Hurt (Arkham Knight x Reader)

Alfred - Bonus Chapter

1 year later

All of us were fighting. For probably the eighth time today. I was stressed out today and Dick and Tim were not helping it. I couldn't take it anymore. The stress was way too much. It seemed like it all was happening at once. Killer Croc was on the loose, Joker was gassing people with "Laughing Gas" and we still had these family problems.

Yep. Even two years later, we were still going downhill from his death. I've healed since the incident, but it's affected all our minds. Dick started blaming Batman for Jason's death. And I had to agree with him. But that was when my mind was all foggy, and I wasn't doing anything. However, Batman couldn't have saved him no matter what he did. If Bruce found Jason in time, Joker would have just killed him there with a remark.

But that's all we really do anymore. Fights. Lots and lots of stress and fighting. I'm sitting down right now groaning at my pounding headache. "See? Now even (y/n) is stressed out thanks to you!" Tim yelled at Bruce and Dick.

"And you yelling is helping?" Dick responded, clearly annoyed.

"Guys, enough of this!" I yelled, causing all of them to stop. "If you keep on fighting it's just going to raise my stress levels and Tim, I know you mean well, but you, yelling about it does not help."

Tim looked down to the ground when I said that. "Even after all this time has passed we're still fighting? Honestly, I thought you all were better than that." I walked out of the room and straight to the garden out in the backyard. It's the only place that seems remotely calming anymore.

It was a sunny day, and despite the cool wind blowing, I was warm. Everything looked alive out here. Wayne Manor was far enough away from the city that you couldn't hear anything. It was just pure silence, and that's what made it so nice.

I sat down on the bench that was in the garden. It was surrounded by a bunch of wildflowers that were growing. They stood up to about my hips and came in all sorts of different colors and flowers. A few bees were on the flowers, moving and switching plants every few seconds.

"Master/Mistress (L/N), what are you doing out here?" I turned to see Alfred standing there, looking concerned.

"I had to get out of the manor for a bit. The guys were fighting." I said, looking down at some of the stones that circled the wildflowers.

"Again?"

"Again.  Hasn't it been long enough?  Will they ever stop with this?  I get it.  Jason is dead.  It seems like I'm the only one who is getting over that here, Alfred.  All of their yelling is giving me horrible migraines every day and I don't know how much more of this I can take."  I sighed.  If there was one thing Alfred was good at it, it's getting me to talk.  Or at least vent to him, so I could get some frustration out.

I saw out of the corner of my eye Alfred sit next to me.  "I don't know if they will stop anytime soon.  But, remember how you were when Master Todd first passed?  It didn't really affect them until now.  Give it some time.  I'm sure in another few months this will all be over."  I looked over to him.  He smiled warmly.

"You have a point, Alfred.  I hope that it all ends soon.  I don't know how much more of this I can take from them."  

"If by the end of the month they have not reduced the amount of fights they are creating, I shall tell Master Wayne myself how bad all of it is."  He said with a joking manner.

I laughed a little when he said that.  It felt good to laugh again.  "Thanks Alfred.  You're the best."  I said while hugging him. 

He chuckled a little and hugged me back.  For the first time in a week I was happy.  Alfred was always there for me, and I couldn't appreciate him more than I do right now.