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wildmooreweek · 2 years ago

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REVENGE

Notes: This is part two of chapter three. If you're just stumbling across this, and haven't already done so, please stop and start by reading part one of chapter one.

This #Batwoman AU is based on the ABC tv series #Revenge. Playing with these character parallels has been fun. And writing an intentionally vengeful Ryan Wilder (who is not a cloaked hero) is an interesting challenge, too.

I break my (super long 😅) chapters into parts and post them on Tumblr each Friday. Then, I post their the final part with the complete on A03.

Aright, let's get into it.

CHAPTER THREE - BETRAYAL (Part Two)

Summary: Before he can announce his intent to run for Mayor, Robyn Wilde makes it her mission to destroy the life of the District Attorney that decided to bring criminal charges against her for the events that led to her mother’s death when she was the child known as Ryan Wilder.

THE LOFT, 2PM ON SUNDAY

Ryan felt tugged towards The Hold Up. She knew that was exactly where she shouldn’t be. She came back to Gotham for one reason: to rectify the wrongs done to her mom and her. She was pursuing a vicious but precise attack, and the risk was great for anyone who got caught in the crossfire.

Still, when she arrived outside of her new home, the door to the bar seemed to glow, and she couldn’t decide if it was indicating ‘stay back, radioactive relationships are on the other side,’ or ‘everything is bright and warm here.’ Regardless, she’s combustible and that heat was likely to create the perfect amount of pressure to blow everything up. All walking into that bar would do is cause more damage. So, as she sits at her kitchen table, staring at the stairway that will drop her off in front of the office where her favorite feline is likely curled up napping, and where the family she feels protective of even though she’s who they need protecting from is trying to manage yet another thing, she reminds herself that she has work to do.

She’s spent the last hour reviewing, revising, and finalizing the packet she’ll use to introduce her shared business venture proposal to Kate. She needs to put that to bed so she can focus on her next target - Roman Sionis. She saves the pitch file, and then opens up the folder of footage from the statements recorded at the police station that Luke was able to obtain from Arther Brown’s hidden archives.

All named witnesses were called into the police station after Cora was shot. Because they were minors, parents were able to accompany them in the interrogation room. She selects a video and fast forwards to the statement that ultimately damned her to growing up too fast in youth hell at the detention center.

Catherine Hamilton and Beth Kane sat in a room with two large-mirrored walls, lit with one overhead lamp, and at an oval conference room table. Catherine was clutching her step daughter’s hand in a way that felt more threatening than supportive. She was clearly doing everything in her power to maintain control over this spiraling situation.

Catherine: "Detective, why are we here?" Sionis: "Your daughter was named as a witness at the scene where Cora Lewis was shot to death." Beth: “STEP daughter.” The sharp look Catherine shoots Beth seems worse than lethal. Catherine: “Who would be foolish enough to say such a thing?” Sionis: “Her daughter, Ryan Wilder.” Catherine: “And what’s her word worth? That girl is obviously disturbed, and this is a waste of our time.” Sionis: “Are you suggesting she’s falsifying her story?” Catherine: “I’m not suggesting anything. I’m stating for a fact: my daughter was nowhere near that heinous tragedy.” Sionis: “Ryan Wilder just watched her mother die in front of her. What reason does she have to come up with such an exaggerated lie?” Catherine: “That misguided child just doesn’t want to be held accountable for her mistakes, and it’s a shame her mother’s life was the ultimate price for them. That neighborhood they lived in was so rotten, it must have had a hold on her, and it’s no wonder Cora felt the need to protect herself with a firearm. We took care of Cora - treated her like family. But, honestly, I’m quite horrified to think she was in my home, near my children with that God awful thing.” The outright offense, shock, and disappointment seeping out of every word and gesture Catherine relays is hard to argue with. She is putting on a very impressive performance, and it is swaying this detective who has had years on the job, talking circles around criminals. Cathrine Hamilton isn’t his usual criminal though…Nothing about this is typical. Sionis: “I don’t know, Catherine. Why would she pluck your names out of thin air?” Catherine: “It's not out of thin air. It’s our building she and her mother were moving into. To think, I tried to help get them somewhere safer by offering them a nice place that they could afford. Her mother even told me how worried she was for her daughter, attending that public school - said that she’d gotten into fights... That girl brings trouble with her everywhere she goes.” Sionis: “I’m not sure I’m following.” Catherine: “Beth, tell Detective Sionis what we discussed on the way here.” Beth rolls her eyes, and receives a squeeze to her hand that jolts her and earns Catherine a death stare of her own. She answers without breaking eye contact with her step mother. Beth: “She came to our school today, saying she wanted to make some new friends, and that she had party favors for anyone who wanted to ditch and follow her to her new apartment.” Sionis: “And your friends went, but not you…?” Catherine: “Of course she didn’t.” Sionis: “Ms. Kane?” She finally faces and answers him, almost verbatim. Beth: “Of course I didn’t.” Sionis: “Why would you pass up on a party? No offense, but it’s not exactly a secret that you’re pretty out and about.” Cathrine: “And that’s exactly why I’ve had her coming home after school to help me coordinate the annual Christmas Charity Drive. She’s learning some responsibility. We’ve received a number of generous donations, and she spent the afternoon with me, organizing everything that needs to be wrapped.” Sionis finally takes a seat in his chair, and drops his shoulders. It’s as if he’s having a conversation with himself. Could the family he spends Christmas time with, giving back to the community every year, really have been involved in a scene that involved drugs and a shooting, in a neighborhood so far from their home and their children’s school? Granted, the kids present during the arrest also attend the same school, but this family is separate from even their peers… Them being targeted isn’t a completely far-fetched idea. He releases a breath, apparently coming to a decision. Sionis: “That is a very lovely event you plan, Mrs. Hamilton. My team really enjoyed themselves last year.” He smiles at her, and they exchange a knowing glance stemming from shared memories. Sure, donations are collected, but that’s not what makes them look forward to attending the event each year.

Catherine: “It was a wonderful night; we were able to help a lot of families together. They depend on us, Roman. So, I’d love it if we could get back to our important work.”

Sionis: “Fair enough. I wouldn’t want to get in the way of them receiving their meals and presents. But, we’ll be in touch if we have any other questions.”

Catherine: “I’d expect nothing less.”

And with that, they were free to go. Nothing Ryan said from that point on could unplant Catherine’s seeds. It was easier for Roman Sionis to believe that a kid he didn’t know, from a lower income neighborhood and attending a public school could convince some rich kids to get into trouble than to wrap his mind around the fact that a wealthy family had a daughter who was the trouble. His allegiance was to his own community, which he was barely a part of himself. At the time, Roman wasn’t a member of the elite based on his earnings or his reputation. However, his jurisdiction and agreeable relationship with The Crows made him valuable. The Kanes knew how to protect their assets.

Whether Ryan’s case made him want to put distance between his decision to press charges against her and the outcome, or get closer to the people in power and position to influence the ending to cases like hers, Roman changed his career trajectory from Chief of Police to District Attorney. He pursued a law degree, and became a prosecutor within the years that Ryan was serving time. There did seem to be more prestige associated with law manipulators than there was for law enforcers. He could even pursue anything from being a Judge to a life in politics from this side of the law.

When Ryan was released from the facility, she was suddenly wealthy beyond measure thanks to her inheritance from Lucius Fox, but she couldn’t really make sense of that. The funds she’d been gifted sat untouched in an account with her name on it. She needed to at least try to find her way back to what she previously understood to be a normal life.

She'd taken a job bussing tables at a bar that was much mustier and darker than the one she lives above now. It was always cloudy with smoke and noisy with belligerence. Even still, there was an odd comfort to the chaos. In juvie, angry children created a similar sound effect, and even while she hated every moment of her time there, the detention center was what she was most familiar with after having lived there for so many years. Her basement apartment provided some of that sensation, as it too was relatively dark and small, but the silence was almost impossible to sit with; the only time she’d been that alone was when she was forcefully isolated after fights…

One night while working at the bar, she was clearing used glasses from a table that was waiting for their next round, and her ears tuned into hushed strategizing among the small group of suited men seated around it. One of their voices she knew too well, because she’d replayed it in her mind so many times, trying to figure out how she’d ended up where she had. She was instantly taken back to that interrogation room - the first dark, windowless room that was like a sneak peek into her future. She was suddenly fourteen again, with no guardian or legal representation to protect her.

She remembers sitting alone with a tall, white man, with slicked back hair, a charismatic voice, and a tone of authority from his years of experience. He'd asked her questions about school, and her neighborhood, seeming empathetic about what it must be like to be a Black kid growing up in a single parent home, and having to spend a lot of time on her own, being trusted to make responsible choices. He imagined it must feel lonely and challenging to not always have a parent around to take you to after school activities, or help you figure out who you should be making friends with.

