A/N - hello so this took me forever and a day to write and even longer to get the nerve to post. But I did and now its here this is my take of Richard's arivial at the Wayne manner This is only part 1 however part two will be uploaded well as soon as i finish it :) Please read and review.
Small feet pattered threw the second floor of the manor yet there seemed to be nothing in the hall way. Another pitter patter of small feet revealed nothing more than the edge of a blanket. Then from the top of the stairs a small head poked out and looked down below on the first floor. It was a small girl in one hand was her blanket and in the other a bear the small girl than climbed the banister and slid down being sure to make as little noise as possible. She hopped off when she got to the bottom floor her brown piggy tails bouncing the landing made a noise so the girl paused for a few moments hoping not to wake up either of the two men that where upstairs. She really did not want to get chewed out for disobeying the rules today of all days.
After she took a long enough pause to satisfy her nervousness she began the walk toward the kitchen her bear and blanket fallowing as her Kermit the frog footie pajamas pattered the floor. When she came upon the large kitchen she smiled, she was going to get away with it. Slowly and quietly she climbed up on a bar chair setting her bear down and putting the blanket in its lap. "Remember, dis is a stealth mission Teddy." The girl whispered to the bear. "We gotta be quiet." She said her words slurring a bit because of the fact it was four am. She then moved to jump on the counter.
With speed and agility reviling the batman she was on the counter next to the refrigerator witch was a good three meters away. She then pulled herself on to the cabinet on the other side of the fridge stretching on her tippy toes curling them under to give her a better balance; she placed her hands on each side of the calendar that she then began to read the calendar. Taking a pen from her sole pajama pocket she crossed out December 1st the next box witch held the small writing December 2nd was almost barring the need hand writing of the manors English butler. 'Adoption Day,' It read in neat cursive and the small girl jumped for joy and let out a small yelp of excitement before back flipping off the counter before bringing to skip around the large empty kitchen singing in a sing song manner. "He is coming to day, he is coming today, he is coming today."
She continued to do that ritual for a good five minutes before she ran into some one's thigh and was pushed back losing her balance and bruising her but. She looked up sheepishly and was met with the very disappointed look of a white haired man. She bit her bottom lip and glanced down at her feet.
"Miss Trinity," He said his voice not much above a whisper but strong enough to scare the four year old.
"Morin' Alfred, and a lovely morning to, isn't it. Guess what its today!" The child said with a cheeky grin the butler's strong scowl however did not change. Then there was a beep and the small girl chimed,
"Can I see" the comment made the butler sighed collecting the child in his arms before going over to a small monitor and pressing the screen allowing the picture of a wounded batman come to the screen he felt the girl in his arms shudder and hide her face in his shoulder her face turning green at the sight of so much blood spewing from the arm of the only man she ever called father.
"This is why you stay in your room until otherwise instructed miss Trinity now I must go address Master Bruce's injuries take this and go back to your room try to get some more sleep if possible, as you said today is a very exciting day." The butler said setting the girl down and handing her a cookie the girl smiled before grabbing her teddy bear and blanket and disappearing up the stairwell and back to the second floor.
She slowly opened the door to her bedroom and was greeted by its pale pink walls decorated with different famous quotes in soft brown hand writing. The room was huge as all rooms in the manor but Trinity didn't mind that made more room for bookcases witch actually lined the entire door lying wall of the room. In the far corner sat her full sized bed. The bed frame was crafted with a cherry finish and had intricate detailing. Extensive roses, ribbons and bows ornamentation embellished the curvy head board, footboard and rails. The embellishment fallowed to the other wood pieces in the room including the dresser, table, desk, desk, chair, nightstand, and all of the bookcases. At the foot of her bed a cherry sat a large trunk that had a pink heart painted on it. Around the room there was also more seating most of it pink and unused.
