"I'm sending you to Paris." Amira heard her father say out of the blue.

"Wha-what?" Amira sputtered out, rising from her seat, cushions tumbled to the floor.

"I'll have all the necessary arrangements done by the end of this month, no, week." Bruce said, searching his desk for some papers.

"Dad, what are-"

"You'll be living with Tom and his wife-"

"What do you-"

"I'll also have to do the necessary paperwork for you to attend a school in Paris-"

"But I don't need to move to be safe. I'm perfectly-" Amira argued, standing in front of his desk, the Batman plushie in her hand.

"If I thought you were safe here, I wouldn't have you-"

"I don't want to-" Amira cut off again, trying to get her feelings across to her father.

"You're going to go to Paris where it's safe. Where no villain nor enemy will find you." Bruce stated, almost glaring at Amira.

"I. Don't. Want. To." Amira gritted, feeling her hand tightly squeeze the plushie in her hand. She just started to do well again. She finally had someone to talk to at school, even if Babs was years older than her.

"This isn't up for discussion Amira." Bruce glared, his eyes narrowed. "You're going to Paris where it's safe, whether you like it or not. Am I clear?"

Amira felt herself shake, hating that she held no power to go against her own father. Amira looked at the Batman in her hand, scowling as she looked at it. Without a second thought, Amira ripped it in half and threw it to the floor. "Why the hell did I ever idolize you?" Amira growled, marching out of the study, ignoring her father's yells for her to come back.

She almost slammed the doors into Dick's face, but even when he asked her what happened, she simply glared at him with unshed tears before picking up her pace.

She shut her room door closed as she walked to her bed, or at least attempted to. Just two steps away from it, she collapsed to the floor, grasping the rug underneath her as she let her tears escape.

She let herself scream into the void that was her room.

——-

Amira looked at the boxes surrounding her and then at the empty room before her, feeling her panic rising as she started at the brightly lit attic.

She couldn't say goodbye to Dick...nor Wally...or Barbara.

Even as she kept locked within her room that week, her mode of communicating with Dick was also cut off.

She was made to leave the manor without a word that Friday morning, to board the jet without a word and be sent off without anything more than a hug from Alfred.

Her father had told her that she would keep doing her class work remotely, seeing as it was the last semester of the school year and there was no point in making her completely withdraw.

But come the next school year, she would be a student at College Francoise Dupont, the school across the street from where she and the Dupain-Chengs would reside.

She knew her father was hurting, but this? This was too much.

She headed up the skylight, thinking fresh air would help to calm her down, but was proved wrong when she saw the blue sky.

How the hell was this supposed to feel like home when it felt nothing like Gotham?

Where were the gray skies? The arcs and cobblestone that hid malicious secrets? Where were the gargoyles that followed her every move? Her home?

Amira went back down, looking at the place she had to call her room. The tall ceiling loomed over her, as if laughing at her.

"How are you doing, Amira?" Tom asked her in French, Amira turning ever so slightly to look at the baker. Right, how did she forget? This was Tom's hometown. Of course he would feel at home here in Paris while she didn't.

"Doing alright?" Sabine asked, holding their daughter in her arms. She really forgot about her too, didn't she?

Amira looked at the couple, letting a smile form on her lips.

"I'm doing alright, Papa, Maman. If anything, just taking in the view." Amira lied through her teeth.

That's right. She couldn't make any trouble for her host parents. While she knew Tom since she was a toddler, she was still figuring out Sabine.

Tom met the woman years ago and married her just two years ago. A year into their marriage, they had Bridgette. Of course, the Dupain-Chengs knew that Amira would once again use their surname while in Paris. It will be a bit confusing, but they knew it would be fine as long as the name was used for school purposes only.

Documents for school were easier to forge than for those for the government, or so Bruce once told them.

"Well, if you need anything," Tom started.

"We will be right downstairs." Sabine finished.

With that, the two went down the stairs, leaving Amira to unpack her things.

So this was her new life.

As she unpacked her things, she found Jason's old journal with a worn out bookmark in her hands. She watched as her tears hit the surface of the journal.

