighed, "Of course."

As she tended to Ubu, another bodyguard entered the room, quickly making sure I
was aware of his disgust for me with a snarl. He reminded me of another of Ra's'
guards, Grind, eager to serve as long as he could show off. Ribbing the lesser
bodyguard had been one of the only satisfying parts about being under Ra's
wrath. Although Ubu and I had danced about our confrontations for years and knew
each other to be equals, Grind, as well as this newcomer, were nothing more than
mere errand boys.

"The master wishes to know of the injuries."

Dr. Weltman sighed and walked over to him, spoke softly and then ushered him out
the door. Before she returned to Ubu's aide, I managed to ask him, "You've seen
him? The boy?"

He nodded slowly as he locked eyes with me. Always the confrontational approach
with him. Always ready for a fight. Perhaps that was why we either tolerated one
another or were at each other's throats. "I've watched over him, many times."

I almost smiled.

"Looks like you," a ghost of a smile flashed over his split lip, "Poor child."
He seemed ready to say something else but glanced away as Dr. Weltman returned.

Realizing I would be unlikely to get I sighed and laid back on the gurney. My
child was bound by blood to the Demon, yes, but would it be necessary to force
him to carry on the legacy of a madman? Could he not choose his own path of
life, with no need to follow his grandfather, or even worse his father…

I sat up suddenly, "Ra's said his name was Ibn. That's Arabic for son." Ubu
nodded as Dr. Weltman taped the splint onto his face. I waited patiently until
she had finished and then asked, "What is his name?"

Just as he opened his mouth to answer, Dr. Weltman turned to me, "Please, I need
to finish examining him."

I remained silent for a moment, waiting for Ubu's wounds to be treated. As Dr.
Weltman walked away to discard her soiled latex gloves, he stared at me before
smirking, "Ibn Al Xu'ffasch."

The words slipped into my mental dictionary of the Arabic language and when my
hazy mind managed to translate the name, my eyes widened. Son of the Bat. He
could never be known as Bruce Wayne's son, even if he had somehow managed to
have a tryst with Talia. Had it been intentional, naming him in such a way to
compromise my identity? To lock me into their hold?

Ra's knew full well that Bruce Wayne could never explain why his child was named
Son of the Bat without explaining that he was Batman.

Out of the corner of my eye, I spotted Ubu as he rose unsteadily. He waited
until I also made it to my feet before turning towards the door. I followed in
quick pursuit, quickly recalling that he was to take me to Talia after I had
been seen by the doctor.

Although she was most likely expecting a reunion of sorts, I had my own plans.

Starting with an interrogation.

I had not spoken with her since the fiasco with the protocols. The last I had
known she had been shot by one of her father's guards who thought she was
compromising the quest of the Demon. I feared what his fate must have been when
Ra's had discovered his daughter had been shot by a flunky. No doubt Ra's let
his imagination run wild with that one…

While we walked through the massive halls, I tried to find a window in order to
get a glimpse of the sky. Unfortunately, there was no sign of the outside world,
nor any other living soul. With jumbled thoughts of attacking Ubu from behind,
searching out my son and fleeing Ra's and Talia forever fleeting through my
mind, I nearly ran into Ubu's still form. He had paused at a set of large,
ornate oak doors and stared at me with a mixture of curiosity and disgust before
he knocked loudly.

A soft voice answered anxiously, "Enter." He opened the door for me and I
distinctly heard him growl as I passed through.

Round two for us would surely be interesting.

Once the doors closed behind me, I allowed myself to look about the room.
Despite the faint lighting, I was able to depict an extravagant water fountain,
marble tiled floors and massive, canopied bed.

Talia's chambers

Her voice broke the near silence of the room, "Beloved."

I turned quickly towards her, barely seeing her form in what appeared to be her
dressing room. The white robe contrasted with her bronze skin and as she
sauntered towards me, I realized that the robe was translucent and she was bare
beneath it. The smile on her lips had the power to enchant any man she dreamed
of, and for so long, I had been that man.
Talia raised a hand to touch my face but instead of letting her, I quickly
snatched it and twisted her in order to pin her back against my torso.

She never made a sound.

I whispered into her ear, "Why?"

"Why what, my belov---."

"Why did you lie to me?"

She lifted her chin as she arched her back against me, "I never lied to you."

"You just did," I growled and let her go, pushing her away from me.

She walked away from me and sat on the bed, fighting tears as she stared up at
me.

