Who: Wren and Spencer What: Lunch Where: Burger Bar When: Recently Warnings/Rating: Some adult conversation
Spencer was actually relieved to not have to go to The Gardens. The place honestly freaked him out and after everything with Tristan, it was just better to avoid it altogether. It was good to hear that Wren got medical attention she needed, but he was worried about what kind of effect Selina was having on her. As far as he could tell, Wren’s work was very physically demanding, on top of a very difficult and tumultuous personal life. Having Selina in her head, and dealing with all the complications he could only assume existed, would have only added to the stress in her life. Stress, he was fairly certain she didn’t need. He felt for her, wanted to hug her and reassure her that everything would be alright. He’d do everything he could to help her, even though he barely knew her.
Meeting in a public place was, hopefully, reassuring for her. Spencer didn’t want her to feel threatened or cornered - the original reason behind making an appointment at The Gardens instead of just waiting for her outside, and the public setting would also limit their conversations so as to not cause a scene. At least, that was his intention. Whether or not it actually succeeded, he’d find out soon enough. He arrived at The Burger Bar ten minutes before he planned to meet Wren, dressed casually in jeans and a nice button down shirt. He was tired, worn out and covered in bruises it felt like, but he was smiling and none of the discomfort he felt as a result of Tim’s issues was coming across. This was about her, not about him. A table for two was a fifteen minute wait, so he stood out by the hostess’ podium and waited, either for his name to be called or for Wren to appear.
Wren had no idea what Spencer looked like. She'd forgotten to ask him, and she'd forgotten to ask Luke, and she could only hope that he gave his name at Burger Bar, so that she could find him. She wasn't nervous, not really, even after the cautionary discussion with Luke about how much Spencer knew about his life. Spencer had been nice to her, and while she was completely distrusting in some ways, she was also stupidly trusting in others. No, she wasn't worried about Spencer, but she was a little worried about what he expected from her. People expected things of people in her line of work, namely for them to be outgoing, and while she could pretend with the best of them, that wasn't really who she was. But she tried to put that out of her mind as she entered the hotel and approached the restaurant.
She'd been to Burger Bar before, chiefly with clients who liked a laidback atmosphere that was still a step up from fast food. At present, she looked nothing like a sex worker. Her blonde hair was pulled into a sedate twist, and she wore a white dress to the knee with a cream cardigan overtop. The bandages that lined her stomach were hidden beneath the loose, expensive fabric, and there were only residual signs of illness in the lingering circles beneath her eyes. She approached the hostess podium without looking around, and she gave her name and asked if, "Spencer had announced himself yet, please?"
It was habit that had Spencer looking around every few moments, noting the people that walked by. Every woman walking alone had him wondering if she was Wren. He was looking for someone thin, frail, and obviously injured. He didn’t think she was poor exactly, but he also didn’t think she was loaded either, despite having been told the price of his session with Wren. It just didn’t quite click, so when the blonde dressed in expensive clothes walked up without looking around, he didn’t pay her much attention. That was, until he heard her ask about him. The hostess turned to look at him just as he slid his phone into his pocket and held out his hand for Wren. “Hi, Wren? I’m Spencer,” he introduced himself with a warm smile.
“Your table’s ready,” the hostess interjected after a minute, and she waited for them to lead them to one of the many tables that were dotted across the floor of the restaurant. Spencer pulled out Wren’s chair for her, helped her settle, before taking the seat across from her. “How are you feeling? Better, I hope?” He already knew what he wanted, but it was polite to at least look at the menu. He hoped she would order whatever she wanted and he’d certainly send her home with something delicious for Gus. “How have things been?” It was casual and he was trying not to push too hard.
She looked at him first, a long sweep of curious grey eyes, before taking his hand and shaking it. Her fingers were a little calloused, which could easily be blamed on crops and whips, and not on knives, as was the truth. She gave him a small, reserved smile, one that made it quite clear why she had a reputation as being icy in the sex work community. There wasn't much warmth in the greeting, and even the small smile was carefully crafted to reveal as little as possible. "Spencer," she said, acknowledging his name with a voice that was entirely devoid of region, if a little husky. "It's nice to meet you," she added, even as the hostess interjected.
She let go of his hand, and she followed the hostess, stopping twice to greet old clients. It felt like she was back in it during that walk, and she almost missed the fact that he pulled out her chair when he did, lost in her thoughts about the future and what she was going to do. When she sat, there was the hint of a hiss, a visible wince, and then it was all gone as she watched him take his own seat. "Better, yes. Thank you. I went to the hospital, and was released in time for Thanksgiving." She didn't share Luke's worries about the doctors at the small facility. Maybe she should, but it hadn't occurred to her. She glanced at the menu quickly, familiarizing herself, and then she set it aside and looked back up at him. "Did you spend the holiday with your friend?" she asked of the young man he'd mentioned to her.
