Post by lizity on Aug 10, 2012 10:04:37 GMT -5
ROSE
How old was she again? Some number she really didn’t want to remember but it still made her stop and think as she and Damien leaned against a pillar in the underground police parking garage waiting for Detective Blake McGrady. The thought had come to her head because she was nervous and that wasn’t something that happened to her very often. It wasn’t in her nature, not really. Though given the way her life and turned over the last ten years she’d started experience a number of emotions she hadn’t realized she was capable of.
Her hands fluttered down to her stomach, pressing in on the muscles and taking a deep breath, letting it out in a sigh as she shifted her eyes to watch a passing cop heading for his car on his way home. Damien was silent beside her, lost in his own thoughts which she could tell from the slight frown on his face and the focused look in his eyes. So much like his father, a man that hadn’t approved of her one bit, and even less when her relationship with Dick had started. She found it ironic that Lily and Damien had ‘hooked up’ for a time. His father must have rolled in his grave. At least Helena had been more open minded and it helped that the two of them had been friends for a long time.
Eyes closing for a moment she heard the click of shoes on pavement and glanced around the pillar. Tall, dark hair, scruffy beard. Just like the picture they’d pulled up from his file. She touched Damien lightly on the arm before stepping out from the shadows where they’d been standing.
“Detective McGrady.” It was a statement, not a question as she walked around his car to stand at the back of it, hands in the pockets of her short brown leather jacket. “I was wondering if we might have a word with you concerning the young woman that’s been staying with you.”
~~
BLAKE
His feet hurt, his back ached, it had been a long forty six hours the last 45 of which was spent on a fruitless manhunt for some killer. Serial? Mob? Who knew in Gotham? It was far more likely the file would be tossed in some box on an empty, dusty shelf in the dark basement of the department. Just another addition to growing pile of cold case, unsolved cases. At that moment all Blake wanted as a cold beer and a recliner. The keys ratted in his hand as he slid them into the lock, his hand pulling the door to his old beat up infinity door open partially. A soft feminine voice called his name, or rather, stated it. Blake cave a soft sigh and mentally cursed.
His first split second thought was that it was the new leggy I.A. agent, she was a bombshell there was no doubting that but goddamn was she a bitch. A bitch that seemed to have it out for the scruffy detective who tended to play by his own rules, and the unwritten corrupt code of Gotham thrown out the window. This wouldn't be his first lecture about procedure and due course. Blake turned his eyes settling on the platinum haired woman and her dour looking sidekick. His eyes narrowed not recognizing either one as employees of the Department.
"Dunno what yer talkin' about" he growled at the pair before turning back tot he door and pulling it all the way open.
~~
DAMIEN
"I'm afraid you do, Mr. McGrady." Damien spoke up. It was … interesting. He wasn't sure how to feel about it. Should he let her live in peace? Or was it wrong to let her live a lie? Damien wasn't sure, he talked to Cecilia about it some. She gave her advice to him, and he took it to heart. But now, here he was staring at the man who was living with her. Pressing his lips together, he'd cast a glance to Rose before turning back to Blake. A picture in his hand of the young woman in question. "We know, Mr. McGrady. All the questions, we know."
"The woman's name is Lily Rose." he stated. The picture wouldn't lie. "I can name all her attributes for you, Mr. McGrady, if that helps your memory." giving the man a slow smile. One that hints that he knows what he's talking about. And has no problem recalling details. "Even details that you would find hard to refute. So, I suggest you speak with us. We are not going to bring harm to her." saying as he stepped back, Joining Rose. "Infact, we are hoping we can speak to her at one point. But, it was suggested that we speak to you first." we, being Him and Rose.
"I hope you can agree to abide peacefully. Mr. Grady."
~~
ROSE
Rose actually palmed her face at Damien trying to act all big and bad. Boys, they never really got over the whole pissing contest thing. Shaking her head she elbowed Damien in gut as he passed her and pushed him behind her so that Blake would focus on her when she started to speak.
“Please just hear us out, and ignore him. My name is Rose Wilson. The young woman in question,” She lifted a hand, motioning to the picture that Damien had given him, “is my daughter. I was out of the country on work when she went missing and it’s taken us some time to track her down. We’ve been very worried, especially with the work she was doing in the city at the time.” She watched Blake’s reaction to her words, not just his face but his body language.
“Are we correct in assuming that Lily sustained some memory problems with her injuries? We know she was injured. We found her… clothing, with blood stains.”
~~
BLAKE
Blake looked cockeye at Damien when he spoke, his arrogance in his "knowledge" of Lily permeating his words. Blake said nothing at first, reaching into his jacket for a cigarette. He Stuck it between his lips and looked up at the pair, he shrugged his shoulders and to Damien simply said;
"That's real interesting, kid" he started, he recognized Damien now, from the news, the papers, young socialite playboy type. 'Course he was living on his daddy's fortune that he inherited and his daddy inherited before him. He gave a derisive snort and continued "If you're gonna be a smartass, first, yeah gotta be smart, otherwise, you're just an ass." Blake lit the cigarette while turning away, back to his car when Rose stepped forward and spoke more softly. His hand was on the top of the door, tips pressed against the dirty glass. She gave more of a plea and he found his determination ebb. Slowly, he turned back around and faced Rose who was positioning herself in front of Damien.
she's my daughter Rose confessed and Blake clenched his jaw, he said nothing at first, debating what he should do internally. It would be easy to leave them here int he parking lot but they knew who he was, who Lily was so it was likely they also knew where he lived. Blake shrugged again.
