(Hello wonderful people! I hope you enjoy my story!! 3
A/N: I don't own The Dark Knight)
Fear was my main emotion. It was the one I experienced most often and the one that hit the strongest. My anxiety levels were sky high and sometimes I had panic attacks. It didn't help either when my father got a new job. It wasn't just the fact that my father wasn't the most coordinated person alive, but it was the actual job I feared. My father was now a clumsy doctor for insane people. Yes, that's right, he now worked at Arkham Asylum. The crazy house for Gotham's loonies. My parents noticed my worry and told me that everything was fine. They said they were the parents and I was the 18 year old daughter so it wasn't my job to worry. I went on pretending to listen but the fear was always there.
Turns out, my father was very good at his job. Still, the fear was there, sitting in the pit of my stomach. Anything could happen. I still remember the worst fear I ever felt. It was one particular day in May. I had already graduated from high school and I was definitely excited for my last free summer. I was hoping to hang with friends 24/7.
So that morning I woke up and it was a bright, sunny day. It was 11:00a.m because I had a tendency to sleep in. I slipped out of bed and trudged downstairs. My mother had already left for work and my father was busy making coffee.
"Hello daddy-dearest," I chirped, plopping down in a chair.
He grinned and ruffled my already messy hair.
"Hey Squirt."
"How come you're still here?" I asked curiously.
"Well, Diamond, I go in late today."
I grimaced at the sound of my full name. I never understood why my parents named me after a rock.
"Dad, please call me D. Diamond sounds so stuck up," I begged.
"Diamond is the name on your birth certificate and it's the name I'm going to call you by," he gave me a stern look.
I jutted out my bottom lip and instantly his face softened. Since I his only child, my father hated making me unhappy. While I was glad of the advantage, it made me feel spoiled. So a lot of times, I let things go. I wasn't always my parents' only child though. I had a twin, a twin sister. She died during delivery and my mother didn't want to try again. They said they still loved me, though, with all their hearts. I still wonder what it would've been like with a twin. Her name would've been Ruby or Crystal, knowing my parents. Or maybe we both would've both been named normally. My father always tells me I was named Diamond because I was the jewel of their lives. Sounds kind of corny, but sweet.
"I'm thinking about getting a job this summer," I said.
My father stopped pouring his coffee. His face had that look where he's determined and excited. He turned around to face me.
"How would you feel about being an intern at Arkham?" he asked me.
I nearly spat out the orange juice I was drinking.
"A-Arkham?" I practically yelped.
My head was reeling. Me work at the place that all the crazy people are kept? The funny farm? I set my glass down and looked up at him. He looked positively thrilled by the idea. It would break his heart if I refused. He really liked this idea.
"That…sounds…interesting," I lied, flashing him a forced smile.
He clapped his hands, grinning like a maniac. I chuckled weakly.
"Great! Your mother already gave her consent. You can come today!" he said excitedly.
"Oh, yay," I mumbled.
"Come on, come on. Eat Squirt! We have to go soon!" he laughed.
I sighed, smiling faintly and got up.
*~*
After barely eating my breakfast, I flitted up the stairs to my room. I looked into my full length mirror at myself. My strawberry blonde hair was a disheveled wreck. It stuck up in every direction, in crazy curls. My cerulean blue eyes were on the verge of insanity, crazy from fear. Throw me a lab coat and I could be a mad scientist. I slipped on a pair of faded jeans and a white ruffle blouse. I ran a brush through my rat's nest of hair until it relatively straight. I pulled it back into a high ponytail, out of my eyes. I put my phone and wallet into my pocket and grabbed a pencil and paper. I flew down the stairs to my impatient father, who was blaring the car horn. I laced up my tennis shoes while my father drove us off to our deaths.
"You excited?" he asked giddily.
"Oh yeah…," I used sun glasses to cover up the visible fear in my eyes.
"It's your lucky day. We're getting a new inmate today. You can sit in on the interview if you like!" he exclaimed.
"Oh joy," I muttered, almost inaudibly.
I looked at the mop of blonde hair that adorned my father's head.
"Did you even brush your hair dad?" I asked.
"What? Oh no, it doesn't matter," he ran a hand through his hair.
I rolled my eyes. Great, embarrassed by my father on the first day. We pulled up to Arkham Asylum. It was a huge, foreboding building. There weren't any windows, so the inmates couldn't escape. My father pulled into a parking space marked R. Queen. Yes, my last name is Queen. So I am Diamond Queen. Stuck-up much? Yea, I hate my name.
"Dr. Queen, good morning!" we were greeted by a small, pudgy man. He was balding slightly with dark brown hair and milky gray eyes.
"Hello Dr. Moody!" my father grinned brightly.
"Who do we have here?" Dr. Moody questioned, eyes locked on me.
"This is my daughter, Diamond," my father said.
I flinched slightly under his gaze. I gave the best, polite smile I could muster and waved.
"Hello," I said quietly.
"Don't worry! My name doesn't describe my personality!" his laughter boomed out.
I couldn't help but smile.
We said goodbye to Dr. Moody and made out way inside.
My father led the way, introducing me to people along the way. I hated it. The whole place creeped me out. The hallways were hospital-like, with doctors and nurses bustling about. Then we started passing inmates. The first ones, dad explained, were the smaller criminals. Robbers, gang-members, and drug dealers. If the small ones scared me, I was terrified to see the big ones.
I noticed that there was a lot more security as we got further down. Eventually I saw the giant glass windows of the big ones' cells. I peered tentatively around, catching glimpses of the inmates. I avoided eyes of any inmates and ignored some of the obnoxious calls.
"Hey, we got new meat," cackled a guy with fiery red hair.
"Just ignore them Diamond. They can't hurt you," my father assured me.
"Ooh, Diamond's your name? It fits you, beautiful," he chuckled.
"Behave Edward," my father warned.
"Yes, sir," he mocked saluted.
We continued our walk when I noticed a cellar-like door made of metal in the ground.
"Hey dad," I tugged on his sleeve, "What's that for?"
He glanced at the door.
"Oh, that's where we keep Killer Croc." He said.
(A/N: Well there ya go! The first chapter! R&R)