"We're done, my friend," Rob clapped John on his back and the black haired man winced slightly, realising he may have to strengthen up if he passed the exam. He'd just sat it and he thought it had gone quite well. He hadn't been enthralled with it, but, he wasn't disappointed. He had a week's wait until the result and the thought scared him. "We're free from revision."

"You never started it," John reminded him and Rob shrugged, flashing him a grin as he pulled his car keys out of his pocket and the two men moved down the steps of the building where they had to sit the exam, looking around as Rob shrugged to himself.

"And I never will have to," he said, sounding impressed with himself and John pressed a hand to his temple, wondering why he even bothered with him sometimes. The pair of them was chalk and cheese. But, he was his best mate, despite his faults. And he had many. "What are you doing tonight?"

"Going home, ordering food, and then sleeping," John said, stating his agenda as Rob rolled his eyes. "I've been up since two this morning trying to study."

"You need to live more," he urged him. "Look, why don't you give that bookworm a call?"

"She'll be busy," John said, making excuses. He didn't want to go out with her that evening. He was too tired and he wouldn't be enough fun to make her want a second date. And besides, she was probably busy. "And I'm not in the mood."

"There's something wrong with you."

"Yes," John snapped. "I'm tired."

"You're twenty three! You need to live a little more. Tell you what, I'll take you out tonight," Rob said and John grinned to himself as they slowed in the car park, moving towards the red BMW parked in the corner.

"I knew all those girls were an act," John taunted him. "You've always wanted me."

"You should be so lucky," Rob said quickly back to him. "The Wayne Foundation is holding an event tonight. The first anniversary of the Dent Acty thingy..." Rob waved off, not sure what he really was going to.

"It's Harvey Dent Day," Blake informed him. "The Dent Act is what helps to keep all the criminals in prison. I hope for your sake that you've failed this exam."

"Oh, I can most certainly say that I have," Rob replied. "I managed to write my name on the front."

"It's like being in kindergarten," John said, shaking his head in disbelief as he stood to the passenger side of his friend's car and Rob moved around, grinning as he did so.

"Whatever," he said. "Look, my date has her own ticket. You can be my plus one."

"I'm not really in the mood."

"Wrong answer."

"For you, perhaps."

"Do you own a tux?"

"Of course."

"Then you're coming."

...

John stood with Rob as he locked his car up on the gravel of Wayne Manor and they both looked up to the large mansion, unable to believe that someone lived there. Well...John thought that. He'd met the billionaire orphan once before and he had to say it was something which he would never forget. The pair of them walked through the main hallway and out to the large grounds of the Manor, mingling with people as the sun set upon them.

...

"Alfred!" her stern voice snapped as she saw the butler on the first floor of the Manor and he turned around, watching as she approached him and he offered her a large smile as she stood before him.

"You look lovely as always, Miss Carter," he assured her and she snorted once in disbelief. She knew as soon as she went down there that she would be one of the most insignificant humans to grace the planet. All of the events were the same. The cream dress she wore clung to her skinny waist and flared out to her knees, her pale legs uncovered along with her chest due to the strapless nature of the material.

"I feel...well...it doesn't matter...is he coming down?" she enquired from the butler and his smile turned to one of sadness and she sighed once, running her hand down her unruly brown hair which curled to just past her shoulders.

"He doesn't want to, Miss Carter," Alfred simply sighed, shaking his own head. "He said that the event will go on without him."

"I don't understand him, Alfred," she complained. "One minute he is all too willing to throw these events and turn up with several models...and now...he's becoming a recluse. I'm worried for him."

"What goes on in Master Wayne's brain is something which none of us will understand," Alfred assured her, resting his hand onto her hand and she shrugged once. "Besides, you know how Rachel was attached to Mr Dent...maybe he's mourning her whilst the city mourns him."

"Perhaps," she said out of politeness as Alfred patted the back of her hand. "Uncle Bruce just...well...I'll go and see him when the event quietens down."

"I am sure he would love that," Alfred said, his voice kind and reassuring as he nodded sternly. "He'll want to know how you're getting on with your final exams."

"Yeah," she nodded at him. "I'd best go then, hadn't I?"

"I know these things are intolerable for you," Alfred promised her, "but, it will be over before you know it. You never know, a handsome stranger may offer you a dance and make your night."

"Ha!" she snorted in an unladylike manner and looked sceptically at Alfred as she released his hand and moved down the steps, focusing in her heels as she called back up to him; "And the Batman will return!"

