Birds of a Feather Series
Learning to Fly
A/N – Yay, new chapter!
Just a head's up before you read, chapter 5 was initially an update post. It has since been replaced with the actual chapter 5 but there is a chance some of you may not have seen that. Make sure you read chapter 5 first if you haven't already before going on to this one.
Warning: There are some not so subtle illusions to homophobia and racism in this chapter from a certain character. Its only brief and not very specific but I'm putting this here as a warning in advance. There are also scenes discussing child abuse, miscarriages, fertility issues and child loss. Please be careful and don't read if these will be triggering for you.
I won't hold you up any longer. Happy reading!
Chapter 6 – Christmas Mircales
Starling City, Washington – September 15th 1992
Dick's POV
It had been over two years now that he and Harry had been living with Bruce and Alfred. It was the longest they had ever stayed in one place and Dick was still sometimes unsure how he felt about that. He had grown to love Gotham. For all of its shady characters and gothic architecture, the city held its own unique charm. He loved training and patrolling with Bruce just as much as he adored the times spent playing basketball or watching movies together. He loved the long conversations he'd share with Alfred whilst helping with the dishes or the moments spent playing games of chess with a pot of tea. Gotham had become his home and one he was truly grateful to have. However, he also missed the joy of travel. Ging to bed in the circus train in one city and waking up somewhere completely new the next morning. Exploring new places and meeting new people each and every show. Every day had felt like an adventure.
Bruce over the past months had shown them every nook and cranny of Gotham City; from Old Gotham to The Bowery, Robinson Park and Amusement Mile, West End and the Financial District; they'd seen it all. However, they hadn't yet travelled outside of Gotham and even when living in such a large city, the twins were starting to really feel the cabin fever. That was until today.
Starling City was more modernised than Gotham. The main city was a collection of apartment buildings, hotels, offices and shopping centres, broken up by the occasional park or plaza. The city had a more sleek, welcoming presence but fell short of the bright, cheerful and near-futuristic feel of somewhere like Metropolis. It was a welcome change from their own home city. The Glades however reminded him a lot of The Narrows back home, or perhaps just The Bowery in general. It was dark, gritty and dirty with dilapidated buildings, poor lighting and rubbish everywhere.
The gala for the upgrades to Starling General was being held at the Paris Hotel, one of the most exclusive locations in Starling. The building was 60 floors high, with a rooftop garden and infinity pool. Everything about the design of the hotel screamed affluence and the guests of the evening certainly matched. As the Bentley pulled to a stop by the hotel entrance, Dick could see several people ahead of them swaggering through the glass doors; dressed to the nines in elegant dresses and tailored suits. Lining the walkway were reporters from all over the country looking for their next big scoop.
Smoothing down his own suit jacket one more time, Dick opened the door to flashing cameras and reporters shouting over each other in a bid to be heard. Dick flashed the journalists a charming smile as he made his way into the hotel, Harry close behind him. He could hear Bruce stop to answer a few questions from a reporter who Dick recognised worked for Metropolis' Daily Planet.
The following hour was spent listening to speech after speech while they ate. Several art pieces, jewellery sets and two cars were then auctioned off and Dick was nearly ready to climb the walls in boredom. These were the parts of these events he despised. Important as the cause was, there really was only so much sitting a 12 year old could handle.
At least he was better off then Harry though. Dick was seated between Bruce and an elderly aristocrat who seemed wholly uninterested in making conversation with the child beside him. Harry however was stuck between the wall and a chatty, more than a little tipsy lady who wouldn't stopped bragging about her brand-new wardrobe and shiny, red Lamborghini since the moment they sat down. Harry looked like, if he were given the option, he'd gladly throw himself out the nearest window then stay in that seat a moment longer. Yeah, maybe death by boredom was the lesser of two evils.
Finally the formal event was over and the guests were welcomed to congregated in the rooftop garden. Dick wasted no time bolting for the exit, beaten only by Harry who had just barely remembered to give a polite reply to his former conversation partner before all but vaulting over the tables in escape. Not even Bruce's disapproving glare at the action had been enough to sway Harry to slow down.
Once out in the open air, Dick felt more in his element. Swooping from group to group, he did the rounds; spending a few minutes making mindless conversation with the other guests before moving on to the next. Sipping on a glass of soda, he looked around to see that Harry was close by, drink in hand and chatting with the same Daily Planet reporter Bruce had spoken to earlier while their guardian was busy talking with the host of the event by the pool. Knowing it would be rude of them to not say hello to Mr Queen, and even more so being curious to meet Bruce's childhood friend, Dick waited for Harry to catch up before they made their way over.
"…..Dinah was NOT impressed by that one, let me tell you!" Oliver Queen crowed, laughing fondly as he retold the story. Bruce chuckled, intending to comment on the tale until he spotted Dick and Harry approaching.
"Ah, there you two are! Ollie, these are my wards I was telling you about, Dick and Harry. Boys, this is my childhood friend, Oliver Queen." Bruce introduced, gesturing for the twins to step closer.
"Great to finally be meeting you two! I've heard a lot about you both in the papers. Crazy to believe I'm only meeting you now." Oliver said, shooting Bruce a slightly reproachful glare as he shook the twins' hands.
Bruce smiled sheepishly in reply. "You're right Ollie. I should have introduced you earlier. I've been rather busy these last two years. Guess time just escaped me."
Oliver only laughed off the apology. "No harm done. I can certainly imagine you've had your hands full. Kids do take up a lot of one's time. Speaking of kids, Bruce; you aren't the only one whose taken on a ward recently."
Bruce raised an eyebrow enquiringly but Dick new his mentor well enough to spot the brief look of recognition on his face. So, B knew about Oliver's ward already then. "Oh, did someone else we know choose to adopt. Dear God, please don't tell me it was Tommy!"
Oliver's booming laugh was loud enough it startled a group of partygoers lounging near the pool. "Good one Bruce but thankfully no, it wasn't Tommy. It was me! I figured since I would be meeting your wards tonight, I'd introduce you to mine, Roy Harper."
"You took in a child? If Dinah wasn't living with you Ollie I'd actually take back my previous statement. Tommy would have been preferable." Bruce joked, causing Harry and Dick to hide their laughter behind their drinks.
"Haha, very funny Bruce." Oliver chuckled good-naturedly, still looking around the room for his ward. "Hmmm…..that's odd. Roy was here just a minute ago. I better go see what's he gotten up to. Bruce, call me sometime. It's been a while since we hung out. Harry, Dick; it was wonderful meeting you both. We'll have to have a proper conversation later. Make sure you give your old man hell for me, yeah?" Bruce stammered in indignation, but Oliver had already taken off with a boisterous laugh before he could protest. Oliver disappeared into the crowd and Dick felt a thrum of excitement warm his chest. While the initial plan for the evening had simply been to attend the gala and then retire to their hotel for the night, a lead on an ongoing case changed the outlook for the evening.
Vertigo. The party drug, normally found in Starling City, had been gaining popularity in Gotham in recent months. It had taken a while to trace the dealers back to a source, but the past week had given them a breakthrough. They followed the money trail back to a series of late-night shipments originating from Starling and realised the next was scheduled for tonight. A glance at his watch showed they had approximately an hour until the next shipment to Gotham was scheduled to leave. Not a lot of room for delay but they would manage.
"It's getting late. I'm going to say goodbye to a few people then we can go. Why don't you boys head on down to the car? Alfred will meet you there." Bruce suggested as Starling City's mayor marched their way with a wave.
"Right, see you soon B." Dick replied, heading to the lifts with a grin. Finally, a case and a chance to explore another city? Could this night get any better?
