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yall-imhere · 7 months ago

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Batman - Study in the Scarlet Gallery (Batman/Bruce Wayne x Fem!OC) Part 1

This is the first time I posted a short story on Tumblr, I usually post on Wattpad but when I saw one of my favorite Batfam fanfic writers's main platform is here, and I made a Tumblr profile to read more of her works. Then I wanna try posting here too :) for a change of scenery.

Synopsis: Third year as Batman, Bruce come to a mystery that hits closer to home. And one that Batman alone cannot solve -- he will need to be both Batman and Bruce Wayne to find out the truth that Gotham has buried for the past six years and is being pulled into the light by a mysterious woman seeking vengeance.

The first time Bruce Wayne met Sienna Fallbrook was during a gala at the Fallbrook estate for an art gallery charity; the patriarch of the family, Sheldon Fallbrook, was a fan of the arts and often hosted his charities in the themes of artworks. At that time Bruce was young, probably six years old, and was normally left at home with their family butler, Alfred, whenever an invitation is extended to the Waynes but this time Sheldon Fallbrook insisted on having the boy over by telling the Waynes, “it’s about time the little ones get to know one another, get to know the business – we won’t be alive forever, you know!”

While it wasn’t a strong reason to have young Bruce Wayne into the gala, it was what Sheldon added that changed Martha Wayne’s mind in the matter: “My little girls will be there too, Rebecca and little Sienna.”

“I think it would be a good idea, Thomas,” Martha told her husband.”We should let Bruce meet other kids his age.”

Bruce frowned at that statement. Not too long ago, his childhood friend, Thomas Eliot, became distant to Bruce after the latter promised him that Dr. Wayne can save both his parents from their injuries that they got from an accident, but in the end it was only Eliot’s mother who survived and Thomas Eliot hated Bruce for giving him such hope. Since then Thomas Eliot hasn’t shown himself to Bruce and refuses to reach out again. Or maybe it was because of Thomas Eliot’s mother, who became more recluse after the accident.

After that there weren’t many kids that Bruce hung out with. Though he was quite popular in school, given his looks and name, he was more of an introvert and would rather be in the library reading books.

It took Martha a few more convincing arguments before Thomas finally looked down at his son and asked, “do you want to go to the gala, Bruce?”

Bruce looked at his father and then saw his mother’s sincere smile. This was for him. What she was doing was good for him. No mother would want to hurt their child, right? Besides, his parents never made him do what he didn’t want to. Unless he was grounded for breaking house rules.

“Do you have snacks at the gala?” Bruce asked Sheldon directly.

The three adults laughed wholeheartedly, and Mr. Fallbrook said, “why yes! And what snack would you want there?”

Bruce thought long and hard before answering, “those small cheeseburgers, like what Alfred makes me at home!”

Another laugh.

“Well, I can’t promise it’ll be as good as the ones the good old Alfred makes, but I can get a couple of little cheeseburgers for you,” he made a small measurement with his finger and thumb. “Alright, kiddo, see you there. Rebecca and Sienna would be happy to see you!” Then Fallbrook said to his parents, “and don’t forget your checks. It’s still a charity event after all.”

The night of the gala, Alfred helped Bruce prepare – helping him into the new suit his parents had custom-made to fit him perfectly. It was in the shade of dark blue (Martha thought black was a little too serious for a child), with a matching bowtie, shined shoes, and –

“Flowers?” Bruce wondered when Alfred placed the boutonniere on his left breast pocket.

“A boutonniere, Young Master Bruce. It’s a common accessory for formal events, and tonight, you are going to one.”

Bruce sighed as Alfred fixed the white carnation flower on his chest and let the man finish his work. “Do you know the Fallbrooks, Alfred?”

“Not intimately, Sir. Just the basics.” Meaning whatever everyone has seen on the papers. The founder and faces of Fallbrook Conglomerate. One of Gotham’s rich and powerful families, but not as rich and powerful as the Waynes; the Fallbrooks were not part of the five major families that built Gotham, they grew their wealth during the mid-18th century during the Industrial Revolution, and during the war Fallbrook Industries – as it was called then – supplied the weapons during the wars.

Then there was the family. Sheldon Fallbrook, a true-born Gothamite and the current head of the family and CEO of the company, married to a Spanish-heiress whose family thought Gotham was their next venture but ended up eaten by Gotham’s corruption.

It was Sheldon Fallbrook who saved them when he married Laura Alegria and took their company under the Fallbrook’s. Aside from gaining a place in the hospitality and entertainment industry, the union gave the couple two daughters, Rebecca and Sienna Fallbrook. Two girls who were around Bruce’s age with the former being his age, and the latter a couple of years young.

Two girls.

Though he never had anything against girls, he remembered the girls in his school and the things they do for “fun”. He wasn’t quick to judge but Bruce wasn’t “into” those types of things.

His face must have given away his thoughts because Alfred chuckled, pulling him from his train of thoughts, and said, “You better learn how to hide what you're thinking from showing on your face, Young Master Bruce! But do not worry, I’m sure you’ll get along with the Fallbrook girls. You’d be surprised, you might find a friend at this gala. Just keep an open mind.”

“Alright, Alfred,” Bruce said and got off the step he was on to help the butler with his height.

After a goodbye to Alfred, and reminding him to get some rest, the Waynes drove off to main Gotham – specifically, Gotham Heights. One of the places in Gotham that had less crime-rates. With their wealth, the Fallbrooks would have been able to purchase land at Bristol, on the mainland and the outskirts of Gotham, away from the crime-ridden city, but they chose to be at the heart of it all.

Fallbrook manor was large, much like the lots in Gotham Heights. Its brick fences are high with spear-like gates to keep away tempted robbers, and inside was a large garden with a road that leads to the manor that had a mix of Georgian and a Spanish villa architecture. Thoman commented that the Mexican villa theme happened when Laura Fallbrook nee’ Alegria moved in, and Martha noted how she would love to have those smooth stucco and stone exteriors for Wayne Manor too. It made Bruce laugh as his father sighed loudly and he saw his mother wink at his direction jokingly.

Entering the Fallbrook manor, the Waynes were greeted by the other guests who were close by, all shaking hands with Thomas and Martha, and saying hello to Bruce. Despite not wanting the attention and the urge to hide behind his mother, Bruce kept his facade and greeted the strangers with a good evening. Not long after, the hosts finally came to see them and greeted the Waynes with such familiarity. Sheldon Fallbrook happily patted Thomas at the back, while Laura Fallbrook greeted Martha with a kiss on the cheek. They spoke for a while until the couple took notice of Bruce, and Laura called someone’s name to “bring the girls”.

From the crowd, a woman – Laura’s lady-in-waiting – came with two girls holding her hands. One was taller than the other but both shared traits, such as their facial traits, olive skin, and physique. One would think they were twins if it weren’t for their age, the only thing that sets them apart were the shades of their hair – Rebecca, the eldest, had a lighter shade of brown, while Sienna, the youngest, had a darker shade – and then their eyes – Rebecca had her father’s brown eyes, while Sienna has her mother’s green eyes.

“These must be the girls,” Martha greeted them fondly. The eldest had no trouble with happily introducing herself, but Sienna. Sienna was a bit shy. She avoided eye-contact and she spoke softly when she said hello.

She seems much closer to her father as Sheldon knelt down to her height, not caring if he got dust on his trousers, and held his daughter’s hand as encouragement. “How about Bruce? Have you said hello? Come on, doll, I’m sure you remember him?”

Sienna looked up to him and said, “yes,” before hugging her father to hide her face. It made the grown ups laugh.

“I think someone has a little crush,” Laura jests.