Ryan had tried to talk about how close she and her mama were, and how they had had community through the church. Her mama wasn’t raising her alone… But the truth was, Cora worked long hours at the Kanes. Ryan did spend a lot of time trying to contribute where she could, to keep their home in order. She and her mama were a team…

Ryan's attention returns to the customers' conversation when Roman Sionis slams his fist against the table, somewhat quietly, trying to make the point that he’s serious about what he’s saying without drawing too much attention to his companions, which she’d later find out were the man who replaced him and ultimately became Captain, and his ADA, Arthur Brown. She begins spraying and wiping down a nearby table to stay within earshot of their discussion.

Sionis: “I will not allow her to go down for this. She’s my daughter. It’s my job to protect her.” Captain: “She’s not a child, Sionis. How did you see this ending?” Arthur: “Look, we need a plan.” Captain: “WE? I’m not a part of this.” Roman looks at the new police captain with intention, like there’s no point in the captain trying to pretend he doesn’t know what part he’s expected to play in this. Arthur: “You’re here, aren’t you?” Captain: “No! Hell no! I’m not losing my job for you two.” Sionis: “After everything we’ve been through…” The captain lets his head fall. Clearly they’d buried secrets before, and it was time to do it again.

Now, Ryan pulls herself out of her memories, and clicks on the video that matters most in these discovered files. She trims a clip that’s incriminating, but that doesn’t show who’s doing the crime. She zooms in, so there will be no mistaking who was harmed in the incident. Then, she picks up her phone.

Luke: “Hey, I’m downstairs.”

Ryan hesitates to respond, and then allows herself one small concession.

Ryan: “How is she?”

Luke: “There are a lot of people here; apparently word got around about Ms. Moore ending up in the hospital, and they came to show their support. Of course, Ms. Moore couldn't stay away from this place. She’s at least seated at a table, but I think Sophie’s too busy managing her, their visitors, and the bar to be much of anything right now.”

Ryan isn’t even going to pretend to be surprised that Luke understood who she meant, and she’s somewhat relieved that her promise to check on the Moores probably won’t be top of mind for them.

Luke: “I’m guessing you’re not on your way down to ask me whatever it is you called about, in-person.”

Ryan: “I’m kind of in the middle of something, but I’ll check on them…”

Ryan doesn’t want to commit to a timeframe, even if it’s only herself she’ll be letting down.

Luke: “Okay then. What do you need?”

Ryan: “I need you to send a video in an untraceable email to Roman’s campaign manager.”

Luke: “Send it to me, and I’ll handle it as soon as I leave here.”

Ryan: “Sent.”

Luke: “Great.”

Ryan ends the call, and sets her phone down on the table. She pushes her laptop to the side, and pulls her mama’s box closer to her. Finally, she digs out the journal and flips to the letter that comes closest to breaking her heart every time she reads it.

Dear Daughter, I want to share a moment of reflection and gratitude I experienced today with you. I believe that people often have more in common than we don't. Regardless to our upbringing, our access, and our exposure, many of us are trying our best to overcome our hardships and make the most out of the time we've been given. Running the Kane's kitchen and making sure their family is well fed might not be seen as glamorous work, but it's an honest living and it allows me to do what I love while being respected and appreciated. It also reminds me not to make too many assumptions about people I'd previously struggled to relate to. Catherine Hamilton has a daughter your age named Mary. As Asian Americans, they often have a hard time finding their place in their own home. Catherine was a single mother until a few years ago. While her wealth thanks to her success in her company means her challenges are not exactly the same as mine, taking care of a child on your own is not easy for any parent. Like me, she also doesn't have other relatives to depend on. So the responsibility of making decisions about how to care for her child has been solely on her. I believe that helps us understand each other. We share knowing glances when she's mothering Mary in one way or another. If you call me at work with a question, and she catches the end of a conversation, she'll smile at me with compassion. She's always supportive when I ask for flexibility so that I can be present when and where you need me. I read the articles about her. They say she's cold, and prioritizes her success above everything else. I've seen a different side of her though, and so you can't always judge a book by its cover. Her daughter is like you in a lot of ways, too. She's not expecting or entitled the way her step sisters can be. She's responsible, independent, and most of all kind. No matter how those Kane girls treat her, and even though she's two years younger, she's always doing what she can to help them. Her mother's love and example has to have something to do with that. Today, I told Catherine that I had saved enough and that I'd like to start a restaurant. I believed her building would be the perfect location for us, and I hoped she wouldn't be too let down about me leaving my role in her kitchen to pursue my dream. To my surprise she suggested we move into the apartment above the unit where my restaurant would be. Without hesitation, she picked up the phone and started making arrangements for me to meet with the individuals I'd need to so I could lease the two places. I'm sharing this because we live in a world where you might look across those train tracks and assume no one on the other side of them will ever understand or embrace you. But you have to give people the chance to see you if you want to be seen. You have to be open to the possibility that there's more to someone than the external things that seem to separate you. And, the more we can each walk over those tracks to get to know our neighbors, the closer we'll all eventually feel to each other. Don't limit your own ability to learn about someone else's experience based on how they seem from a far. There's often more to the story. I'm so excited about this next chapter of our lives together, and appreciative of everything that led to us getting here. Your Mama, Cora

Cora had dreams she was close to reaching, and she never got the chance to see them manifest. She related to people who didn’t truly value or respect her. She had faith and believed in people that didn’t deserve her trust. She gave so much and, in the end, she lost everything.

~~~~~

To be continued...

Reminder Time:

Come back next Friday for part three.

All #Batwoman things I do now are in the name of #SaveBatwoman. Go follow all the social handles and support the cause, please. Have you signed the petition? https://www.change.org/p/savebatwoman

#fic 2 #newgenog

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wildmooreweek · 2 years ago

Text

REVENGE

Notes: This is part one of chapter three. If you're just stumbling across this, and haven't already done so, please stop and start by reading part one of chapter one.

This is a #Batwoman AU based on the ABC tv series #Revenge. The character parallels are pretty neat. So I'm reimagining a world where Ryan Wilder has a more intentional pursuit of vengeance.

Spoiler alert: she is not the caped crusader in this #fanfic.

Each Friday, I post portions of my (very long 😅) chapters on Tumblr, and post their conclusion (the final part) on A03 with the complete chapter.

Okay, enough reminders and such. Y'all ready? Here it goes!

CHAPTER THREE - BETRAYAL (Part One)

PRESS DAY

DA Sionis: “Thank you all for joining me here for this press conference. Some of you have been supporting me in any way you could since I became District Attorney. I’ve had to make some tough calls, and you’ve always trusted my judgment. We know government and law enforcement isn’t for the weak, and I’ve always been committed to standing strong in our shared value system, for you, my friends and constituents. I know everyone has been wondering if I’m going to announce my run for mayor. Mayor Castellanos was at times short sighted, and limited his influence. We need a mayor that values our law enforcement. We need to eliminate those responsible for making Gotham wild, run down, drug infested, and unsafe. We need to get back to the structure that came from traditional families. These progressives who have no regard for the principles Gotham was built upon, and these criminals who don’t contribute to our society and instead bleed us dry with their subsidized living, have taken over our city. We need to take it back.”

Roman Sionis pauses to allow the audience to applaud for his heavy handed approach to law enforcement. He’s been reading a script off of a tablet on the podium in front of him. The screen turns black and large, white font appears where his lines once were.

ROMAN SIONIS! IF YOU ANNOUNCE YOUR CANDIDACY TONIGHT THE WORLD WILL SEE THIS.

~~~~~

3 DAYS EARLIER

Ryan walks down the stairway that lands in the back of The Hold Up, near the manager’s office. The door is closed, and the lights are off. She continues towards the center of the bar, and no one is around. It’s night time, and it's odd that there isn’t an evening crowd. She continues towards the front doors, and before she can exit, lights flash through the opaque windows, and the doors burst open with armed, bullet proof vested men. Jacob Kane is at the center of them.

Jacob: “Ryan Wilder, you’re under arrest for identity theft, fraud, and perjury. We know everything. And if you thought for one minute that you could destroy my family without me figuring you out, you were sadly mistaken.”

One of the men captures her arm, placing it behind her back, and turns her around, so that he can cuff both wrists. Sophie is behind the bar with a confused, heartbroken expression. Her eyes well, and Ryan can see her choke out the word 'Ryan' in the form of a question.

Ryan shoots up in a cold sweat, her sheets tossed to the floor. Selina bounds onto her bed and climbs into her lap, meowing in concern.

Ryan: “It’s okay Selly. It was just a dream. We’re okay.”

She pets the cat’s head, comforting them both, and the feline crawls up so that she can nuzzle into Ryan’s neck.

Ryan: “I’m glad you’re here too.”

Ryan looks over at the clock, while rubbing Selina’s back, and sees that it’s after 8 a.m.

Ryan: “Should we go check on your mom?”

