To see him cry - Part 5

"What are we doing here?" Flash asked.

Yes, we are back to where it all started.


"This is where we should be" Bruce muttered. He was still lost in thought.

"But this is Crime Alley", I said, "why didn't you just zap us to our time?"

"It wasn't me, it was him" he said. I could sense he was controlling a burst of emotion coming through.

"So, what's the plan?" Diana inquired.

"We wait!" he looked up in the sky, "we wait!"

I always hated his imprecise statements. But this time, I didn't want to provoke him. He was already hiding his face from the others. He was crying.......



Few minutes later, we could see three shadows and hear the jubilant voice of a kid.


"Beware of my mighty sword!!!!"

Oh,my God! We were back to the same fateful night which turned around Bruce's life forever. It was Thomas and Martha Wayne, with the young Bruce, coming back from "The mask of the Zorro"

I looked at him. He was silent, his eyes fixed on the three, his fist clenched.


"Bruce! Do we..." He understood what I was trying to say.

"No," he whispered, "we wait!"

The others didn't know what was going on. I was the only person who knew so much about Bruce. He didn't share his secret, even with Diana.

"Clarke, what happens..." Even before she could complete the sentence, a figure stepped out from darkness.


"Oh, god! He has a gun in his hand. Let's stop him!" Flash shouted. Only we could hear him.

"No, we won't! We shouldn't. It will change the history!" I didn't know if it was Bruce or someone else in his body. He was standing like a statue. I knew what was going to happen, so did he. A chill ran through my spine, and I shuddered.


The dark figure demanded for money and pointed his gun towards the young Bruce. Thomas Wayne persuaded, his purse fell, the robber wanted the pearl necklace and .....


For the first time in my life, I thought Batman's crusade for vengeance in his initial days, his methods, his coldness towards humanity and law was justified. The others were horrified, Diana went pale and looked at Bruce for expression.

Bruce stood still. He wasn't breathing. His fingers went nimble and cold. One couldn't justify he was alive, if it wasn't for his heartbeat....

and his tears,.....

streaming down his eyes, wetting his collar and flowing down to his shirt.  

The little Bruce was picking up the pearls and trying to put them in his mother's hands, the blood stained pearls. He wasn't crying. He wasn't sure.


He didn't know!!!!!



............................................................

Soon after the incident, Chronos appeared, satisfied with what he's done, he zapped us back to our time, our watch tower.


We were all in our Super hero costumes, Shayera got his wings back.

Bruce was Batman.

Diana held his arm. Now she knew the story.


"Batman!" she said softly. He didn't respond.


"Bruce!!", she placed her hand on his cheek. It was moist. "Bruce!" she repeated.

He shivered...



He collapsed on his knees. Diana held him.



He looked into her eyes.





He buried his head into her chest


And he cried!!!!!!!

This is not the Batman. This is the 8 year old Bruce Wayne, who forgot to cry!!!!!

Now he knows....and now he remembers....


Diana could only hold him closer




And we could only see him cry!!!!



................................................................................