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Batman Before	By : Jessy8 Category: DC Verse Cartoons > Batman Beyond Views: 8886 -:- Recommendations : 0 -:- Currently Reading : 0
Disclaimer: I do not own Batman Beyond, nor any of the characters from it. I do not make any money from the writing of this story.

Chapter List
- 1-Batman Before
- 2-ch 2
- 3-chapter 3
- 4-ch 4
- 5-chapter 5
- 6-chapter 6
- 7-chapter 7
- 8-ch 8
- 9-ch9
- 10-ch 10
- 11-ch 11
- 12-Chapter 12
- 13-Chapter 13
- 14-Chapter 14
- 15-Final
- 8
- 9
- 10
Sorry for the delay in the updates, I had a bunch of tests one right after another so I had to put the story on stand still. Here’s chapter nine though. Hope you guys enjoy and thanks for waiting.
Batman Before
By Wildfire
Chapter 9
      Terry had gotten in late that night, so he slipped quietly into the house.
      “Where have you been?” Terry looks up to see Bruce glaring daggers at him.
      “I needed to get out for a while. Am I not allowed to go out?”
      “No note, no message -- nothing. You just left. No, you are not allowed to do that.” Bruce moved down the stairs. “Where were you?”
      “Just walking. Jeez, I just needed to get out of this house, alright?”
      “Where did you walk to?”
      “I dunno. I just walked!” Terry goes to move around the man, only to be grabbed and pulled back down.
      “You’re lying.”
      Terry’s eyes darken. “LEAVE ME ALONE, OLD MAN!” He pushes past, running upstairs, and slams his door.
      ‘Old man?’ Bruce blinked. Yes, he was older than the boy, but no one had called him an old man before. He heads into the library to recheck for any information on who this new “Batman” was. He paused at a mirror, looking himself over. He wasn’t that old....
***
      Terry stares down at the bowling ball, then to the bowling lane. This was not bowling. This was.... He didn’t even know what this was.
      “Terry, did you pick out a ball?” Tim asked him, bringing his own ball over.
      “What?”
      “A ball? To play with?”
      Terry shakes his head and walks to where the balls are. First, they give him these smelly shoes to put on; now he has to pick a ball? How would he know which ball was for him?
      “It should feel comfortable in your fingers and you should be able to lift it, but not so much like it feels like you’re not holding anything.” Bruce grabs a green ball. “Try this one.”
***
      Dick stood, leaning on his knees and breathing slightly hard. “Terry, do you actually know how to play basket ball? Because we’re being creamed here.”
      Bruce and Tim stood, smirking.
      Terry groans, wiping sweat from his brow. How could the name be the same, but with such different rules?
***
      “Terry, you want to play a video game?” Tim asked with a smile.
      “Sure. What do you want to play?”
      “How about Mario Cart?”
      Terry nods and sits down, then begins looking for the VR set. He blinks as Tim hands him a square thing with a cord attacked to it. His eyes widen; it was remote controlled?! Those had been discontinued before he was born! Yeah, people still had them, but as a collection. No one ever played them.
      “You know how to play, right?”
***
      “Alright, so we have the eggs, cream, and butter. We’ve put in the sugar. Now what?” Alfred asked, smiling. Terry was doing much better than normal.
      “The flour -- three cups.” He looks around for a measuring cup. “Um, well, we’ll just....” He lifts the flour bag and slowly pours it into the bowl.
      “Master McGinnis, I don’t know if that’s--”
      Plop!
      Terry stares at the full bowl of flour, then to the rest of the bag’s contents, which was now also on the counter and floor. “Maybe we can make it a double?”
***
      Terry lay in his bed. It was safer in here, after failing at almost every sport of this century -- not to mention the video games and dancing. He figured he had better stay in here for a while, for his pride was shattered.
      A knock came to his door.
      “Come in.” He sits up.
