Jazmine's POV
For years I felt as if I was being watched, but only at night. When I am in my house just watching TV or when I am in bed ready to go to sleep. I felt as if I was being watched. It started the night after my parents and little sister were killed in an explosion.
6 Years Ago
Nita (Mom) POV
Jamie, Jessica and I were at the Gotham Children Park. My 8 year old daughter, Jessica was playing and the monkey bars, trying to win the race with her father, Jamie. My 9 year old daughter, Jazmine is at her best friend, Amanda's house. Those two are nearly inseparable now. We just moved to Gotham, Jazmine had to leave her old friends behind. I know it broke her to do that, that's why I let her stay at Amanda's every weekend, so she won't feel alone anymore.
I stayed at the park with the two goof balls for hours. Only when I saw it was getting dark did I call for them.
"Jessica, Jamie, it's time to go home!" I yell out to them. My beautiful little girl pouted at her father before running over to me and putting on her puppy dog eyes.
"But mama, me and daddy were going to play tag! Will you play a game with us before we leave?" She smiled at me and jumped up and down. Her father came up behind her with a smile and picked her up high and threw her over his shoulder like a sack of potatoes. Jessica squealed and we all laughed.
"Sorry kiddo, but your mom is right we need to get home." I smiled at my husband and Jessica 'awwed' and slumped on her father's shoulder.
We started to walk the three blocks home. Usually I would feel scared, but with my husband I feel safe. I feel nothing could hurt us with him around, I knew he would do everything in his power to protect us.
But that wasn't enough.
The building across the street exploded and shards of debris went flying in every direction. Jamie grabbed my hand, picked up Jessica, and ran as fast as he could. I could barely keep up, but I somehow managed. Another building exploded in front of us and Jamie swerved to the left into a building. He shoved me and my daughter under a wood desk and blocked the opening with his body.
"Is it really smart to go into a building that might exploding!?" I asked my husband, trying to make sure he heard me over the explosions.
"No it's not! But I'm praying that this doesn't blow up, because we are trapped on this street with the buildings collapsing. We're stuck!" I barely heard him, but I got the message. I started to cry. I tried to not let Jessica see it, she is so scared. She won't stop shaking, won't let go of my arm, won't stop crying.
I prayed with my husband that we'll make it out of this. That my 8 YEAR OLD DAUGHTER will make it out and live her life.
Again, it wasn't enough.
The building shook and small explosions went off everywhere. Jessica screamed at the top of her lungs, so did I. I heard voices outside, but thought it was just me. Beams started to fall around us and they were on fire. Jessica and I screamed again. This time I heard someone yell, "There's someone inside the building!" "Batman, Superman go in and get them! We'll stop the Mr. Combustion!"
"There's people here to help us!" I yell out. Jamie looked at me with a hopeful smile and looked up. The smile disappeared as he yanked Jessica and I out from under the desk. Just in time, a beam dropped on the desk and crushed it.
I watched in horror as the beam caught my husband's leg. He screamed out in pain as I heard the sickening sound of a crunch. Jessica screamed in horror when she turned to her father. I turned her away and tucked her in my neck.
" GO! Leave me! GO!" He yelled, before a beam fell and completely crushed him.
I watched as my husband, the love of my life, was crushed to death. I cried and ran away from it. making sure Jessica could not see it. We both began to cough as the room filled with smoke. Jessica had a major coughing fit, I dropped to my knees and looked at Jessica. She coughed and coughed. I watched in absolute horror as she coughed up blood and constantly. I couldn't do anything as blood came up, after a minute of it her chest stopped moving. She stopped breathing. She died in my arms. I wrapped my arms around her and ran. I ran towards the entrance.
I about to make it out of the building when metal panels collapsed in front of the door. I turned around to run, but a dark figure dropped in front of me. I screamed and fell back. I almost dropped Jessica, so I tightened my grip. The figure stopped my fall. It stepped forward and I saw it was Batman. I cried and fell into his chest. He wrapped his arms around me, to protect me from the debris falling. I started to cough in my hands. I pulled my hand away to see blood.
I knew it wouldn't be long before I see my husband and daughter.
" Please. Please watch over my daughter!" I yelled at him. He looked down at Jessica. " No! Not this one, I know she's gone! I mean my eldest! She's 9! She's at her best friends house! Please watch over her! Don't let her end up like her little sister! Please! Her name is Jazmine! Jazmine Hamilton!" I was able to yell out before and coughing fit hit me. I coughed up blood so much, so fast, I couldn't get air in my lungs. Everything went black quick. I knew I only had a few moments. The last things I heard was "I promise!"
I was happy. Happy that my eldest would be taken care of. Be protected.
