Chapter 2

In the morning Sera felt like a walking dead, even though she slept well for a few hours in the early hours she did nothing but think about the occasions of last night. One thing was for sure that Dick guy from the rooftop was the same Dick in the university and he has a secret which should be kept unknown. She understood it so far, but why was he after her? Until now she didn't even know it was him since it was too dark to make out his face. Perhaps he just wanted to scare her and that was all?

Anyway the way to the university was as normal as it should always was and luckily Professor Watson's next seminar was in two days so Sera would have to see Dick for a time being. As long as he wouldn't contact her, she wouldn't as well, even if they had to work together with him. She would need to make something for Professor Watson or work on the article alone and just hand it in as if both wrote it.

"Yup, that should do it."

"What should?"

Sera jumped out of her skin at the sound of the voice who belonged to none other than her partner, Dick. She clutched at her heart.

"Hi," he said, smiling at her which returned in a tense way.

"Hi..."

"Are you feeling better today?" Both of them stopped to talk, more likely Sera had to stop, and hoped he would leave soon. Looking past of him she noticed that a few friends waited for him. How wonderful.

"Eh, yes. I'm feeling much better today. Thank you," she said. "It seems like your friends are waiting. You shouldn't let them wait any longer."

"That's okay. Just wanted to say that I'll drop by in the evening again. We can discuss about anything, then. Bye."

Unbelievably she watched him walk back to his friends as he waved at her goodbye. Again he didn't listen to her and, heck, would she be there at time. At first she was getting scared and uncomfortable but it started to piss her off and this meant stubbornness. Correcting her bag on her shoulders, she walked the other way around and sat down on grass as she usually did when she had time; time for inspiration. She made herself comfortable on the fresh green and took her sketchbook out along with a pencil. As she watched the students going by her mind trailed back to the happenings of the past days. Just sitting there and doing nothing, she gazed at the sketchbook silently. By some mysterious ways Dick came into her mind again. Strange enough her finger worked on its own and later on Sera was confused to see him on her sketchbook.

"This is getting over my head already," she said, shaking her head whilst she put her sketchbook back into bag again and stood up. As she pat herself clean, Sera noticed how long she had been sitting here. Almost two hours and she didn't even notice. It was already late in the afternoon, going home made more sense but first she would visit Gundalf again, her favourite comic store. She had still a lot of comic issues to buy, especially those from Deadpool and Spiderman. How she loved her superheroes.

Time after time and Sera was still in her own world, consumed from Deadpool and Spiderman, that she hadn't noticed the streets darkening. She always tried to be at home before it got dark, since Gotham City had its unique reputation. It was dangerous and always a challenge for normal citizen, especially for women.

"This one, please," she said, smiling at the cashier but her eyes were on the street. Somehow it looked darker than ever? She put the money on the table.

"Thanks. Be careful when you get home, Sera, and have fun reading."

"Will you miss me when I don't come back anymore?" She whined at the cashier, Jack was his name. He laughed but nodded at her anyway.

"Yes, I will. Now get your ass home and take care. Nothing bad will happen, so don't you worry."

"That's what you say. It's me who has to get past these allies and streets."

"Goodbye."

She made a face at him and turned around with a scoff, but at the door she turned around and smiled at the rude but kind friend she could make here, waving at him goodbye.

"Tell me when you have the issues I want, alright?"

"You can count on me."

The street lights seemed like small fireflies which illuminated the sides of the streets just barely, more like a decorated for the eye Sera thought. How could this make someone feel safer and how was she able to see the buildings when she had to turn into an alley soon. Somehow it felt more different when it was in daylight. She was getting disorientated.

Might as well make this my new adventure show... Sera took out her phone and turned her light from the camera on perfectly filming while she turned into an alley she thought it would lead her home, like usually when she crossed this alley. But somehow it was longer and nearer. Was she even right? Suddenly a crack resounded from farther away as she walked down the alley. Her heart beat faster.

"Must have been a rat," she chuckled but the sounds came out as short breaths. Even Sera wasn't sure if it was a rat but believed it was one. Just when she was about to reach the end of the alley, there were voices she could make out the nearer her feet led her.

"Shut up! Shut up! Shut UP!" A voice cried out, a sickening sound accompanying the scream.

Instantly she stopped walking since the voices became more clearer and louder. She noticed it must have been just around the corner and if she took another step, her life would be in danger. But this might also be a story she could write about. Conflicted about life and death, she instinctively pressed her back against the wall and held her phone at the corner just enough to film the scenario.

"I hate those who don't obey me," he said with a sing-sung voice, causing another sickening noise from the other person, who must be beaten brutally by the talker. "And I don't tolerate boredom, so DIE!" The man laughed maniacally and it resounded in the dull alleys, giving it a creepy touch which made her a shiver ran down her spine.

Suddenly he stopped laughing and everything was still. Only Sera's heartbeat rung on her ears and it made her anxious.

"Oh, my. Who's the rude little spy around the corner putting a spotlight right at the murder scene?" The voice whispered close to her intimidatingly. Everything froze before Sera's eyes even her breath got stuck on her lungs. She forgot to turn the light off on her phone.

