Disclaimer: All characters belong to DC, with the exception of the orphan, Danny, and Jim. I am not an expert on lore, so this story will be a mix across many timelines, stories, plots, ect. I've pulled what little knowledge I have of the DC universe to write this, so be gentle with me. Enjoy!
It was late August and I had reached a status of official homelessness. I turned 18 and had never gotten adopted from the Gotham City Orphanage. Mrs. Watkins pulled me into her office. She gave me an envelope filled with papers, and informed me I had forty eight hours to gather my things and leave the premises. The papers given to me were the usual exit bullshit giving me "options" of safe houses and soup kitchens I could rely on until I found employment. There were some personal papers too, but since my mother had died and I hadn't known of any relatives, it was all rather meaningless. I just had a name and a number now. Mrs. Watkins said she would give one of the shelters a call so they could reserve a place for me. I knew these situations never panned out right.
One of my friends, Danny, was kicked out three months ago. Shortly after, he made an unannounced visit to my window in the middle of the night. I leaned through my open window and gave him a big loving hug. He told me that I shouldn't believe in any of the help they try to give. I had been crouched down with my arms folded on the sill listening intently. The phone call was a lie, and the shelters were overfilled. His irritation showed. They had no push to make sure we were safe. He had been squatting in abandoned houses, and using petty crime to get by. He looked thin, but none the worse for wear.
He told me the Batman was real, and that he got to see it for himself. Before he left, he said he would be waiting for me when it was my time. His eyes showing flecks of optimism. That maybe life would get a little easier on the outside if it was just the two of us, and that we could leave this city behind. That type of thinking gave me an air of hope to go on for now. But before he left he handed me something, and that something would come in handy more than I ever knew. Pulling me in close, he placed an unexpected kiss on my cheek and disappeared into the night.
I've been living in Crime Alley for about three weeks and camping out in abandoned buildings like he had. There was no sign of Danny. That hope I had thrived on, fell by the wayside and was replaced with the need to survive. I stopped looking for him after a week out here. I needed to focus on myself. I assumed plans had changed and that he either got out of town without me, or maybe ended up dead stealing from the wrong person. I tried my hardest to not believe in the later.
The bitter chill of fall was coming. It drained my energy everytime I slept without any extra coverings to protect me. I had not brought anything with me except the cloths on my back, which never kept me warm. The papers I had been given, I threw away on my second day out here, when I realized they did nothing for me. I tried to stay out of site during the day and scavenged back alleys at night. Picking through trash to find any morsel of unspoiled food. I never knew the pain of an empty stomach until now.
Standing five foot four, I looked average with brown wavy shoulder length hair. This came as an advantage because I generally went unnoticed in the alley. Unless you caught a glimpse of my eyes. You would think those big green eyes, with flecks of gold could of helped me to land a home. But with the system too full, and the years passing by so fast, it never made a difference.
The streets kept me hidden for about a month. I hadn't fallen victim to any physical abuse or senseless rape. But one night HE found me. That illusive man. No not Danny, but someone far worse. A chance encounter that would forever change the flow of time. That egomaniac worked the streets at night, and I've seen the dead bodies that prove it.
I gathered around a burning barrel, with the others to keep warm. It was a rainy night, and I was half asleep daydreaming. I started to hear chatter and fleeting footsteps, but I ignored it. These people scared too easily and I was used to that. I was about to retreat back to my favorite building to get some sleep, when a strong arm came up from behind and put me in a choke hold. Clawing at his burly arm and gasping for air, he threw me to the ground with a painful thud. Then I heard a gruff voice say, "Hey boss I think I found that playmate for the Mrs." I grasped my neck and rubbed it to sooth the pain, all the while coughing and trying to breathe normally again. Shaking, I laid a hand on the hidden knife in the side of my shoe.
I heard many more footsteps coming forward, and I began to panic realizing there was no easy way to get out of this. I would soon be outnumbered. Feeling that fight or flight urge, I took my chances and stabbed the guy in the leg and ran. He let out a loud growl of pain that faded with every scared footfall I took away from him. I didn't get far because I heard the woosh of what I thought was a bullet. Then felt pain on the right side of my face and tripped head first into a chain link fence.
