"Rise and shine, Master Bruce!" chimed Alfred, drawing the curtains of the master bedroom's large picture window.
Sunlight fell on Bruce's face, he groaned and sat up. Rubbing his eyes, he yawned and stretched. He wished he could sleep just a little bit longer. For whatever reason, he felt a bit more tired than usual, but wrote if off as just exhaustion from staying up late the past two nights working.
Alfred, however, noticed his sleepiness too and sighed, "Really, sir, I wish you'd get more rest at night."
"Can't," he said tersely, "Too much work to do."
"Surely Gotham can go one night without the Batman though? Look, your face is even pale."
"What?" Bruce stood up and rushed to his bedroom mirror, "Just great! She'll never let me hear the end of this!"
"By 'she' I presume you mean Ms. Prince, correct?" Alfred said leaving the room, returning with his master's breakfast.
"Of course I mean Diana, who else?" Batman sighed, but was cut off by a sudden sharp pain in his abdomen. He grunted and doubled over.
"Are you alright, Master Bruce?" Alfred asked.
His stomach lurched and his head began to hurt.
No, of all days to be sick, why today?!
"Master Bruce?"
"I'm... fine, Alfred. Just... got up too quickly."
The keen butler could not be so easily fooled, however. He may need glasses for reading, but when it came to the Bat Family's health, he had a sixth sense.
"Perhaps you should stay in bed today, sir."
"No!" Bruce shouted quickly, "I'm fine, really!"
Alfred sighed, "Stubborn as ever, I see. Fine, go about your business, but try to take it easy. You do not look well."
"I will," he lied through his teeth. It's not up to me how easy I take it, he thought, it's up to the criminals.
Bruce drank his tea and ate the toast, leaving the eggs and bacon because his stomach just wasn't feeling up to it. At noon, he dressed in his best business suit and had Alfred take him in his limo to the fancy party at which he and the Justice League would meet.