"Just who is it, hm? Should I look, eh? Should I?" He asked, chuckling joyously and seemingly excited at the change of scenario.

Just when his steps got nearer and nearer a shadow engulfed her and swallowed her whole figure. Wide eyes looked at a tall man clad in black and his eyes were covered by a mask. With all the anxiety and terror she felt at the moment, her mind stopped progressing any further record of information.

"Stupid woman," was all the tall shadow man said and wrapped an arm around her waist, pulling them off from the ground in rapid speed as he activated his gauntlets and shot a string at a far away place, just before the intimidating man stepped around the corner.

"Two birds I let escape," he said, acting genuinely sad, a crowbar in his hand which he tapped into his palm synchronously. "But not next time," he promised, his voice dropping significantly. Even with a decent distance the terrified woman could ear it, his voice heavy in the dull night. Suddenly the man in black came to halt and let go of Sera, who stumbled back, her head a mess inside.

"I told you to wait at home!" He yelled at her but Sera just looked at him pensively. This was getting over her head.

"What?"

"Haven't you learnt from that night already how dangerous it is to lure around? What are you – stupid? I can't believe it."

His rampage didn't help at all and added more question marks on her face and head. Who was this man and why was he yelling at her?

"But who...?"

"What I had been there a second later? He's not someone you can joke around even if his name is the Joker." Bad pun; Sera noted in her head. Definitely a bad, bad pun. Her eyes observed the nagging man in front of her and all of a sudden everything made sense. She walked up at him while he was talking, catching him off-guard as she reached to his mask and took it off of his face. Of course, why hadn't she notice it any sooner.

"Dick."

He got startled and took the mask from her again, correcting it on his face again, his eyes narrowed at her. "As if you didn't know. Want the put on a microphone and announce it to the whole neighbourhood. Perhaps they want to hear it, too."

"I didn't."

"What?"

"I didn't know."

"Quit joking already, I'm not in the mood to joke around here. You filmed me when we were on the rooftop, when I took my mask off and got careless, remember?"

"I didn't saw your face nor did I know it was you. My phone couldn't make out the face in the night and you were too far away for me to make out your face."

"I-... ehm... You..."

She smirked mischievously at him, wiggling her eyebrow. How amusing. "Busted."


A grumbling Dick securely brought the cheerful woman back to her apartment and dumped her down on the sofa, gently. The apartment looked much smaller with him in here Sera thought. A two-room apartment was big and enough for her but now it looked kind of small. She wasn't used to visitation. He ripped his mask off in frustration and sat down next to her, sighing. "I can't believe I was tricked by a girl."

"A woman, excuse you. I'm 20."

"A 20-years old girl, I can't believe it," he said, feeling bitter about his own revelation he caused himself. He ran a hand through his hair. "Batman will get mad at me. That's for sure."

"No. Way," she said. Dick narrowed his eyes at her, not getting what she was so exciting about. She knew so little.

"So you work together with the famous superhero ever? What's your superhero name?"

"Nightwing," he said, the bitter feeling just deepening. After having fought so long beside Batman and he wasn't even taken note of. He sighed; he felt childish for even thinking this.

"Give me your phone."

"Wait, why?" Sera asked, it was part of her and her private life. It felt like he asked for her clothing size.

"Just give it to me."

"How rude, no! This is getting too much with you," she said, standing up in the heat of thrill. "You didn't even let me say something the last times and now you want me to comply? Explain yourself first."

"...Alright, I see your point. I'm sorry. Everything was from the beginning," he said, including his behaviour and mannerism toward her. It was not him to treat a woman like this. "Can I see the video you made on the rooftop and the one you just made?"

Sera's heart raced at the genuine tone and earnestness he showed her openly. For a moment she crossed her arms and watched him silently as in observing, he on the other hand, just waited patiently.

"Fine, apology accepted. And yes, you can see the records even have the files, if that's what you want."

"That's exactly what I was trying to get at. Thanks," he said, smiling at her for the first time the past hour. Damn him for being this charming and attractive. She took her phone out and opened the file with the videos she recorded. "Here," she said, handing her phone over to him.

"Nice." Silently he watched the video and the first seconds were her and the announcement she made in the beginning, he couldn't help but chuckle. Oh God, how could she have forgotten the first seconds of the video.

"W-wait, don't look at it! Let me play forward first, give it back," Sera stuttered, her face already a shade of bright pink. How embarrassing it was for her. She reached out her hand and tried to snatch the phone back but he simply blocked it by grabbing her wrist and keeping her at bay. His laughter only add more colour to her face and deepened the blush.

"Dick, please!"

"It's cute, don't worry."

No way, he said the words she hated the worst when she was clearly made an embarrassment of herself.

"So, that's you were doing. How pure," he teased her, a payback for the wiggle and smirk at him earlier. He smirked at her briefly before returning his attention back to the screen.

