Another Bat Abandoned

Begging

Virgil struggled in the thirteen year-old's firm grip, but the boy was strong, and a malnourished girl was no match for him. Finally, after a few minutes of struggle, she hung her head and trudged obediently.

"How old are you?" The question from Dick broke the heavy silence hanging between them.

"I'm twelve."

Dick considered, then asked more gently, "How old were you when your parents got divorced?"

She pursed her lips and stood up straighter, determined not to show weakness to the boy. God, she looked like him.

"Four. I- I ran away just last year, when things got-" she swallowed, "really bad."

Dick, in response, said quietly, "My parents were killed when I was eight."

Virgil was silent. They had reached Alfred, and while she felt more than comfortable with the blue-eyed, raven-haired gymnast, she had to haul up the tensile walls of steel for everyone else. Dick felt her go cold. He stopped being able to read her body language, and he doubted even M'gnn would have been able to read her mind.

M'gnn... the team. Dick groaned. 

"I should go to the team."

Alfred cocked an eyebrow.

"And leave your new friend here alone? I think not, Master Grayson. You will stay until the young Virgil has had time to recover."

Virgil muttered, "I'm not that young," under her breath.

Dick was too busy protesting, "But I-"

"No."

Alfred looked over her cuts and bruises with ease, dabbing ointment here, cleaning up there, until he reached her scars. Glancing at Virgil, he ran his fingers lightly over the thin pale streaks. Virgil could barely suppress a gasp of pain. If that small touch hurt that much... Dick couldn't imagine doing a routine.

"Are you alright, darling?" queried Alfred.

"I," gasped Virgil, "have a very high tolerance for pain. Once, my parents didn't realize I had an ear infection until five hours after it had hit it's peak."

At the word "parents", something in Dick's mind clicked. She had parents. Bruce couldn't just adopt her.

"We need to tell your parents you're here, and safe," began Dick.

At his words Virgil turned white as a sheet.

"No, please," she sobbed, "don't- don't make me go back to that- that- hell."

Dick was taken aback by the sudden change in character. 

"Do they- do they, um, beat you?"

"No," she said, sighing and wiping her tears. "That was the... the circus," she admitted begrudgingly.

Dick's eyes widened again.

By this time Bruce had come rushing to see what was the matter, finding the girl curled on the floor and sobbing, with his son comforting her like- like a brother. No, he thought, a cousin. The aunt that passed away... that was Dick's mother. 

At this revelation, Bruce knelt down to face them both and said, "Dick, Virgil... you're cousins."

Vigil and Dick both went silent.

Until Bruce said, "And Virgil, you have to go back to your parents."

"NO!!!" She screeched, pale and shaking. 

Bruce twisted his lips. 

"If you go home to your parents, I will offer you a spot on the team."

"I don't have a home. Not anymore." She held up a poster. Home is where the heart is. "Where's your home when your heart is ripped in two? Where is it then?" 

"You may not have a home with your parents, but you can have a home on the team."

Virgil considered, then nodded.