"Step away or I'll shoot her!"

The young ten-year-old was silently crying, tears slipping down her frostbitten cheeks. She had just wanted to get away, to run away from her father who loved nothing more than to beat and berate her. So, when Harley and Ivy returned with plans to flee the city, she'd eagerly agreed. Now, however, the tiny flicker of hope in her was dead. Why? Why was life so unkind to her she wondered as her only friends backed away and ran. She knew they wanted to save her, to help her but neither of them had their weapons and with a gun pressed to her head they weren't taking any chances. So, she was forced to return home with her father. He forced her into the snow with a growl.

"You'll sleep out here tonight!" he snapped, backhanding her across the face, "I hate you, Carly"

John stormed into the rundown house slamming the door behind him.

Carly wanted to run but she wouldn't dare. If her father found she had run off again he'd cut her open. So, she stayed on the ground, shivering as the icy chill cut through her growing worse with every passing moment. Blood trickled down her face catching the light as it dripped to the ground turning the white snow red. It grew colder with every passing moment and it terrified her. Her limbs were so heavy with snow not to mention battered and bruised. She couldn't have moved if she tried. The tears never stopped. They mixed with the blood on the ground as her eyes grew heavy. Sadness in her heart she fell asleep.

Maybe I'll be lucky this time. Maybe I'll wake up with the angels around me.

...

Hours later.

After a tireless ten-year search, she found him. The man who had stolen her daughter away when she was at her weakest and now, Carmen Sandiego had come to reclaim her. Carmen looked upon the house with contempt. It was falling apart and reeked of cigarette smoke and drugs. Broken beer bottles littered the snow-covered yard, the shards a hidden danger that they had to step around or be cut.

"Carmen look!"

In the snow there lay a girl, her face bleeding, barely breathing. This was her daughter this was what John had done to her. Carmen rushed to pull her out of the snow. This action only made her anger grow as she saw the sorry state of her daughter's clothing. The shirt and pants she wore were in blood-stained tatters allowing Carmen to see all the cuts, bruises, and scars. She had no trouble lifting her given she was starved to the point where her ribs were visible.

Reluctantly she handed her daughter off to her men before kicking the door open. Usually, she would have taken a calmer approach but her daughter was on the brink of death.

John sat on the couch, empty cans of beer and cigarette butts surrounded him. Not far away drugs were packed in boxes ready to be sent to the streets

"Finally found us. It took ya a while didn't it?"

"Why?" Carmen asked in a terrifying voice.

"Ta teach ya a lesson, Carmen. You're a liar" John sneered, "But I've won"

"Have you, John?"

"She's useless to you now if she ain't already dead. HA, She'll never be able to take over your empire,"

"She's my daughter and I'll love her just the same,"

By this time, Carmen's men had seized John and were awaiting Carmen's orders.

"Drop him at the station," she ordered, "He deserves it,"

...

Her head hurt when she woke up forcing her eyes to remain closed but Carly could already tell she was somewhere new. A chill colder than any snow ran down her spine. Had her father finally done it? Had he sold her?

Plenty 'a people will buy ya, he had always said once he was finished with his beatings often adding if I don't shoot ya first.

Slowly despite her pain, she forced her eyes open. Out of the corner of her eye, she saw the machines causing the feeling of dread to gnaw at her, where was she? What was going on? Her tears started anew. She'd wanted to get away from her father but now, she was scared. Surely, she was going to die.

"Shh, don't cry. You're safe"

She turned her head finding she wasn't alone. a woman, a stranger dressed in red was seated next to the bed.

"Please, don't hurt me," Carly whimpered.

"I would never hurt you,"

But Carly wasn't convinced given the machines she was tethered to. So many machines. She watched silently as the stranger came to stand beside her.

"I'd never hurt anyone especially my daughter,"

Daughter?

Daughter?

"My Mom's dead,"

"Your father told you that?"

"No, he said she was gone." she paled, "If he finds out I'm gone he'll shoot me. He wants me to die,"

"He can't hurt you anymore," Carmen swore, "What's your name?" she asked knowing that John changed it.

"Carly, but, Dad doesn't use it. He calls me Brat, Unwanted, Stupid anything but my name unless he says I hate you,"

Carmen was inwardly seething but remained calm when she responded.