Sheldon sighed in defeat when Sienna refused to let go of him. “I was hoping if she met some new faces she’d take a step from her shyness, but I guess she’s still in that stage.”

“Don’t worry, it’ll pass,” said Thomas. “So, when does the auction start? I saw the pamphlet – I can’t believe you put your Gentileschi collection for auction, Sheldon!”

“Well, it’s all for the cause – the money here is set to rebuild the East Side. Fix some homes, make shelter, and establish a public hospital.”

“Anything to help Gotham.”

“Speaking of, the auction will start in a couple of minutes. Please, mingle while you can, I’ll just settle this little one. Hey, Bruce, you can hang out with Rebecca here while the grown ups go to the boring party later. We got the theater here all set up for you kids.”

Bruce nodded and thanked Sheldon before the man left with Sienna in his arms, and his wife leaving with Rebecca. As the family left, though, Bruce saw Sienna raise her head from her father’s shoulder and looked at him. Her face was all red as she waved hello to him. Seeing her effort, Bruce returned the gesture with a smile.

~*~

The theater room of the Fallbrooks wasn’t as big as Wayne's, but it was cozy with soft chairs that were too big for a child and swallowed him whole, and there was tons of food on their own side tables.

When the auction was about to start, Bruce was beconned by girls’ nannies to be brought to the theater to watch a movie. He went willingly and was dragged along by Rebecca, while Sienna held the hand of their nanny and walked a few steps behind. Bruce would look back just to check they were still there, and whenever he would Sienna would look away.

Rebecca sat at the center, wanting to be close to Bruce, while her sister trailed to her other side. She went on and on about the movie they were going to watch, but Bruce only nodded but the information flowed right through his ears. When the movie began, Bruce was already half-through his popcorn, so he took one of the mini-cheeseburgers and had some iced tea.

Half-way through the movie he noticed someone’s shadow moving. It was Sienna. The girl whispered to her sister about going to the bathroom, when she was going to ask their nanny, they found the woman fast asleep. When Rebecca did not offer to go with her, Bruce did but the eldest Fallbrook sister said Sienna knew her way around the manor. So he lets the little girl go.

That is until he noticed the youngest Fallbrook putting mini-cheeseburgers, fries, and cookies to the cloth placemat as a bag then left. A snack on the way there? Was the bathroom that far?

He doubts it. Bruce saw the bathroom on their way to the theater and it was just a few steps from the room.

Making an excuse to use the bathroom, Bruce quietly caught up to Sienna.

He was right. She wasn’t going to the bathroom. Instead, she went through different paths, and Bruce made an effort to keep up with her pace.

For a five-year-old with short legs, Sienna Fallbrook was fast.

They passed the doors of the room where the auction was being held, he even heard the hammer being pounded as another painting was sold.

Then he came to the gallery. The large hall had scarlet doors with gold knobs, a red carpet and there they were…

The Fallbrook family’s Gentileschi collection, all in golden frames.

And at the very center was the youngest Fallbrook sitting in the middle of the red carpet, her neck craned up as she looked at one of the paintings while eating the cheeseburgers.

“What are you doing here?” Bruce spoke up as he approached her.

Sienna jumped in his presence. She looked around, hoping no one else was there, and sighed in relief when it was just him.

“They’re going to sell them now,” Sienna spoke softly, disappointment in her voice. “The paintings.”

“Don’t you want to sell them?” Bruce asked. He sat beside her and looked at the painting she was staring at. It was a brutal looking painting with two women holding down and beheading a man while he was in bed. It sent a shiver down Bruce’s spine, and – though he won’t admit it – gave him a fright. “Is this your favorite?”

Sienna nodded. “Mother doesn’t like it… but I do.”

“Why?”

“I don’t know. I just do.”

“Doesn’t it scare you?”

Sienna shook her head. “I don’t want him to sell this painting. But they can’t sell the paintings without it.”

Bruce frowned. “Maybe you can ask the person who buys it to let you keep it for a while.”

“Dad said that’s not how business works.”

“Is that why you came out here? To look at it one last time?”

Sienna nodded, she then offered him more mini-cheeseburgers and some fries. Bruce thanked her and took one mini cheeseburger. “Also because I watched that movie a hundred times now. Becca likes it too much. What about you?”

Bruce made a face. “I don’t like it either.”

Sienna snickered and then laughed. Her laugh, and the sight of her smile was infectious that it had Bruce laugh as well. They stayed at the gallery for some time until they had fallen asleep – a food coma.

Their parents found them, right after the auction, asleep against the wall. Snacks on their laps. And the children snored softly. It was late, and according to one of the staff, Rebecca has retreated to bed right in the middle of the movie too.

When the parents were to pick them up, Bruce and Sienna woke up and apologized for being in the room. They picked up their food, handing it over to one of the staff standing with their parents, and were about to say goodbye when Bruce asked: “Mr. Fallbrook, who bought that painting?” he pointed at the one they were looking at earlier.

“I believe it was the Waynes, Sir,” one of the men spoke.

“Do you like it, Bruce?” Martha asked, though she was concerned that her son was looking at something so brutal and horrific.

Bruce turned to Sienna, who was frowning, “can we… can we not take it just yet?”

“What do you mean?” Thomas asked, worried the boy found the painting a bit scary. Since he was a baby Bruce was scared of a lot of things. Even the sound of bats flying around made him cry back then.

“It’s Sienna’s favorite painting.”

The shock on their faces was mostly at the fact a little girl likes a brutal looking painting with two women decapitating a man. “I – uh…” Thomas was at a loss for words, even Sheldon couldn’t conjure anything.

Sienna then tugged on Bruce’s blazer and said, “it’s okay… you can have it. But can I see it sometime?”

“Of course, you can, Sienna. You’re more than welcome to visit it at our home,” said Martha. “Now, it’s getting late, and you two need to go to bed. I bet you fell asleep because of all the sliders you ate.”

“What are sliders?’ Bruce asked.

“You mean the baby-cheeseburgers?” Sienna added.

The name made Bruce snicker. “Baby-cheeseburgers?”

“Yes, what do you call them?”

“Mini-cheeseburgers.”

“Baby-cheeseburgers sounds better.”

Bruce shrugged. “Thank you for tonight, Mr. Fallbrook.”

“Anytime, boy. Anytime.” Sheldon messed with his hair.

Turning to Sienna, Bruce was about to hold out his hand – just like how his parents would greet and say goodbye to their guests – but felt it was off to do so. Instead, he looked down at his left breast and saw the ruffled carnations, he took them from his breast pocket and handed it to Sienna. “Thank you for… being a good host,” he said shyly.

Sienna, turned deep red and accepted the small flower. “Thank you for… coming here tonight. See you at school?”

“But we’re not in the same class.”

“Oh… right.” Why did she have to be younger than him? Sienna thought. If only she was a bit older now.

“I’m sure you both will see each other on campus,” said Martha. “Come along now, Bruce. Sienna needs to get to bed, and so do you.”

“Bye,” Bruce said and left with his parents. He made one last look at the girl’s direction and saw her waving at his way again.

~ Many Years Later ~

Standing at the Fallbrook scarlet-doored gallery, Bruce remembered the time he and that little girl sat there for hours just to look at the painting, which he later learned was called “Judith Slaying Holofernes” by Artemisia Gentileschi. He was just around six years old then, if memory serves him right, and Sienna Fallbrook was the first friend he made again after his and Thomas Eliot’s fallout. They became thick as thieves after that night, then tragedy struck the Waynes.

Bruce’s parents were murdered in Crime Alley, and Bruce isolated himself from everyone around him. Sienna tried to approach him, but he only yelled at her to “get lost” and “never show her face to him again”. She never did – she tried to, but with them both going to Gotham Academy it was hard to not run into each other.