It wasn’t hard to miss the way she acted, distanced and cold. He didn’t take it personally, figuring it was just her nature to be detached. After everything he’d managed to piece together about what she’d been through, he could hardly blame her for it. Besides, he had enough warmth for the two of them. “The pleasure is all mine,” he replied, ever the gentleman. He stepped back to let her go first, as was polite, and although he noticed the people she said hello to, Spencer didn’t think anything of it. If she’d been in Las Vegas for a decent bit of time, it was likely she’d made friends or acquaintances. He certainly wasn’t going to judge her on the company she kept.
“Oh good! Did you get to spend it with Gus and Luke? That’s his father, right?” Somehow, when Spencer phrased it like that, it didn’t seem creepy or threatening at all. He was genuinely interested in the answer. Family holidays had stopped after he’d enlisted, so it was always good to hear that others got to spend time with their families. “I didn’t, no. He’s been...busy with things and I’m trying not to push very hard. I worked for the majority of the day and then I let Tim cross so that he could have dinner with Helena, Selina’s daughter. Well, I’m not certain on the timelines everyone is from, except for Tim’s and Helena’s. That stuff isn’t really important though, I don’t think,” he replied, brushing away the topic. The waitress came over to order their drinks and he asked for a very specific, very intricate milkshake that likely would’ve made more sense for a five year old. He wasn’t the least bit embarrassed about that and insisted, “Order whatever you’d like.”
She nodded when he asked about Gus and Luke. "And some old friends," she added fondly of Evie and Will, her small smile melting a bit of the ice. "Your friend, is he okay?" she asked a moment later, completely unaware in any part she had to play in that unhappiness. Her curiosity showed when he mentioned Helena, and she sat forward a little. "Selina's mentioned her, but I didn't know she was her daughter. She likes to leave things out. Selina's pretty young, though," she added, confused about timelines and a place she knew very little about that didn't come through Selina's filter first. "Can you tell me about her? And about your Tim too? You see, we don't share any conciousness, me and Selina, and leaving notes back and forth and talking to Bruce only tells so much of the story," she explained, her jaw going a little tight at the mention of Bruce, who clearly hadn't been forgiven for his crimes yet.
When the waitress came, Wren picked the menu up again and ordered a salted caramel martini, but she smiled at the selection of milkshakes once the woman was gone. "I'll have to bring Gus here. I think the milkshakes alone would make him happier than I've ever seen him," she said, putting the menu down again. "I know you offered to pay, but it's okay. I'd like to pay. You helped me when you didn't need to, and I'm not quite as destitute as I was a week ago."
It was nice to see her smile, to get a glimpse of her behind the distanced demeanor. That it was friends and family that brought it out was a good thing. She had support, though whether she leaned on them was entirely up to her. "That's good. Christmas isn't that far away now, so there's another opportunity there for some quality family and friends time," he replied easily. She asked about Nick again and Spencer shrugged. "He's doing as well as can be expected. He's been through a lot in the past year," he explained, and although he didn't want to talk about it, he'd be as delicate as possible. If she made the connection between Nick and Alexander, and him and Nick, she'd never talk to him again. He needed to know. For Nick.
He shook those thoughts away when she asked about Helena and Tim and things through the DC door. "Oh wow, really? Huh. Tim and I share most things. I have to actively want to keep him out if I want to hide something. He's a bit better at not telling me things, but lately he's been so emotional that it's hard for him to keep secrets. I rarely get very emotional about things, so it makes it a little easier for me, if that makes sense? Like now, he doesn't know anything about you or that you're connected to Selina," he explained, hoping he was making sense. "I honestly have never spoken with Selina and Tim's interacted twice with her over the journals as far as I'm aware. The first was when he arrived and they basically agreed to stay out of each other's way. The second time was when he had to sneak into the Batcave after she had someone else shut it down. He wasn't exactly thrilled about that," he explained. "But Helena comes from an alternate universe where Bruce and Selina were married. They didn't have the same superheroes in her world. In the world Tim comes from, Huntress was a woman named Helena Bertinelli, a mobster's daughter who worked against the mob if I remember correctly. I've honestly relied heavily on Wikipedia. I'm not really a comic reader." He smiled at that, but it was likely more information that she had, so that was good. "Tim is a bit more complicated."
Their conversation had been interrupted by the waitress for their drinks and he was distracted from the earlier line of conversation to comment on the milkshakes. "It's a kid's dream! I have no doubts he'll love this place. The menu was a little overwhelming at first, but it's just a matter of trying everything." Spencer likely looked like he was emulating a five year old with how much he loved the milkshakes, but when she offered to pay, he grew up almost instantly. "Oh no, I insist, Wren. I appreciate you taking the time to meet with me. It's the least I can do, really," he replied, standing firm in his offer.
"Christmas," she said thoughtfully when he mentioned the holiday. She wasn't going to get her hopes up for it, not after five terrible ones in a row, but it would be nice to actually have a decent holiday, especially for Gus' sake. She nodded at his second bout of non-information when it came to the man he was close to, and she left it at that. She didn't make the connection with Alexander, or with the questions he'd been asking anonymously, and that was a good thing; she might have run off right there. But she sensed secrecy, and that made her sit back just the tiniest bit - not much. They all had their secrets, after all.
