Early 2000s

New York

"…Xavier. Back to you Geoffrey."The camera cut back to a guy who looked like Jimmy Kimmel on steroids wearing a nauseatingly yellow suit. "Thanks Julie, now on to the weather."

I turned the TV off with a sigh. We were currently in New York, scoping out a new Wayne Enterprise office tower.

"Not one for the weather sir?" The ever intuitive, Alfred Pennyworth asked from the driver's seat of the Rolls-Royce Phantom he was driving.

"Astute observation Alfred. However did you figure it out?" I asked jokingly.

"It's elementary my dear Grayson."

I laughed. Alfred was the best. Batman would have kicked the bucket a lot sooner, both physically and mentally, if he didn't have him on his corner and without a doubt I was lucky to have someone like him in my life.

"Mutants then?" He asked.

I nodded.

Professor Charles Francis Xavier, one of the world's leading experts on mutations and Human Evolution. I googled him up, the first time I ever heard of him (FUN FACT: Wayne Enterprises bought Google a few years back, thanks to yours truly, roll in the money bags). The search yielded fairly basic known facts for any X-Men fan.

Attended Bard, graduated from Harvard and Oxford with PhDs in Genetics and Biophysics. All in all your average Earth-616 Prof X. Well with the added bonus of looking exactly like Patrick Stewart and being in this weird Universe.

Seriously, I even searched up some DC stuff. Farris Air and Queen Industries were a thing. But there was a lack LexCorp. That was worrying. Did that mean Lex Luthor didn't exist or did he not establish his company yet? The presence of QI also meant the possible existence of Green Arrow. Did that mean Hawkeye wasn't going to be the only archer?

This was so confusing!

But back to mutants.

So far they were pretty much urban myths. As far as I knew Xavier's Academy wasn't a thing yet. The only mutants I was aware of were good ol' Mutant Gandhi and Magneto. And Magneto's files I had to get by hacking the SHIELD Databases (they really need to fire the guy with 'password' as his password, like seriously he had Level 5 Clearance!).

My Universal Analysis came to screeching halt as Alfred hit the brakes just in time to avoid being hit by a 1968 Dodge Charger, speeding away like Dom Toretto in Fast and Furious.

"Damn these drivers," Alfred grumbled.

I wholeheartedly agreed.

We made our way down to the Harbor and beheld the Tower in all its glory. Getting building permits were nigh impossible but the New York State Council finally relented and the building for The Titan Tower was underway.

Yeah we got an island off New York, East River to be exact. Thank you Teen Titans for your glorious idea.

Currently it was a hunk of foundation and titanium-steel alloy, soon though it would be a behemoth over 590m, way taller than Empire State and strong enough to shrug off an 8.5 Richter-Scale earthquake. In addition when completed, Titan Island as it was now being called, would have a state-of-the-art harbor, helipad, research facility and most importantly will get me foothold in New York. Because if anything comics have taught me, every kind of shit imaginable happens in New York.

In addition, it was going to be powered by an Super Algae Power-Cell Core, developed by my mom (NOTE: Look into the Arc Reactor). As the name suggests it was powered by, you guessed it, algae. How? Well scientists back in the 'Real' world found out the use of algae as possible bio-fuel. Mom genetically modified the algae into a fast growing, high energy output Super Algae. A ton of this could power New York for a decade.

There was also a type of Bat-Cave-ish underground lair/ tunnel network off the official blue prints added in, known only by my parents Martha and Thomas, Alfred and of course the legendary Lucius Fox.

Dude looked a lot like Denzel Washington.

"Ah Mister Wayne! Glad you could make it," he greeted us with a smile.

I grinned, "Of course, why wouldn't I be?"

"School perhaps?"

"You know very well, that I finished college years ago."

He smiled, "Right this way, then."

He led us to the base of the Tower, the Visitor Center.

"Construction has been going smoothly. Estimations say that constructions should finish somewhere around 2007."

I nodded. If the movies were a thing then that's a year-ish before the first Iron Man? Man of Steel didn't happen till 2013-if Supes existed that is-so that's 6 years before? So that's a year after the Avengers. So, back to back alien invasions? Kryptonians and Chituari, this was gonna seriously suck.