      Alfred comes in with a hamper. “Hello, Master Terry. Are we hiding?”
      “Just resting, Alfred.”
      “Of course, Master McGinnis. I believe they’re going to try some sparing today, if you’d like to try that.”
      “Thanks for the offer, but no. I’ll keep my pride where it’s at.” Alfred nods, smiling. He finishes putting the clothing away and leaves.
      Well, come to think of it, Terry wasn’t afraid of the sparing more than he was nervous that Bruce would recognize something and it would be “game over,” so to speak. However, his peace didn’t last long. Tim came barging in and started jumping on the bed.
      “Dick keeps saying how good you fight. You have to come spar with us!” Terry smirks, idly wondering how a boy this happy could be the depressing man he became.
      “No.... I think I’ll stay in today.”
      “Oh, come on. You already made a fool of yourself; what’s one more day?”
      Terry gave him a flat look. “Oddly, that doesn’t make me want to jump up and help,” he said sarcastically.
      Tim sighed, lying beside him. “Please?”
“No.”
“Please?”
“No.”
“Please?”
“No.”
“Please?”
      Terry sighs. “How long are we going to do this? And more importantly -- NO!”
      “Aw, come on, Terry! Just one match against Bruce.”
      “Why against him?!”
      “Because he’s the oldest, I figured he’d be the easiest.”
      Terry stays silent, trying to figure out the best way to respond to that. “He works out a lot....”
      “So do you. Don’t think we don’t notice you disappear and come back sweaty. Where do you go, by the way?”
      “Just for a jog.” He knew what Tim was asking. He had stayed clear of the cameras, so they found it odd he’d just disappear, but he needed to practice.
      “You know, we have a workout room....”
      “Yes, I know; I’ve used it numerous times. But it’s nice to get out and run in real air.” That, and he couldn’t practice his bat moves in the house.
      “Dick’s heading back to Gotham City, so we’ll see less of him now, and I’m going to join a karate class. It’s later at night, so you also probably won’t see as much as me, so.... You should really come and spar with us.”
      Terry smirks. Apparently, Bruce was pulling back on the constant search for him. That was good; he needed to contact the other Bruce again. He was supposed to do so over a month ago, but he hadn’t been able to get down there yet.
      “Not today....”
      “Yes today! Right now! Please, please, please, please!”
      “No.”
      “Fine, then at least come and watch. Please?”
      “Alright.” Tim practically dragged Terry down and outside, where Bruce and Dick waited by the workout equipment.
      “Want to fight, Terry?” Dick smiles, ready for a rematch.
      “Just watching.”
      Bruce smiles. “You sure? I’d love to see your skills.”
      “I bet you would,’ he thought bitterly. “No, thanks. I’ll sit back and watch.”
      Dick suddenly grabbed him and hauled him up. “You are fighting me.”
      “No, really, I’d rather not.” He pulls back, but Dick kept his hold.
      “Come on. You know you want to.” He pulls harder, slowly pulling Terry forward.
      “Really, I don’t.”
      Dick gives a particularly hard yank just as Terry stops struggling, sending them both crashing to the ground. Terry felt his head smack against Dick’s forehead with thunk, and they both let out a low groan. Terry clamped his eyes shut to try and block out the blinding pain that detonated behind his eyes. He was vaguely aware of Dick grasping his forearms in a vice grip, no doubt to keep him still while he recovered as well.
      “You two okay?”
      Bruce.... It was Bruce.
      “I’m fine.” Terry slowly sat up, sitting back on Dick’s legs.
      “Yeah....” Dick let out another groan. “For the record, though, that was a cheap shot and you still have to fight me.”
      Terry let out his own groan. “Alright, Short One. First hit wins.”
      “Two out of three. Have to at least give us both a second to warm it up.”
      “Oh, sorry. Thought you had already warmed up,” Terry teased.
      “I meant with getting used to each other’s fighting styles.”
      “Sure.” Terry smirks and starts stretching.