"Let's say, hypothetically, I know where this person is..." What assurances do I have that what you're saying is the truth?" His eyes flicked to Damien "and Remember what I said 'bout bein' a smart ass"
~~
DAMIEN
Damien presses his lips together, listening to Rose. Then looking to Blake again. "I suppose if I were in your shoes, Mr. McGrady, that I too would be skeptical." saying as he took in a breath and let it out. Letting his mind wander all over the details he could think of, he could list several. Everything from her personality, to more intimate things. "You're a police officer, Mr. McGrady. And, I am sure you have some sort of … sense about people? A profile you've built in your own mind?" asking.
"I want you to use your instinct, I assure you. This woman is Lily's mother. And I… let's say, close personal friend." he didn't need to elaborate. "What do your instincts tell you, Mr. McGrady? Because we surely are not lying." Damien… well, he didn't really know how to be a smart ass. And he wasn't making himself out to be one either. It was just how he was.
But now, it was time for Blake to make his decision.
They probably won't honor it, but he'd leave that up to Rose.
~~
ROSE
Rose wondered in the back of her head if Damien realized how demanding he came off even when he wasn’t meaning it negatively. She filed it away as something to talk to him about. Or maybe it was just to much of his want to be ‘Batman’ leaking through. Had he not learned to put that dividing line between mask and life?
She focused back on the man in front of her, giving him a short smile that was a mirror of Lily’s when she was thinking too hard on something.
“Mr. McGrady, I’m not going to walk in and try to take her away if that’s what you’re worried about. Please don’t be upset but I’ve been watching you for a few days. I wanted to get a handle on the situation before I decided how to handle it. I’ve seen both of you together. You care about her and she cares about you too. You showed her a kindness that I didn’t believe existed in Gotham anymore and I can’t tell you how thankful I am for that. But we do want her back in our lives too. She is loved and missed.”
“As a mother I’m here to ask for your help. I’d like to see her, and I know Damien and others would. She had a partner she’d been out in the city with. He’s also been worried sick. There are other concerns as well that are more dangerous but I’d rather not talk about them here.”
~~
BLAKE
"My instincts tell me any time you're in Gotham you're knee deep in shit without a shovel." The kid was trying to keep this civil and Blake knew he wasn't helping matters any. "And blind trust in your instincts is likely to get you thrown in the bottom of Gotham River with cement shoes."
He swallowed back a shit eating grin and gave the pair the once over. Wayne? How much of a threat could he be? Too high profile to be trying to pull a fast one. Not to mention he had the money to bank roll that suit of high tech armor he'd pulled Lily out of the first night they met. He looked to the woman, there was a resemblance there, the eyes, the mouth, different nose and hair, Blake guessed Lily favored her father in those traits. Then of course, Rose had spoken a laundry list of things Blake knew to be true of Lily, in truth, with a little more digging he could have easily matched her up with any missing persons report, but nobody had filed one. That was where his suspicion laid. Why not file the report? Why go through all this personal sleuthing to find the girl? Because she was parading around as The Bat?
Rose didn't look like much of a threat, if Blake was a judge of such things he guess she'd weigh not more than a hundred even soaking wet. 'Course if either of these people were involved with Lily it was likely they were more than they seemed. Much more. Did they know his secret? Damien had suggested he knew something, perhaps he knew Blake's alternate identity... And then his instincts kicked in and the red flags went up, watching him? By why tell him so? He frowned deeply and crossed his arms over his chest. He was longing for that recliner and the cold one... But it looked like it might have to wait. Sonofabitch.
Finally, Blake relented.
"Alright. If you wanted to take her, you could have days ago. You know where I work, you know where I live. I couldn't have stopped you. So let's say I agree to take you, I got a couple of conditions. One you drive my car" he gestured to Lily, he figured her for the more dangerous of the two and he'd rather she kept her hands where he could see them. "Two the kid rides shotgun and I ride in the back with mine. Just so we're clear. Your brains wouldn't be the first that've been splattered on that dash."
~~
DAMIEN
Lifting a brow as he looks over at Rose, then inside of the car. There was no sign of it, but inside Damien was clamoring to bleach the whole inside of the car and clean every nook and cranny. Not to mention, the smell of cigarettes lingered in the seats. It was revolting, but there wasn't indication that he was worried as he moved to the front seat. A change of clothes and boiling shower were going to be in for him when he gets home.
~~
ROSE
It was a fight not to smirk at Blake as he looked between them. She could see the gears turning in his head and it wasn’t until she’d said she’d been watching him that he seemed to stiffen. Sure no one liked hearing that they were being watched but it seemed as though in that on instant his perspective of her changed. Smart man though she gave him more of a warning than she gave others.
“Damien, get in the car.” She said in a quiet ‘don’t argue with me’ voice, stepping back to give Blake the room he wanted to move around as she stepped up to the driver door and catch the keys he tossed at her.
She got in, ignoring the heavy smell of cigarettes and the too full ashtray in the center console. Starting the car she pulled out and headed into Gotham. She knew the streets well, they hadn’t changed since she was a teenager and before they knew it she was pulling into a parking place a few doors down from his apartment.
Getting out of the car she glanced at Damien then at Blake and nodded to him as she kept walking, heading up the stoop to the door, waiting for him to open it and move up the walkup to his front door. Anticipation and worry bloomed in her stomach, twisting itself into knots. When he unlocked the door she stepped inside and to the side of the door, her eyes flicked up, meeting the matching pair that stared back at her.
Lily stood near the bedroom door, feet shoulder width apart, watching the three of them coming through the door with a wary expression. Her eyes flicked to Blake first, then Rose, then to Damien. Images hit her like a fist in the stomach and she lifted a hand to her head, palm pressing into one of her eyes. The place where she’d been hit throbbed as bad as it had those first days as she tried to fit the jumble of things that came to mind into place.
