Lyla had been at Wayne manor for nearly a month and begun training almost three weeks ago. November was nearly here and Alfred had already asked Lyla to join them for the holidays. He'd taken her stitches out and she didn't need the brace anymore.
It turned out she wasn't half bad at this fighting stuff either. Years of dancing had thought her to be fast on her feet and how to have total control over her body. She had over heard Jason telling Alfred,
" Her coordination is incredible. I just have to teach her to hit a little harder."
" Don't rush her. I'm going to miss having her here." Alfred told him in response.
It was true, she would miss Alfred to. When Jason was school or out doing patrol in the evenings, she would spend that time with Alfred. He had even begun to teach her things most kids would learn in school. She could read well and do a little math and even knew a bit of history, but far less than most 15 year olds. Alfred claimed she was a quick learner but truthfully what she knew felt like simple facts. But Lyla would take a complement when one came her way.
At some undefined point in the last few weeks Lyla and Jason had become more than friends. Maybe they were never just friends. But they definitely were more than that now.
They'd been training for hours today.
It was a rainy Saturday with little else to do. Jason had been teasing Lyla, she knew he was trying to get her worked up, and it was working.
She took a swing again, she swore the boxing gloves where slowing her down.
She missed, Jason laughed.
She decided to try again before Jason stopped laughing, this time landed a kick to his stomach. Jason fell on his ass and laughter filled the room, but it wasn't theirs.
Leaning against the far wall to the training area was a tall, pale boy with shaggy dark hair and dark eyes. He wore black joggers and a black jacket with blue stripes on the sleeves.
" Grayson?" Lyla whispered to Jason, as she leaned over to help him back to his feet. Jason regularly talked about his big brother, but Lyla hadn't seen him around the manor at all.
" The one and only" he whispered back as she pulled him back to his feet.
" Come on Jay I thought I thought you better than that" Dick snickered " got your ass kicked by the new girl."
" Temp Girl." Lyla corrected. " I'm not staying."
" Your staying until the day Bruce makes you leave." Jason said as Lyla stepped forward to make introductions.
" I'm Lyla." she stated to Dick, holding her hand out in front of her.
"Dick." he responded taking her hand.
They held and awkward tense eye contact until Jason's hand appeared on Lyla's back.
"Why are you here Dick?" Jason asked
" Am I not allowed to come visit Little Wing?" The nickname made Jason tense. But his face remained calm.
" Fine." Dick groaned. " I don't know. Bruce called said he needed me for something but he's not here."
They where all silent for just a moment to long.
" Bruce hasn't been here for days." Lyla finally confessed.
" Which is exactly why I called" Alfred, who has mysteriously appeared behind Dick, said.
Lyla had noticed that all seemed to have this weird ability to appear places when she wasn't looking, she wondered if Dick could do it to.
A few minutes later they where all comfortably on the sofas of the library, drinking tea while Alfred expanded that it had been a week since Bruce checked in.
" We have a system," Jason whispered in her ear " a signal we send back here, once every three days we're gone." Lyla hardly understood a word he said over his hand on her thigh.
" Do you know where he was going ?" Dick asked calmly
" Star City, to assist Green Arrow with an arrest." Alfred Answered
"Did he arrive there?"
" I don't know. He insisted he didn't need his suit tracker."
" Have you contacted Oliver?" Quickly realizing his mistake, Dick eyes shot to Lyla, only to find her not paying attention.
" I tried but got no response."
" I can try to call Roy." Jason offered.
Dick shot a scolding look to Jason, but Lyla answered his glare with
" I've already met Roy." Which was partially true. She had accidentally interrupted his call with Jason and they had been introduced over the phone.
" Try it." Dick told Jason
Jason dug his phone from his joggers and flipped through his phone until he found Roy. He pushed the button and everyone eagerly listen to it ring.
Nothing.
He tried again.
Still nothing.
" Okay then I'll get ready to leave for Star City." Dick decided out loud.
" Should I go with you?" Jason asked, scrambling to his feet.
" No," Dick snapped " Someone has to keep an eye on Gotham."
" But Batgirls here."Jason wined.
" Look little wing, things aren't good here right now, the Joker is getting more aggressive. She's gonna need help."
" Fine." Jason groaned.
Lyla already knew most of what they had talked about, but the Joker was new news.
Suddenly she didn't love the idea of Jason patrolling on his own.
Everyone in Gotham knew what the Joker was capable of, the number of people he killed.
But when you spend time on the streets you hear nasty rumors, rumors of personal grudges, against the bats.
YOU ARE READING
A Ghost Girl and a Zombie Boy A Red Hood re-telling.
FanfictionWhat happens when a girl off the streets of Gotham is saved by a Robin with a promise to keep? Lyla has been alone most of life. She's never had family or responsibilities to ties her down. But as she's getting older life is getting harder, until o...