Trinity then walked over the wood paneling to the foot of her bed pulled herself up on her trunk and then flipped her feet over the high foot of the bed and made her way to the head of the bed. Her small body barely took up any of the room the full sized bed offered she then tucked herself in and wiggled until she was happy then she coed at the air and grabbed the story book that she had in between her mattresses and began to read. It wasn't truly a story book but rather stories of her father's life made magical.
She flipped to her stomach and read over the story of the Knight of the kingdom, aka Batman, before she heard the soft tap of feet approaching her door she knew that meant her father was waiting outside she pushed herself to her knees and then crawled out of her bed and moved quickly to stand on the trunk. When Bruce Wayne entered the room and got close enough to the trunk, Trinity jumped landing on the side with his good arm and giggling as he pulled her closer.
"Good Morning Beautiful," Bruce said with a light hearted chuckle.
"ITS TODAY!" The small girl announced as if the billionaire had forgotten.
"I know it is, however it is four am and last time I checked normal little girls are supposed to be asleep at this hour." Bruce said setting the girl on his lap after sitting down on her bed careful not to harm his arm again.
"Daddy I am not normal, and I thought you went to the mountain today." Trinity said looking up into her father's blue eyes.
"I did sweetie," He said, "Did a bad guy get into the mountain," She asked and Bruce sighed.
"No sweetie there was no bad guys." He said some times he swore the child was nosier than Alfred when he got injuries.
"Then how did you hurt yourself daddy?" The child asked her eyes fluttering softly.
"Well um sweetheart you see, there is this new archer who joined the league and for whatever reason thought that Barry would be a good archer." He said reminding himself he was going to have to make the scarlet speedster and Ollie pay for that later.
"That's dumb," The girl said and Bruce's eyes widened to the size of saucers he knew it was a spit take moment if he had any liquid in his mouth.
"Trinity," He scolded his gaze narrowing and the girl shifting awkwardly in his grasp.
"What Daddy, I could a told you Mister Barry had bad aim and I am four years and two months old." The girl said her arms crossing around her small mid-section. Bruce let out a small chuckle not wanting the scold the girl because the comment was correct. He then softly ruffled the girls hair and the two sat in silence before Bruce moved to tuck her in and lay on his good arm next to her.
"Daddy," The soft voice rung threw the silence as she snuggled closer to Bruce's chest.
"Yeah Hun," He whispered.
"I love you, and Alfred, and even Richard." Trinity said softly before closing her eyes.
"I am sure I speak for all of us when I say we love you to." Bruce said with a soft smile as he let himself rest knowing the child was safe in his arms.
When the later part of eight o'clock finally came around the small family was getting ready to go there separate ways. "Bye daddy, tell Richard I say hi when you see him." Trinity said as she kissed her father's cheek. Before leaving the foyer where her father stood halfway in his suit and running to the car where Alfred was ready to drive her to school. Her black Marry Jane flats trotted against the floor lightly as she trekked over to the black sleek car. Her navy colored pleaded jumper with a small bow on the left thigh her legs where covered by white cable knit tights witch kept her warmer than her small socks she usually wore. Under the jumper she wore rounded color white polo and her burgundy cross tie. Over her shoulders was a blue cardigan with a white ribbon ending on the right hip and the four year old only buttoned the top allowing the sides to fall loosely to her hips. And her third layer was a pink snow jacket seeing as it had already begun to snow in Gotham.
On her back was her wonder woman backpack the child insisted on getting after she had spent a day with Wonder Woman herself. She also had a Black Canary lunch box secured inside. Her hair was French braided into normal piggy tails resembling Dorothy from wizard of Oz and her hair held a dark blue headband.
When she got to the car she climbed in quickly placing her backpack beside her and strapping herself in to her car seat. Then she softly nodded smiling up into the rear view mirror at the awaiting butler whom then took off toward the school yard. As the car grew closer the small girl got more anxious sure she loved to learn there for loved school but the past few weeks had been, 'interesting' to say the least. They had decided that since first semester was almost out to move her up to her older 'special' class emphasis on the older bit. It's not that she didn't like it trufully she loved learning more than anything but every day she had to watch her friends and other kids her age talking about the fun things they did as kinder gardeners, or when she got an evil glare from one of the seven year olds in her class she trufully wished she could turn invisible and hide. And that's not the best part to top it all off the school bullies had decided that she was their target and where on rapid fire insult every time she was near them. Yes she loved school, but she could deal without the children.