~~
BLAKE
"Lily?" he asked gruffly as he prodded Damien in the back with his shotgun, "You two on the couch." This wasn't a time for Lily to go losing her head but he had to trust that she would struggle through the sudden rush of memories. She held her hand to her eye looking as though she were trying to comprehend some universal secret not meant for the minds of man. Blake shifted a wary glance from Damien to Rose who were now seated on the couch. He helped Lily into an adjacent chair and then sat opposite of her at Damien's right. Blake laid the shotgun down on his knees.
"Okay. You wanted to talk. Let's talk."
~~
DAMIEN
Damien didn't appreciate the shotgun to his back. Though, he wasn't really afraid of it. He was sure he could twist himself around the barrell before the cop could get a shot off. But, that was neither here nor there. Pressing his lips together as he saw Lily come in and then be placed next to McGrady. Licking his lips slowly, his own memories coming back. From what seemed like a lifetime ago. He wasn't all tot sure how this was going to go down. If she was going to remember everything, or just bits and pieces.
Ignoring McGrady for a moment, he shifts his attention to her, a small smile sliding across his lips. "Hello Lily." he would say "Do…you remember who I am?" asking, curious. Damien would then look to Rose for a moment before shifting his feet slightly and resting his elbows on his knees. "My name is Damien… Damien Bertinelli-Wayne. .. Do you remember me at all?"
~~
ROSE
Rose watched Blake the way a large cat watches it’s trainer. She was agreeing to do what he wanted but there was that question of how long she’d behave drifting behind her blue eyes. Still she did what he asked, moving to sit on the couch and shifting her eyes to Lily.
A smile tugged at the corners of her mouth as Lily settled into a chair, watching both of them. She noted the way she moved, the way she tucked her feet and sat near the front of the seat. Rose understood the way she was sitting all to well, even more so because she was sitting the same way so she could get up and moving near instantly if she needed too.
Lily and Rose met eyes met and they just looked at each other for a few heartbeats before Lily nodded slightly as though they’d silently spoken to each other. They hadn’t but sometimes words didn’t need to pass between people who’d spent so much time together.
“It’s okay, Blake.” Lily said after they’d all gotten settled, her voice back to the quiet tone that she’d had in that first week before she’d started to come out of her shell with him. “She’s my mother.” She did remember that. She recognized her hair, her body language. She saw her face in Rose’s and there was that unspoken connection between mother and daughter.
Her eyes turned to Damien then and she studied him before nodding slightly. “Yes and no. Everything is jumbled. I don’t really know names but I recognize that you were someone close to me. I feel it more than remember it.”
~~
DAIMEN
Damien would nod as he pressed his lips together some more. "I see." telling her softly as he looked to Rose, then back to Lily. What could he say? What does he ask? Damien was at a lose for words. "I knew you were alive." telling her with a smile "Nothing was adding up." saying with a nod as he glanced over at Rose. He had total faith that she was alive, it wasn't intuition, or a feeling. It was pure hard facts. The blood wasn't enough to suggest she died.
She had ditched her costume. Which meant either she took it off or someone, like McGrady took it off for her.
No factions were claiming responsibility for her death either. So, it was just… no facts. Though, he wouldn't dare argue that with her mother.
"But, I'm glad to see my suspicions were correct. Very much correct." taking a deep breath. "What… is the last thing you remember, Lily?" asking, curious now. "You have friends who will be happy to know you are alive."
~~
LILY/ROSE
“I’d hoped that someone was looking for me.” She answered back quietly, her eyes shifting to glance at Blake again who gave her a brief nod. He wasn’t going anywhere, that made her feel better. These people knew who she was, this was a good thing, she might get the answers she wanted but at the same time it bothered her. What would happen between her and Blake? What would happen as she remembered and was reintroduced to the world she’d been in before.
“I remember waking up here with a splitting head ache. Not much else before that, not memory wise at least. It took a week before I started to remember little things. Mostly times when I was a child. Once in a while I’d see something that made me remember something more recent but none of it made since. It was like freeze frames of a movie.”
Rose stayed silent as Lily spoke to Damien, watching and observing. She learned as much from Lily’s body language as she did from the things she said.
Lily rubbed fingers together, tugging her bottom lip between her teeth for a moment as she tried to make since of the heady rush that seemed to fill her heart as she looked at Damien. She remembered kisses and hands, she remembered being touched and it made her almost uncomfortable sitting there across from him. Clearing her throat she moved to safer thoughts.
“Do you know what I was doing that night that I disappeared? Why was I out there dressed like that? I’ve been seeing reports on the news of another person dressed like that now.”
~~
DAMIEN
"What you were doing…" trailing off, the question of the hour. He wasn't sure if he should tell her. Licking the inside of his lips. It was a line that once crossed, he could never return from it. Also, with Blake here, it could compromise his identity. In more ways than one, he had to figure out how to play this the right.
How does he explain that she was fighting crime? That she was fighting some of scarecrows men and she got caught. It was simply like that, no big fight. She just… got clubbed. "From what I can tell, you were playing the part of the vigilante known as Batman." he wasn't sure how … much detail she wanted. "But, yes. It seems while Gotham lost him years ago. It looks like he is back to reign control over Gotham… Many gangs have already been broken up because of him." Damien logged everything into the computer back at Wayne Tower, he'd sit there compiling data for hours. Working on cases, finding new leads.
There'd be nights when Cecilia wouldn't even see him until it was time for her to go to work in the morning.
~~
LILY/ROSE
“But why was I out doing that?” She asked.
She trusted Blake enough to have this conversation in front of him. He’d found her after all, he’d saved her and brought her home and hadn’t turned her over to the authorities. She knew they wouldn’t have taken kindly to someone running around breaking the law or as Damien was putting it, ‘running around as a vigilante.