She accepts the purr as an agreement, and sets Selina down so that she can pull herself together and prepare to head downstairs, while trying to shake the feeling that her world is about to be rocked.

~~~~~

Ryan takes the same path down the stairs that she did the night before, and then again in her dream, reminding herself that the last time was just that: a dream. When she hits the landing, the office door is open, and the lights are on. She drops Selly off, and continues towards the bar, looking for whomever is around to check-in with.

She finds the Moore sisters sitting at a round table for four. Sophie is trying to convince Jordan that she’s not responsible for her mother’s current state. Ryan leans against the bar, waiting for them to finish their conversation, appreciating Sophie's natural caregiver tendencies. She's not the lanky teen that stayed out of trouble, yet tried to save Ryan from herself more than once anymore, but she's still doing what she can to support everyone around her.

Jordan: “You were right. I did this. I’ve been immature and selfish.”

Sophie: “No offense, but you’ve been a teenager…”

Jordan: “If I was more like you, I would have been here to help out. Mom wouldn’t have run herself into the ground trying to do everything by herself.”

Sophie: “You know that’s not true. I was here last night, and she was still driving everyone in the kitchen crazy. Mom’s going to do what she wants.”

Jordan: “I don’t even understand how we got here.”

Sophie: “We’re really not great at talking about health stuff. It’s pretty common for Black moms to be strong for everyone, and only share what’s going on when it’s an emergency, or when they’re not the ones telling the story. I think Mom’s been keeping how serious things are from us to protect us.”

Jordan: “How is this protecting us? Being completely caught off guard, feeling like I could have done more…that’s not helpful!”

Sophie: “I know Jordan. Trust me.”

Ryan doesn’t want to interrupt, but she also doesn’t want to pry. This seems like the best moment to make her presence known.

Ryan: “Hey…”

Sophie: “Robyn! Hey!”

Sophie looks at Ryan as though seeing her is the first good thing to happen in a while.

Ryan: “Are you ladies doing okay? How’s Ms. Moore?”

Sophie: “She’s alright, but also not great. She had a mild stroke last night. Apparently, her blood pressure has been out of whack for a while, and she was at increasing risk for something like this to happen. But she's going to be fine.”

It's clear she doesn't want to worry her sister, but Sophie's poker face wouldn't have helped her hide that the deck was stacked against her. Ryan moves closer to the table, automatically, but stops short, fighting back the urge to reach out.

Ryan: “I’m so sorry…”

Sophie: “Me too. She’s still at the hospital, but just under observation to make sure her blood pressure is stable. Thank you by the way, for your help last night, and for taking care of our little runaway cat.”

Sophie's phone rings before Ryan can respond. She turns the phone around so the other women can see the name of the caller.

Ryan: "Guess her ears were burning."

Sophie gets up, too anxious to sit while she talks to her mom, and Ryan finally closes the distance to take her vacant seat.

Ryan: “How are you holding up?”

Jordan: “I’m not really.”

Ryan places a hand on top of Jordan’s. She feels like she knows her. Sophie used to talk about her all the time.

Ryan: “I lost my mom when I was younger than you are. So, I get that this is really scary. I also know what it’s like to have a mom who is willing to die for you. It’s a blessing to be loved that much by someone. So, we can be angry at them for putting our lives ahead of theirs, or we can choose to love on them as hard as possible, because we never really know how long we have with anyone, and the time we do have is a gift.”

This is the advice her mama would want her to give: to help Jordan choose to love instead of being angry with herself and her mom. Jordan nods, understanding, and wipes away the tears that had finally fallen.

Jordan: “Thanks. I should probably help Sophie get us ready. Mom would hate it if she ended up in the hospital trying to keep this place running and we didn’t even open the doors because of that.”

Ryan grins at her, and then her phone vibrates. She pulls it out of her back pocket to read the notification.

Kate's cell: Hope you don't mind that I'm bringing Mary with me to brunch. She insists on getting to know you better. See you at 10.

Ryan: "I've got to get going anyway. Tell Sophie…"

Jordan gives Ryan time to search for what she wants to say, and watches her tighten her lips like she’s trying to keep the words she comes up with from spilling out. Ryan knows she's walking a thin line, and can already hear Luke's disappointed warning. Jordan decides to offer a suggestion.

Jordan: "You'll check on us later."

Ryan cracks a grateful smile, and Jordan raises with a bigger, knowing smile.

Ryan: "I will check on you…"

Jordan: "See you later, then."

~~~~~

MARY KATE'S, 10AM ON SUNDAY

Ryan’s seated at Mary Kate’s, listening to the voices floating around her for any useful keywords worth tuning into. She's at a table set for four, angled so that she can see every corner of the dining room, as always. Some people don't like having their backs to the door. That isn't enough for Ryan.

When her two brunchmates arrive, there's an addition to their party. Ryan imagines tossing the table in front of her over, and bounding across the room so she can hem the woman with the bob up by her trench coat, and slam her back against the wall until she’s struggling to breathe. Instead, she grips her seat, cocks her head to the side, and smiles, inviting an explanation.

Kate: “Robyn! You beat us! Surprise?!”

Ryan raises her eyebrows, expecting her to expound, as Kate and Mary approach the table, and Beth trails behind them.

Mary: “Our parents are supporting who they believe will be the future Mayor in his campaign. He’s over our house strategizing. My mom wanted me and Kate to stay, to show off her well-to-do kids, and something about our generation demonstrating we take an interest in politics, but we told her we had plans. So thanks for letting me crash.”

Kate: “He’s an ass. I’d just end up arguing with him anyway.”

Ryan nods, somewhat following along, and Beth fills in what they’ve omitted.

Beth: “Catherine didn’t want me to embarrass her. Without Marcia and Cindy there to manage Jan, our bunch isn’t so Brady. But don’t worry. Your theorizing about making responsible decisions that have a positive impact on society bores me. So I’ll be at the bar.”

Kate rolls her eyes at Beth's back as she purposefully strides over and plops onto a bar stool.

Kate: “Sisters…”

Ryan: “I wouldn’t know.”

Ryan forces herself to relax her shoulders, and picks up the menu, to busy her hands.

Mary: “It’s not all bad.”

Mary grins towards Kate, who mirrors her smile. It’s obvious it means a lot to Mary to be included. Kate seems not to mind having her younger sister around, but Ryan gets the feeling she needs reminders to bring her along.

Kate takes her seat, but Mary freezes in front of hers when she sees who Beth is sitting next to. Ryan follows her stare to the back of a long-haired brunette covered in leather from wrist to to knee boot, in the middle of summer. She returns to Mary, curiously.

Ryan: “Friend of yours?”

Mary: “Hardly.”

Kate finally looks up and, if it’s possible, becomes paler.

Kate: “What the hell is she doing here?”

Mary: “And Beth would run straight to her…Unless she told her to come…”

Mary looks as though she’s considering backtracking to the door.

Ryan: “Does someone want to fill me in?”

Mary and Kate turn to communicate with their eyes, and Mary finally takes her seat.

Mary: “That’s Natalia Knight. She and Kate have history.”

Ryan: “An ex?”

Kate: “That’s too generous a label.”

Ryan: “Consider me on the edge of my seat.”

Ryan puts the menu down, and leans back in her chair, excited for the unexpected tea at this brunch.

Mary: “Nat and Beth partied together in high school. Nat wanted to be with Kate, and claimed she was going to leave behind her bad girl ways to win her over. But she’s a trickster with a knack for chemistry.”

Ryan: “What does that mean?”

Kate: “Ketamine. It’s her drug of choice. She’s like a siren, praying on anyone with the means to take care of her. She lures them in, and dopes them up with drugs she’s baked into her lipstick. One kiss, and you’re doing her bidding. Once you’re at her mercy, she keeps you there by slipping more into your drinks.”

Ryan: “And she’s still roaming the streets how?”

Kate: “There’s nothing concrete enough to stick. No one remembers what’s happened. No witnesses have ever come forward. It all just sounds like rumors and judgment against an emo girl who has less than the rich girls she hangs out with.”

Mary: “No one remembers but me.”

Ryan: “So, something happened.”

Mary glances at Kate, who's looking through the menu as though it's transparent and she can see past the table to her shoes.

Mary: “The kiss worked on Kate. She agreed to go out with Beth and Nat one night, and I’d always ask to come-with when Kate and Beth were going out. This time Kate said yes, which I should have realized was off.”

Kate responds without looking up, sounding guilty but also defensive.

Kate: “Two years is a lot in high school, and those kids were always getting into shit...”

Mary: “Right…Anyway, Beth and I were in the back, so she could drink. Kate was driving, but Nat was all over her, trying to make out at stop lights. At some point, Kate was either too out of it, or too distracted, but she veered into oncoming traffic, lost control of the car, and we flipped.”

Ryan: “Wow.”

Kate’s voice lowers and her words run together.

Kate: “Mary, being the only sober one to see what was happening, tensed and took on the most impact.”

Mary: “Clearly I’m fine.”

Kate finally looks at Mary, frustrated.

Kate: “But you weren’t…”

They've had this argument before, so Mary is unmoved and continues looking at and talking to Ryan.

Mary: “Broken bones are a right of passage for kids. And I heal fast.”

Kate runs her fingers through her hair, anxiously, and is saved by the server.

Server: “Can I get you ladies started with any drinks.”

Ryan: “I’m thinking yes.”

They all order, and then Mary picks back up where she left off.