…LtF…
Starling City, Washington – September 16th 1992
Harry's POV
Navigating a new city by the rooftops was surprisingly not as difficult as he would have thought. Starling's more modern aesthetic still had plenty of shadowy corners and unlit rooftops to hide in and the densely packed building layouts of the city's business district made reaching the docks a breeze.
Swift made his way methodically through the warehouses and shipping containers, searching for the Gotham shipment. Considering it was past midnight now, the area was all but deserted. Only a few security guards and dockworkers remained. Avoiding them was barely even a nuisance for Gotham's vigilantes.
He and Robin had decided to split up, each taking one end of the docks and working inward. So far, Swift hadn't found anything of particular interest, but Robin had called in another Vertigo shipment, this one intended for Coast City. Batman still hadn't arrived, but Swift suspected he'd make an appearance any minute now. Maybe I should check in with Dad and Dick?
"Seems like you're lost. Gotham is a half hour flight from here. I can point you in the direction of the airport if you want?" Swift spun around, eyes shooting skyward towards the top of the Starling City Shipments Office. Seated on the edge of the roof, legs casually swaying to and fro was a teen dressed in a red and yellow costume. Another vigilante? Batman had told them about Starling's own masked hero, The Green Arrow. He was a member of the Justice League and an ally of Batman. This guy though defiantly didn't fit the description Swift had of the Arrow.
He looked to be a few years older than Swift, around his early to mid-teens. He had auburn-red hair and cream skin. He was taller and stronger looking than Swift. He wore a domino mask, hiding his eyes. His uniform was red with yellow boots, gloves, belt and chest strap connecting to the red and black quiver on his back. He wore a yellow cap with a red feather. Despite the somewhat humours tone of his voice, the teen's facial expression made it clear he was serious. The newcomer had a red bow clasped loosely in his right hand, seemingly in a bid to appear unthreatening or perhaps in a show of arrogance. Or to make me let my guard down.
The unnamed boy was an archer, yes, but that didn't necessarily mean he was an ally of Green Arrow. Swift's mind went straight to the Dark Archer, a known enemy of Starling's hero. Leaning back against a rusty shipping container, returning the strangers outwardly casual demeanour, Swift retorted "Actually, I'm exactly where I'm meant to be. Not that it's any of your business Robin Hood. I've already searched through a lot of this place. If you're looking to rob some rich folks to give to the poor, this place isn't it. I would suggest you check out the Paris Hotel. Heard there is a big wealthy folk's party on there tonight."
The red-head scowled, leaping to his feet and nocking an arrow. Swift forced himself to not outwardly react, Batman's training kicking in. The illusion of control is a powerful asset in a fight. Don't let your enemies think they have you backed into a corner, even if they do. Instead, Swift stayed put, even as he slipped a birdarang into his hand, unseen. "My name isn't Robin Hood, its Speedy. With how protective of his city Batman is, never letting other hero's in to help, you'd think he would respect our boundaries as well. What's so important he decided to send one of his little birds here?"
Swift growled under his breath at the jab and considered flinging the projectile in his hands at the archer in retaliation. If he is Green Arrow's apprentice, then he should be able to duck after all. He decided against it though. Speedy did have a fair point and arguing with the first hero he met outside of Gotham was probably not the best idea.
"Who are you?"
Swift and Speedy watched as Robin swung down from a nearby warehouse, quickly taking in the scene before him as he tossed an Escrima stick from hand to hand.
Speedy turned the bow on Robin causing Swift to tense slightly. "Speedy, Green Arrow's partner. You're Robin, Batman's sidekick." It didn't escape Robin's notice that Speedy suggested he had a higher standing than them, but he didn't rise to the bait either, simply shrugging and walking over to stand next to Swift.
Speedy slowly lowered the bow when no attack came, still watching the pair suspiciously. "You still haven't told me why you're here."
"We're looking into the increased presence of vertigo in Gotham's underground market. We traced the supplier back to Starling City. The shipment should be leaving the docks in around….20 minutes." Swift replied. Robin shot him a reproachful look, but Swift ignored it. As much as Batman would probably argue that they should handle this alone, he couldn't deny that Speedy's insight would be invaluable. They didn't have long left to locate the shipment and they still hadn't finished searching the docks. Plus, Speedy could have more information on where the drugs were coming from.
Speedy pondered this for a moment, then…"All right, guess that makes sense. GA and I have this handled though. You can leave."
"What? Hell no, we're already here. We aren't leaving until we stop that shipment." Robin countered with a scowl.
Speedy huffed. "Listen up pint-sized; this is my city. I told you the situation is under control so consider the shipment sunk."
Swift shrugged. "Fine." Robin went to argue but Swift cut him off. "If you're so good, maybe we'll just tag along to watch."
Speedy jumped down from the roof, marching towards them with clenched fists. However, the sound of an approaching vehicle had the three of them diving behind a parked car to hide.
The trio watched as a nondescript van with no headlights parked just a few feet away. Several men in dark clothing jumped out and began unloading crates onto a boat. As they worked another man stepped out from the van. He was Caucasian, with white hair and light blue eyes. He wore a white shirt under a brown waistcoat, topped with a lime green blazer. The outfit was put together with an emerald green ascot and gold brooch with matching emerald pants, gloves and a hooded cape.
"Hurry along gentlemen. My contacts are expecting the deliveries to be on time tonight. We don't want any delays like last time." The man spoke with a strong Eastern European accent, very unusual in a place like Starling. One of the workers flinched at, scurrying along faster to get his crate loaded onto the boat.
"Shit, Vertigo is here?" Speedy cursed, peering over the hood of the car.
"Vertigo? That's the shipment then?" Robin grinned, reaching for his stash of birdarangs. "Great, let's deal with these guys and be done with this."
"What? No, that's not what i….okay, yes that's the Vertigo shipment but…Have you guys not heard of Count Vertigo?" Speedy spluttered, staring at them in disbelief. Swift and Robin exchanged looks before both confirmed that no, they hadn't.
Swift grabbed his bo-staff, noticing that the group had almost finished loading the boat. They could continue this conversation later….or never. If Speedy thought they were inferior, well, they'd just have to show him he was wrong.
"Count Vertigo is…Hey! Wait!" Speedy called but Swift paid him no mind. They could handle a few drug peddlers. If Speedy couldn't, that was his problem. He lunged over the car, dashing forward with a war cry before striking one of the men with the staff, causing him to drop the wooden crate and scattering the contents over the pavement. He heard Robin take down another crook to his right.
An arrow flew past him, striking one gun-wielding goon before he could take a shot. Swift now had a clear run to the Count. He didn't waste the opportunity, dashing toward the man triumphantly before everything went downhill.
Or rather, upside down felt more accurate.
A ringing sound filled his ears as a nauseatingly disorientating sensation washed over him. He didn't remember collapsing to his knees, nor did he notice Robin racing to his side only to wind up in the same situation.
"Hmmm….I had anticipated that we might have some uninvited guests tonight. You two are quite the surprise though. No matter, I'll just kill you as well." Vertigo mused before the pressure in Swift's head began to increase. Make it stop, make it stop!
A swooshing sound them a mini explosion and finally the overwhelming dizziness and pain was gone. "Get to cover and stay out of my way! I've got this!" Speedy snapped.
Swift weakly staggered to his feet as Speedy shot past them, nocking another arrow and sending it towards one of the gunmen. The arrow broke apart mid-air, revealing a net that immediately wrapped around the crook, immobilising him. Vertigo, knocked down by the exploding arrow, swore. "What are you fools doing? Stop him!"
