Yay!! Second chapter and I actually have a few reviews!!! I'm very thankful to those people who took the time to review. It always pays to review!! Normally writers are just more motivated when they get more reviews, which makes them update faster, so I have no clue why some people don't feel the need to review. Of course, here I am just babbling, back to the story! I've also tried something different with divider things since the asterisks (little star things) didn't convert to the site or something.
First sight of the formidable Wayne Manor, and Claire knew she would have a hard time there. The large grounds were empty of people and very lonely, just too quiet for a lively girl of nine. The nearest neighbor was miles away, and Bruce hadn't said anything about any other children her age.
Bruce. She looked towards him again.
Ebony hair, non-descript and distant eyes, hard face. Under the ice-cold appearance though, there was a heart of gold. Claire had always been able to read people well, even if they did their best to hide it. She was a people person; one of her favorite things to do was make people feel better, change them. She meet people who acted cold, distant, and mean. However, there was always a reason behind it; most people just didn't try to find out why. They were her projects, not lab rats, definitely not lab rats, but projects. She would be extra nice, inviting, and considerate till there icy façade melted. It never failed, and at the end, Claire would have a new friend. Bruce was lonely, that was his problem. He was changed by something…Claire just wasn't sure what.
"We're here." a voice said.
It was Alfred, Bruce's valet. When Claire had first spotted him, she liked him immediately. He was around 60, tall, and very formal. She loved his British accent, and saw that he was very devoted to 'Master Bruce', it was just kind of hard to notice.
Claire followed Bruce up large steps in front of the house and watched him open massive, oak doors that looked hundreds of years old.
"This house has been in my family for one hundred years." Bruce said, stepping inside.
As soon as the sound of the front doors closing with a small bang echoed through the mansion, a small figure ran down the first flight of stairs.
"Who's that?" he asked.
Claire quickly stepped behind Bruce. Who was this boy? Why hadn't Bruce said anything about him?
"Claire, this is Dick. Dick, Claire." Bruce introduced the two nine-year-old children. "Dick has been staying with me the past few months, and so will you"
"Wait, she's staying here? Why"
Claire's mind was racing. Dick? Who was he? Why did Bruce have him here? A family member? His own child? Then where was the mom?
There Alfred wisely interrupted. "Master Dick, would you like to help pick out what we're going to have for dinner"
Though normally thrilled with this opportunity, Dick hesitantly followed Alfred to the kitchen. He kept turning back to look at Claire with a questioning look until they were out of view.
"I'll show you're your room." Bruce began up the flight of stairs Dick had just descended and then took a right. He opened the door to a beautiful room.
Its light blue walls and off-white trim were very charming. Its size (compared to the rest of the rooms in Wayne Manor) was quite small. A large poster bed was against the wall with white, gossamer hangings. The room had dark hardwood floors and a dark armoire was on the wall opposite the bed. "Dick's room is across the hall in case you get lonely. My bedroom is down the hall, and we should be having dinner in about an hour. Will you be all right?" He had a worried look on his face, he remembered after his parents died he had just wanted to be alone. He had loved and hated the people around him, not wanting them to go away, but wanting the people to stop pitying him. It had just made it worse when they had tried to comfort him; it's not like they could have changed anything, no matter how much they said they were sorry. He wanted to say that own parents had been killed when he was just her age, he just wasn't sure how to say it. Instead of mentioning it, Bruce, after seeing Claire nod in answer to his question, slowly backed out of the room.
When Claire was sure he was down the hall she burst into hushed tears. "Mama!? Daddy?! Where are you?! Why did you leave?" Claire sobbed into her arm, pleading with someone to just bring them back. She couldn't live without them, how was she supposed to? It wouldn't be long until they put her in a home. An orphanage, what would that be like!
After her cries had died down to sniffles and deep breaths, someone knocked on her door. She instantly quieted. Who was it? After a moment of tense silence, the door creaked open. A small, ebony head poked through the opening.
"Hi," he whispered, "Your name's Claire right"
"The boy from earlier!" she thought.
"So why are you here?" he asked, stepping inside her room and closing the door.
Not sure how to respond, Claire stayed silent.
Well, Bruce is taking care of me." Dick said.
"Why?" Claire blurted with out thinking.
Dick immediately became quiet, and an awkward silence was left in the room. After a moment of this Dick ventured, "He's taking care of me; I'm not part of his family of anything." His eyes moved to rest on the floor, and Claire suddenly asked, "Do you want to sit down?" She motioned towards the bed and scooted over.
"Thanks." said Dick with a small smile. "Let me start from the beginning.
"My parents were the 'Flying Graysons' for Haley's Circus. I was raised around acrobatics and joined their team when I was very young, probably six. One day I heard Haley talking to someone. Anthony Zucco" Here Dick shivered and his eyes hardened. When Claire made a move to touch him, though, he swiftly got back to his story. "Zucco threatened Haley about something; he wanted some money I think. When Haley started yelling at Zucco to get away from his circus, Zucco said that he would get him back. He meant it, too." Dick paused again, taking a deep breath, and this time didn't move when Claire placed a hand on his arm, a worried look in her eyes. "Before the show that night I saw Zucco in the main tent. When my parents and I made out way to the ropes, he ran out of the tent. I tried to tell my parents, but…" Dick trailed off again and then started back up. "The show started. I did a few flips, and then my dad put me down on the platform. He went to get my mom and when they were in midair…the rope…broke…." Dick whispered the last part in a choked sort of voice, and Claire's eyes widened and filled with tears. "Bruce was sponsoring the show," said Dick in a shaky whisper, "He was there that night. When the police came they said they'd have to find a safe house for me because I was a material witness. They aren't too easy to find, safe houses, and Bruce just blurted out, 'I'll take him.' It really surprised me." The two children were again quiet. Claire didn't say anything, knowing only too well how little words could do in a situation like this. She only looked at Dick, giving him time to gather his thoughts. It was good that Claire was there to give silent comfort and he quickly attempted to hide his feelings. "Bruce acts pretty cold, but he can be fun sometimes. I'm lonely a lot, so it's nice you're here now!" With that last sentence Dick perked up fairly quickly, but then he asked, "How'd Bruce pick you up"
Claire didn't really want to share anything yet, but it seemed only fair since Dick had shared his history.
After repeating her accounts, Claire felt much better. She wanted to think over everything she had heard about that night, but, instead, there was a knock on the door.
"Time for dinner you two"
Dick and Claire sighed, but got up for dinner, both of their minds with two people not in this world anymore.
Like my ending??!! Okay, I hope everyone like this, and I'll update ASAP. FYI I'm changing the name from Orphan to Orphans (big difference, right?) Why? Because everyone at Wayne Manor (except Alfred, though I'm not sure) is an orphan, sooo…yeah…. Anyways just review and I'll be happy and update faster! Also, if anyone has checked out my Sailor Moon fanfic, I PROMISE I'm going to update that really soon! Think that's all for announcement things…. BYE!
Sailormoonie17