Authors Note: I've always been interested in people who aren't Batman or Robin or a villain. The citizens of Gotham who are just there and the things they do that could only be done in Gotham.
DISCLAIMER: I don't own Batman or anything related to DC comics. I DO own the OC's, I created Alice, Abby, Lola, and Ms. Dunn for anybody who might not be able to tell but I seriously doubt that someone would not know who is DC owned or original.
On another note, REVIEW! It's my first story, OH MY GOSH ITS MY FIRST STORY! Wow... Anyways, please don't flame. But I'll accept constructive criticism. Flaming will do nothing but irritate me, it won't magically change the story to your liking.
Abby Halicker cringed as the sound of an explosion from the other side of the city still rocked her apartment. The Joker was really going all out with this one, not hard to tell, what with all the streamers, balloons, the 'BATSY' sign, and deranged laugh track. Harley Quinn could be heard through a microphone, directing Joker's goons and singing the mad-clown's praises. Abby could never understand why they didn't just send the man to Blackgate. It shouldn't matter anymore that he's absolutely bleedin' insane; he'd already blown up half the city and ended countless lives. Besides, it looked like he knew full well what he was doing and didn't care a single bit. Maybe that's why the people at Arkham wanted him there; he was probably considered some pet project of theirs that they had to see who could "cure" him and then get lots and lots of money.
There was a traffic jam down below and it looked like someone was using it to start even more anarchy. Abby desperately hoped it wasn't the Joker or one of the "big bad guys", she really wanted to keep this apartment. It was very nice, creepy stalkers and angry couple up above aside.
The sun was setting; Abby had wanted to go for a walk to the corner store down the road but it looked like that wasn't happening anytime soon. A bloodcurdling scream sounded out and Abby resisted looking because that only paints a bull's-eye on your person. The best the terrified woman could do was call the cops, Abby picked up the phone and dialed 911. Probably not unlike the other people in her building, suddenly someone was reciting Lewis Carroll's Alice and Wonderland and calling for Alice. Abby groaned, it was the Mad Hatter and that spelled trouble. She hoped the little girl up the stairs would stay put because she was in enough trouble as it is. Her name was Alice and she was the sweetest thing in the entire world, even though her mom and dad were polar opposites. It's been strongly implied that the Mad Hatter might be a pedophile and Abby made a very prompt decision. With the stealth every Gotham Citizen honed very, very quickly she managed to make her way upstairs to Apartment C1. The police may be on their way but that wasn't going to stop Jervis Tetch.
"Lola, is Alice safe? Lola?" Abby said this as loud but also as quiet as she could. She really wouldn't be surprised if the man outside had trained his ears to be Superman's whenever the name Alice was mentioned.
Lola was Alice's surrogate older sister and baby-sitter. She and Abby had a plan for this day, though they had hoped the day would never come. Lola answered the door, she had Alice held close and the young girl herself was dead quiet. They'd alerted her to the fact that the Mad Hatter was someone to be super-duper extra careful of, the poor child was even more terrified than Lola and Abby were.
Mrs. Dunn from across the way opened her door. She calmed down slightly when she saw it was only Lola, Abby, and Alice.
"Ali can hide in here! My rooms don't face the street and I can fight!" Lola and Abby had had no clue where to hide and breathed sighs of relief.
"Thank you Mrs. Dunn." So with lighter hearts Abby, Lola, Mrs. Dunn, and Alice sat in Apartment C12. Alice was in the bedroom with Lola keeping watch. She had fallen asleep. A yelp sounded out from outside. It was the Mad Hatter.
"Robin, its Robin" they heard someone shout happily. Abby closed her eyes in fear. "Don't come for Alice, no, no, no!" Shots rang out like fireworks and Abby winced as she heard Alice crying and Lola's murmurings.
"We've got him! Hatter down!" the relieved cries from a policeman rang out, but the women didn't cheer just yet. The Mad Hatter was a supervillain, he could escape. It looked like luck was on the peoples sides in this part of Gotham. The police sirens were far away now and Abby could hear people out there, picking back up the pieces as usual and going on with life as best they could. She let out a breath she didn't even now she'd been holding. Mrs. Dunn looked so aged, well, more than usual. Lola came out with Alice and was sobbing.
Abby went back to her apartment by the street. Alice was safe, Abby was safe, Lola was safe, and everyone else was safe. Maybe, Abby couldn't say everyone was but at least a small portion was. Abby knew she should probably just move to New York or something. She should be packing and calling up friends and saying bye but Abby couldn't do it. She'd spent her life in Gotham. It was ugly, it stunk, the people could be absolutely horrid, and hers and other citizen's lives were constantly endangered but something kept Abby back. Maybe it was Alice she didn't know. All Abby knew was that she had a little girl to keep an eye on, a job to get to in the morning, and sleep to catch up on.
Tonight wouldn't be so bad… The news woman looked uncharacteristically cheerful. Apparently the Joker and Quinn had been apprehended and were now wedged into their personal little padded cells at Arkham. Just like the Hatter.
"It looks like it'll be a silent night folks, rest easier because thanks to this cities protector's, Batman and Robin, several dangerous individuals are put away for a bit. Let's hope for forever!" Abby knew the last part wouldn't happen. Every citizen knew that. The infants probably knew, somehow. Abby was working on that statement…
Sleep claimed Abby swiftly, faster than any other night had ever actually. And when she awoke the next morning, the news report said that Mr. Freeze had frozen the entire city, again. Abby only sighed and reached for her ice skates. Her boss would be selling, ice or not, school would go on. Every kid over the age of 7 actually had school-issued ice skates. One of the things that could only be in Gotham, the world outside would gape but nobody here cared. In fact, she needed to go. Business men do not like to wait for their coffee.
I like the idea that people in Gotham eventually just go "we're cool with it but also not cool with it." Mr. Freeze has frozen the city and the Joker is terrorizing people and robbing banks! Well, better get my sled/skates I hope that the Joker doesn't come around I like my apartment and living, and I'm not going to the bank today am I? Sad but kind of cool, no pun intended. Their emergency drills include all the usual ones and a bunch of newer Gotham-specific drills like Fear-gas drills. They aren't totally blaze about the whole thing though so remember that!