a cure i know, the batman fanfiction.

bounded by luck and blood

It started raining, unsurprisingly, and her short legs trembled as she looked down from the edge of the window. Hesitantly, she raised her foot, letting her sock dangle from the tip of it. A few raindrops fell onto her face, the smile on her lips incomparable to any of the other children inside the building. Liliana jumped from the second floor without any fear.

She didn't land undamaged, but a bush surrounding the fence eased her fall. She did, however, land unnoticed; the constant winds and sirens surrounding Gotham doing their inconsistent job of keeping her safe. To be honest, no one really cared if yet another orphan started a life in the streets. It was just a mouth less to feed.

Liliana would say she was an expert on this area; she saw it all the time in the movies. If you needed to rush out of somewhere and there was a tree, or a bush, or a pool near your window, your escape was secured. That's why it troubled her so much when she tried to get onto her feet and realized that her knees hurt.

"C'mon kid..." She heard someone say as she limped away. It sent a chill down her spine to know someone actually saw her escape "You know it won't be any better for you out there..."

Lily knew what they meant, but she wouldn't back away when she had an actual parent waiting for her inside a warm, loving home, because she wouldn't be out there. She would be embraced, and spoiled, and cared for. And it didn't even surprise her when the person saw her leave, after their mediocre attempt to make her stay, and no guards or nuns came to capture her. 

After walking three blocks she realized that it wasn't like the movies. She didn't have anything figured out, and she wasn't suddenly protected by mere luck. She was scared, and hungry, and cold and she was lost. The dark impregnated in the alleys surrounding her, homeless people were shadowy figures embraced by smelly fire.

Her mother's voice roared in her mind, "Don't walk alone at night", but someone was looking at her from up above and she noticed it, smart kid. She didn't show it, but her eyes would travel from side to side, to the top of the building and it only made her look wary. It took everything inside of her to not show the excited smile she was holding.

Then, she felt what was left of her undone braid being pulled roughly, letting out a knowing, pleading scream as her small hands fled to grab onto the foreigner touch. She kicked, and wiggled, but the embrace was tight. He saw her, a child, about to be swallowed by Gotham.

In a handful of confusing events, that could have lasted an eternity but, in reality, about thirty seconds; the dark knight jumped to her aid and Liliana only remembered the thrill to be saved by the greatest hero she's ever known. 

The homeless still talk about that one cold night; the child with a wide grin, hand by hand with Vengeance himself. The way no one dared to approach them as they walked in the middle of the street. How she was half his size and it made him look even more unbeatable. How he left her, safe and sound, on the entrance of Wayne Tower and disappeared, dissolving into the mist.