I told myself I'd make this chapter short but...it's seven pages long on Word. :/ Haha, enjoy it!
Rose loved to observe people, their habits, ticks and general movements. The police officer opposite her had been looking at his empty wrist for the past 10 minutes now, obviously never remembering there wasn't a watch there, but still he looked. She hadn't listen to a word he was saying, and by the looks of things neither was Lily, they only nodded at the right parts and smiled when necessary, which they could barely do. Their mother was already situated in Arkham, and was going to stay there now.
The watch guy was looking at them both with a raised eyebrow, obviously waiting for an answer of some sort.
"I'm sorry, could you repeat the question?" Lily asked, her voice quivering.
The watch guy sighed. "This is hopeless, why they told me to interrogate you now is beyond me, you're dad has just died! What were they expecting to come out from you? Look, all you need to know now is that a full investigation is going on-
"Excuse me Officer, but may we intervene?"
Their heads perked up and turned around to face the deep, rough voice of none other than Batman, and Robin by his side. Rose suddenly remembered the first time they met and looked down, biting back a secret smile.
"Yes of course," the watch guy picked up his papers and turned to leave the room.
Rose looked to Lily and saw her frowning- she was just as confused as Rose was. Why was the Dynamic Duo here?
"Am I correct that your father has just died in a house fire?" Batman asked.
Lily nodded curtly and Rose's eyes squinted together, she tried to make out what his eyes looked like, but it was impossible with that cowl on his head. His face was looked down on them, and his body was big enough to shield of the light from the bulbs on the ceiling and create a shadow on them both. Now Rose knew why criminals found him frightening, he was huge!
"We're here to advise and offer you something, you both know how well known Dr. Jacobs was, many idolised him, but others wanted his work, and use it as their own, but not for good, as your father used it on. They asked him many times for it, bribed him, threatened him, but he never gave in. Many of these said groups of individuals will most likely be trying to get to you; they'll do as they did to your father, thinking that you will know everything they want. They'll bribe you with goods, threaten you, and make promises that they don't intend to keep, or worse kidnap you and torture you into telling them everything. We're here to offer you some sort of protection, doing simple things such as watching you go home from school of the grocery shop, and making sure you're never out too late. You're home will be watched, and we'll always have an eye on you both. This is obviously a lot to take in, and we don't expect a straight answer from you right now, but we hope you think about it."
"How do you know that they bribed our father? Who are these people?" Lily yelled at him.
Rose was angry too, he had never mentioned anything about people threatening their family, but now realised how important those sessions with her father were- all his work was in her mind now, and these people looked like they'd do anything to get it.
"There have been times where we have stepped in take keep an eye on him, and he told us."
"He told you?" Rose said, utterly bewildered.
"Yes. Many have come to me with information they feel they can't keep in for long. I am a trustworthy person."
Lily rolled her eyes. "You didn't answer my other question."
"We've told you. They are only suspects, when we are sure, you will be the first to know," Robin spoke up. Rose couldn't help but recognise his voice from somewhere...
"Do either of you have any information about your father's work?" Batman asked.
Lily shook her head but Rose looked up timidly.
"I do."
"How much do you know?" Robin asked.
Rose shrugged. "Everything, I suppose."
"And you remember everything?"
"Yes."
"How?" Robin genuinely sounded confused.
She bit her lip. "I have a photogenic memory. Dad used to say it was nothing like he'd seen before," she laughed to herself and felt a tear run down her cheek. #
Silence fell on the four of them. They could hear the clock tick, it sounded much louder than the usual clock. Rose wanted to break it.
"I'm sorry for your lose," Batman spoke, his voice low.
Rose nodded and Lily sighed.
"Well, this means we'd need to keep a closer eye on you than I thought, we'll leave you now, hopefully you'll think about our offer," Batman said, turning to leave.
"We'd like the protection," Lily quickly added, maybe too quickly, it sounded as if she didn't want to give in to them.
Batman turned and nodded, then left the room with Robin by his side.
The watch guy who's name was Rob (Rose found out by looked at his name tag, which she should've done earlier really) came back in and told them about where they'd stay.
"As Lily is a legal adult, and it says here your father had already brought you an apartment before he died, you'll be staying there, usually Rose would be allowed to stay with you, but since you've just been hit with this horrid news, the authorities don't think it would be a good idea to leave Rose alone with you, so she'll be staying at a care home until we think you're both mentally stable."
