Gotham City, from Wayne Manor to the Beaumont Residence, February 10
A few weeks passed in what seemed like no time, even if you didn't count the enhanced rate of time compared to what Bruce's friends in Fandom experienced.
In those weeks, Bruce came up with a new plan for the future. And it all started here. Of course, there was a problem....
"You know how much I've always wanted to see Europe, Bruce," Andrea explained as they walked alongside a cliff overlooking the bay. "And Dad has business there next week. It's some sort of hush-hush deal, he won't tell me a thing. I can't say when we'd be coming back."
The future was not laying out the way Bruce envisioned. "Will you at least let me try to talk you out of it?" he asked.
"Bruce..." Andrea started, gently.
"Wait, please," Bruce requested, guiding Andrea to a nice, comfy rock to sit down on for a moment. He was pretty sure she should be sitting down for his pitch, because it was going to be a bit of a stunner. He looked off in the distance for a moment and thought about the words he'd prepared and practiced. At the last second he thought better of it. Even now, he was a man of action.
"Oh, never mind. I'm no good at this," he said, reaching into his pocket. He pulled a ring box out, gave it to Andrea, and dropped to a knee. "Here. You'll get the idea."
He was pretty sure Andrea hadn't actually taken a breath since he broke out the box. When she opened it, she saw a ring with a diamond that, well, that only Bruce Wayne could afford.
"What do you say?" he asked, absolutely terrified for once in his life.
"Of course I will," Andrea said, throwing herself into an embrace. "I never thought this would happen. I always felt like I'd thrown you a curveball, like you never knew what to do with me because I wasn't in The Plan."
Andrea let go of Bruce and settled back into her seat while Bruce took the ring out of the box and slipped it onto her finger.
"You are now," Bruce said. "I'm changing The Plan."
As they leaned in to seal the moment with a kiss, a colony of bats suddenly flew out of a barely noticeable cave entrance, frightening them briefly.
The bats' appearance was in no way completely on the nose and somewhat shoehorned in. Totally natural. Bats just have a good sense of drama.
*****
That evening, Alfred drove Bruce and Andrea to the Beaumont residence so they could share the happy news. But as they entered through the gate and drove toward the entrance, they spotted a collection of cars.
"Uh oh," Andrea said. "Looks like Daddy's got company." They could see silhouettes through the blinds, revealing mostly large men in suits and fedoras. "Business-type company. He usually doesn't see clients here, at least not at this hour." Her concern was fairly evident.
A true gentleman, Bruce got out of the car first and opened the door for Andrea. "Maybe we should wait until tomorrow before we give him the good news," Andrea suggested as she climbed out of the car.
"Maybe," Bruce said, slightly concerned.
"Good night, Bruce," Andrea said before giving him a quick kiss. "Alfred." He didn't get a kiss.
Bruce got back into the car as his fiancee walked into the house, momentarily passing by Valestra's pointy-chinned enforcer. He looked like trouble, definitely. But there was absolutely no chance he would ever prove to be a thorn in Bruce's side for decades to come. None!
But right now there wasn't much to do. Andrea seemed to be as safe as she could be. And so the car drove off.
Bruce wouldn't see Andrea again for twelve years.
[OOC: Would you believe it? YET MORE MASK OF THE PHANTASM.]
In those weeks, Bruce came up with a new plan for the future. And it all started here. Of course, there was a problem....
"You know how much I've always wanted to see Europe, Bruce," Andrea explained as they walked alongside a cliff overlooking the bay. "And Dad has business there next week. It's some sort of hush-hush deal, he won't tell me a thing. I can't say when we'd be coming back."
The future was not laying out the way Bruce envisioned. "Will you at least let me try to talk you out of it?" he asked.
"Bruce..." Andrea started, gently.
"Wait, please," Bruce requested, guiding Andrea to a nice, comfy rock to sit down on for a moment. He was pretty sure she should be sitting down for his pitch, because it was going to be a bit of a stunner. He looked off in the distance for a moment and thought about the words he'd prepared and practiced. At the last second he thought better of it. Even now, he was a man of action.
"Oh, never mind. I'm no good at this," he said, reaching into his pocket. He pulled a ring box out, gave it to Andrea, and dropped to a knee. "Here. You'll get the idea."
He was pretty sure Andrea hadn't actually taken a breath since he broke out the box. When she opened it, she saw a ring with a diamond that, well, that only Bruce Wayne could afford.
"What do you say?" he asked, absolutely terrified for once in his life.
"Of course I will," Andrea said, throwing herself into an embrace. "I never thought this would happen. I always felt like I'd thrown you a curveball, like you never knew what to do with me because I wasn't in The Plan."
Andrea let go of Bruce and settled back into her seat while Bruce took the ring out of the box and slipped it onto her finger.
"You are now," Bruce said. "I'm changing The Plan."
As they leaned in to seal the moment with a kiss, a colony of bats suddenly flew out of a barely noticeable cave entrance, frightening them briefly.
The bats' appearance was in no way completely on the nose and somewhat shoehorned in. Totally natural. Bats just have a good sense of drama.
*****
That evening, Alfred drove Bruce and Andrea to the Beaumont residence so they could share the happy news. But as they entered through the gate and drove toward the entrance, they spotted a collection of cars.
"Uh oh," Andrea said. "Looks like Daddy's got company." They could see silhouettes through the blinds, revealing mostly large men in suits and fedoras. "Business-type company. He usually doesn't see clients here, at least not at this hour." Her concern was fairly evident.
A true gentleman, Bruce got out of the car first and opened the door for Andrea. "Maybe we should wait until tomorrow before we give him the good news," Andrea suggested as she climbed out of the car.
"Maybe," Bruce said, slightly concerned.
"Good night, Bruce," Andrea said before giving him a quick kiss. "Alfred." He didn't get a kiss.
Bruce got back into the car as his fiancee walked into the house, momentarily passing by Valestra's pointy-chinned enforcer. He looked like trouble, definitely. But there was absolutely no chance he would ever prove to be a thorn in Bruce's side for decades to come. None!
But right now there wasn't much to do. Andrea seemed to be as safe as she could be. And so the car drove off.
Bruce wouldn't see Andrea again for twelve years.
[OOC: Would you believe it? YET MORE MASK OF THE PHANTASM.]