Remembering all those years made Bruce sigh deeply and rub the bridge of his nose. A mannerism he developed whenever he thought of the things he foolishly did in his youth.

He wondered if, for a moment, if they both stayed friends. Would she be there at his side now, reminiscing the time they fell asleep on that corner, staring at the painting? Would they still be friends despite his sudden disappearance years ago for his training to be the persona of fear and justice in Gotham? Would he have told her about his other life as a vigilante?

Probably not.

But all those what ifs only dampened his mood further as he remembered where Sienna Fallbrook was, and it pained him that they were out there – enjoying the wine, eating fancy food – while she was… no one knows where she was now. According to Alfred and the Fallbrooks, Sienna never recovered after her father’s death, she isolated herself and started to act differently. They decided to take her away from Gotham, a change of scenery to help her grieve, but a few months into her stay in Spain (with their relatives there), Sienna disappeared. They searched and searched, but no traces can be found of her and she was presumed dead.

When Bruce heard the news, he found himself heading to his family’s gallery where the Gentilleschi painting hung, thinking about the little girl he befriended because of that painting, and the tragedy that came to her. And the fact – until now – he wondered why she loved this painting so.

“Bruce!” Rebecca greeted him with a smile.

“Rebecca, how are you?” Bruce smiled back.

“Oh, you know how tiring these things are.”

“And I thought you were the life of the party?”

“This party though?”

“Not your style?”

“No. But I do enjoy the grandeur.”

“Well, you and your husband did a good job.”

“Have you chosen what piece you’ll be taking home tonight?”

“I’m still deciding between the Goya and the Varo.”

Rebecca had her arm around his and brought him to where the two paintings were. “You can always take both.”

“That would be greedy of me.”

“It’s a charity, Bruce!”

“By the way – what kind of charity is this, I’d like to know what foundation is hosting this –”

Before Rebecca could answer, a man appeared with open arms and said, “why it’s the Sheldon Fallbrook foundation, Bruce!”

It was Warren Lawford. Rebecca’s husband, and the current head of Fallbrook Conglomerate. Bruce was never a fan of Warren. He wasn’t one to judge people on first impressions but when Bruce first met Warren Lawford at one of the parties his uncle Philip Kane hosted on his return from being gone for three years, he didn’t like him. And even more when he saw Lawford in one of the Wayne galas treating Alfred with no respect. When he told him off for his behavior, all Lawford said was, “of course, Gotham’s golden boy, Bruce Wayne, the poster boy of the servants and the oppressed. Come on, stop the act of being chummy with the help –”

That earned a punch across the face. After that, all of the invitations were only for the Fallbrook women and not Warren.

And Bruce wouldn’t have come tonight if it weren’t for the case he was currently trying to solve. The one that he got a few days ago from Jim Gordon, when a reported breakout in Arkham happened. It was the Riddler who got out, and some other patients. Batman was able to capture most of the criminals but the Riddler is still in hiding.

He has to give it to the man, the Riddler was good at staying out of his radar.

But weeks after the Arkham breakout, there was a crime that required Batman’s help.

He could still remember the sight of the still living body sitting on the leather armchair, upper-body wrapped in white cloth that made them unable to move, and a pipe with a thumb-sized hole being the only source of air from the duct tape that was wrapped around the man’s face – who they later identified as one of the security guards in Arkham, Lyle Bolton – and written on their face with a red marker was: OPEN YOUR EYES, GOTHAM!

Then pinned to the man’s shoulder, using a nail gun, was an envelope that had records of using excessive force on the patients, and corruption, which Arkham Asylum decided to bury.

“That’s a bit excessive,”, muttered as he cringed at the sight of the nail pinned to the man’s shoulder.

“The perpetrator didn’t want to do serious damage,” Batman noted as he inspected the wound. Lyle was now knocked out on the chair due to the pain, and was still breathing.

“Didn’t want to do serious damage –” Jim raised a brow at him.

Bollock agreed. “ the perp nailed the message to the guy’s shoulder and I’m pretty sure it went through the bone too.”

“Yes, but aside from that, they didn’t hit any arteries. They wanted to inflict paint. Excruciating pain. Pain that would last a lifetime. But not kill,” Batman pointed out.

“I’ll add that to my list of ‘ways to hurt but not kill people’,” Bollock muttered.

“ Anything else that was left?” Batman continued.

“Yes. The perpetrator left this,” Jim walked towards the open floor and used a UV light to show the message written with black spray paint:

You give me away by taking me.

And I shall take, and take, and take, and take

Until I find ideals that the Lady stands at the mooring.

Bolton is the first, and he won’t be the last.

Beware the trinity of sea, air, and land.

For justice will come to you that befits your crimes.

2456, 2663 – 0505xx

Finishing the message, Batman turned to Jim, both knowing who they had in mind. But…

But something wasn’t right.

“They sure do have a lot of paint to write something this long, and patience too,” Bollock noted.

And skill, Bruce thought. The precision in the release of the paint and how the words flowed showed expertise.

“You thinking what I’m thinking?” Jim said to Batman.

“He is the only person that’s not yet been found, and riddles are his M.O.,” Batman said. “I’ll handle this, Jim, something just doesn’t add up… I’ll leave Mr. Bolton to you.”

“Sure,” Jim sighed as he saw the medical team try to remove the duct tape. That’s going to hurt. “I’ll make sure to get these papers escalated. Bolton just lost his luck this time… say, keep me posted on the –”

The Batman was gone.

“I hate it when he does that…”

After looking into the copy of the reports about Bolton and the message, Batman realized the numbers were a location. Specifically, Fallbrook’s manor, and the numbers at the very end was a date. The very date of Fallbrook's charity event. Batman informed Jim of the findings, and Jim tried to reason with the Fallbrooks to cancel the event but stubborn and proud Lawford said something in the lines of, “the show must go on” and “I’m not afraid of some riddle”.

He should be, Batman thought then. He doubted Lawford could answer one of Riddler’s childish games.

But Batman agrees with him. They still did not know the perpetrator’s motivation for the crime, and they needed to understand why and what this person has against the Fallbrooks to attack the gala. And why let them know.

Back in Fallbrook’s gallery and Warren talking about the Sheldon Fallbrook charity, Bruce made an excuse to get himself away from the man and started to look around. While it was satisfying to see Warren Lawford be dismissed by Wayne in front of the people he gathered with his loud voice, he did have work to do for his alter-ego.

The six-line riddle ran through his head, but after a while of trying to figure it out in the Bat-cave, it was Alfred who pointed out the answer to the first line –

“Revenge,” Alfred spoke, catching him by surprise. “The riddle on the first line, it was on last Sunday’s crossword puzzle. Oh my, has the Riddler ran out of riddles that he has resorted to stealing from the Gotham Gazette’s crossword?”

It’s when it hit him. The six-line riddle was made up of riddles.

“You’re a genius, Alfred,” Bruce said as he got to work. And he was sure to have heard the man say, “why, it’s one of the many qualifications for this position – a working brain.”

It was both a message and a riddle – all mixed up to make it look like it was one riddle.

“The first two lines – you give me away by taking me: that’s vengeance. Then the second line repeats four times. Meaning the person will have her revenge four times on four people.” He skipped the third line and proceeded to the fourth. “Bolton is the first, and he won’t be the last – Bolton was known for his violence against the patients in Arkham.”

“Then he must have done something to have the Riddler do such horrific and… painful,” Alfred winced as he looked at the image of the duct taped head of the security guard. “Way to extract revenge.”

“But this isn’t the Riddler’s work. This isn’t his M.O., he’s not one to beat and duct tape someone’s face and leave them breathing through a pipe. Someone is posing as him – using his Riddles to get me and the GCPD off their back.”