Mary: “Anyway, we’ve heard her interests have developed, and now she’s into some even weirder activities.”

Ryan: “Like…?”

Mary: “Look, I’m not one to judge. People can get down in the dark however they want, but when you’re not coherent enough to agree to those activities, that’s a whole other story.”

Ryan thinks she knows what Mary’s getting at, but she needs someone to say it out loud, because she won’t believe it otherwise.

Kate: “Nat’s taken S&M to the extreme. Word is she’s into what they call blood play. She’s this dom who drugs her partners so much that they beg for pain until they bleed.”

Ryan: “Oh-kaay… That’s different.”

Mary: “It’s worse than you think…supposedly she likes the taste.”

Ryan: “OF BLOOD!”

Mary and Kate’s eyes widen in a uniformed warning, because Ryan’s volume had increased in shock. She puts her hands up in apology.

Mary: “That’s what’s going around. They call her Nocturna now.”

Ryan: “Gotham is weirder than I thought.”

Kate’s flipping through the menu, looking somewhat ashamed. Ryan sees this as another opportunity to build some trust, and throws her a bone.

Ryan: “Hey. We all do shit in high school. I have my fair share of horror stories, but I think we’ve gotten dark enough for this time of day. So, maybe we should shift gears, and save vampire stories for Halloween.”

Their drinks arrive right then, and Kate responds in an appreciative half-smile.

Kate: “I’ll drink to that. Besides, you wanted to run an idea by me?”

Mary: "You guys talk shop over mimosas? I thought we were here to have fun!"

Ryan laughs, surprising herself. Mary is not a part of the plan. She was almost inconsequential when Ryan was preparing, like white noise playing in the background. And she's starting to understand how that came to be… Mary deserves better, but while she has no role in Ryan's mission, she can't become Ryan's problem either.

Kate: "I guess we kinda do, don't we?"

Ryan: "I think it's a little more therapy than business."

Kate: "Ha. Fair."

Mary: "I've got shopping for that."

Mary's smile is warming, and Ryan feels lighter than she can remember feeling in a long time. She recalls her mom talking about the girl her age at the Kane's, and it's as if two hands rest on her shoulders, gently encouraging her to lean-in. She doesn't want Mary mixed up in this, but…

Ryan: "I might need to try out your style of therapy, and Evan's been asking me when we're meeting up, next…"

Kate: "I think I'll stick to seeing you at kickboxing."

Mary: "You're not invited anyway. You bring down the vibe."

Ryan laughs a real laugh, which should be impossible given who's sitting within reach behind her. She tries to hold onto this feeling, because she doesn't know when it'll come again. And it's a better way to transition back to what brought her here. Ryan has decided that, with all the harm the Kanes have caused, their undoing isn't enough. One way or another, she'll make them put something good back into the communities that they've neglected and exploited.

Ryan: "I did have an idea, Kate. I think I've figured out what Gotham is missing, and after our last chat about how you want to be different than your parents, I thought you might want to team up on it."

Kate: "A Jeturian-Wayne collaboration? They'll hate that!"

Kate seems intrigued.

Mary: "Which means you love it."

Ryan: "But you're right, Mary. It's a Sunday, and I had a hell of a night. So, maybe we can meet after work this week and I can do this for real with a pitch?"

Kate: "I'm good with that. It just can't be Wednesday. My parents are hosting the D.A.'s constituents at our house, and my dad wants us there. We're choosing our battles, you know…?

Ryan: "I get it. Tomorrow night work?"

Kate: "Works for me. Want to come by our house around 7, or is this an in-office kind of meeting?"

Ryan knows being invited to their home is necessary and pivotal, but that happening so soon has made her appetite non-existent. She powers through.

Ryan: "Sounds like you have a full week…No need to get stuck in the office."

Kate: "Thanks for the mercy. So, want to tell us about your night?"

Ryan's eyes fall to her menu. She's not sure how to navigate this - she doesn't want to discuss Sophie more than she has to - but it seems Mary's going to take care of that for her.

Mary: "It's Diane. She ended up in the hospital last night. Robyn was there when she passed out and helped Sophie until they left in the ambulance. She even closed up the bar."

Ryan: "She told you…?"

Mary: "Sophie's my girl…it meant a lot to her."

Kate's clearly not in love with being the last to know, but she decides to try to cover, and raises her glass.

Kate: "To Robyn, then, for coming into our lives at just the right time, and being exactly what we all didn't realize we needed."

Ryan smiles wide at the compliment, which is founded in more truth than anyone realizes. She's become what Kate needs due to calculated precision. For Sophie and Mary, though…she's exactly what they don't need.

All three glasses clink, and Ryan makes a promise to herself. The Moores and Mary will not become collateral damage. She must protect them, especially from her.

~~~~~

Ryan is the last to leave Mary Kate's. She used the excuse of needing to run to the ladies' to make sure her brunch mates and their callous tagalong were gone before she walked out. She immediately calls Luke.

Luke: "To what do I owe this afternoon cold call."

Ryan: "I need to know everything about the event the Kane's are hosting Wednesday night. They're helping with the DA's campaign for Mayor."

Ryan listens as Luke moves into position at his desk and begins keying in the characters required to fulfill Ryan's request.

Luke: "It's basically a press conference. He hasn't officially announced his intent to run, but it seems he's going to do that Wednesday night."

Ryan: "Alright. Find out when the next flight from London to Gotham is."

Luke: "Are you expecting someone?"

Ryan: "Yes. You're going to email Circe Sionis from Roman saying it's safe for her to return home and attach a full itinerary so she can be present to publicly support her father's announcement."

Luke: "And what are you going to do?"

Ryan: "What I always do. Prepare."

~~~~~

To be continued...

The Reminders:

I'll be back here next Friday with another update.

All #Batwoman things I do now are in the name of #SaveBatwoman. Go follow all the social handles and support the cause, please. Have you signed the petition? https://www.change.org/p/savebatwoman

#fic 2 #newgenog

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wildmooreweek · 2 years ago

Text

REVENGE

Notes: This is part three of chapter two. If you're just stumbling across this, and haven't already done so, please stop and start by reading part one of chapter one.

I'm posting the first few parts of each chapter here on Tumblr, and then wrapping up with the full chapter on Ao3 in week three. I'll try to post something every Friday (so far, so good!).

This is a #Batwoman AU based on the ABC tv series #Revenge. I was intrigued by the character parallels, and I decided to reimagine a world where Ryan Wilder has a more intentional pursuit of vengeance.

CHAPTER TWO - TRUST (Part Three)

Summary: Robyn Wilde continues her plot to take down Gotham's most elite lawyer and favorite Clue Master, who was the assistant district attorney and federal prosecutor in her case when she was a young Ryan Wilder.

13 HOURS BEFORE THE LEAK

Ryan and Stephanie had shared a plate of fries and had one more drink together before they’d parted ways the night before. Stephanie told Ryan that one reason she wasn’t sure working for her father was the best choice was that he was always on, and she didn't really want to be a leader in a company that didn’t take great care of their employees. She realized this wasn’t completely abnormal for law firms, but she could run the finances for an employer that understood the value of (and cost of poorly prioritized) human capital. She also hinted at not loving how her father’s firm was earning all of its revenue. She clearly didn’t want to say much, but Ryan was already versed in Arther Brown’s dealings.

13 YEARS AGO, GOTHAM CITY COURTHOUSE Ryan sat in the stuffy, sunlit courtroom, next to her public defender and watched as the drained, somewhat rumpled lawyer doodled on her legal pad. She’d just finished delivering her closing arguments, which basically consisted of describing Ryan as a disadvantaged, underprivileged youth, and weakly pleading with the jury to not add another Black kid to Gotham’s overcrowded with kids of color detention center when she should be given a second chance. Clearly, her lawyer didn’t believe she was innocent, but she rattled off some statistics that she’d bucketed Ryan into, and spoke to a jury that didn’t represent Ryan’s peers about a topic that didn’t concern them. There seemed to be no shortage of people Ryan didn’t know sitting behind the other lawyer. At one point or another they or their children had taken the stand to provide vague recollections of the events that took place the day her mother died. Most of the children said they didn’t see much. A couple said they saw Ryan fighting with some of the kids, and the older woman struggling with one of them over a gun. It was always too dark, with a lot of commotion, to make heads or tails of anything. No one sat behind Ryan - who would? When she had taken the stand, she pointed to the brunette girl with bangs in the audience who had told everyone to run, and a fair skinned, dark haired boy who sat in the row behind her as the one who brought the gun. Their parents and teachers were brought to the stand for their alibi and as character witnesses. No one was asked to speak to Ryan’s character. Her attorney seemed to make little effort or have no success in tracking anyone down. Ryan had suggested going to her mother’s church at one point, but she wasn’t sure if that ever happened. When permitted by the judge, Arthur Brown, the Assistant DA, stood up to counter with his closing arguments. Arthur: “The defense has asked you to consider if Kane County Juvenile Detention Center has the capacity to take in another person, and believes that because her client might not have had the same advantages as the other children present the day that Cora Lewis was shot, that should be reason enough to look the other way, when the woman who was caring for Miss Wilder is now dead. Instead of arguing with more statistics of those serving time in our local detention center, I’ll remind you that your role is to determine if Miss Wilder has committed a crime. More, if you believe she is responsible for the circumstances that led to her adopted mother’s death, if the foster system where Ryan Wilder would be sent is the right place to rehabilitate someone who has broken the law. The defense’s client has claimed that Beth Kane is to blame for her mother’s killing, implying that she organized the party that took place in the apartment Ms. Lewis was in the process of securing for them. You’ve heard several accounts from the children present that day who agree that Beth Kane did not organize the party they attended, and that she learned about it through conversations at school the same way that they did. Without evidence to corroborate Miss Wilder’s story, we must look at the available facts. Only the apprehended children were found with drugs, which did not include Beth Kane but did include Ryan Wilder, and a gun that was registered to Cora Lewis was used to take her life. Miss Wilder sounds like a young woman desperate to avoid facing the consequences of her actions, and who is trying to redirect the blame towards a child who comes from a loving home. Arthur Brown made it sound like Ryan was picking on poor little Beth Kane because she was rich and more loved, as though Ryan was just jealous of her. And he made Ryan’s attorney sound like an amateur (which she probably was). The statements from the other children that had been detained with Ryan were missing, and the gun, which was not her mother’s, had magically been registered to Cora Lewis with a backdate.

