The Birthday Surprise

Ch. 6: Unexpected Surprise

Bruce went wide eyed as she continued. "A few months ago there was a fire in downtown Gotham. I was living in that building. The place was in flames and I got out thinking my parents were right behind me, but they weren't. I looked up and they were still on the top floor."

Tears started to fall from her eyes and down her cheeks. Bruce looked away. He could remember every detail as she told him.

"They were screaming for someone to help them. I saw the Justice League arrive and I ran up to one of them. I don't remember who though."

"Please, you have to help them," the little girl pleaded.

Batman looked up at the building then back down at the girl. "We'll try our best, I promise."

Superman was getting other people out of the bottom of the building, shielding them from the flames as they walked out the door. When he got all the people out of the bottom he headed for the higher floors. Green Lantern, Hawkman, and Hawkwoman were already trying to get the people out. As Green Lantern and Superman was just about to go in to get more people out, there was a huge explosion.

Green Lantern and Superman were thrown into the building across the road. Batman leaned down and covered the girl with his cape.

When the danger was over, Batman uncovered the little girl and ran toward Superman and Green Lantern to see if they were all right.

The little girl looked up at the building, which had even higher flames now, and screamed, "MOMMY! DADDY!"

Batman looked over to the little girl. He saw her on the ground crying. He remembered when he saw his parents' death and when he watched Dick's parents fall to their death, now he was watching yet another young child loose her parents.

Bruce walked over to the young girl. "I'm sorry for your loss."

The little girl looked up at him with stain-filled, angry eyes. "You let them die! You killed them! Why didn't you get them out!" she said as she started hitting Batman.

"Batman, we need your help over here," Hawkman yelled from where he was helping the survivors.

Batman looked down at the girl who had stopped hitting him and was crying into his waist. He knelt down as she looked up at him. "I'm sorry we couldn't save your parents. Go over to the police and they will take care of you."

The little girl sniffed and nodded her head. She turned around and started walking toward the police car sitting behind all the fire trucks.

Batman watched her for a few seconds, feeling sorry for the girl, then turned around and headed toward Hawkman.

"After I watched my parents die, a man came up to me. He said he was sorry for my loss and told me that he would take care of me," she said, wiping away her tears. "I went with him and never looked back on that day again."

Bruce looked back at her. "I'm sorry."

She looked up into his face and smiled. "Thanks."

"You said that he could change, shape shift, what did you mean by that?"

"Well, a few days after my parents death, I still couldn't get over their death. He told me that he could help and he changed. He changed into my mom."

Bruce's eyes got wide and Tiffany stared at him.

"What?" she asked confused.

"You mean, you've been staying with Clayface?"