Let us take a break for a moment because here she was, a teenage girl who claims to be from a different universe where: all that Batman was just a comic, she probably smells like she was dumped and rolled in a ball of filth from the fall in the dumpster, knows who the Batman is, could possibly be mistaken for a runaway who is crazy and gets sent to Arkham, and to top it off, she just blurted that she knows his secret identity out in the open. Really, where is TMZ or Vicki Vale when you need her?
However, she's sure that Batman, Bruce Wayne has some compassion despite the steaming glare that he was sending her currently, tall and dark, over her…Considering he took in Damian…Then again Damian is his son.
Her eyes met Batman's, trying her best to stand her ground to show him that she was not joking.
Koriand'r had the sense to take this opportunity to escape the scene by grabbing both boys and flying away, despite the protests from Roy and Jason's shocked stance. She did not want to be involved with that scene.
"What do you mean?" Batman growled, walking towards her, "are you playing a prank on me, child?"
"N-n-no!" Aria shouted, finding that teenage rage, keeping her fingers in fists. "I'm being serious here! You have to believe me!"
Bruce stopped when he was close to her, taking a good look at her messed-up hair, wide eyes, and shaking figure. She was scared but she didn't look like she was on drugs or used a decoy for Joker or anyone. In fact, she reminds him of someone else…Someone else who took the time to run away.
"I won't hurt you," Batman told her, losing the growl. Years of working with kids, sending them fear broke him, just a little bit. "But, I need to know that you're telling the truth" he held out his hand to her.
It was Aria's turn to look suspicious, she even looked at him that he was going to harm her.
'Oh! He's Batman for Pete's sake!'
As soon as she reached for him, he grabbed her and pulled her to his chest, wrapped a piece of cloth around her face, "I'm sorry, but I must know" he whispered as she started kicking and pushing and shoving, but he held on, waiting for her body to become limp. Gently picking her up, figuring that the police would deal with the bodies, he carried her to the near-by Bat-mobile. Gently sitting her on the passenger's seat, he drove back to his cave. Wondering what Alfred would say to the new…guest.
"Who is that Master…?" Alfred blinked as soon as Bruce opened the roof of the car, "you usually don't bring home orphans anymore."
"I don't actually know, Alfred"
Alfred noticed that he did not take off his cowl, despite being home but did not mention it as Bruce carried the girl to the table that was decided to the medical section of the cave.
"Oh dear, her clothes smell. Are you sure she is not a runaway?" Alfred used a handkerchief to cover his nose.
"Maybe. But I haven't seen any missing child photos of her."
"Should I tell the boys?"
"No," Bruce prepared an IV strip. He had no idea if she was wondering for days, if she had water, or food, so he figured that it would be wise to at least have one ready, "I found her tonight, she was with Jason and his…" he really had no idea what to call them, "friends."
At this Alfred perked up, "With Master Jason?"
"Yes, and she told me something, or rather screamed it at me" Sighed, all that was left was for her to wake up, "She said that she came from a different universe Alfred."
"A what?" Even at this Alfred found it difficult to believe, "could the poor dear have drugs in her system?"
"She doesn't display any of the drug addict signs Alfred. But I brought her here because I do believe her. There are different universes."
"I'm sorry Sir, I don't really understand, why did you bring her here?"
"…She grumbled about comic books and said that she knows me"
"Oh my, you don't mean?" Alfred looked at the passed-out child in disbelief to which Bruce nodded.
"If she is telling the truth, which I will find out as soon as she wakes up, I can't have her wondering around Gotham. She's a liability to me, now."
"Right, well, I suppose I can prepare some left over snacks for when she wakes up."
"That would be good, Alfred"
With that Bruce was alone with Aria. Waiting.
"Earth Huntress, pick up, pick up" a voice spoke into an ear piece that was wedged between the ear folds of Helena Bertinelli, otherwise known as Huntress, currently, within the moment.
"What do you want, Red?"
Helena answered back as her staff smacked against a criminal, knocking him to the ground.
"When you're done with your playdate, I need you to explore something for her," Barbara told her, "Please, it is important."
Helena grunted as a punch was delivered to her gut but she responded with a round-house kick to his gut.
"I'm almost done here, but why can't you get Canary or Blackhawk?"
"Zinda is busy on her own mission, and I can't reach Dinah."
"Feh," Helena picked up one guy by the scruff of his shirt just to throw a punch, sending him to the ground, "Probably on a date." Looking around at the passed-out men. She had been there to retrieve information on a supposedly drug trade, "What a waste, these guys are nothing but a gym work out" huffing as she clapped her hands together to get rid of dirt.
"Anyway," her fingers touched the ear com, "What do you need me to do?"
"My scanner picked up something strange in the vulnerable part of Gotham. It was a bright light and disappeared."
"Could it be a boom tube?"
"No, I recognize a boom tube if I saw one."
"Well," Helena walked over to her motorcycle that was camouflaged thanks to a device that Barbara created to test out on vehicles. Hopping on it, "if it is in Gotham, then maybe the Bat got to it."
"My sensors didn't pick him up, Hel" 'Then again, what sensors would?'
"Right," Helena stepped on the gas, "I'm heading there now."
"Be careful, you never know what you'll find there. Over and out."