Rose's mouth opened wide and Lily started to shout and curse at him.
"That is total bull! She'll be in better care if she's with me! I'm here sister, for Pete's sake! The only family she's got!"
"I'm sorry, Miss Jacobs, but what's been done is done. She'll be able to visit you, and stay with you for the night a lot, but she's got to stay there."
Rose's shoulders slumped forward. She hadn't felt so alone in her life.
...
"Rose darlin', what music do you like?" the cop said from the front of the car.
She was a nice person, nicer than the other policemen at the station, and had brought Rose a chocolate doughnut even though Rose told her she couldn't stomach it. She still held it in her hands, and the chocolate was starting to smudge her fingers. It reminded her of the times her father used to come back late, only to surprise Rose at 1 am with a box full of doughnuts with him. She didn't want to eat it.
"Anything, really," she replied, keeping her gaze on the houses and shops passing by.
After Lily finally stopped arguing, they were allowed to bid each other good-bye, and promised to see each other the next day, there were tears in both their eyes, and Rose couldn't bear to let go of her.
"It's okay, petal," Lily had told her softly. "I'm here for you."
Now Lily was sitting in the back of a police car, her things in the back, and making her way to the care home she would be staying at.
"Okay then, I hope you don't mind these classics, I love 'em," she chuckled and turned the music up.
Rose recognised the song as something her father used to listen to, and she held in a sob by biting her tongue and clenching her eyes shut. Rose really didn't like to cry in front of people she barely knew. The song finally finished, and Rose finally stopped crying.
How could she ever be able to be to let go of her father, when everything around her reminded her of him?
They drove for about 15 more minutes before finally slowing down in front of a large building. Rose looked up at the sign and read St. Aidan's Orphanage.
"Well, this is it," said the policewoman and Rose got out, stumbling once or twice.
She gave Rose her suitcase and rucksack and knocked on the huge door. Rose was worried, what would the other children think of her? Would they like her? Were any of them mean?
Before she could even begin to calm herself down the door swung open and a woman wearing a Habit and she smiled widely at Rose.
"Hello! You must be Rose, come on in, quietly though, everyone else has gone to sleep," she took the suitcase from Rose's hands and looked around.
There really wasn't much to look at, the walls were a dark red, the carpet red, there were a few paintings on the wall, a notice board with pictures of everyone who stayed in the orphanage and there was a staircase opposite where Rose was standing.
"You got everything you need, Sister Ann?"
"Yes, yes! I'll take it from here, Joana, thank you for bringing here," Sister Ann said, smiling kindly at the policewoman.
"Not a problem, Rose, you'll find yourself happy here, I can guarantee you that," she smiled at Rose and Rose gave her a smile wave.
The door slammed shut and Sister Ann checked her watch.
"Oh my- It's almost 12! Well, I think we'll just put you to bed and I'll tell you everything about the home tomorrow, alright?"
Rose nodded and followed her upstairs; Rose was too tired to really care about anything that moment. Sister Ann was talking to here, but Rose wasn't listening, she was looking at her. She looked as if she was in her mid forties, she had wrinkles around her eyes whenever she smiled and her eyes were a bright green. Rose couldn't see her hair, but guessed it was brown from the few strands that were loose at the front.
"I usually make scrambled egg for breakfast but- Oh, Colin! Why are you still up?"
Rose's head perked up and saw a boy around her age standing by his bedroom door; she couldn't see his face properly because of the dim lighting but could make out that his hair was a bright red. Sister Ann gave him a disapproving look.
"I wanted to see the new girl," he said, his voice quiet.
"Well, you can see Rose tomorrow morning, now off to bed, go on!" She shooed him off, but had a smile on her face. Rose liked Sister Ann.
They walked some more and finally stopped outside a peach door with the name 'Anna' on it.
"This room used to belong to Anna, but she's left so we can take the name done and you make your own! How does that sound?" She opened the door and switched the light on.
It was a simple room, a small bed, wardrobe next to it, a desk opposite, a peach carpet and shelf with a few books on it.
"I'm not sure how long you'll be staying here, but that doesn't matter, you can make this room your own! You'll be allowed to decorate the walls, pin pictures up, and fill the shelf up with your books- anything!"
Rose smiled gratefully. "Thank you," she said her voice hoarse.
"Oh, it's nothing, dear. I'll leave you to change, if you still want anything I'm just downstairs. The toilet is just opposite your room, good-night, Rose."
"Good-night."
