[She's a damn hard girl to find, even when he sort of knows where she is. It's a bloody shame he has to roll up in a rental. It's not like he has access to the Wayne cars anymore.
But he's there. Looking as impeccable as ever, even without the tailored three piece suits.
It takes everything he had not to shout at her to get her fool head down from there. Instead he'll just walk to the bottom and wait for her.]
[ It's a roof, Alfred! It's only a few stories up and it's flat! She's fine!
She'll even take a fairly sane route to the ground; Alfred might hear the soft clang of someone descending the fire escape in the alleyway. Bryce comes around the corner, with the more ostentatious parts of her outfit bundled under her arm, and -- pauses, when she sees Alfred. ]
. . . Hello.
[ If it helps, she's only got one visible bruise on her jaw. Despite getting stranded on the wrong side of the river, it wasn't a bad night. ]
[ No. It's not fine. But only because it's Alfred and he worries. He always worries. But he's happy she's using the sane way down. He doesn't need her to take off another 10 years of his life with her antics.
But then there she is. Mistress Bryce. He forces himself to remain professional. To remain distant. It's easy to remember that she fired him. She kicked him out. She wrote him out of her life.
But it's also impossible to forget how much he cares for her. So much that he'd drop everything to come find her after one text from her.
His eyes land on the bruise and he frowns deeply. He is glad to see his training her helped keep her safe. Even a little. ]
Hello, Miss.
[He'll just hold out his hands to take her arm load and open the door for her, like he's done a million times in the past.]
[The bundle goes safely in the back seat where he's so certain she'll also be sitting. It's not a posh car like all the Wayne vehicles. It's a cheap rental until he can get his feet back under him or convince himself to go back to England.
He hasn't left yet, if only because he's bad at letting go. Proof positive since he's already falling back on all those practiced habits.]
Not at all, miss. I wasn't doing nothing so important it wouldn't wait a might longer.
[He will, as always wait for her to get in before going around to get into the driver's seat.]
Let's get you home, Miss.
[He'll be as efficient as he always is in driving her. No scenic routes. No detours. No stop bys. She wants to go home, he'll take her there.]
[ She folds herself into the back seat -- she keeps getting taller, go figure -- and leans her head back against the headrest with a sigh of relief.
No scenic routes, and little traffic at this hour of the night, but there's still a bit of a drive ahead of them.
So . . . who's going to break the silence first? Because if it's not Alfred, Bryce will, eventually, in a tone more suited to a socialite than a vigilante. ]
[It won't be Alfred. as much as he wants to. As much as he wants to ask how she is. As much as he cares, that's not his place anymore.
She breaks the silence and he can't be more glad. Except he ends up putting on his best brave face. Bryce doesn't need to worry about her former but let.]
I'm good. Got me a decent place to stay and been offered a full-time. [He won't say where.] Been thinking about going back to London for spell.
[He won't. He'll never go back. He won't because Bryce is here and as she proved tonight, she might still need him. So he'll stay.]
How have things been for you?
[It's impossible to keep the care and concern out of his question.]
[ It's always odd to think about Alfred having a life before the Waynes. Or a life after them. Maybe that's why she falls back on the kind of socialite chit-chat she's been perfecting. ]
Do you still have people there?
[ This also lets her avoid the question of how she's been. That's no accident. ]
[He notices the avoidance. It worries him more. It eats at him and his hands tighten on the wheel. It takes a lot of effort not to stop the car and tell her she can talk to him. He'll just let her get away with it for now.]
Not really, no. Left that all behind when I joined Her Majesty's Marines. It was just me dad and mum. But don't mean I can't go back. Might be nice to visit.
[Visit. Not stay. He can't make himself leave Gothem. She's here.]
[Silence. He knows he shouldn't be thinking it. Shouldn't even suggest it. It would be too much like the old days. Too much like all their trips to Switzerland. Still...she sounds so tired.]
I you wanted, I wouldn't mind having you along Miss.