“There have been some others doing the same, Lily.” Rose broke in as she touched Damien’s arm lightly. “You were doing it because of your father. Before you were born he did it too, under the name Nightwing and later as Batman. You wanted to follow in his footsteps.”
“Is that why I know how to…” Fight wasn’t really the right word and Lily frowned as she tired to figure the right one, then gave up and shook her head as she looked up at the two of them. “I can fight, I look at people and find their weaknesses without even thinking. I walk into a room and I always know were the exits are and how to get out of a building the fastest.”
“I trained you that way.” Rose answered. “I trained you to be able to keep yourself safe though there’s always a limit to that depending on what you’re up against. I also taught you how to case buildings and rooms and read people. It’s second nature to you now.”
~~
ROSE
Why…
that was a powerful question, and a very loaded question. Damien… well, he wouldn't admit anything right now. He was a bit uncomfortable with the looks he was getting from Lily time to time. Like… if she didn't remember what happened. Which…. he was slightly grateful for. She didn't need to remember that. It was painful enough for Damien to carry. Pushing a hand through his hair as he slowly stood up, he wasn't sure what he was doing, but he wasn't going anywhere as he moved to a door way, trying to figure out what to say.
There was…. so much, and he didn't know where to start.
His body was tense, his mind was racing. It didn't look like he was going anywhere, he just… needed a minute to think. To process this all logically and go from there. But emotions were eating away at the logic, the same emotions he kept locked down. The same that he didn't let himself experience everything.
Much like his mother, he was very emotional. He learned how to … suppress, or push his feelings down so they were manageable. Now, though… they were slowly bubbling to the top and he didn't know what to do.
"I.." he trailed off trying to figure out his words. "You were attempting to clean up the city, using Batman as a symbol. My…. Uncle, Jason Todd, put you up to the task." he said quietly. "He… knew that I wasn't going to be Batman, that his way. Was the only way."
~~
LILY/ROSE
Lily watched him closely, how his body moved, the tension in his shoulders, the way he licked his lips when he was nervous. His whole body was coiled tightly as though he could physically hold in the things that were going through his head. A question that seemed so simple to her had apparently brought up a rush of things he didn’t want to think about.
This made her frown hard and she looked back over at Blake. He wasn’t smiling and for once she wasn’t sure what he was thinking. She could usually read him so easily but he shut down now. That worried her.
“Oh.” She said in that quiet manor, folding her hands in her lap as she glanced at Rose’s eased relaxed form. She wasn’t sure what to make of what Damien said. “So someone else has taken over while I’ve been missing to keep the symbol alive.” She said more to herself than to them. Somehow that thought made her frown hard again.
“So what now?” Another hard question.
“That depends on your, Lily. You have a lot of holes to fill in and we’d like to help you do that but we want you to be comfortable too. We don’t want to push you into do anything you don’t want to do. We’d like you to come home but we’re not going to make you, not me or Damien. You need to do this on your time table. We would like you to come visit the house were you’ve been living though. Meet your friends. Blake is invited as well if that’s what you want. More than anything we’re just glad that you’re alive and safe.”
~~
DAMIEN
Damien would nod in agreeance with them as he pushed his hand through his hair as he smiled softly. "Yes. Once you are ready." telling her as he pulled a card out and gave it to her. He didn't want her going out as Batman though… but that'd be a discussion for another time. "You have the chance at a life that some of us may never find. True happiness. Mr. McGrady seems to be a good man." giving him a nod as he gives him a card.
"I wish to talk to you, Mr. McGrady, the time isn't now… but, I will contact you. I wish to speak about the state of the police departments." a nod. Then a look to Lily as he smiled. "I want you to know, you … were a special part of my life. Something I will never forget, and cherish." saying honestly with a soft smile. "I…am sure you wish to know more. But, It would not be appropriate infront of your beau." gesturing to Blake.
"Contact me once you are ready. We will throw you a small celebration and you can meet friends."
~~
LILY/ROSE
“I am happy.” She glanced over at Blade with a little smile before looking back to Damien. “But I still want to know who I am, who I was. There had to be responsibilities I left behind.” Taking the card she glanced down at it then slipped it into the pocket of her jeans. “Blake is a good man. He saved my life too.” She walked over to him as he stood, her hand wrapping around his arm as she leaned against him though he’d be the only one to notice the death grip she had on him.
“I think I know that Damien, or I can feel it, somewhere in all this mess of my head.”
Rose reached into her pocket and pulled out a cell phone and held it out for her to take. “It’s yours, it has our numbers programed into it so you can call us when you’re ready. There should be pictures and things too on it if you want to look.”
Lily let go of Blake and stepped forward to take it then stepped closer and pulled Rose into a hug. Rose hesitated for a moment before she wrapped Lily up in her arms and hugged her tightly, kissing the side of her head. “I’m so glad you’re safe, baby girl. I’ve been terrified since I found out.”
“I had a guardian angel that night.” Lily murmured into Rose’s ear as she gave her another squeeze before stepping back, clutching the cellphone in her hands.
“I’ll call. Maybe just meeting people one or two at a time though.”
~~
DAMIEN
Giving her a nod, he'd walk up to her after Rose. Raising his hand up, he'd cup Lily's cheek for a brief moment. "It is good to see you, Lily. If you need anything, please. Do not hesitate to call me." telling her with a nod and a smile as he leaned in to give her a soft kiss on her cheek. "Welcome back." he would tell her before looking to Rose and nodding. He'd walk out with her, pulling his phone out of his pocket, he'd call up his driver. Until then, he was sure Rose wanted to talk, if not, Damien was more than happy to continue to mull things through his mind. Even after the driver came and picked them up.
