Rescued (SuperBat fic)

21

Tilda is surprised when she steps out of the elevator and sees me sitting on the empty edge of her desk. This is unusual enough, without considering the casual clothes I am wearing. Tilda lets her bag tumble down her arm and clutches it tightly as she studies me. 
"What's going on?" 
"Tilda, who's been doing Lucius' job the last couple of weeks?" 
She frowns at me, then answers, "Me. I have." 
"Right," I say. "I want you to keep doing it." 
I watch a smile bloom on her lips.
"Really?!"
"Yes, really, come here." 
I open my arms and she rushes into them, muttering thank you rapidly and repeatedly. I walk her across the floor to the empty office, where I have set up her desk exactly as she likes it. I tell her that the assistant I hired to replace her came recommended by Alfred and that they'll be here in twenty minutes.
She giggles and spins in the desk chair before clearing her throat and assuming a more professional disposition. 
I walk back into my office and get my electric engines man on the phone for a progress update. I keep the call brief, knowing I'll have to duck out of the office soon. He tells me he's patenting a design for us and attempting to (legally) grease the wheels of the process. He tells me the R&D is done, production costs are projected and we just need the patent stamp before we can get going for real.
I am smiling when I step out of the office and meet Dick in the town car. 
I see Dick pull a face as we roll up to the school campus. It rolls out against the edge of the city, with shiny modern buildings and extensive playing fields. 
"What's the face, Dick?" 
"Why can't I just go to your school?" 
"We went over this, my school was a boarding school." 
Dick sighs and steps out of the car. When I step out after him, I see the principal on the steps, waiting for us. She's young and dressed a little casually in skinny jeans, a blouse and a pinstriped blazer, but her recommendations were excellent and the school community is supposed to be brilliant too. 
When I set a hand on Dick's shoulder, he shrugs it off. 
"Mr Wayne."
The principal smiles at me, leaning forward.
"And you must be Richard."
"Dick," he mutters. 
She blushes. 
"Principal Harvey," she says, extending her hand.
I shake it and let her lead us into the building and through a huge lobby. 
"Classes are in session right now," she says. "We'll start with a tour." 
Dick whistles quietly as we walk. Principal Harvey tells us all about the interactive whiteboards, up to the moment tablets and PCs, and tip-top science labs. 
And as she tells me about the new equipment, she says, "It was donated, actually -"
She breaks off.
"By me, yes." 
She seems unsure of what to say next and stands quietly at the door as we poke around one of the labs. Dick wanders out and down the hall, to peek into one of the classrooms with an ajar door. We give him a moment, then call him back. He trails behind us slowly. 
The bell rings.
I take hold of his shoulder and keep him close as kids flood into the hall. He glances around at all of them, his eyes wide, his shoulders rounded against the world.
And the next time I glance down to check in on Dick, he's disappeared. I swallow panic and scan the hall. He's a couple of feet back, between two kids, pushing the bigger one back and knocking his feet out from under him. The kid falls to the floor and Dick plants a foot on his chest. 
"Stop it," Dick shouts.
I rush back there, grab a fistful of his collar, and drag him away from the other kids. Principal Harvey's eyes land on us, stern and narrowed. I let go of Dick. 
"I've never seen him behave like this," I mutter. 
She simply says, "Shall we go to my office?" 
We follow her through the halls to a bright, fragrant office, populated with plants. Dick sprawls out on one of the chairs in front of the desk. I curl my hands around the back of the other. 
"Dick, please explain why you did that." 
Principal Harvey takes her seat and glances between the two of us.
"He was hurting that girl," Dick mutters. "And that's not okay." 
"And what are you going to do next time?" 
"Not fight," he mutters. 
"He's really smart, I swear," I mutter.
"He's not wrong," Dick says. 
"Alright," Principal Harvey says. "I don't see any reason not to enrol Dick here, even with today's incident." 
"Great. What's the next step?" 
She digs around and comes up with forms.
"We fill out these." 
And my good mood evaporates as I walk back into HQ and see Clark leaning over the main security desk.
I stalk over to him.
"What are you doing here?"
He takes a step back.
"My boss sent me to follow up on the story. I didn't want to."
I stay quiet and try to keep my breaths even.
"You revoked my pass?" He asks.
"You hung up when I needed you."
He glances away and mutters, "This was a bad idea."
He pushes past me, bumps my shoulder with his.
I turn to watch him go.
His name struggles on my lips, but I don't shout it.
I stay frozen to this spot until he's out of eyesight, until Ray tells me to move and asks if I'm okay.
And the focus I had reserved for the rest of the day is suddenly nowhere to be found. I spin on the spot, rush out to the car and rush home.