From a Wayne to an Agreste 1-Late Birthday Gifts From Fate…
Marcella "Marcie" Wayne.
That was her name back when she was a child. After being taken in by Bruce, she thought things were going to be wonderful. Getting to know the father she never had before, the brothers and sisters she finally has, but all went down the drain when she realized none of them had the care of the world. Not even to give a glance at her. Dick did try to step up, but after heading to Blüdhaven, he forgot about her all together.
She tried having a connection with Damian, but he always hated her guts for no apparent reason. Some she would understand even at a young age, but other than that, he still hates her. Always even has his dog Titus attack her for his amusement.
She then tried to have a connection with her sisters, but Barbara scolded her when she barely even touched her hand, telling her to not grab someone’s hand without consent, Stephanie never bothered to hear what she tried to talk to her. And Cass, she just ignored her just as much as Jason did—even though he mostly avoided her.
Tim just shooed her away whenever she tried to give him his coffee she made.
And Bruce. Never had the time for her. Always busy with everything else but her.
Alfred was there for her time to time, sure, but it’s always difficult for him whenever there was something going on with the rest of the family. And she doesn’t blame him for that, because even she gets it.
And when her birthday came, nobody bothered to wish her one.
And that was where Marcie knew that the family is never going to care for her. Which also lead her to just giving up, and leaving the family, knowing that none of them would even bother knowing that she left.
After packing some bags, she headed out the window she headed out the window of her room of the west wing (which was where her bedroom is at farther away from the others), and quietly left without a hitch. Not even the gates were secure enough to stop her from escaping.
Her runaway plan was going well, until fate had other plans for her...
Lights. Tubes. A heart monitor.
That was all that a five-turned-six-year-old girl first saw in her surroundings after waking up to the sound of the heart monitor beeping on her right ear, and seeing herself in a room that has a bed that she is now lying on, two chairs that are on her right side, and a TV that is tuned to some cartoons. As she was watching the show, feeling confused, slightly intrigued of the cartoon that is shown on the TV screen, but is still wondering how she is in a hospital room, what she's doing in here, and why she is even in here, she hears the door opening and then hears a shocked gasp on her right. When the girl’s eyes turned to see a nurse looking at her in shock. The nurse then ran out of the room calling to someone.
A couple of seconds later, a couple of doctors and more nurses quickly came in to see her wide awake. The doctors started asking her tons of questions, but they then realized that she’s mute. No word decided to come out of her mouth. Not one word, no lip flapping, nothing. Realizing this, one doctor moves on with telling her that she has been in a coma for almost half a year. The girl tilted her head, looking confused, until the second doctor explained to her that she was found from a horrific hit-and-run. The doctor explained that the two people who saw it all told them that she got hit by a car so hard it made her hit on the hard ground. The impact was so powerful that it left her unconscious and bleeding with scratches, cuts, and bruises. And then the driver who hit her drove off, trying to get out of the situation. The people who saw the whole thing quickly took her to the hospital and the whole medical staff tried their best to help her. They attempted to call her family after checking her DNA, her own father hung up the call after hearing her name, not even inquiring with them further. "It was like your name was some sort of curse." Even though she wasn't surprised about that last one about her so-called 'father', her eyes still widened not from shock nor fear, but surprised that happened to her. She snapped out of it when one of the doctors talked to her with a smile in glee and relief. “We weren’t really sure why they would ignore this, but we all still worked hard and did our best to keep you safe and alive. And it’s a miracle you’re awake now!”, the doctor said with a smile, patting her on the head. The girl nodded, showing a smile of relief.
A few hours later, Marcella was already drawing in a small notebook one of the nurses had given her. The pencil moved smoothly across the paper—a sketch of her being invisible while her family was the center of attention. She didn't look up when the door opened again, expecting another round of check-ups. Instead, three people, one being a stranger, stepped inside. She turns to see the doctor and nurse coming in with a man that looked like he's been travelling to find something to cure some sort of disease. A man with skin tone is fair with a rosy tint, brunette hair and grayish-cerulean eyes, wearing a light brown fedora, a brown fur-lined jacket with utility pockets, a light blue button-up shirt, dark cargo pants, and sturdy brown boots.
"Sweetheart, this gentleman is the one who found you and brought you here." The doctor told her while the nurse nodded, adding, "It's truly a miracle of him to find you and bring you here. If he had brought you here an hour later, we probably wouldn't have saved you." "Anyways, sweetheart, he would like to speak with you." The girl nods, still unsure of what's happening. The man steps forward and says to the girl, "I'm Gabriel Agreste." The man, Gabriel, has a firm and serious, yet gentle voice that commands attention without being fully intimidating.
Gabriel then sits down on the chair beside her bed. His eyes never leave hers. "I can't imagine how terrifying this must feel," he says softly, leaning forward just enough so she doesn't have to strain. "When I found you lying there...so small against the pavement..." His voice catches. He clears his throat. "You fought harder than anyone I've ever seen." She watches his hands—long fingers, clean nails—twist slightly before he stills them. An artist's hands, she thinks, like hers.