I watched her for a moment before approaching her. Talia's eyes lit up briefly,
but when she saw the look on my face, she frowned. I spoke sternly, "You lied to
me. For six years you have lied to me. Hell, the entire time I've known you,
it's been nothing but lies."

Realizing her plan was failing, Talia moved on to her next method of
conversation. I watched as she reclined seductively, allowing the robe to shift
and expose her nudity, "I never meant to hurt you… Father, he forbade me from
contacting you, I swear, beloved."

Ignoring her actions, I concentrated on her words, "And for once in your life
you should have thought for yourself, Talia."

She rose to her feet suddenly, a flicker of anger in her green eyes, "And risk
my son's welfare by betraying my father?" she closed the distance between us
before continuing, "If I could have told you, I would have."

As I faced away from her, I felt my anger combating with my frustration. I had
learned in the past that I needed to be calm and rational to deal with her. I
took a few deep breaths before continuing softly, "Ra's said you gave him up for
adoption. Why?"

She took a moment to answer, "At first I thought I could raise him on my own.
But once he was born… I could barely look at him…" her voice moved closer as she
approached me, "Knowing that he was created from the love we once shared. It
pained me to even gaze into his eyes, for it was as if I was looking into
yours." I felt her hands place themselves on my shoulders.

"So you abandoned him."

"Don't say that," her fingers flinched on my bare skin, "The family he lived
with… they were good people… I… kept track of him, we didn't abandon him. When I
learned that they had been killed, my father recognized that it was fate for him
to return to us. To his real family. And now we are all together," her arms
slipped forward, circling my neck, "You. Me. And Ibn."

Turning towards her, she kept her arms around me and I had to physically
untangle myself as I snapped, "Me? Do you honestly think that I'll just forget
what you've done so we can be a happy family? Talia, you've betrayed me on so
many levels, more than I'm sure I'll ever comprehend---."

She interrupted me, "You speak of the protocols."

My mouth clinched shut as I glared down at her.

"I have always been at my father's side, nothing will ever change that, Beloved,
you must understand that. See it as your own loyalty to your father, of which
has driven you throughout your entire life. I hated myself for using you as we
did, but my father's quest---."

"Your father's quest nearly destroyed everything I had," I interrupted.

She sighed and looked down at herself, "I am truly sorry, beloved." Although her
eyes pleaded for forgiveness, I was still unsure of her sincerity.

After a deep breath, I attempted to put aside my anger for the immediate future.
I had come to question her of Ibn, not of her past wrongdoings. I had a tendency
to forget how strongly she was pulled apart by Ra's and I. Both of us knew she
was better of with one of us and that the other was using her for ill gotten
gain.

Silently, I watched her as she let the tears flow down her cheeks. Fighting the
urge to reach out and brush them off, I asked, "Where is he?"

She wiped her own face with the sleeve of her thin robe, "He is napping, in his
room."

"I want to see him."

Talia took a deep breath, managing to regain her composure, but her eyes still
avoided my face.

"Talia, look at me."

She lifted her head and made eye contact. Her mascara had run and blotted around
her red-rimmed eyes. "Beloved, please forgive me…"

"Where is his room?"

"Bruce…"

My face tightened slightly but I managed to reply in an even tone, "I want to
see him."

She nodded, raised her hand as if to touch me and then retreated in order to
wrap her useless robe about herself before walking towards the door. In silence,
I followed her passed some of the doors that Ubu and I had walked by earlier. We
paused at a set of doors similar to Talia's and I watched as she hesitated
before reaching for the door knob.

Quietly, she opened the door to a midnight blue room with a single skylight
offering bright light to slip onto the floor. Although I had been looking for
such a window the entire time I had been conscious, I couldn't bring myself to
look at the sun's position that would give me an indication as to my location.

My eyes, trained to do so, adjusted instantly as I glanced around the large
room. Rich carpeting and lots of open space to move about. There was a large
table with four chairs, perhaps for reading or working and a desk nearby with a
laptop, its screen showing an aquarium screensaver. Shelves lined the far wall
and were filled with books, glass figurines, ceramic models of animals and
frames. The walls themselves were dark blue in color and held very decorations.
A few framed paintings of landscapes, stick figures and what appeared to be a
dark colored dog. Towards the rear left of the room, I spotted a white door
leading to his dressing chambers.

I held my breath as I stepped into the room and found the bed to be to the
right. It was a canopy of assorted shades of blue and black. At the foot of the
bed, a massive black Great Dane slumbered on his side, his snores breaking the
silence. The feet of a small boy rested on the dog's massive head; one sock on
and the other unaccounted for.

