Fwa! Okay, wonderful, splendid. It's been ages since I posted anything online, which means I'm horrifically anxious, and down a few notches. From Yugioh to Batman, how much more of a nerd can I get? Well, least it's not a crossover, right? Pffft, I don't own anything but Roxy and Emma, and if I did… well. Batman wouldn't be so happy.

xx

"This is totally shway."

Biting the inside of my cheek to keep from sputtering an insult, I threw a dirty look toward Emma, cursing myself for ever uncovering the Batman Beyond series from storage. Goddamn lingo.

I turned my stiff neck to glower at her fully, more annoyed at the dimwitted cops that kept us sitting in here without giving a good reason why. Fingerprints, useless questions, a personal-space invading search for weapons. Good god, they stuck us in an interrogation room! I suppose us nerdy girls just scream hoodlum! Emma shifted her head grinning back tauntingly at me, mirth dancing in her large bug-like baby blues. Lazily she rolled her shoulder upward into a sloppy shrug, batting her eyelashes with mock innocents.

"This isn't funny." I growled back moodily, eyeing her now frizzy brown 80's hair do with dislike. A catty grin flew across her lips and she leaned closer, peering up at me with half-lidded eyes, her penguin earrings dangling out from the mass of what she called hair.

"Why so serious?" She drawled pulling back causing my lips to twitch upward in amusement despite myself. As if content, she grinned merrily to herself and sat in the horrid cold metal chair cross legged. Groaning, I eyed the table. Maybe I could just end it all now.

You know that whole 'being in the wrong place at the wrong time' saying? Well, it really sucks when it backhands you across the face like an angry mother. Especially when cops are involved, and painful metal cuffs. Plus, they really shove you around. It's a real what the frig moment.

I guess it all started with Emma. With her brown 80's hair do and Penguin hoody, clinging to my arm like a child who wants to visit the zoo. After seeing the Dark Knight so many times, one starts to realize maybe it's time for rehab. Emma suggested going to see the Dark Knight again for therapy, despite just coming out of the theater, and I, counting the dimes at the bottom of my bag staring at the dollar menu, decided it was a bad idea.

"Lieutenant!"

Drifting from the sad realization of being utterly poor due to an obsession, I tilted my head toward the squealing of thing one and two, as Emma mocked them under her breath. They had been like those British guards at the door for more than twenty minutes now. And they had my cellphone, so I couldn't really explain to my house plants why I wasn't home. They'll wilt without my love! My gaze shifted toward who they were addressing—a man who had sauntered into the room like a goddamn king! Or, rather, he looked how I felt. Tired and annoyed. Compared to the other two, one who was Mr. Piggy and Mr. Skinny, he was, well alright. A nice kind face, you know? And you really don't see that.

He nodded to whatever his henchmen were saying, and paused, raising an eyebrow and glancing toward us. I raised mine right back at him. C'mon, buddy, let us go. We're nerds, not criminals. Though the movie prices should be. Mister Lieutenant murmured something toward his two goons and they nodded, turning on their heels, disappearing from sight.

"God, I'm hungry." Emma sighed suddenly, drawing my attention to her. She puffed her lower lip out into a pout, staring dejectedly into space. I opened my mouth to tell her we'd be stuffed in a fast food joint in no time when an amused voice cut me off.

"Then I'll be sure to make this quick."

Yelping in alarm, I glanced wide-eyed toward the lieutenant who was now seating across from us. A sense of deja vu swept over me as he grinned apologetically. I hadn't expected him to have walked so soundlessly. And why did he seem so damn familiar? He was handsome for his age—which, was what, mid thirties? Dark hair, mustache, glasses.

"We didn't do anything." Emma spoke up, the cuffs clanking against the table as she rested her arms on it.

"Emma and I were walking back home when your goons popped up and began shouting things." I added with a nod causing his grin to turn amused.

"Yes, well, they tend to do that." He replied softly, rummaging through a pocket. Pulling out a small set of keys, he motioned for my hands. "Sorry if you two were uncomfortable. I'll ask a few questions, and then you can go eat. Deal?" Grinning, deciding I liked this guy, I offered my hands. With a click I was free and pulled back my wrists, rubbing them as Emma eagerly offered hers. With a click and a clank, she, too, was free. Oh sweet glorious freedom.

