Disclaimer:Umm, this is where I take credit for everything, right? (DRAMATIC PAUSE) Oh, its where I take credit for absolutely nothing because I don't own any of it. I don't even get paid.
Author's Note: See, I promised a longer chapter and here it is.
Jackson Rippner paced the floor of his hotel room. He had arrived in Gotham City late the night before. Red eye flights had become his preferred method of travel. He had spent the day looking for his sister. However, much to his dismay, Danny was no where to be found.
He had stood in the rubble of her burned out townhouse for over an hour. He had been completely stunned by the devastation. Danny had taken great pride to make sure that, even though they lived in the Narrows, her children had always had a nice, clean home. Now the quaint brick town home had been destroyed. Jackson assumed that the fire had occurred around the time that the toxin had been released. That event had made national news. He had watched coverage of the event as he recovered from a brutal fight with a feisty young brunette. Lisa Reisert. He was sure that Danny and Lisa would get along wonderfully if they ever met.
After the destruction of Danny's home had settled into Jackson's mind, he had asked her neighbors if they had seen her and the kids. The most information he had gotten was from a little old woman who remembered Danny coming and sweeping the floors of her small grocery store in exchange for groceries. Other than that, no one seemed to know what had happened to Danny and the children.
He had come back to the hotel feeling weary and defeated. "Where are you, Danny?" He asked aloud, as he stared out the window of one of Gotham's finest hotels. He was going to find his sister. And when he did, he was going to take her and the kids as far away from Gotham as possible.
Danny was having the time of her life exploring the library of Wayne Manor. She had nearly exhausted herself on the shopping trip that Bruce had insisted he pay for. She had been more than grateful to change out of her dirty clothes. She was now wearing floor length, black gauchos and an emerald green, formfitting top. She soon found a book that she absolutely couldn't resist, C.S Lewis' The Lion, the Witch, and the Wardrobe.
Danny picked up the book and then sank into the enormous leather couch. She instantly became entranced in the book that she had read countless times since her childhood. Thirty minutes later, she glanced up from her book and spotted the baby grand piano nestled in a corner next to a floor-to-ceiling window. Danny set down her book and walked over to the piano. Her pant legs swished softly as she walked. She sat down at the piano and with tender strokes, coaxed out a gentle, soothing melody.
Bruce Wayne was in his gym. It was one of only a few things he had changed when he rebuilt Wayne Manor. It had given him a private place to work out, away from the prying eyes of the public. At the moment, he was attacking a punching bag. He stopped when he heard music coming from the library, which was right above the gym. He quickly wiped the sweat off of his chest, arms, and neck, and then made his way up stairs to the lobby. He knew for a fact that Alfred didn't play the piano.
Danny was oblivious to the presence of a certain shirtless, young billionaire. He was entranced with the passion that poured out from her and into the music. A deep purple bruise peaked over the collar of Danny's shirt. Bruce mentally kicked himself for having caused that bruise when he shoved her into the column the night before.
Danny finished her song and paused. Bruce couldn't help but applaud. Danny turned with a start. She blushed when she saw Bruce standing there. Her blush deepened when she realized that he was shirtless. "How long have you been standing there?" She asked, slightly flustered.
Bruce grinned. "Only for a couple of minutes, I heard you while I was down in the gym."
"You have a gym?" She asked; excitement was evident in her voice.
Bruce nodded. "You want to see it?"
Danny broke into a huge smile. "That would be wonderful, if you don't mind."
Bruce struggled to keep from laughing. She didn't seem old enough to have experienced the horrors that she had. Bruce was now determined to find out her age. "Come on, I'll show you my favorite room in the house."
Danny got up and eagerly followed him. She hadn't been to a gym since high school. Her jaw nearly dropped to the floor when Bruce led her into the spacious workout room. It held the usual weights and body building equipment, but what caught Danny's eye was the half of the room that was completely empty. "What's the empty space for?" She asked, unable to contain her curiosity.
"Martial arts training," Bruce replied. "Interested in learning?" He added with a grin.