I got on my knees and put my hands to my face checking for the damage. Moving my hands around, I felt the dripping blood. My cheek had a gash. It wasn't deep but stung from the rain hitting it. My head sang with static, but soon stopped. When my vision began to focus, I saw something odd on the ground beside me. It was a Queen of Hearts playing card. I picked it up and felt the edges, wincing when my finger got caught. I instinctively stuck it in my mouth to cease the bleeding. Then my mind started reeling as I ignored the footsteps getting closer. Playing card? That's not common. My eyes widened with fear. Shit! It must be him. Then a snarling voice echoed off the walls, "Do I have to do everything around here? Why am I even paying you guys?"
A figure crept up in front of me, wearing a pair of black polished wingtip shoes. I took the finger out of my mouth, as my eyes followed up the purple pant-leg of a suit. It had to be him. A white gloved hand reached down and lifted up my chin. It was still too dark to see his face clearly. Jerking my head to the side he was examining me. In a sympathetic voice he uttered, "It's a shame I had to nik your pretty little face. These boobs can't seem to do their job right. Jim help her up!"
The guy I had jammed my knife into walked over with a slight limp. He was a big brut. I'm surprised they could find a shirt to fit him. He pulled my knife out of his leg with a grunt, and jerked me upward painfully. My arms were secured behind my back tightly with only one of his big hands, and he laid the blade against my throat. I felt his warm blood dripping from it, landing on the collar of my shirt. He glided into the light, a tall thin figure, his ghost white skin almost made him appear to glow in the dark.
"Bring her closer." His green eyes glittered like emeralds, and his smile seemed unnaturally wide. He gave me a curious look. "Maybe we should cover that cut. It looks like it might get infected." He turned to his men, "Does anyone have a band aid?" Only silence. "Get this girl a band aid!" He let out a high pitched yell and finished with a chuckle. A big hand from the side held out a tan band aid, and he snatched it up quickly, tearing off the back and laying it rather gently over my cut. "That's better. Now, what is your name dear?"
I didn't answer, but instead gave him a scowl. He must of found that entertaining because he gave another light chuckle, turning his smile extra wide revealing his yellowing teeth. Then he turned serious. "You must be new to the streets kid, or you would have stayed hidden." His voice grew into a yell, "Like everyone else!" He cleared his throat, "Your clothes aren't too soiled, you don't reek of booze, and," He took a step closer, "you're too young to be a has been." He took a step back to straighten his tie, brush back his green hair, and look me over once more. "I have an offer of work for you girlie. Not just work mind you, but…" He drew out his speech slowly, "A place to sleep, food to eat, and a new family to be a part of." His eyes shifted to the brut behind me and he cocked an eyebrow in annoyance. "Jim, could you remove that knife?"
I felt the blade lower from my neck, as he dropped it to the ground with a metallic clatter. I manage to squeak out a "Thank you" while I caught my breath. My heart was beating wildly.
"And she has manners!" He declared with another loud shout. "Jim, you can let her go now. I don't think she will putting up much more of a fight anymore." I felt my arms being released, and quickly rubbed my aching wrists. He motioned for me to follow him. "Let's walk and talk dear." Grabbing my blade from the ground, I stuffed it back into my shoe. He shooed away his guards, and I felt safe enough to follow. The click from his shoes echoed off the alley walls.
"You seem like a smart girl, so I'm going to let you in on a little secret." He paused briefly, "Harley likes to have an extra woman on the team. She refuses to think that henchman should only be limited to a boys club. This would also mean she would have someone to talk to." His voice sounded a little annoyed, "And I would feel a little less, bothered, with her constant chattering." His pace began to slow. "You should know I choose a certain kind of personality and you girl are not it. She requested someone...different. A little less damaged. Women are hard to come by in this crap hole. I hope you understand. Should you get arrested...or die; that's just a part of the job, you would be compensated greatly. I aim for complete trust in my cohorts, and that always comes with a price."
I stopped dead in my tracks. "And what if I say no?" An uneasiness spread through me.
He turned to me with the biggest frown I had ever seen. "I would be lying if I said that you have some options; but this encounter only has two outcomes. Do or die. If your as smart as I think you are, door one beats door number two."
I spoke in a quiet voice, "We all eventually die anyway, so what do I have to lose?"
"So door number one kid?" I shook my head yes and that smile of his came back. He took my hand with delight, "That's the spirit!" He let out a loud chuckle, and began to dance with me. It caught me off guard and I fell backwards with a gasp. He was unphased by the awkwardness of my fall. Catching my back on his left knee, and extending back his right leg in a ballroom dancers pose, he looked down at me. "Then I guess your in. Welcome to the gang!"
AN: This is my first fan fiction. I apologize for any misspellings, grammar errors, ect. Please feel free to comment, review, like, or favorite. Thank you for reading!