Alfred watched as she moved down the steps before he shook his head, speaking to himself as he did so.

"I do hope not."

...

John had been ditched. He had been ditched for some blonde aspiring super model. Not that he could blame Rob, she was stunning and he was suave, as per usual.

John stood with the Champagne flute in his hand as he adjusted the simple black tie which he wore on his white shirt underneath his black jacket. People had looked at him, wondering who the hell he was as he remained stood to the side of the crowd, watching as the speeches commenced, all applauding Mr Dent and his work for Gotham.

John finally had enough when the clock struck half past ten. In a desperate attempt to escape he wandered around, looking for Rob who was stood in the large white marquee, his mouth next to the supermodel's ear as she giggled. John resisted the urge to gag as he tapped Rob on the shoulder and he turned around, a grin on his face as he looked at his friend.

"I'm going," he told him, depositing his flute onto the table covered in a cloth and Rob nodded once.

"How you getting home?"

"I'll call a cab," he said.

"You got some money?"

John frowned at him before gritting his teeth and holding his tongue.

"Goodnight, Rob," he simply said before walking away and through the crowds, his eyes cast downwards as he moved into Wayne Manor again, looking through the large hallway, all the way from its covered furniture to its vast windows and expensive tiles.

"I've told you that you need to try harder," a voice hissed and John froze for a second, turning on his heel and looking around, wondering where the voice had come from.

"And I said that it is none of my business. My Uncle is in charge and not me. I'm not going to persuade him to sign anything which would give you control."

"Your uncle is a recluse," the voice snapped back at the woman. "He's doing nothing for the company except for ruining it."

"That's his problem and not mine." She replied.

John moved back a few steps, his head turning to the right and looking down a dimply lit hallway. Waitresses scampered past the two people, their heads bowed along with their eyes. But, John remained staring as the man wrapped his hand around the girls arm, moving closer to her and backing her against the wall as he remained silent for a second.

"It could easily become your problem," he warned her. "I could make it your problem."

"Just leave me alone!" she snapped at him, trying to remove his hold from her arm as John made his move, walking quickly across the hall, standing in the entranceway to the hall.

"Is there something wrong here?" he wondered and both sets of eyes turned towards him. The man smirked once, winking down at the girl before turning on his heel.

"No," he said simply. "It is nothing that concerns you."

John continued his glare at the man as he walked past him whilst the girl leant against the wall, breathing deep and wrapping her hand around her arm which had turned red thanks to his hold.

"Are you okay?" John asked her and she took a second before she realised who had just asked her that question. Her eyes widened as she looked at him and moved down from the hall. He took that time for his own eyes to become enlarged as he noted who it was.

"Alison?" he checked with her and she nodded once. She looked a lot different to when he had seen her before.

"John," she greeted him back.

"Are you okay?" he checked with her again and she nodded once, biting down on her bottom lip as she looked over at the doorway which the man had left through.

"I'm fine," she nodded once. "I'm okay."

"What was all that about?" he asked her, his thumb pointing to the door.

"Nothing that you need to worry about," she promised him. "I can handle it."

"Who was he?"

"John Daggett," Alison told him. He could easily have found that. It was common knowledge who Daggett was.

"What did he want from you?"

"I said it is nothing for you to worry about," Alison repeated and John held his hands up in surrender. He didn't want to annoy her. "Sorry...anyway...what are you doing here?"

"My friend invited me."

"Rob," she remembered and nodded once, seeing why. "His father is Douglas Dawson, right?"

"Yeah," John replied. How did she know that? What was she doing here? "He had a spare ticket. He said I needed to get out."

"You could have called me." She informed him and he shrugged once, trying to look anywhere but into her eyes.

"I could have," he agreed with her simply. "I didn't think I'd have been good company, though. I didn't really want to come here."

"I can tell," she smirked at him. "You're the first one to leave."

"Someone has to be," he smirked. "So...what are you doing here?"

"Socialising," she nodded once and he arched a brow, clearly unsatisfied with her answer and she groaned. "Bruce Wayne is my Uncle."

John's brown eyes seemed to widen more when he heard that and she crossed her legs at the ankles, wrapping her arms around her waist as she did so.

"You seem shocked," she said and he raised a brow again.

"I guess," he admitted. "Your last name isn't Wayne."

