Important Note: This is set about seven months after the Dark Knight. I don't own anything from the DC Universe. And I also appreciate reviews, so please read and tell me what you think. Thanks.
Redemption
Prologue;
I used to be able to tell the time according to the streets.
Traffic meant five.
Shops closing meant seven.
Streets vendors packing up for the night meant nine.
Groups of rowdy teenagers meant eleven.
Drug dealers meant one and prostitutes meant two.
I didn't usually fall asleep until there were some decent people back on the streets. That meant that I would be waiting up until four, when the bakers and café owners would turn their lights on. Now, everything is different. Things have been ever since the Joker came to town a few months ago. People started staying in, afraid of what might happen to them. I was scared too, you know, that I might just fall asleep in the wrong place one night and never wake up. Someone would see my face on the morning news, all cut up and painted like a clown out of hell. But I had no where to go. And if I ended up dead, nobody watching the news while they ate breakfast would recognize me.
Well…he might.
He's how I keep time now. He visits me every night at ten, but I think he's late tonight. I really wish I had a watch or something. I sit down on the curb, under the street lamp, in plain view for him. I'm not worried about rapists or muggers anymore. Even with the Joker locked up in Arkham, no one comes outside. After nine o'clock he and I have the streets all to ourselves.
"Cassie?"
I don't bother standing or turning around. I just wave, a simple gesture, which kind of contradicts the entire nature of the relationship between him and me. I don't hear him come up behind me, his footsteps trained to be silent. He sits down next to me in a different ensemble than I'm used to. He's wearing jeans and, ironically, a red and green striped shirt. I can't help but to smile at how cute that is.
I rest my head on his shoulder as he drapes an arm around my waist. I figure there's no point in looking up at his face, as I've memorized every detail and contour. I breathe in, smelling the fresh scent of his favourite body wash. I can feel his fingers twitching against my back and I smirk.
"What do you want to tell me?" I ask, finally looking up and seeing his messy dark hair falling in front of his deep blue eyes; his black mask. He laughs and places a light kiss on top of my head.
"You can read me like an open book, you know that?"
"I know," I smile, "But don't be too flattered. I do it to everyone."
"He wants to meet you. Tomorrow night."
"Where?" I ask, unsure if he can hear my heartbeat thundering in my chest.
"Wherever you'll be at ten," he winks and stands up, pulling me with him. Once we're standing, he leans forward and his familiar lips find mine. My arms snake up and around his neck, but he pulls away.
"I can't stay tonight," he tells me, "Are you sure you don't want a hotel or something, just for the night?"
"I'll be fine," I reply, "I always am."
"Right," he kisses me one more time before turning and disappearing into the shadows. Sighing, I sit down and realize that I forgot to ask him what time it is. Oh well, no matter what he would have said, the rest of the night is going to crawl by, especially considering that tomorrow, I'm going to come face to face with Gotham's own Caped Crusader.