'Mmm.'

He's already wandering up the stairs. Not being able to hear anything down here doesn't mean much. Wayne Manor is so vast, the whole family could be yelling in one of the corners of a wing and he still wouldn't be able to hear. But the stairs are here, so he walks up them.

And also, if this is when he thinks it is, he's more likely to be up in his room than not.


A glance out of one of the windows tells him it's evening, possibly quite late. His heart sinks a little further. But he doesn't stop until he gets to his room. The door is closed, but he doesn't let that stop him - if they can walk through walls at Milliways, they can manage it here.

His room is large. Neat and tidy, though he's obviously a kid who didn't want for anything. None of the things in there matter though. He stops by the door, and sees himself in the bed, and sighs. Leans on the wall, and shoves his hands in his pockets.

'This is the first Christmas after my parents were killed,' he says, to no one in particular. But the ghost will be able to hear.