      A sigh left Dick’s lips, though his eyes slowly wandered over the younger body. A clear of a throat from behind him snapped him out of it, though. He turned to see Bruce talking to Tim, though he could see the very obvious small hidden smirk on Bruce’s lips. ‘Jerk,’ he thought mentally, though he knew he was blushing.
      “Ready yet, kid?’
      Terry looks up, glancing from Dick to Bruce. Dick was looking.... Well, he wasn’t sure what was up with him; he couldn’t read him. But Bruce, Bruce was looking amused and smug. What had he done to make him so happy?
      “Umm, sure.” He stands back up.
      Dick moves into a fighting stance. In a second, the fight started, both men darting at each other. Fists flew as fast as kick came. For each move, though, the other person blocked it. They seemed to be fairly matched.
      Dick focused on Terry, trying to find a weak spot with him, but both of Terry’s arms were moving so quick he couldn’t tell where the holes were -- not that it was desperate yet, as Terry was obviously having just as hard of a time trying to crack his defense. Dick started letting Terry get closer; he had to lure him in.
      Terry keeps his movements quick; he had no idea how Dick fought. Why hadn’t he met him in his time?! He’d at least of an idea then of how to fight him. Right now, he was clueless and severely close to losing. No sooner than he had thought that was a kick connecting to his stomach. He flew back, landing with a thud. A face was over his, smiling.... Dick.
      “You okay?” He kneels down. “Didn’t hit you too hard, right?”
      Terry grunts and swats at him, hitting him twice. “I win.”
      “What?” Dick chuckles.
      “First one to get two hits in wins, right?” He groans as he sits up. “I hit you twice and you only got me once -- you lose.”
      Bruce let out a laugh. “He’s right.”
      Dick shakes his head. “Alright.” He laughs, pulling him up. “You sure you’re okay?”
      “Yeah, I’m good. Few broken ribs... but it’ll be fine.”
      Dick holds him up a bit. “I’ll look at it. Let’s get you inside.” He couldn’t keep the smile from his lips, for he had obviously won.
      Terry grumbles, walking along with Dick.
      Tim moves to Bruce. “He does move like you....”
      Bruce nods, smiling a bit. He would have to look over the boy’s fighting more in detail, but for now he was amused at the turn of events he had just witnessed.
*&*&*
      “Can you get your shirt off?”
      Terry glares and pulls it off; he’d done that enough times.
      “Wow, I’m impressed. Most people cringe like crazy taking off a shirt with hurt ribs. You fix your own ribs, too?” The second part was said halfway seriously.
      “No. There’s a bossy old man I know. He fixes me up whenever I need it.” Terry watches him as Dick’s hands carefully move around his ribs.
      “And how often is that?”
      Dick’s hands were warm and oddly soft for the job he did. “Uh, well… kinda often.”
      “Who’s this bossy old man? We could contact him. Maybe he can help.”
      Terry smiles “I’m hoping so.” He watches as Dick’s hands start wrapping his chest.
      “Really? So who is he? I can go talk to him tomorrow before I head back to work.”
      “He knows where I am. When he’s found a solution, he’ll come get me.”
      “You’ll give us your address, though, right? I’d hate to lose track of you.”
      “I dunno if I can. That might not be possible.”
      “Why not?”
      “It’s... complicated.”
      “Try me.”
      “No, thanks.”
      “...Terry, why don’t you want to trust us?”
      “I do trust you, I just can’t tell you this. Maybe someday I will, even if it’s been so long that you don’t even know me anymore.”
      “I think I’ll always remember you. Who else could lose so badly at so many different things?” He secures the binding and helps him get his shirt back on.
      Terry smiles. “I will miss you when I leave.”
      “Why do you need to leave? We could get this old man of yours to come straighten things out, and Bruce can arrange it so you can stay here.”
      Terry shakes his head. “That’s not going to work....”
