Hi everyone!

This is my very first serious story on this site, so please please please review! :D

Chapter One: Family Surprises

Life always tends to surprise you, doesn't it? The noises of the busy city streets filled my ears; the talking people, car horns, the birds chirping, everything. "How do people do this every day?" I asked my taxi driver, tucking a piece of my light brown hair behind my ear.

"You're obviously not from around here, are you?" he asked in a voice I could've sworn I'd heard from somewhere before. His piercing blue eyes bore into me from the front seat mirror, sending a light shiver down my spine.

"Technically, yes. I was born here, but I was taken away shortly after." I confessed.

"What do you mean, taken? That sounds highly…intriguing." He said with a pause, again looking my way, this time slightly turning his head towards me.

"Well, my birth wasn't really supposed to happen."

"You were a surprise that mommy and daddy couldn't handle?"

Why am I telling this guy my life's story? This seems a bit fishy. "It's not exactly that simple, but that's another story for another time. It's a little much to talk to a random cabbie about, you know?" I exhaled deeply, trying to control the memories running rampant through my mind.

"I completely understand! It sounds like you have a lot on your mind…"

He began searching through his driver's compartment, slowly coming to a stop at a red light. I slightly tilted my head in confusion, my light blue eyes scanning his motions with interest. Finally he found what he was searching for, pulling out a small, crinkled piece of notebook paper and a pen. He grabbed my wrist, causing me to gasp. "It's okay, just open your hand." He chuckled, making me blush as I took the paper and pen from him. "Write down this number; 492-351-9701. That's my cellular number."

"Why are you giving me your number, mister..?"

"Not Mister, Doctor. My name is Dr. Johnathan Crane. I'm a licensed psychologist, and I believe I can help you with your thoughts." He said, completely turning to me with a smile, before looking back at the road. I smiled, writing down the information.
"Thank you so much! You really don't have to do this-"

"Of course I do! Helping people is my job, you know. Consider this a friendly favor." He replied.

"Why are you a cabbie when you have such a fancy other job, Doctor?" I asked, my curiosity peaking.

"Times are getting hard, and I needed a way to make some quick money, so here I am." He smiled. "Any other questions for me?"

Why is your voice so familiar to me? "Not particularly, no. I'm fine for now." I smiled back at him.

"Well okay then. So, where was it you needed to go, miss..?"

"It's Miss Walker, Annabel Walker. I need to go to Wayne Manor, please. I trust you know the address?"

"Wayne Manor? What business do you have going there? Bruce isn't in the spotlight nowadays; he mostly hides in like a shut in. It's quite pathetic really, with how great he used to be." Crane said in a condescending tone.

"Let's just say we're close." I said, crossing my fingers.

If only he knew how close we really are..

We rode the rest of the way in silence, although I knew my not telling Crane my true purpose for being here was eating away at him.

Well, curiosity killed the cat.

"Here we are, Miss Annabel." Johnathan said, turning around with a smile on his face.

"Thank you so much, Johnathan." I smiled back, taking my bag in hand. "How much will that be?"

"For you, free of charge. Consider it another friendly favor." He said, shaking my free hand.

"Are you sure? I have plenty of money!" I asked, opening my bag to get my wallet.

"No! Don't pay. You're fine. Just be sure to call that number sometime soon. I'd love to get inside your head." He smirked, his eyes boring into me.

"Well, thank you. See you soon!" I blushed, stepping out of the taxi and making my way up the extensive steps of Wayne Manor. I saw a tiny dust trail follow the taxi as Crane drove away, my mind swirling with all of my thoughts. I looked up at the leviathan of a building before me, utterly amazed. "How can one person live here all alone? Unless he married?" I muttered, looking at the aged brick. Gargoyles hung at the pillars, creating a menacing feeling to the place, but that didn't deter me. I couldn't let a few stone creatures and a gigantic mansion intimidate me. I can't believe I'm actually here, after all these years. What's he like? Will he even believe me? I took a deep breath, trying to ward away my feelings of nausea as I took a hold of the door knocker, exhaling before knocking a few times. Oh God, what if no one's here? I'd have to do all of this over again?

Thankfully someone came to the door, making me jump and clutch my bag. As soon as the door opened, both I and the other person inside were speechless.

"Alfred?" I gasped.

"Miss..Wayne?" He responded, both of us looking at each other deeply.

All of a sudden, he gave me a huge hug, which I returned, bringing tears to my eyes.

"It's been too long, old friend." I smiled, letting a tear drop as I backed away.

"What are you doing here after all of these years?"

"I thought it was time for me to be back here, is all. I've heard about all of the stuff that's happened here over the year, and thought Bruce may use some help."

