Bruce Wayne POV

Jackie Marie Napier is in police custody, Bruce Wayne is taking her in after Batman had her a few days it became obvious that this is the right thing to do. With enough patience, we can get her to see the Joker for what he really is, and she will make a good asset to the family. I grin to myself as I walk into the GCPD building where they have bee keeping her. She has no evidence against her except her blood. Lie detector specialist says she is telling the truth, through her entire childhood she had no idea. I already knew that, I could always tell when someone is lying to me.

A nice looking police officer, Jackie, and a child services agent walk into a room and motion for me to follow. I have done this a few times now; adopting high profile cases is sort of a ritual of mine now. I think of Dick Grayson, my oldest, after the death of his parents and I remain stoic. As well as less high profile case like Jason Todd stealing the tires off of my bat mobile in a dark alleyway in the narrows. A small smile reaches my lips when I think of Jason alive. Jackie has a look like her father's. She has curly hair the color of her mother's natural brown. Her eyes are piecing and almost black like her fathers, but less angry. She grew up in a happy home there is no doubt in my mind about that, her eyes betray her innocence. She is slight like her mother too, only standing at 5'1 and 94 pounds. I smile at her from across the room and she half smiles back, but she appears lost in thought. It could be her current situation; it could be the drugs still leaving her system from her time on the streets.

The social worker hands over a few pieces of paper that I read through quickly and sign off on. The Joker has been locked in Blackgate prison indefinitely. The courts didn't take so kindly to a healthy child being involved. It proved to them that he was aware of his actions and therefore, not insane. Harley Quinn killed herself shortly after Jackie's birth, which Jackie states that her birthday has always been celebrated on December 11, which doctors believe is just about right for her structure. That is probably more likely the day the Joker took her in, but from her accounts, that was very shortly after birth. In any case she is an official ward of the state, and I plan on making her life better… and giving her a way of channeling any evil inside of her.

I sign in all the correct places after introducing myself to Jackie and explaining that I've adopted several children and that I can't wait to get to know her better. She nods like she is only half listening and then the social worker shakes my hand, "We really appreciate all you do, Mr. Wayne. A girl of her age and background would have no hope in the child care system that Gotham has. You're saving her life." She smiles and I smile back. I shake the police officer's hand who says under his breath. "Watch her, you never know what sort of plan is being cooked." I nod and walk over to Jackie who is still sitting down. The grime of Gotham's streets clings to every part of her, she is thin and pale due to her weeks spent in hiding, Batman's initial treatment doesn't help much.

"Jackie, lets go home and get you settled. I picked up a few new things for you before I came by that I think should fit reasonably well. We can get more things tomorrow to get you settled." She looks up at me with eyes that I can tell want to trust me so bad. Getting her to forget her father may be easier than I anticipated. I was always told that raising girls was easier than raising boys, now I know why, girls want to trust you. She nods and stands up and follows me out. Alfred is waiting for us outside the GCPD. I introduce them and Alfred is kind as always. She smiles and gets in the back seat while I slide into the passenger seat. "I believe you'll enjoy the Palisades Miss Napier. It is a nice treat to get out of the city on occasion." Alfred pulls the car away from the curb into Gotham city rush hour traffic and Jackie stares back at the GDPD like it is the last time she can look into her past.

JACKIE POV

When I woke up next I was at the GCPD and it felt like a million people were buzzing all around me talking about adoptions and screenings and tests. I took a lie detector test first and I guessed I passed or something because no one mentioned it again. After that someone came in and gave me a really nasty drink that would supposedly help with detoxing or something. They seem to think I've been on drugs for a long time, long enough to detox. I mean, sure I want the stuff, but I don't need the stuff, not like Crow and the others. I hope they got away okay.

