Chapter Text
(quinn’s pov)
I'm sitting on the cold ground of the arkham cell, like I have for the last two weeks. Unfortunately, in itchy sweat pants with the elastic that hurts the skin of my ankles, and a shirt with a collar too high for comfort, the seams are too itchy. I’m not allowed to wear my binder either. At least I was given plastic jewelry so my piercings didn’t close.
It wasn't that horrible here, in arkham. I got my own space, away from my father. The cell was bigger than my room back home. though the toilet and shower area didn't have more than a mat as a door held on with magnets that didn't even cover the whole door frame. Helped that the bed wasn’t horrible.
I looked around the sad looking cell, and pulled my knees to my chest. I hugged them as I heard the screaming of the others in the hall. This place was noisy at all hours, so it was hard to get much - if any sleep. And I was in one of the low risk areas. But at least I was fed 3 times a day, and didn't have to deal with my father or his weird 'friends' at all. I started to pick at the seams of my clothes, watching as it frayed and the thread broke. I hated them, I wanted my own clothes back.
As I sat there, I failed to notice my heavy metal door being unlocked and opened. I felt someone put a hand on my shoulder making me flinch and look up in fear.
“Hey, its okay, I’m getting you out of here" a deep voice told me
That's when I saw it, Batman was in my cell with me, crouched down to my level, but still taller, with his hand on my shoulder.
"Wa- wait... huh? Wh-why?" I jumble the words out, not knowing what to say or how to feel.
Batman kept his hand on my shoulder and gave it a slight squeeze, and I tried to not react to the discomfort of being in physical contact with someone. "Becuase, quinn. you don't belong with criminals, your just a kid. It was your fathers biddings, not yours." he spoke like it was a simple fact.
I just stared at him, confused out of my mind. Not having a clue on what to say. Seeing my confusion Batman just made a gesture to the door, and suddenly a few guards came in, then started to put my few things in a paper bag. Batman hauled me to my feet, as I watched.
"Don't worry, you're safe, let's just go." Batam said in his signature deep voice.
I simply nodded. He let go of my shoulder and gestured to me to follow him. We went out of my cell, and I looked at the hall as we walked, seeing all the locked doors and cells with people doing various activities I saw through the small windows at the doors.
Batman got me officially out of artkam, with me needing to sign papers and such to make sure I didn't need to return ever. Then Batman signed that he would care for me. He took me to the batmobile and I saw the paper bag of my paper work and my few possessions in the back seat. I got into the passenger seat and didn't buckle up till Batman said to.
__–
We drove for maybe an hour in total, all in silence besides the sound of the loud engine and Gotham city night life. As we drove in the city, Batman went into a tunnel thing, and I realized we were going underground.
Once inside and the car parked near other vehicles, I got out and looked around, it was straight up a cave. It seemed we were in a parking area with all the famous bat cars and bikes. along with a shit ton of tech along the walls and the different platforms of the cave. I noticed a ton of it had the Wayne Enterprise logo on it. I looked at Batman who was getting my paper bag out to hand to me.
"What is this place?" I ask as I accept the paper bag and I hug it to my chest.
Batman looks around then to me "it's the batcave" he said, his voice was neutral but had a hint of a ‘duh’ tone. Or maybe I just imagined that.
My eyes went wide "wait, wh-what? You trust me here?" I ask, stunned that I was even allowed here.
Batman gestured for me to follow him. He spoke as he started to walk. "Becuase, like I said, you don't belong in arkham" he paused and I went to say something but he held up a hand for me to be quiet. I followed him up a set of stairs going deeper into the cave. We then stopped on the second platform next to a massive computer with large screens. He turned to face me. "And since you are now a ward of the state, given your only 16 and no one has found who your mother is. I'm taking you in, as my ward and to foster a new life for you. You will be staying in the batcave tonight. Then when it's ready we will get you a more permanent place to live" he continued.
My mouth fell open at this. I was staying here? The literal batcave? As I tried to wrap my mind around that insane thought, I wanted to ask who 'we' was, but didn’t get the chance to when a bunch of heroes rushed in. I saw robin, red hood, nightwing, red robin, batgirl, and wait... the commissioners daughter? Brittnay or something. I just started wide eyed at the gathered heroes and held the paper bag tighter to my chest, wrinkling it even further.
"What the hell are you thinking, Batman!" The red hood shouts at Batman.
"Hey, calm down, Hood," Nightwing says to the Red Hood, placing a hand on his shoulder. Then he turns to Batman and sighs "but he is right, what's going on? And why was Gorden the one to tell us you got the joker's kid out of arkham? Why didn't you talk to us?" He asked.
That's when I realized they hadn't noticed me. So I just held still, trying to blend into the various shadows of the cave, hoping I could stay invisible. After all, I didn't want the shouting to turn to me.
Batman sighed, and held up a hand to silence the muttering of the group "thats because I did get him out. He didn't belong there" he said like it was obvious.
Then he gestured to me and I froze. My attempts to be hidden failed full force, and all eyes were on me. I tried to not run and hide under the intensity of it. I instead just looked down, my eyes burning a hole into the ground if they could.