Swift shook off the last of the effects from the Count's attack just in time to see Speedy stumble back from a blow to the chin. Vertigo seized his chance, launching another physic attack, this time at the archer. Speedy yelped, the force from the attack sending him flying into some crates. Robin tapped Swift on the shoulder, gesturing to an overhanging crane.
Swift aimed his grapple gun, taking off before a goon with a bat could smash in his skull. The twins dropped down from the crane, landing next to Speedy. "You okay?" Robin asked him.
"Yeah, fine." Speedy grumbled, rubbing the back of his head gingerly.
"We need a plan. If we work together, we can take him down." Robin stated, tossing a smoke bomb behind him and hauling a protesting Speedy to his feet. They ducked into an open warehouse, hiding amongst the boxes.
"I told you, I…!" Speedy began.
"No!" Swift snapped, whirling on the red-head. "You were right that we should have listened to you about Count Vertigo. But now we know what he can do and in case you didn't notice, all three of us were getting our butts kicked. So, let's try working together this time, yeah?"
Speedy hesitated for a second before conceding. "Okay, what's the play?"
…LtF…
Swift slunk through the shadows, taking note of where their targets were as he got into position. Two back on the boat, three by the truck, four next to the warehouse, five standing with the Count…
"Where'd they go?" Vertigo called out; annoyance thick in his voice.
…and three more joining the Count.
"We lost them." One answered, looking uneasy.
Swift watched as the Count scowled, pulling back the hood on his cape. There it is….
Swift watched attentively as the European villain reached up to the thin headset, mostly hidden by his hair, and pressed a button at his temple. The psychic wave slammed into the three goons, causing them to shriek in pain. "You know I don't tolerate failure."
"Yeah? Neither do we!"
An exploding arrow struck the ground at the remaining five goons' feet, sending them to the floor. Swift dashed from his hiding spot, leaping onto Vertigo's back as Speedy fired more arrows at the crooks by the truck and warehouse. Good, keep them distracted just a little while longer…
"What the…? Get off me!" Vertigo screamed, Swift snatched his flailing hands and quickly cuffed them. Reaching for the headset, he turned it back on, firing a psychic attack at the five downed goons. Robin leapt down from his perch, racing in to tie up the dazed group as Swift aimed for the next target. Swift turned his captive, aiming for the advancing three from the truck. Speedy fired one last exploding arrow at the group by the warehouse before turning his attention on tying up the now collapsed trio.
The Count shouted in outrage, trying to wiggle free to no avail. Swift launched one last wave at the four remaining goons, leaving Robin to tie them up as he quickly chained the Count to the truck.
"Wow, that actually worked!" Robin cheered, wandering over.
"This can't be happening! You foolish brats are going to pay for this!" Count Vertigo snarled. Swift rolled his eyes, duct tapping the man's mouth.
"Got any more of that stuff? This guy won't shut up." Speedy called, marching the final two criminals from the boat over, one of them swearing up a storm.
"Sure, have at it." Swift chuckled, tossing over the tape.
The three of them finished securing the group before Speedy called it in. They were just about to leave when a voice from above called out.
"Well done!"
The three young heroes jumped at the cheerful exclamation; weapons ready until they saw who had spoken. Green Arrow and Batman were seated atop the neighbouring warehouse's roof. The blonde man gave the three young heroes a big grin and thumbs up while Batman, to the untrained eye, appeared unimpressed, Swift could see the pride hiding behind the glower.
"How long have you been there?" Speedy demanded, scowling at his mentor.
"Long enough." Batman returned cryptically. Swift translated that to 'the whole time'.
"I ran into Bats on my way to the docks. We had a very friendly chat before we figured out the three of you were here alone with The Count. We raced over as fast as we could. Turns out you guys had it handled though. Took down Count Vertigo all on your own. Impressive." Green Arrow explained, smiling at the trio.
"Your teamwork skills could do with some improvement, but you got the job done with minimal injuries, no casualties and only minor property damage. Solid effort for your first team up." Batman critiqued, tone not giving much away on his overall thoughts. Still, Swift could recognise a compliment from The Bat when he heard one. Robin did as well judging by the beaming smile on his face. Speedy still looked annoyed though.
"Was this some kind of test? A setup?" The red archer griped.
Green Arrow shook his head, hands raised placatingly. "No, we promise this wasn't intentional. I had no idea Batman, Robin and Swift would be here tonight." At this he paused, shooting an unamused look at his fellow League member. Swift didn't have to guess at what their earlier 'friendly chat' had been about. Batman didn't look remotely chastised, glaring back at the emerald archer before Green Arrow continued. "Admittedly, we had anticipated you guys could have run into some trouble with the Count. When we saw you had things handled though, we figured it would be a good opportunity to observe how you went. After all, if you're going to one day be members of the Justice League, you need to be able to work as part of a team. We only intended to step in if things got out of hand."
At the mention of the Justice League, Speedy relaxed completely. Swift exchanged a triumphant grin with Robin. Tonight may have not been a planned test but they still passed, and they managed to impress another key member of the Justice League to boot.
Batman stood up, beckoning the brothers with a flick of the rest. "It's getting late and it's a long way back to Gotham. We should leave."
Green Arrow nodded. "We should be heading off too. Still got enough time to do a sweep of The Glades if you're feeling up to it, Speedy?"
Speedy stood up straighter, shooting his mentor a determined look. "Of course."
Green Arrow got to his feet with a languid stretch. "Well, see you at the next League meeting Batman. Robin, Swift; nice meeting you." Robin and Swift waved farewell while Batman merely grunted in acknowledgment.
Swift held out his hand to Speedy, the archer returning the gesture as they shook goodbye. "We should do this again sometime. You're not too bad for a wannabe Robin Hood."
"Not so bad yourselves, even if you are pint-sized." Speedy countered, shaking hands with Robin.
The trio laughed and Swift had to admit that even if the night hadn't exactly gone to plan, it couldn't have ended up with a better result.
…LtF…
Gotham City, New Jersey – December 19th 1992
Harry's POV
Icy wind lashed against Swift's cheek as he crouched behind an air conditioning unit in an unsuccessful attempt to avoid the deteriorating weather. Robin huddled next to him, periodically shooting longing looks at the Big Belly Burger across the street. Batman remained poised on the edge of the roof however, as still and unshakeable against the harsh wind as the stone gargoyles they so often perched on.
"Batman, are you sure this is really necessary? Ms Kyle hasn't done anything all night except wonder around the city. I don't think she's up to anything." Swift called, trying in vain to convince their mentor to abandon patrol and return home. I bet Alfred might even have hot cocoa waiting…
Just like their previous bids to reason though, Batman remained unmoved. Swift sighed, reluctantly leaving the shelter of the air conditioning unit to join the caped crusader in observing the blonde haired woman as she scattered some cat food in the alley for the two hissing strays. Selina Kyle, aka Catwoman, had been released from jail earlier that day. Swift and Robin had never met the notorious cat burglar before, but they did know, thanks to Alfred, all about her tumultuous relationship with Batman. Robin was intrigued by the whole story and eager to meet her, Swift less so. He could relate to her love of animals, sure, but he felt far less forgiving of her for breaking his guardian's heart. Mixed feelings aside though, this surveillance mission seemed a bit overkill at this point.
Just as he was about to attempt, yet again, to convince Bruce that Selina was probably not planning world domination tonight, a vehicle screeched to a halt at the mouth of the alley. Selina ducked into a side passage, pressing herself to the wall. Robin stealthily joined them to watch as two animal control officers stepped out of the truck, approaching the now hiding felines.