"Miss Trinity we have arrived, have a good day." Alfred said with a grandfatherly smile and Trinity sent yet another smile at the man before climbing out of the vehicle pulling her backpack so the straps crossed her chest as the elder girls laughed at her. She tried to keep her own smile but felt the sides of her mouth growing heavier. Then she felt a tear silent like always come to her eye as the children began to ridicule her for anything and everything they could think of. She stopped for a second and swallowed hard and screamed at herself mentally. 'They make fun to get a reaction, today is a happy day do not under any circumstances let them ruin it.
"Hey guys tomorrow we get charity case times two." A blonde haired blue eyed child said with a chuckle as she pushed the smaller girl to the ground getting her white stalking collecting dirt around her knees she then slowly stood expecting to see all of the others laughing but instead was met with a kindly pair of blue eyes in contrast to a heap of red hair. The girl wore a blue plead skirt with a Topstitched 3/4 sleeve blouse has decorative buttons on the cuffs. Her red hair was pinned into a long ponytail.
"Do you want me to hurt her Trinie?" The girl asked pulling at her hand as the two made their way to the class room.
"No Babs, I am not letting them get me mad today. I will not let ignorance win." Trinity said with a smile and Barbra giggled. The school day went to slow for Trinity and she absolutely dreaded every second of it and was thankful when the final bell finally rang. Trinity almost ran out of the building and dived into the car and buckling in.
"I am ready Alfred!" She called from the back seat and the butler took off leaving the Gotham Academy prep school in the dust of the vehicle. The butler and young ward where going to the local market to get supplies for the special dinner they were going to have in honor of Richard's home coming.
"Alfred when we get back home can I make a banner for Richard." Trinity asked grittily while she skipped next to the butler her small hand landing in his own waiting patiently holding tight to his pant leg whenever he stopped.
"What are we making Alfred?" She asked clearly confused at the ingredients the butler was grabbing.
"Plachie din peşte, it's a Romanian Fish Dish." Alfred explained with a smile as the child's face slowly deformed.
"How do you know how to make Romanian food Alfred?" The child asked with a new glimmer in her eye.
"A friend of mine sent me the recipe." Alfred explained finishing paying for the food and buying a mango for the child along with a water knowing that the four year old was probably ready for a snack and Mangos where always a favorite and fairly easy to clean up just in case.
When the duo pulled back into the manner and Trinity bolted up the stairs after slipping off her jacket and shoes and placing them in the closet.
"Miss Trinity once you change come back down to do your homework." The silver haired butler called and heard a soft answer come back before the child disappeared into the second floor. Almost ten minutes later the child came skipping back down in a pair of flare jeans with a coral colored shirt with a few strips of floral ruffles that lined her boddest and she wore a pair of pink socks with grips on the bottom. She sat down at the table and began her homework yet was done in less than ten minutes and hung backwards off the chair reading Macbeth witch she has to say is her least favorite of all time.
"I shalt die of boredom if this torture shalt not end sir Alfred." The child complained flipping over to her stomach on the oversized chair.
"And how my dear is Macbeth boring." The butler asked with a smile the child had read through most of the other books in the library and then had gone on to the older books witch she usually did not enjoy.
"Because the characters are annoying Alfred, I swear If I have to hear the word Thy one more time I will take McDuff's place and kill Macbeth myself." The girl said and Alfred chuckled.
"Then maybe you should find another way to occupy your time while we await your father's arrival." Alfred said, "May I suggest making the banner." The butler added and the small girls face lit up as she twisted around jumping off the chair and putting it back where it belonged before thanking the butler and disappearing into the study. Before her singsong voice rang back to the kitchen.