As Bruce was typing on his screen, still fully dressed in his Batman outfit was when Aria was waking up. He hadn't put the IV in yet, but it was prepared if needed.
"My head…" Aria placed a hand on her forehead, sitting herself up, "Where am I?" A part of her was hopeful that everything was just an awful dream and she had passed out by walking and eating.
"You know where you are," Bruce told her as he walked towards her, "If what you said was true."
Grumbling, "I thought you believed me?!"
"I can't take chances" He studied her get to her feet and then sit on the table, as if on instinct. "I'm sure you understand." To this Aria nodded.
"So, I guess, I'm…" She looked at the sharp edges and the large computer in front of her, "in your cave. So it is under or next to, or…Well," She looked at her, "I don't really know where but it is connected to your home. The Wayne Manor."
Batman smirked, she had not said his name, but said the name of his home, which was enough to convey that she knew who he was. "Since you know my name, it is only fair that I know yours. I'll also need to take same samples."
"Samples?" Aria's voice hitched.
"Hair, skin cells, and blood."
"Why!? I'm human! Not a freak!"
Batman was unamused, "I need to know your biology on a molecule structure. You said you come from a different universe. I need to understand her chemistry, in case food here makes you vomit. Or, medicine reacts badly to you."
"I hate needles though! Couldn't you just have taken it while I was knocked out!" Aria jumped slightly as her voice echoed.
Again, he was unamused, "I would never do something like that without your consent and awareness. Stealing someone's biology is a crime." He turned away to her, getting the supplies needed, "What is your name?"
"It is—" sucking in her breath, she pondered if it was safe to give her real name. Would it have mattered? A name is someone's safety. A name is someone's personal identification. A name is someone's personal life. What if she gives him a fake name? A name she always wanted.
"Aria Aurora"
Damn it.
Bruce nodded, hearing her as he took off his cowl, trusting her. He softly took a piece of hair from her, holding it up to be cut, "I'll be quick and it will not hurt." This close to her, Aria could see him, face first and straight on— whoever was involved in drawing Bruce Wayne during the Golden Age up to the Modern Age of today did not do him justice at all. Here she was, staring into the cold and shining blue eyes of the Batman.
'I wouldn't say that his eyes are soulless or frozen but they are piercing' Aria looked at him as he put away her piece of hair and went for the needle.
"Have you had water, today?"
Snapped out of her thoughts, "Wha-?"
"If you didn't have water today, or if you ate, then there would be no need to take your blood now. I would have to take it in the morning."
"Um…" Aria was a bit lost, "I was going to have dinner when…Wait!" Standing up, "Shouldn't you be asking me where I'm from! How I got here! How can you be so calm!"
Deadpanned, "You think that you're the only girl from another universe that came here?" Bruce was not having her shouting. "Remind me to introduce you to Power Girl, now answer my question."
Aria shook her head, and Bruce put away the tools. "I sent Alfred to get some food for you."
"I get to meet Alfred?" Aria smiled, if only to escape having her blood drawn for one day more.
Bruce nodded, "But, while we wait for him, how about you tell me everything that you know."
It was an order. Polite and gentle but still an order.
Before she could continue, Alfred entered with a tray of various finger sized sandwiches and some mashed potatoes that was not eaten from the dinner and a pitcher of water with two glasses. "This was all that I could do for the night. I hope it is enough—oh" Alfred placed the tray down on the table, taking out two napkins. "I see that our guest has awoken, I am…"
"Alfred, she knows." Bruce answered before she could, "Her name is Aria. Aria Aurora."
Smiling, she waved to Alfred, "Hello."
"Well, then, Miss. Aurora, please, help yourself. I'm sure you must be hungry. I'll also ask of you, when you're finished to give me your clothes to wash. I'm sure that some of the left over outfits of our previous guests—" nobody could mention their names—"would fit you, somewhat."
Aria looked to Bruce, but decided that she did not need his permission as Alfred already welcomed her to take some of the food.
"She was just about to tell me how she ended up here."
Alfred nodded, "I suppose that she will be staying here, Sir?"
If Aria was not currently stuffing her face with food, she would be annoyed at the third person around her.
"Yes. If you can prepare a room for her, for the night. The one close to me, for safe keeping. The one is not occupied."
Alfred sent her a smile before walking away.
"So," Bruce took one finger sandwich, "talk. If you can."
"Alfred?" Tim walked out of his room, closing the door behind him, "What are you doing?" Tim had heard the creaking of the empty door open, and Alfred sneeze from the fallen dust.
"I'm doing what Master Bruce has asked me to do." Alfred pulled the old sheets from the bed, putting new ones on the bed.
"Why? This isn't used."
"For the time being, anyway."
Tim looked at the pile of random clothes on the chair as Alfred fluffed the pillows, "Why are some of their clothes here?" Frowning, "Alfred, what is going on?"
"Please allow Master Bruce tell you. Perhaps in the morning, or later in the day. I'm afraid that I cannot say."
Tim frowned as he rubbed the all too well known purple shirt underneath the pile of clothes. He should ask. He should press harder. He should confront harder.
He should. Instead, he turned away, leaving Alfred alone in the now used room.
"Drake" Damian hissed, poking his head out of his door, "what is Alfred doing?"
Tim shrugged, opening his own door.
"Damn it Drake, how can you be a detective when—"
"I'm tired, Damian."
Slam.