"Fleabags. Dirty, lousy, stinkin' fleabags. Get 'em Paunch." The female officer snarled as the male swung the net at the cowering cats. The grey cat was caught but the ginger tabby dodged, diving away from the trash cans with a frightened mewl. The red-headed female shone her torch on the cat. "Come to mama, you disgusting furball."
"How charming." Robin muttered in disdain, glaring at the officers as a second net captured the tabby. Before the stray could be scooped up, Selina silently lunged from her hiding spot, stamping her boot down on the net, keeping it in place. "Just what do you think you're doing?" she asked icily.
"Catching strays, what's it to you?" The officer snarled once she got over her surprise. She went to stand but Selina grabbed her navy jacket first, pushing her into the brick wall.
"You're obviously not the animal shelter. So what do you want with these cats?" the blonde demanded, pulling the woman away from the wall before slamming her back against it. Swift jolted in surprise at Selina's words but a quick glance at the truck proved Selina was right. That wasn't the Second Chances Animal Shelter's truck or Gotham City Animal Control. Who are these people?
"None of your business so piss off!" The female crook snapped, swiping at Selina with her free arm, causing the cat burglar to back up. Meanwhile, the male catnapper had the grey cat in his net and was making his way towards the truck. Batman tensed, prepared to jump in the fray if things got ugly, Robin and Swift following suit. However, Selina had things under control.
Selina glared once more at the other woman before turning to Paunch. "Fine, but I'm taking my friends." She snatched the net, ripping the flimsy material and freeing the grey cat.
"Hey!" The man shouted as his friend threw a punch at Selina. "You asked for it, sister!" Selina dodged the blow, catching the fist and twisting the arm behind the red-head's back, all whilst cradling the kitty in her other arm.
"Now tell me, what are you up to?" She ordered as the female thief cried out in pain.
"Ahh, Paunch do something!" Paunch threw aside the now broken net, advancing on the two females. Selina backed up a few steps before shoving her captive towards her friend. The two collided, falling backwards into the trash cans. "That's one way to take out the trash." Selina laughed whilst petting the cat and Swift chuckled along with her. Not bad, those two definitely had that coming.
"Laugh this off, sister!"
Swift stopped laughing, turning his attention back to the scene below as the lady kicked one of the felled cans towards the blonde. Selina, caught off guard, was knocked down. She dropped the cat as the two criminals scrambled to their feet. "Nail her!" the female, who Swift decided to dub Red, ordered. Paunch, who was starting to seem more brawn than brain, picked up another aluminium can and advanced on Selina. Deciding this had gone on long enough, Batman readied a batarang and tossed it at the goon's side. The man let out a surprised yelp and dropped his makeshift weapon on his head, knocking himself out.
"Paunch?" Red called. Robin and Swift landed behind the confused criminal, together hauling an empty bin up and dropping it on the bewildered crook's head, trapping her upper half inside. "Hey, you can't do this to me!" She cried, staggering around aimlessly.
Selina waltzed over, slamming a fist into the side of the can with a snarky "Put a lid on it, sister." As the stunned criminal stumbled into the wall before collapsing.
Batman stood before the supposedly ex-criminal with a disapproving frown. "You were supposed to stay out of trouble."
Selina didn't appear remotely chastised. Rather, she gave the bat a wicked smile, placing a hand on his shoulder flirtatiously. "Don't tell me you're my very own private probation officer? How often would you like me to check in?" She added, leaning in close to his ear and yeah, Swift had seen enough.
"Eww, gross!"
"Yeah, save it for another time will ya?"
"Preferably when we aren't here?"
Selina jolted away from Batman as though burned, whirling on the spot to face the two young vigilantes who glared back at her in return. "Oh my, I forgot you were there." She eyed the two pre-teens with curiosity before turning back to Batman with a teasing smirk stretched across her ruby red lips. "Sidekicks? What happened to 'the Bat works alone?'"
Rather than answer the jab, Batman merely grunted before beckoning the boys closer. "Selina, this is Robin and Swift." The twins, still perturbed at the burglar's flirting, only offered quite mumbled greetings.
"Ah yes, the Boy Wonders. Now I remember you. You've been quite the conversation piece in Blackgate." She recalled with a thoughtful grin.
Wanting to get the conversation back on track, Batman cut in. "Selina…" Before he could ask any further questions though, a police siren filled the air. Swift turned to see two officers making their way into the alley and quickly reached for his grapple gun, Robin right behind him.
"We'll talk later." Batman told the green-eyed woman before he too made an escape to the rooftops.
The trio watched on as Detective Montoya and her partner arrested the trio while both women tried to pin the blame on the other. What caught Swift's attention was the photo that slipped from Selina's pocket. Peering over the edge for a closer look, he realised it was a photo of a skinny but well-loved black cat with yellow eyes.
Was Selina looking for her pet cat?
…LtF…
Gotham City, New Jersey – December 20th 1992
Harry's POV
Swift watched on from his hiding spot across from Daggett Industries as Catwoman staggered away through the mounting snow, chasing after Isis. He and Robin had been keeping watch on the building all afternoon until Bruce could finish work and join them. It had been quite until they saw a certain cat burglar arrive.
They called Bruce on the comms and asked if he wanted them to follow. However, Batman told them to stay put until he got there. Swift confirmed that it was past home time for Bruce so he shouldn't be too much longer. Swift had considered arguing and going in early but decided to follow orders for now. Selina was likely only going to retrieve her cat, if she was in there, then leave. The wait was dull, but it did give him time to go over what they had learned so far.
Bruce had paid Selina's bail after her arrest yesterday, dropping her and her friend Maven home. Personally, Swift would have been all for leaving her in a cell for the night but Bruce insisted with the point that they might learn something from her. As much as he disliked it, Bruce had been right. Selina confirmed she was missing her cat, Isis, and that it looked like Roland Daggett was involved somehow, the catnappers being two of his known associates. Bruce had confirmed earlier that day with Lucius Fox that rumours were Daggett Industries was working on some kind of anti-toxin. Swift was honestly not sure how Selina's missing cat had anything to do with whatever Daggett was working on but it was a lead nonetheless.
It wasn't long until Catwoman appeared again, emerging from the fire escape chasing her fleeing cat across the roof of the lab. Swift wouldn't have thought too much of it if it weren't for the typically graceful criminal falling off the roof then stumbling off into the woods. Somethings wrong. Robin informed Batman of what they saw, and he confirmed he'd go after Selina.
The two waited a few more minutes, expecting to see someone exit the building in pursuit of Catwoman but no one did. The communicator in his ear then crackled to life. "Robin, Swift?"
Swift answered the call, looking around to see if he could spot their mentor. "We're here. What's going on?"
"Catwoman has a fever. I've taken her to one of her hideouts. She says Isis bit her, that Daggett did something to her. To all the animals he's got caged up." Batman answered. Swift growled under his breath in outrage. They were running experiments on the animals? Oh, he was going to enjoy bringing these guys to justice, perhaps with a few more bruises then strictly necessary.
He then spotted someone approaching in his peripheral vision. Swift tapped Robin on the shoulder, pointing to the road. It was Paunch. The crook unlocked the door to the warehouse, stepping inside. And conveniently forgetting to re-lock the door. Nice!
He pressed a hand to his ear, switching the comm back on. "We have an in. Want us to take a look around?" Please say yes! He hadn't been sure what Daggett was doing with the animals he caught but now that they knew he was doing something sinister with them, Swift didn't like the idea of sitting here any longer, doing nothing.
Thankfully he didn't have to wait any longer. "Normally I'd say no. Catwoman's fever is getting worse by the minute though. We might not have much time to find the anti-toxin Daggett's been developing. Go in but be careful! I'm on-route now. ETA 10 minutes."
