Thomas Wayne POV

"Thank goodness your home I was starting to get worried. Is everything alright?" My wife asked as we entered the house. Well mansion to be more accurate.

"Everything is fine dear." I reply as I carry a tired and yawning Bella into the house.

"How was your day at school? Did you learn anything interesting?"

Alfred and I exchanged a worried glance but Bruce shook his head. "No."

"About their schooling, I'm afraid we are going to have to find somewhere else to enroll them."

"Why? We both agreed that this is the best school around. Did something happen today that your not telling me about?" Martha asked as she took Bella from me. Bella winced as she placed her hand on her back.

"Owie." Bella whimpered.

"What's owie honey?" Martha asked in concern.

"Back and bottom owie." Bella replies.

"Here let me see." Martha gasps upon seeing the red marks across Bella's back and behind. A strange look crossed her face. One that I hadn't ever seen before. At least not on her beautiful face anyway. It was like a bull seeing a matador waving their muleta (aka their cape which is usually red). Covering Bella's ears so she wouldn't hear the tone of her voice or bad words Martha demanded "what the hell happened? How did my baby girl get these?"

I sighed this wasn't a conversation that I wanted to have. "Alfred would you please take Bruce and Bella upstairs given them their dinner and help them get ready for bed?"

"Of course sir." With that Alfred took Bella from Martha's arms and led Bruce upstairs.

Once they were out of ear shot Martha frowned. "Spill it."

I could tell by her tone that there was no avoiding the conversation. I took a deep breath and sighed. "I don't really know much. Only that Alfred got into a fight with the headmaster. The secretary called the police and Alfred and the children had to make statements. That's why they were home late."

"I see. Perhaps Alfred could shed some light on the situation."

Alfred POV

I quickly went about preparing the dinner for Bella and Bruce. I then made sure that Master Bruce took his bath and got ready for bed. "Your parents will be up shortly to kiss you goodnight and tuck you into bed."

"Come miss Bella, it's time for your bath."

"No wanna bath."

"I know you've had a hard day and your sore but you need to take your bath. I promise I will be as gentle as I can. Ok?"

"Otay." Bella replied sweetly. I then proceeded to give Bella her bath being careful to avoid hurting her. She whimpered a little when I got to her back and behind. "I'm sorry little miss. I know it hurts." Bella sniffled as I finished her bath and very gently dried her off.

"It's otay Alfwed." After getting her in her pajamas I put her in her playpen. I could tell that she was getting sleepy. "Alfwed?"

"Yes little one?"

"Want me binkie and baba."

I sighed. I knew that we were trying to ween her off of both pacifiers and bottles but after the hard day that she had I couldn't deny her some comfort. "Alright little one, but just for tonight."

After making sure that Master Bruce didn't need anything I made my way back downstairs. I knew that Mr. and Mrs. Wayne would want to discuss the events of today. "What happened today Alfred?" Mrs. Wayne asked a frown replacing her normal beautiful smile.

I sighed. I knew that Mrs. Wayne would not be happy to hear what I had to say. "Master Bruce called me a few hours ago saying that the headmaster was abusing his position and that I needed to come pick them up immediately. Upon arrival I learned that the headmaster had allowed the other students to hit the little miss as a punishment. Supposedly she had lied to him."

"Bella lie? I find that hard to believe." Mrs. Wayne replied.

"As did I." I replied. "When I insisted on seeing her the principal said that he could not allow that. That is when he and I got into a small scuffle and that's when the secretary called the police claiming that I was trying to murder her boss."

At this Mrs. Wayne burst into laughter. "That's outrageous. Your the calmest man I know. Your not capable of doing something of that nature."

I sighed unfortunately that wasn't exactly true. Before I had come to Gotham and had been hired by the Wayne family, I had been part of the British Intelligence. "Alfred might I talk with you alone for a moment?"

"Of course Master Wayne."

"Alfred, you know that there is no one we trust more in this world then you. Martha and I have discussed it and we'd like for you to become Bruce and Bella's legal guardian should anything happen to us."

"Master Wayne what's going on? Has someone threatened your lives?"

"No of course not. It's just that we want to be prepared in case an accident or something were to occur. I want you to promise me that you will allow Bruce and Bella to make their own decisions. Even if you know the decision isn't the best or even the right choice."

"Yes of course. I give you my solum oath that I will follow your instructions concerning the raising of your children. However, I am certain that won't be necessary. Unless there is something that your not telling me?"

At this Master Wayne sighs. "promise me that you won't tell Martha what I'm about to tell you."

"Yes of course."

"I'm afraid that one of the projects that I've been working on recently might have attract some unwanted attention. As you know I started a facility known as Pinewood." I nodded. "Unfortunately, my friend Hugo Strange took advantage of our friendship and used this facility to do scientific experiments on people. When I found out what was happening I immediately shut down the project. One of the survivors is a young woman named Karen Jennings. Her hand was crippled and Hugo was supposed to help her but instead he experimented on her. Her crippled hand is now reptilian. Once I realized what he was doing I helped Karen and the others go into hiding."

"I take it that this Hugo chap didn't take this very well."

"No he did not. In fact, I think he feels as if I betrayed our friendship by shutting down the project. That as a friend a true friend, I should have been able to understand the importance of his work."

"Importance of his work? He was experimenting on people." I reply. Mr. Wayne nods. "How can he expect you to be ok with that? It's cruel and inhumane." Mr. Wayne sighed and nodded.