Hello all, this is a prequel to 'I Promise, I'll Be Good' you could however read this first and that second or vice versa, I hope you all enjoy.

Chapter One

Lena had been 'living' well more like surviving in Gotham for the last 4 months, it had been a warm summer when she arrived and it was now the dead of winter. Being from the south, Lena didn't exactly have cold weather clothes on hand with her, she layered several sweaters whenever she went out. But the chill of the winter always seemed to freeze her down to the bones, how she hadn't got sick had been nothing sort of a miracle.

Due to only being sixteen there were few places willing to hire her and god knows she had been trying to get a job but the only places willing to hire where seedy clubs or brothels. There were few things Lena had been good at but singing had been one of them, despite her father often telling her 'That's a waste of time, where's singing going to get you?"

So with her bright idea Lena dressed herself in her Sunday best plus a few extra sweaters and made her way to the downtown area. Lena sang songs primarily from the 50's and 60's mostly, new music had never been her style perhaps it was because her parents had been older than most when she was born. People stopped to listen, some even left a dollar or two in the hat she had placed on the floor. She thanked everyone of them, in the first few days she had somehow made enough money to rent a tiny room.

Whereas before she had been staying in a woman's shelter, having lied about being abused but it was either lie or starve. The room wasn't huge but it held a bed and a microwave and that was enough. After a month or so of singing on the same street corner she began to make good money well maybe not good but enough to survive on. The first thing she splashed out on was a warm winter coat and a good hot chocolate.

Lena had gained a few fans, ones who came to see her every week and she recognised them all despite Gotham being a busy city. Being from a small southern town made her appreciate the anonymity of the big city but sometimes she longed for the familiarity. For people she knew and that knew her, people who would stop her and ask her about certain events in her life.

It had been six months now since Lena had started singing on the street and it had been two weeks since a man in a black suit had been coming to see her sing every day. Lena wondered who he was of course she could have just delved into his mind but she hated doing that although sometimes she couldn't always control it.

The voices in her head however seemed to grow louder each day, not always being able to silence them. Her mind had been a scary place for a long time although she tried not to dwell on it.

The darkness of the night was starting to draw in and that was when Lena would call it a day. She made her way to her favourite cafe ordering a lemon and honey tea, selecting a table in the bag she sipped at the tea. Wondering whether she should treat herself to the last blueberry muffin that sat on the counter.

"Go on, we deserve it we did good today." The more reasonable of the voices soothed away her indecision. Smiling to herself Lena decided that it would be okay to splurge on the small muffin. She made her way up to the counter, but someone had beat her too it, she sighed. It had been the man in the suit the once who had been watching her.

"Here... you can take it." The tall stranger held out the paper bag that contained the muffin.

"No it's okay, you've already paid, but can I get another lemon and honey to go please?" Lena quickly took her drink from the barista leaving the correct amount of money on the counter before she made for a quick exit.

"Wait...my boss he wants you to drop by his club, he wants a singer." The tall stranger called out to Lena as she made her getaway.

The stranger managed to catch her up, tapping her on the shoulder, Lena whipped round gun in hand.

"That's a big gun for a little girl, look I don't want no trouble." The stranger held his hands up in surrender.

"I'm not a little girl." Lena's voice wavered slightly as she spoke.

"Sure, I'm Johnny by the way, look my boss's lady likes the way you sing wants you to come down to the club." Johnny attempted to reason with Lena, watching as her expression softened.

"I'm sorry, I didn't mean too; you know wave a gun in your face." She was apologetic but you could never be too careful in Gotham.

"It's fine, look it's a Monday night the club will be quite, I'll escort you there myself, it ain't too far." Johnny now tried to thaw the icy atmosphere.

"I'm a little tired, tomorrow I'm taking the day off, look here's my address come by and I'll go see your boss." Having already stowed the gun away in her coat, she took out a pen pulling his hand toward her she scrubbed her address down. Johnny stood in somewhat disbelief watching as Lena turned and walked off.