His expression is serious but not cold. "I was in Gotham searching for something... rare. A plant." He gestures vaguely toward the window. "Retrogreening herbs—supposed to help with certain ailments. Found you instead." His gaze locks on hers, gunmetal-blue meeting grayish-cerulean. "The doctors said your family..." He trails off, watching her flinch almost imperceptibly. Her pencil stops moving. The half-finished sketch stares up—a faceless girl fading into Gotham's skyline. Gabriel doesn't push. Instead, he reaches into his coat pocket and pulls out a small, slightly crumpled canvas. Unfolds it with careful hands. It's her drawing—the one she'd tucked into her runaway bag. Vibrant crimson orchids against charcoal shadows.
Another doctor comes in with an attorney and the woman that Marcella remembered seeing all the time back at the orphanage, Mrs. Henderson. "Marcella dear." she said, "I've heard what happened, I am so sorry. I should have known something was wrong." Marcella shook her head softly, showing her that she doesn't blame her. "We explained to Mr. Pennyworth on the phone this morning, that due to this turn of events, Mr. Wayne's custody over her has been officially terminated." the attorney explained. "And due to her being in a coma for half a year, her records were already transferred to Gotham Children's Services." Mrs. Henderson added. Gabriel looked at Marcella, then back at the attorney. "Then she has no legal guardian?" The attorney nodded. "Yes, she is now a ward of the state."
Marcella saw Gabriel's jaw tighten almost imperceptibly — a tiny ripple beneath the composed surface. Then he turned to her, his eyes steady. "Would you like..." He paused, weighing each word. "...to come to Paris?" The question hung suspended. Marcella stared at him. Paris. Not Gotham. Not Wayne Manor. Somewhere with no faceless fading girls. Somewhere with... orchids? Her pencil twitched, but she smiles, nodding softly. Gabriel nods back, relief softening his sharp angles. "We'll leave when the doctors clear you. My wife, Emilie, will adore you. I also have a son around your age. He would love to have a sister." She then smiles softly and nods. Gabriel's lips twitched upward—a small, hesitant thing. "Good." He turned to Mrs. Henderson. "We'll arrange the paperwork immediately." Mrs. Henderson nods while the attorney starts talking about the process. Marcella’s pencil moved again—a sketch of a tower wrapped in vines. Not Gotham’s shadows.
The transfer happened faster than Marcella expected. Within weeks, a couple of legal papers were signed, and Marcella wrote in a notepad that the hospital gave her, telling how she wants to change her name. Gabriel, the attorney, and Mrs. Henderson understood her reasoning. After a few days of processing, she was legally renamed Josephine Lucille Agreste. Mrs. Henderson excused herself to the restroom as Gabriel and the attorney waited outside the hospital room. Gabriel pulled out a phone from his pocket, made a call, and told Nathalie to prepare the studio for a new resident. Josephine watched silently through the window as snow began dusting Gotham’s rooftops one last time—a city that never saw her, now shrinking in the rearview of Gabriel’s private jet.
When they get to the home Josephine will now be living in, she looks surprised to see that it's a mansion with a gate. But she knows that this is more different than the Wayne manor, and for good if she might add in her head. After heading in, Gabriel was still looking upset about not finding the medicine that'll cure his wife's condition. When the door opened, his young son Adrien was already there. "Father! Did you find the medicine for mom?" "No." "Are you gonna leave again?" Gabriel heads into his room shutting the door behind him, making his son sigh. The girl looks sorry for the boy, even Nathalie. She kneels down, saying to Adrien, "Once your mother is healed, your father will stay here with both of you forever. Along with your new sister." Adrien gasped in surprise, turning to the girl. "S-Sister?" Nathalie nodded, clarifying. "Your father adopted her yesterday morning." Josephine gives a shy smile and shyly waves at him. With an excited smile, Adrien hugs her. "Welcome home, sis!" Josephine was surprised at first, this was the first time she's ever been hugged, aside from some small ones from Dick, she never had any hugs that felt like this. Not to mention most of the time she was ignored by Tim, always being told to go away from Jason, and Damian always hating her guts for no apparent reason. Barbara glaring at her when she passes by, Stephanie not giving her a glance, and Cass pretending she’s invisible. And Bruce, he always had time for work, and her brothers and sisters all of a sudden, but never has the time for her. She slowly hugs him back, feeling tears welling up in her eyes. She felt happy, she felt loved, she felt seen. For the first time, she felt safe.
Nathalie smiles at the sight of seeing the two bond. "What's her name?" Adrien asked her. Nathalie then told him, "Josephine Lucille Agreste." Adrien smiled at her and said, "Josee!" Josephine smiled back, liking the nickname. Josephine nods, feeling tears welling up again. She mouths "Thank you" to Nathalie, who nods back. "Come on! I'll show you your room! I helped Nathalie decorate it!" Adrien grinned, pulling Josephine’s hand and running upstairs. Josephine keeps up, her heart pounding — not from fear, but exhilaration.
While they were heading to her new bedroom, seeing this up the stairs, Emilie smiles at this sight, knowing that her son will be okay, now that he has a new sister, and in her case, her new daughter. She then rolls her chair to her room, saying before closing the doors, "Welcome home, Josephine." She then closes the door, leaving the two kids to themselves.
