Innocent (A Treacherous Novel)

3

Gotham City, New Jersey

November 28, 2002

"Ashley meet Dick." Four blue eyes locked into place and a twin flame lit as Ashley's well-fit puzzle shattered. Ashley's shoulders squared as she unknowingly prepared her defensive walls as she looked at the boy in front of her. Ashley assumed he was younger than Roy as she looked him over. He did the same, though Ashley had trouble coming to terms that she would no longer be the sole young human in the house. Ashley's head cocked and her lips pursed. Dinah looked over to Bruce worriedly as she looked between the silent power struggle between the two children. Bruce looked over to Oliver who had simply shrugged before looking over Alfred. Alfred shook his head, indicating that Bruce had made his choice and it was time to lay in his made bed. Unknown to the children behind them, Oliver was silently snickering at the two while Dinah looked at him unimpressed. Roy walked in and asked the silent question and Bruce just shook his head.

Ashley's eyes narrowed as she looked over Dick and he folded his arms before Ashley nodded and turned to her father. "He'll do" she said before turning to Alfred. "Do we have any cookies, Alfred? I'd like something sweet" she said and was led out of the room with a baffled twelve-year-old behind her.

"I thought you said she was nice?" Dick asked the black-haired man in disbelief.

"That was her being nice" Roy shrugged and followed after Ashley, deciding he would participate in all the sweet-eating he could before he and Oliver returned home. Dick just looked at the adults in disbelief before Dinah sighed at the children's antics.

"Come on" Dinah told him. "They'll eat all the cookies before you can get any if you don't follow right after them."

♠️♠️♠️

"Roy!" Ashley said as she started eating a cookie and picked up a spare ball that Alfred had yet to pick up.

"What?" Roy asked through a mouthful of cookies. Ashley laughed and turned around and threw the ball at him, laughing as the ball bounced off his nose and part of a cookie fell out of his mouth in shock. "You're a dick" Roy said, distressed as he picked up the fallen piece of cookie and stuck it back into his mouth. Ashley blinked and heard a light snicker, no doubt coming from Dick who was now dubbed by the two as 'new kid.'

"At least I can dodge a ball" Ashley said and took another cookie and began eating it.

"I hate you so much" Roy said, shaking his head and stuffing two whole cookies in his mouth and began chewing and began looking for something to throw at Ashley.

"I don't know what you're talking about" Ashley said with a shrug. "I'm a picture-perfect girl" She told Roy, sounding sickly sweet, causing Roy's stomach to pool with dread.

"You better not, you demon child" Roy told her with his mouth full as he realized what she was about to do. Dick sat on the sidelines of the two, watching them with morbid interest as the two began tearing into each other. Dick imagined that was what it was like to have siblings, but he never truly knew.

"Just remember Roy" Ashley said. "I'm the favorite" The brunette reminded the teenager.

"I hate you more than I hate Moira" Roy said, folding his arms over his chest.

"You take that back, you sicko" Ashley said as she aggressively pointed at him with anger contorting her face.

"Maybe I hate you more than Malcolm" Roy said and Ashley's eye twitched before she launched her small body over the table and on top of Roy and quickly got him in a chokehold. "Dinah!" Roy screamed and attempted to remove the small human from his body before he hit a wall. Dinah ran into the room, confusion etched across her features. Oliver and Bruce followed silently behind her, and Oliver snickered at the sight.

"Ashley get off Roy" Dinah said, folding her arms over her chest as she looked at the two minors.

"But-" Ashley began before being interrupted by her aunt.

"Now Ashley Renee" She said, cocking an eyebrow and almost daring the child to challenge her.

"I hate it here" Ashley said and slid off Roy's back before stealing his plate of cookies.

"I hate you more than Joker hates Batman" Ashley told him flippantly as she clutched the plate of cookies and combined them with her own.

"Now that's just downright rude" Roy said in astonishment and looked at Dinah.

"Something tells me you started it" Dinah said and walked away, the two adult men laughing and following after her.

"Before I forget, Ashley" Bruce said as he entered the room. "Wally will be coming to stay for winter break" he told her and Ashley nodded.

"Good" she said and happily ate another cookie.

"So she gets her friend and my cookies" Roy whined.

"Shut up Roy."

♠️♠️♠️

"I'm assuming Alfred already showed you your room, but I'm right down the hall" Ashley told Dick. "And Roy is staying on the third floor because he's a wuss" Ashley told him, causing Dick to let out a quick breathy laugh. "I have to practice for my piano recital tonight though so Dad will probably be with me" Ashley rambled. "No one wants to see that, though" Ashley snorted.

"It can't be all bad" Dick told her.

"Have you ever been to a piano recital?" Ashley asked rhetorically. "I'd rather be at some fight club" She told him honestly.

"What's the worst thing about it?" Dick asked with a snort. "All the old people golf clapping while a kid plays piano?"

"I'm not a kid" Ashley muttered and folded her arms over her chest. "I'm almost eleven" she sighed quietly.

"And I'm almost thirteen" Dick said smugly.

"And?" Ashley asked. "Roy's turning fourteen tomorrow" She told him matter-of-factly. "And I can still beat him up" Ashley said, proud of the fact that even though Roy had had a growth spurt that put him to almost five foot six she could still take him down if she tried. Dick blinked as he looked down at the girl as if he were trying to figure out what went through her head.

"How?" Dick asked her with a raised eyebrow.

"Boys hurt more than girls" Ashley shrugged. "And Dad says it's important in this world that I know how to protect myself...so that means Roy gets the short end of the stick sometimes" Ashley told him honestly. "And if you're mean too, so will you" Ashley told him with a smile and patted his shoulder. "Good luck" She told him and started down the hallway. Some things were best left unsaid, or at least that's what her father always told her.

A/N Trying out this twice a week thing since this when I usually get antsy. But this is a cute chapter before the ✨shitstorm✨ 😉 enjoy the peace, it won't last for long in Gotham. Also if you guys get Treacherous back to the #1 spot for Batgirl, I'll begin to publish the second book early I just have to start writing it again🤝

2nd QOTW: How many vinyl collectors are reading my book? I started hardcore collecting right before Black Friday and now it's all I think about 😫. Also drop your rarest vinyl in my comments, I wanna know more about my readers and music is how you know them. (Also remember we don't judge in this household🤚🤚)