Now, Bruce was looking through the galleries, trying to find the answer to the other clues. The third and second to the last line was ominous to him, but he was sure of the last. The truth will come out, and has a feeling that he could find that in Fallbrook manor.

What was the family hiding? It was hard to believe that the once-happy and innocent Fallbrook family is tied to this vengeance seeking criminal. Everyone’s a suspect until proven guilty. Everything is possible. Those were one of the things he learned in the past three years.

~*~

The auction began and Bruce has yet to find any clue to the riddle. He was forced to sit down with the others and go through the many paintings on the screen and watch as people bid on each piece. When the Goya came to view, Bruce decided to opt for that but then it happened.

The image where the Goya painting of Saturn eating his children was replaced by the image of another painting. It was a painting that he did not see in the collection, and it was painted by a fellow Gothamite. The painting was of Lady Gotham on Gotham Harbor that was worth about a five million dollars –

A glitch on the screen, and the lights.

Many gasped and were starting to panic.

And then…

The lights remained lit and the screen now showed the painting was shown – the actual one – and on the canvas, sprayed with red paint, were the words: the one thing that Gotham doesn’t have.

Many gasped at the vandalism and even more when they realized what was being shown was a live feed and there were security personnel running the room trying to capture the perpetrator there. But it wasn’t long when those same security guards were thrown across the room and a figure appeared. An individual with average height, possessing a muscular build, wearing a black and green form-fitting bodysuit with a striking blend of futuristic and tactical elements, with a high collar and is armored at the upper-part of her body while still having style.

Their perpetrator was a woman.

She finally faced the camera.

Her face was covered with a black and green mask that Bruce guessed also serves as a gas mask and night-vision, since she threw tear-gas in the room. Then she spoke at the camera, her voice modulated with a techno-vibe, “You know where to find me.”

“Go after her!” Bruce heard from the front. Warren Lawford has commanded two of his friends to head to the location.

And so did Batman.

~*~

The doors to the gallery were locked, and Warren, along with his two friends – Armand Lydecker and Gunther Hardwicke – and the security present were trying to kick down the scarlet doors of the gallery. Its smooth red wood was now scratched, chipped, and ruined with the make-shift battering ram they made with one of the mahogany benches there. While they battled with that, Batman saw another opening.

Rather, Bruce Wayne did.

Bruce knew Fallbrook manor a little intimately with the numerous times he’s visited Sienna when they were children. She showed him the passages that she learned while exploring the place. The scarlet gallery had a high-ceiling – one that reached the roof of the third floor, and within its walls there was a passage from the dumbwaiter when he goes in, and stops at the third level, the left side panel would open which would lead to the walls between that had, what they thought were old stairs but were really just the wooden foundations to the false window atop. Giving him a view of the entire gallery.

“I would always come here to hide whenever Rebecca is being mean to me,” Sienna told him then.

“Why here?”

“Because Rebecca doesn’t like dirty things and she’s afraid of heights.”

“And you’re not?”

“No… I like it here, I can see everything.”

And young Sienna was right.

From the false window, Batman could see the entire gallery and has a view on who he was up against.

There she was. Clad in black and green, the woman sitting in the middle of the tear-gas mist, only the longer Bruce looked at the mist it wasn’t tear gas it was –

Batman knew that smell.

Shit!

Batman quickly took out his gas mask to prevent himself from inhaling more of Poison Ivy’s hallucinogenic gas. But the people beyond the door didn’t know and in a few minutes they’ll be inhaling this poison soon. He needed to get to his perpetrator.

Jumping out of the false window, Batman glided down and kicked her at the back, sending the woman across the room. Despite the mask, Batman knew she was shocked at her attack. She probably didn’t know about the false window, he thought.

“So, you found my little note?” the woman got up.

“I gotta admit, you almost got me convinced with the Riddle.”

“Well, I wasn’t really trying to get Eddy’s thing but gotta make things interesting – you know? Gotta make sure the idiots know that it’s for them.” She walked around, nonchalantly, her hands on her back. Batman kept an eye on her hands that toyed by her belt satchel. “But I guess I gotta dumb it down a bit.”

Batman frowned. “So, you know the Riddler, and I guess Ivy too.”

“Ivy, yeah, she shared some tips to keep my plants from dying in my cell. Eddy, oh, he’s leading group therapy – oh, you don’t know? Yeah, The Riddler’s doing a fantastic job, by the way, keeps everyone on their toes and delusional. But, hey, who am I to judge costume-wearing criminals, am I right?”

“You’re from Arkham.”

But who? He got all of the escapees but for Riddler.

“I’m sure you’re wondering now who? Who else did the Big Bat forget in his naughty list?”

“Who are you?” He asked, cautiously.

“You’ll find out soon enough – hey, Bats –” a whistle “-- my eyes are up here!” He lost sight of her hands and she threw a few small-explosives in his way. Batman used his cape to cover himself.

Wrong move.

She came at him, kicking him down. If it weren’t for his arm that was above his head, he’d be knocked out now with the force she had. But that wasn’t all, she quickly maneuvered over, twisting her body, to angle and kick him from the inside with her free leg. Batman went down with an aching jaw.

“Good kick,” he muttered.

She came at him again, this time with a retractable staff. Batman rolled over to avoid the hit, and jumped to his feet. She was fast, he noted. Nimble. She knows how to use her physique against his own and her punches felt like a metal bat being held by a professional. He couldn’t find an opening, she was smart to keep her distance from him, knowing she doesn’t stand a chance if he grabs her. But she wasn’t giving him enough room nor time to reach for his utility belt for one of his gadgets.

Unlucky for him.

There is one thing he noticed. She’s keeping the fight away from the paintings. Quick on his toes, Batman snagged whatever he could find in his utility belt – a batarang – and threw it in the direction of the paintings. As he expected, her gaze followed the weapon and he grabbed the staff, pulling her by the collar, then head-butts her. The woman fell down. Normally a person would look at their attacker but her gaze was in the direction of the batarang that was pinned to the wall, just a few centimeters from Goya's painting.

“My eyes are up here,” Batman mocked her and was about to grab her, but the woman swept her legs across the floor, tripping him and went to grab her stuff.

But he was faster.

From his utility belt, Batman pointed his electric charge gun at her and fired.

The woman groaned in pain, wincing but she wasn’t crumbling down. She even grabbed the wires of his weapon and pulled it off her. Turning to him, she said: “Yeah, that doesn’t work for me anymore.”

The door was broken in.

“FREEZE!”

“GET DOWN ON THE GROUND!”

“HANDS IN THE AIR!”

It was GCPD with the Fallbrook and Lawford security, Jim was leading them all.

The woman turned to them, letting go of the electric wires, “which is it?”

Guns are fired and the woman quickly threw a smoke bomb on the ground. The last Batman heard is a grappling hook, the gadget zipping up, and the window crashing. It took a while before the smoke cleared and there was just them.

“She got away,” Batman muttered, glaring at the direction of the broken glass.

GCPD officers started running back to their cars, hoping to chase her, but Batman didn’t hear any vehicle leaving the grounds. She found another way out, but where?

“She got you too?” Jim said to him. “Oh shit, she really did get you – ”

“She’s got a good kick,” Batman commented. “And she seems to be a big art enthusiast.”

“What makes you say that?”

“She didn’t damage the paintings. All of the paintings here have bullet proof glass to protect them from external elements,” Batman pointed at the works. “The vandalism she made was on the glass. That’s why she threw that poisonous gas.”

“Poisonous gas?!”

“It’s gone now.”

“Good, but I think she left something for us too,” Jim pointed at the cracked windows. Another message, this time written with a black marker. “Guess she was in a hurry?”