It ended up being a career changing win for Arthur Brown who'd earned the nickname "Clue Master'' among his clients for making anything that would have helped Ryan's case mysteriously evaporate, and replacing them with more quizzical evidence.

Stephanie and Ryan had agreed to meet at Brown Law Offices for coffee the next morning. Arthur would randomly pop into his daughter’s office throughout any given day to rattle off some financial question that he expected her to decode on the spot, and when he did so this morning, he’d be introduced to Robyn. In return, Stephanie would be Robyn’s plus one at The Gallery, so she could play wingwoman with Luke.

The plan worked like a charm.

Arthur: “Stephanie, I didn’t expect you to be in a meeting on a Saturday morning.”

Stephanie: “Dad, this is Robyn Wilde, the new CEO at Jeturian Industries. She’s new to Gotham and I invited her here for coffee. You know it can be hard to get away…”

Arthur: “That it can. Well, good morning Ms. Wilde, and congratulations on the new role. Is everything okay with Jada Jett?”

Ryan: “Great to meet you Mr. Brown. Jada is well, just taking some time away to spend with her family. So, I’m interim CEO. And, it feels a little too soon in life for me to go by my last name, so Robyn is just fine.”

Arthur: “Fair enough. You can also call me Arthur. How are you settling in…?”

Ryan: “Definitely still getting my bearings. There’s so much to nail down when you move to a new city... I just bought a building yesterday, and sure could have used some legal advice to make sure I wasn’t overlooking anything.”

Arthur: “Well, your timing is quite fortunate, because a spot just opened up on our client list.”

Ryan is not surprised that Candice Long is no longer keeping Arthur on retainer. Luke’s quick passes through her emails informed them that she and her husband are now amidst a divorce, and he probably got Aurther in the friend split, since Candice is the one who betrayed everyone with her affair. While she deserves no pity from Ryan, the double standard that Jacob Kane’s life remains perfectly intact, while Candice’s falls apart is typical, and would normally disappoint Ryan; in this specific scenario, the bitch had it coming.

Stephanie: “Look at that! Robyn was just telling me how lucky her timing has been since she arrived.”

Ryan: “Very true. Well, Arthur, should we set up a meeting?”

Arthur: “I have a little time this morning. My first call isn’t for an hour. Mind if I steal your coffee date, Steph?”

Stephanie: “By all means…”

Stephanie winks at Ryan.

Ryan: “Well, alright then. Though, if you’ll forgive me, I should probably visit the ladies first.”

Stephanie: “Oh for sure. The bathrooms are in the lobby, where the receptionist desk was. As you can see, we don’t have coverage on the weekends, so you’ll have to buzz us to get back in. And then I can walk you to my dad’s office.”

Ryan: “Perfect!”

On the way out, Ryan overhears her dad complimenting Stephanie for bringing in new business, especially from Jeturian Industries. He could never get a meeting with Jada Jett. This also doesn’t surprise Ryan. Jada Jett had nothing to do with anyone associated with the Kanes.

While father and daughter are occupied in their conversation, Ryan is able to slip behind the receptionist desk to place the spyware device Luke gave her in the desktop computer’s USB drive.

Ryan Cell: Bug set.

Luke Cell: Great. Give me 5 minutes. I’ll be able to scan everything stored on their servers. And, because they’re using a wifi enabled phone system, I’ll have access to their recorded calls and voicemails, too.

Ryan rolls her eyes at Luke’s need to spell out the technicalities of the device via text, when he should be focused on scanning everything over as quickly as possible (as if she really needs these details at this exact moment).

Ryan Cell: You have 3 minutes.

Ryan rushes to the bathroom to make up for the lost time. She’s sure to flush the toilet and wash her hands, so that no one starts to wonder about her status. She’s lucky that Stephanie’s computer has her attention when she returns to the desk, and she’s able to reach over to grab the device out of the USB port without notice. She walks over to hit the buzzer, and Stephanie looks up at her with a smile. It’s time to make herself feel like a friend of the family.

~~~~~

10 HOURS BEFORE THE LEAK

Sophie: “I’m not going, Mary. Thank you, but no thank you.”

Mary had just walked through the doors of The Hold Up with a very sunny disposition. She’d been texting Sophie, trying to convince her to attend The Gallery Pride event that evening, and Sophie had every reason for why she couldn’t go.

Mary: “Maybe it’s time to hire some additional help around here, so you don’t have to work all the time.”

Sophie’s face warmed a bit at the thought.

Sophie: “That wasn’t really an option before, but it might be now. I still wouldn’t come if I had coverage, though.”

Mary: “I’m going to assume that smile wasn’t about Kate, since I’m pretty sure she’s the reason you don't want to come with me.”

Sophie just responds with a half, somewhat apologetic smile.

Mary: “Soph, seriously. I can’t do anything about her being my sister, but you’re my family too. You guys have to get passed this.”

Sophie: “There’s nothing for me to get passed. She’s the one who won’t move on. It’s been forever…”

Mary: “So who are you moving on with? Was I noticing a little something between you and the new girl with great style?”

Sophie: “I barely know Robyn.”

Mary: “And do you want to change that?”

Sophie shrugs.

Sophie: “I know you heard she bought this place.”

Mary: “Business is more fun with a little pleasure.”

Sophie: “Oh, whatever. I’m not dating anyone right now. I don’t have time.”

Diane Moore walks out from the kitchen, catching the end of their conversation.

Mary: “Like I said before, it’s time to get some help around here.”

Diane: “I agree, Sophie. You’re never going to find a husband if the only men you ever meet are the ones that walk through this bar. You need to go out and meet people.”

Sophie: “Mom, I’ve told you, I’m not looking for a husband.”

Diane: “Exactly.”

Diane was willfully ignoring the many times Sophie had told her that wasn’t in the cards for her. Her mom simply kept saying Sophie hadn’t found the right man yet, not able to understand or accept that she wasn’t ever going to want to be with a man.

Sophie: “Can we not do this right now?”

Diane: “Sure, because you need to take that colorful tarp out from in front of my window, anyway.”

Sophie: “It’s a rainbow flag, for Pride Month. All of the other restaurants and retail stores are doing it, so just look the other way.”

Diane scowls at Sophie and turns around, talking under her breath about her not running anything in this restaurant, not caring about what other businesses are doing, and someone she created disrespecting her in front of customers. Mary reaches over and places a hand on Sophie’s.

Mary: “If it helps, at least your dad isn’t a cheater.”

Sophie: “I don’t actually know that for sure, but what are you talking about?”

Mary: “Oh, just that my mom and dad have been having hushed arguments when they think we’re out of earshot about how he was having an affair with Candice Long.”

Sophie: “His Secretary! The Candy Lady?”

Mary: “That’s the one. And, outside of our home, they’re walking around like the perfect couple, which is making me sick to my stomach to watch. So, per usual, it’d be great to have my best friend at this stupid performance of 'look at the happy, blended Hamilton Kane family!'”

Sophie: “I don’t know, Mary…”

Mary had become Sophie’s closest friend. The thing that happens in movies, where people have long, philosophical conversations with the bartender, would happen each time Mary drove Beth and friends to The Hold Up. They’d bonded over trying to relate to their sisters, and understand their mothers who seemed to have questionable taste in men. Both of them didn’t know their dads, and had spent time with step dads that weren’t proving to be any better. Sophie didn’t spend as long with her step dad (Jordan's dad), thankfully for her but not so much for Diane, but Mary was still trying to figure out the relationship she had with hers.

Mary: “Kate told me Robyn’s going to be there.”

Sophie narrowed her eyes, and shook her head at Mary for thinking that would influence her decision.

Sophie: “She lives upstairs. I don’t have to go to a fancy benefit with people who don’t want me there to run into her, if that’s even what I was trying to do, and no one said it was.”

Mary: “I want you there! Why do we even go through this, Soph? You’re not really going to leave me hanging. You know Kate barely remembers me half of the time, and Beth barely tolerates me all of the time. I need you!”

Sophie plops her head in her crossed arms on the bar.

Mary: “Yes! I love you.”

Sophie: “You better.”