The walk to her apartment hadn't taken as long as usual which Lena was grateful for because the temperature had seemingly dropped a few degrees by the time she reached her door. Lena shed her many layers before pulling a blanket around her shoulders and heading towards the fridge.

"Tomato or chicken?" She whispered softly to herself, the decision was quick last night was chicken so tonight it would be tomato.

The soup was heating through in the microwave, Lena flicked through the newspaper not particularly interested but it was enough for her brain to remain stimulated enough so that she would fall asleep in her dinner. The microwave let out an annoying high pitched repeated beep to signal that it was done. Lena ate her soup by her window observing the busy street below.

It was well past midnight before Lena turned in for the night the sounds of sirens lulled her too sleep, her sleep was fitful as always. She often woke early stretching her arms as high as she could feel the muscles in her sides strain. The alarm clock read 5:24, she sighed laying back down in bed attempting to fall back to sleep. The attempt must have worked because it was 8:32 the next time Lena glanced over at the clock, she pulled herself out of bed and stumbled towards the bathroom. She pulled off the oversized T-shirt she often wore to sleep in and dropped it into the waiting hamper along with her undergarments.

The steam of the hot water of the shower soon filled the small bathroom, Lena stepped into the scalding stream only to quickly turn the knob to adjust the temperature. The strawberry scent of her shampoo filled her senses as she massaged it into her scalp. The rest of her routine was soon done as she stepped out the shower into her steamy bathroom, wrapping herself in s slightly threadbare towel. Lena dried her hair quickly before pulling it into a messy bun as she left the bathroom.

Lena glanced around her small studio apartment letting it a loud sigh as she did. It wasn't much but it was home, it was still early, the stranger or Johnny as he had introduced himself to her probably wouldn't appear until well into the evening. Which meant she had the day to do the things she loved. Lena spent ten minutes dressing and making herself look somewhat presentable before pulling on her coat placing her purse on the inside pocket, grabbing her keys as she passed the hook by the door.

She headed straight for her favourite cafe for her daily fix of lemon and honey tea. Lena watched the world pass by for a little while before deciding to move on to her next destination. The Gotham gallery was a ten-minute walk away as Lena wasn't in a hurry she took in the architecture of the vast buildings as she walked by them. Lena had yet to realise a familiar person following her every move or at least the person didn't think she had realised.

Stopping short of the gallery's main entrance turning to look around her, noticing immediately the stranger from the night before.

"He's going to kill us, that's why he's following us."

"Not kill us, but it is a little odd that he's following us, his boss must be someone important."

"Do you think he's going to follow us all day?" The voices in Lena's head spoke quickly and seemingly all at once causing the stabbing pains to begin once more. She rubbed her temples far harder than was necessary but I did the trick and with a 'POP' the voices were gone.

Taking a deep breath Lena walked through the grand entrance nodding to the security guard who recognised her from her weekly visits. The gallery was somewhere that the voices didn't usually appear which made it a pleasant place to be. Lena made straight for the section containing the old masters, it took her breathe away that these were paintings yet they looked just like photographs.

She took a seat in the middle of the gallery glancing around at all the paintings drinking in all their details.

"Why here?" A voice spoke from beside her, Lena turned to see Johnny the now familiar stranger.

"I come here every week, I find it soothing." Not like she was about to tell a near stranger about the voices in her head.

"Right." Came the short sharp reply, just like her father used to when he thought what she said was stupid. Lena could feel the panic rise in her body, because after the short reply would come a fist or the belt.

"I don't. I mean it's stupid...Idontknowwhyicomeherebutforsomereasonsyhevoicesstopandgivemequietsicomehereeveryweekforabreak." Lena spoke stumbling over her words, quickly trying to give explanation so as to avoid the oncoming punishment. Johnny just looked at her, somewhat amused by her outburst.

Flashback

"What have I told you before young lady."

"But daddy I didn't meant too...daddy please I promise I'll do better I promise I'll be good." The young girl shrieked as the belt whipped at her small back.