He finally saw it. The message writing on the wall:

Finally solved it? See you there at –

There were numbers – a date and time, Batman guessed. Then at the last line, it says:

Happy families are all alike; every unhappy family is unhappy in its own way.

~*~

“Anna Karenina.”

“Pardon, Sir?” Alfred asked.

In the Bat-Cave, a few days after retreating for the night with an aching jaw and a head full of questions, Bruce went through the messages left by the woman – who the GCPD started to call ‘Vandal’ – the photos that he got from his recording were shown on the screen, from the first message written on the floor, then the vandalism on the Lady Gotham painting, then on the window.

“The last line on the latest message. It’s a line from Anna Karenina – the first line. Happy families are all alike; every unhappy family is unhappy in its own way. Everything that’s happened – the first message, her agenda – it seems personal towards the Fallbrooks. Also, Lyle Bolton, and the fact she knows the Riddler and Ivy, and the fact she mentioned her cell in Arkham, it means she’s from Arkham Asylum but aside from the Riddler, I’ve captured all of the escapees.

“I’ve checked with Jim and the records at Arkham for any of their patients. All of them are checked in but for Nygma.”

“So, she’s a ghost,” said Alfred.

“Yes.”

“Then shall we move to the other clue that was left by our Ms. Vandal?”

“Until I find ideals that the Lady stands at the mooring,” Batman read the line. Then he opened the vandalism on the painting’s glass, “the one thing that Gotham doesn’t have.”

Bruce studied the work on the glass closely, then cursed, and let out a breathy chuckle of annoyance. “I can’t believe it – the answer was already there and I didn’t see.’’

“Sir?”

“The Lady standing on the mooring – the one thing Gotham doesn’t have – justice. The very thing that Lady Gotham represents. She’s looking for justice,” he got up from his seat. “And she just gave us her next location. What time is it, Alfred?”

“Nearing midnight, Sir.”

“I don’t have time, I need to go to Lady Gotham, now!”

~*~

Taking the jet, Batman arrived at Lady Gotham in the least subtle way. No point in being subtle when they were expecting him. He landed the jet at the bottom of the statue and then looked up. There at the pommel of the scale, he saw a flash of light going on and off in a certain pattern –

Welcome, Bats!

Grabbing his grappling hook, Batman shot it up to give himself a boost to have enough power to fly himself up to the top and glide down smoothly on the pommel. It was only the light programmed to set the precise timing between turning on and off for the message.

“Took you long enough.”

There she stood, on top of Lady Gotham’s head in full-clad armor but for the goggles she wore the other night. Her shabby pixie-cut hair flying with the strong winds, one side was shaded with a bald spot near the temple.

Electroconvulsive therapy.

With the type of scarring it explains how she became immune to the electric charge gun he fired at her.

“I can read you like a book,” she spoke. “I can see what’s going on in your mind right now – you’re thinking, she’s from Arkham but there’s no records of her. Not even the redacted ones the warden hides in his safe. And I’m sure you’ve been wondering what the last two lines mean?”

“Actually, I was thinking about the boat you used to get here. Fancy. And not yours.”

“It’s a rental.”

“Really? And what are you paying for?”

She hummed in thought. “The Lydeckers and the Hardwicke wouldn’t mind, especially when it’s the one that kept their sons from getting hypothermia getting here.”

Hostages?

An alarm was sound, it sounded like one of those cheap digital alarms.

“Look down, Bats.” He did and below him, lying on each of the scales were Armand Lydecker and Gunther Hardwicke, both beaten, bound and gagged, and taped on their chests were folders. On Hardwicke’s chest, the folder had the large message saying: WHITE LIES, and on Lydecker’s chest the folder read: DARK SECRETS. “So, who will it be, Bats? You wanna rip off my mask or do you save Tweedle Dee and Tweedle Dum before they get blown off by the wind?”

Batman, quick on his feet, went down to save the two men before they got blown off by the wind. He first went to Lydeckers, taking him under his arm, and before he could get to Hardwicke, the man was blown over at the next gust of wind.

“NO!” Batman had Lydeckers under his arm and swooped down, causing the man to faint as they freefell. With his free hand, Batman called for his jet and had it open to catch Hardwicke, and then dropped Lydeckers in before launching his grappling back to the top to see the woman had fled.

The boat.

He sees it, heading to Miagani Island. He can make it, all he needs is a good run and a jump.

Gliding with his cape, Batman flew towards the fleeing boat and when he was hovering above, he closed his arms and his cape to glide kicked Vandal off the helm. She let out a yelp of pain as she crossed over the deck. A dislocated shoulder, he guessed with how she clutched her arm close to her.

“I fucking hate that cape, I hope one day you get sucked into a plane’s propeller,” she groaned in pain.

“That’s a graphic image…”

“What, you prefer banters kept PG?”

“I don’t have time for this! Give up now – you’re obviously hurt! You need medical treatment!” Both physically and mentally, he wanted to add.

“Not until I see the end of this… no justice that Gotham can offer will ever make up for the past six years in that hell hole. You’ll find your answers soon, I just hope Batman is strong enough for both of you… Bruce.”

What? She knows his —

BOOM!

The front of the boat exploded, and right before his eyes, Vandal jumped off the yacht, disappearing into the cold waters of Gotham Harbor.

Another explosion, and before he was caught, Batman jumped off and grappled to the closest boat he could find before he froze. The explosion caught the attention of the GCPD, not long, the closest patrol units came and so did his jet.

No matter how loud the sirens were, it faded in his ears as his mind was clouded with only one thing: she knew who Batman was.

#batman #batman fanfiction #bruce wayne #gotham #dc universe #fanfiction #fanfic #dc fanfic

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yall-imhere · 7 months ago

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Batman - Study in the Scarlet Gallery (Batman/Bruce Wayne x Fem!OC) Part 3

The Climax of Batman - Study in the Scarlet Gallery! More stories featuring my OC, Sienna, to come :)

Alfred Pennyworth placed the freshly made pasta on the table. It was one of the dishes he would make whenever the youngest Fallbrook girl would visit Wayne Manor. Aglio e Olio. Bruce wasn’t a fan at first but then learned to like the pasta, but Sienna loved it. When she first came to Wayne Manor, Alfred went to study some recipes that the girl would like from their family’s personal chef and he taught himself how to make Aglio e Olio. When he served it the girl’s face lit up and she asked for seconds.

He knew it was too soon to prepare the dish and that he should be at the cave, but the thought of the young girl that would knock on the door after being driven from school or from their home, just to see his lonely young master, be subjected to the horrific tortures in Arkham and be this criminal… he hoped Batman would bring her back and the sight of the pasta would bring back a fragment of that cheerful girl.

It was too soon though.

As Alfred went back to the Batcave, after preparing the dish, he almost dropped his tea at the sight of the news on the screen.

“Dear God. No…” Alfred gasped.

Broadcasting on Channel 9 was the sight of six people sitting on a chair, four bound with three of them wearing animal masks of a shark, a parrot, and a fox, while the other two sat in fear side by side – Laura and Rebecca Fallbrook – as the masked-criminal, Vandal, came to view and said, “Gotham City. Tonight, you’ll find out the corrupt system that’s been protecting you. You’ll find out the truth. You can’t trust anyone in Gotham.”

~*~

“Sir, are you seeing this?” Alfred spoke through the comms.

“I am! I’m heading there now!” Batman called out as he kicked on the gas to speed through the roads trying to get to the location where the signal of the broadcast was being made. Fallbrook Manor. Sienna played them like a fool. She got him and GCPD away from that location – had Jim transport Laura and Rebecca Fallbrook, Warren Lawford only to be nabbed by the Riddler’s gang. Then in the hospital, Lyle Bolton, Armand Lydecker and Gunther Hardwicke were taken from their hospital beads, IVs ripped off by more of Riddler’s men. And all were brought to one place.