~~~~~

To be continued...

Typical Endnotes:

Next week's conclusion will be posted on Ao3, but I'll post a link here to remind you to check it out.

I'll give you the character matches on Ao3 too.

All #Batwoman things I do now are in the name of #SaveBatwoman. Go follow all the social handles and support the cause, please. We are LIVING over Javicia's portrayal of #RedDeath, so come join the fun if you aren't already.

#fic 2 #newgenog

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wildmooreweek · 2 years ago

Text

REVENGE

Notes: This is part two of chapter two. If you're just stumbling across this, and haven't already done so, please stop and start by reading part one of chapter one.

My goal will be to post the first two parts of this chapter here on Tumblr, and then wrap it up with the full chapter being posted on Ao3 in week three. I'll try to post something every Friday. *fingers crossed*

This is a #Batwoman AU based on the ABC tv series #Revenge. The character parallels were interesting, and I decided to reimagine a world where Ryan Wilder has a more intentional pursuit of vengeance.

CHAPTER TWO - TRUST (Part Two)

27 HOURS BEFORE THE LEAK

Jordan: “Dinner, drinks, or both?”

Stephanie: “Just a Honey Jack for now, but you can leave the menu.”

Stephanie Brown is sitting at the bar, so Jordan prepares the drink, slides it over, and then plops a menu down in front of her.

Jordan: “You want to keep your tab open, then?”

Stephanie: “Sure.”

Jordan catches Luke walking into the bar out of the corner of her eye and lifts her head to acknowledge him. He walks over to the bar, standing a seat away from Stephanie.

Jordan: “Hey Luke. I’ll go get Sophie. You want anything while you wait?”

Luke: “I won’t be here long.”

Jordan shrugs and walks off toward the kitchen to retrieve her sister.

Stephanie: “That’s too bad.”

Luke: “Pardon me?”

Stephanie: “That you’re not staying…I’m Stephanie.”

Luke is somewhat caught off guard by Stephanie’s forwardness.

Luke: “And, I’m Luke.”

Stephanie: “So I heard.”

Stephanie winks at Luke and takes a sip of her drink.

Luke: “Are you new here? Don’t recall seeing you at the bar before.”

Stephanie: “Returning…maybe. I’m visiting my dad for an undetermined period of time. He wants me to work with him, and I haven’t decided if I like this idea yet or not, or even being back in Gotham or not…”

Luke: “Is that why you’re drinking solo at 8PM on a Friday night?”

Stephanie: “One of the reasons. I don’t have to be drinking alone though. This seat is available if you want to take it.”

Sophie walks up, and catches the tail end of Luke’s conversation, raising her eyebrow at him.

Luke: “Flattered, truly, but I’ve got to have a chat with the manager of this fine establishment right now, in her office preferably.”

Sophie shifts her head to the side, curiously, but begins walking without asking any questions. Luke nods a farewell to Stephanie and follows her. Once they enter the office, Sophie takes a seat behind her desk, and Luke walks up to it, but doesn’t sit.

Sophie: “Should I be worried?”

There’s a light knock, and they both look back to find Ryan standing in the doorway.

Ryan: “I don’t think so.”

Sophie: “What’s going on?”

Luke places a folder in front of Sophie with a bunch of print outs. She cautiously opens it, flipping through it, and her eyes widen as they land on the name Robyn Wilde. She looks up at Ryan immediately, in shock.

Sophie: “You own this place now?”

Ryan: “I do.”

Sophie sits back in her chair, not sure where to begin processing what that means or what question to ask first, so Luke offers an answer to assist.

Luke: “The rent for The Hold Up was paid up through the end of the year in the sale.”

Sophie: “Wait, what?! How…? You didn’t have to-”

Ryan: “I did. Just trust me on this, it was something I needed to do.”

Luke: “Robyn included the new lease agreement in the paperwork when she signed everything, so that I could package it up for you. Rent is on the next page.”

Sophie: “But, this is…is it enough for this area?”

Ryan: “It’s plenty.”

Sophie: “Hey, free drinks for eternity, okay?”

Ryan: “That’s sweet. I might go get one right now. You joining me Luke?”

Luke: “Wish I could, but I’ll be back to celebrate with you soon, Sophie.”

Sophie: “I was wondering if you’d still have a reason to come by…”

Luke: “Can’t get rid of me that easily.”

Sophie smiles at Luke, her eyes warring in an effort to betray her. Luke turns towards the door and he and Ryan leave Sophie to look through the documents on her own.

Luke: "I hate to say it-"

Ryan: "Then don't."

Luke: "This is risky, Ryan. If you get too close, she’s going to figure it out.”

Ryan: “Luke, I’m handling it. You do your job, and you let me worry about mine.”

Luke: “It had to be said, but I guess congratulations are in order for you, too.”

Ryan takes a deep breath, and slowly releases it. This was an unexpected win, and she admits to herself that it’s a different kind of satisfaction than she was rewarded with when Candice was taken down.

Ryan: “It’s what Mama would want.”

9 YEARS AGO, KANE COUNTY JUVENILE DETENTION CENTER Ryan walks through the detention center gates and finds a lean Black man who looks just a couple of years older than her waiting on the other side of it for her, standing in front of a car with an open door. Ryan: “Who are you?” Luke: “I’m Lucius Fox’s son, Luke.” Ryan hadn’t seen Lucius in a couple of years. Shortly after she’d first arrived, he’d visited her frequently, and had taken on somewhat of a mentor figure for her. He’d been so consistent that he’d earned her trust. And then one day, he never came back. Initially, she was only supposed to serve 18 months, but she’d gotten into trouble more than once, and she'd wondered if he’d just given up on her. Ryan: “He sent you?” Luke lowers his head, and his voice drops horsley when he answers. Luke: “Sort of…” Ryan: “What does that mean?” Luke: “Ryan, my dad died on my graduation day. I should say, he was killed on my graduation day.” The color leaves from Ryan’s face. She hates to admit that a part of her is relieved that she hadn’t ruined it, and that she finally knows how someone she’d grown to trust, who seemed to care about her, could just disappear from her life. She couldn’t understand why this kept happening to her - why every adult who could care for her would just keep leaving her. But that feeling is brief. Almost as quickly as it came it’s replaced with outrage. Because the pattern is actually that her loved ones are being ripped away from her, and she is helpless. Each time, she’s left abandoned and confused, with no answers or source of comfort. Luke watches as these emotions evolve in Ryan’s face, relating and empathizing, all at once. Luke: “He talked about you a lot. My dad loved you.” One heavy tear drops from her eye. It isn’t a sad cry, but an angry one. What did Ryan do to deserve this life? Who did she harm in a prior one for karma to keep coming after her in this way? And Luke…he lost his father - another Black man dead who should still be a part of this world. Ryan: “So that’s why you’re here? To tell me…” Ryan can’t form the words. Luke: “I was there the day my dad found out about your mom, and that you ended up here. He told me everything.” Ryan: “What do you mean everything?” Luke: “I mean, I know you didn’t belong in here, and that he fought to get you out, and that you deserve justice. And also, he held onto this for you.” As he was talking, Luke had been walking behind the open door, pulling out a box. He walks over to Ryan and hands it to her. Ryan: “What is this?” As she asks, she recognizes the symbol carved into it. Her mom told her it stood for unconditional love. Luke: “It was your mom’s.” Ryan walks over to the car and sets the box on its hood. Her palm hovers above its lid, almost afraid that it'll dissolve into dust if she applies too much pressure. She traces the carving with her finger, and a part of her wants to collapse on top of the box and sob, the way she'd fall into her mother's arms if she still could. Ryan: "He had this the whole time…?" Luke: "He never intended for you to be in there this long. He wanted to be here to do this. I guess he was able to list himself as your next of kin, so I got the call that you were going to be released." She can't bring herself to open it. Not here. Not now. How would she ever move from this spot if she did. Luke: "You should know that he wanted to make sure you'd be okay from now on. In his will, he left us everything. You'll want for nothing." Nothing except the love of her mama, the guidance from Lucius, the memories she'd never be able to make or get back. But great, maybe she could buy the love she'd lost. Ryan: "I can't do this right now. I have to get out of here."

Ryan and Luke approach the bar, and Jordan lights up.

Jordan: "Robyn! Glad to finally meet the woman that turned my sister's perpetual frown upside down."

Luke grunts, as Ryan bites the inside of her cheek trying to fight her smile.

Luke: "I had a feeling you weren't that excited to see me."

Jordan rolls her eyes.

Jordan: "Do you actually want to order something for a change, Luke, or just give my sister another reason to catch an attitude?"

