I stared at the bare white ceiling, taking deep measured breaths, waiting for the shrill scream of my alarm clock that would signal the beginning of my day. Ten minutes later I was slamming my hand on the snooze button, walking to my closet and throwing on my work clothes. I pulled on the plain white button up blouse and then dragged the black pencil skirt up and over my curvy hips. Now, when I say curvy, I mean the good kind of curvy, where my body was somewhere between slender and curvy. I'm short, with long straight brown hair and bright blue eyes. I sighed and turned away from my reflection in the mirror, shutting the light off and then grappling around in the dark to shove on the mandatory black heels that went with working at the stock exchange. I looked to my bed and a smile lit up my face when I saw Maximus sprawled atop the covers, even though he knew he wasn't supposed to be there.
I walked to the kitchen, turning on lights as I went, a habit that I had picked up after the Joker eight years ago. The fact that the psycho was locked up in Arkham still didn't ease my nerves, not one iota. I had gotten Maximus four months ago after there was a mugging in the building. I know what your thinking, the joker only warrents flipping lights on while a harmless mugging, well harmless compared to the the joker, warrented a beast of a rotweiler? Well in my mind it made sense. I prepared breakfeast for myself then Max, letting out a low whistle that I knew he'd coming rushing to. He was a great dog, super easy to train for only being a year old and extremely protective of me. After we both finished and the dishes were cleared, I leaned down to his level.
"If I let you stay out, will you be a good boy?" I asked him, scratching behind his floppy ears."or will you eat my shoes again?" Maximus tilted his head to the side as if to say, 'Who, me?'. I laughed and kissed his forehead, deciding to let him stay out. I closed the door to my apartment, locking the door and then walking to work. As I passed more and more suspicious looking people and caught a glimpse of a knife strapped to a man's ankle, I decided to make self defense classes a priority. I mean my neighborhood was nothing close to the narrows but it was getting progressively worse.
I arrived at work walking through the tall buildings double doors, trying to resist the eyeroll that was tempting to my eyes when I saw my boss, Clint approach me.
"So Abby listen, I was thinking you and me could grab a drink after work?" Clint murmered leaning close, too close for comfort, and lifted a perfectly groomed blonde eyebrow. I resisted the urge to correct his grammer and just settled for politely declining, like I did every other day. As Clint left and I took my place behind the main counter, Brenda came crashing in, her hair in dismay. She took her place beside me, giving Clint a placating, if not sexy smile to make up for the fact that she was late.
"So who was the lucky guy this time?" I wondered aloud, cocking an eyebrow at her.
"Oh god Abby, he was so hot and muscled and last night was amazing!" She breathed dreamily, "I'd definitley do him again." Brenda added, reverting back to her vulgar self. I snorted and rolled my eyes.
"Honestly B, don't you ever want something more meaningful, something more than a one night stand?" It was Brenda's turn to snort now.
"Like what?" She seemed honestly perplexed, like there was no other option.
"Oh I don't know...love"
"Wow, really Abby? Love? Love is useless and it only ever hurts in the end. Along the lines of that, you really need to lose that V-card kid." I flushed bright red as she brought up the status of my virginity.
"I'll tell you again, like I have a thousand times before. I'm waiting for the right person, someone that I love and he loves me back just as much." Brenda rolled her eyes but when she layed her hands on my shoulder, her emerald green eyes shone with true concern.
"Look, sweetie, if thats what you want, okay, but you have to put yourself out there. Why don't you go out with Clint?" I rubbed my forehead, trying to fend off my coming headache.
"Besides the fact that Clint's my superior, and I could be fired? Well he's conceded and a pig and only after sex." I scowled, ticking off the reasons on my fingers. Brenda pursed her lips and nodded but murmered that I shoud give him a chance, that he may surprise me. I made myself look busy as a man approached Brenda and she jutted her chest out, giving him a flirty smile. I honestly hated my job, I understood that Brenda and I were hired to be a pretty face and only a pretty face, for the men to oggle and flirt with. It disgusted me but I guess it didn't surprise me because disgusting things happened everyday in Gotham and my job was just one of them.
At five sharp I got off of work, stepping out of the building to find the sun was starting it's decent. Midway home, I had to take my heels off and walk barefoot. Somehow I managed to drag myself up the two flights of stairs. I really didn't want to cook so I popped a lean cusine in the microwave and then made Max his dinner, throwing in some chicken as a reward for not eating my shoes. I spoiled the dog more than I should but he was my baby. I snuggled up with my blanket and pressed myself to the edge of my couch. I turned on the T.V to TBS and was glad to find Friends on. Below the couch Max let out a whine and looked up at me with his big brown eyes and I was a goner. I patted the spot next to me and he hopped up, placing his head in my lap. I absently stroked his head as I watched the show, occsianly making a comment. At one point I looked down at Max and reflected on each and every character and I swear he nodded. Moments like these made me think how lonely my life had become.
"Ya know Max," I murmered thoughtfully as I scratched behind his ears, "I always thought that Rachel and Joey should have ended up together." Suddenly Max jumped from the couch and slowly he trotted to the door. Realization hit me.
"Max, why didn't you tell me when I took you potty?" I whined. He lifed his paw to the door.
"Don't you dare."
