PROLOGUE
My father always told me stories about him...
Stories about the mysterious knight of Gotham City. Someone who in the shadows of the night, protects the weak and seeks justice in hopes of making Gotham City a better place, but I never thought I would meet him in person.
I can still vividly remember the first time I saw him...
The first time I saw THE Batman.
His figure victoriously standing on top of his enemies, black cape gently flowing as he stood as quiet as the night.
Much of that night still remains a blur, but one thing was clear,
Batman saved me.
I was nine years old when it happened.
The sky above us was dark with heavy clouds threatening rain, accompanied by a pleasant breeze.
My parents and I walked down the empty streets hand in hand after the dinner we attended for Wayne Enterprises. The night was filled with laughter as my parents talked about how pleasant the night had been, their conversation slowly dying down as we hear a loud noise at the end of the street.
Gotham's streets were infamous for their high crime rate, so it didn't take much for us to quicken our pace, hoping to reach the car before whatever was out there reached us first.
At some point, I remember letting go of my mother's hand, the sound of her heels gone as if she never been there in the first place.
I don't know why but I remember looking back, a frown etched on my face when my mother was nowhere in sight.
Slowly reaching out, I pulled my father's jacket to get his attention.
"Yes sweetie?" he calmly said looking at me with his dark brown eyes. "What's wrong?"
"Where's mommy? She was just with us but I can't see her anymore." I said, jumping slightly when another sound echoed again.
I remember my father stopping, his eyes looking around the area before scooping me in his arms, his hand holding my head against his chest for reassurance.
"Don't worry sweets, I will find mommy. But first let's get to the car shall we?"
I could feel his breath tickling my ear, his warmth calming me down until I heard footsteps behind us.
"Don't look." My father said, forcing my head back into his chest as I tried to peek. "Daddy is going to talk to them okay? Just stand behind me Victoria." He added in a stern tone, gently putting me down and guiding me behind him with his hand.
"We don't want any trouble." My dad calls out, tightening his grip on my back as the shadows become clearer until they are right in front of us.
"Give us what we want and nobody gets hurt." A man says in a low voice.
"And what would that be?" My father asks.
"Don't play dumb." The man scowls. "Give it to us or we'll kill her." He adds stepping to the side, bringing into view my mother's kneeled form behind him.
"Alright." My father says. "Just don't hurt them."
"Daddy, what's going on?" I asked pulling his jacket with my fist, not understanding what was going on.
"Everything is okay sweetheart, don't be afraid." He replied giving me a smile.
"Hurry up!" The man impatiently calls out. "We don't have all the time in the world."
Before my dad could do anything, the man fell to the ground on his knees, gritting his teeth as he looked at my mother who was holding something in her hand.
"Now you've done it." The man says with a laugh.
Before I could react, I felt myself hit something, my father's form a few feet away.
"Stay there and don't move." He calls out, his voice drowned out by the loud thunder above us.
Everything after that became a blur as rain started to pour, making it hard to see.
"Dad!" I screamed when I felt someone pick me up, harshly shoving me against them.
"Don't touch her." My father's voice growled, his chest heaving up and down with deep breaths.
That's when my world fell apart.
As my father took a step forward, he suddenly fell to the ground, dark liquid staining his shirt as a shiny object landed on the floor.
"Daaaaaad!" I screamed running towards him, leaving the man behind as he stood and watched.
Kneeling down, I tried covering his chest, staining my hands with blood in the process.
"It's no use sweets-" He says turning his head to cough up some blood. "It's too late." He added with a deep breath, his face contorted with pain as his breathing slowed down.
"Why?" I cried out pulling his shirt with my hands.
With a ghost of a smile my father lifted up his hand and gently stroked my cheek. "Be strong Victoria."
He said, and then with his last breath he looked up at me and whispered, "I will always be by your side." He added, his hand limply dropping on the wet pavement.
"Dad?" I called out but his chest didn't move, my eyes finally spilling the tears that had gathered.
Why would they do such a thing? I thought to myself glancing at the man's figure, another shadow appearing next to him.
"I took out the woman." He said turning to look at me. "What should we do with the girl?"
"We can kill her too," The first man said with a small pause, "or take her to our master." He adds taking a step towards me making me scoot back, my legs unable to move as I watched him get closer to me.
And then without a warning, the man fell to the ground.
W-what?
Through squinted eyes, I could make out the silhouette of a new man, this one wearing a black cape and a black suit with a bat symbol on his chest.
It's him.
The dark knight my dad always told me about.
As a fight broke out between them, all I could do was watch, covering my eyes as I turned away.
I can't stay here. I need to get out of here.
With a shaky breath, I managed to get back on my knees, breaking into a shaky run as I tried to get away as fast as I could.
I must have run about a block when I heard footsteps behind me again, but this time I didn't stop.
Don't stop Victoria, don't stop, keep running, faster... Faster!
Then I felt a strong hand hold my arm, the grip different from the one before. This one was gentle, carefully holding me so that he wouldn't hurt me.
"It's okay." He says in a deep voice, making me stop in my tracks. "You are safe now." He adds letting go of my arm. "They can't hurt you anymore."
Looking behind him I realized that it was true. The men now laid unconscious on the ground.
"W-who are you?" I whisper looking at him now that the rain has stopped, the pale moonlight shining above him.
"I'm Batman."
He replied in a calm tone, and I managed to respond with a nod.
"Come." He said extending his hand. "I'll take you to your mother." He added putting his arm around my waist, holding me against him in the same way my father had just before he died. "Hold on tight."
With a small yank, we flew into the air until we reached a roof top, his figure stopping to look at streets down bellow, giving me a chance to take in the details of the mysterious hero.
As the moonlight illuminated his face, I could make out his masculine features, like his baby blue eyes, his slightly bent nose and his squared chin. He must have noticed because he turned to look at me, his eyes full with concern as he asked, "Are you okay?"
Up until that point I had only managed to reply with nods, the lump in my throat too thick to swallow, so without wasting another second, he held me as we jumped from building to building until we reached the hospital where the ambulance had just arrived.
"This is as far as I can take you." He said setting me down on the ground. "Im afraid I cannot go in, you will be safe I promise." He added, turning on his heels ready to go.
"Wait!" I finally managed to say, successfully making him turn around.
"Yes?"
"Well, Mr. Batman, I just want to say thank you!" I blurted out turning on my heels and rushing towards the ambulance, turning around one last time but he was already gone.
"Victoria!" My mother's voice calls out, the paramedics chasing after her as she runs to embrace me in a hug.
"I'm so glad you're safe."
Over her shoulder, my eyes still lingered on the roof tops...
I will never forget this day.
I know a lot of people have read this book, however I've decided to change the main characters name and edit the storyline to make it better. Hope you enjoy reading with the new changes.
I would love to read what you think! Also, given that the story had been edited, the comments will be misplaced.
~Van
(2017.07.31/2019.11.26/2021.03.17)