Heaven and Hell (working title)
Prologue
Eight years ago . . .
Bruce Wayne stared over at the fiery-eyed woman standing a few feet in front of him, a small grin teasing his lips. He'd never seen a woman quite like her; never seen someone that could be quite his equal, both in martial arts and wit. The woman panted slightly, her body in a relaxed stance.
She had just flipped one of his classmates over her shoulder; right after elbowing him in the side and slamming the back of her head into his chin.
"What the hell was that?" the man asked incredulously.
The woman adjusted the straps to her backpack, shrugging her thin shoulders slightly. "That, you jerk, was for grabbing me. I don't appreciate morons like you touching me."
He touched his lip, and then withdrew his hand. He stared down at his fingertips and then looked back up at her. "I'm bleeding!"
"And you'll be doing more than just bleeding if you touch me again."
Bruce laughed to himself. He could not wait to see what would happen next.
The man stood up slowly, wiping the blood from his chin. "I can't believe you hit me."
"You grabbed my butt, you jackass," she crossed her arms over her chest. "What did you honestly think would happen?"
"You bitch."
One of his friends grabbed his shoulder. "Kevin, dude, let it go."
"Yeah Kevin, let it go." She replied sarcastically.
Bruce's eyes narrowed as he saw Kevin clench both fists. He closed the book that he had been reading and set it aside slowly. He did not like where this was going. In a flash he was beside the two. His hand shot out as Kevin lashed out, stopping the fist from connecting with the young woman's jaw. "You shouldn't hit women," he stated.
The woman's eyes flicked to him. "I don't need your help."
Kevin turned to him, anger evident in his eyes. "This doesn't concern you, rich boy. Go away."
"I was just offering you advice," Bruce replied.
"And I said it doesn't concern you," Kevin spat out, shoving Bruce back by pushing him with an open palm in the chest.
Bruce brushed off the shove, stepping back with the push. "Fine. Have it your way."
"You really should have paid attention to him," the woman stated, grabbing Kevin by the shoulders and kneeing him in the groin. "It might have saved your dignity."
Bruce flinched as Kevin fell to the sidewalk, his eyes wide with pain. "Ouch," he said as the woman began to walk by.
"He deserved it."
"So I noticed." He paused, turning to walk next to her. "That was a good throw. Where'd you learn it?"
She stopped walking for a moment to turn to him. "From my father."
Bruce nodded, suddenly at a loss for words. "Ah, well. Do you want to go for coffee, or something?"
She turned to him, a small smile crossing her full lips. "I'm not sure that would be a good idea. It wouldn't fit your image, would it?"
Bruce's eyebrows furrowed. "Image?"
"You know, rich boy seen with normal college girl wouldn't look very good."
"Who cares what other people think? And who's to say I'm rich?"
She smiled at him again, her smile turning almost pitying. "Everyone knows who you are Mr. Wayne. You're in all the papers. I just don't think it would be wise. They'd claim I was after your money."
"Are you?"
"Of course not."
"Then what does it matter?"
"Every girl has her secrets Mr. Wayne."
Bruce smirked at her. "And what are yours?"
She leaned into him, placing one hand on his chest and leaning up to whisper in his ear. "My own," she whispered. Then she kissed his cheek and turned away from him, walking slowly away.
Bruce watched her walk away, her long blonde hair swaying behind her. "Wait," he called out. "Wait, what's your name?"
She did not even pause to look behind her. "Heaven."
The present . . .
Batman crouched silently on the rooftop, his dark eyes scanning the buildings around him. His thoughts kept returning to the woman he had met during college all those years ago; one of the only women who had been in his thoughts for the last few years. The other of course being Rachel Dawes. But Rachel was gone now. She had shown him that when she walked away from him by the ruins of his home. Part of him would always care for her, he knew that. But another part of him would always remember the woman who walked away from him.
She had intrigued him all those years ago. He had only know her for a few minutes, only spoken with her for a moment, but something about her had grabbed hold of his mind and never let him forget her. Perhaps one of the things that had kept her in his mind all these years was that she had left him with only a name . . .
"Heaven," he whispered.
"I beg your pardon?" a voice said through the microphone in his cowl.
Batman shook his head slightly. "Nothing," he growled. "Anything on the scanner, Alfred?"
There was silence on the other end of the headset. "Not as of . . . oh, wait. A security alarm in the HawthorneMuseum has just been triggered. Why, might I ask, do people always go after museums?"
Batman's lips twitched. "No idea, Alfred. I'll go check it out."
"You do that. I think I'll go watch the news. I'm sure I'll see you on it."
Batman did not respond, merely reached onto his utility belt and grabbed hold of his grappling hook and pointed it at the nearest building.
Time to go to work.
AN: Okay, bear with me. This is my first Batman fic. I hope that you all liked it. And I hope that you review! Please, tell me anything I can fix or change. I hope you all enjoyed!