"You're lucky," she said of his relationship with Tim. She couldn't help but think that life would be so much easier if she just knew what Selina and Bruce were up to at times. "It's hard being over here and not knowing," she explained with a small shrug, just before her attention turned to what he was explaining to her about life through the door. "I had no idea they had a child in any timeline," she said of Selina and Bruce, and she wondered if she could use that to her advantage somehow, get Selina to agree to toe the line like they were trying to do. "I get the sense that alternate universes don't matter very much when they're all in the same place here," she said truthfully, because that was something she'd heard about plenty, about different Bats and different Cats.
She smiled a little more brightly at his enthusiasm about Gus and the milkshakes, and she didn't mention the fact that Gus wasn't really a normal kid. Either way, she was sure Gus would like it if she took a milkshake back, even if she hadn't intended to go to Luke's after lunch. But it would be nice to see the little boy, even if it had only been a day. After all, seeing Luke less didn't mean seeing Gus less, right? "You aren't paying for my drink, or for whatever I take home for Gus," she said, meeting him in the middle. "I have a thing about taking charity, and I can be very, very stubborn," she said with a gentle smile that belied the firm conviction of her voice.
Christmas was Spencer’s favorite holiday, hands down. He would likely begin his Christmas shopping in the next few days and Wren, Gus, and Luke were certainly on his list. It was a bad habit of his, buying presents for everyone and their mother, but it was just how he was. Bringing happiness and good cheer helped distract him from his own issues, namely Nick and Alexander and Wren’s place in all of that. “It’s one of my favorite holidays, I have to admit. There’s something about the way the season changes everyone...I don’t know. I’m awful at explaining it sometimes,” he explained a bit sheepishly.
He made a bit of a face when she said he was lucky about how things were with Tim. “Honestly, it’s kind of inconvenient sometimes, but I can see how the grass looks greener. At least you know she isn’t a bad person. From what I can tell, she kinda straddles the fence? But more often than not, she’s on Bruce’s side and that’s what matters.” He paused. “I don’t always know everything, especially since Tim is trying the whole lone ranger bit, but please don’t hesitate to ask me if you need. If I know, I’ll tell you.” He couldn’t imagine neither Tim nor Selina being happy about the offer but it was the least he could do. And he agreed about the alternate universes not mattering much. “It just doesn’t fix the issue, you know? For Tim, he sort of expected that they’d talk and things would be fine. After the toxin stuff, he’s just feeling really left out and, unfortunately, he’s a teenager. I’m sure he and Bruce will work it out though. Just like Bruce and everyone else will.” He paused though, because he knew Bruce was Luke’s Alter and that had to make things complicated on both sides of the door. It wasn’t his place to comment though.
Her counter offer was surprising, but when she finished with an admission that she could be very very stubborn, Spencer chuckled. “So am I, but I’ve learned when to pick my battles and something tells me you’ll outlast me about this. I’ll accept, so long as you promise to not be stubborn about something in the future.” Spencer was thinking ahead to Christmas, though whether or not she’d follow his line of thought, he wasn’t sure.
"I used to like it a lot too," she said of Christmas. "Well, not when I was small, but for two years I did," she said wistfully. Those Christmases seemed so long away, and she was worried about looking forward to this one, especially when she had no way of knowing what could happen between now and the holiday. She gave him an apologetic smile. "I'm sorry. I didn't mean to get wistful," she said, an elegant shrug of shoulders accompanying the apology. "Right now, I think I'll just concentrate on a tree." And maybe somewhere new to live, but she kept that to herself. "How does it change people?" she asked belatedly of the holiday, though she thought she might understand what he meant without the explanation.
"She gets in trouble a lot," she said of Selina, which wasn't to say she was bad, but it was inconvenient. "But thank you. I'll ask if I need anything," she said, and she might just take him up on it. Getting information wasn't like taking charity, and if Selina and Bruce didn't like the idea, then they better start being more forthcoming themselves. "Selina says Bruce is taking it all really hard," she added after a moment of thought. Maybe she shouldn't have said that either, but she'd seen how crazy Bruce was driving Luke; anyone who could help with that on the other side of the door was, as far as she was concerned, an ally. "I'm worried everyone is going to come down hard on him when he crosses, and I don't know if he can handle that right now."
She smiled when he capitulated about the bill, and she stayed quiet while the waitress approached with drinks and a request for their food order. She ordered a vegan burger and sweet potato fries, and she smiled while she thought about how much Gus would hate it; neither Gus nor Luke liked her concept of food. "I'm going to need a child's cheeseburger with a side of macaroni and cheese to go, please, once we're done eating," she told the waitress, and she was quiet while she waited for Spencer to order for himself. Once the woman was far away, Wren took a sip of her drink and regarded Spencer over the edge. "How are things at night?" she asked, a quiet query about his vigilantism. She had promised Luke she wouldn't talk about who they'd been in the past, but that didn't make her any less curious about the scene here, especially if Adam had left the business.
