Chapter 5
AN: So this is the first chapter that is completely new, I hope you like it. I am beyond excited for you to read it.
Three months have passed since Laurel became what is being called 'The Woman in Black,' and ever since then the only people who Laurel is aware knows about her are Thea and Ted, though most of the city are wondering. Both Thea and Ted have been helping Laurel keep her secret and Ted has been giving Laurel tips, patching up any wounds that she can't patch up herself, and been giving her training, other than boxing, which she has been using to protect the citizens of Star City, mainly in The Glades as they are the people who need her most.
It's a Friday afternoon and as Thea and Sin had a half day at school the two of them, Roy, and Laurel are getting ready to travel to Gotham for a weekend trip that they have been planning for weeks. While Sin and Roy are in the living area Laurel is packing her bag in her room when Thea walks in, intending to tell Laurel that the others are ready, and as she does, she notices what Laurel is packing.
"You're taking that with you?" Thea asks surprised as Laurel is packing her Women in Black mask, wig, and Tofa's.
"It's Gotham, I might just need them," Laurel admits.
"True," Thea admits. "So, we're ready when you are," Thea responds.
"I'm almost ready," Laurel responds, and Thea sits down on Laurel's bed. "So, you excited about seeing Mary?" Laurel asks curious as while Thea and Mary talk all the time it's not often that they get to see one another.
"Oh yeah," Thea confirms. "It's going to be nice spending time with Mary, Sin and Roy, we don't get to do that enough," Thea admits. "What about you? You glad to see Bruce?"
"Yeah, I am," Laurel admits, as she collects the last few things she needs to pack.
"You going to tell him how you've been spending your nights?" Thea asks curious.
"I don't intend to," Laurel says as she zips up her back. "Okay, let's go," Laurel says, swinging her bag over her shoulder as she and Thea walk out into the living area.
"Sin, Roy, you got everything you need?" Laurel asks as she walks up to the pair.
"Yep," Sin answers.
"I think so," Roy responds.
"Good, let's go," Laurel says and the four of them head out of the apartment.
A few hours later Thea, Roy, Sin and Laurel have arrived in Gotham. Having made sure that Thea, Roy and Sin are settled with Mary, under the reluctant and annoyed supervision of Mary's stepsister Kate Kane, which may be a bad idea, Laurel, who has her mask on in her pocket and a Tonfa hidden in her pants, is walking towards the motorbike Kate is letting her borrow while making a phone call.
"Dinah?" Bruce answers, as unknown to Laurel he is doing exactly what she would be doing if she was in Star City.
"Hey, I'm leaving the Kane-Hamilton Penthouse, and Kate's lending me a bike, so I should be at Wayne soon," Laurel explains.
"Sounds good, want a shortcut?" Bruce asks curious having an ulterior motive as there is currently some dangerous people out in the city causing trouble and there is someone that he wants to make sure is okay but can't get too quick enough.
"Sure," Laurel responds, and Bruch gives Laurel a shortcut that will take her exactly where he needs her to go. "See you soon," Laurel says before hanging up.
After hanging up with Bruce Laurel gets on the bike and speeds away, taking the route Bruce suggested. After a little while of driving, Laurel not knowing enough about Gotham to know that the way she is going is longer, Laurel hears a sound that she has become so used to searching for that she doesn't realise she instinctively does, someone screaming for help.
Slamming on the breaks of the bike Laurel pulls her mask out of her pocket, puts it on, and grabs her tonfa from where she hid it and goes running. As she gets closer to the sound Laurel sees a black girl, who looks to be about the same age as Thea, trying to defend against two men who are trying to steal her backpack.
Acting on instinct Laurel moves does a fluid like move where she kicks the knees out of one man while using her Tonfa to hit the ribs of the other. "RUN!" Laurel tells the girl, who doesn't listen, as she grabs the man who she hit with her Tonfa and throws him towards the other man, causing both of them to get knocked out. "Are you okay?" Laurel asks the girl, who watched everything that happened.
"Yeah," She responds, catching her breath, looking amazed. "Who are you?" The Girl asks as there are a lot of different types of people in Gotham, she hasn't heard about the women who is standing in front of her.
"A friend," Laurel responds. "Do you think you can get home okay?" Laurel asks, wanting to be sure of that before she leaves.
"Yeah, I'm only a few blocks away, I was studying," The girl explains, and then she quickly realises she said too much. "Um, thanks, I guess," the girl responds.
"You should get out of here," Laurel say sand the girl nods, before hurrying away, Laurel watching her go to make sure she is okay.
As the girl leaves Laurel is just about to take off her mask when she gets a feeling that tells her that she is not alone, looking around Laurel sees a figure standing on top of a nearby building. It takes her a few seconds, but she realises that the figure is Batman and once she realises that everything falls into place.
Moving quickly Laurel easily uses parkour to make her way up to the roof of the building and comes to face to face with Batman.
"I should have realised it was you, who else would be so dramatic?" Laurel asks. "Hello Bruce," Laurel greats, taking off her mask as she is so sure she is right.