We talked for a few hours more about costs and construction, but there was one thing in my mind.

Is it too late to start making preparations?

When we were driving back, I was thinking of ways to counter the Threats in the future.

Now while most people would jump at the opportunity to become a superhero, I was less than enthusiastic. Don't get me wrong, I loved Batman, but I was not prepared to be him.

Bruce Wayne, no matter what you think, was not without some mental issues.

His obsession with fighting crime and excessive paranoia consumed him, not to mention his unchecked PTSD and his ridiculous training regime. His obsession went to the point that Bruce Wayne became the disguise, Batman became his true identity

Now don't get me wrong. You can't deal with the worst possible excuses of humans without some mental trauma. But the point still remains.

Bruce wasn't a fully mentally healthy individual.

Alfred suddenly stepped on the brakes, without any warning.

"My God!"

I looked out and quickly ran out, Alfred hot on my heels.

"Alfred call an ambulance!"

There was blood pooling.

A little got hit by a car and her friend kneeled over her shaking violently.

I ripped of my jacket and held it behind her head to try and stop the bleeding. Shit! Shit!

Stay Calm! Deep Breaths!

The red-head was shaking, "I can hear her!"

What?!

"I can feel her! She's dying!"

"Hey stay calm!"

Hysteria was not a good thing in this situation.

"She's scared!"

"Hey hey stay calm. Listen to me; she's going to be alright. Be calm."

That did little to help her. So I did what mom always did and gently hugged her.

The paramedics rolled in and gently lifted red-head's friend onto a stretcher.

"See, she's going to be alright. Think of the blue sky and calm green meadows."

What? This always helped me calm down.

I gently rubbed her hair. Her breathing slowly returned to normal. The shaking lessened.

"Take a deep breath."

She slowly stopped shaking.

I smiled, "Good, now what's your name?"

"Jean," she replied weakly.

Shit.

We barged in Metro-General.

"Code Blue! Code Blue! We need a doctor now!"

Annie was getting wheeled by two nurses in blue.

"What is it?" A female doctor in blue asked joining us.

"Hit by car. Severe head trauma, great loss of blood. Patient convulsing."

"Get her in now!"

A familiar looking man with a goatee ran towards us, "Christine! What happened?"

"Stephen! Quick get in!"

Holy shit! That's Doctor Strange!

With not a moment to lose they both went into the operating room.

I sighed and turned to Jean.

The future Phoenix Host.

She was not doing good. Her eyes were red and puffy from crying and she still seemed close to breaking down.

"You okay?"

She nodded, reluctantly.

Not okay.

Alfred came in, "I have informed the parents of Ms Grey and Ms Richards. They will be here momentarily."

I nodded.

Now what to do with her.

"Why aren't you scared?"

That caught me off guard.

"wha-?" was my well thought response.

"I can read your mind. I know you believe me, then why aren't you scared?"

How did she-

"I can read your mind."

Oh right, that. Damn. How do I say this? Because you're one of my favorite comic book characters? Wait! Oh no!

I looked panicked but Jean just gave me a confused look, "Your mind just went fuzzy?"

What?

"Now I can hear properly again."

I internally sighed. Whatever being decided to pop me in here was kind enough to stop people getting to know about my Comic Knowledge.

"I hear static again."

Damn this girl is spooky. If she knows abo-

"You hacked a government agency!" She gasped.

Damn!

She giggled, "You're weird."

That hurt. A mutant called me weird.

She laughed, "You're funny! Do yo-" she stopped.

"Do you what?" I asked.

She gulped and took a breath, "Do you want to be my friend?" She asked nervously. She was afraid of rejection, I could clearly see that.

That saddened me, so I nodded.

All her nervousness melted away and she ran at full speed and knocked the wind out of me. For being barely four feet one, she was strong.

"Thank you! Thank you Thank you!"

I laughed and hugged her back.

That was how I made my first friend- well besides Tony Stark.

Chapter 3 is a go. And HOLY CRAP! Over 10 follows and favs! AND 6 Reviews! Thanks guys!

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