Two years? Spencer couldn’t help making a face at that admission. It wasn’t pity, more sadness than anything. Children, the ones that celebrated the holiday, were supposed to enjoy it. One of his favorite volunteer projects was wrapping presents that had been donated for one of the gift drives the Army participated in. One year, he’d even been able to hand out gifts, small trinkets really, to the local children where he was stationed. Just seeing their smiles was reward enough and it just made him love the holiday even more. That she’d only enjoyed two Christmases made him sad. Really sad. Her apology drew him out of it though. “No, please. It’s okay. You don’t have to apologize for who you are and how you react to things with me. Sorry is one of the most important words in the English language, right up there with love and hate. Use it too many times, it starts to lose its meaning.” A tree was a perfect place to start and he smiled in agreement. “Oh yea. I guess I just find that sometimes people are a little happier this time of year. It’s amazing what a small token can do for a person during the holiday season.”
Spencer grinned when Wren admitted to Selina getting in trouble. “I can only imagine. I’m no doctor, but I was trained in field medicine so if it’s not quite hospital worthy, I can check it out. Otherwise, I’ve done some research around the city. There’s at least one doctor over at the local hospital that doesn’t ask questions if it’s serious.” He’d done the checking for Falcon, but she didn’t need to know that. Nor did Falcon, honestly. Not that he was in the habit of keeping secrets, especially since Wren already knew about Blackbird. It seemed like she might’ve known some of the vigilantes in Seattle, but he didn’t want to risk Falcon over something so minor. “It comes in handy. When I first arrived, I just happened to be in the right place at the right time to stop a woman from getting mugged, but the guy ended up stabbing me. I went to a clinic and got patched up there, but it’s kind of on hold for the moment. The clinic, I mean.” Sometimes, he went a little overboard trying to connect with someone. He hoped Wren wouldn’t mind too much.
“I believe that,” he replied, in regards to Bruce. “Tim’s taking it hard but I’m trying to let him work it out before he talks to Bruce. I’m not saying it’ll be an easy fix, and it’s not like this wasn’t at least partially his fault, but even Tim knows the man’s going to take the consequences of his actions harder than anyone else will make him feel. Hopefully they’ll all wise up a bit and take it slow.” Not that he had a lot of faith in that, but he was an optimist at the best of times and this was one of those cases. Batman had to come out on top. He always did. “Are you also concerned about how it’s going to affect Bruce’s person on this side?” He knew it was Luke, but he also didn’t want to scare her off with how much she’d given away when he got the feeling she wouldn’t give up that information otherwise. The waitress came and he smiled at her healthy order before asking for, “A Kobe burger please, medium well, on a potato roll with white American cheese, sliced zucchini, portobello mushrooms, and the spicy Burger Bar ketchup. Oh, and skinny fries.” Less meat, a little more green, than he was used to, but it sounded good. “And a...nutella milkshake with...a fresh strawberry on top, sliced, not mixed into the milkshake, for the kid’s cheeseburger. But make the milkshake big.” He grinned and shooed the waitress off before Wren could take it back.
He was content with his milkshake until she asked about his nightly activities. “It’s going, honestly. A little slow, just because I’m still getting the hang of it. I helped out Hel-ena with something, for Tim, but other than that, it’s just trying to be in the right place at the right time again.” Spencer didn’t particularly want to get into the whole thing with Tristan considering Wren worked at The Gardens. He felt like his brain might explode trying to keep everything straight. “There’s only so much one man can do, you know?”
She wasn't surprised by his reaction to her admission of few good Christmases. "Hopefully there will be more in the future," she said easily, and she really hoped that would be true. Bad Christmases for her and Luke were one thing, but Bad Christmases for Gus was something altogether different. His thoughts on apologies, on the word sorry earned him a soft smile. She believed that, actually. She believed it was true of a lot of things, like promises or declarations. "If it makes it any better, the few good Christmases I had are some of the best memories I have of anything, ever." Because they were, and maybe that gave credence to his words, at least a little.
His admission to doing research into local hospitals sparked her interest, and she wondered (at first) if he was talking about Adam, but Adam had the clinic, not a hospital. She rattled off the name of the doctor that had helped her and Luke recently, the one who had met them at the hospital, thinking nothing of it, merely helping by providing a name. "He's good, if you need anything. He helps all the street girls, and he never asks questions or contacts their pimps," she said, because that was how she knew him, and it was how she'd known to call him that night that Luke had come to Gardens. When he mentioned the clinic, the look she gave him was undeniably knowing, though she held her tongue about Adam, realizing it might be a bad thing to mention. But it solidified what she'd already known - that Adam had given up the work he loved so much. A worried look crossed her face, because she wondered if MK understood how much she was hurting him with her own demons, but she sighed a moment later, forcing the reserved smile back onto her face. "Someone you can trust is really important," she said unnecessarily, floundering for something to end her own thoughtful silence.
