Collection

Acethebatdog2039

Summary: Episode Tags: Babel, Sneak Peek, Big Time/Betrayal, Out of the Past

Chapter 15: Episode Tags

0-*- 10001 -*-0

Babel

He had bruises on his chest from where Ace jumped on him. It didn't help that Mad Stan tried to blow him up a few hours before. From the way Bruce was moving the old man was hurting too. Terry had never taken a dog or anything to a vet before. Big bad Ace hid behind him once he came back from the zoo. The dog really looked scared.

Terry felt bad for the dog. The big leather muzzle on Ace almost made him look small. Terry rubbed Ace's ears. The old man just wanted to know if the mutt was alright, but to Terry the dog almost looked guilty. Once they were back in the car after the hundred-ish pound dog getting looked at Terry pulled the muzzle off.

"Hey buddy," Ace bushed his nose against Terry's cheek. "I know. You're sorry. It's okay." Ace gave him a quick lick. "I'm sure he forgives you too." The dog curled up in a ball in the seat next to him laying his large head on Terry's leg as he drove them home.

0-*- 10001 -*-0

Sneak Peek

'He means a lot to you, doesn't he?' –Ian Peek

'Yeah, he does.' –Terry McGinnis

-During the Episode-

When Matt said it was Batman on the T.V. his heart started to race. He really thought he was going to start hyperventilating. His chest hurt. All the work that Bruce had done for the city was going to go up in smoke by tonight. Everything the old man had given up.

It was his fault. All his fault. All of it. How was he going to tell Bruce? Oh God what would his mother say? His phone started to ring. He had to tell Bruce he was sorry. It was all he could do. That and make it up to the old man. Anyway he could.

-Post-Episode-

After everything was said and done with that Peek jerk Terry wanted to stay the night with Bruce. He really did hate leaving the old man alone sometimes. After his shower he went about cleaning and straighten up the cave. There really wasn't much to do; Bruce kept the cave pretty clean.

Ace followed him around with a tennis ball wagging his tail. Terry gave him a little smile patting his head. "Where's the old man?" He asked the dog. Ace barked dropping the ball. He raced off to grab it before it rolled to far away.

"I thought you went home." Bruce commented coming down the stairs. Terry looked up from cleaning off one of the tables. "I asked my mom if I could stay over if that's fine with you. She said it was cool since it was Friday."

Bruce shrugged going to sit in his chair. Terry brushed some of his still wet hair out of his face as he sat on the table top he just cleaned off. Ace brought him the tennis ball again. "I'm sorry," the teenager said softly. At first Terry wasn't sure if the old man heard him. "It wasn't your fault, kid. There's always that one piece of trash that gets lucky." He offered the younger man a small smile.

Terry nodded once before looking up at Bruce. "Hungry?" He asked hopping off the table and stealing the ball away from Ace.

0-*- 10001 -*-0

Big Time/Betrayal

As Terry watched his onetime buddy fall over the bridge he couldn't help but feel something. He wasn't sure what it was anymore. "I'm sorry; I know how hard it is to go against a friend." The old man did really sound apologetic. Terry shook his head walking away. "I outgrew him, that's all."

When they got back to the cave Terry hadn't said a word he just changed and sat on one of the tables in the cave. Bruce came down with a mug of coffee pushing it into Terry's hand. "Drink," the old man ordered. Terry took a drink. It wasn't coffee. It was tea.

"Tea fixes everything?" He said quietly. "Alfred always thought so." Bruce said sitting in his chair. Bruce told him all about Two-Face. About how the man was one of his best friends and about the accident that Bruce still felt responsible for to this very day. Terry knew what that felt like. "I feel like I let him down," The teenager said quietly. "You didn't, Terry. He let you down. Now drink your tea."

0-*- 10001 -*-0

Out of the Past

"Worst vacation ever," Terry crossed his arms on the plane from New Cuba. He was sitting in the co-pilot seat as Bruce flew them. Terry didn't know the old man knew how to fly a plane. Then again he really shouldn't be surprised. Bruce could do everything but cook. "That sucked. So much," there was a bruise under his eye from when Talia/Ra's hit him. "The next time one of your old girlfriends shows up sick the dog on them." Bruce said nothing. Terry frowned. "Do we even count that as a girlfriend…I mean… Ew. I'll stop."

"Thank you."

Terry huffed out a breathe. "Can we go to Florida?" Bruce shook his head no. "Oh come on. Please?" Terry told him that his mother and brother had taken a trip to Ireland. "You're comparing Ireland to Florida?"

"They both rain a lot." Bruce had to give him that. The kid deserved a little vacation. Bruce gave in. "Fine, we'll take a day trip." Terry threw both arms up in excitement.

After finding a landing strip and a hotel for the day Bruce had to get some extra clothes seeing as they lost their stuff in the fire at New Cuba. Terry saw the looks from the women at the stores when they saw Bruce. The teenager rolled his eyes. He heard a few of the women whisper that the old man was handsome. One woman stopped him with a hand on his arm. "Honey, is your dad married?" She asked. Terry glared at her. He was never so thankful to be out of a store in his life.

Terry didn't waste any time on heading to the beach. Since Bruce had found a private island to land on the beach was empty. After the day they both had Bruce was grateful for that. "Too bad we don't have the mutt. He would love this." Terry said, pulling off his shirt. "A big black dog at the beach?" Bruce sat on the chair that was already out.

"Throw him in the water. He would be fine." Terry kicked off his flip flops before running for the water trying not to let the sand burn his feet. Bruce followed him slower than the teenager. "You act like you've never been to a beach before," the water hit his toes.

"Uh, Bruce, the last time I was at the beach the suit was trying to kill me." The kid went under the water for a second before popping back up. The water went up to his knees now. It felt good. This was a good idea after all. "When we get back home I was thinking of training you a little more."

Terry bobbed with the water. "Some hand to hand?" The kid smiled. "Might as well. I'm not going to stay like this for long. A few days, maybe a week or two. We should do some training while we can." Terry smiled. He was only a few feet away from the kid now. "Can you teach me that thing you do…?" Terry made a lot of hand motions to get his point across. Bruce had an idea what he talking about. "Sure."

"Hey Terry?" He was right next to the teenager. "Yeah?" The kid stood up to his full height. "This is for taking me to that musical." Bruce dunked him under the water. When Terry popped back up he laughed and jumped on Bruce. Maybe he would enjoy these few weeks after all.

0-*- 10001 -*-0

A/N: And that's it for this one guys. Thanks so much for all the love. I'll be getting the next new story up soon. Really. Maybe, if you're good I'll write a few more of the drabbles. -Ace