"Shway." She grinned and I scoffed, turning to look at her.

"Don't be such a twip," I mocked, straightening my back. The lieutenant opened his mouth and I waved my hand, cutting him off. "It's from a show." I explained briefly causing Emma to gasp, as if offended.

"Not just any show, but Ba—" She began sounding outraged, her nose wrinkling with displeasure. Grinning lazily, I rested my elbow on the table, turning to stare at her fully.

"You want food?" I questioned raising my eyebrows with mock curiosity. She closed her mouth and leaned back.

"You wanna not insult our love?" She shot back and I growled.

"Fine."

"Yeah thought so." We locked in a stare.

Soft laughter broke our so-called staring contest and I glanced back toward the lieutenant. Shaking his head, he laced his fingers together, grinning back at us.

"Though your banter is rather uplifting, it is getting rather late, and I do need to ask a few questions, if you two don't mind..."

"Yeah sure, buddy, whatever you want." I chimed cheerfully, eager to get out of here.

"Ah... Bronx?" He questioned and I shook my head, wondering if he was new to the city.

"Naw, Brooklyn." I corrected causing Emma to snap her fingers uttering a soft, 'oh snap!'

"Oh, well, I was close, wasn't I?" He grinned briefly before folding his hands again. "So, start from the beginning, what were you two doing tonight?"

"Well, we came out of the Dark Knight—um... I think... yeah it was 11:10, I had looked at my cellphone..." I began, trailing off as he gave me a puzzled look.

"Dark Knight?" He repeated slowly. I raised my eyebrows at him, wondering if he lived under a rock. "Is that a movie?" Who didn't know of the Dark Knight?

Confused, I glanced at Emma, but she was already squirming in her seat excitedly, glee etched across her features. She locked onto the lieutenant like a dog spotting a rabbit, a large grin spreading across her face.

"It's a slamming movie!" She breathed, leaning across the table. She was like jock after virginity, only in this case, Dark Knight Virgins. "I can't believe you haven't heard of it!" He grinned sheepish.

"Well I work a lot..." he mumbled causing me to grin. This guy was so cute!

"Aww, well, if you wanna you can catch a ride here with Roxy and we could see it together! My treat!" She threw in eagerly causing him to laugh. I tossed her a look and she shrugged. Oh, like I had money left for that!

"Thanks, I'll think about it." He paused, turning serious once more. "Well, for starters, I'd like to know where you two were at 9:30."

"We were in a movie theater." I answered carefully, narrowing my eyes in thought. "Yeah, we walked in at 9." Emma nodded in agreement, digging through her pocket, pulling out a ticket stub.

"See?" She slid it across the table to him.

"Can anyone verify you staying there?" He questioned softly, gazing at the ticket thoughtfully.

"Well, sure! Remember that, um, the popcorn boy?" Emma turned her attention to me and I blinked. What popcorn guy? "He was making eyes at you, he'd notice if you left."

"Honestly—wait, what?" I paused as she grinned widely. Huffing, I turned back to the yet again amused lieutenant. "Never mind. Look at Emma here; I'm sure someone would remember her walking out. Plus, it was the Dark Knight; I'd never walk out of that movie."

"You got out around 11-ish, you said? What theater was it?"

"Linden Boulevard Multiplex Cinemas." I replied with a shrug.

"See, we were on 149th Ave..."

"Linden Boulevard?" He cut in, furring his brow as confusion exploded across his face. I frowned. "Where...?"

"In Brooklyn." Emma threw out with an eye roll, grinning at him.

"We're in Gotham."

I stared blankly at the officer across from me, wondering if I should laugh or not. He peered back at me with his innocent big eyes behind his adorable little glasses, his head tilted slightly toward the side as if waiting for one of us to reply. His gaze flickered between us, confusion fluttering across his expression as he knotted his brow together.

...Gotham?

As in DC-Gotham?

Rolling my lower lip into my mouth, I chewed on it absently, narrowing my eyes with thought. Bewilderment tangled through me, tugging at my thoughts obnoxiously. I was pretty sure there was some city in a state called Gotham, but New York... Wasn't that Gotham-dubbed?

He didn't have any kind of New York accent. Wasn't Gotham a city in, like…Indiana? Or was it Wisconsin? This guy couldn't be serious, if he was talking about the Gotham I think he was. What the hell did he mean by Gotham? His accent, sure, was different; we weren't in Brooklyn anymore, that much was obvious.