The door closed and Rose was alone. She put her rucksack down and sat down on the bed. She curled up into a small ball and cried silently. She didn't want to be here, she wanted to be in her home, with her father, and sister.
She let out a loud sob. She didn't have her father anymore, she'd never be able to hug him, to cuddle him, to kiss his cheek or laugh at his rubbish jokes, and she'd never help him cook, or jump into his arms ever again. She already missed his voice.
Rose couldn't be bothered to change. She slipped her shoes off and went under the covers, tossing and turning before she finally fell asleep.
...
Rose woke up to the sound of voices talking behind her. She had her back to them, and wasn't bothered to move, so she pretended she was asleep and listening to what they were saying.
"Do you think she owns pyjamas?"
"Of course she owns pyjamas!"
"Then why isn't she wearing them?"
"Why don't you ask her?"
"No, don't ask her! You'll wake her up!"
"She's going to wake up anyway..."
"We shouldn't have even came in...This is invading her privacy!"
"Privacy? There isn't any privacy here."
"That's true."
"Oh shut up- the three of you!"
Rose could hear them take a large breath in as she slowly turned and rubbed her eyes, facing them.
There were four people standing there, a little boy, who looked around 5, was smiling at her with one of his front teeth gone. A taller boy, but still looked quite young was blushing; there was the boy, Colin, from last night there, and an older girl there too with dark skin.
"Hello," the older girl said.
Rose sat up and raised an eyebrow. "Hi."
"Look, we can explain-
"Shut up, Ronald!"
"It wasn't my idea-
"It was Colin's!"
"Me?! Why you-
"Stop it! All of you! You haven't even let the poor girl breath!" The older girl yelled at them.
The boys blinked and looked down apologetically. The little boy looked up.
"Well obviously she's breathing otherwise she'd be dead."
The older girl groaned but Rose giggled.
"Let us introduce ourselves. I'm Kayla, this is red head is Colin, the little guy is John and the other boy is Peter, who are you?"
Rose blinked. "I am Rose."
"Rose! Like the flower?" John yelled in disbelief.
She nodded. "I've never met anyone named Rose- that is such a cool name! I'm going to name my daughter Rose. Rose! Rose! Rose! Rose!" John jumped up and down saying the name over and over and Rose laughed.
"Sorry about him, he can get hyperactive sometimes," Kayla said.
Rose shook her head. "It's fine."
"Have you got pyjamas?" Peter asked shyly.
"Yes, I have lots."
"Then why aren't you wearing them?" He asked.
Colin slapped him behind the head and Kayla shook her head.
"Because I was tired and couldn't be bothered to change."
Peter's mouth formed into an 'O' shape and John jumped onto her lap.
"I like your hair. Look Colin, its curly! And it bounces!" He laughed loudly and pulled her curls gently, then realising them and laughing again.
"That's great, John, now let's go and give the girl some space," Colin said, scooping John up in his arms.
"No! She's coming down with us! Right?" He whined.
"Yeah, to have breakfast?"
Kayla nodded and reached for her hand. "Let's go."
They walked down the stairs, Peter and John bickering a lot and scratching at each other's necks. Kayla pulling them apart and Colin laughing. As they got to the kitchen, the noise level increased and there were about 10 other children sitting at the table. Sister Ann wasn't here, but another Sister.
"Hello there! You must be-
"Rose! Her name's Rose, Sister Nina! Like the flower!" John yelled and jumped around her.
"Rose? That's a beautiful name, now come in and have your breakfast, all of you."
Rose sat down next to Peter and Colin and had her cereal in silence. It seemed like a lifetime ago she was having breakfast at her own home.
"Everyone! We're going to go round the table introducing yourselves to Rose, alright? We'll start here, with Lucy."
Rose mentally groaned, she knew she wouldn't be able to remember their names, only their appearances.
Lucy smiled widely at Rose. "Well I'm Lucy," Rose nodded. She had a lisp. Rose could remember that.
The next boy was Luke; he had a green strip in his hair, the next girl Rachel who didn't touch her food, Harry who was always bouncing on his chair, Chloe who never stopped laughing, Jade who bit her nails a lot, Una who had a strong, southern accent, Jeremy who mumbled a lot, and finally, Wendy who's hair reminded her of pom poms.
Rose finished her cereal and observed everyone around her, feeling slightly uncomfortable. Colin seemed to notice and whispered into her ear.
"We're all mad here."
...
COLIN WILKES YES PLEASE.