"Max, I'm serious." I warned him. He let his paw slide down the door. I narrowed my eyes at him, then threw my blanket off to retrieve my tennis shoes. I pulled them on my feet while I yanked his collar off of the hanger and put it on him. His tail wagged the entire time down the stairs, excited for a walk. When he wanted a walk, I had trained him to scratch at the door but he usually never wanted one this late.
As I started our usual walk around the block and to the park, Max was on high alert. I was really glad that I had gotten a strong dog like a rotweiler and loved the fact how loyal he was. I let him walk a little faster than usual and then he started tugging on the leash, he never did that. As we got closer and closer to an approaching alleyway, where the street lamp was flickering, his chest started to rumble. When we were directly in front of it he let loose a vicious snarl and then snapped his jaws together. In the silence, the sudden noise sounded like a crack of thunder.
"Max, boy, what's wrong?" I shuffled my feet forward, bringing my body out of the darkness and into the light. I gasped as the streeplamp flickered to it's maximum intensity and showed me the body of a man. But this wasn't an ordinary man, he was huge, his muscles large and defined. Shockingly, that wasn't the most striking thing about him. He had a mask that covered the lower part of his face and it ran from across his nose to the base of the back of his neck in one thick long line. It left his eyes open, and they were filled with immense pain. I took notice of his heavy panting and the heavy wheeze of his breathing. He looked at Max and then turned his calculating gaze on me. My breath hitched in fear but I shoved it to the recesses of my mind, focousing solely on trying to help this man. I leaned forward to speak to him but I was cut off as Max let out another snarl. I whipped around.
"Maximus, heel!" I hissed and then he sat, his chest still rumbling angrily." Max, he's hurt." I said softly, leaning close to scratch his ears in a soothing manner. I turned back to the man and crouched to his level, supressing the fear that ran through my veins. And believe you me that was a hard task to supress hot white fear. I cleared my throat.
"Sir, are you alright? How can I help you?" I asked him, my hands fluttering uselessly above him. I decided to call an ambulence but when I pulled my cell phone out he had my wrist in a brusing grip, causing my phone to clatter to the floor and Max to let out another snarl, this one more violent than the last two. I whimpered in pain and the man instantly losened his grip. I rubbed my sore wrist and winced at how tender it felt.
"Right, paramedics out of the question then. Just tell me how I can help you." The man gestured to his mask and then spoke, his voice was suprisingly rich and strong and made goosebumps erupt across my pale skin.
"The knobs...push them back in." He wheezed, even his voice full of pain. I gulped and then gingerly laid by hand on the cool mask, pushing the tubes and knobs back in and instantly knew I had done the right thing when I heard a mechanical hiss coupled with the man's relief filled sigh. His closed eyes snapped open and as he rose to his full height, which was at least a foot and a half taller than me, towering above my form. I gulped again and looked up at him and wondered if I had done the right thing, helping the strange and imposing man.
"A-A-Are you okay?" I whispered, backing up slightly and then scooping up Max's leash. The man cocked his head and looked me up and down and not in the way I would have liked. The way he was looking at me, it was assesing me, assesing how strong I was, if I could in any way shape or form be a threat to him, which I wasn't. But honestly he didn't have to do that, I could have just told him that myself. He took a step towards me and Max snarled.
"Max." I snapped, yanking his leash slightly. I really didn't want to have to kill this guy if he hurt my dog. Although he was huge, I had a terrible temper and if it came to it I would kick his ass if he tried anything. The man had a dangerous gleam in his eyes, almost as if he knew what I was thinking. Finally, he nodded.
"Yes, I'm much better. What's your name?" His voice was changed by the mask, more mechanical and high, but still every bit as demanding. It set my nerves on edge and my heart started to beat irregularly. I blew out a shuddering breath, determined to keep my voice strong when I spoke to the imposing man this time.
"My name's Abby." I told him, meeting his eyes. I wouldn't let fear control me, not like I had in the past. Over the years I had come to relieze that it was okay to be afraid, I just couldn't let it control me. Courage wasn't the absence of fear but rather the conquering of it. I drew myself up and then stuck my hand out.
"Nice to meet you. And since I saved your life, I think that I should at least get a name." I shot him a friendly smile, wiggling my fingers in invitation. His hand surged forward to grasp mine, practically engulfing my hand. Our hands shook.
"You really shouldn't help strange men, especially in this city."
"Are you saying you would rather I'd not helped you?"
"No, just offering some...friendly advice. Advice you should consider, little one." I felt a flash of irratation flare to life inside of me.
"Thank you but I can handle myself, I've lived here my entire life." I hadn't even realized that our hands were still entertwined until silence reigned between us. He broke the hand shake first and then he lowered his hand to Max's snout for inspection. When Max gave the hand a tentive lick, I was shocked out of my mind, he hated when men touched me.
The man slowly walked away and then before he was almost out of sight and earshot, he turned back around to face me.
"Thank you, my dear. And my name is Bane."
For a moment all I could do was stare at the spot where he had last been, with his name repeating itself in my mind over and over. Finally I came out of my stupor and shuffled the rest of the way home in a daze. When I got into my apartment I locked the door and then checked it twice. That night I let Maximus sleep in my bed.