"Your name wasn't supposed to be Carly,"

"What was it?"

"Avalon, Avalon Monalisa Sandiego,"

"That's pretty,"

"I thought so too" Carmen smiled.

She dropped the smile as she became serious.

"I promise you're safe now. Your father can't hurt you anymore. Welcome home, Avalon,"

...

A few weeks later.

Ivy and Harley had no idea where they were headed. All they knew was they'd been ordered to get on the plane and when they tried to fight, they quickly realized they were outnumbered not to mention outsmarted. Now, the duo watched as the outside world whizzed by at an astounding speed.

"Red, I think I'm gonna be sick,"

"Relax, Harl, I think we're here," Ivy replied watching as the plane started its descent from the sky.

"Where exactly is here?" Harley wondered aloud as they left the plane.

"Come with us," the men who had brought them ordered before they could get a good chance to look around.

Silently, they followed the men as they entered the large house or rather the mansion. They were brought to an office ushered inside and told to wait. After being given these instructions the door closed only to reopen minutes later.

Their jaws hit the floor when they saw who it was.

"You're Carmen Sandiego," Harley gasped.

"What do you want with us?" Ivy demanded.

"I wanted to thank you,"

"Thank us?" Harley asked, "For what?"

"For your kindness to my daughter,"

"Daughter, you don't mean-"

Carmen nodded as the door opened yet again.

In came Carly all cleaned up, smiling from ear to ear as she ran to hug them both. Ivy was especially pleased when she hugged her and could no longer feel her ribs. Her body was covered in scars from her father but she was smiling which made Harley happy as neither of them had seen her smile not even once.

With mother and daughter in the room, it became clear just how much they looked alike.

"Avalon told me how you tried to help her if you hadn't, I might never have..." Carmen trailed off as her daughter hugged her.

"So, what now?" Ivy asked.

"You're welcome to visit her anytime you like,"

...

The effects of abuse and neglect became apparent as time went on. Avalon's growth had been stunted she was roughly the height of a seven-year-old but that was far from the only problem as it soon came to light that she'd never been to school. Ivy and Harley had been trying to teach her to read and write but they'd barely made progress.

Then there were the nightmares.

The horrible nightmares that resulted in screaming, crying and thrashing.

Since Carmen worked late into the night, she was always awake when they started.

This one was particularly bad. From the moment her daughter started twisting and turning Carmen was up, out of the office and racing the short distance down the hall to her daughter's still very empty room.

"Avalon, wake up. It's okay, you're okay, you're safe," Carmen whispered soothingly.

Her daughter held onto her with a vice grip even though she remained asleep.

"You're safe, you're safe," Carmen promised, "No one's going to hurt you,"

When Avalon woke with tears streaming down her face Carmen wrapped her tightly in a hug and stayed with her until she went back to sleep only to repeat the process twice. The next time it happened Carmen had an idea. She lifted her daughter from the bed and carried her to her room across the hall before setting her back down.

"You can sleep in my bed tonight," Carmen smiled.

When Avalon drifted back to sleep Carmen waited. Five minutes turned into ten then ten into twenty it seemed for tonight at least, the nightmares were over.

...

Avalon wandered the shoreline kicking up sand as she walked. She had just been dismissed from her lessons and her mind was muddled. Learning to read was hard and she was tired of it. She liked being outside when her mom went away. The island was beautiful and Ivy through their scarce interactions had managed to nurture a love of nature in her.

Why can't I do anything right?

She scrambled up a boulder and sat down watching as the gentle waves went in and out. She pulled her eyes away from the shoreline and back to the book in her hand. There were no pictures as they'd learned she could remember the words based on the accompanying picture. With a long sigh, she opened the book.

"D-do-dog,"

She didn't know if she was doing it right but she would try

"D-dog," she tried again.

"Dog,"

She let her fingers trace the letters, "Dog, D-O-G"

For several minutes she sat there. Wanting to learn, wanting to read, only stopping when Carmen's shadow loomed over her. She looked at her mother quietly.

"You did it!" Carmen praised.

"I did?"

"Yes, now, try another word,"

She happily obliged.

…...

Another much more pressing problem arose a few months later. Avalon didn't always respond when spoken to and while this may have been written off as simple kid behavior Carmen had a gut feeling and thus ordered Sarah to do another exam.