The place they evacuated in case Vandal would attack.

She got Batman to head to Bristol to be far away from Gotham’s central where Riddler would execute the plan.

Now she was making her final move to tell Gotham everything, and based on how the message she was making she wasn’t just going to destroy these people. She was going to ruin the people’s trust on the GCPD, the system, and goodwill that sincere companies like the Waynes, have been doing.

“People of Gotham,” Vandal began. “You don’t know me, but I know you. I’m also someone who grew up in Gotham. I’ll admit, I didn’t understand the hardships of actually living here since I only had the view of the city. But witnessing a tragedy and trying to fight to get justice, I was thrown into the dark pits of this city.”

Reaching behind her head, she pressed a button and let her mask fall. “My name is Sienna Fallbrook.”

Batman cursed as he saw the broadcast showing Sienna’s face. He pressed on further to his gas, but with Gotham’s labyrinth-like roads and alleys, no matter how fast the car is, it's the turns that would delay his arrival.

“You all know me as the daughter of Sheldon Fallbrook and Laura Fallbrook. The one who went insane for attacking her sister’s fiance and accusing him for murder,” the broadcast showed the tabloids that were made on the Fallbrook family, scandals and rumors. “Then they told you that I was sent to Spain to heal there with my mother’s family. I wish that was true. But the reality is this – sending to Gotham’s journalists now are my records of being forcefully sent to Arkham Asylum and then abandoned there by my own family.

“Along with the treatment I had – the abuse, the forced injected drugs, being a test subject for doctors… along with it is the truth about Sheldon Fallbrook’s death and the supposed “escaped murderers”.”

Then in play, the old video captured by the nanny cams in Sheldon’s office. How the three animal-mask wearing criminals broke in, opened the safe behind the family portrait, and started loading the cash there into their bag. Then Sheldon Fallbrook appeared. He tried reasoning with them at first, then when they wouldn't leave, he took the prop shotgun and pointed it at them. The video also captured when he spoke in Spanish to someone that was off camera. Then he was attacked by one of the mask-wearing men and then beaten by his golf clubs, hit at the head multiple times until blood spilled. And then…

“Holy shit!” The shark wearing thief said. “Warren, you just killed the guy…”

The fox-mask wearing man then removed his mask as he took a closer look, revealing to the world who he is. Warren Lawford, Rebecca Fallbrook’s husband.

Lawford looked like he was going to be sick but then turned away and started pushing his friends out of the window to escape, following their exit, sixteen-year-old Sienna came to her father’s body, telling him that the cops were on their way, she cried, but then her eyes went to the nanny cam and the last that was seen was her trying to get it from the shelf.

“Yeah, you can say it was a robbery gone wrong. But why the fuck would three of Gotham’s richest batchelors would rob a man?!” Sienna went to take off the masks of each of the three men there revealing the faces of Warren Lawford, Armand Lydecker and Gunther Hardwicke, all bound and gagged, near to tears in fear.

She first went to the side where she picked up a golf club. She wielded it like a pro – rather a baseball batting pro, and then –

WHAM!

She hit Lydecker in the stomach.

WHACK!

She did it again to Hardwicke’s leg, breaking it.

The two men were crying in pain with their fractured leg and ribs.

She turned to Warren Lawford and pointed the club at him. “I’m saving you for last,” then had some of the Riddler’s men take away the two whimpering men out of the screen. Then she dragged Bolton to the center where she revealed the atrocities the man did to all of the patients in Arkham. His brutality. The violence. The abuse of power. How he molested female patients that he knew couldn’t put up a fight.

“Thanks to good old Security Bolton, I learned how to be immune to this,” she got out a jumper cord and clipped it at the man’s nipples. The clip alone made him wince and then someone in the background started to turn on the car battery it was attached to and Bolton was crying in pain.

“SIENNA, PLEASE! MI HIJA, STOP THIS!” Laura sobbed as she begged her daughter.

“SHUT UP!” Sienna roared. “It’s not your turn yet!”

“Sienna, please!” Rebecca cried. “We’re sorry – we didn’t know!”

“YOU DIDN’T KNOW?! I TRIED TO TELL YOU BUT YOU WON’T LISTEN! I TRIED TO SHOW YOU BUT YOU REFUSED TO BELIEVE IT! I SHOWED IT TO YOU BUT YOU STILL MARRIED THAT MURDERER!”

Laura turned to her eldest and gasped. “You knew?”

“He threatened to kill me – to kill us if I told anyone – he said that he got the police in his pocket and he did!” Rebecca cried.

“You knew and you let your sister rot in Arkham…”

“I THOUGHT HE REALLY WAS PAYING FOR HER TREATMENT!”

Sienna grabbed Rebecca by her hair and pulled her up. “BUT I WASN’T SICK, WASN’T I?!”

“Sienna, please, I’m sorry – I’m so sorry! Please! Hate me all you want but please, not my baby!” Rebecca had her arm around her womb, protecting it from Sienna. “It’s not his, I swear!”

Sienna took a good look at her sister and then threw her back on the couch. Something snapped in her and the next she did had Laura clutching her eldest, protecting her, as Sienna hit Warren over and over with the golf club at the arm, his leg, and his chest. Then she wasn’t over, she turned to Bolton and hit him right at his balls, crushing them. The man howled in pain, and in so much pain he fainted.

“THOSE DOCUMENTS BETTER ME ON THE WEB NOW, GOTHAM PRESS! AND BATS, YOU BETTER GET HERE FAST! OR ELSE I DON’T KNOW WHAT I’M GOING TO DO!”

The broadcast ended and soon email notifications started to alarm, and the news outlets were broadcasting the files that were in the documents that Batman and Jim had. The corruption in the GCPD, the justice system, who was in whose pocket, the Fallbrook and Lawford foundations that were really just funding Warren Lawford’s pockets, the scam investments, the abuse in Arkham, Bolton’s records, the redacted files of Sienna Fallbrook, and the video of the murder. Everything was out in the open.

“Sir… I think it’s too late,” Alfred spoke through the comms.

“NO, IT’S NOT!” Batman roared. “She hasn’t killed anyone! And she doesn’t want to! She’s just scared, overwhelmed, and in so much pain. I’ll get to her before she really snaps and does something she can’t take back.”

~*~

If Sienna wasn’t ill before, she was now.

As Laura and Rebecca sat there, embracing each other, to find a bit of bravery in this nightmare, Sienna paced around the room trying to control herself. Her anger. She destroyed anything that she could destroy. The shelves, the photos, the collection. She hit the three friends who were behind her father’s murder, she beat the man who trapped her in that asylum, she tortured the man who violated her body and mind for all those years in Arkham.

But no matter what she does she can't do it. She can’t cut the cord.

What was she so afraid of?

You’re just one bad day away from being like us, the Riddler told her then when they had his group therapy.

Do that and you really just booked a no-return ticket here to Arkham, Ivy told her when she contemplated killing Bolton.

“One more bad day?” she whispered. “I had six years of bad days, this shouldn’t be…”

“Sienna, mi hija,” Laura tried to speak to her. “This is enough. You made your point. Everyone knows now. Please just stop this! We’ll do everything to make it up to you.”

Sienna turned to her mother, tears running down her eyes. “I want the room.”

The Riddler got off the director’s chair he made himself cozy at and called for his men to leave. “The room is yours, my dear! And if you ever want to go live, just hit that button,” he pointed to the laptop screen.

Alone with her captives, Sienna walked up to her mother and raised a hand –

No. She can’t… no matter how much she hated her now. She just can’t.

