Chapter 1

Haley's P.O.V

My name is Haley Powell. A 25 year old with brown hair and green eyes, yep that's me. During the day I work as a forensic scientist, but at night I join dance clubs. No, not exotic dancing if you think I try to earn a little extra cash on the side. Street dancing. Since I was younger I was always interested in street. Heck I even used to practice in my bedroom in front of the mirror. My mom tried to get me to do ballet. Yeah, like that was happening. As soon as I walked in there I could tell that all of the girls were prissy and perfect. I immediately walked out and refused to take part in the classes. Mom tried her best to get me to go and try but I refused. I was and still am quite stubborn. Anyway, enough about me and more about what happened a week ago.

In 2014 I was in my apartment listening to music whilst drinking red wine. My date hadn't showed up. Our plans were simple. Meet at mine. Got to a restaurant and then go back to his for a bit of 'special time'. That is the last time I go on a dating website. I was just thinking over life on my couch. It was late when Barry had texted saying he couldn't watch the particle accelerator explosion. Poor Allen. He is such a science geek and would have loved to seen the explosion. Barry and I met as neighbours when he moved into Joe's house after his mom was murdered. If you ask on who killed his mom I would say the man in yellow just like Barry. Although I was asleep I do remember feeling like there was someone watching me. Either way Barry, Iris and I became good friends. We remained friends until Barry and I went to college to study forensic science. Although we met often Barry and I drifted apart, with him becoming indulged in his work. Back to the topic of what happened a week ago. I was at home pondering life when a thunderstorm shocked me to the core. I have always hated thunderstorms and I will always hate them. I went to my windows to close them and I was half way there when I saw lightning. However it wasn't ordinary lightning, because it was coming from the particle accelerator explosion. That's when it happened. At first there was a bright light and an explosion. Then there was a crackling of lightning and a wave of some sort. Heading straight for me. I had no time to react. When the wave hit the windows smashed into pieces and I was blown into the air. Pain circulating everywhere in my body. Then I hit the floor and blacked out.

I don't know what happened next. It was just black, like you are in a deep sleep. At first I thought I was dead. There was nothing except memories playing through my mind. I kept having the same memory being played in my head, like a broken DVD player that only played one scene.

I was 13 and we were at school outside our lockers. Barry was busy reading whilst Iris and I were discussing the latest fashion trends. Dungarees were popular back then. Suddenly Barry was pushed against his locker and his book fell from his hands.

"Hey where's my lunch money?"asks a boy in 8th grade, our grade. He doesn't look like he's in our year though, he is as tall and strong as a senior and is a jock.

"I..."Barry trails off squirming.

"Leave him alone"I order.

"Yeah he has done nothing to you"defends Iris.

"Awe Allen's girlfriends come to rescue him. Imagine if your mommy was here"replies the jock. He's dead.

"Hey! I said leave him alone"I reply stubbornly.

He drops Barry who fumbles around and turns to me.

"Or what princess?"he asks.

"I have a black belt in karate - do you really want to pick on me?"I ask.

"Lets see shall we"he answers poking me.

"Haley don't"warns Iris helping Barry.

"Oh this will be fun"he announces and pushes me to the floor and I roll over and get up. Students start yelling "FIGHT!" "FIGHT!" "FIGHT!". The jock however goes to punch me. I swiftly duck and side kick him in the legs. He grunts but then grabs me. I kick him in the stomach before punching him in the face. He stumbles but then grabs me and smashes me to the floor. He kicks me but I kick him and he falls and we wrestle. I did land some good scratches and punches. That's when the teachers intervened. We were dragged off one another and taken to the principal and we were all sent home. Then we got a shouting at by Joe and my mom.

I wonder what would have happened if I could fight him again. It was true in what I said. I was and still am a black belt in karate. If I could change the past I would have gone back and beaten the crap out of that kid or at least helped my younger self, although that would create a paradox.

I don't how long it had been but I was suddenly jolted awake like a thousands volts flowing through your body. The thing is I chose to do so. Then there was beeping and nurses and doctors flurrying everywhere. Soon after everyone had calmed down I was told what had happened. I was struck by the explosion and had been in a coma. No internal damage done, just a few scrapes and bruises. The doctors said it was odd that I had been in a coma yet didn't have any major damage to my body. Iris then appeared and she was the one who explained about Barry. He was in a coma and doctors weren't sure of what would happen. His heart had stopped beating twice and had to resuscitated. Apparently the hospital suffered power outages at the same time but ever since the explosion that was normal. A few days later I could go home. Iris helped me walk up the stairs to my apartment, well what was left of it. It had been partially damaged in the explosion and couldn't be lived in.

"Well this is it"I stared as I saw half of my apartment smashed to bits. The couches were singed, part of the kitchen was burnt. I gathered any clothes and any personal possessions I had left, my dads medals hadn't been damaged or my phone for that matter. My phone had been in my bedroom that night which wasn't affected.

"You can move in with us if you want to?"asked Iris.

"Thanks Iris but the truth is I got offered a job with good money and had plans of moving away"I admitted.

"What about Barry? He's your best friend and needs you"asked Iris.

"Look I will visit every weekend and visit him, besides he has you and Joe and everyone else there at the hospital. You are much closer to him than me - you two are siblings. I just want to get away from here to be honest"I explained.

"That's fine, I accept your decision and will let Joe know. Just call me when you arrive there okay?"

"Don't worry Iris I will be fine"

"Where are you going anyway?"

"Gotham"

And that is how I ended up here in Gotham.