"Roger, we got this." Swift confirmed, clicking off the communicator. Gliding down silently from their perch, the twins snuck into the warehouse. They spotted Paunch rifling through a box. A similar box next to them on a shelf revealed aerosol cans of what they assumed had to be the anti-toxin. Robin grabbed one, putting it in an empty compartment in his belt. Swift grappled up to an overhead beam with Robin joining him seconds after. Paunch looked up at the noise but had no time to react as a bandola wrapped around his feet before he was hung upside down from the roof. Robin slapped some tape over his mouth as the twins landed on the ground in front of him.
"Alright jerk, he's what's going to happen. We are going to ask you some questions." Swift began, grabbing the bound man by the jacket.
"And you are going to nod if we guess right. Agreed?" Robin continued, tapping an esscrima stick against his hand. The 'or else' going unsaid but Paunch's vigorous nodding confirmed the message was received.
"This anti-toxin isn't for an existing epidemic, is it? It's for one that you guys' plan to spread." Swift asked, earning a nod from their captive.
"An illness you plan to release using stray animals." Robin stated, earning another confirmation.
Swift hissed. This was bad. They had guessed when Bruce had told them Selina had gotten sick from Isis biting her that this might be the case. However, he didn't have to like being right. "A plague like that could spread through all of Gotham in just a few weeks." He told Robin. However, his brother's attention was not on him. More rather, he was staring at the door to what Swift assumed was the labs. Turning around, Swift realised why.
"Days actually." Roland Daggett corrected, Red standing behind him with a vicious smirk. "Do you know how many strays there are in Gotham boys? 300,000. Now, I don't know how good you brats are with mathematics yet, but I'm sure you could imagine what would happen if even a tenth of them carried the virus."
They could, and it wasn't pretty.
Daggett continued, holding up a vial of the anti-toxin. "Not only would this little bottle make me a hero, but a fortune as well. Take care of them." He ordered.
Red stepped forward, gun poised to shoot. Robin threw a birdarang, knocking the weapon from her hands as Swift leapt to the support beam above, slicing the rope holding up Paunch as he sent the large man hurtling toward Daggett and Red, sending all three into a pile of boxes. Hopefully that destroyed some of those cans of spray.
Red snatched up the gun again and began to shoot. Robin bolted outside, nearly colliding with Batman. Swift didn't have time to leap for the door though. He dropped down behind some shelves. Thinking fast, he pushed the heavily stocked shelves with all his might, managing to tip it forward. He heard Daggett and Red scream as they bolted to avoid being crushed. Outside he could hear the sounds of savage barking and Robin shouting something to Batman. However, the exit was now blocked.
"Swift? Are you okay?" Batman's voice filled his ears as he ran to the labs instead. The sounds of barking coming from outside began to fade but the volume remained consistent coming through the communicator. Batman and Robin must have been running away, with the dog in pursuit.
"I'm fine. Robin has the anti-toxin. Get it to Catwoman." He replied, hiding behind one of the empty stacks of animal cages.
Red raced into the lab, looking around. "Where'd he go?"
Daggett followed her, scowling. "Probably went to help the other two. Go find Milo. If Batman gets away, this whole operation is a bust."
The two quickly left and Swift went to follow. He had to stop them before they caught up to his family. However, a whimper stopped him in his tracks…
…LtF…
Gotham City, New Jersey – December 20th 1992
Dick's POV
Robin dropped into a forward roll, even in the heavy snow still managing to spring to his feet with ease. Beside him, Batman skidded to a stop, the two of them looking over their shoulders to see if they were still being pursued. The giant canine stopped only momentarily at the bottom of the hill before leaping off the ledge and lunging at them once more.
They spun around, racing towards the frozen lake. Selina's hideout was just on the other side. All they needed to do was reach it and…
"Batman!" He yelled, watching in fear as the dog tackled his mentor. The older vigilante was managing to fend off the snapping jaws, but only just. Robin moved to help him, but the slamming doors of a truck froze him in place. Spinning round, he spotted Red and the weaselly looking guy who released the dog on them, watching from the shore of the lake.
They prowled forward, laughing. "He's dog meat kid! And you're next!" Red called out, raising the gun just in case.
Robin cursed under his breath. What to do? What to do? He went to take out a birdarang when a thought came to mind. Hope this works on the animals as well as people.
He leapt towards the dog, knocking it off Batman. The brown furred canine went to snap at him but received a spray of the anti-toxin to the face instead. The dog froze, blinking and sneezing a few times, drool coated jowls flapping as it huffed before it stepped closer, nuzzling Robin's out-stretched hand with a deep "Boof!"
Batman chuckled at the sight, equal parts amused and relieved as he reached over to give the dog a friendly pat as well. Gunfire then split the air as Red shot the ice around them. Robin was close enough to the edge to leap to safety but Batman, the dog and the anti-toxin fell under the ice. Robin quickly crawled to the edge, helping to heave the dog back out but he couldn't see Batman anywhere. The dog ran off as more bullets flew. Robin had no choice but to dodge the onslaught, preventing him from reaching his still submerged mentor.
"He's not coming up." The man taunted.
"Just let him show those pointy little ears!" Red cackled.
"You sure about that?"
The three startled, looking back towards the truck when they spotted Swift, a German Shepherd at his side. "Sick 'em boy!"
The dog shot forward with a ferocious snarl, latching onto Red's leg. She shrieked, dropping the machine gun. Swift was right behind the dog, landing a hefty blow with his bo-staff to the dotcor's head, sending the man skidding across the ice.
Robin raced after him, tying the man's hands in record time. A splashing sound from the hole in the ice had him smile in relief. Batman's okay.
"Okay boy, that's enough." Swift called, pulling the dog away from the shrieking woman as he reached down to cuff her. "Bats, you okay? Robin?" He asked, looking up once the task was done.
Batman nodded, holding up the anti-toxin. "I'm fine. Who's your friend?" He asked, smiling slightly at the now happily panting pooch as he sat loyally by Swift's feet. Swift grinned, giving the dog a scratch behind the ears. "Found him in Daggett's Lab with a few other animals. Looks like he was one of the few that hadn't been infected yet. Figured he might want to help capture the people that hurt him. Isn't that right, boy?" He cooed.
"And Daggett?"
Swift smirked. "Waiting patiently for the GCPD to pick him up." The dog boofed in agreement, tail wagging as Swift continued to pet him.
Robin ran over, not wanting to be left out of the fun. The dog eyed him wearily for all of three seconds before deciding he was a friend. "Aww, who's a good boy?" Robin cooed, stroking the pup's head.
Batman smiled at the pair before gesturing to Selina's hideout with the spray can. "I'm gong to go cure Selina. Think you two and our new friend can keep an eye on these two?"
Robin nodded. "We'll call it in to Gordon." Pausing, he looked to the nasty bite wound on Red's leg and added, "And get an ambulance out here too."
…LtF…
Gotham City, New Jersey – December 21st 1992
Bruce's POV
Most of the morning had been spent helping the GCPD cure all the animals and get them safely to the waiting animal shelters. With only a few days till Christmas left, he was pretty sure most of them wouldn't be there long.
It had taken a bit more time to track down Isis. The crafty ca had not made it easy for him. He eventually found her hiding in an old barn, not far from Selina's hideout. A quick dose of the antidote and she was more than happy to come with him.
After dropping the cat off with her anxiously awaiting owner, he was beyond tired and ready for a good, long sleep. He'd sent the boys back home already and was unsurprised when, upon exiting the clock, he was greeted to silence. Deciding to check in on the twins quickly before going to bed himself, he was greeted with a surprise upon opening Harry's door.