"Momma, I promise I'll be good." Another slap of the belt followed along with five of six others. The young girl sobbed on the floor as the door to her room was locked.

She cried out for her big brother but he would never come he hadn't been home in four years; no letters no phone calls she was alone now. The abuse started many years ago before that both emotional and physical, her father was the worst, her mother never seemed to know what was going on.

Her mother had been beaten into submission years ago and now it was her turn. The voices had just begun, they tried to soothe her make her feel like she was worth something. But that would never be the case.

Despite all of what happened to the young girl she was still so naive so trusting of people.

End of Flashback

"I ain't going to hurt you ya know." He spoke quietly for some reason he felt the need to soothe her.

"I'm sorry." The apology rolled off Lena's tongue sincerely as always, it was a word she always meant because not meaning it usually meant pain.

"The boss said he wants to see you sooner rather than later; it's his lady's birthday wants you to sing at the party Saturday night." Johnny watched as the anxiety physically left her body as it became less rigid.

"Oh, really? Okay." Lena spoke softly, the anxiety mixed with the flashbacks always took a lot out of her. There was something in Johnny that at that moment wanted to kiss her but he decided that this wasn't the time.

"Cars waiting." Johnny stood and bang making his way out of the large gallery, he wondered if she knew that there was a whole gallery the other side of town dedicated to the old masters. He shook the thought out of his head checking over his shoulder to make sure she was following him.

The car was a black Rolls Royce, it was one of the fanciest cars Lena had even seen and she would be getting to ride in it. Johnny held the passenger side door open for her, she hesitated suddenly conscious that she would dirty the interior in some way.

"Well, get in then." Johnny sensed how uncomfortable she was but he didn't have time to wait for her to get over it. Lena stepped into the car carefully trying to touch as little as possible, she looked around the car. Noting that the inside was just as luxurious as the outside.

A few seconds later Johnny had slipped into the driver's seat seeming completely blasé to her wide eyed expression.

"Just some things about Mr J, he doesn't like shaking hands, keep eye contact to a minimum, speak clearly, do what he says most importantly don't be rude to his lady." Johnny gazed over at Lena who he knew hadn't heard a word she had said, she was too busy concentrating on not touching anything.

Lena had heard the name 'Mr J' being carried on the wind of the streets, he was the man to go to if you ever needed anything or had a problem that needed fixing. The car journey hadn't been long before they had pulled up outside of the 'Grin and Bare it', Lena noted that in small letter beneath it said strip club. Her eyes opened wide, hugging herself as if trying to cover as much as herself in the process.

Johnny stifled a laugh as he watched her reaction, he slipped out of the now parked car before walking round and opening the door for Lena, who climbed carefully out taking a deep breath as she went.

"You heard me right? About what I said in the car...I can't help you if you mess up." Johnny knew he'd feel bad if anywhere were to happen to Lena. She simply nodded as she followed him inside the club, it wasn't what Lena had in mind when she thought of a strip club. Girls danced around poles, Lena watched in amazement as the girls twirled deftly around the poles with what seemed like very little effort.
"Wait here." Johnny had led them to a set of double doors, knocking loudly before entering the unseen room. Lena watched the clock on the adjacent wall as the minutes ticked by.

"What's a pretty little thing like you doing in a place like this?" A young woman appeared out of nowhere, Lena noticed that the ends of her hair was two toned red and blue.
"Oh…I have a meeting with the boss?" Lena seemed unsure of herself and the woman picked up on it.

"How long ya been waitin'?"
"Oh not long." Lena glanced at the clock and it had been 23 minutes exactly since Johnny had left her waiting there.
"Well it's too long, I'm gonna go ruffle some feathers, nice to meet ya." The young woman entered the room, the door closed behind her just as quickly as it had opened.

"He's ready to see you now." Johnny appeared through the door again, as a bone chilling laugh could be heard behind the door.

End of Chapter

Thank you all for reading and I hope you enjoyed the chapter, any feedback would be greatly appreciated.