I stared.

He stared back.

Glasses. Mustache. Adorable. Lieutenant.

Lieutenant. Lieutenant, lieutenant, lieutenant.

"Oh my god, we're Mary Sues!" Emma choked out with a screech, which startled me from my darkening thoughts. Jerking my head in her direction, placing a hand over my sputtering heart beat, I gawked at her as she threaded her fingers through her horrid hair, grasping the strands and pulling.

"…Wha?" The poor Lt began, cocking his head to the side as he blinked rapidly. I cut him off by slamming my hand down on the table, ignoring the searing pain of flesh hitting metal.

"There is no way in hell we're Mary Sues. Or in Gotham for that matter." I snapped, glowering at her for falling for something like that. No. No, no, no. This guy was messing with us, he had to be. Had to.

"Yeah okay! You're like a Time-Turner and I'm like Hermione freakin' Granger! Hello Tom Riddle!" She huffed back turning her frantic eyes to me, throwing her arms up in the air as if in defeat.

"...Actually," the Lt coughed, his voice suddenly meek. "You, ah... you are in Gotham—"

"Feh," I cut in with an aggressive flick of my wrist, waving his comment away. "Do you see a Hogwarts floating around here?" Emma rolled her eyes at me and nodded, folding her arms as she sulked back into her chair.

"Yeah, and it goes by the name of Arkham." She growled lowly causing me to snort back a bitter laugh. Oh magical Arkham. "If we aren't Sues, then we're Ocs. How much of a difference is that?"

I hesitated briefly, opening and closing my mouth a few times, unsure whether or not to defend Oc-ism or myself. Her blue eyes darkened slightly, locking with mine.

"Please, we're... we're..." I began uneasily, pulling my lip into my mouth.

"Ocs in Gotham!" She fired back. "Oh god, we'll be, like… paired up!"

I gasped, shrinking back at the thought.

"Excuse me..." the Lt tried again. "But what are... Ocs? Mary Sues?"

No, he wasn't real yet, thus, I couldn't answer him. He was merely a figment of my deformed imagination. Jim. He was freakin' Jim Gordon. Oh god. And I was secretly his fangirl! Which nobody but Emma and my laptop, with all the unread fanfictions, knew.

"Ugh. No. No we won't. That's like… friggin' impossible." I whispered, my voice cracking on me. We weren't in Gotham. People just don't land in comic book cities. That boat of dreams sailed when I was seven.

"Yeah, you think? Hello, we're in Gotham!" The 80's wanna be huffed, waving her hand about airily causing the many bracelets on her arm to clank together. I ran my tongue over my lip, half wondering if we were tripping.

"Maybe." Acid in the popcorn. Yup. This is one big hallucination.

"Don't maybe me." She snipped warningly, puffing her lip out into a pout, wagging a finger at me. As if I was a misbehaving puppy. I made a grab for her hand and she grinned, pulling it back before I could. "We are. And if we're not hooked up with lil' old BW, then to the J-Man."

I blanched at the suggestion. Bruce Wayne. I couldn't look at him without thinking of Patrick Bateman running around naked covered in blood with a chainsaw screaming. Christian Bale, you ruined Dark Knight for me with that generic face of yours!

"Oh please! Be realistic, would you? Those two couldn't hold a real relationship, even if they wanted to, and we both know Harley doesn't count." I replied crossly, tilting my chin upward into a slant, daring her to challenge me.

"The hell she doesn't. And we'll be paired up anyhow. And to anyone." Her head inclined slightly toward Jim and I felt heat rushing to my cheeks.

"Excuse me—"

"Dips on the Penguin." A grin curved upward onto Emma's lips, all traces of previous hysteria missing from her face, leaving only smug content.

"Lord…" I had an urge to just puke all over her. Six months, and still she held strong to her steady relationship with Mr. Fictional.

"I'm a loon!" Emma suddenly piped, punching the air with her fist. I scoffed, looking toward a baffled Jim Gordon.

"No. No she isn't." I deadpanned, pausing as I glanced back to my best friend and her wild 80's do. ...And her penguin clothing. "Really." I assured him, shifting my gaze back to him.

Maybe he was real.

