"When I look up at the stars,

I don't fell like I'm a part,

of this universe.

I feel small,

a flying speck of dust,

that won't be missed,

in a world of billion other specks." -(P.P.)


BANG!

Finley was six, it had been about half a year since her parents had been murdered and times had been tough for the little girl. Her brother seemed to be angry with everyone all the time, everywhere she went people gave her sad, sympathetic smiles, and most of all she was still trying to cope with the idea that her parents were never coming home. No longer would her father tuck her into bed at night, or her mother let her help make the family tea. Two fifths of her family were gone. Sure she had Bruce and Alfred, but for the first time in her life Finley felt alone.

"Are you okay?" A soft voice called out to her, and her head shot up from it's slouched position on the swing, her shoes digging harder into the mud. A young boy with big, brown eyes, and slightly wavy hair around her age was staring at her, from a foot or two away. The look he gave her was not one of sympathy or sadness, but one of overwhelming concern. She tried to smile at him and nod her head. The boy smiled back. "My name's John."

That was the last time that Finley would feel alone for a very long time.

BANG! The sound of another gunshot rang out through the larger concrete room.

"Finley get down!" An eleven year old John yelled. "Alfred told you not to climb trees anymore and we're supposed to be at lunch in ten minutes!" Finley scowled from her spot in the tall oak tree.

"Oh hush John, you worry too much! Besides all your yelling is scaring it!" John sighed running a hand through his short hair.

"It's just a bird Finley! It's not your job to worry about it." As if to protest the bird chirped and wriggled in Finley's small hand.

"It's not just a bird John! It's a baby bird and I'm going to make sure that it is returned to its nest! " John remained silent as Finley nimbly climbed to the top of the tree.

"There you go little bird," she murmured to the small robin as she placed him gently back in his best and couldn't help but smile as his siblings chirped happily welcoming him back. As Finley started to make her way back down her foot slipped from its spot on the tree branch. Her stomach dropped.

"Finley!" John's terrified voice screamed as she plummeted towards the ground.

Finley wore a cast on her arm for the next six weeks.

BANG! BANG! More shots.

"Seriously Fin, this is a bad idea." It was the summer after their sophomore year of high school and the two teens were standing in the basement of an old abandoned warehouse next to a boxing ring. Finley rolled her eyes continuing to wrap tape around her hands before pulling her hair up into a tight pony tail.

"Come on Johnny boy! It's just one little fight, what's the worst that could happen?" John looked at her incredulously as she stood in front of him clothed in only a black sports bra and black gym shorts, her taped hand resting defiantly on her hips. He then turned to look at her opponent and groaned.

"Seriously Fin, I know you hate when people use you being a girl as a reason for something but look at you then look at that guy! He's like 6' and three hundred pounds! He could kill you."

"Can you relax John? I know you want to be a cop and all but damn you're not my parole officer just yet! Besides I'm the top of my class in both judo and taekwando, I'll be fine."

"What do you get if you win Finley? Why are you so eager to go against this guy? What's in it for you?"

"Did you see that fancy red bike when we pulled up?" Finley asked now excited. She grinned widely when John nodded. "That's what's in it for me if I win. That's what we bet on."

"Couldn't you just buy your own bike? I mean your family is one of, if not the richest families in Gotham. I'm sure one motorcycle wouldn't put a dent in your bank account." Finley shrugged.

"Earning it myself makes it feel more important."

"And if he wins? What did he want from you?"

"The number of a model that Bruce used to hang out with!" Finley laughed. "She's like 6 years older than him and most definitely not looking for a guy like him." Before John could say anything else a tall man blew a whistle and ordered Finley and her opponent into the ring.

"Have faith in me," Finley said softly as she gave John a quick hug and kiss on the cheek.

"I always do," John whispered into her hair.

Finley showed up to school on Monday with a busted lip and black eye, but she rode a cherry red motorcycle to school for the rest of the year.

BANG! The gun in Finley's hand was starting to run out of bullets.

It was the night of graduation, and Finley and John had skipped out on all the festivities to go hang out at the planetarium that Wayne Enterprises owned.

"Do you ever think it's strange," Finley asked quietly as the pair laid side-by-side on the floor gazing up at the stars. "That our planet is just one teeny-tiny little speck in the universe? That we're just so fleeting and insignificant?" Before John got a chance to answer Finley plowed on. "I'm mean look at us. We just graduated high school, a huge right of passage for most people, and we're sitting here wasting our time being 'adults' sitting here looking at the stars." John sighed frowning turning on his side to stare at Finley.

"No matter how many times I tell you Fin, you never get it. The time that I spend with you, no matter what we're doing, is never wasted." Finley shifted to her side as well, no longer gazing at the stars, instead seeing them reflected in John's big, brown orbs.

"That'e really sweet John and I know that you mean that, but what makes me so special? I'm just a speck John, filled in a world with a billion other specks that are better than me in every way."

"Finley don't-" Finley's pale hand raised cutting him off.

"Let me finish John. There's people who have their whole lives planned out already, look at half of our class. Tons of them already know that they want to be; lawyers, CEOs, or doctors, following in their parents footsteps. But me? I have no clue what I want to do now. I mean I applied for colleges and I got in but what does that mean when I literally have no clue what I see myself being happy doing. There are people prettier, wiser, and happier than me, people who aren't as damaged, and I'm so jealous of them, because they have it all planned out. All I've been able to think these past few weeks is that while people are happy saving lives as doctors, or running large corporations, the only way I picture myself as happy is when I'm here, with you." By the time Finley finished her speech the two had moved into sitting positions and Finley had turned her head away from John. He couldn't help the chuckle that left his lips, causing her to stare at him once again.