Batman's POV
I promised the dying woman I would protect her daughter. She already lost one and her own life, she doesn't want to loose another. I knew I couldn't do anything save her when her coughing fit stopped, and so did her heart. I lifted her and the child up in my arms and ran to the side door I entered from. Paramedics came rushing to me and started to treat them.
"It already too late." I said to them in my 'batman' voice, as people say, they turned to me with a sad look on their faces. "Just make sure they get a proper burial."
I saw Green Lantern and Flash putting the culprit of all this destruction in an armored truck with an inhibitor collar around his neck. Once I was sure that everything was under control, I jumped in the Batmobile and headed towards the Bat Cave. When I arrived, I jumped out and quickly walked up to my computer and typed in the 'Jazmine' information I was told by the mother.
"Master Bruce, shall I close the cave doors as you de-robe from your suit?" Alfred asked as he stood next to me.
"No, I about to go back out." I replied as I stared at the address glowed on the screen in front of me.
"Is there another disaster that requires your assistance?" Alfred questioned,still not moving from his spot.
"Not another disaster, but something that does require me." I turned to him and sighed."I made a promise, Alfred, to a dying mother to protect and watch over her only remaining child and I plan to keep that promise." I saw the ends of Alfred's mouth twitch upwards a little.
"Very well, sir." Was all he said before he turned and walked away. When he was a ways away he stopped and turned to me. "Shall I cook dinner for one or two, sir?"
I didn't know what to say. I wasn't sure if she would even come to my house after I tell her the news of her family's death. I don't know how well she'll react to the news. I remembered her mother saying she was with her best friend and their family, maybe they'll help her through the grief.
"For just one, Alfred. I think she'll prefer to be with her friend than a stranger to help her through the loss of her family," I said with sadness dripping in my voice. Only Alfred is aloud to hear or see any emotions from me when I'm in my Batman alias.
"Very well, sir." Then he turned back around and continued to walk away.
I got back in the Batmobile and sped to the address. I drove through the streets of Gotham at top speed. As everything past me, I didn't really register any of it as I thought about how the little girl is going to react to the news. I jerked to a stop in front of a small house at the edge of the city. The house was a light shade of brown and the front lawn has dead grass thanks to the fall weather. I walked up the path to the oak door and knocked. I heard the knock echo through the house and feet shuffle around to answer the door. A little girl with short, light brown hair opened the door and smiled at me.
A women around her early thirties stepped into sight. She was a little on the heavy side with long brown hair. She stepped up and smiled, "Well Batman. What can I do for you?" At the mention of my name a blonde girl stuck her head out from around the corner.
"Amanda! Come look, Batman is at the door!" The brown haired girl said with a big smile as she pulled the Amanda girl from around the corner to get a look at me. Amanda's mouth dropped open in shock and just stood there. The women who I presume is Lisa, Amanda's mom.
"May I come in Mrs. O'Daniel?" I asked. I looked at Mrs. O'Daniel with no emotion. She saw my look and the smile turned into a frown.
"Of course, come in." She moved to the side and gestured me to enter. I stepped in and stood in their living room. "Matt! Get out here!" She called out to I assume is her husband.
The living room was homey as soft brown couches with a large, wooden coffee table. A terrarium was off to the side with two large lizards lying on rocks, staring at me. Behind me was a TV that took up half of the wall with a least six different gaming systems hooked up to it.
A man about the same size as Mrs. O'Daniel entered the room in skull pajamas pants and a plain black t-shirt. He saw me and smiled wide. He looked at his wife, but when he caught the look on her face his smile faded off his face.
"Mr. and Mrs. O'Daniel I am here to talk to Miss Jazmine and I think it is best you and your daughter stayed in the room to console her for what I am about to say." I said.
At the mention of Jazmine's name she walked up to me with a worried frown on her face.
"What going on, Batman? Why are you here? And why do they need to console me?" She asked frantically.
I sighed, "I am so sorry." When I said that she seems to get why I'm sorry.
"No. NO! Please, no." She covered her mouth with both her hands to try and stop her mouth from trembling. Amanda came up behind her and hugged her tightly.
"I am so sorry to tell you that your family was caught in a building explosion in the warehouse district across town." I got down on one knee in front of her. "I am so sorry I was not fast enough to get to them in time."
She did what I least expected. She wrapped her arms around my neck and gave a small squeeze. "Thank you for trying." She whispered and started to cry on my shoulder. I slowly wrapped my arms around her and patted her back. I saw the other three in the room crying. Mr. O'Daniel is holding his wife as she sobbed and Amanda is on her knees with her arms wrapped around herself. After what seemed like ten minutes Jazmine pulled back and asked, "What is going to happen to me now?"
