Bruce pov

Today I am nervous out of my mind. And it takes a lot to make me nervous. Now thinking about I change my mind, I'm scared stiff. The reason is because I'm adopting

Danielle. Well I hope she will say yes. I arrive at the orphanage and take a shaky breath. I know I'm doing the right thing but I don't know how to be a parent. My dad

didn't teach me how to be a parent. But you live and you learn right. I walk up to the door and walk in. The place looks like Arkham and smells like molding food. I walk

up to the main office desk to see an old woman with bags under her eyes and a pink dress with flowers.

"May I help you?" She says with a fake smile on her face.

"I am here to adopt Danielle Grayson." I reply as nice possible.

"Alright. Give me a second."

She goes to the phone and called for a man named "Warden." The Warden looks about 6'2, bald, and in army uniform.

"Mr. Wayne. What brings you here?" He asks sternly.

"I would like to see Danielle." I tell him politely.

"Ah yes, the gypsy. Come with me." He orders bluntly.

I already didn't like this guys. He looks tough as leather and as cold as ice. He kinda reminds me of me a little. You could hear his boots stomping from a mile away.

"Grayson wake up! Visiting hours!" His booming voice shouts down the hall.

I see a little girl walk out of a room wearing a blue hoodie and orange bottoms. She seats on the wooden bench next to her with her head down and hood up. I

couldn't help but notice her hand is trembling slightly and how pale she looks. It causes me to worry about her health. I need to take her to Doctor Leslie when I get her

home. As the Warden is talking to the woman at the desk I stand and look at her. She looks so much different that she did at the funeral. Her posture isn't as straight than

before, she has possibly lost a size or two over the past 5 months. I honestly think she hasn't eaten in months.

"Danielle, look up please." The desk woman asks sweetly.

She shakes her head slightly and tightens her grip in her tiny fist. She sits so sill and quiet, as if she is sleeping in the chair.

"Grayson! Up!" The Warden shouts angrily.

Her tiny form jolts up and her covered head snaps up. Her eyes are blood-shot red, lips dry as the desert, her face covered in tear stains and drained of life. She looks dead

straight at the Warden with full on terror in her baby blue eyes. I know that she fears the man standing next to me. The question is why.

"That's better. Danielle do you remember Mr. Wayne?" The woman asks.

Danielle turns her head to look at me and takes off her hood. Her eyes are looking at me with hope and a little hesitation. She nods her head slowly, trying to figure me

out. She is kinda like me, trying to figure things out with a sharp look. She smiles at me slightly hoping for a reaction out of me. I crouch down in front of her close enough

to look in her swollen eyes but not too close.

"Hi Danielle. You said you remember me right." I ask softly.

"Da. You gave mammi and tati (2) funeral. Thank you." She says quietly with a heavy accent in her voice.

"You are very welcome. I would like to adopt you Danielle. I have plenty of room. You may stay for as long as you want. You don't have to go with me if you don't want to. It's your decision. Do you understand." I explain to her calmly.

"Da." She squeaks.

She looks at me with determination. Like she looking for something. I hope and pray she would say yes. She deserves a family and a good life. She doesn't deserve to be

like me. Hating the world by one tragedy in her life. She deserves a second chance. All I could do is smile at her. I feel something smooth touch my wrist and I look down to

see her tiny fingers trying to wrap around my wrist. She places her small hand inside mine and squeezes it tightly. She has a tight grip for a little girl. I return the squeeze

gently as tears leak from her eyes. I use my free hand to wipe it away but the second I raise my hand, she flinches away from me. I realize then that she is getting abused.

I lean forward so I can whisper in her ear:

"I need you to be honest with me right now. has the Warden ever hit you?" I say quickly and with a hint of anger in my voice.

"Da. Vă rog (1) help me." She begs to me.

"Do you still want to come with me?" I ask her.

"Da, Don't leave me here." She begs with tears in her eyes.

"Sh. Sh. Sh. I'm not leaving without you ok. Calm down." I sooth to her.

"Is there a problem Mr. Wayne?" The Warden demands.

Danielle hands began to shake at his commanding, loud, harsh voice.

"Sh. It's ok." I sooth her quickly.

I stand up and approach the Warden like I would a common thug as I would as Batman.

"I do have a problem. Its with you. I know what you did to her and I will make your life a living hell if you don't sign the damn papers." I order of him.

"I..of course Mr. Wayne. Grace give me the papers. Give me a minute." He spits to me while he walks away and I sit down with Danielle.

"Are you ok?" I ask cautiously as she nods while taking several deep breaths to calm herself.

"Danielle, I have to sign some papers ok. I'll be right back." I tell her but she didn't say anything.

I stand up to walk to the door. I reach the doorknob when I feel something tug my pants leg lightly. I look down to see little Danielle clinging to my leg. Her little feet on top

of my massive foot and her tiny fingers gripping my pants. I smile at her innocents and wonder how I didn't hear her coming to me.

"Look lie your tagging along." I chuckle to her while patting her head lightly.

She weighs close to nothing while I walk to the desk. I didn't even limp the whole way to the front desk. After I sign the papers I walk to the bench and sit down. She sits

next to me quietly her hands in her lap, looking down. I feel horrible that she had to go through what she went through. Her losing her parents, her getting hit by the

Warden, heaven only knows what else. All I want to do is gather her in my arms and protect her from the world. I didn't want to scare her so I want to wait for her to be

ready.

"Come on with me to get your stuff." The warden orders looking at Danielle.

She gets up from her spot on the bench and starts to walk to her room. She stops to turn to me and take my hand tugging it lightly. I get up and crouch in front of her and

hold both of her hands.

"Danielle use your words. What's wrong?" I ask her.

"Come with me please." She mumbles to me looking down.

I smile at her and walk with her to her room. The room is darker than the batcave. No color, no lights, no toys, not a feeling of safety. She gets her small Superman

backpack an dputs her clothes inside. She looks at the room one last time and takes my hand and leaves the room.