Sorry i haven't updated in ages. I just started college. Whoo! now thats hard work.
Disclaimer- cause i haven't put anything up in a while i think its best if i recap - I don't own any DC characters. Jade's mine, feel welcome to borrow her (ask in a review).
Adopting another kid probably wasn't the smartest thing to do, especially considering he could barely speak to the one he already had. Bruce found himself going to dinner and sit across from the young boy in complete silence. He had no idea how to talk to him really. They'd had conversations and the kid had discovered he was batman, but beyond that they didn't talk of anything. The kid just sat there with sad eyes and ate his soup before practically running from the table back to his room. He should probably stop calling him the kid. The boy's name was Dick; he had to use it more. But kid matched him better because he was so hyperactive. He was a poster child for ADHD.
Now he was getting another child, probably not permanently, just until she didn't have any expensive medical costs that came with her. Then she could go back to the children's home and be adopted by some nice family. She could go and have a normal life and regrow her hair. That would be it. He had no intention of keeping her. One child was enough.
For now this solution seemed to be the only one. He'd use his lawyers and influence to gain temporary custody and then when she no longer needed help he'd set her up with a nice family. A done deal.
So why did he feel like he was walking to his death?
He rang the bell of the children's home. Alfred was with him, as well as the local magistrate who had signed the order giving him custody. He couldn't back out now.
A severe looking lady answered the door. She invited them in, though she didn't really have a choice in the matter. It was badly lit inside but they managed to stumble down to the office.
The woman printed the girl's file and went to fetch her.
Alfred was looking out the door at the rest of the children's home with disapproval bordering on horror.
There was nothing out there. There was a small kitchenette in one corner with a huge pot on top of a stove. There was a staircase leading of from the corridor up to the dorms and bathroom. That was it. There wasn't so much as a chair or a couch in the place. There weren't even windows, just dodgy lights on the staircase and kitchenette.
Bruce frowned.
He'd actually given money to this particular children's home and if he remembered correctly, it had been no small amount; these children should have been living in luxury. But obviously the money had gone somewhere else.
The woman arrived at the top of the stairs dragging the girl behind her. The kid couldn't keep up.
"Stop fussing." The woman snapped. The girl still walked with a stoop and very slowly. The stairs were especially hard on her. She stumbled a little.
"Should I call an ambulance or the chauffeur?" grumbled Alfred under his breath.
Upon seeing that she had an audience the woman gave a forced tightlipped smile.
The woman fetched her a glass of water as she made her way into the office. The girl tried to smile, but upon seeing the three men she looked a little scared. To be expected, he guessed.
Bruce introduced himself and Alfred, explaining that the magistrate was there as a legal witness to the custody transference.
Bruce signed a couple of forms, even whining a bit about the paperwork to add to the image of being a fop.
Then they piled into the limo, Alfred in the front seat with the driver and Bruce sitting uncomfortably with his new charge. He wasn't really keen on starting a conversation but he could see Alfred staring daggers at him in the rear view mirror. You don't upset Alfred. You don't upset any man who deals with the maintenance of your jump lines and bulletproof armor.
So he told the girl about Dick. Not everything though. Dick would not appreciate him telling a stranger about his parents.
It was really just an excuse to hide the uncomfortable silence, which soon came back because the girl couldn't really say much without coughing. So he talked about how he could get her treatment back underway and she'd be good as new in no time. At least his forced cheerfulness reinforced the image of being a fop.
It was a relief when they arrived at the mansion.
JADE'S POV
Bugger. Things just don't seem to be going my way, I thought.
It was bad enough that Bruce Wayne was looking after me, it was worse that he was trying to be friendly and it was absolutely horrible that he lived in a house the size of a mall complex. I wondered if it had its own supermarket. Then another thought occurred to me. It had better have a lift because there was no way I was going to be able to walk up all those stairs. It did however, have grounds. When a house is big enough to have grounds and not just a garden its owner has far more money than they know what to do with. I liked the grounds, or what I could see of them out the limo window. There were trees and lots of green grass. There was even a greenhouse in the distance. Maybe it had a vegetable patch? Then the house wouldn't need its own supermarket. Then I recognized the type of ground. Limestone with ripples in it, I could see the faint outline of them on the distant hills. The house was on a fault line. There might even be caves out there somewhere.
