DISCLAIMER: Nothing belongs to me except my original character and idea; everything else belongs to Christopher Nolan and his great team of writers and producers. I make no money from this.

Author's Note: Hello, Lovelies! How are you? I am fine. I present to you and new and improved (I hope) "Haunted People". Please tell me what you think if you can be bothered logging in. Thanks for all your support and enjoy! Xoxo

It's been at least two years since I've left Gotham.

I never wanted to come back but Abigail, my sister, needed me. She got in deep with the Gotham underground scene and tonight I was picking her up from the hospital.

God, I hate hospitals! I hate that old smell, those stupid vending machines, but I fucking hate walking down those white hallways, and you don't know what the hell to expect when you finally find that numbered door and open it.

This was the third time I was in a hospital: When I was visiting my parents after they had the car crash, when my fiancé was attacked and now when my sister was admitted. I hated hospitals most of all because of the fact that my parents and fiancé both died in one.

I sighed and finally found Abi's room and walked in. When I saw her I was shocked; she was beautiful and healthy last time I saw her, now most of her beauty was gone and she was extremely unhealthy. What happened to that Cherub who kept smiling all the time?

She looked at me with her blue eyes and smiled weakly. "Oh, hi, Beth."

I smiled back at her and sat in the chair beside her bed. "Hey, kiddo, how are you feeling?"

"Better, you? You look so different," she said, sounding raspy and excited.

I frowned and looked down at myself; I was wearing a cream trench coat, a 'Beatles' graphic T-Shirt, black jeans and bright, blue ankle boots. "Thanks. You look different, too, my sweet."

She rolled her eyes painfully. "Obviously I look the way a junkie should."

"Fuck that 'junkie' shit, you're clean now, babe…aren't you?"

She looked sad and then nodded. "Yeah, I reckon. I'm so sorry you had to come back here. Shoulda moved away when you did."

I got off my chair and cupped her face in my hands. "Honey, you do realise you're my only living relative, right? I came back because I love you. Tomorrow, I can take you to my apartment so, please, don't cry now."

I sat back on the chair and she looked at me still sad. "Do you hate me for what I've done? Do you think me any different now?"

I tsked. "Oh, honey, you just fell in with the wrong crowd. I only care about what you can do now to get your life back on track, you understand?"

"Visiting hours are over for Miss. Snow," I heard a nurse say from behind me.

"Sorry, kid, I gotta go," I said getting up.

"I wish I had an apartment right in the middle of Gotham to go to," she said, smiling.

"Yeah, yeah, well you get a job like mine and you'll get perks… I'll seeya tomorrow," I said and walked out of the room and to the carpark, where my dark blue Mustang was waiting for me.

I wasn't looking forward to going to the apartment because it made me think about how all of Justin's stuff would be there. Justin was my soul mate without a doubt; he was my neighbour and friend since I was fourteen and had been my boyfriend since I was fifteen. He asked me to marry him the night he died.

Shortly after his death I travelled all over the world, to let him go I suppose, and finally I came back and settled in Chicago two weeks ago. Then a nurse at Gotham General called me and told me what happened to Abigail; she had become an eighteen-year-old prostitute who had an overdose.

I got to my new apartment complex and parked my car in the communal garage. I used my key-card to unlock the door and went up to my room with my luggage in hand. I unlocked the door, but hesitated as to going inside.

I sighed, bit the bullet and opened the door. I turned on the lights and looked around, looking at the cardboard boxes I knew were full of clothes and photos. I came into the bedroom and dropped my stuff on the floor then fell on the bed in exhaustion. I lay on that bed for about a minute and then I saw something on the bedside table: it was a photo of Justin and me together. I sighed and thought about him. Was it funny that I still wore the engagement ring he slipped on my finger that night?

My cell phone vibrated in my pocket and I knew who it was before I even saw caller I.D. "Good evening, Lucius."

"Good evening to you, too, Bethany. Welcome back to Gotham," he said in his usual smooth voice.