His question about Bruce's on this side made her pause, and she said nothing until he'd finished his order and added a milkshake to Gus' order, which meant she was definitely dropping by Luke's after this. She didn't realize he'd put things together about Luke and Bruce, because didn't actually remember much about their previous conversation. "I hope Bruce realizes his person over here has a life too. I hope everyone in Gotham realizes that though," she said, and there wasn't a lot of faith in the statement, not now when Bruce's secrecy had almost cost them everything. She sighed and concentrated on his comments about his work as a mask, and she took a sip of her drink as she tried to figure out a non-incriminating way to say what she wanted to say. "You should be careful," was what she managed in the end. She didn't know how to get into her views on the subject, not without admitting to her own past in Seattle. "Stopping muggings is one thing, but it doesn't stop the problem, and anyone you hand over to the police like that can't be arrested, unfortunately." Which was probably saying too much, especially when her own distrust in the system carried so clearly in the words.
“I’ve got my fingers crossed for you, Wren,” Spencer replied warmly. And he did, but he also had a small ace in the hole. She’d given up quite a bit of information so it wouldn’t be too hard for him to make sure she had a tree and a few presents under it for Gus. Maybe even something nice for her and Luke if he could swing it. The trick would be keeping all the names and connections from Tim. It was all a matter of focus though, and he tried not to worry too much about it. His smile only grew when she admitted that those Christmas were some of the happiest memories she had. It was sad, that she had such a hard life, but the good moments might be enough to help her. Good memories, good people, and someone looking out for her. There was something about her that made him want to watch over her. “It does, a little,” he replied after a moment.
That she happened to mention the doctor he’d looked into was surprising, but he didn’t react. Instead, he made a note to go back and check patient records a bit more closely. It would be poking a little unnecessarily, but chances were, if she’d gone to see a doctor, Luke had too and he wanted to know just how badly Bruce was hurt. It was worth a shot. That it had been the same doctor Falcon had gone to see was concerning, but Spencer was trying really hard to not look into it too deeply. He respected the man’s secrets after everything he’d been through. “I’ll definitely keep him in mind. It’s always good to know where help is.” He paused, before asking, “Are you...just working at The Gardens?” Her description of the doctor implied she’d had that kind of profession at some point and that she knew someone in Las Vegas meant she was possibly still doing it. Spencer had to clench his jaw to stop from offering her assistance. She didn’t like charity.
“It is,” he replied, looking slightly concerned at Wren. “Do you have people you trust? People you can lean on when things get bad? Help make things better again?” Again, he wondered just how long she’d been alone or how she’d managed to raise a child with all the bad things going on in her life. Once again, he hoped things would get better for her. The conversation shifted to Alters and things behind the door, which made him slightly uncomfortable because of how much he knew. “I hope so too. Maybe they’ll all figure it out after this. Learn from Bruce’s mistake,” Spencer offered, hopeful but tempered with some practicality. “We can hope, right? As long as we have that, things will turn out okay. I’m sure of it.” There was a sincere smile at that, and his fingers twitched, wanting desperately to reach out and reassure her but not sure how well she’d take it.
He sighed softly. Being a vigilante was frustrating at times, but the more important thing was that he was helping the victims. Maybe if he helped enough, he’d make a difference. No matter how small it was. “I know. It’s...it’s about helping people, making a difference. I followed what happened in Seattle as best I could before getting deployed. There isn’t much that one person can do, I know, but...I can’t just stand by and watch people get hurt. I’m learning though, and Tim helps. Watch people, try to find how things work, try to put a stop to it. It’s a little like being thrown into the deep end and I’m doing the best I can. As long as I’m not making things worse, I figure it’s the least I could do. Being overseas, with all the rules and regulations and strict procedure...Well. Let’s just say even though the cops can’t do much, it feels nice to at least do something.” Maybe it was selfish of him, but he needed it almost as much as the victims needed him.
She smiled when he said he had his fingers crossed for her. "It's okay. Really. I have more now than I ever had before." Which was the scary part, because having things meant they could be lost, and she couldn't imagine life without Luke or Gus. She was starting to get lost in that horrible thought when the waitress came with the food, and she smiled at the woman, grateful of the interruption. By the time the woman left again, Wren had popped a fry in her mouth and recollected herself, that calm serenity coming back. "I only worked at Gardens for a few days, and I think I'm going to go back to having my own clients," she explained, unknowingly not answering anything, really, because her own clients could be anything. "I'm not used to having to see people on someone else's schedule. I don't like it very much." And maybe she'd actually just made that decision. She wasn't sure Luke would like it, but it seemed the best thing just then, at least until he was on the force solidly.
His concern was sweet, and the smile she gave him next was a little warmer. "I do have people I can trust," she said without hesitation. Things with MK were bad, and maybe things with Luke weren't the greatest, but she had Silver and Evie, and even Jack. Maybe they all weren't privy to everything, but no one was anymore, not since Luke had confessed to killing people. "Thank you. Do you?" she asked, because it didn't escape her notice that he talked about her a lot more than he talked about himself. His optimism about Gotham earned him a hopeful look, but little else. Good intentions aside, she wasn't sure Selina or Bruce could be what she and Luke were asking them to be.