      “Why not? Terry, you have to try. I don’t want to see you go back to this… abuse.”
      “I… wasn’t abused.”
      “Terry....”
      Terry pulls away. “I wasn’t. It’s… not what you think.”
      “Then what is it?”
      “It’s nothing. I have to go home.” He looks down and away. He didn’t know why this hurt so bad, but the thought of leaving this house… it hurt.
      He felt a hand on his cheek and his face being lifted up. Dick was staring at him. He seemed so close, yet Terry wasn’t threatened or alarmed by it. Dick closed the last bit of distance between them, pressing his lips softly to Terry’s, his hand never leaving Terry’s cheek. The kiss remained light and soft, until finally Dick pulled back. Both of their cheeks wore a pink blush.
      “Sorry. You just looked so....”
      “It’s okay.” Terry could feel his face growing redder by the moment. “I didn’t mind.” How could he be saying this?! He wasn’t gay! Of course he minded… didn’t he?
      “Really?” Dick leans in again, capturing the younger boys lips once more. Both his hands were now on Terry’s face. He gently pushes back until Terry’s back was against a wall. He deepens the kiss, slipping his tongue into the other mouth.
      Terry couldn’t help but let out the moan, for the kiss felt wonderful; he had never had a kiss like this with Dana. He couldn’t help but pout a bit when the lips left his again. Dick stared down at him, breathing harder than before. There was a hand on either side of his head.
      “Still don’t mind?” Dick asks with a smile, bringing a hand to brush back Terry’s hair.
      Terry laughs and shakes his head. “No.... Do you?”
      “Quite not, Master Dick, Master Terry. However, you may want to go upstairs before Master Bruce comes in.”
      They both jump apart. Alfred. God, he could be as quiet as Bruce sometimes! That was slightly alarming.
      “Alfred, is the sparing done?” Dick asked, running a hand through his hair.
      “Not quite yet, Master Dick, but I thought I’d get some water for them. How are you feeling, Master Terry?”
      Embarrassed? Confused? Freaked out? “I’m fine.”
      “Good to hear.” He walks into the kitchen with a knowing smirk.
      Terry sighs. “That was thoroughly embarrassing.”
      Dick smiles and runs a hand down Terry’s cheek. “Stay with us.”
      Terry’s face falls and he looks away. “I… I can’t. It’s just not possible. I wish I could....”
      “Why can’t you? Why can’t you just say ‘Screw it’ and stay? Is it Bruce? You can live with me. I have a study we could convert into a room for you.”
      “Stop it.” Terry moved away. “I have a family I have to go back to. I love them.”
      “Can you at least come visit?”
      “I don’t think that’s possible either.”
      Dick sighs. “Alright. Let’s go get you some food.” He takes Terry’s hand and leads him to the kitchen.
***&*
      About a week later, Terry finally got his chance to sneak into the bat cave. The bat signal had gone on ten minutes ago, and remarkably Alfred wasn’t following him. He moved to the computer, quickly hooking up the suit to the computer. He sighs, hopping not to get shocked this time. He pressed ‘Enter.’
      “Terry? Come on, Terry; wake up. I know you’re there.”
      “Huh?” He sits up. “So much for not getting shocked. Barbara? Tell me Bruce is there this time.”
      “Sorry, kid. He’s out with Tim, trying to find how to get you back.”
      “Tim?”
      “Oh, yeah; he called us all in. Even Dick came to help. He’s upstairs if you want to meet him.”
      Terry thought back to how he reacted when the younger Barbara hit on him after knowing the old one. “Uh, no, it’s okay. I’ve met him back here.”
      “What took so long? You were supposed to contact us over a month ago.”
      “You try going around Bruce’s back. It’s not easy!”
      Barbara chuckled. “Did you make the note to my mom?”
      “No, I typed it up and the next morning you were proclaimed dead.”
      “I was what?”