I wasn't interrogated anymore after the lie detector screening. They must have figured out that I really didn't know anything about the Joker that wasn't on the front page of the paper or on the 7 o'clock news. I am in a comfortable room, they call it the lounge, but I think they closed it for the day just for me because no one else is lounging in here. Every time someone comes in they lock the door behind them. Lots of the cops don't even look at me, like being the Joker's kid is contagious…

My thoughts wander to Batman a lot. I don't know what he looked like or the younger man in the room, Robin, I assume. Their voices resonate with me more than anything else. How it echoed off of walls and how Robin taunted me, pretending he knew me. From his voice I can guess he is older than me, but I already knew that. On the news he is always huge, build like a brick wall. Same goes for Nightwing and Batman and everyone else. Now I see why my dad always had a problem with me liking to watch them on the news. He probably had some PTSD about the Bats in hindsight. I always liked to watch them though because they always won. I never had to worry about whether or not they'd win or if one would get hurt because they never seemed to, they always won.

After a few hours of hanging out in the lounge, a large black woman walked in. Her hair was piled high on top of her head in long, skinny braids that she had tied up in a loose bun. She wore thick-rimmed glasses with a beaded chain on the ends so it hung around her neck like a necklace. She wore a red jacket and black slacks and she jiggled a little when she walked. And when she got close she smiled real big so I could see her gums. Her teeth were pearly white against her dark skin. I instantly liked her. She was like Aunt Jamima, but for child services instead of syrup.

"Hey, I'm Mrs. Carol and I'm here to help you. I'll be your child services director until you turn 18. We have found someone who is excited to adopt you and we will be meeting with him shortly to sign some papers." She talked like a kindergarten teacher. It put me at ease. I'll take any comfort I can get.

"Okay Mrs. Carol. Who is it, what's their name?"

"His name is Bruce Wayne, you've probably heard of him. He has adopted several older boys in the last few years. He is really excited to meet with you. Would you follow me?" I stand up and try to comprehend what she just said, billionaire playboy Bruce Wayne is adopting me. Why? What is his motive? Publicity? Charity? I guess I really don't care why the hero of Gotham wants to adopt the monster of Gotham's daughter, he is doing it, and my life is about to change. I might have a future. I smile lightly and try o kick all other bad thoughts aside. All of this will get easier to deal with in time, until then I have a future. My dad's face pops into my head but I push it aside, it's to upsetting. My parents are dead. I feel tears prick at my eyes but I push them away to. I'll never see my old home again, get used to it Jackie.

A cop joins us on our march and we walk into a tiny office. Bruce Wayne follows us in. He looks just like he does in the pictures and on TV. He is handsome and has a nice smile. He is wearing a suit with two buttons and a navy blue tie. I feel bad, I smell of gutters and weed and cigarettes. And probably other stuff I don't want to think about. My t-shirt is filthy and my hair is hanging in greasy strands around my face. My shoes have holes in the bottoms and my sweatpants are more brown than gray. I look at his suit again and his clean face. He smells like a JC Penny's perfume department although I imagine whatever he is wearing is a lot fancier than anything you can buy at JC Penny.

He smiles at me and introduces himself and says a little about his life and his sons and I feel less and less like I'm living in reality. I feel myself start to stare at his shoes and think about how shiny they are and guess how much they cost. I'm betting 65 dollars. That seems like a reasonable amount for a good pair of shoes. That is probably more money on shoes than I have ever spent. And how much could shoes cost anyway, It is just leather. I hear him talking to Aunt Jamima social worker, and then the cop says something to him. "Jackie, lets go home and get you settled. I picked up a few new things for you before I came by that I think should fit reasonably well. We can get more things tomorrow to get you settled." I look up at him and smile… I wonder if he really cares about me or not. And I wonder what he wants me to call him. I'll call him Mr. Wayne for now.

We walk out to his car and a nice British man named Alfred in a suit opens my doors for me . He thinks I'll like it at Wayne manor. I hope he is right. I really just want to be happy again, that is all I want. We drive away and I stare back at the GCPD like it is my final goodbye to my dad. I will never see him again, he will be locked away thinking of me for the rest for his life just like I'll be at Mr. Wayne's stately manner thinking of him… "Mr. Wayne, how much did your shoes cost?"

"I really have no idea, I don't pay much attention to price tags. A couple hundred maybe." He smiles and my eyes go wide.

"Oh, I had guessed 65." I hope he doesn't take that as an insult to his shoes…