"You really think that all those other people have it better off than you? Little bird... you are so bright and beautiful and you just don't see it... Finley, you have the most beautiful heart that I have ever seen; you care more for everybody else on this planet, whether you've met them your not, than yourself. So what if they know what they want? It doesn't matter Fin, because one day you'll find yourself, and you'll know what you want to do. It doesn't matter how long that takes. When that happens it will be beautiful. You will be amazing and finally see what me, Alfred, and Bruce see in you. You may be a speck Finley Aderyn Wayne, but you are the most extraordinary speck that I have ever seen." Finley had tears rolling down her cheeks as her best friend's words sunk in. While John was talking they had shifted closing to each other and as they stared into the other's eyes they started to lean forward. When their lips met in their first sweet kiss it took their breath away. Sure they had kissed and fooled around with each other a few times before but nothing felt like that moment. They kissed a few more times, not saying anything, simply enjoying what everyone had seen as inevitable.

After a few short kisses they laid back down, this time Finley tucked sweetly into John's arms, and stared at the galaxy in which they were simple small specks that had managed to band together. They were living in the moment, content to know that they knew that they were happy and together, but it was then that Finley saw her future.

The next day Finley boarded a plane bound for New York City and never looked back.

BANG! BANG! BANG! BANG! Finley continued to try to fire the gun at the paper target but all that was heard was the sound of an empty clip. Realizing there were no more bullets Finley sunk to the ground sobbing, her head between her knees as she tried not to have a panic or anxiety attack.

Heading to Wayne enterprises, specifically the floor where the advanced weaponry sector was housed seem like a good idea at the time. Finley needed some place to blow off some steam and that seemed like the perfect place to do it. What she didn't count on was the wave of emotions and memories that seeing John again would bring on.

"Finley? Miss Finley Wayne? Are you alright dear?" Finley's head shot up as she glanced eyes wide at the man who stood in-front of her.

"Lucius?" The graying man smiled at her as he kneeled down smiling at her. Finley ungracefully wiped her nose on the sleeve of her sweater. "Long time, so see eh?"

"Long time indeed Ms. Wayne. Now why am I finding you after all this time crying on the floor?"

"I needed a place to blow off some steam and this seemed to be the first place that came to mind." Mr. Fox smiled.

"Well it certainly worked didn't it?" Finley let out a loud laugh and for a second she felt like she was back in high-school; before Bruce's second life got in the way, before the incident with the Joker, and most importantly before she lost her way.

"I've missed you Lucius. Nobody has a sense of humor like you do, not to mention the newest technology."

"If I do remember correctly Finley, it was you who came up with most of the new inventions. Did you catch a cab here?" Finley nodded, wiping the remainders of her tears away. "How about I drive you home then and we can catch up during the drive." Finley smiled taking his outstretched hand.


"So, are you going to tell me what the hell that was all about at dinner?" It was about half an hour after Lucius had dropped Finley off at Wayne Manor and Bruce, having just finished taking his medicine for the night, was standing in the doorway of his sisters room. Finley continued to fold her clothes and put them away in her wardrobe, not stopping to look at her brother.

"I don't know what you're referring to."

"Bullshit Finley," Bruce exclaimed limping into her room and sitting on her bed. "Why did you run from John tonight? Do you understand how pissed he was?" The last statement got Finley to stop in her track the shirt she was holding slipping from her fingers.

"What do you mean he was pissed? Bruce, did he know that it was me?"

"Why does it matter if he does Fin? I mean you said you're moving back and if you transfer to Gotham PD you're going to be seeing him. You can't just ignore him Finley, he deserves more than that." Finley groaned loudly as she flopped onto the bed next to her brother. The thought of having to walk into the Gotham Police Department and hand over her transfer papers was one that she tried to push out of her head. In the eight years that she'd been gone Finley had become the top field agent in New York, working with the CIA and FBI on multiple occasions. She was the best at what she did; which was criminal profiling and intel, forensics, and technology. You needed a bad guy caught and Finley was your girl. Bruce had always thought that his sister joining the legal hero force was her way of holding onto the superhero life as much as she could.

"Why does everything have to be so difficult?" Bruce chuckled slightly as he wrapped an arm around his sister pulling her into him.

"Well you are a Wayne..." The two laughed, before sitting in a comfortable silence for awhile. "Finley?"

"Hmm?" Replied the younger Wayne as she curled further into her brother's side, not realizing how much she had missed his brotherly affection while she had been away.

"Why did you run from John tonight? Aren't you excited to see him again after all this time?"

"Bruce, we never really talked about it but John's the reason that I left Gotham..."

"What? Why would the reason you left your home for eight years be your best friend?" Finley sighed.

"It's a long story..."


Hey guys so this is a little shorter than I wanted and originally I was going to cover the whole story of why Finley left in this chapter but I felt bad that i haven't uploaded in a month. The reason for that is the fact that I've been in and out of the hospital the past three weeks and have just been going through a rough time. But nonetheless here is a bit of a chapter. the more demand the faster another chapter will be out. Two more until Bruce and Finley spar!