Ryan: "So you're Jordan Moore."

Her face was familiar. Less round and not as free spirited as the little girl Sophie had shown her a picture of when they were in high school, but there was no doubting that this young woman was Sophie's little sister.

Jordan: "Yup, and I hear your next drink is on the house because Selly loves you. What'll you have?"

Ryan: "Can your bartender make a Tequila Sour?"

Jordan: "Sure can."

Luke: "Okay, now that we're all acquainted, I just came over to say goodnight, Jordan, and nice to meet you Stephanie."

Jordan: "Bye!"

After Luke is out of earshot and Jordan is off to fill Ryan's order, Stephanie leans over so Ryan can hear her across a couple of chairs.

Stephanie: "Is Luke a friend of yours?"

Ryan: "I guess you could call him that."

Stephanie: "Is he single? Into women? I couldn't really tell if my flirting was working on him or not. Not that I'm the best... Numbers are really more my thing."

Ryan: "Sounds like a match made in heaven…he's awkward himself. I wouldn't read too much into it. He said your name is Stephanie, right?"

Ryan actually knew exactly who she was talking to, and that Stephanie Brown would be here tonight. She'd been preparing for her chance to meet Arthur Brown's daughter. That Stephanie was giving her a conversation starter was just a bonus.

Stephanie lifts and scoots herself one chair closer, and then reaches out a hand to introduce herself.

Stephanie: "I'm Stephanie Brown. I'm from Gotham but was accepted into MIT when I was pretty young, and stayed in Massachusetts until my dad asked me to come back and be the CFO at his law firm, which I'm not sure I'm loving, and that was a lot for an introduction…"

Ryan chuckles, but shakes her hand.

Ryan: "All good. I'm Robyn Wilde, new to Gotham. I just started as Jeturian Industries' interim CEO, and I'm also still figuring out how much I like it."

Stephanie: “Well, you seemed to have made friends faster than me. Everyone I’ve met tonight seems to at least know of you.”

Ryan: “I’ve had a couple of lucky moments, right time, right place, if you know what I mean. Besides, Gotham really isn’t that big. You’ll know everyone by next week, too.”

Stephanie: “I know I’d like to get to know your friend Luke.”

Ryan: “Do you want me to put in a good word for you?”

Stephanie: “You’d do that for me? I’d owe you one.”

Ryan: “Gladly. Consider me cupid. And, in fact, you said your dad owns a law firm? I just struck a big deal today, and did it without a lawyer - sort of trusting my gut. I did realize that it’s probably time I handle things a little more formally. Any chance you guys are taking new clients?”

Stephanie: “I get the feeling my dad would be glad to have a chat with the CEO of Jeterian.”

Ryan: “Interim.”

Stephanie: “Same difference. And, it sounds like we have a deal, Robyn.”

Ryan’s drink arrives just in time.

Ryan: “I can toast to that.”

The women tap glasses before exchanging contact information.

~~~~~

To be continued...

Usual Reminders:

Remember, I'll be back here on Fridays with more parts of each chapter, but will put the conclusion of each "episode" on Ao3.

All #Batwoman things I do now are in the name of #SaveBatwoman. Go follow all the social handles and support the cause, please.

#fic 2 #newgenog

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wildmooreweek · 2 years ago

Text

REVENGE

Notes: This is part one of chapter two. If you're just stumbling across this, and haven't already done so, please stop and start by reading part one of chapter one.

This is a #Batwoman AU based on the ABC tv series #Revenge. The character parallels were interesting, and I decided to reimagine a world where Ryan Wilder has a more intentional pursuit of vengeance.

CHAPTER TWO - TRUST (Part One)

Summary: Robyn Wilde plots to take down Gotham's most elite lawyer and favorite Clue Master, who was the assistant district attorney and federal prosecutor in her case when she was a young Ryan Wilder.

LEAK DAY

Ryan is seated at the bar in the Hold Up, and a news alert on the mounted television above her, behind the counter, catches her attention.

Correspondent: "Breaking News! A number of files from cases that were represented by renowned attorney, Arthur Brown, were released today. Included was a recorded interrogation from the GCPD of children that were involved in the tragic shooting of Cora Lewis 13 years ago, where her adopted daughter served time for her death in juvenile hall. Arther was the assistant district attorney presiding over the case, and footage corroborating the deceased's daughter's story had mysteriously gone missing by the day the trial began. It seems that, now, we have a clue as to where it might have gone."

~~~~~

36 HOURS BEFORE THE LEAK

Kate Kane is standing in front of a mounted and hanging bag, her fists elevated and rotating against it. Ryan approaches and stops nearby at a much larger punching bag. She has her gloves tucked under her arms. Kate realizes someone is in her peripheral and doesn’t want to break her rhythm to look at who it could be, but she greets them anyway.

Kate: “You want next?”

Ryan is slipping her gloves on and wrapping her wrists.

Ryan: “Nah, I’m good here. Besides, those things are always kinda high for me.”

The voice brings Kate to a pause. She thinks she knows it. She looks over and is confirmed.

Kate: “Robyn? Was wondering when we’d run into each other again.”

Ryan: “Only so many kickboxing gyms in Gotham. How’ve you been?”

Kate flexes her knuckles and extends her arms, shaking them out.

Kate: “Honestly…?”

Ryan: “Wouldn’t want anything else.”

Kate: “Fair enough. I come here every Friday at this time. I block my calendar…And today, I was glad for it. This morning started early and rough, and I definitely needed to punch something.”

Ryan: “CEO life, or real life?”

Kate: “It’s a mashup.”

Ryan: “Damn. Well, since I’m here, want me to spot the bag for you?”

Kate: “That’d be great actually. Then I can for you.”

Ryan: “Alright, let's go.”

Ryan takes her gloves back off, while Kate puts hers on, and then she grabs the bag so Kate can begin her attack. After about 10 minutes, they switch. Ryan needs to hit something, too, but she’s also always ready to hit something. There’s a constant, slow simmer threatening to boil over that she keeps a lid on so that she can smile at and spend time with the people who ruined her life.

Once she gives over to it, she lets completely loose, releasing it all, without showing the full extent of her skills of course. Instead, she gives into raw emotion, and pounds or knees the bag relentlessly, until she can feel again. When Ryan starts, she’s always focused and precise, like every other measured moment in her life, but after a while, her head disconnects from her body, and it’s all instinct and muscle memory. When she’s spent all she can, she starts to feel the bag’s resistance against her fist, the repulsion against her shin, the mass and weight unwilling to be moved, and she plops against the bag, hugging it, and taking a deep, slow breath to calm herself.

Kate: “Shit, Robyn. You might have needed that more than me.”

Ryan knows she’s let her cards show, just a little, and decides it's okay. If Kate is going to learn to trust her, she has to show she’s human and relatable.

Ryan: “I haven’t been here a month, and already my plate is full. Remaining composed through it all is its own full time job. I don’t have to do that here.”

It’s easier to keep a lie that’s surrounded in truth.

Kate: “You have no idea how much I relate to that. Hey, what are you doing after this? Maybe us newly appointed CEOs should commiserate over a drink.”

Ryan: “The next best thing to releasing through my gloves is forgetting a little through tequila.”

Kate: “Cheers to that.”

Ryan: “BOB next?

