"Alfred do you know what today is," Charlie said sliding into the kitchen.

"Is it by chance your eighth birthday?"

"You are correct!" She said excitedly before sitting next to her father who was already dressed for work.

"And daddy do you know what I would love to do today?"

"Hm maybe go get ice cream?"

"That sounds lovely but no. I want to go to the circus! It's in town for one day only and I being the wonderful daughter that I am got Alfred to help me get tickets," Charlie's intellect could rival a grown women by how much of genius the eight year old had become. Flashing Bruce a toothy grin she held up two tickets.

"Charlie you know I want to go but I have-"

"A meeting yes, it seems that I have come down with an awful cough," she threw a pouty face in before faking a cough. "And you being the wonderful father stayed home and are nursing me back to health,"

"You are pure evil," Bruce said with a proud smile on his face. She was definitely his daughter.

"Now go change we can't be at a circus looking like this!" She said waving her hands at his work attire.

"Only because it's your birthday," he said before standing and placing a kiss on her forehead. Who was he kidding she could say this any day and he'd do it. He would openly admit that he spoiled his little girl but she was anything but rotten.

Quickly going upstairs he left her to finish her breakfast.

---

"Daddy look an elephant!" Charlie squealed running around the circus grounds with a smile. The shows didn't start for another 20 minutes so they were wandering the grounds looking at all the animals.
"Can I have an elephant?" She asked suddenly with a whip up her head in his direction.

"You already have princess,"

"But I can't ride him! He's a dog!"

"That has yet to stop you," he said with a grin teasing the birthday girl. Sticking her tongue out she continued to pet the elephants trunk.

"Well if I can't have an elephant can I have cotton candy?" Kissing her head with a grin Bruce stood up straight.

"I suppose so, now don't wander to far off," Charlie nodded excitedly before bounding off towards the monkey cage she had passed a moment ago. Looking after her another moment Bruce departed to get her sugary treat.

Prancing around a corner Charlie collided with another person around her size successfully knocking them to the ground. With out even looking at them Charlie was up firing off questions while grabbing their wrist to pull them off the ground.

"Oh my gosh! I'm so sorry! Are you hurt? I didn't break anything did I?" Snapping her head up to the boys face who was still stunned by all her questioned she froze for a second. Boys seemed gross only a second a go but whoa did this boy have some nice eyes and hair.

"Ah y-ya I'm fine," the boy stuttered out his cheeks going red as he though how beautiful the little blonde girl in front of him was.

"I'm really sorry," Charlie rambled out again with an shy smile on her face as her cheeks to became red.

"It's ok I knocked you down too so I guess were even," he said with a smile trying to reassure the girl in front of him. There was something about her that just made him feel so odd. What was that feeling in his chest, it was like butterflies.

Charlie let a giggle escape her lips at his words a real grin taking over her lips.

"Shows on in 5 people!" They both heard someone shout around the tent.

"Oh I better go," Dick said with a small frown, he wished he could stay.

"Ya me too, well by," Charlie said with a small wave before turning and awkwardly walking away.

She was eight after all smooth was not in her vocabulary.

"Hey i didn't get your name!" The boy suddenly shouted making her turn her head.

"It's Charlotte," he grinned happily to himself knowing that he got her name.

Charlotte, what a beautiful name for a beautiful girl.

With that they both left leaving Charlie to find her father and their yummy treat. Slightly destructed she kept a little smile on her face when it suddenly dawned on her she never got his name. A slight pout took over her lip when she thought of that.

Well darn.

With a shrug she ran off to her father who handed her the cotton candy and led her to some seats.

The show was about to begin as the lights went down. Suddenly a sinless stream of light lit up the ring leader in the middle of the tent and like that the show was off.

Every act flew by and Charlie was bouncing in her seat she loved it also much. Bruce watched on with a soft smile on his lips thinking of when his own father would take him to the circus, glad that he could pass this tradition to his daughter.

"The last act for tonight shall be the Flying Grayson!" The crowd cheered along as three people were shown on the large platform above. Her mystery boy being one of them.

With that they were flying through the air flipping and diving. The Grace and expertise was captivating as they worked like a well oiled machine.

The grand finally began but something was off. As they threw the boy I ran into up onto the platform the ropes gave way my eyes widened as I watched them fall. Suddenly it was all dark for Charlie as Bruce covered her eyes and pulled her to his chest. He wouldn't have her see that if her could help it.

People were screamed and running out of the tent others ran towards the scene in front of them.

The only thing that caught Bruce's eye was the sobbing boy on the top platform that no one seemed to notice.

"Daddy we need to get him down," Charlie whispered pointing to the boy as she looked at her father. With a nod he walked to the poll and started to climb the latter after demanding Charlie stay put. After a moment of climbing he was at the top and stood walking to the small boy probably around his daughters age.

"Hey kid, I'm here to get you down," Dicks head snapped up when he heard the voice tears still pouring down his cheeks.

"My mom and dad," he cried not moving.

"I know but right now you need to come with me," Bruce said with a grim face.

Dick nodded before standing slowly with shaky steps he got to the ladder where the man that was helping him down was already at. With shaky hands he climbed down till he made it to the bottom. Not taking a look around anywhere he ran to his parents body's. They looked asleep, like they were just napping as he shook his parents body's with tears falling down his cheeks.

"Wake up, please!" He cried into his own mothers silent chest. No heart beat to lull him to sleep.

Charlie watched from a distance with her fathers hand on her shoulder. A conversation not even feet away caught both of their attention as the bats listened in.

"Is there someone here who can take him? Any family?" A police man asked Haley.

"No, all of his family is either dead or dosent want a thing to do with them. We can't take him here either. CPS would be all over us,"

"So he will have to go to an orphanage," the cop stated solemnly.

"Daddy," Bruce turned his head down to look at her. "He doesn't have any where else to go,"

"Charlie I know you want to help but-"

"He could come live with us, we have a lot of room and I would share with him I swear!" She whispered in a rushed tone. Desperation was something Charlie rarely felt but looking at the boy crying on the ground she knew she was feeling it now. "Daddy please," she whispered her eyes brimming with tears.

"Ok, I'll as want I can't do,"

And just like that all of their lives were changed.

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Ahhhh are you guys as excited as I am that Dick is finally in the story!!

So you guys keep meeting the goals at amazing paces and it brings me so much joy:

New goal-

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-17 comments-

GoGoGoGoGo

You can do it!!

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