      “A warehouse burned down. Your books and jacket were found there with a body your size and height, and an ID card nearby. The teeth were pulled and skin all burned. There was no way to prove it wasn’t you. The funeral was a few weeks ago. Your mom packed everything and moved. She said there was no way she’d stay there after her ex-husband and her son were both killed. She wouldn’t let the city take her other boy, too.”
      “Oh, God. Is she… okay?”
      “I dunno. Bruce has tried to contact her a couple times. She just hangs up on him or tells him she’s busy and will call him later. She obviously never does.”
      “What about Matt?”
      “Every time anyone sees him, he’s quiet, pulled back. From what Bruce has seen, he doesn’t really talk anymore.”
Terry sighs. “I need to get home. I need to fix this!”
      “I know, Terry. Trust me, we’re working on it the best we can.”
      “Am I affecting the future?”
      “No, everything’s the same.”
      “The paper here has featured the second Batman and the fact that Bruce is taking another poor kid into his care.”
      “The papers are all the same. Bruce monitors all the old papers from around that time. Nothing’s changed.”
      “So is this like another dimension, then?”
      “Bruce has a couple different theories of what it might be, but he’s leaning toward you starting a new timeline. He’s been contacting some old allies that would know this stuff the best. They’re worried that if you have created a new timeline, it’ll fall.”
      “Excuse me?”
      “The dimension, as you call it -- it’s meant to only support one timeline. The longer you’re there, the more the timeline gets independent until eventually it’ll just fall altogether. The good news is as long as you had no life-changing affects on the people there, they should just slip back into the current timeline, no problem.”
      “Wh-What if I do have a life-changing affect on them?”
      “When the timeline falls, it’ll kill them. They’ll no longer be the person they were supposed to be, so it’ll just eliminate them. But the present will remain the same.”
      “And if I’m not back by the time it falls?”
      “You’ll be eliminated, too.”
      “Great....” He rubs his eyes. “How long do I have?”
      “No idea. It could be a while… it could be next week. Who knows?”
      “Helpful. Know anyone back here that could help me?”
      “Remember a man named Jason?”
      “You talking about Etrigan?”
      “Yes. With what he knows, he’ll be safe and it won’t hurt him to know about you.”
      “So the timelines won’t erase him?”
      “It wouldn’t erase him either way, Terry. It simply erases who the person would have been after knowing you.”
      “I see.... And it won’t change Jason to know me now?”
      “Won’t phase him in the least.”
      “So… we’re dealing with magic or something, then?”
      “No, but sometimes we can help fix it with it, or at least better understand it. Do you remember anything on how you got there?”
      “No, it’s all a blank.” He rubs his forehead. “And you were weird in the past.”
      “Oh? How so?”
      Terry looks up. “First, you wouldn’t stop flirting with me. Now, you won’t so much as say hi to me.”
      He was surprised to see her actually look like she was trying to think about it. “After I stopped, did Dick or Tim suddenly start getting buddy-buddy with you?”
      “Yeah, Dick did. Why?”
      “They’re trying to figure out who you really are. They know you’re lying, so they’re hopping you’ll open up to one of them.”
      “That’s the only reason he’s being nice?”
      “Well, don’t get your panties in a knot! It’s probably not the only reason. For some godforsaken reason, everyone seems to like you.”
      “So you don’t know anything on how to get me back?”
      “Not yet, kid. We’re working on it, though. Just check back as often as you can. We’ll have someone posted here at all times, just in case you need something.”
      “Alright. See ya later, Barbara.” He signed off and undid his suit, then headed out.
      Maybe he’d stay Batman for a while. It felt weird that he’d been here almost four months now, and he had his nights to himself. No job, really, and no school -- it was awesome. Yet, oddly, it was also boring. He missed fighting criminals and helping people. His eyes land on a small child. It was awfully late for a kid to be out and alone, so he lands.
      “Hey, kid. You okay?”