"Yes. Yes I am! Take me to Arkham, I want the Penguin!" She cried passionate, throwing her arms around herself.

Wrinkling my nose, I shifted my gaze, looking for something heavy to hit her with. Focus, Emma, focus! We're in goddamn Gotham. Now isn't the time to be gushing over anyone!

"Uh… who?"

"What! Whaddya mean who? He's the best criminal around!" She barked, glowering at Jim, who leaned back in surprise. He glanced in my direction, and I refused to return the notion.

"Second best." I muttered distractedly, suddenly finding amazing artwork within the metal of the table. By god.

"Second best…?" She questioned quietly, and I nodded, giving her a pointed look.

"Yeah, Joker comes in first." I answered with a lazy shrug. She scoffed, a mild look of offense forming across her face.

"But the Penguin squawks!" She defended, crossing her arms again. I rolled my eyes.

"So? Joker still beats him."

"Joker? Penguin?" Jim's voice slid through and I shot him a puzzled glance. He should at least know the Joker... right? No... No, they called him Lieutenant. Confused, I tilted my head at him. Just where in the time-line were we? He arched an eyebrow at me and I ducked my head. Oh god, why was he so cute?

"Pffft, all the Joker has going for him is the same old same old and his supposed heterosexual obsessive love for the Batman."

I wasn't sure why, but at the end of her words the both of us froze, as if we had forgotten all about the dark knight. Her eyes locked with mine, spilling across my face as her jaw dropped. I gawked back at her, realization hitting me hard across the face. Air escaped me momentarily.

Batman. ...Batman. It sounded just so... stupid at the moment. That a billionaire was running around at night. I slumped back into my seat, stunned. Batman. He was real. Real.

The realization exploded fully, hurtling a dizzy spell into me, as my body begged to collapse into it self. I suddenly felt as though I hadn't slept in days. Closing my eyes briefly, I desperately tried to bring air out of my lungs—or was it to bring air into my lungs? My thoughts jumbled together, crashing into one another painfully as sickening dread poured through me. Oh god, oh god... My pulse leapt and flew about, hitting everything in sight as my heart stammered painfully against my airless lungs. It was almost like a swarm of angry bees were circling my head. Nothing made sense. This couldn't be happening! It was impossible. I couldn't breathe, I couldn't breathe.

"Roxy!"

It was almost like a wave of water hitting me, smothering the flames that had been frantically eating me alive. I opened my eyes, refocusing on the worried expression of the oh so handsome Jim Gordon across from me, his concerned eyes pinning me back to reality causing me to sway dangerously in my seat. It was as if I suddenly forgot to hold myself upright. My shaking fingertips grasped the sides of the cold metal chair desperately for support—grasping desperately for something to keep me clinging to a reality that wasn't this.

"You… you need to breathe," a voice besides me whispered softly.

My wide eyes flickered toward him, noticing his warm hand on my shoulder as he hovered over me, and I found myself aware of my own hyperventilating. Mother of... How'd he get there…?

"Are you alright? Do you need a glass of water...?" Gordon softly murmured as I slumped back against the chair, feeling nausea as I took in deep breaths. Vaguely aware of shaking my own head, I felt him move away and leaving me to feel oddly relieved.

"Finally freaking over being a Mary Sue, huh?" Emma quipped cheerfully and with a jerk, I realized she had been standing on the other side of me. My gaze shifted upward in her direction, and I threw a weak glower that she grinned at.

"Mary Sue?" Gordon inquired as I opened and closed my mouth in silent outrage toward Emma. Why the hell wasn't she freaking out? Goddamn!

"Why..." I breathed out, wincing at my wavering voice as I struggled to sit up right. "Aren't you freaking out?" She rolled her eyes and plopped back into her seat, almost lazily.

"Well how can I when you're having a panic attack?" She asked crossing her arms as if offended. "Someone has to be calm for you. Need an inhaler?"

"Wha—" I began, confused, as I placed a hand over my steadily slowing heart beat. She leaned in closer cutting me off, her blue orbs dancing with dark intent.

"How about mouth to mouth?" She purred lowly, her gaze shifting in Gordon's direction. Sputtering, I choked on my own air.