She understood his point of view about the vigilantes, she did, and she didn't want to speak out against it. Her mind might have changed in intervening years, her opinions growing into more practical things, but he was still at a place where he was eager to do something, to make a change. She remembered what that was like, and she remembered the fervor they'd all shared, hope for a better world. That was before death and distance and jail and life had changed them all. Spencer wasn't there yet, and she very much hoped he'd never make it to that disillusionment, that realization that helping one person wasn't much at all. "No, I don't think you're making it worse," she agreed. She didn't think he was killing anyone; he didn't seem the type. She knew that tone, and it reminded her of Luke all those years ago, that need to make a difference that was as much about him as it was about the victims. She'd been like that too, but she'd known herself too well to think she was being selfless. She took a bite of her sandwich.
“That’s a good thing, Wren. Who knows, maybe this Christmas will be the best yet,” he offered, far more optimistic about that then he was about how things would turn out in Gotham. There were too many variables there, too many moving pieces that none of them could control, not even Ra’s al Ghul. Before he could wax poetic about how awesome Christmas was, the waitress came and he took that as a sign to put that portion of the conversation to rest. In an attempt to be somewhat civilized, he cut his burger in half before taking a bite. Normally, he would’ve just taken a bite but he sensed that Wren had a reputation of sorts to uphold, about the people she associated with. When she said she was going to take her own clients, Spencer finally let his curiosity get the better of him. “What exactly is it that you do?” he asked, though he followed it up almost immediately with a, “You don’t have to tell me if you don’t want to. I’m just...curious.” And he was. The only time he’d ever been to The Gardens was to break in, not for an appointment, and he’d rather know for sure than guess. When he’d called to make his appointment with Wren, he’d simply asked for an hour’s session for ‘her choice’ and left his credit card number to secure the appointment.
Seeing her smile warm meant that he wasn’t stepping over the boundaries she had in place, and that was a good thing, particularly if he wanted to steer the conversation to Alexander and her past once she was mostly done with her hamburger. Better to get all the brownie points he could in now, before he completely blew it. “I’m glad, Wren. Trust is something that’s hard won, so I’m sure they’re really good friends.” Spencer knew having friends she could count on would make a difference. “Have they helped, with everything you’ve been going through lately?” He didn’t want details, not just yet, but knowing that she was at least facing her demons was important to him. When she turned the question back on him, he shrugged. “I’ve made a few friends here, and there are a few people I can talk to if I need to,” Spencer replied. He honestly didn’t have many problems, certainly nothing he wanted to burden the few people he talked to with. It was a bit hypocritical of him, sure, but he just didn’t have those kinds of relationships here. And that was okay.
He only smiled when she said she didn’t think he was making it worse. “So, you were there? In Seattle I mean? I was deployed before I could make a trip out there, but it ended up not mattering much. I met one of them in Chicago a while back and I was able to help him through a bit of a tough time. That made getting shot worth it, honestly,” Spencer explained, smiling a little at the memory. Falcon had been going through a rough time then, since his girlfriend had left him without a word. It had completely destroyed him, but Spencer had been able to help at least a little bit.
She acknowledged his hopeful sentiment about Christmas with a smile, and she raised her glass to him in a silent toast, one that hoped that was true too. "For you too," she added, because he might not be talking about the young man he'd mentioned before, but that didn't mean she'd forgotten. And anyone who was out there as a mask in this city needed all the good wishes they could get. She was cutting a piece of eggplant that has fallen out of her sandwich when he asked what she did. The knife and fork slowed and then stilled, and there was a pause before she began slicing into the eggplant again. "I'm a dominatrix," she explained, and she directed a knowing smile at the plate. "I'm not a prostitute anymore," she added, "but I was for most of my life," she admitted, because there was little point in hiding that.
His question about whether her friends had helped her recently made her look up at him, a tip of her head and curiosity in her grey eyes. She was starting to wonder if he wanted to talk to her about something in particular, and the realization was very evident in that look. "Do you want to talk to me about something specific, Spencer?" she asked. There wasn't anger there, and there wasn't panic. Luke trusted him, and that counted for something, but she already knew he was quick and bright, just from the things he was saying. It wouldn't surprise her if he had an agenda - most people did, after all. "I lived in Seattle," she added, and she nodded when he said he'd met someone in Seattle. "Falcon," she offered. "You mentioned him." Because that was something she hadn't forgotten from their conversation.
Spencer lifted his glass too, with a happy smile. She deserved a little bit of happiness. “Thanks, Wren.” He thought it was sweet of her to return the sentiment. Unfortunately, Spencer made the mistake of taking a bite just as she expanded on her job choice, leaving him coughing and sputtering in surprise. He quickly got himself under control with a long gulp of his milkshake to clear the food he’d stuck in his throat. “I- was not expecting that,” he admitted, a sheepish smile on his face that made him look more boyish than anything else. Dominatrix? Not even remotely close to what he’d been thinking, but damn. “Most of your-” Spencer took another long gulp of his milkshake so that he could get his thoughts in order.
