The Universe's Mixer

Bruce expected there to be some kind of argument as he packed his things and signed the papers to hand Wayne Manor and all of his money off to Zoe. He expected to hear some kind of protest as he logged the keywords to change the voice recognition software from his voice to hers. He expected to be asked for last minute assurances as he set his copies of the keys down on his - not his anymore - desk.

But Alfred did none of that. For which Bruce was quite grateful. This was all hard enough as it was. He was walking away from the life that he'd constructed for himself. Walking away from everything that he knew.

He couldn't do it anymore.

Alfred had told him that Zoe had shown up. So at least Bruce didn't have to worry about things being okay with him gone. He was leaving everything in very capable hands. He thought about sticking around long enough to find out how she'd come to her decision, but in the end figured that it might be too painful for her to talk about.

So he left with his singular bag, and the new identity he'd set up for himself. A long hug for Alfred, and a last glance at the property.

Without a single doubt in his mind, Bruce Wayne faded into the City to become somebody else, and try to live a normal life.

The conversation with Captain Jack had been...it'd been a conversation with Captain Jack. And, if Zoe had known what she was going home to, she might have stayed and let the captain drink her under the table. If she had known.

The Amazon stopped by one of the stores open later in the evening and picked up a few things, just a few, including some mints to cover the smell of alcohol. It probably wouldn't work to cover the taste, but she'd try. She hadn't really explained Captain Jack to Wash, not yet. Perhaps tonight was a night for it; she had a feeling she'd be explaining quite a bit tonight.

The apartment felt a little empty once she got in, and she worked against that feeling by whipping up a meal. Wash didn't get those very often on Serenity, which meant he'd probably be suspect of this one. He'd have every right to that feeling, too; Zoe wouldn't be too angry about it. Of course, it might lead to a fight, but fighting could lead to other, more enjoyable activities. The Amazon smiled slightly at that thought, her fingers working the dough for the buns.

It was a few hours later that saw the meal fixed, the kitchen cleaned, and Serenity's first mate picking out what she might wear for the night. She'd decided to go for drop dead gorgeous. At first she didn't notice that the closet seemed a little bigger. She hadn't even noticed that the drawers felt a little less cluttered. But, as she went to get her shoes, really sort of pointless seeing as they were in their own apartment, she realized that hers were the only shoes to be found.

( Zoe could have panicked, but that really wasn't what Zoe did. )