"We're in Gotham!" I screeched back in between my coughing fit causing her to burst into a silent fit of giggles. Managing to calm myself down, pointedly refusing to look in said lieutenant's direction, I straightened myself out, pushing my features into seriousness. "Gotham, Em. We don't belong here."

Our gazes locked and my realization shifted over on to her. Blinking blankly, she slowly leaned back, stunned. Her frizzy hair seemed to be more frazzled then before, enhancing her bewildered expression to an almost comical point.

"Please, I want to help the both of you, but I need answers..."

Emma tore her gaze from mine settling on the man behind me. Tired, hungry and emotionally drained, I decided it was best to blame it all on Christian Bale.

"Do you still think we're criminals?" She wondered softly causing the muscles in my mouth to twitch upward. Gordon snorted back a laugh.

"Not really. I had a feeling when I walked in you two weren't either, but, ah..." he trailed off. "What are Mary Sues? Why do you keep repeating it?" His tone was purely curious, and I burst into laughter at the sheer idiocy of it all. It's freakin' Jim Gordon!

"Uh... well..." Emma began tilting her head to the side with thought, furrowing her brow. "Kind of like someone who is, like...um, one of the main characters in the story and is kind of clichéd. Perfect, you know? Being unrealistic and stuff..." She paused, and tossed me a pointed look. "Like when characters are suddenly pulled into fictional worlds. Right, Roxy?"

"Don't mock Fiona, she's far from Mary—"

"What do you mean by fictional and characters in a story?" Gordon cut in, taking his seat across from us again.

His words made me freeze up again, and I, vaguely, wondered if this was going to be a horrible talent of his. Emma gawked back at me in horror, looking like a cat about to be thrown into a pool.

"Oh my god, what will we do?" She whispered in a hiss like voice, panic flashing across her expression. I threw my hands up angrily.

"Do I look like the wikipedia?" I answered in the same lowered tone. "Do you think I know? That I'm just a giant source of gathering information?"

Oh so now she panics! Wrinkling her nose in displeasure she sent Gordon a look before glancing back at me, like I was suppose to know what her eye-dance meant! The nerve of it all.

"Here's the plan, we'll seduce the Penguin." She nodded with a mock confirmative.

"Oh, great, wonderful, excellent plan, we'll chill out in the Narrows until he graces us with his criminal appearance and sweeps you off your little feet."

"You aren't coming up with anything! We need a place to stay!"

"And waiting around in the cold will do us wonders! I'm sure you'll be an amazing sex god Mary Sue by the time your deformed—"

"—He isn't deformed, he's a—"

"—Squawking jerk of a—"

"—Gentleman, he's a gentleman—"

"—Nutcase who waddles like a—"

"—You have no right to call him—"

"Um, excuse me...?" Gordon's meek voice filtered through causing us, to yet again, tear our gazes from one another, and throw him a demanding look.

"What!" I snapped the same time Emma did. He leaned back startled, and held his hands up in defense.

"I, ah, I could hear you two... just so you know. For the next time, I think you guys should best stick with, ah... passing notes." He mumbled sheepishly, shifting his position in the chair, his expression turning earnest. I almost cringed at the mental image of pens and arguments flying. "So far, you aren't helping me by bickering, and I think, by the sound of it, you two really need my help. So, please... let me help you. I just need to know what's going on."

Emma turned to look at me, questioningly, hesitation brimming in her worried eyes. Shifting uncomfortable, she brought the pad of her thumb to her lip, chewing on it.

"We... we can trust him. It's Jim freakin' Gordon, if there is anyone we can trust..." I trailed off awkwardly, pulling at my right earlobe nervously.

"We can't just go around sputtering things," she whispered, her thumb lowering from her lip slightly. "Even if we can trust him, we don't know... what version this is, and what information would disturb the natural flow..."

"I can't follow what you two are trying to imply. If you don't mind, cut straight to the point." Gordon sighed, sounding only slightly annoyed. My fangirlism kicked up and I resisted the urge of throwing myself across the metal table to cling and beg him to not be annoyed at our silly antics. I don't think he'd like that very much.

"Um, okay..." Emma shifted awkwardly and glanced at me quickly. "Recently, anything... exciting happen? Anything involving... uh... Batman?"

"Does the name Harvey Dent mean anything to you?" I offered lamely with a wave of my hand, unsure of just what to ask.