"Hello Dinah," Bruce says, taking off the cowl as his tech tells him that he and Laurel are alone, that they are not being watched. "Thank you, for protecting her," Bruce responds, incredibly grateful.
"it's what I do," Laurel responds. "But after the way you made sure I would be here I think I deserve to know who she is to you, and if you say you're dating her I swear Bruce, I will throw you off this roof," Laurel says, both of them knowing that she is telling the truth.
"She's my daughter," Bruce reveals to Laurel's surprise.
"I assume you have somewhere private we can talk," Laurel says, getting over her shock.
"Follow me," Bruce says, putting his cowl back on as Laurel puts her mask back on, and they both head back down off the roof. Once they are on the ground Laurel heads to her bike which she gets on and uses to follow the Batmobile.
Not long after they leave the rooftop Laurel and Bruce arrive at a area below Wayne Tower, a place that those in the know call the Batcave.
"See this is what I'm talking about, this is dramatic," Laurel comments, as she once more takes off her mask and Bruce takes off his cowl.
"I take it that we you work out of doesn't look like this?" Bruce asks as while he figured out what Laurel is doing, he hasn't figured out where she is operating out of.
"No, I'm still working out of my apartment," Laurel says, and Bruce give her a 'are you serous' look. "I know, I know, I'm going to work on it," Laurel admits. "So, you figured out what I was doing, when?" Laurel asks curious.
"About a month after you started," Bruce admits. "I keep an eye on other cities in case there is anything that I need to deal with," Bruce explains. "As soon as I saw footage of the Star City Justice Collector, I knew it was you," Bruce explains.
"Guess you know me to well," Laurel says as she sits down on a metal table that is between a rock and a control panel. "So, she's your daughter?" Laurel asks.
"Her name's Ryan," Bruce reveals. "Ryan Wilder," Bruce explains as he sits down across from Laurel.
"Nice name," Laurel tells Bruce, smiling slightly. "And the story?" Laurel asks curious, knowing for sure that there is one.
"When I was eighteen, her mother, who is married, and I were together," Bruce reveals. "It was intense, a whirlwind romance, and too much for me at the time," Bruce reveals. "I already knew what my mission was, what I needed to do so I left Gotham, and spent just over five years becoming what my city needed," Bruce explains.
"You ran away from what you were feeling," Laurel says, there is no judgment in her voice, just honestly, even though she does have personal feelings about cheating and running away rather than talking about feelings.
"I didn't know about Ryan," Bruce reveals, needing his friend to know that.
"I know," Laurel says, as while Bruce is incredibly private, she knows how much his parents' death caused him and so she knows that even with everything he wouldn't abandon his daughter if he knew. "When did you find out?" Laurel asks.
"A few years ago, about the same time you became Thea's legal guardian," Bruce explains. "I thought that her biological mother was using her company to do bad things, that she as hurting people, so I looked into it," Bruce admits. "When I did that, I found a two million payment, and that lead me to Ryan," Bruce reveals. "I knew she was my daughter before I compared her medical records from the foster system to me," Bruce explains.
"And yet you haven't told her," Laurel realises.
"When I found out she had finally found a family after spending her entire life in Foster Care, she finally had a real home; I couldn't disrupt her world, I couldn't take that away from her," Bruce reveals, not revealing that he pulled strings from behind the scenes, in ways that can never be traced back to him, to speed up Ryan being adopted by a good woman named Cora Lewis.
"And?" Laurel asks, knowing there is more. "What aren't you saying?" Laurel asks curious.
"Dinah, you know how dangerous what we do is," Bruce says, knowing that Laurel is one of the only people who will understand. "If any one of my enemies found out they would hurt Ryan, use her to get to me," Bruce says. "I can't let that happen," Bruce says, as he is determined to make sure that never happens.
"I get it," Laurel says, as she fears for Thea, Roy, and Sin's safety constantly. "So, what, you're just going to keep watching, protecting, her from rooftops?" Laurel asks curious.
"If I have to," Bruce responds.
"That must be incredibly hard," Laurel says as she reaches over and takes Bruce's hand, offering him silent support.
"It is, but it's what I need to do," Bruce reveals. "You're the only person I've told about her," Bruce reveals.
"I'll keep your secrets," Laurel promises, clearly talking about more than just Ryan.
"And I'll keep yours," Bruce responds.
"Why me, Bruce?" Laurel asks. "I get that you knew there was danger in the area where she was tonight, which is why you had me go there, but you didn't have to tell me who she was, why did you?" Laurel asks curious.
"Do you remember the night we met?" Bruce asks curious.
"Kind of hard to forget," Laurel responds, confused about the segway, knowing that that night was unforgettable, but not because she met Bruce but because of the reason why their paths crossed.
"You didn't have to do what you did, but you did because you wanted to help your friends. You put yourself in an incredibly dangerous situation because of loyalty; I admire that," Bruce admits.
"Why? You were the one who got us out of it," Laurel reminds him.
"I did, but it wasn't a satiation you needed to be," Bruce says. "Tommy and Oliver got themselves into that position, and you could have walked away…" Bruce says.