There in the bed, soundly sleeping, were both of the twins. This in and of itself wasn't too surprising. What was a shock was the German Shepherd, freshly bathed and brushed, curled up at their feet.
"I see you've met our furry guest." Alfred's voice greeted softly from the hallway, not wanting to disturb the sleeping trio. Bruce carefully closed the door before facing the butler. "Alfred, what is the dog doing here?"
"Well sir, when you sent the boys home in the Batmobile, they decided to bring along a new friend. I certainly wasn't going to allow him into the manor covered in all that filth though." Alfred scoffed. "So, we gave him a bath and brushing before I sent the boys to bed. I assumed you were aware of this development?"
Bruce sighed, too tired to deal with this right now. He knew the boys liked the dog. He knew they wanted to keep it. Hell, they'd been dropping hints since the zoo about wanting a pet. It wasn't that he was against the idea. However, this dog was a stray with unknown history. They had no clue if it was hiding any illnesses or if it had any training. Dogs were a lot of work, and they were all already so busy….
"You know sir, Christmas is only a few days away."
"I'm aware."
"And most of the shelters are no doubt already crowded, especially after this last night's events."
"They are."
"The boys have been exceptionally well behaved lately."
"They have been."
Bruce sighed, peeking the door open one more time to see the dog snuggle down into the blanket with a little yawn.
"I'll think about it…"
They kept the dog.
…LtF…
London, England – September 7th 1991
Remus' POV
Bayview Orphanage did indeed stay true to its name. The gothic-style, withered building overlooked Albert's Bay and the docks, with a large garden and orchard onsite. Despite its obvious age, the building did have its charm. However, Remus couldn't imagine children living here. There were no toys scattered around the yard, no tire swing from the branches of the towering oaks, no sounds of laughter and play coming from the half-opened windows. The place felt too still, too ominous to be a home for the youth.
Kingsley knocked on the front door, his solemn expression showing that he too felt that something was off.
The rusty hinges creaked as the weathered door was opened. An elderly woman greeted them, chestnut eyes sweeping over them with an unimpressed gaze. The woman had on an elegant, heavy crimson gown, reminding Remus distinctly of someone from those Victorian-era paintings. Her hair was done up in a tight bun that he thought with vague amusement would have impressed even Professor McGonagall. Her almost ghostly white skin was a sharp contrast to the red lipstick and smoky eye makeup. She looked like she was preparing for a night out at the opera or some high society ball, not a night spent in watching over several young children. Did we get the wrong address…?
"Can I help you?" She asked, tone not even trying to disguise how much she wanted the answer to be 'no'.
"Is this the Bayview Orphanage?" Kingsley asked, expression and voice carefully neutral and polite.
"It is."
Remus shifted on his feet uneasily, not at all comforted by the confirmation this was the place. Had his godsons' really grown up here? He hoped not. "Pleasure to meet you madam. My name is Aleksander Griffon and this is my partner, Kevin Rhodes. We had a few questions for you about the children here."
The lady's expression only grew more frosty, even as she opened the door wider, stepping aside to allow them in. As Remus entered the entrance hall, he spotted an elderly man in a stylish black suit watching them from the base of the staircase, a younger man who was most likely his son stood next to him in a freshly-ironed white button up and black slacks, suit jacket slung over his shoulder and tie laying undone around his neck. "We don't normally get adoption enquires from….your type." The lady of the house commented, stinging insult layered under the forced politeness of a hostess.
Remus froze, the wolf growling beneath the surface at the thinly-veiled barb. Your type? What did she mean by that?
"We aren't here to adopt. My partner and I are here with the Gladstone Police. We're investigating a case of kidnapping from around a decade ago. We believe the stolen infants may have wound up here." Kingsley retorted, noticeably less friendly this time. Remus internally sighed in relief. He had no interest in staying here longer than necessary.
If the fact they were 'law enforcement' shocked the family, they gave no indication of it. The elderly man, who Remus assumed was the woman's husband, paced forward. "A decade is a long time. If the children were left here as infants, then it is likely they were adopted. The babies are almost always quick to go. Still, if you have names, descriptions, we may be able to help. We keep the records in the office."
The woman cleared her throat sharply, shooting her husband a pointed look. "Walter, we are going to be late."
Walter checked his watch with a noncommittal hum. "I shouldn't be too long dear. We don't want to wase the laws time now do we? I'm sure we can get this sorted quickly. Why don't you and Leonard go ahead and I'll meet you there?"
"Walter…" She began, eyes narrowed in annoyance.
"Ethel…"
"Let's go mother or we'll miss the opening ceremony." Leonard cut in, gently guiding his mother to the door. Ethel shot Remus and Kingsley one final withering stare before following her son outside.
As soon as the door clicked shut, Walter motioned for them to follow him down the hall to the right. Remus trailed behind Kingsley, taking in the silent halls, expensive looking paintings, fancy vases and marble statues. One painting took up a large portion of the hall, depicting a fancy dinner party with every guest adorning bejewelled or gold accented masquerade masks. Most of the masks seemed to be avian themed.
Walter opened the door at the end of the hall, guiding them into the elegant, high-backed crimson chairs. The office felt very reminiscent of the Gryffindor Common Room with its scarlet and gold colour scheme and warmly lit atmosphere. Yet, Remus didn't feel the same sense of comfort, safety and home that he felt back in his Hogwarts days. Maybe it was the taxidermy owl hanging from the ceiling, one that looked far too similar to his own old screech owl, Atlas, for comfort. Or perhaps it was the way that, despite Walter attempting to be more welcoming than Ethel had been, the disdain he felt for them was still visible in his grey eyes.
Walter took his seat behind the mahogany desk and bent down to rifle through the drawers. "These children you are looking for, what were the names?"
Kingsley answered, eyes surveying the bookshelf behind the desk. "Harvey and Richard Potter, twins. It is possible they could have been left here under false names or without any names provided however."
Walter mumbled something under his breath as he dug out a file. Flicking through the pages half-heartedly, he looked up at them briefly with an enquiring stare. "Year of birth? Or year they would have likely been left here?"
"They were born in 1980 but would have been left here most likely in 1981."
Walter continued to search the files. Remus wasn't sure if the lack of recognition should make him feel relieved or disheartened. On one hand, another dead end meant more searching. Then again, he despised the idea of James and Lily's boys ever being left in this horrid place. "You don't recognise the names?"
"They don't ring any bells, no. Description?" Walter asked.
"Black hair, pale skin. Harvey's eyes are bright green, Richard's are light blue. They would be 11 years old now., near identical except for the eye colours." Kingsley offered, turning his attention back to the muggle.
Walter slowly shook his head. "I'm afraid I don't recall any children matching those descriptions. Ethel and I have run Bayview for decades. We see a lot of children pass throughs these doors. Twins are quite rare though. We'd certainly remember them. Are you certain this is the right place?"
Remus sighed, exhausted by the whole affair. "We aren't. Just looking into all potential leads."
Walter nodded in a poor attempt at sympathy. "Of course. Well, we don't have them on reco…."
"Are you and your family the only staff here?" Kingsley cut in; gaze thoughtful.
Walter blinked in surprise but quickly answered with a strained smile. "Yes, this is a family-run group home..."
"Leonard your only child?" Kingsley continued, picking up and examining the family photo on the desk.
"Yes, Leo is our only son." Walter confirmed, confused.
"It is rather quiet here for a home with multiple children but I'm assuming the children are upstairs?" It was a good point. Despite this being an orphanage, Remus hadn't seen, let alone heard, even one child in the place. It set him on edge. Something felt wrong.