"Bruce definitely does need help, very badly. Let me take your bag and I'll tell you everything."

After Alfred took my bag, we walked inside the mansion, everything catching my attention as we walked through its halls. Massive statues and beautiful artwork caught my eye, wondering but knowing how Bruce and I turned out so differently.

This place is absolutely amazing. How could Brucey have such great taste?

"A lot has changed since you've last been here, Annabel. This city isn't as great and marvelous as it used to be, in the days of the previous Waynes." Alfred confessed, taking a shaky exhale.

"Oh, them. How are they? I hadn't felt like I should contact them all these years, after everything that happened."

"I completely understand where you're coming from, Miss Wayne, but it may be a bit too late to contact them now."

"What are you talking about?"

"Well, both Mr. and Mrs. Wayne were murdered after a theatre performance in an alley, leaving Bruce to become an orphan. This was about four years after you left us, so you wouldn't have even have been able to confront them anyway."

I saw a small twinkle in his eye and a little bit of water well up. "Oh my gosh, Alfred, I am so sorry! How did Bruce take it?" I wondered, touching my hand to his.

"Not well, I'm afraid. He had a rough childhood. I went from being his servant to being a fatherly figure to him; which was certainly not easy. But we survived, and Wayne Enterprises was booming in the years of Bruce's youth." Alfred continued, holding my hand as we walked down the extensive halls of Bruce's mansion.

"What happened after that? Did Bruce ever marry?"

"Almost. He almost married a young woman named Rachel Dawes." He smiled at that statement, suddenly halting, caught up in memories.

Apparently this woman was someone he liked?

"Miss Dawes was, well, perfect. She was a great match for Bruce."

"Why didn't they get married then?"

Alfred took a deep breath, perhaps trying to figure out how to explain. "Well, things just didn't work out. It was for the best anyway, I guess."

"Where is this woman now? Are she and Bruce still friends?" I pondered, now getting curious about this mystery woman. Will I ever meet her?

"She's dead." He said, closing his eyes.

"Oh dear! What happened to her?"

"That story is long and complicated, but the shorter version was she was kidnapped by this rogue madman, and he killed her. Sad, but true. Her death was probably the hardest for Bruce to come to terms with." He opened his eyes, looking back into my curious eyes.

"How did he react to her death?"

"He's basically become a recluse shut in. He doesn't leave this house, and he never takes any visitors. You're very lucky I'm letting you in. He wouldn't even let his closest friends visit. That's when Wayne Enterprises took a nosedive. Ever since then, he's been so depressed that he couldn't think of anything else, and taking control of the company was not in anyone else's power."

"Oh gosh. Well, let's not waste any time. I'm excited to see him after all of these years. I mean, I barely remember him, and yet I feel like I've known him forever. I was always hearing about him on the news back in New York State. I always smiled, thinking he turned out absolutely perfectly, that nothing bad could've happened to the family. I guess I was wrong then." I took a deep breath and heard a small noise. "What's that noise? It sounds like.."

"A piano." Alfred finished for me.

"Oh, Brucey got into the piano." I smiled, quieting so I could listen.

"Yes. Master Wayne has played a lot lately, considering the circumstances. He's had a lot more time now to learn."

We went up to a huge, crisp white room with big open windows and rows upon rows of books all along the walls. A large crystal chandelier dangled above the ceiling, letting an array of different colors bounce all over the room to the center, and a giant black piano rested in the corner. A man sat at the piano, playing what sounded like "Beethoven's Piano Concerto 5", the wondrous melody travelling across the room. We entered silently, careful not to disturb the piano playing man. I walked closer to him, keeping my distance, until he was finished playing. The last resounding note rung, keeping its place in the air, letting its presence fill the room.

"That was beautiful, Bruce." I smiled, holding my breath. The man whipped his head around, abruptly leaving his seat, staring at me.

"Who are you? Alfred, who is this woman, and why is she in here?" He demanded, holding his glare at the both of us.

My breath hitched in my throat, catching me off guard. Oh dear God, I knew he'd act like this!

"Let the young woman explain, Master Wayne." Alfred replied, setting my bag down on the floor.

He took a few steps towards me until he was only a few inches away from me. His brown eyes glared into my blue ones, and his now shaggy brown hair lightly touched his shoulders as he towered over me. A stern expression clouded his face, a cowl replacing the smile I'd seen seconds earlier while he played.

"I'm going to ask you one more time. Who are you, how did you know my name, and what are you doing in my house?"

I took a deep breath, sorting my words out carefully. "My name is Annabel Lee Walker, but I assume I should be going by Wayne now."

"Why would you use my last name? What the hell is this?"

I took a deep breath in, and lightly exhaled, trying to keep calm. "Bruce, I'm…I'm your sister."