How old was she again? Some number she really didn’t want to remember but it still made her stop and think as she and Damien leaned against a pillar in the underground police parking garage waiting for Detective Blake McGrady. The thought had come to her head because she was nervous and that wasn’t something that happened to her very often. It wasn’t in her nature, not really. Though given the way her life and turned over the last ten years she’d started experience a number of emotions she hadn’t realized she was capable of.
Her hands fluttered down to her stomach, pressing in on the muscles and taking a deep breath, letting it out in a sigh as she shifted her eyes to watch a passing cop heading for his car on his way home. Damien was silent beside her, lost in his own thoughts which she could tell from the slight frown on his face and the focused look in his eyes. So much like his father, a man that hadn’t approved of her one bit, and even less when her relationship with Dick had started. She found it ironic that Lily and Damien had ‘hooked up’ for a time. His father must have rolled in his grave. At least Helena had been more open minded and it helped that the two of them had been friends for a long time.
Eyes closing for a moment she heard the click of shoes on pavement and glanced around the pillar. Tall, dark hair, scruffy beard. Just like the picture they’d pulled up from his file. She touched Damien lightly on the arm before stepping out from the shadows where they’d been standing.
“Detective McGrady.” It was a statement, not a question as she walked around his car to stand at the back of it, hands in the pockets of her short brown leather jacket. “I was wondering if we might have a word with you concerning the young woman that’s been staying with you.”
~~
BLAKE
His feet hurt, his back ached, it had been a long forty six hours the last 45 of which was spent on a fruitless manhunt for some killer. Serial? Mob? Who knew in Gotham? It was far more likely the file would be tossed in some box on an empty, dusty shelf in the dark basement of the department. Just another addition to growing pile of cold case, unsolved cases. At that moment all Blake wanted as a cold beer and a recliner. The keys ratted in his hand as he slid them into the lock, his hand pulling the door to his old beat up infinity door open partially. A soft feminine voice called his name, or rather, stated it. Blake cave a soft sigh and mentally cursed.
His first split second thought was that it was the new leggy I.A. agent, she was a bombshell there was no doubting that but goddamn was she a bitch. A bitch that seemed to have it out for the scruffy detective who tended to play by his own rules, and the unwritten corrupt code of Gotham thrown out the window. This wouldn't be his first lecture about procedure and due course. Blake turned his eyes settling on the platinum haired woman and her dour looking sidekick. His eyes narrowed not recognizing either one as employees of the Department.
"Dunno what yer talkin' about" he growled at the pair before turning back tot he door and pulling it all the way open.
~~
DAMIEN
"I'm afraid you do, Mr. McGrady." Damien spoke up. It was … interesting. He wasn't sure how to feel about it. Should he let her live in peace? Or was it wrong to let her live a lie? Damien wasn't sure, he talked to Cecilia about it some. She gave her advice to him, and he took it to heart. But now, here he was staring at the man who was living with her. Pressing his lips together, he'd cast a glance to Rose before turning back to Blake. A picture in his hand of the young woman in question. "We know, Mr. McGrady. All the questions, we know."
"The woman's name is Lily Rose." he stated. The picture wouldn't lie. "I can name all her attributes for you, Mr. McGrady, if that helps your memory." giving the man a slow smile. One that hints that he knows what he's talking about. And has no problem recalling details. "Even details that you would find hard to refute. So, I suggest you speak with us. We are not going to bring harm to her." saying as he stepped back, Joining Rose. "Infact, we are hoping we can speak to her at one point. But, it was suggested that we speak to you first." we, being Him and Rose.
"I hope you can agree to abide peacefully. Mr. Grady."
~~
ROSE
Rose actually palmed her face at Damien trying to act all big and bad. Boys, they never really got over the whole pissing contest thing. Shaking her head she elbowed Damien in gut as he passed her and pushed him behind her so that Blake would focus on her when she started to speak.
“Please just hear us out, and ignore him. My name is Rose Wilson. The young woman in question,” She lifted a hand, motioning to the picture that Damien had given him, “is my daughter. I was out of the country on work when she went missing and it’s taken us some time to track her down. We’ve been very worried, especially with the work she was doing in the city at the time.” She watched Blake’s reaction to her words, not just his face but his body language.
“Are we correct in assuming that Lily sustained some memory problems with her injuries? We know she was injured. We found her… clothing, with blood stains.”
~~
BLAKE
Blake looked cockeye at Damien when he spoke, his arrogance in his "knowledge" of Lily permeating his words. Blake said nothing at first, reaching into his jacket for a cigarette. He Stuck it between his lips and looked up at the pair, he shrugged his shoulders and to Damien simply said;
"That's real interesting, kid" he started, he recognized Damien now, from the news, the papers, young socialite playboy type. 'Course he was living on his daddy's fortune that he inherited and his daddy inherited before him. He gave a derisive snort and continued "If you're gonna be a smartass, first, yeah gotta be smart, otherwise, you're just an ass." Blake lit the cigarette while turning away, back to his car when Rose stepped forward and spoke more softly. His hand was on the top of the door, tips pressed against the dirty glass. She gave more of a plea and he found his determination ebb. Slowly, he turned back around and faced Rose who was positioning herself in front of Damien.
she's my daughter Rose confessed and Blake clenched his jaw, he said nothing at first, debating what he should do internally. It would be easy to leave them here int he parking lot but they knew who he was, who Lily was so it was likely they also knew where he lived. Blake shrugged again.