"Thanks Alfred your the best!"
Richard John Grayson didn't fit in at the orphanage that was extremely clear to anyone who saw the child. Why? Because unlike every other child there Dick did not play with the toys or read the books or even converse with the other children instead he just picked softly at the now breaking calluses on his hands. In his mind's eye he could see his mother.
Her soft pale skin as she semi-forcefully pulled the arm of a younger version of himself closer to her before tucking her light brown hair behind her hear so it did not get in her way. Her eyes that almost looked gray traced over the first Calluses' that Dick had ever gotten. Her hands where cold against his skin but he gladly welcomed in the chill, as if it was happening in front of him he heard her soft melodic voice as she spoke to him.
"Do not fret my little Robin, these are but only calluses'. Our skin creates them to make us stronger. A callus only grows over skin that has been harmed before. Now they are stronger and whatever hurt before wont anymore because you calluses will protect you. You're Father and I also have our own calluses see, its just one other way we are alike." She had said in her soft Romanian tongue tears began to spill from Richards' eyes. He wanted his calluses gone, all of them he didn't want the single most trace of them. They reminded him of his parents and even the smallest memory of them hurt the boys' soul to much for him to subject himself to them.
He wished his heart was made of skin so it could grow its own callus and take the pain away so nothing could ever hurt him ever again. He wished the rough hard skin that lined his palms lined his soul so that he would never feel this helpless this week again. He wanted assurance that he would always be safe and sound and protected. And he wanted to be as assured of that protection as he was of the protection his fathers and mothers arms had offered him. He new now that his salty warm tears rolled freely down his cheeks and that he was softly rocking him self back in forth in a dark secluded corner, He wanted to scream, he wanted some one to find him in this hell hole and to pull him out and assure him he would never have to go back.
What he got instead was strong arms that lifted him and whispered venom filled lies like 'Everything was going to be alright' Everything could not be alright. It would never be alright. It would only be alright if he could go back and time and make sure the ropes where secured. It would not be alright as long as the arms that held him where those of a doctor and not those of his father. His blue gaze lifted and where met with another pair of blue eyes. These where the eyes of Bruce Wayne, the man Richard was told would be taking care of him.
"Shushhhhh, Richard, Shush close your eyes and rest. I got you and I promise that I won't let you go," came the man's strong voice as he began to walk. The soft rise and fall of the man's chest as he walked across the solid floor of the children's orphanage, Dick could feel the shift in position as Bruce grabbed the boys sole duffle bag of things.
A part of Dick's mind was yelling at him to stop his tears and to not show his weakness to the only person who had shown any interest in him since he had arrived in Gotham. Yet he couldn't stop the tears that fell down his face yet his open sobs died though he could steal feel his tear stained cheeks.
"You know Richard I was just about your age when I lost my parents; I know how you feel right now, hopeless, like this is just one large nightmare that you can't wake up from. And it's going to take some time until you feel okay again but just know I am here for you alright Richard, I am always here." The man babbled from the front seat. Dick barely took in the words that escaped his lips the boy was more concentrated on the upholstery of the car where he sat. It was gray and sleek and almost seemed like one of those cars that he saw in old movies he sometimes watched with his parents.
The rest of the ride dripped with awkward silence and seamed to burst with anticipation. Yet Richard never felt smaller than when the car pulled up to the manor. It was larger than anything Richard had ever seen. As Bruce helped Richard out of the car the boy's gaze grew larger. Then the front door burst open and a small blur, or at least that what it looked like to Richard, ran into Richard enveloping him in a hug. Richard repositioned his legs to be able to take the hit yet still bobbled a bit under the force. Then he caught the face of the smaller girl and recognized it well.
"Flori?" He said his head cocking to the side like a confused puppy.
"Bine aţi venit Acasă Richie." 'Welcome home Richie.' Trinity said with a soft giggle hugging the boy once again.