Kate: “Lead the way.”

~~~~~

They decide to get lunch, realizing that drinks after that workout, on an empty stomach, would probably make them useless for the rest of the day. Another family business is nearby, anyway: Mary Kate’s. It used to be named Alesandro’s, but Kate attempted to take a date there, and the manager was so homophobic that he didn’t want to serve them. Petty, powerful, and rich, Kate went home and told Mary she was going to buy the place. Mary, angry on her sister’s behalf, announced that she and Kate were going into the restaurant business by posting a picture of Alesandro’s with Coming Soon and rainbows decorating the storefront. In less than 30 days, they were under new management and had a new name.

Ryan’s in the locker room shower, mentally preparing herself for what she has to do next. Kate Kane is not the worst member of the Kane family. Sure, she’s entitled and privileged, and in some ways a product of her environment, in terms of living lavishly and getting what she wants no matter the cost, but she’s not evil. And she was not there the day that everything that ever mattered to Ryan was ruthlessly snatched from her and buried. But she’s not exempt, either.

Kate knew everything, and unable to deal with the responsibility for her family’s misgivings, she ran, to Point Rock specifically. At 18, and with parents like hers, who didn’t set the best example for what a good human is supposed to look like, Ryan couldn’t exactly expect her to be the one to out her family as the cruel, selfish, lying criminals that they are. Even still, if Kate could choose herself, so could Ryan. And so, as a bystander to Ryan’s losses, Kate would have to be included in her family’s atonement.

Ryan knows all of this pain she’s allowed to fuel her pursuit for vengeance is not what her mom wished for her. She remembers her mom’s prayer for a completely different future.

Dear Daughter, You came home today so sad. You wouldn’t tell me why, or even admit that you were. You were “fine,” as you always are. But I watched your face fall the first time you spilled soda on your newest comic. I watched you cry when your class hamster passed away. I saw you experience loss when we watched My Girl together, and Veda lost her best friend Thomas. I know when my daughter is sad. When I see you like this, I say a special prayer for you. I know you have angels looking out for you, baby, because they brought you to me. And I just hope they’re staying close to you, so you can sense them and know that they’re there, like I do. You know my relationship with God has evolved over the years. Losing my husband was hard for me to understand - why the lord would want that for me - and then getting you helped me heal, and that helped us mend a bit too. But this world is sometimes harsh to us, and I end up asking why more often than I’d like. The most consistent answer I get back is you. You are light in the darkness, daughter. Your belief that you can help others and change things - I already see it at this young age in you. Your grit, to keep fighting and find a way, no matter what you’re dealt - you are stronger than most. Your innate ability to carry so much more responsibility on your shoulders because you believe someone has to, and why shouldn’t it be you - I admire and learn from you, too. And so, I don’t receive the answer to why, but I do hear how: how this world will be better in so many ways because you’re in it. And because I know you are chosen, and you’ve already been dealt so much more than you deserve to bear, I understand that you will encounter many challenges in this life, as a Black woman who will one day decide to tell me that she’s falling for a girl, and who is growing up in a blue collar home in this country that doesn’t always save a safe space for you... I know you can handle it. But this sadness I see in you, sometimes, I hope you can hold onto your light, daughter. That’s what’s most at risk. And it’s as important as every other thing in you I described. So I pray that when the angels are speaking to you, they’re helping you to forgive this hard world. To release the harm that it’s going to bring you. To find compassion for the villains who were not born with the goodness you have. Your soul doesn’t deserve to be hardened or cooled by them. Save your own space for warmth and love, Ryan. No matter how hard this life can get, you will feel full and hopeful as long as you have love. Find and hold onto that instead of anger and hate, and your future will be beautiful while you conquer the obstacles you face. I love you. Your Mama, Cora

No, Cora would never want any of this for her daughter. She didn’t wish for Ryan to lose nearly four years of her life to being locked up for something she didn’t do. She didn’t wish for Ryan to lose her opportunity at having a community and support system to love her throughout her adolescence. She didn’t wish for her to lose out on the chance to go to college, and make young adult mistakes and learn from them, and get to know herself through the relationships she’d build and education she’d receive.

Since none of this would have been in Cora’s plan, she hopes her mom would understand why righting these wrongs has become the new plan. It was Ryan’s found purpose - the thing that got her up off of that flat, thin, rigid mattress in that cell. It allowed her to eat, so she could survive and be strong enough. It allowed her to sleep, dreaming up a strategy instead of reliving that nightmare. It helped her get mentally and physically fit, so she could fight back and make it out of that youth prison alive.

Just like all she’d lost, forgiveness isn’t in the cards for Ryan.

~~~~~

34 HOURS BEFORE THE LEAK

They each downed one glass of their preferred beverage, Ryan a tequila girl and Kate more of a bourbon, before their plates had arrived, and another round was delivered to the table along with their meals. The old fashioned Italian Restaurant feels like a dressy establishment, and one meant more for couples than business meetings. Regardless, it was lunchtime, and drew in a business crowd. More, there was absolutely nothing romantic occurring between the two women.

Kate: “So how are you adjusting to everything? Gotham? The new place? I know you said you have a lot on your plate…”

Ryan: “I’ll answer the last part first. Jada Jett - do you know her?”

Kate: “Of her. I’m more familiar with her son. He’s a bit of a wildcard, but so is my sister, so I’m not really in a position to judge. Anyway, I think my cousin Bruce, who I replaced, had more frequent run-ins with her.”

Ryan: “Guess I shouldn’t be surprised. Gotham really isn’t that big. Anyway, she left pretty abruptly. So, I’ve had to manage a lot of doubts and uncertainty. I don’t want the whole company running scared. So, I’m much more of a therapist to my team, and them to their teams, than I anticipated this job being.”

Kate: “Being a boss really is a lot like being a mix of parent and a psychiatrist.”

Ryan: “Yes! And I’m here because I’m good at vision, strategy, and asking hard questions about our operations, so we have the right resources while growing our profits, not because I’m good at dealing with all of these feelings every day.”

Kate: “Hear, hear!”

Kate lifts her glass to toast with Ryan, who mentally pats herself on the back for reading Kate so well. She’s certainly loosened her up. And she takes the opportunity to redirect instead of answering any questions about her personal opinions about Gotham.

Ryan: “What about you?”

Kate looks at her glass and takes an exasperated breath.

Kate: “My parents have a tendency to hone in on things that really shouldn’t matter, and they won’t move on until their influence has won over. We’re suddenly having daily disagreements about the loft you’re renting, because it’s the last of the properties my parents own from their real estate days. And I’ve offered to buy it from them, but they won’t let me have it. They really just want to get rid of it…”

Of course they want to get rid of it…

Ryan: “The Hold Up…? The Moore’s bar.”

Kate drops her head instead of answering, and Ryan wants to return to the punching bag. She’s supposed to be focused on her own retribution, and yet, the idea of any harm coming to that family…

Kate: “I probably shouldn’t be sharing any of this, but… while Sophie was away, Diane was at the hospital a lot. I don’t know what for, but I know she ended up really behind on her bills. But we don’t need the money! My parents are just stuck on principal, boundaries, keeping the relationship professional…”

Ryan takes a guess at why this bothers Kate so much. The thick energy between Kate and Sophie at the Soiree was impossible to miss, like they were polarized magnets.

Ryan: “And…it’s too late for that?”

Kate: “Pretty much. Sophie’s my ex. And…I can’t do that to her. They know that, and they don’t care. I love them, but I hate them sometimes.”

Feelings really weren’t Ryan’s thing. The only emotions she allowed herself to experience were neutrality and rage. But mixed emotions were really breaking through from this conversation. She was improvising way more than she preferred.

Ryan: “So what are you going to do?”

Kate: “I have absolutely no idea. I have no control. They’ve only held on this long because I’ve somehow convinced them to wait, promising Diane would figure it out, and reminding them how visible The Hold Up is to all of the people they spend the summer trying to make think nice of them with these donations. I’d pay the overdue rent for them, if anyone would let me, but the Moore’s would never accept it, and giving the money to them is the only way I could do it without my parents knowing. My hands are kind of tied.”

And almost perfectly, things start to fall into place for Ryan.

Ryan: “What if…”

Ryan starts talking before she thinks, which is very unlike her, but again, this is unfamiliar territory, and she’s figuring this out as she goes. This really could be an opportunity more than anything.

Kate: “Yeah? I’m totally open to ideas at this point.”

Ryan takes a second to hear the words she’s about to say in her head before she lets them come out of her mouth, and for reasons she could not have seen coming but that seem manifested all the same, she decides they’re the right words to say.

Ryan: “I love the loft. And I’m not a huge fan of renting, because it feels like you’re just giving your money away with no possible return. I needed something urgently, and this worked out, but I wouldn’t have rented for long. Except, it’s kind of perfect - even the furniture. I don’t want to have to move if your parents sell the place, and the new owners don’t want to retain this setup. So…”

Kate: “Are you thinking about buying the building?”

Ryan: “Do you think they’d listen to you if you came to them with a buyer already in mind?”

Kate: “I mean, it’d be the easiest decision to make, except…we haven’t run the numbers. I don’t even know what we’d sell it for.”

Ryan: “I don’t want to turn this into something they have to think hard about, or try to get the best offer on. So, I’ll be that offer. Run the numbers, and I’ll pay double.”

Kate: “Double? That’s a lot - are you sure-”

Ryan: “I’m sure. And we’ll be able to pay off the Moore’s debt with that so they can start fresh.”

Kate: “Wow. Just, wow.”

The server comes over and is about to ask if they need anything.

Ryan: “Sounds like we need to wrap this lunch up, since we both added some tasks to our plates for the day.”

Kate: “For sure. We’ll take a check. And, hey, thank you Ryan.”

Ryan: “I think it was just meant to be…”

~~~~~

28 HOURS BEFORE THE LEAK

Kate Cell: Okay, it’s done. I’m sending Luke to the Hold Up to tell them.

Ryan Cell: Great! I’ll meet him there.

Kate Cell: Thank you again. If you ever need anything…

Ryan Cell: A favor from Kate Kane? Gotta save that one. Are you going to The Gallery tomorrow? Evan invited me.

Kate Cell: LOL! I’ll be there…couldn’t miss it if I wanted to. Catherine basically plans it to support me during Pride Month.

Ryan Cell: Great, me too.

Luke Cell: Still can’t believe you bought the building. Are you sure this is a good idea?

Ryan Cell: Let me worry about the ideas. Text me when you get here so I can come down.

Luke Cell: Copy that.

~~~~~

To be continued...

End Notes:

Remember, I'll be back here on Fridays with more parts of each chapter, but will put the conclusion of each "episode" on Ao3.

All #Batwoman things I do now are in the name of #SaveBatwoman. Go follow all the social handles and support the cause, please.

#fic 2 #newgenog

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