"Shut it!" She scowled at him but it caused another wave of laughter from his side. Her protest only made it worse, so she stopped and grumbled.

"See, it's over already. It's getting to the part I wanted to see. Thanks for the extra show," he said. She only rolled her eyes at him. Just you wait...

Dick watched the remaining seconds of the video in silence. (Once it got to the part he knew himself already, since both started the hide and run game, he sighed gravely. How could he have revealed his secret so openly? He should have looked more into the scene but he wasn't ready to take the risk. It could have been a spy and she still might be. He knew nothing about the woman.)

"You really haven't seen anything at all," he said, but for a fact she heard his name and that Joker was mentioned. If someone had put one and one together, someway or another there would a link bound to him. He deleted the video.

"I'm sorry, I brought you into something you won't be able to get out anymore. Not peacefully," he said, genuinely feeling sorry for her. He knew the best how hard life could be when it was full with responsibility and the constant weariness one need to have. The lack of the latter put him and her into this situation after all.

"Nah," she waved her hand at him, he underestimated her optimism despite the fear she felt, but this was leading to something more exciting and thrilling in her life. Superheroes? Heck, yes. She was in. Even if she wasn't one herself but being part such a life made her joyous. Not going out of the house anymore? She must have lost her mind for a second to even thought something like this. If she regretted this later, she didn't know but now was no turning back anymore. She was stuck in this together with him.

"I'm fine. Who would be suspicious of a normal student like me?"

Dick stood up and approached her, his board build swallowing her narrow one completely, despite her the height difference. With her 5'10 he was still taller than her and cast a shadow over her head, if he wanted to. The closeness between them was intimidating and his grieve expression made the joy die out immediately.

"You must be seriously stupid, right? This isn't a child's game," he said, still approaching her until she hit the wall, unable to move away. Sera opened her mouth to say something but he continued.

"While I scare you this much already, you can't imagine what the Joker is capable of. You have no idea what this man already did to so many others. Watch the video you made and then you'll get a small taste at his cruelty." He grabbed her hands and pinned them above her head as he leaned closer against her face.

"If you think this is so exciting and fun, how about you try getting rid of me? How naïve you are. You don't even know me and you still trust me enough to even let me in your house. What did you think that we're friends?" He scoffed. A knee forced her legs to part and he pressed it against her sensitive spot. Sera's world darkened and she shivered uncontrollably against his touch. Fear was she felt but it was wrath that overtopped the feeling, she glared at him and didn't bulge against his attempts. How dare he take this lightly?

"Do what you have to do. Will this teach me a lesson? No. It doesn't change the situation and I'm still stuck in it. What do you expect me to say or do? Cry? Beg for everything to return as it was? Nothing even began! I'm not this weak. I try to find the best way to adjust to this, alright? This is my way of keeping myself calm, look forward to the unknown future and you know what, you're a dick for treating me like this. You know fucking nothing about me!"

Both looked into their eyes stubbornly, none of them looking away even for a second. The tension was thick enough for a knife to cut through. It wasn't getting any better.

"Don't do anything lightly and think before you act. What you did today was foolish enough. You could've died today!"

"But did I? No!"

"Because I was there! Woman, you're not getting my point," he hissed at her, but then sighed and held her hands up, defeated. But the moment he let go of her hands, she punched him hard at his jaw and forced him backward to which he fell to the couch brutally. He held his jaw and cursed audibly, ready to teach her some lessons, but he stopped when he saw her. She placed a foot at the couch rest and pulled him toward her face by his collar.

"Don't underestimate me, mister. I might look weak and naïve to you but I know how to deal with shit, alright? I'm not dealing with any of this and if you treat me like this again, you will have to taste my fist."

"Perhaps you're handling this better than I thought," he suddenly smiled at her, which only startled the woman. "I expected you to cry and blame me, but when you shrugged it off so lightly, I thought you're a fool. Someone who always lived in a flower world while she knew nothing about the real world. I changed my mind about you and again, I'm sorry."

She scoffed at him and let his collar go, her glare still permanently directed at him. Her anger was still lingering, even though she understood his point of view, too. Not fully, but half of it.

"I'm scared, but I know better to whine about spilled milk. This much you should know about me."

"I got you," he smirked at her, seemingly pleased at her guts. "But if you should cry, I won't have shoulder for you."

"As if would want to cry on your shoulder."

"Don't ask when the time comes."

"It's nothing special."

"Ouch."

Both shared intense gazes but it was Dick who broke the eye-contact with a curt chuckle after a while as he stood up, grasping his mask from the table and adjusting it on his face.

"So we'll see each other more often from now on, right, partner?"

"It seems so."

One last glance cast at her, he walked toward the window and was about to jump out, when he suddenly stopped. "And before I forget. Remember I'm watching you. You know who I am but I don't know you. Until I know who's you are on, I will follow every step you do and the people you interact with," he said, a smile plastered on his face as he winked at her.

"I'm kind toward my enemies, too, don't worry."

Before Sera could say something in return, he jumped out of the window. She gasped and dashed to the window but there was only the moon greeting her. He was gone.