"Well?" Carmen asked when Sarah stepped out of the makeshift exam room.

"She has hearing loss, Carmen, she's going deaf"

"You can stop it right?"

"Maybe, it's hard to tell right now,"

"Try, Sarah," Carmen calmly demanded.

"I'll see what I can do,"

Carmen followed her into the exam room watching Avalon scribble on a piece of paper. Except, Carmen realized she wasn't just scribbling she was drawing a picture. The lines were loose and shaky in a typical kid-style but she seemed to pay attention to the tiny details, doing her best to replicate the various charts and diagrams Sarah had tacked on the wall. The young girl smiled at her, clueless to what was happening with her ears.

"Can I go outside now?" she asked hopefully.

"Not just yet, Avalon,"

Her face fell, green eyes were full of disappointment. Carmen sat next to her smiling when she wriggled closer. She held Avalon's hand through the onslaught of tests. Surgery was eventually decided upon and so, Avalon was put to sleep while Sarah worked to repair what damage she could (There were no complaints thanks to a hefty bonus). After all of it, however, Avalon still had to be fitted with hearing aids.

…...

Although the hearing aids helped her, Avalon didn't like them. Finding them strange annoying. Nonetheless, she was forced to wear them but as the weeks went on Carmen found her usually cheery daughter growing downcast. One bright sun-filled Saturday she ventured into Avalon's room to check on her. Finding the ten-year-old tucked in a corner staring at one of her toy cars.

"Avalon,"

"Yes?"

"Would you like to visit Harley and Ivy?"

She lit up like a Christmas tree. Running quickly past Carmen with a smile that hadn't been seen in weeks. Carmen smiled to herself carrying her daughter's forgotten shoes. Watching as her daughter bounced in her seat the whole way there. Of course, Avalon didn't like that her sisters had ended up in Arkham once more but she didn't question it nor did she question Carmen's need for a disguise or the perfectly timed diversion that secured their entrance.

"Look at you," Harley squealed while she and Ivy turned her around, pleased they could no longer see her ribs and that the remaining injuries had faded into scars.

"I learned to read,"

"You did?" Ivy questioned happily.

"She's learning to write now," Carmen added.

Avalon beamed, "I can write my name,"

"Show us," Ivy gently urged

The adults gathered around, watching as the ten-year-old slowly wrote her name. The letters were shaky but legible and Harley found herself tearing up.

"We're so proud of you,"

…...

After their visit to Harley and Ivy, Carmen stealthily left her calling card at the police station before taking Avalon to the park, happy to watch as she swung on the jungle gym.

Until she let out a startled gasp and fell to the ground.

Carmen rushed over, kneeling beside her daughter, checking for scrapes when she saw what or rather who had startled her so bad.

Batman leaped from the tree landing before them his new colorfully dressed sidekick landing beside him.

"You're early, Carmen,"

"Am I?" she asked while pulling Avalon to her feet, "I didn't know there was a schedule,"

Batman turned to Avalon who was trying to hide.

"You're scaring her, Bruce,"

"Who is she?" Batman asked.

"My daughter," Carmen deadpanned, pulling the trembling girl into a protective embrace, "I see you've acquired a sidekick, Hello, Richard,"

"How do you know-"

"Research," Carmen laughed.

"What are you doing here?" Batman questioned.

"Avalon, go play for a bit, okay?"

She still shook.

Carmen knelt to her eye level, "Go play now and tomorrow we can go to Germany,"

Seemingly thrilled at the idea, Avalon ran for the swings.

"She likes the castles," Carmen said.

Robin waited until the adults were engaged in a conversation before slowly approaching the swing set.

"Hi," he greeted softly when Avalon froze, "Please don't be scared,"

Even though he would get quite the scolding later Robin removed his mask allowing Avalon to see his eyes.

"My name's, Dick or Robin it depends on the mask,"

"Like the bird?"

"Yes, exactly!"

"Why?"

"That's what I wanted to be called but you wouldn't believe the nicknames! Bird Boy" he rolled his eyes but Avalon broke into a fit of giggles that caught the adults' attention.

Carmen smiled and Batman scowled but neither could deny something was happening.

A friendship was blooming.