"Yes, its homework time for the school-aged ones, the rest are having quiet time or napping. "Walter answered just a tad too quickly for Remus' comfort.
"Then who, may I ask, is watching the kids? You and your family were clearly heading out for the evening." Remus grinned. Good one Kingsley.
Walter froze, sweat starting to appear on his brow as he brushed a hand through his balding, salt and pepper hair. "Ah, yes. I forgot. We do have two other members of staff. Family friends, you know. They usually just watch the children when we are busy."
"You wouldn't mind if we ask them a few questions? Perhaps they remember something." Kingsley mused, rising from his seat before the older male could protest and headed for the door. "Now, I don't think that's…"
"No need to worry. We'll just head on up and wait at the top of the stairs for one of your friends to wander by. We wouldn't want you to be any more late for your event than you already are. I imagine Ethel is waiting for you." Kingsley smoothly deflected. Walter in turn looked like he was weighing up whether to continuing protesting and risk his wife's wrath or just leave. The appearance of a younger woman at the base of the staircase seemed to make the decision for him.
"Ah, Annie. There you are. These gentlemen are here with the Police. Would you and Janice mind helping them with their questions? I really must be going."
"Oh, of course Mr Reighland!" Annie squeaked, eyes wide in shock. "Follow me, officers." She continued as Walter made a beeline for the door. Annie quickly climbed the stairs, answering Kingsley's enquiries about the house as she went. Remus went to follow but paused as he spotted a teenager watching him from the shadows beneath the stairs.
"Hello?" He called softly, watching the boy gaze back at him with weary brown eyes.
"You're police?" The teen asked sceptically.
Remus almost said no. Despite the cover story, it felt wrong to deceive the boy. However, the unease he had been feeling since arriving here stopped him. Alarm bells were ringing in the back of his mind and he suspected the child would bolt if he answered anything but yes. He needed to know what was going on here. He'd never forgive himself if he left the children in a dangerous situation without doing anything to help. "Yes, I'm Officer Griffon. What's your name?"
"Joshua." He replied, crawling out from under the stairs. Remus took in the boy's appearance, anger swelling in his chest. Joshua had olive skin, dotted with bruises and greasy, matted black hair. He was skinny and dressed in ripped, stained clothing. Remus crouched down, seeing the trepidation in the boy's eyes. Suddenly this afternoon didn't feel like a waste. Whether they find out anything about Harry and Dick or not, at least they could do something to help these kids. "Hi Joshua. You wanted to talk to me?"
Joshua nodded, relaxing slightly. "You're looking into the missing kids, right?"
Remus blinked, surprised. He'd been expecting the teen to tell him about the obvious abuse he and the other children had been subjected to. Not this. "Missing children?"
Joshua peered over Remus' shoulder, looking for anyone listening in. Satisfied they were alone, he answered. "You were asking Mr Reighland about those twins, right?"
Remus felt his chest constrict. Could this be it? Looking at the teen before him, he looked to be around 16 years old. Old enough to have been here when Harry and Dick would have been left here. Weeks of searching and they might have an answer. "You know Harry and Dick?"
Joshua thought about it before slowly shaking his head. "I remember two babies being left here when I was five. They matched the description you gave Mr Reighland. These was apparently a note, said their names were Harvey and Richard. Mrs Reighland found themon the doorstep."
Remus fell back against the side of the staircase, shock and relief settling in. They had a lead, finally! However, Joshua's earlier words caught up with him. "You're looking into the missing kids, right?" He straightened up, going back to the conversation with a newfound urgency. "They aren't here, are they?"
Joshua shook his head. "No. They were here for a few weeks. Then one morning they just disappeared. Normally it takes a few days for kid's to be adopted. The new parents have to meet them, then there is all the paperwork and stuff. But sometimes kid's here just…vanish. They're here one day and then the next morning, they're gone. No one's allowed to talk about it. You get punished if you do. We're just supposed to pretend they were never here."
Any excitement from before slipped away. Oh Merlin, was it the Death Eaters'? Had they found the boys?
No, no that didn't make sense. The Death Eaters would have been bragging had they caught The Boys-Who-Lived. Besides, why would they steal muggle children as well? This was something else. "You don't remember anything else? Any strange people hanging around here? Perhaps the adults mentioned anything unusual?" He pressed.
Joshua frowned. "No, nothing. Sorry. All I do know is some of the older kids when I first got here mentioned how Mr and Mrs Reighland used to be really determined to get us adopted. They'd look after all of us, make sure we were clean, had good clothes and plenty of food. They struggled with money and adoptions brought in the big pay checks, so they wanted customers to have good first impressions of us. Then a girl went missing overnight; no explanations, no note, nothing. Everyone expected the police to get involved and stuff, but they were never called. The kids were told not to talk about it. She was the first and after that, things changed. Suddenly the Reighland's didn't pay us any attention. Less food, no new clothes. They started buying expensive clothes for themselves, attending all those rich people parties, they got a new car."
"And more kids went missing?" Remus added, feeling sick.
Joshua nodded, looking at the ground. "That's what they said anyway. At first, I thought it was some stupid joke. A story to scare the little kids, like Bloody Mary or the Weeping Woman. It wasn't though. I knew the older kids were telling the truth as soon as those two babies went missing."
Remus closed his eyes, fighting back the nausea and tears. Merlin, what had happened to his Godsons? He had thought the Death Eaters finding them would be the worst case scenario but this? This was almost more terrifying. He knew what the Death Eaters would have likely done with the twins but in this situation, he had no idea what had happened to them. He did know one thing though, anyone buying kids like this surely didn't have good intentions.
Yep, he defiantly felt like throwing up.
A hand resting tentatively on his shoulder pulled him from his spiralling thoughts. When he looked up, Joshua was watching him curiously. "You're not police, are you?"
Remus blinked in shock. "What? No, I am…"
The teen gave him a pointed look. "No you're not. You looked far to relieved to hear I knew the boys you were looking for. Then when I told you what happened…This is personal, isn't it?"
Remus exhaled in defeat. I suppose I owe him the truth. Well, most of the truth anyway. "Yeah, it is. Harry and Dick are my godsons, the sons of two of my best friends. They were killed and the twins were left with their relatives. However, we found out they were dumped at an orphanage instead. My friends and I have been trying to find them, check that they are okay wherever they wound up…." He trailed off, despair choking him. James, Lily; I'm so sorry. I failed you.
"I'm sorry I couldn't help you more." Joshua whispered sorrowfully.
Remus rested a hand on the teen's shoulder. "You helped plenty. Thank you for telling me"
Joshua went to speak when creaking on the stairs caught their attention. "Alex? Are you down here?"
Remus stood up upon hearing Kingsley's voice. He glanced back at Joshua who looked ready to bolt out the window. He quickly crouched before the small boy, expression earnest and he hoped reassuring. "I might not be a police officer, but I can speak with one. I'll make sure this place is investigated. I promise."
Joshua blinked up at him, tears slipping from his eyes. "Thank you." He whispered before leaping out the window. Remus straightened up and walked back to the staircase where he found his friend and Annie. "Where were you?" Annie asked, smile tight with tension.
"Sorry about that. Had to use the loo." He explained. Luckily Annie seemed to buy his answer and didn't push it. Kingsley knew better though and raised and enquiring eyebrow. He gave his head a subtle shake. The message clear. I'll explain later.
As they left to go back to Hogwarts, with a stop at the Gladstone Police Station on the way, Remus went over the day's events in his mind. They found the orphanage where the twins were abandoned. However, they were no closer to locating them. They knew the boys had gone missing one night, likely sold to some stranger for who knew what purpose. They'd been in that place only weeks. Weeks! It'd been nearly ten years since they were sold off. Who knew what had happened to them since then.
