One day, in Hells Kitchen New York, multi millionaire, and mayor front runner, Thomas Wayne walks with his Son Bruce as his butler/ bodyguard Alfred Pennyworth who keeps a few civilians at a distance from them. As the paparazzi's cameras flash, Thomas smiles and waves at them.
"Dad, do you ever get used to all this attention?" Bruce asks.
Thomas chuckles.
"No, that's why Alfred's here, just incase we need to make a quick exit." Thomas says making Bruce laugh.
At that moment, a news team stops them to ask Thomas questions.
"Mr. Wayne, New York Bulletin, how are you feeling about your chances heading into the mayoral election?" The reporter asks.
Thomas sighs, wanting to get Bruce home as soon as possible but knows he has to make a statement to the press.
"I have full confidence that the citizens of New York will make the right decision. With their unwavering support and faith, we can make this City something better."
While Thomas continues answering the reporters questions, Bruce notices something from the corner of his eye. He looks over and sees an old man walking across the street and a speeding truck heading towards him. Bruce quickly makes it through the crowd of people, running as fast as he can towards the man.
"Look out!" Bruce yells, pushing the man out of the way.
A crash is then heard, getting everyone's attention. Thomas and Alfred then look over and notice that Bruce is nowhere to be seen.
"Bruce? Bruce!?" Thomas yells.
The two then hear people yelling about a kid on the ground in the middle of the street.
"Oh no, Master Bruce." Alfred says.
Both he and Thomas quickly push their way through the crowd, trying to get to Bruce as quickly as possible. They soon make it through the crowd and onto the street, seeing Bruce on the ground, dazed and barely conscious, in the middle of chaos.
"Oh God." Thomas says as he and Alfred run to Bruce's side.
Thomas puts his hand on his chest while everyone is shocked that the boy who heroically rushed in and saved a man's life is the son of Thomas Wayne.
"Bruce! Bruce don't move, ok? Everythings going to be alright.... SOMEONE GET SOME HELP! PLEASE! GET HELP FOR MY BOY!"
As Alfred runs to get help, Bruce starts to slowly stir on the ground, still dazed, but somewhat conscious. Thomas sees this and is relieved that his son seems to be alright.
"D-Dad?" Bruce mutters.
"Bruce it's going to be alright, just don't move. Ok? Alfreds getting you help right now." Thomas repeats.
"What- happened?" Bruce asks.
Thomas looks around, seeing wrecked cars, the old man Bruce saved nearby on the ground with a big open wound on his forehead, and a flipped over truck that was carrying barrels. The old man is slowly helped to his feet when he sees Bruce on the ground.
"Your boy... Your boy pushed me out of the way... He saved my life." The old man says as he's carried off to safety.
Bruce then starts to cringe in pain, clutching his eyes, worrying Thomas.
"Ah! It burns." Bruce says.
Thomas then notices something over his eyes. Something liquid leaking out of one of the barrels. Thomas takes a closer look at the barrels, seeing a warning label for chemicals. Thomas's heart drops as he quickly tries to wipe Bruce's eyes.
"Close your eyes. Bruce, close your eyes right now." Thomas frantically says, quickly wiping his eyes with his sleeve.
But it's too late, as Bruce's vision begins to fade, the last thing he sees is his father's panicked face as everything fades to darkness.
"Dad I- Can't see! I can't see...I can't see...I CAN'T SEE!"
Thomas starts to cry for his son, and all he can do is hug him.
"I CAN'T SEE!" Bruce yells again and again.
That night, at the hospital, Thomas sits in the waiting area outside of his sons room, feeling an unbearable amount of guilt on his shoulders. At that moment Alfred hands him a cup of coffee with a smile. Thomas let's out a sigh and accepts the coffee.
"How could I let this happen, Alfred? I'm his father. I'm supposed to protect him." Thomas says.
Alfred puts his hand on his shoulder.
"You mustn't blame yourself, sir."
Meanwhile, Bruce slowly wakes up but sees nothing but darkness. As he touches the bandages around his eyes, he feels a burning sensation around them, feeling excruciating pain. At that moment, Thomas comes into the room and sees Bruce in pain, quickly running to his side.
"Bruce?"
"I can't see." Bruce says in a scared voice.
"Son, it's me. It's dad. I'm right here. You were in an accident. Do you remember?" Thomas says.
Thomas continues to talk to his son, trying to calm him down, but all Bruce is able to hear is the beeping coming from the machines, the cars on the street, and two nurses having a conversation.