      The kid looks up; he was probably about seven. “I lost my puppy.”
      “You... lost--? Alright, do your parents know you’re out?”
      “No, but I was real careful when leaving! They don’t know I’m gone, Mr. Batman, and I’ll be back before they notice.”
      “I think you better head back now. Come on; I’ll take you.”
      “But I need to find my puppy!”
      “What does he look like?”
      “All brown.”
      “Alright. I’ll take you home, and if I see him then I’ll bring him back to where you live. Okay?”
      The little boy smiles and nods. “‘Tay! I know if he’s out there, then Batman can find him!”
      Terry leads him home and made him ring the doorbell. He hid in the shadows, watching until the kid made it in safe. He sighs and starts to head off.
      “Trick or treating?”
      Terry sighs, turning to see not only Bruce as Batman, but also… Nightwing? Didn’t he go back to Gotham City?
      “No, just doing my job.” He crosses his arms.
      “Your job?”
      “Yeah. I’m hired to be Batman.”
      “You’re not Batman.”
      “Wow, it really gets under your skin for me to call myself that, doesn’t it? Well, too bad, because I am Batman!”
      “Who’s paying you?”
      “You mean you’re not? That’s going to hurt my paycheck.”
      The older Batman stepped closer. “You don’t seem to be bad. Don’t ruin your life like this; I can help you.”
      “Help me?” He crosses his arms. “You’re just hopeless.” He clicks his boots on and flies upward, only to get snagged as a bat snags his ankle.
      “Not this time.”
      “Every time!” Terry threw the bat down, breaking the cord and darting off, flying into the distance.
*&*&*
      “Whoever he is, he’s got better technology than us.” Nightwing crossed his arms.
      Bruce was kneeling down by the bat the other one had thrown. “Yes....”
      “What is it?”
      “It looks like a prototype I’ve been working on, but this is something I’ve only scratched. The technology for this isn’t even possible yet.”
      “Well, apparently, someone figured out a way.”
      Bruce carefully picked the bat up. “We’ll analyze it at the cave. Oh, and why are you back in town?”
      “Gee, thanks. No ‘Thanks for tipping me that the imposter was here,’ just the ‘Why are you in town?’ And you wonder why I’m gone so much.”
      “Why are you here, then?”
      “None of your business.” He fires his nightwing cord up and swings out, the Bat smirking ever so slightly as he follows.
*&*&
      Dick stares down at Terry’s sleeping form. The sun was just rising. He had stopped by the bat cave to talk to Bruce, but while he was there he couldn’t resist the chance to sneak up and make sure he was alright. He didn’t know why he was so important to him -- he just was. Was this what happened when Bruce got a kid? Is this why he couldn’t let them go? He rolls his eyes at himself. He didn’t think Bruce kissed his kids. So was he gay? No, he definitely still liked women and he didn’t find other men attractive.
      Just him.
      “Dick?” He turns to see Bruce looking at him. He sighs and follows Bruce into his room. “If he doesn’t want help, you can’t force him.”
      “I know.”
      “If he goes back home, it’s his choice.”
      “I know.”
      “Starting a relationship with him won’t make him stay.”
      “...I know.”
      “Then drop it -- now. Go back home.”
      Dick looks up. “I care about him.” his voice is firm.
      “I know.” Bruce smiles at him. “I’ll do my best to keep track of him, but I don’t think he’ll stay here forever.”
      “It’s been four months; he might stay.”
      “And what -- I keep him and call him Psycho Boy?” Bruce smiles, using the name Dick had called him in the beginning.
      Dick let out a small laugh. “Okay, maybe he should stay with me.”
      “It’s up to him and him alone.”
      Dick nods. “I know.”
      “Would you like to stay here for a while?”
      Dick sighs, then nods. “Yeah, I guess so.”
      Bruce nods as well. “Go clean up.” Dick makes a face and heads out, taking a second to look in on Terry.
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Batman Before