Sienna turned away from her mother and started pacing again.

“Why?” She began. “Why did you leave me there?”

“I didn’t know,” Laura cried. “And I couldn’t walk into Arkham and see you. It was hard for me –”

“I was alone there. I was scared. They…”

Laura sobbed as she remembered the photos Jim gave her. The ways they used her daughter for their medical research. How she was treated in Arkham like a rag doll. “I’m so sorry, mi hija. I’m so sorry! If you want to hurt someone, hurt me, not your sister because I should have known about this! I should have stopped it!

“Sienna, listen to me. Everyone knows the truth now. If you give yourself up now, we can appeal to court – we can get you the right help you need!”

Snap.

“I DON’T WANT ANYMORE HELP!” Sienna roared. “ALL THE HELP YOU GAVE TURNED ME TO THIS! YOU AND EVERYONE OF THESE ANIMALS TURNED ME TO THIS!”

Her mother cried and cried, begging for forgiveness.

Sienna looked away, unable to keep whatever was inside her – whatever she was feeling – to come out. She went back to the computer and pressed the button that Riddler told her and then grabbed Warren Lawford. She dragged him to face the camera and demanded: “why did you do it? Why did you kill Sheldon Fallbrook?”

Warren Lawford was wheezing in pain as he tried to speak. When he was silent, Sienna punched him across the face.

“TALK! WHY DID YOU DO IT?! I WANT TO KNOW! WHY?!”

She really did.

Oh, the question of why, why, why, WHY?! Was the only thing that ran in her head for six years. Why did Warren Lawford, a rich kid who had everything, would steal from and kill her father?

“TALK!” Sienna stopped punching him.

Warren spat out blood. He forced himself to talk through the pain of his broken jaw and the puncturing rib to whatever it was pressing on. “Because… we… can…” Warren spoke. “Because… we were… we were… bored… and it was fun… and we knew… we can… we can get away with it.”

Rebecca cried in their mother’s arms as she listened to her husband’s confession. She couldn’t believe it.

Sienna’s hold on his shirt loosened. “It’s people like you that’s been causing Gotham’s road to self-destruct… Maybe just one life can help change it,” Sienna reached to the back of her belt and pulled out a knife. “Just one and one of many of Gotham’s empires will fall.”

“No! No! Please! I’ll pay you! I’ll pay you whatever you want! Just please!” Warren begged.

Behind her, Laura and Rebecca pleaded for her to stop. To no resort to that.

Sienna gripped the knife in her hand. “Looks like you lost this one, Batman.”

She was about to drive the knife down but a batarang flew in and knocked it out of her hand, by stabbing her at the back of her hand with the bat-shaped throwing knife. Sienna dropped Warren Lawford and clutched her hand. Just as she was to look up to where it came from, the window crashed and entered the Batman who was swinging towards her and kicked her away from Lawford.

Sienna crashed to the bookshelf, a couple of books dropping on her.

Laura was about to go after her but Batman stopped her by saying, “GCPD IS ON THEIR WAY! UNPLUG BOLTON AND GET THOSE THREE OUT OF HERE!”

“But what about Riddler’s Gang?” Rebecca asked.

“ I already took care of it. GO, NOW!”

They did. The mother and daughter, though they hated the men who were badly beaten, untied, unhooked, and dragged them out of the room. While Sienna was still trying to get up, Batman destroyed the computer and the broadcasting equipment.

“Your show’s over now, Sienna. This needs to stop,” Batman said.

“This doesn’t end until I say so,” Sienna got up. Reaching to her belt, she got out two knuckle braces and then went to a fighting stance.

Bruce frowned. “You don’t want to do this.”

“Yeah, I don’t… but Lawford needs to pay.” Sienna jumped to attack him. Batman blocked her attack. Unlike before he anticipated her next move and blocked the next. Her punches and kicks more than the last time with the knuckle braces and – were those steel-toed shoes? But Batman didn’t let her beat him to a pulp, he retaliated, sending back the same amount of punches and kicks. Beating her up, and he will continue to do so until she stops and sees sense.

“Good, you’re not choosing who to punch,” Sienna mockingly smirked. “Little Bruce isn’t afraid to punch women anymore.”

Bruce frowned and then tackled her down. “STAY DOWN!”

With her free arm, she reached for the batarang that hit her hand, fell on the ground then stabbed Batman at the shoulder with it. Batman fell to the ground as she took advantage of his shock and pain to get up, and then kicked at the face. He’ll need a hospital after this. He doubted Leslie Thompson could help with this kind of injury.

“I told you, Batman, I’m finishing this,” Sienna got up, limping and using one of the broken lamp holders for their broadcasters as her cane.

“How? By being a killer?”

“Better than letting Lawford get away with this again and again.”

“Do this and there’s no going back. You’ll just be like him!”

“And do what? Chuck him into Black Gate and let him have his luxurious stay there because of the officers he has in his pocket?”

“That won’t happen, Sienna. You made sure of it. Right now, GCPD is cleaning out – removing those who were under Lawford, you already did it!”

“That’s not enough,” Sienna started to limp away and left Batman in the room, still trying to get his bearings back after that dizzying kick.

Reaching for his gauntlet, Batman called out to Jim: “She’s coming after them, Jim. Stop her. Do not shoot.”

~*~

Sienna saw them with GCPD. The cops had their guns at her but Sienna didn’t care. She just didn’t care anymore, she would burn everything if she could. And she could. To prove her point, she reached into her pocket and showed something to them. A detonator.

“There’s a shit-ton of C4 below us right now tied to the gas lines. Shoot and,” she pressed the detonator. “It’s bye bye to us.”

“YOU’RE INSANE!” Bollock called out to her in horror as she pressed the detonator.

“Wanna live? I’ll tell you where the C4s are and you can get them but I want Warren Lawford!”

Jim placed down his gun and stepped forward. “Sienna, I understand what you want – what you want to do, but I’m telling you now, it won’t do you any good.”

Sienna looked at Jim. “I want Lawford to pay.”

“And you think killing us all will be enough? You’ll be dead too!”

“Sienna Fallbrook died in Arkham Asylum a long time ago, Commissioner. There is nothing for me to live for – especially not after this…”

“THERE IS! WE CAN WORK SOMETHING OUT!”

“LAWFORD. NOW!”

“Alright! Alright!” Warren came forward himself, limping, offering himself to Sienna, as if he were some hero that will save them. It pissed her off. “Get over with it, just do it! Do it just like how I murdered the old man!”

Still holding the detonator, Sienna held up the broken, steel lamp-holder and –

“No. You’re not going to be hero – you’re not going to be some kind of martyr!” Tears fell from her eyes. Tears of frustration. “No… it’s not suppose to end like this! YOU’RE NOT GOING TO BE SOME HERO IN THIS! YOU’RE THE MONSTER! YOU – ALL OF YOU MADE ME INTO THIS!”

“NO!” Jim and the others gasped as they saw her release the detonator –

Sienna held up the sharp pole above Lawford’s head–

“RAAAAAAAHHH!” In a loud cry she thrusted down and –

No explosion.

Warren opened his eyes and found the pole just a few inches from his shoulder.

Heaving, Sienna held the pole but it stabbed the ground and not through Warren. She couldn’t do it. No matter how much she wanted to. She wanted so bad to skewer him with this but she couldn't.

The hand on her shoulder and Sienna turn, but she can’t look him in the eye. She released the steel rod and said, “Just take him away – take him and go – before I change my mind.”

Batman nodded. Glancing at Jim’s way, he nodded at him to take Warren away but asked for a moment with Sienna before they took her in. Alone at the grass lawn of the Fallbrook Manor, Sienna faced Batman and held out her hands to him. Let him be the one to capture her, not the GCPD. Let the only person who really knows justice. But Batman didn’t. Not yet. Instead, he brought her to an embrace and let her hide her face on his shoulder.