If she’d been in that kind of profession for most of her life, that explained the comment she’d made about sex not affecting her the same way it did others. It brought up so many questions though. How long had she been a prostitute? Why did she start? Where had her parents been? Why didn’t she get out once she had enough money? Did she have enough money? Had Luke been a client who stuck around? Was Gus really the boy’s son? What made her change from prostitute to dominatrix? What was the difference? It was a world Spencer knew next to nothing about.
“Nothing you’re not comfortable talking about. I’ll ask, but you don’t have to answer,” he replied, once his mind settled appropriately. “I know you were upset by Sophie’s discussing about Alexander Pierce and you told me there was another woman that had been a victim of his? I was wondering if you were comfortable telling me more about her, or any other victims you know about, and what he did. I know he’s dead but...that doesn’t mean he isn’t still hurting people No one should have to go through that and, if I can help in any way, I want to. You, your friend, anyone. Plus, Tim is curious about Scarecrow’s methods. It’s complicated, and I’m just trying to put the pieces together. That’s all.” He took a bite of his burger before responding again. “Right. Falcon. Poor guy. Glad he was doing better when I left him though.”
She gave him a surprised look. "What did you think Gardens was?" she asked curiously. She'd assumed he'd known what the place was when he made the appointment. "There's the Ranch too, which is a brothel," she added, because she knew the same woman owned both places. She knew where his truncated sentence had been going too , but she didn't finish it for him. She could almost see all the questions behind his eyes, and she waited for him to ask them, but he didn't. That struck her as odd, that he didn't ask, because he was clearly curious. She took another bite of her eggplant, and she wondered what he'd thought she did for a living. "Since my maman died when I was thirteen," she finally said, answering the question he hadn't managed to ask. She had come this far, hadn't she? No reason not to finish the story.
When he followed that up by saying they didn't need to discuss anything she wasn't comfortable with, she pushed her plate aside and waited. If it was worse than prostitution, then she was pretty sure she didn't want to have food in her mouth when he asked her about it. Still, she hadn't been expecting Alexander's name, and how foolish had that been? "Alexander was a sadist. He drugged women into not resisting him, and he hurt them when he had sex with them. As far as I know, he was hitting street girls as far as two years back. I don't think he'd changed recently," she said, voice gone still and monotone. She wanted to ask how Alexander was hurting anyone now, anyone but MK, who Wren was sure was never going to recover from what the man had done to her. "What Alexander did had nothing to do with Crane. Crane just gave him better drugs to do it with," she said, some anger slipping through in that confession. When he said Falcon was doing better when he left, the anger faded away, leaving curiosity behind. "Better how?"
Spencer had the decency to color slightly. "I honestly didn't look. I just called and made an appointment. Something about ladies choice?" He shrugged. "What you did - do - wasn't important. Seeing you was, even if it was probably a little stalkery. I was just trying to give you home field advantage, so to speak." He hoped she'd forgive him his ignorance. He ignored the part about The Ranch, not wanting to know anything about Tristan or her businesses, and focused on her admission instead. Thirteen? Maman was a word he wasn't familiar with either. "Maman? I'm not sure I follow." A guardian of some sort. He wanted to ask why, or even how. He knew there were men that liked that sort of thing, but it was still illegal. Still wrong. "Why, Wren? Why that?" And then he realized she might take that poorly. "I'm not...judging you. Your...clients maybe, back then, but not you. I just...thirteen? There wasn't anyone else to take care of you?" He was sad for her, and sad he couldn't have been there to help her. He wondered if there were people in similar situations here. Maybe he could help them.
Two years? Spencer wondered how much Nick knew. "And he was one of your clients?" There was an unasked 'Why didn't you just say no?'. "Did he ever kill them? Any of them?" He didn't bother asking if she knew their names, to follow up on their well being, but it didn't stop him from wanting to. The anger surprised him a little, only because she'd been either cold or just slightly warm, not angry. Not like that. "Crane helped him synthesize fear toxin here?" If he'd done it once, he could do it again. Sophie seemed on the brink, and if Crane could control her enough to have a conversation with Riddler, it was just a hop, skip, and a jump to letting fear toxin loose elsewhere. Changing the subject to Falcon seemed to help, so he divulged a little more information than he typically would have. "Yea. He'd been using lethal force when I caught wind of him. I'd followed him more closely than anyone else in Seattle and since I was on forced leave, I decided to take a trip out to Chicago to see if I could help him. There had to be a reason for the violence, that's what I thought. He didn't go into specifics but, looking back, he kind of acted the way my ex does now. Angry at the world, angry at me for leaving. Falcon was hurt by someone he cared about, without a doubt. In Seattle, he had people to keep him in check, but out there on his own? Hurt? He needed someone to remind him that sinking down that low was bad for him. I couldn't always stop him from going too far, but I at least found him targets, the worst of the worst and the untouchables. I'm not saying it was right, but at least he wasn't out killing petty criminals. He moved on one night without me, and my leave was up so I couldn't follow, but he started to get his act together after that." He shrugged, like his role hadn't been important. "Did you know him? When you were in Seattle?"