[He looks at her for a moment before focusing on the road again. His shoulder slump. He'd had known it had been out of line. Of course she can't go. Won't go. Which means he won't go either. He has to stay here, just in case she needs him again.]
[There's a soft, sad sigh.] I know, poppet. I know. [He hasn't called her that since she was small. But he still adores her and he's still here for her.]
![[personal profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/user.png){kind=small}
[tfln overflow] Alfred
Thank you.
[ If she must stay put, she'll use the time to clear her mind. Meditate a little.
Hope reeeeally hard that Alfred gets here before any cops do, because that would be awkward. It's going to be awkward enough with Alfred, already. ]
Re: [tfln overflow] Alfred
But he's there. Looking as impeccable as ever, even without the tailored three piece suits.
It takes everything he had not to shout at her to get her fool head down from there. Instead he'll just walk to the bottom and wait for her.]
no subject
She'll even take a fairly sane route to the ground; Alfred might hear the soft clang of someone descending the fire escape in the alleyway. Bryce comes around the corner, with the more ostentatious parts of her outfit bundled under her arm, and -- pauses, when she sees Alfred. ]
. . . Hello.
[ If it helps, she's only got one visible bruise on her jaw. Despite getting stranded on the wrong side of the river, it wasn't a bad night. ]
no subject
But then there she is. Mistress Bryce. He forces himself to remain professional. To remain distant. It's easy to remember that she fired him. She kicked him out. She wrote him out of her life.
But it's also impossible to forget how much he cares for her. So much that he'd drop everything to come find her after one text from her.
His eyes land on the bruise and he frowns deeply. He is glad to see his training her helped keep her safe. Even a little. ]
Hello, Miss.
[He'll just hold out his hands to take her arm load and open the door for her, like he's done a million times in the past.]
Where is it you're needing to go?
no subject
[ Muttered, almost to herself: ] Could be worse.
[ Then she steps forward and hands Alfred the bundle -- the mask, the jacket -- as easily as she ever has. Comfortable as a childhood bed. ]
Home. The Manor. I hope I'm not putting you out. I know it's late.
no subject
He hasn't left yet, if only because he's bad at letting go. Proof positive since he's already falling back on all those practiced habits.]
Not at all, miss. I wasn't doing nothing so important it wouldn't wait a might longer.
[He will, as always wait for her to get in before going around to get into the driver's seat.]
Let's get you home, Miss.
[He'll be as efficient as he always is in driving her. No scenic routes. No detours. No stop bys. She wants to go home, he'll take her there.]
no subject
No scenic routes, and little traffic at this hour of the night, but there's still a bit of a drive ahead of them.
So . . . who's going to break the silence first? Because if it's not Alfred, Bryce will, eventually, in a tone more suited to a socialite than a vigilante. ]
So how've you been?
no subject
She breaks the silence and he can't be more glad. Except he ends up putting on his best brave face. Bryce doesn't need to worry about her former but let.]
I'm good. Got me a decent place to stay and been offered a full-time. [He won't say where.] Been thinking about going back to London for spell.
[He won't. He'll never go back. He won't because Bryce is here and as she proved tonight, she might still need him. So he'll stay.]
How have things been for you?
[It's impossible to keep the care and concern out of his question.]
no subject
no subject
Right after I started up working with your Father. [So a very very long time.]
no subject
Do you still have people there?
[ This also lets her avoid the question of how she's been. That's no accident. ]
no subject
Not really, no. Left that all behind when I joined Her Majesty's Marines. It was just me dad and mum. But don't mean I can't go back. Might be nice to visit.
[Visit. Not stay. He can't make himself leave Gothem. She's here.]
no subject
[ Assuming that's even possible, for either of them. ]
no subject
I you wanted, I wouldn't mind having you along Miss.
no subject
And get my mind off of Gotham?
[ That's not happening. ]
no subject
Guess not.
no subject
no subject