"Everything's so loud Bruce says."
"I'm right here with you. Here, feel my face. Feel my face."
Bruce feels his father's face, slowly calming down.
"It's ok, Bruce. Everything's going to be ok."
Days later, at Wayne Manor, Bruce blindly walks around in the backyard, still trying to adjust to being blind. He slowly walks onto an unstable part of the ground, unaware of the danger he's in. Inside the manor, Alfred looks around for Bruce.
"Master Bruce?" He says.
This startles Bruce as it sounds like he is right behind him. As he turns around the ground under his feet gives way and he falls down an old well, hitting the bottom hard. As he slowly sits up, he hears all kinds of sounds in the cave with him, like rushing water nearby, insects crawling, and he even hears footsteps above him. As he starts to question how he's hearing all of this, he hears multiple screeches in the distance. Bruce is frozen in fear by whatever it is inside the cave with him. At that moment, multiple bats fly through the cave, surrounding Bruce, causing him to hold his ears and causing him to scream. Minutes later, after Bruce passes out, he hears someone coming down the well.
"Bruce. It's ok." Thomas says.
Thomas extends his hand towards his son.
"Take my hand, son."
Bruce slowly reaches out, grabbing his father's hand. Soon Thomas and Bruce make it out of the well and Thomas carries Bruce inside, where they are met by Alfred.
"Took quite a fall, didn't we Master Bruce?" Alfred says.
"And why do we fall Bruce? So we can learn to pick ourselves back up." Thomas says, carrying Bruce upstairs.
That night, as Bruce lays in bed, he still hears the bats under the manor, almost as if they are in the room with him. The young boy soon jumps up from bed, face dripping with sweat.
"Is it the bats again?" Thomas asks from the doorway.
Bruce hears his father, turns to the doorway and nods. Thomas then sits on the bed with his son.
"You know why they attacked you, don't you? They were afraid of you." Thomas asks.
Bruce is confused.
"Afraid of me?" Bruce asks.
"All creatures feel fear."
"Even the scary ones?"
Thomas smirks
"Especially the scary ones."
The two laugh as Thomas rubs Bruce's head.
"Get some sleep, kiddo." Thomas says.
Bruce turns to go to sleep as Thomas leaves the room. Later that night, Bruce hears Alfred talking to his father downstairs, from his bedroom.
"Master Wayne, I'm afraid you've received another threat, sir." Alfred says.
Thomas sighs.
"A lot of people have been trying to scare me out of the election. I'm guessing they don't want me to be mayor." Thomas says.
Thomas thinks for a moment.
"Alfred... if something happens to me. I need you to take care of Bruce." Thomas says.
Alfred stays silent for a moment.
"Of course sir."
Bruce is both surprised and concerned by what he just heard, wondering what this all means. The next night, Bruce and Thomas go to play together, but when the noises become too overwhelming for Bruce, they have to leave the theater early.
"I'm sorry, dad." Bruce says.
Thomas smiles.
"It's alright, Bruce. Alfred should be here in a second. We'll go home and get you in bed."
Bruce smiles, then hears something that confuses him. He can hear someone's heartbeat racing rapidly. As the heartbeat gets closer, he also hears a gun being loaded.
"Dad!" He yells.
Before Bruce can warn his father, a man pulls out a gun and aims it at them.
"Hand over the wallet and watch, now!" The man demands.
Thomas puts his hands up as he steps infront of his son.
"That's fine. Just take it easy."
As Thomas goes to take off his watch, he quickly grabs the muggers wrist, moving the gun out of the way, and punches him in the face. While Thomas continues to punch the mugger in the face and stomach, Bruce cheers, somehow knowing that his father is winning. Before Thomas can land another punch, the mugger pushes Thomas off of him and shoots him in the chest. Bruce covers his ears, dropping to his knees as the mugger turns the gun on him. Before he can pull the trigger, police sirens are heard off in the distance, causing him to run away. Bruce slowly reaches over to his father, putting his hands on his face. Thomas looks over to his son, as he slowly dies on the ground.
"Don't- be afraid." Thomas whispers before dieing.
"Dad? Daddy! Daddy!" Bruce continues scream, with tears in his eyes.
Days later, at his father's funeral, Bruce stands infront of his grave, listening to everyone talking about him, pitting him, the poor blind orphan. At that moment he hears something underneath him, something that kept him up at night. He hears a bat. The boy takes it as a sign, and vows to his deceased father that he'll save the city that they both loved.
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