Ibn lay on his back, on top of his recently made bed. His black hair was
disheveled as his head tilted towards us with his lips slightly parted. I looked
closer to see him barely smiling. After taking a few steps closer, the dog
raised his head, causing Ibn's feet to slip off. When he spotted Talia behind
me, he lowered his head on top of the boy's feet.
Talia then sat on the bed and motioned me forward with her hand, "He was up all
night waiting for our return. He's sound asleep…"

I joined her and sat on the bed, my weight forcing some give in the mattress.
The boy remained motionless and I took the opportunity to study his features.
Ubu had been right; his resemblance to me was uncanny, with the faintest hint of
the delicate features from his mother. His face was serene and care free as he
dreamt.

As I watched him sleep, I flashed back on the countless evenings I had watched
Dick sleep as a child, after long hours of crime fighting. Ibn resembled Dick in
that fashion of being care-free and knowing someone would always be there to
take care of him when he woke up.

My mind then regressed further, recalling my father checking in on me after
staying late at the hospital. I remembered pretending to be asleep as he sat on
the edge of my bed, brushing back my unruly bangs. He never said a words, no
doubt in fear of waking me at such an hour, but he always kissed my brow before
leaving.

After what seemed like an eternity, I rose, carefully as not to disturb him and
proceeded to leave the room, Talia soon at my side. With long, driven strides, I
made it to her chambers first and left her to shut the door behind us. Once in
the middle of the room, I paused, an attempt to regain my bearings.
Unfortunately, Talia had other plans.

I felt her jump on my back as she wrapped her arms around my neck and attempted
to guide me to the bed. Her teeth were sharp on my neck as she ravaged the
sensitive flesh there in between kisses. Entirely not in the mood, I flung her
over my head and she landed gasping on the bed. Her robe had fallen off in the
process and I picked it up and offered it to her. Talia simply reclined back and
spread her legs while resting her weight on her palms.

I stepped back and looked at her, "What do you want from me, Talia?"

As she pursed her lips, I caught her gaze heading south on my body, "Just you."
When I sighed, she realized her error in judgment and hastily donned the useless
garb, "What do you mean?"

Once she was covered I sat on the bed beside her, keeping nearly a foot between
us, "When you came with your father to Gotham, what were your intentions?"

"To bring you to your son. To us. To your home."

I shook my head, "This is not my home. No where near it."

"But your family is here."

Without looking at her, I said, "My family is in Gotham."

I heard her breathing quicken slightly before she reached out to touch my
shoulder, "You would leave us for your city. Your son and your bride."

Finally, I looked up at her, "Our marriage was terminated six years ago---."

She interrupted my words, "Then Father will marry us again and we can be
together as a fam---."

I spoke, "My family is searching the globe right now, looking for me."

"If they made any connection of your disappearance to my father, your allies may
feel your fate is sealed," she let her hand fall from my shoulder.

I sat in my own silence and finally began to realize the scenario that I was in.
We had obviously left the United States, for Ra's despises traveling on its soil
let alone to have a base there. From everyone's tans that I've seen, tropical
regions or perhaps even a desert environment would be fitting. But that black
dog would be pained in too intense of heat and humidity, so perhaps not the
jungle. Unless he doesn't go outside at all…

So many possibilities, my concussed brain echoed.

And of course the base would most likely be hidden underground with a covering
structure made from the earth itself. And all structures would be lead-lined in
order to prevent any Kryptonian eyes from gazing in. That was if indeed Clark
would even look for me. Although our relationship had always been strained, it
had been even more so in recent years. I wasn't about to bet on the idea that
all wounds mend in time.

Especially red Kryptonite wounds.

In the silence that fell between us, I continued to think out the details in my
mind. Any contact I attempted with the outside world, if possible, would most
likely be discovered by Ra's. He always saw to it that the odds were in his
favor, especially whenever I was involved. Without my suit, I was without a
homing signal for anyone to close in on, in addition to my utility belt,
communication equipment and protective armor.

"Beloved, what troubles you?" her voice came softly.

"Tired," was all I could seem to manage.

"You should rest for later this evening when you are introduced to one another.
He absolutely adores you."

Tentatively, I asked, "What does he know of me?"

"I have showed him pictures of you, out of guise of course. He has wanted to
meet you for some time. And now he shall," her voice had lightened simply by
talking about her son.

Our son.

Son of the Bat.

Son of the father…

^V^

Chapter Four: Save Him