"Harvey...? Well, not really. I think he's running against Phillips to be the new district attorney." Gordon answered slowly, his expression turning thoughtful briefly as I wondered who the hell Phillips was. "As for the masked vigilant known as the Batman," Emma and I exchanged amused grins at this. "He recently helped bring—"

"Is there a Rachel Dawes?" Emma suddenly cut in, leaning across the table causing her bracelets to clank against the metal. Gordon opened and closed his mouth a few times, looking rather surprised, while I sulked in my chair. I wanted to ask.

"Well," Gordon fumbled almost adorably, adjusting his glasses. "Yes, she's—"

"Fuck, it's the movie version!" Emma swore, huffing as she slapped the table with her hand, looking all the while displeased.

"Movie... what?"

"Yeah, she only appears in the movies, right? I don't remember her in the comics..." I furrowed my brow with thought, pulling my lower lip into my mouth. Emma propped herself up on one elbow, resting her cheek in the palm of her hand, rolling her eyes.

"...Comics?" Bewildered, Gordon tilted his head, staring at us.

"Oh great!" Sighing theatrically Emma threw her arms up and puffed her lower lip out, looking thoroughly dejected. Smacking my lips together loudly, I jerked my thumb in Gordon's direction, turning to face her completely.

"We can trust him." I reminded her and she rolled her eyes, irritation fluttering across her expression.

"I know that, smelly!" She snipped moodily.

"Hey!" I half wondered if it was true.

"I was complaining about being stuck with the adorably psychotic Joker. 'Cause that's what I really want." She clarified, sarcasm slapping her tones lightly. I snorted in response, deciding to not even grace her with my opinion.

"Please!" Gordon cut in annoyed. I shifted my attention back toward him. "I just want to know what's going on."

"Okay, then you can tell him that his entire existence is nothing more then something to read about out of a comic book." Emma brushed off casually and I turned to look at her in horror as she kicked her legs back and forth in a childish manner. Oh my god. Talk about putting it nicely! I slapped my forehead, and buried my face into my hands. He'll think we're crazy! She really is trying to get us into Arkham!

"What?"

"Never mind, I did that for you." She chirped cheerily. "Chin up, Roxy! Truth is out, behold my fellow mortals—"

"I... what?"

"Oh, we have proof! Your wife's name is Barbara, and you have a son—" She continued and I groaned, letting my head slam onto the cold metal table, happily embracing the headache that screeched through my now pounding head. Anything to get away from what just happened.

"—You only sound stalkerish." I muttered into the table, placing my hands over my head, willing everything to go away. This is just side affects of that popcorn, it totally had acid in it. Yup. Totally. Jim Gordon isn't across from me, I'm not in Gotham.

"Then you tell him!" Emma snapped.

"I'm sorry, but this... is a little hard to believe."

"Yeah, you're tellin' us. Imagine winding up somewhere you thought fictional? Real sanity killer, huh?"

"We do have proof." I lifted my head, resting my chin on the table, side glancing the cheerfully annoyed Emma. "Em, your cellphone. Don't you have a Dark Knight trailer on it?" Realization lit in her blue eyes and died just as quickly. Sternly, she tilted her chin upward into a slant, working on her jaw.

"You Know Who's identity—" she began with a growl and I shook my head, sitting up slowly, now thinking myself utterly stupid for hitting my head the way I had. Goddamn. I hate headaches.

"No, no, show it up to the whole 'knives and lint' part."

"Yeah, okay. Because I totally didn't have my cellphone taken away."

"I'll... I'll get it."

Emma and I glanced up at Gordon who had stood silently, looking rather awkward and confused.

"Wait," I called causing him to hesitate at the metal door, his head tilting to glance over his shoulder with respectful curiosity. I propped my elbows on the metal table. "Why are we here in the first place? I mean, what are we… charged… with?"

"You know I was just thinking that!" Emma threw out, snapping her fingers, turning to look at the lieutenant as well. A small smile curved upward onto his lips and he adjusted his glasses.

"With the possibility of knowing something you shouldn't." He answered quietly. "Detective Billin and Young spotted the two of you, as they said, appearing on a dark street, mentioning Batman…" He paused, glanced between the two of us, and grinned slyly. "They thought you were, ah, in cahoots with the Batman and knew his identity."

With that, he slid outside of the room leaving me feeling suddenly anxious.