"Thanks, and thanks for the apartment as well. I can tell you put it together for me—should I tell Bruce Wayne you're quitting your job and becoming an interior decorator now?" I asked, sitting up.

He laughed on the other end of the phone. "I would like to, but I know when I shouldn't quit my day job. Mr Wayne has asked to meet you the day after tomorrow."

"Well, give me the details, Lu."

There was a hesitation from him. "Nine-thirty at night; there's going to be a fundraiser at Wayne Tower, Formal attire, of course."

"Formal! No way, Lucius, I can't," I told him, trying my best not to have a minor panic attack.

"You have to come, Bethany," he sighed, as if there was nothing he could do about it. "Don't worry, I'll be there and I've already bought your dress."

"You think I can handle it? Be honest."

"I know you can and you'll like it, too. I'll send a car over for you that night to pick you up, and the dress is in the closet with the jewellery and shoes," he said and then quickly added: "Oh, you also have a hair and make-up appointment at five-thirty the same day, there'll be a car for that, too. Goodnight!" He hung up before I could protest.

"Fuck that," I said and tossed my phone to my side…

Lucius and I met one afternoon in New York City straight after I left Gotham, where we were both on the steps of the Metropolitan Museum, and I bumped into him. It was a strong enough bump to knock the paper I had drawn on out of my hands, and so he picked them up for me, but kept staring at them. The armour exhibit had made me think up what new age armour would look like, and so I drew my ideas down. It was stupid really, but I was offered a job to start designing more armour and weapons if I could. Two months later I realised I was designing for the famous Batman…

After a few minutes of touching and smelling Justin's clothes in the boxes, I brushed my teeth, changed into my pyjamas (a sloppy Joe and some leggings) and crawled into bed, just wanting to get warm and sleep…

I woke up the next morning very late and not really wanting to get out and do anything. Then I remembered Abi and practically jumped into the shower. I changed into black tights, a dark blue, denim pencil skirt that reached just below my knees, a T-Shirt with the movie poster of "Jaws" on it and black ankle boots with a small heel.

I locked the apartment, putting on my black leather bomber jacket before I left went shopping, buying groceries for me and Abi and then I drove at 3:30pm to the hospital to pick Abi up. I helped her into my car and put her stuff in the trunk, then came back to my apartment. She felt tired so I helped her into the guest bed and let her sleep and then I fell back asleep as well.

It was dark outside when I woke up and looked to be freezing. Abigail had been so quiet, God, she must have been so tired. I went to check on her and see if she needed anything and then I would make a fast dinner for us.

When I got to the bedroom, Abi was gone. I saw a note she had written on some scrap paper, it read: 'Sorry, B. Owe Russians 6k, need to work it off or they'll find and kill me. A'

I huffed in annoyance and then I raced around my apartment to get my car keys then then left. In these types of situations, a person would usually call the police. Too bad the police in Gotham were corrupt.

I tried obeying the speed limit, but I went at least seven miles over. I stopped at various ATMs to withdraw six thousand dollars in large bills (it took a while, too) and stuffed it in my bag. I knew of a night club that the Russian mob owned, maybe she would be in the dark alleyway beside it to be clichéd. I parked my car a little ways away and then ran along the street and stopped at the mouth of the alley. There were five huge security-type guys there and they each gave me the Eye as I walked down. I hated to admit it, but I was scared. Up ahead I saw dealers and junkies doing their thing, among the junkies I saw my sister.

"Abi!" I called and ran towards her, but I was almost immediately stopped by 'guards'. I struggled and caused enough commotion to make the ring leader come over. The other dealers and junkies scurried back into the night club; the loud House music's bass making a buzzing sound.

"What you doin' here, sweet cakes?" He asked, inhaling and exhaling smoke from his cigarette. He was around his mid 40's with oily, black hair and a stubble beard with a thick Russian accent.

The guards patted me down then let me go and I stood there, with everyone watching me silently. "I'm here to take my sister home, then I'm leaving," I told him, taking confidence in my words.