"He's my mother's brother," she replied. "Hence; why I have a different name. If you read any of the socialite gossip then you'd know who I am."

"I don't really have time for that drivel," John snorted once, unable to stop himself as she looked at him, her face emotionless and he wondered if he had said the wrong thing as he shook his head. "Not that I think you're drivel...or anything like that...I mean...I think you're nice...I'll definitely read it if you're in it..." he blabbered on and Alison placed a hand over her mouth to stop herself from laughing out loud at him.

"I don't live here," she informed him. "I have my own apartment and no car so I'm not really that famous."

"No," John agreed with her. "So...do you live far away?"

"Madison Street," she shrugged once. "Alfred...Bruce's butler...he was going to drive me home after..."

"I see," John simply replied back to her. "Well, I'd give you a lift but I don't own a car."

"It's fine," she promised him. "I have to go and speak with Bruce, anyway."

"About Daggett?"

"Yes," she said through gritted teeth. "Look...give me a moment to tell Alfred that I'm going and we can share a cab...it'll be cheaper."

"It doesn't look like you need to worry about money," he said to her and she remained quiet and pensive.

"Just, stay here," she ordered him and stalked off for a few moments as John smacked his hand to his forehead. Why did he say such stupid things when he didn't need to?

She emerged a few moments later with a smallish man behind her, his hands behind his back as she moved over to John, motioning the door as the white haired man smiled as he watched the pair of them move onto the main lawn of Wayne Manor and down the stone steps. John began to call a cab, being told it would be half an hour before one could get to them.

"Do you want to go back inside for a bit?" he asked her and she shook her head at him.

"I'm fine here," she assured him and he shrugged. She sat down on the stone step, pushing her dress under her as Blake sat besides her, noting her yawn and he felt like doing the same.

"Tired?" he asked and she nodded.

"I was up until one studying for an exam this morning," she shrugged and Blake chuckled, itching his chin as he did so.

"Same," he replied. "Well...I was up late studying...not that time...obviously..."

"What for?"

"A police exam to do with psychology," he said to her. "If I pass then I can join the force as a rookie."

"Good for you," she replied, looking into the night sky as all remained quiet at the front of the Manor. Noise from behind them could easily be heard as they remained silent for a second.

"And what were you studying for?"

"My final Biology exam," she nodded, turning her head to look at him. "I've managed to find a job at Gotham hospital, but, I wanted to finish College."

"What doing?"

"A trainee nurse," she replied, a small smile moving onto her face as John raised a brow in wonder. She knew that look. She'd seen it on many people's faces. "Just because I'm related to Bruce Wayne doesn't mean that I can't have a job...besides...we're not that close really."

"Hey," John said in surrender. "Good for you to get a job."

"Hm," she simply responded, yawning again as she shivered in the air and John noted her bare shoulders, trying to be a gentleman as he shrugged out of his jacket and slowly placed it over hers. She looked at him for a moment and he shrugged once, messing with the cufflinks of his shirt.

"I wouldn't want Bruce Wayne hunting me down for allowing his niece to catch a cold," he said to her and she grinned lightly.

"You don't need to worry about that. He's gone into hiding."

"I've noticed," he admitted. "Has anyone seen him?"

"Alfred and me," Alison shrugged. "His company is starting to fall and I'm worried for him."

"Is that what Daggett wanted to talk to you about?"

"Something like that." She said; her lips pressing together as John waited for her to continue. "I've told Alfred about it. Bruce will sort it."

"It's still not right," Blake assured her. "He shouldn't have been intimidating you."

"You think he was intimidating me?" she checked with him, a grin playing on her lips as John shrugged gently.

"It looked like it," he assured her.

"I've been through a lot worse," she whispered, looking at her entwined hands in her lap.

"Have you?" he wondered. He knew he asked a lot of questions. It must be his cop training kicking in. He hoped it was that, anyway.

"I think that's a story for the second date," Alison said, trying to lighten the mood as she smiled gently at him and he arched a brow.

"I don't really think that we've had a first date," he replied. "This doesn't count."

"Does it not?"

"No," John replied. "But, I'd like to have one."

"I think I'd like that, too."

...

A/N: Thank you to anyone who has followed this so far! Means a lot, guys! I consider one review per chapter a good thing so thank you to LivinJgrl123 for following and reading this story after my last one! Glad you're still interested! And thank you to marianasgirl for reviewing too! More to come soon!