“You’ve been bound long enough,” he told her. “For a while, let it go.”

And she did. Clutching to his suit, Sienna let out a howling cry that she’s been hiding for so long. The frustration, the anger, the sadness, all coming out as she cried on Batman’s shoulder.

“I don’t want to go back,” she cried. “Please… just kill me now! I’d rather die than go back there!

Bruce frowned as she begged him to end her now, remembering how he too said the same thing to her when he suffered from depression when his parents died. How she caught him about to harm himself and she stopped him.

And like how she stopped him, he held her tight and said, “I’ll be here. And I’ll help you through this. One step at a time. I won’t leave you this time, and I’ll make sure you’re safe.”

~ A Year Later~

Bruce Wayne walked through Arkham Asylum’s security gates with a cautious eyes. He observed everything that was happening inside, ensuring everything was as it should be. After the guards inspected the basket he brought and cleared him to proceed, Bruce followed the officer, Officer Debronsky, through the rooms of the east wing. They didn’t go deep into Arkham Asylum, where criminals like Joker, Quinn, Croc, and the Riddler (they caught him again), were at, they were just at the surface of Arkham, ones that did not need maximum level of security.

They knocked on cell 017 before Officer Debronsky unlocked it, reminding Bruce of the time limit and the dos and don’ts, before letting him in. “Fallbrook, you got a visitor!”

“Busy!” Sienna called back.

“How are your classes going, Sienna?” Bruce spoke.

Rising from her desk, Sienna smiled as she saw Bruce at the door. She was far from how he first saw her a year ago. Her face lightened and didn’t cast a shadow, the look in her eye was more relaxed than it was before. Her injuries from their fight have healed, but she does have a cut on her cheek from his punches, he apologized for that (“we’re even, I heard you fractured your cheek,” she told him when he apologized for her beaten face). And her hair has grown and hid the scar at her temples.

After the Fallbrook and Lawford Scandal, Sienna was taken into custody by the GCPD. Her court hearings went fast and with Harvy Dent’s help, she was given a minimum sentence in Arkham Asylum where once her doctors have deemed her reinstated she will be released, and be on parole. While the idea of going back to Arkham scared her, and hearing it from the jury and the judge gave her a panic attack, Bruce was there to help her. He and the others reassured her that it won’t be how it was before. And Harvy Dent made sure of it as well.

Bruce never missed visiting hours every week to see Sienna, and every time he came he would bring her something from the outside to keep her updated with the world. At first it was music and some books, and food – she loved food – then a couple of months later she asked if she could finish her studies and now she was taking online classes at Gotham University.

“What’s the paper about?” Bruce asked as he sat across Sienna and looked at the laptop – which was being monitored by the GCPD and Arkham to ensure she was only using it for her school work.

“You wouldn’t understand,” Sienna scoffed.

“Try me.”

She grinned slyly. “It’s for my thesis.”

“Thesis already?”

“Yeah, turns out my little lectures with the Riddler have its perks.”

“I am worried that your foundation for Software Engineering and Cybersecurity Engineering is based on the Riddler’s expertise.”

“Well, you gotta hand it to Eddy, he is a genius.”

“Don’t worry, Bruce, I’m not doing anything to ruin my chance for an early release. Besides, I don’t really have anyone to talk to here aside from my doctor and group therapy.”

“Group therapy…’

“Don’t worry, it’s not Nygma running it.”

“By the way,” she took the basket from him and started taking out the containers that had food made by Alfred – no doubt – and then the plates and spoons. Good thing Alfred decided to make slides (“baby cheeseburgers!” Sienna gasped, “After twenty years you still call them that?” Bruce chuckled) since they weren’t allowed any utensils. “I’ve been taking business classes also.”

“I see you’re making good use of the free time here.”

“I gotta if I want to take back Fallbrook Conglomerate,” Sienna shrugged as she handed Bruce his plate.

“Sienna, about your family’s business…” he frowned.

“I know. We lost a lot thanks to Warren’s gambling and driving the business to bankruptcy, but I want to keep Fallbrook Tech Industries. Bruce, I already got the money from the settlement in court with Warren Fallbrook, and with the company’s worth now, I know I can buy it again.”

“I’ll see what I can do to help… besides, you’ll still have millions after you buy the company again with the money you got from the Lawfords, Lydeckers, and Hardwicks.” She basically bleeds them dry thanks to Harvy’s help. “I’ll keep an eye on Fallbrook Tech Industries, I heard they’re going to make it to a public company. You can buy the majority of its shares.”

“All of it. Just make sure it’s a clean process. Don’t want the word hostile anywhere near my name.”

“I’ll keep note of that. Anything I can help with your paper?”

Sienna raised a brow at him. “I got it. Don’t worry about my academic standing, worry more about my mental state.” She joked. He didn’t laugh. “Kidding. But I am fine, and all thanks to you.”

Bruce smiled.

“So, I heard the Batman’s now facing someone called Black Mask.”

“I’m sure he can handle it.”

“Well, if I were him, I’d check out the docks. I heard some of the cargo there isn't exactly what they seem to be.” Sienna shrugged.

“And what makes you think that?”

“I had some intel before I got locked up – I remember an old friend saying that the easiest way to transport products is at the docks. Easy bribes,” she shrugged as she ate her food.

“Well, I’m sure Batman can handle that,” Bruce smirked. “There’s more, as your sponsor, Jack Ryder has been trying to contact me about securing an interview with you. He wants to make a documentary about your story.”

“Really” Sienna scoffed. “What’s he calling it?”

“Driven to Insanity, Gotham’s Victor Frankenstein story.”

Sienna frowned. “No.”

“I know, but I thought it would be best to tell you about it first.” His smile fell as he remembered a message he got before coming for his visit. “Sienna.”

“Yeah?”

“Your mother’s wondering when she can visit you.”

As he expected a frown came to her face. “I don’t think I’m ready just yet.”

“I know… and no one’s forcing you to. I just want you to know that they do want to see you. Also, Rebecca asked me to give you these.” They were photos of Rebecca’s daughter. “She gave birth a few months ago, she named her Carmen Alegria. She and your mother decided to use Laura’s maiden name to start a new life… and they were wondering if you were too.”

Sienna sighed and looked up in thought. “I won’t lie, it did cross my mind but I don’t think I want to share the same one with them.”

“Understandable. Have you thought of a name yet?”

“Not really. But I’ll tell you when I do.”

“I’ll start on the paperwork when you do… You haven’t seen the gift in the basket, haven’t you?”

“Oh, there’s more?”

“Yeah.”

Opening the basket again, Sienna rummaged through the containers – Alfred made a lot of snacks for her – and a scroll.

“It’s not the original, I doubt they’d let me bring the real one and I don’t think it’ll fit the walls.”

Unscrolling it, Sienna came face to face with a poster of a printed painting of Judith Slaying Holofernes by Gentileschi. The painting that started it all. The one that helped her find a lifelong friend.

“I’ll find a way to buy that painting from you again, Wayne,” Sienna said.

“I’ll keep it in good condition while it waits… times up, I’ll be back next week. Who knows by then you might be taking another class this time? Art Management?”

Sienna shrugged. “Who knows… four more years, right?”

“Less with good behavior. I’ll see you outside, Sienna.”

“See you outside, Bruce.”“Also, if they were going to make a documentary about this, I think Gotham’s Judith and Holofernes would be a much more fitting documentary title.”

#batman #dc universe #dc comics #fanfic #batman fanfiction #batman x oc #dc fanfic

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