"Let's say, hypothetically, I know where this person is..." What assurances do I have that what you're saying is the truth?" His eyes flicked to Damien "and Remember what I said 'bout bein' a smart ass"
~~
DAMIEN
Damien presses his lips together, listening to Rose. Then looking to Blake again. "I suppose if I were in your shoes, Mr. McGrady, that I too would be skeptical." saying as he took in a breath and let it out. Letting his mind wander all over the details he could think of, he could list several. Everything from her personality, to more intimate things. "You're a police officer, Mr. McGrady. And, I am sure you have some sort of … sense about people? A profile you've built in your own mind?" asking.
"I want you to use your instinct, I assure you. This woman is Lily's mother. And I… let's say, close personal friend." he didn't need to elaborate. "What do your instincts tell you, Mr. McGrady? Because we surely are not lying." Damien… well, he didn't really know how to be a smart ass. And he wasn't making himself out to be one either. It was just how he was.
But now, it was time for Blake to make his decision.
They probably won't honor it, but he'd leave that up to Rose.
~~
ROSE
Rose wondered in the back of her head if Damien realized how demanding he came off even when he wasn’t meaning it negatively. She filed it away as something to talk to him about. Or maybe it was just to much of his want to be ‘Batman’ leaking through. Had he not learned to put that dividing line between mask and life?
She focused back on the man in front of her, giving him a short smile that was a mirror of Lily’s when she was thinking too hard on something.
“Mr. McGrady, I’m not going to walk in and try to take her away if that’s what you’re worried about. Please don’t be upset but I’ve been watching you for a few days. I wanted to get a handle on the situation before I decided how to handle it. I’ve seen both of you together. You care about her and she cares about you too. You showed her a kindness that I didn’t believe existed in Gotham anymore and I can’t tell you how thankful I am for that. But we do want her back in our lives too. She is loved and missed.”
“As a mother I’m here to ask for your help. I’d like to see her, and I know Damien and others would. She had a partner she’d been out in the city with. He’s also been worried sick. There are other concerns as well that are more dangerous but I’d rather not talk about them here.”
~~
BLAKE
"My instincts tell me any time you're in Gotham you're knee deep in shit without a shovel." The kid was trying to keep this civil and Blake knew he wasn't helping matters any. "And blind trust in your instincts is likely to get you thrown in the bottom of Gotham River with cement shoes."
He swallowed back a shit eating grin and gave the pair the once over. Wayne? How much of a threat could he be? Too high profile to be trying to pull a fast one. Not to mention he had the money to bank roll that suit of high tech armor he'd pulled Lily out of the first night they met. He looked to the woman, there was a resemblance there, the eyes, the mouth, different nose and hair, Blake guessed Lily favored her father in those traits. Then of course, Rose had spoken a laundry list of things Blake knew to be true of Lily, in truth, with a little more digging he could have easily matched her up with any missing persons report, but nobody had filed one. That was where his suspicion laid. Why not file the report? Why go through all this personal sleuthing to find the girl? Because she was parading around as The Bat?
Rose didn't look like much of a threat, if Blake was a judge of such things he guess she'd weigh not more than a hundred even soaking wet. 'Course if either of these people were involved with Lily it was likely they were more than they seemed. Much more. Did they know his secret? Damien had suggested he knew something, perhaps he knew Blake's alternate identity... And then his instincts kicked in and the red flags went up, watching him? By why tell him so? He frowned deeply and crossed his arms over his chest. He was longing for that recliner and the cold one... But it looked like it might have to wait. Sonofabitch.
Finally, Blake relented.
"Alright. If you wanted to take her, you could have days ago. You know where I work, you know where I live. I couldn't have stopped you. So let's say I agree to take you, I got a couple of conditions. One you drive my car" he gestured to Lily, he figured her for the more dangerous of the two and he'd rather she kept her hands where he could see them. "Two the kid rides shotgun and I ride in the back with mine. Just so we're clear. Your brains wouldn't be the first that've been splattered on that dash."
~~
DAMIEN
Lifting a brow as he looks over at Rose, then inside of the car. There was no sign of it, but inside Damien was clamoring to bleach the whole inside of the car and clean every nook and cranny. Not to mention, the smell of cigarettes lingered in the seats. It was revolting, but there wasn't indication that he was worried as he moved to the front seat. A change of clothes and boiling shower were going to be in for him when he gets home.
~~
ROSE
It was a fight not to smirk at Blake as he looked between them. She could see the gears turning in his head and it wasn’t until she’d said she’d been watching him that he seemed to stiffen. Sure no one liked hearing that they were being watched but it seemed as though in that on instant his perspective of her changed. Smart man though she gave him more of a warning than she gave others.
“Damien, get in the car.” She said in a quiet ‘don’t argue with me’ voice, stepping back to give Blake the room he wanted to move around as she stepped up to the driver door and catch the keys he tossed at her.
She got in, ignoring the heavy smell of cigarettes and the too full ashtray in the center console. Starting the car she pulled out and headed into Gotham. She knew the streets well, they hadn’t changed since she was a teenager and before they knew it she was pulling into a parking place a few doors down from his apartment.
Getting out of the car she glanced at Damien then at Blake and nodded to him as she kept walking, heading up the stoop to the door, waiting for him to open it and move up the walkup to his front door. Anticipation and worry bloomed in her stomach, twisting itself into knots. When he unlocked the door she stepped inside and to the side of the door, her eyes flicked up, meeting the matching pair that stared back at her.
Lily stood near the bedroom door, feet shoulder width apart, watching the three of them coming through the door with a wary expression. Her eyes flicked to Blake first, then Rose, then to Damien. Images hit her like a fist in the stomach and she lifted a hand to her head, palm pressing into one of her eyes. The place where she’d been hit throbbed as bad as it had those first days as she tried to fit the jumble of things that came to mind into place.