"Jason...just what am I supposed to do?"

——-

Dick couldn't take it anymore, hell, he wanted to do this when he first heard about Amira leaving the country against her will. Of course, he couldn't do anything when Alfred practically threatened him if Dick ever did what he was currently doing.

Barging into Bruce's study, Dick didn't care if Bruce was in the middle of a phone call. Ending the call, Dick made Bruce look at him.

"What the hell made you think sending Amira by herself to Paris was a good idea?" Dick growled, hating that Bruce remained indifferent.

With a sigh, Bruce set down the phone.

"She's not alone. She's with Tom and his wife. They'll take good care of her."

"That isn't the point here Bruce! You've literally sent Amira across the Atlantic, away from all the people she knew as family, just because it would give you a peace of mind?"

"It was necessary."

"It was extreme, even for you!" Dick gritted. "Amira needs us to be by her side, not across an ocean, all by herself!"

"If that's what you came here to talk about, I suggest you leave. I have an important call to-"

"Fine! Be that way! Dick yelled, slamming the door behind as he left the study.

He couldn't believe it. He really couldn't.

Sending Amira to a place she didn't know, a place where she would have trouble with adjusting to all on her own?

How could Bruce do this to her?

Once in his room, Dick huffed, pacing around his room in attempts to calm himself down. As he kept pacing around, he noticed his suitcase peering from under his bed.

That's right. He was 17, almost 18 in a few months.

Who needed Bruce anyways?

——-

Amira needed a break from unpacking, so taking her keys and her phone (that she managed to buy without her father knowing), Amira went off to explore. Of course, she told her 'parents' before going off, thanking that they at least understood her, unlike her own father.

Amira sighed as she looked out towards the Seine, wondering why many tourists believed that this river lived up to its fame, the river making her remember one of her father's stories about her mother.

Her mother and father had come here before, a year before she was born. Talia. That was her mother's name. While Amira hated the fact that she learned her mother's name 12 years too late, she was glad to finally have the name of the woman who brought her into this world.

Even if the world was against her.

The two were just two love birds, even if they only knew each other for a year. In that year, they came to the Seine together and placed a lock on that very bridge, thinking they too would end up together. Seems like the universe had other plans for the two.

Amira kept walking around town, getting a feel for it, remembering landmarks in case she ever got lost and didn't have her phone.

As she passed by a park, she couldn't help but notice the mob of girls looking at something...or rather, someone.

As she approached the mob, she finally saw what they were all desperately trying to get to see.

"Adrien!" A girl shouted, said boy turning to greet them, causing the girls to let out a deathly squeal, causing Amira to cover her ears.

Damn fangirls and their screams. Just when she thought she got used to them, she was always proven wrong. Then again, Dick's fanclub wasn't as rowdy as these girls. They at least respected Dick and his wishes of them not causing trouble for him.

Amira left the mob, wondering why the boy looked so familiar only to look up and see why. His damned face was all over the place.

A model...he was a model...

A decent looking model to be quite honest. But despite being a model, he had nothing compared to-

Amira caught herself mid sentence, wondering why she thought that...

Did she really miss him that much?

Not thinking much of it, she kept walking.

——-

"What do you mean he isn't home?" Bruce asked, looking up from his documents. He watched as Alfred remained unfazed by Bruce's raise in tone.

"Master Dick told me to give you this if you should ever ask about his whereabouts." Alfred handed over an envelope to Bruce. But Bruce simply let it hang, getting up to search for his missing son. "Master Bruce, I suggest you don't-"

"We have patrol tonight and he should have been here by now, prepping for it. He should be-"

"-in Bludhaven by now." Alfred completes, making Bruce stop.

"What?"

"Master Dick wanted to tell you that he was heading to Bludhaven." Alfred said, laying down the envelope Dick had wanted to give to Bruce. "'Crime never rests' he said before leaving with nothing but a small suitcase. Although if you ask me, it seems like he's taken the next step in his life. But what about you, Master Bruce?

Are you ready to take the next step?"