The leader laughed, looked at Abi and then back at me. "Your sister owes us mah-ney!"

"And I have that money!" I said, throwing the cash at his feet. "Six grand, all there."

He picked it up and flipped through the wad of money, quickly inspecting the inside bills. He looked at me, then Abi and smiled at her. "Looks like someone had paid your debt, Little One," he said and motioned the security to release her and brought her beside me.

"Beth, I'm so sorry!" Abi whispered frantically to me.

"Apologise later, now we go." We turned round and began to walk away, giving death stares to the guards, then the Russian called behind us.

"Wait!"

We stopped and turned around to see what the hell he could want now. I saw him look me up and down, then his eyes rested upon my hand. Curious to see what he was staring at, I looked down at my hand too. I saw my diamond ring, I tried to hide by bringing my hand up to my chest, but it was far too late for that. Damn it, why the fuck didn't I take it off?

"Such a beautiful ring. An antique, I can tell. My girlfriend wants a ring just like that. Give me that ring."

I frowned. "No! I gave you the money she owed, but this is mine. Buy your own ring!"

The Russian sighed and nodded to the guards. I knew what was happening, so I tried to make a dash for it with Abi, but it was too late. I struggled but there were three tall and strong Russian dudes holding me, so of course it was of no real use. The Russian came up to me and was about to take the ring when five gunshots went off.

The men holding me fell to the ground and I whimpered with fear, even though I was not the one who was shot. What the hell just happened? I couldn't move and I heard Abi crying, as the two men holding her fell too and she came running into my arms. I didn't want to look behind me and my heart was well over one hundred and fifty beats per minute.

"What-uh is going on here?"

There was a voice around five meters behind me. The voice was male, nasally and guttural—definitely American, not Russian.

"Nothing, Boss!" The Russian shouted and I could tell he was afraid.

I heard the man sigh and shoot the Russian dead. "Don't lie to me," I heard the man behind us breathing, but he did not say anything for several moments.

Abi started to cry and I felt her tears run down my neck. "Shh, Abi. Come on, it's gonna be okay," I lied; I really didn't know if it was gonna be okay or not. I turned around, keeping Abi close, and slowly started to walk to the exit of the alley.

"Where-uh do you think you're going?"

I stopped dead in my tracks and tried to find the man, but there was just darkness. "Hey, whoever you are, don't shoot us; we aren't your enemy," I paused, only to listen to silence. I decided to speak again. "Thank-you for helping us."

"Oh, I helped you because my guys weren't doing their jobs. Being greedy is not ac-cep-table." My legs began shaking uncontrollably. He must have seen this and cracked up laughing, his laugh sending shivers down my spine.

"You're scared of li'l old me?" He laughed again then, he stopped suddenly, as if he came to a sudden realisation. "Wait, tell me your name."

"Beth Snow," I told the shadows.

There was an eerily silence for at least a minute. "Beth Snow...?" He whispered something I couldn't hear.

I had enough bullshit for one night. "Look, my sister and I just want to go home. I didn't come here to have people being killed; I just wanted my sister. I don't know who you are, but you're so lucky I can't identify you. Now, because of you, I have to go to Gotham PD and report this, even though I don't want to. But, um…thanks again for all your help, though."

"Don't thank me," was all I could hear then there was no sound at all.

I called out to him. "Are you there?" I waited for half a minute in the cold with no words. Finally, I realised he was gone and that he couldn't hurt us.

I turned to Abigail and said: "Okay, let's go." We quickly ran out of the alleyway and down the street to my car.

"Oh my God, I'm so sorry, Beth!" Abi said as she hopped in the passenger seat.

I turned on the engine and ripped out of there as fast as I could. "Goddammit, Abi! You risked your life for some empty threat! Fuck! We are so lucky that guy didn't kill us!"

"I was scared! I said I was sorry, what more do you want?"

I sighed as I turned a corner. "Just promise me you won't leave the apartment without telling me again?"

"Yes, of course!"

"Okay, then. Gotham PD here we come."