~~
BLAKE
"Lily?" he asked gruffly as he prodded Damien in the back with his shotgun, "You two on the couch." This wasn't a time for Lily to go losing her head but he had to trust that she would struggle through the sudden rush of memories. She held her hand to her eye looking as though she were trying to comprehend some universal secret not meant for the minds of man. Blake shifted a wary glance from Damien to Rose who were now seated on the couch. He helped Lily into an adjacent chair and then sat opposite of her at Damien's right. Blake laid the shotgun down on his knees.
"Okay. You wanted to talk. Let's talk."
~~
DAMIEN
Damien didn't appreciate the shotgun to his back. Though, he wasn't really afraid of it. He was sure he could twist himself around the barrell before the cop could get a shot off. But, that was neither here nor there. Pressing his lips together as he saw Lily come in and then be placed next to McGrady. Licking his lips slowly, his own memories coming back. From what seemed like a lifetime ago. He wasn't all tot sure how this was going to go down. If she was going to remember everything, or just bits and pieces.
Ignoring McGrady for a moment, he shifts his attention to her, a small smile sliding across his lips. "Hello Lily." he would say "Do…you remember who I am?" asking, curious. Damien would then look to Rose for a moment before shifting his feet slightly and resting his elbows on his knees. "My name is Damien… Damien Bertinelli-Wayne. .. Do you remember me at all?"
~~
ROSE
Rose watched Blake the way a large cat watches it’s trainer. She was agreeing to do what he wanted but there was that question of how long she’d behave drifting behind her blue eyes. Still she did what he asked, moving to sit on the couch and shifting her eyes to Lily.
A smile tugged at the corners of her mouth as Lily settled into a chair, watching both of them. She noted the way she moved, the way she tucked her feet and sat near the front of the seat. Rose understood the way she was sitting all to well, even more so because she was sitting the same way so she could get up and moving near instantly if she needed too.
Lily and Rose met eyes met and they just looked at each other for a few heartbeats before Lily nodded slightly as though they’d silently spoken to each other. They hadn’t but sometimes words didn’t need to pass between people who’d spent so much time together.
“It’s okay, Blake.” Lily said after they’d all gotten settled, her voice back to the quiet tone that she’d had in that first week before she’d started to come out of her shell with him. “She’s my mother.” She did remember that. She recognized her hair, her body language. She saw her face in Rose’s and there was that unspoken connection between mother and daughter.
Her eyes turned to Damien then and she studied him before nodding slightly. “Yes and no. Everything is jumbled. I don’t really know names but I recognize that you were someone close to me. I feel it more than remember it.”
~~
DAIMEN
Damien would nod as he pressed his lips together some more. "I see." telling her softly as he looked to Rose, then back to Lily. What could he say? What does he ask? Damien was at a lose for words. "I knew you were alive." telling her with a smile "Nothing was adding up." saying with a nod as he glanced over at Rose. He had total faith that she was alive, it wasn't intuition, or a feeling. It was pure hard facts. The blood wasn't enough to suggest she died.
She had ditched her costume. Which meant either she took it off or someone, like McGrady took it off for her.
No factions were claiming responsibility for her death either. So, it was just… no facts. Though, he wouldn't dare argue that with her mother.
"But, I'm glad to see my suspicions were correct. Very much correct." taking a deep breath. "What… is the last thing you remember, Lily?" asking, curious now. "You have friends who will be happy to know you are alive."
~~
LILY/ROSE
“I’d hoped that someone was looking for me.” She answered back quietly, her eyes shifting to glance at Blake again who gave her a brief nod. He wasn’t going anywhere, that made her feel better. These people knew who she was, this was a good thing, she might get the answers she wanted but at the same time it bothered her. What would happen between her and Blake? What would happen as she remembered and was reintroduced to the world she’d been in before.
“I remember waking up here with a splitting head ache. Not much else before that, not memory wise at least. It took a week before I started to remember little things. Mostly times when I was a child. Once in a while I’d see something that made me remember something more recent but none of it made since. It was like freeze frames of a movie.”
Rose stayed silent as Lily spoke to Damien, watching and observing. She learned as much from Lily’s body language as she did from the things she said.
Lily rubbed fingers together, tugging her bottom lip between her teeth for a moment as she tried to make since of the heady rush that seemed to fill her heart as she looked at Damien. She remembered kisses and hands, she remembered being touched and it made her almost uncomfortable sitting there across from him. Clearing her throat she moved to safer thoughts.
“Do you know what I was doing that night that I disappeared? Why was I out there dressed like that? I’ve been seeing reports on the news of another person dressed like that now.”
~~
DAMIEN
"What you were doing…" trailing off, the question of the hour. He wasn't sure if he should tell her. Licking the inside of his lips. It was a line that once crossed, he could never return from it. Also, with Blake here, it could compromise his identity. In more ways than one, he had to figure out how to play this the right.
How does he explain that she was fighting crime? That she was fighting some of scarecrows men and she got caught. It was simply like that, no big fight. She just… got clubbed. "From what I can tell, you were playing the part of the vigilante known as Batman." he wasn't sure how … much detail she wanted. "But, yes. It seems while Gotham lost him years ago. It looks like he is back to reign control over Gotham… Many gangs have already been broken up because of him." Damien logged everything into the computer back at Wayne Tower, he'd sit there compiling data for hours. Working on cases, finding new leads.
There'd be nights when Cecilia wouldn't even see him until it was time for her to go to work in the morning.
~~
LILY/ROSE
“But why was I out doing that?” She asked.
She trusted Blake enough to have this conversation in front of him. He’d found her after all, he’d saved her and brought her home and hadn’t turned her over to the authorities. She knew they wouldn’t have taken kindly to someone running around breaking the law or as Damien was putting it, ‘running around as a vigilante.