Bruce's mouth formed a thin line, eyeing the envelope on the desk.

"I guess I better get used to doing patrols by myself then."

——-

Amira couldn't believe her eyes. Who the hell would just push an elderly old man as they're crossing the street? Not even Gothamites did that (unless there was some type of crime going around).

"Are you alright sir?" She asked the elderly man, helping him up and handing him his cane.

Yes, she was the daughter of a billionaire, but that didn't stop Grandpere Alfred from making sure she was shaped into a decent human being.

"Thank you, young lady." The elderly man replied, shakily getting up. "I'm terribly sorry for making you-"

"No problem at all sir." Amira told him with a small smile. "If anything, it gave me a slight feel of home." Amira bid the old man goodbye, not realizing the perplexed look on his face.

-

Bruce let out a long sigh as he rubbed his temples, trying to figure out why the universe was against him so much lately.

First, Dick leaves for Bludhaven without a single word. Then he wouldn't pick up his phone whenever Bruce called, although he did at least read the messages Bruce would leave him.

Second, Amira also stopped picking up the phone as well. Whenever Bruce would call the bakery, Amira would pick up before hanging up promptly. Unlike Dick, Amira didn't have a phone, so he couldn't just leave her a message directly for her. He would have to relay it, something he didn't want to do.

And when he thought his week couldn't get any worse, it did.

He was at another charity event, when Killer Croc decided to attack. Stuck between a stone and a wall, Bruce was about to resort to possibly exposing himself when a girl crashed in, wearing a bat logo across her chest.

While she was knocked out the minute she came to the scene, it gave Bruce a decent window to change into Batman.

And here he was, standing in an alley with a girl who's red hair made him think he knew her behind the yellow mask and black cowl.

"What were you thinking?" Batman hissed, looking at the girl in front of him. "What made you think that wearing that outfit would-"

"This was the only way to get your attention." The girl spoke, unfazed by his furrowed brows. "You need a partner and don't say you don't, because your recent fights tend to prove otherwise. The girl cut to the chase, placing her hand on top of her yellow utility belt. "Your attacks are sloppy and you're biting off more than you can chew to make up for Nightwing's sudden change of patrol."

Batman frowned, wondering how much this girl knew about him and his activities.

"It wasn't sudden. He was going to-"

"Because that clearly explains why Nightwing is only seen patrolling Bludhaven as of five days ago." The girl says, waiting for Batman's next excuse. When there was none, the girl continued. "I know why he moved. I know why you're lagging behind. It's what happened to Robin...isn't it?"

The girl knew that it was a touchy subject, she knew and yet she still needed to voice it. She needed Batman to come back to his senses. Gotham needed him to come back.

"Robin-"

"Robin died in your last mission involving Joker. It didn't take long to connect the dots when all of the evidence was there. No Robin sighting in the past month, no Nightwing seen with you for the past two weeks and Nightwing suddenly appearing in Bludhaven this week? Not exactly being the most discreet here, B."

"Listen here-" Batman started, only then realizing who this young woman was. How did he not notice her before? After all, she used to follow her father like a chick would follow its mother. "Barbara." He didn't miss the way she flinched, her eyes growing wide. "Vigilantism isn't a game."

"How-"

"If your father found out-"

"He won't." Barbara declared. "He may be a detective, but he is my father. It shouldn't be too hard to make him-"

"That's not what I'm worried about, although I'm sure he would quickly find out about you doing this." Batman said, starting the Batmobile. "I'm worried about how it will affect your relationship with your father. What would he say when you finally decide to tell him your..." Batman realising he never heard her alias.

"Batgirl." Barbara provided.

"What will he say when you finally tell him your Batgirl? That you're working with Batman, a man he despises?"

"He doesn't really despise you." Barbara said, looking down at her feet. "If anything, he's grateful that you're doing what you're doing: keeping Gotham safe." Batman looked at Barbara with calculating eyes before he stepped into the Batmobile.

"Get in. I'm taking you home."

——-

After dropping Barbara home, Bruce wasn't expecting to find yet another unwanted visitor in the Cave.