She didn't like that sadness in his eyes. It did him credit, she knew. It marked him as a decent person, she knew. But she didn't like being pitied; she liked it less than she liked charity. She was quiet a few very long moments, and she finished off her martini and asked the waitress to please put in the child's order now. She was in control of that, of coming here, of leaving, of when she pushed back the chair, of when she stood. All those realizations made her feel better, feel in control. She wasn't something to buffeted by the tide anymore. She finally looked up and met his gaze. "It doesn't matter. It was a long time ago, and I don't do that anymore," she said, shame in the insistence that those days were over. Because she couldn't defend it, not really. Other girls, normal girls, ended up in foster homes or with family. She wasn't going to talk about her maman, about those things that would make him look even sadder than he already did. He didn't understand, couldn't understand. It was why she'd wanted to help the girls here, but those days were over as well. She felt like they were miles apart just then, but she felt that way with a lot of people lately. It wasn't his fault.
She would have left it all alone right there, but he mentioned Alexander again, and she shook her head quickly. "No. He wasn't a client. I was already out when I met him. He hit on me. I said no. He drugged me. He raped me." It was all a long string of words. A long sentence strung together without breaks, and now she was angry. "Don't ever ask a woman why she didn't just say no, Spencer," she said, and she sounded tired then, the facade slipping entirely for the first time during the conversation. She began to push her chair back. This wasn't his fault. He wasn't very worldly, not when it came to bad things. She forced herself to remain seated a moment longer, even as she pulled money from her purse. "I think he brought the toxin over. Alexander wasn't the type to get his hand dirty in a lab," she explained. As for Falcon, she just listened, keeping her expression neutral, despite the fact that she was a maelstrom of emotion beneath the surface. She had to swallow a few times, dry and scratchy, before she managed to comment on that at all. "No. I didn't know anyone lethal in Seattle," she said, intentionally misunderstanding when Falcon had been killing people. And it was a lie anyway, because of Jack, but she wanted to put as much distance as she could between her and Luke and Falcon just then. "None of the people I knew killed anyone after. We all just stopped, died, grew up," she finished, gracing the waitress with a polite-fake smile when she returned with the bag and shake and handing over the money before the woman even printed up the check.
He’d pushed too far. He should have known better, but her life had been bad. He’d seen things, violent things, even abuse of women, but he had never lived through it the way she had. He didn't know, couldn't know, not yet. Maybe not ever, but he might. Spencer thought it did matter, because it was something that defined her, but he knew better now. He didn’t try to stop her from asking for Gus’ meal or the check. She was free to leave, free to tell him to get lost, to never contact her again. He was worried about her, now more than ever as she replied to his question about Alexander. He’d thought the other man had been a client, hence the unasked question, but she took it and twisted it, and he was horrified. Horrified that Alexander had drugged her and raped her, and mad at himself for thinking just saying no would’ve done any good against the man. “I won't,” was all he managed to say when she pushed her chair back. The food was forgotten entirely as he watched her take out the money to pay. He had to stop himself from telling her that it was on him. Anything he could say might only make it worse, and he wouldn’t apologize for what happened to her because he couldn’t fix it. He couldn’t take away those nightmares. It was all too clear that she was suffering and he hoped that he hadn’t just made it worse. “Wren-” he tried to stop her, to calm her, but all he did was give her an apologetic look. “Thank you for meeting me. I didn’t mean for it to go this way.” Sincerity, and a fair bit of anxiousness, was clear on his face. She stood, and so did he, but he wasn’t going to stop her. He didn’t even remember to comment on Falcon or Seattle because her well being was more important. “I wont ask again. Not about that, not unless you want to talk about it.” He hated making that promise, but he thought she needed it and he was just so worried, so concerned, that he’d rather she know she could come to him without worry about Alexander than knowing what happened. There were other avenues, hopefully. Maybe the journal could shed some light, if it went back that far. He had options, and he didn’t have to put her at risk.
"It isn't your fault, Spencer," she said, and she honestly meant it. She didn't hold any of it against him, but she couldn't sit there calmly after all that. She gave him a smile that didn't quite reach her eyes. "Ask me again after I calm down," she suggested. She knew he was after something, just like she knew she hadn't managed to tell him whatever he wanted to know. "Thank you for the invitation," she added, and she hoped he understood that she did mean it, that she was thankful for his help. She didn't know how to explain that he was normal, that she wasn't, and that there was no way he could understand. Years, and she had only started to make Luke see how things had been for her. As for all of it with Falcon, that just made her blood run cold. She thought Spencer had the best of intentions, but that didn't always keep people safe.
She pushed away from the table, and she left without another word.