“There have been some others doing the same, Lily.” Rose broke in as she touched Damien’s arm lightly. “You were doing it because of your father. Before you were born he did it too, under the name Nightwing and later as Batman. You wanted to follow in his footsteps.”
“Is that why I know how to…” Fight wasn’t really the right word and Lily frowned as she tired to figure the right one, then gave up and shook her head as she looked up at the two of them. “I can fight, I look at people and find their weaknesses without even thinking. I walk into a room and I always know were the exits are and how to get out of a building the fastest.”
“I trained you that way.” Rose answered. “I trained you to be able to keep yourself safe though there’s always a limit to that depending on what you’re up against. I also taught you how to case buildings and rooms and read people. It’s second nature to you now.”
~~
ROSE
Why…
that was a powerful question, and a very loaded question. Damien… well, he wouldn't admit anything right now. He was a bit uncomfortable with the looks he was getting from Lily time to time. Like… if she didn't remember what happened. Which…. he was slightly grateful for. She didn't need to remember that. It was painful enough for Damien to carry. Pushing a hand through his hair as he slowly stood up, he wasn't sure what he was doing, but he wasn't going anywhere as he moved to a door way, trying to figure out what to say.
There was…. so much, and he didn't know where to start.
His body was tense, his mind was racing. It didn't look like he was going anywhere, he just… needed a minute to think. To process this all logically and go from there. But emotions were eating away at the logic, the same emotions he kept locked down. The same that he didn't let himself experience everything.
Much like his mother, he was very emotional. He learned how to … suppress, or push his feelings down so they were manageable. Now, though… they were slowly bubbling to the top and he didn't know what to do.
"I.." he trailed off trying to figure out his words. "You were attempting to clean up the city, using Batman as a symbol. My…. Uncle, Jason Todd, put you up to the task." he said quietly. "He… knew that I wasn't going to be Batman, that his way. Was the only way."
~~
LILY/ROSE
Lily watched him closely, how his body moved, the tension in his shoulders, the way he licked his lips when he was nervous. His whole body was coiled tightly as though he could physically hold in the things that were going through his head. A question that seemed so simple to her had apparently brought up a rush of things he didn’t want to think about.
This made her frown hard and she looked back over at Blake. He wasn’t smiling and for once she wasn’t sure what he was thinking. She could usually read him so easily but he shut down now. That worried her.
“Oh.” She said in that quiet manor, folding her hands in her lap as she glanced at Rose’s eased relaxed form. She wasn’t sure what to make of what Damien said. “So someone else has taken over while I’ve been missing to keep the symbol alive.” She said more to herself than to them. Somehow that thought made her frown hard again.
“So what now?” Another hard question.
“That depends on your, Lily. You have a lot of holes to fill in and we’d like to help you do that but we want you to be comfortable too. We don’t want to push you into do anything you don’t want to do. We’d like you to come home but we’re not going to make you, not me or Damien. You need to do this on your time table. We would like you to come visit the house were you’ve been living though. Meet your friends. Blake is invited as well if that’s what you want. More than anything we’re just glad that you’re alive and safe.”
~~
DAMIEN
Damien would nod in agreeance with them as he pushed his hand through his hair as he smiled softly. "Yes. Once you are ready." telling her as he pulled a card out and gave it to her. He didn't want her going out as Batman though… but that'd be a discussion for another time. "You have the chance at a life that some of us may never find. True happiness. Mr. McGrady seems to be a good man." giving him a nod as he gives him a card.
"I wish to talk to you, Mr. McGrady, the time isn't now… but, I will contact you. I wish to speak about the state of the police departments." a nod. Then a look to Lily as he smiled. "I want you to know, you … were a special part of my life. Something I will never forget, and cherish." saying honestly with a soft smile. "I…am sure you wish to know more. But, It would not be appropriate infront of your beau." gesturing to Blake.
"Contact me once you are ready. We will throw you a small celebration and you can meet friends."
~~
LILY/ROSE
“I am happy.” She glanced over at Blade with a little smile before looking back to Damien. “But I still want to know who I am, who I was. There had to be responsibilities I left behind.” Taking the card she glanced down at it then slipped it into the pocket of her jeans. “Blake is a good man. He saved my life too.” She walked over to him as he stood, her hand wrapping around his arm as she leaned against him though he’d be the only one to notice the death grip she had on him.
“I think I know that Damien, or I can feel it, somewhere in all this mess of my head.”
Rose reached into her pocket and pulled out a cell phone and held it out for her to take. “It’s yours, it has our numbers programed into it so you can call us when you’re ready. There should be pictures and things too on it if you want to look.”
Lily let go of Blake and stepped forward to take it then stepped closer and pulled Rose into a hug. Rose hesitated for a moment before she wrapped Lily up in her arms and hugged her tightly, kissing the side of her head. “I’m so glad you’re safe, baby girl. I’ve been terrified since I found out.”
“I had a guardian angel that night.” Lily murmured into Rose’s ear as she gave her another squeeze before stepping back, clutching the cellphone in her hands.
“I’ll call. Maybe just meeting people one or two at a time though.”
~~
DAMIEN
Giving her a nod, he'd walk up to her after Rose. Raising his hand up, he'd cup Lily's cheek for a brief moment. "It is good to see you, Lily. If you need anything, please. Do not hesitate to call me." telling her with a nod and a smile as he leaned in to give her a soft kiss on her cheek. "Welcome back." he would tell her before looking to Rose and nodding. He'd walk out with her, pulling his phone out of his pocket, he'd call up his driver. Until then, he was sure Rose wanted to talk, if not, Damien was more than happy to continue to mull things through his mind. Even after the driver came and picked them up.