"Hey, um..hi." The boy said, Batman wondering why the Drakes' kid was doing in his Cave.

Sure, the two families have never talked to each other, but Bruce made it his business to investigate them thoroughly. "My name's Tim. Tim Drake. I...I know you're Bruce Wayne and I knew who Robin was too, but that's not why I'm here!" Tim quickly added when he noticed Batman approach him with narrowed eyes. "I..I wanted to ask you something else."

"Then speak." Bruce growled, towering over the boy, but Tim didn't back down from his glare.

"Where's Amira, your daughter?"

——-

Amira looked at the picture on her phone, not realizing how much she was squeezing it until her hand started to ache. Scowling, Amira threw her phone against her wall, yelling as she began to thrash her room. Thankfully, half of her things were still in boxes and the Dupain-Chengs were out for the day.

It hasn't even been two months since Amira arrived in Paris, not even one year since Jason's death and yet...and yet! He dared to replace him!

Amira recalled the headline on the Gotham Gazette's latest issue.

FINALLY BACK! : ROBIN'S FIRST APPEARANCE AFTER TWO MONTHS OF SILENCE

As if that wasn't enough, when she scrolled further down the article, she was met with another revelation. Batgirl.

She remembered the years of pleading with her father to let her join him, to let her help keep Gotham safe and each time she asked, her father dismissed her out of hand.

She knew how to operate the Batcomputer, she knew she could have worked perfectly with Jason, she knew how he operated, she knew she was ready...but he always shut her down.

And yet when this girl comes around, he quickly accepts her? Just like that?

This girl who came out of nowhere... This girl who probably knows next to nothing on how he operates? On what it meant to wear the infamous bat emblem on her person?

He lets her join him?

Amira stopped throwing her things, quickly going to pick them up and putting them back into place.

Maybe this is why her father sent her to Paris, using his 'concern for her safety' as an excuse to kick her out of Gotham. To make her leave so he can replace her with someone else. If that was the case...then fine...

Let him keep replacing them.

Let him do what he wants, because guess what?

She too is going to do what she wants, whether he likes it or not.

——-

Months passed by, it finally being September, Amira finally having adapted to her new home. But just as she started to adapt to her new life, another thing was hurdled her way.

College Françoise Dupont.

Her father insisted she attend this school, one of the few reminders that he had control over every aspect of her life.

Sighing, Amira made her way to school. She stared at the stairs that lead to the school, scoffing at the size of it.

To be honest it looked like the size of her old school's library. That or perhaps Amira just forgot how Gotham Academy's library truly was in size.

Knowing that she had no other choice, Amira walked into the school and hunted for her class, looking at her timetable and at the numbers of the doors within the school.

Something she quickly realized was that she was right. This school was small. Too small for her liking.

She managed to find her class, located on the second floor of the building, a bit too close to the stairs if you asked her.

Stepping into her classroom, she was met with several pairs of eyes. Ignoring them, Amira headed to the teacher, remembering everything she had researched before transferring to this school.

Caline Bustier - her main teacher and her teacher for French, literature, and poetry.

From what Amira could remember, Bustier is a supposed passionate teacher, eager to protect and nurture her students, hence why she has had the same class for the past several years. Apparently she begged the principal to let her keep teaching the same class year after year.

While yes, it did show her love for her students, Amira took it as a sign of fear. Fear of not being able to teach another group of students that weren't the ones she had already taught before. Students that she knew how to control, not having to start from scratch to learn about their weaknesses and strengths. She feared failure, perhaps change.

"Hello, Miss Bustier. My name is Marinette-"

"So you're Marinette!" Miss Bustier interrupted, causing Marinette to narrow her eyes and scrunch her nose in annoyance. "I'm so glad to have you in our class! Please take a seat!"

Marinette simply stood there, looking at her class and then at Miss Bustier. "I can sit anywhere?"

"Pardon?" Miss Bustier asked, tilting her head a bit. That's when it hit her. "Oh! That's right! You've recently transferred from-"