Hidden Within the Shadows

Prologue

Ok so I've been toying with ideas for DC OCs through the years and when I saw 'The Batman' I was immediately like 'I want to give Bruce a sister.' for some reason and here we are! I am using the prequel novel (yes there is a prequel novel. It's actually pretty good in my opinion!) to get this show on the road before I get this movie on DVD/whatever streaming services it's on so I can write my OC into the movie itself. (edit as I post this; I have it on Prime so there will, unless life gets in the way, be no significant delay in getting this story out there between the prequel novel and the movie)

Anyway, hope you all enjoy my new OC, Aria! I want to include her in the DC Animated movies (like Son of Batman or Justice League: War), so if you want, tell me what movies you're most interested in her being in and I'll see what I can do! :) I could also be convinced to put her into maybe a cartoon, but idk about that since that's a larger commitment.

Ok enough talk! Let's get to the story!

God bless and good day!

~The Lupine Sojourner

It was an ordinary night when everything changed, but then again...when isn't it an ordinary night when things suddenly change?

As I recall, Bruce and our parents went out to a movie. Normally, I'd go with them, but I had a stomach ache and wasn't up to seeing a movie, so Mom promised to take me to see Mask of Zorro soon, kissed my forehead, and left me with Alfred for the night.

Not long after I'd fallen asleep, however, I'm woken up by Alfred shaking my shoulder. He said he was sorry to wake me, but told me he had to take me along to pick up Bruce, as everyone else had gone home for the night.

He never said anything about picking up my parents...or where he was picking Bruce up from. At nearly seven naive years old and half asleep, I didn't think much of it.

I just murmured that my stomach felt better as Alfred hurriedly grabbed a blanket and came over to scoop me up gently.

I yawned and let Alfred carry me to the car and wrap the blanket around me after buckling my seatbelt. It was chilly that night.

We drove off and I fell asleep while poor Alfred was left alone, driving to pick up Bruce from the police station after our whole world had been torn apart.

Alfred left me asleep in the car while he talked to the police, the windows cracked for fresh air.

I had no idea where our parents were when Bruce got in the car, content to lean my head against his and fall back asleep, Bruce adjusting the blanket to cover us both. I never noticed the tears going down Bruce's face. Or the way his arms wrapped around me, as if scared to let me go.

I was happy but a bit confused when I woke up in Bruce's bed, his hand gripping my pajama shirt tightly. He seemed sad, but only told me to talk to Alfred about it when I asked what was wrong. Alfred wasn't any help, either, though. He didn't want to have to break the awful news to me, but eventually...he had to.

As it was, I didn't really understand what had happened to our parents until a few days before the funeral. Alfred had to sit me down, tell me that a heartless man had come and done a bad thing in an act of desperation. He had to tell me that, though my parents were gone and couldn't look after my brother and me anymore, Alfred Pennyworth would do what he could for us.

He wasn't perfect, and he wasn't our parents, but I thank God every day he was there for us. He got me through the darkest time of my life. Bruce, too. He always let me talk to him, and he helped me cope with my grief, albeit in an unusual way.

By fighting, or learning to fight. Alfred began teaching us, using his own combination of fighting styles he'd learned from his time in the British Intelligence agency. He calls it 'Bruce-jutsu', which annoys Bruce but amuses me. Guess that's why Alfred keeps calling it that.

After some persuasion, I started learning too. Alfred tried to talk me out of it since I was only about ten at the time, but I was stubborn and wore him down eventually. Alfred said we were fast learners and continued teaching us when he could, sharpening our skills when we were home and I loved the bonding with our friend/caretaker.

Truth be told, I don't know why I wanted to start learning to fight alongside Bruce. I just...knew it was what I needed to do. I guess maybe I just wanted to do whatever Bruce did. That was usually how it was between us.

Mom had even called us 'Monkey See' and 'Monkey Do' because I was always right beside Bruce.

And I know I always will be, no matter what.

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By the time Bruce was seventeen and I was thirteen, Bruce and I were unsure where we were headed in life, but I for one am grateful to always be able to come home to Alfred from boarding school. Alfred made sure it was a school that Bruce and I could attend together. He made sure we weren't separated by more than a dormitory. I always appreciated it and made sure to tell him whenever I saw him.

He was proud of our top grades (I was even able to skip a grade or two since my grades were so good, which made Alfred so proud he made me any dinner I wanted for a week), but really school was easy.

For me, the big challenge was figuring out what to do with myself. Even just for the summer.

The school semester was finally over, but I had no idea what to do now. Alfred asked us when we arrived at Wayne Tower and had given me a warm hug, but I didn't have an answer. Neither did Bruce. Knowing him, though, he'd find something soon.

I slept in the next morning and missed the workout session Bruce and Alfred clearly had.

Almost immediately when Bruce and Alfred came into the kitchen for breakfast, I notice a small bruise forming under Bruce's chin and a sour...something about his expression.

I smile, knowing what it means. "Alfred win again?" I ask innocently.

"...He caught me off guard. That's all." Bruce takes a grumpy sip of coffee.

"Perhaps, sir, you shouldn't underestimate me in future." Alfred chimes in coyly as he prepares his usual cup of tea, a smug smirk on his face.

Bruce grunts, eyes on his computer.

I chuckle. "I think I'll see if the house has changed while we were at school." I muse out loud, knowing it would make Alfred scoff, which it did.

"You'll find everything in order, Miss Aria, so don't bother, and none of that cheek, if you please." He replies, smiling. "Now, what shall we put on for breakfast, eh?"

"Maybe your famous coddled eggs, Alfred. Been a long time since I had those." It's true; coddled eggs are one of Alfred's specialties. Being British, Alfred cooks a lot of traditional English dishes, but he also made a lot of American ones, too.

"Hmm. Been a while since I made some. Got used to oatmeal in the mornings, you see." Alfred's smile is something I dearly missed. These easy mornings, full of banter and jokes, too.

I remember Alfred baking cookies just to give Bruce and me a cookie and a glass of milk each before bed, even if Mom didn't want us to have it. He always said we earned it.

I hope that's true. Silly as it is, I always wanted to earn a cookie at the end of the day, and I think that's carried over to the present. Alfred is someone I deeply admire and care about. I respect Alfred just about as much as I respected Dad, and I want to always live up to that small standard of earning a cookie in Alfred's eyes.

"Why not shake the rust off, then? I know you like making coddled eggs. Bruce, you want one?" I ask.

"Why not?" Bruce replies, sighing and managing a smile as he finally looks up from his computer. "Like Ari said, it's been a long time."

'Ari' was Bruce's nickname for me. He's been calling me that ever since I can remember. I call him 'Cee-cee' sometimes, but that's rare. Usually, I just call him that when I'm teasing him. My other nickname is "Brewster', like 'Ari'.

We reaffirmed our bond that way.

After the funeral, I promised Bruce I'd be there for him, always.

He promised me he'd be there for me, too, whenever I need him.

Nothing would ever come between the little family we've built in the wake of tragedy.

Nothing and no one.