Not that I'd get the chance to go caving. This manor was only my home until I got better and by the time I was well enough to go caving or wandering about the grounds I would be back at the children's home. I wasn't having much luck.
When we stopped, Mr. Wayne opened the car door for me. His butler got my bag and took it up to my room.
Argh! I was being waited upon.
I'd barely said a word the whole trip, mainly because my throat was so sore. Also, I didn't know how to talk to any of these people. They were strangers. Batman's strangers, but i don't trust a man who pins you against a wall for giving him an answer he doesn't like.
Mr. Wayne helped me up the front steps into the house. That one I appreciated, but i didn't really like a stranger touching me. I didn't really have a choice though. The front room was huge. At least it had more windows than the children's home. Mr. Wayne was saying something about it being very old, but I wasn't really listening. The place was huge and intimidating. I couldn't really get over it.
Then a boy came down the huge staircase. He looked just as lost in the place as I did. He was small and skinny with black hair. He was probably a little younger than me. This must've been the boy Mr. Wayne had been talking about in the car. He didn't really say much. He came up to me and introduced himself as Dick and that was about it really. Silence reigned until Mr. Wayne suggested Dick show me to my room.
Then we were off up the stairs. Dick had to help me most of the way.
"You really are sick, huh." He said.
I was relieved when we finally did reach my room. It was big with a huge bed and a bathroom. It had a balcony with white curtains framing the door. All the furniture matched and the bed had a look about it that said; if you jump on me I will cost you your life savings. It even had an entertainment system. Dick stood in the doorway behind me, waiting to see what I would think.
"Its all so huge." I croaked
"Yeah. That's what I thought when I first came here."
I nodded. I still couldn't speak much.
"My room is just across the hallway. Its pretty much the same, except the bed sheets aren't pink." Said Dick, indicating my bed.
"I hate pink." I croaked
Dick laughed.
"Same, but you're a girl, you're meant to like it."
I smiled. My stomach grumbled.
"Alfred will probably bring us lunch in a few minutes." Said Dick
"Alfred?" I croaked
"Yeah. English chap. Butler to his lordship. Sergeant major Alfred Pennyworth; Enemy of all known dust, dirt and kids who don't brush their teeth for the full three minutes before bed."
Dick saluted and did a Charlie Chaplin march. I burst out laughing. I was soon coughing up a lung and he had to get me a glass of water from the bathroom, but I didn't mind. Laughing was worth it.
"Come on, I'll show
you how to work the TV. It's complicated. Even Bruce can't get
his off of the Disney channel occasionally." Dick sniggered
"I
caught him watching Darkwing Duck."
"You're kidding?"
"Nope."
It was a good thing I still had my glass of water or else I'd be dead.
We spent half an hour trying to get it off the AV channel before Alfred came in with sandwiches and a spoonful of horrible tasting medicine for me. Then he told me about my physio appointments.
Joy.
"We have a physiotherapist who will come each night and treat you for the next few weeks. Master Bruce has taken the liberty of buying a specialized bed for your use during these sessions."
"Thank you." I croaked
Yay. Lucky me.
Hang on a second. That voice was familiar.
Nah, it couldn't be. Could it?
Oh well, I could never be sure even if it was the same man.
Alfred fixed the telly for us and left.
"So that's Alfred?" I croaked
"Yep."
"He nice?"
"Yeah. Makes good cookies, but don't upset him. He controls everything in this house."
"Hmmm."
We went back to watching an old series of doctor who and cackling when a blow up pool toy masquerading as a monster attacked the doctor.
It was a nice normal afternoon.
It was something I was proud of. It was normal. There were no shadows or crying or hiding or being scared. It was a normal afternoon. I'd probably have lots of these while I was here.
So it was that when it was time for my daily physio and the physiotherapist suggested I be hooked up to an oxygen machine while I slept, I didn't protest. I didn't so much as wince when they started pounding my back. Then it was time for bed.
I slept well.
For now, I have a home. I thought
I have decided. There shall be a sequel. and i will forworn you it will be gory and maybe adult cause its gonna be scary - american phsycho style. (you can tell I'm a Christian Baile fangirl huh?