That's if they are even still alive….
No, stop it. They're alive. They have to be! We just need to find them.
They were back to step one with no leads to follow though. Merlin what a mess….
Harry, Dick; what happened to you?
…LtF…
Manchester, England - December 23rd 1981
Mary's POV
Mary Grayson hummed along to the Christmas music she could hear drifting over from the circus tent as she waltzed along the train tracks. She and John had finished their final show for the night, and she was more than ready to settle down for a long sleep in their carriage on the train. Now don't get her wrong, she loved the opening night in a new city. There was always something special about that first performance in a new place that made her heart sing. The fact it was just two days till Christmas made it all the more exciting. Still, it had been a long day and she felt bone-deep tired.
She glanced over her shoulder, seeing John talking with Mr Haly by his tent. Normally Mr Haly wanted all the performers to stick around the circus grounds until the final guest left. He himself would be posing for photos with the families and chatting the night away until everyone left. However, tonight Mr Haly had been happy for them to leave early, walking with them as he and John discussed an adjustment to their performance for tomorrow night.
Mary knew the reason why they were allowed to retire early and reminding herself of it immediately killed her joyful mood.
It had been months, seven whole months, since the miscarriage. Seven months since her and John's final chance at becoming parents was lost to them. The following weeks had been some of the hardest in her life. The doctor informing them that the baby had been lost, the devastating news that it would be too risky to try again, the sight of happy families in the audience every night, their fellow circus stars giving them sympathetic stares and keeping their own children away in a bid to not remind them of what they had lost.
It had been hell.
Christmas was two days out. Mary's favourite time of year. They should have been celebrating the holiday with their new baby. Instead, they were alone. Just her and John while everyone else did their best to avoid upsetting them. Don't they see that pushing us away hurts more?
Mary released a shaky sigh as she continued down the tracks, balancing along the metal with all the grace of a seasoned acrobat. The snow was starting to pick up again and the train was in sight. Everything would be fine. She would curl up with John for a long night's rest and tomorrow when she woke, it would be a new day.
"Wahh"
Mary stopped, nearly toppling off the train tracks as the plaintive cry of a baby reached her ears. Seconds later, a second wail joined the first. Mary tilted her head, trying to pinpoint where the cries were coming from. The sound was coming from the direction of the train, not the circus grounds.
Mary frowned, confused. Several members of the circus had kids but none of them were babies. The youngest was the daughter of the knife thrower and she was already four years old. Mary quickened her pace, almost running through the steadily falling snow towards the train.
"WahH"
The cries started to pick up as she raced past the animal carriages, then past two of the storage cars.
"WAHH"
She skidded to a halt before the final storage carriage. The door was slightly ajar. Pushing it open, she peered inside. The space was partially filled with spare equipment, tents, prizes, lights and costumes. She flicked on the overhead light and there they were, bundled in the folds of the spare big top tent.
"John! John, get over here!" Mary called to the wind before jumping up into the train. Sitting down amongst the piles of rope and fabric, the aerialist reached over to the bundles, gently moving the makeshift blanket aside to get a closer look. There were two squalling infants, dressed in grey onesies with teddy bears on the front. Both of them had scruffy black hair and light skin. With the little ones still wailing she couldn't make out the eye colours just yet. What caught her attention though were the matching, lightning-shaped scars on each boy's forehead. The wounds didn't look too old but weren't recent enough either to be indicative of how they wound up here in the train.
"Shhh, shhh. It's okay sweethearts. It's alright." She soothed, carefully scooping one of the boys' into her arm while softly brushing her free hand through the hair of the other. Whilst she worked on calming the little ones down, she could hear two sets of footsteps racing towards her through the snow.
"Mary?"
"In here John!" Mary called, hushing the baby in her arms as he started to whimper unhappily.
"Mary, what are you….is that a baby?" Mary glanced up, spotting her husband standing next to the train with Mr Haly staring in shock behind him. She shuffled around so she was facing the two men, showing the small body in her arms to them. "Yes, one of them."
"One of…..wow!" John gasped, blue eyes blown wide in surprise as Mary placed the baby in his arms. She turned around, reaching for the second child as he started to fuss at behind left behind when she spotted it. Hidden below the two boys was a note. Scooping up the second child with a gentle "Shhh," Mary picked up the letter and turned back to the others. She gasped at what she saw. John had overcome the shock quickly and was gently rocking the little boy in his arms with a smile. The infant had calmed down and had his eyes open now, gazing up in wonderment at the man holding him. His eyes were blue, only two shades off those of her husband.
Mr Haly stepped closer, looking between the two children as if one of them would suddenly explain exactly how they got there. "Oh my, how did you two get here?"
"There's a note." Mary replied for them, holding out the letter to her boss so she could focus on soothing the fidgeting child. Mr Haly took the paper, reading it out loud. "To whomever finds this letter, this is Harvey and Richard. They are 16 months old, born on July 31st 1980. My husband and I love them with everything we have. They are our world. However, we can no longer provide a safe and stable home for them. We lost everything to a house fire and barely have enough to support ourselves. Our sons deserve better than that. We hope whoever finds this letter can give them the home we can no longer provide.
Harry has the green eyes. He's an adventurous little guy with endless curiosity. He loves getting into trouble and is a quick learner. Dickie has blue eyes. He's the quieter twin but he's no less quick-witted. He is a determined little man when he wants something.
We know when they get older, they will both go far. All they need is a new family that can help them get there."
Mary continued to rock the baby, now she knew must be Harry, as the words of the letter sunk in. The twins' parents had abandoned them, left them on the train for someone to find. Why not take them to an orphanage? The police or a hospital? It was so cold out here, late December in the snow with no heating in the back carriages. Who knew what would have happened had she not come back to the train early. The rest of the performers wouldn't be back here for a few more hours.
"What do we do?" John asked, gaze still locked on Dick who had finally started the drift off, one hand clutched in the man's coat. The question held no real weight to it though, they both knew it. There really wasn't a choice to be made after all was there?
Mary looked at Harry, smiling as a pair of emerald green eyes watched her in return. Eyes so similar to her own. How odd, they really do look like they could have been ours. Leaning against John's shoulder as he sat down beside her, humming along as The First Noel played in the distance, Mary felt truly hopeful that everything would be okay. This Christmas would be special after all. Her, John and their two precious bundles of joy.
Little Harry and Dick. Their Christmas miracles.
A/N – Well, another chapter down. Hope you enjoyed it! Next one is something I have been dying to get up to so expect that chapter soon enough!
I'm using the map from Gotham Knights as a reference for Gotham's layout. Why? Because I just finished the game and wanted a visual guide for the story. Amusement Mile is just up from the Dixon Docks and Gotham Stadium is located just outside the Financial District. Any other adjustments will be explained later. Also note, the map is a guide to the general city layout. Appearances of certain areas might not be an exact match in the game as they are in this story. For example, the docks look more like they do in BTAS.
Starling City looks like it does in Arrow, the TV series. Consider Oliver a mix of Young Justice and Arrow. Roy is his Young Justice version. And yes, I know the city is usually called Star City. I liked the name Starling though so just consider this taking place before the name change. The Paris Hotel was made up by me. Can't remember any hotels being named in the show so I just picked something random.
Speedy, ironically, was who held me up with getting this chapter out. i found writing him difficult but I hope you enjoyed him anyway.
Woo! We have a new addition to the Wayne family! I bet I don't need to tell you what his name will be, do I? :)
Anyway, I should have a new chapter out quicker this time.
Until next time!