"No, I couldn't have," Laurel says, cutting Bruce off as there was no way she could have walked away from that.
"And that's why I admire you Dinah," Bruce admits. "You've always had such an incredible heart, the heart of a hero, a passion for justice, loyalty that most people don't deserve, and that's why I told you about Ryan," Bruce admits, honestly not sure he deserves the loyalty Laurel has shown him. "Chances are, no matter how hard I try to make sure it doesn't, one day my world is going to encroach on hers and I told you about her not because of the way you fight, but because of who you are," Bruce reveals. "If she ever learns the truth, I want Ryan to have you to look up to," Bruce reveals.
"I don't know what to say," Laurel admits. "Bruce I'm touched," Laurel admits. "I didn't start this to be admired, or to be looked up to,"
"I know," Bruce responds. "Why did you?" Bruce asks, knowing he could guess, but he wants to hear it from Laurel.
"Thea, Roy, and Sin were hurt; not seriously, they were okay," Laurel adds, seeing the look on Bruce's face. "But it was basically predetermined that there was no point telling anyone because I happened in the Glades, and I couldn't help but wonder when that became okay," Laurel reveals. "Just like Gotham there are soo many people in my city who has no one to fight for them, no one to keep them safe, it's like they're forgotten, I couldn't let that go on any longer; I had to do something," Laurel explains, and Bruce smiles proudly.
"Can I give you some advice?" Bruce asks curious. "As someone who's been where you are, who knows from experience where the path you're on leads to, who knows the choices you will face?" Bruce asks curious.
"Of course," Laurel responds, without needing to think about it.
"Never lose sight of why you do this, and create a code for yourself," Bruce says. "You do that and even in your darkest hours you'll see the path," Bruce responds. "Never forget why you put on that mask, or what you want to achieve with those Tonfa's," Bruce says. "Dinah, don't let the darkness you stare into every night make you forget who you are and why you do this," Bruce responds.
"I won't," Laurel responds. "Do you mind if I give you a piece of advice right back?" Laurel asks, and Bruce just shrugs as he is pretty sure that Laurel will give it anyway.
"I get that you want to protect Ryan, I want to protect Thea, Roy, and Sin. I know that you're scared that the darkness you live in will darken her light, but I also know that if you let yourself be apart of her life then she will make staring into the darkness a little easier," Laurel explains. "I'm not saying you should make a decision right now, but I am saying that you should think about whether staying away is what you really want or whether it's just what you think you should do," Laurel tells Bruce.
"I'll think about it," Bruce responds. "Dinah, I will be there for Thea, Roy and Sin if you need, I will protect them if you need me to," Bruce promises.
"I know," Laurel says as she didn't need Bruce to say that for her to know that.
"I have something for you," Bruce says, jumping down from the table, and heading across the room. Feeling curious Laurel jumps down and follows. Once Bruce has grabbed what he wanted he turns around and walks the few steps that separate him and Laurel. "I thought these might be more helpful," Bruce says, handing Laurel a box.
Feeling curious Laurel opens the box and inside she finds new Tactical Tonfa's, while they look just like her old ones Laurel can tell that they are different.
"They're a bit lighter to use, but because of their design they can produce more force," Bruce explains.
"Thank you, Bruce," Laurel responds, before hugging him.
"You're welcome," Bruce says as they break apart. "Do you want to try them out?" Bruce asks curious.
"Definitely," Laurel responds.
"Let me get changed and then we can go a few rounds," Bruce responds.
"This is going to be fun," Laurel says with a smirk, as Bruce walks away to get changed.
A few minutes later Bruce returns wearing work out clothes and he walks towards Laurel, who has taken off her jacket and shoes and is standing in what is clearly the training area, collecting a set of batons for himself as he does.
"I'd ask if you were ready, but that never happens in reality," Bruce informs Laurel.
"Oh, I know," Laurel says, as she blocks the attack Bruce tried to surprise her with, and the two of them start to spar, Laurel doing everything she can to learn from Bruce's 17 years' experience.
After a night where they mostly spared, though Laurel also joined Bruce in preventing a late night bank robbery, the two of them are having breakfast with Thea, Roy, Sin, Mary and Kate in the Hamilton- Kane apartment.
"And it was so fun!" Mary explains excitedly. "Roy beat Kate and she was such a sore loser!" Mary exclaims, sounding excited.
"I was not!" Kate exclaims as he does not thing, she was a sore loser because of the way she reacted to losing Mario Carts.
"You kind of were," Sin reveals.
"So, enough about us, what did you two get up to?" Thea asks curious.
"Not much," Bruce answers.
"We just hang about Wayne, got takeout, talked about work," Laurel explains.
"Wow, that sound boring," Roy comments.
"Like really boring," Mary says.
"It wasn't so bad," Laurel says as she and Bruce exchange understanding looks which the others don't see.
"Whatever you say," Kate says disbelieving.
"So today, I was thinking..." Thea says, and the group start to excitedly talk about their plans for the rest of the day knowing that Laurel, Thea, Roy, and Sin will be returning to Star City early the following morning and so they have to spend as much time together as possible.
