Hey guys yeah I started a new story and I'm going to start off that I don't own anything or anyone other than Alexandria Shaw. Now that that's out of the way I apologize for typos or grammatical errors I've said this a million times on my other two stories (House of wax feel free to check them out) that I barely have to time to write and update chapters much less edit them. So I hope you enjoy the story feel free to leave me a review. I know I'm not the best writer out there but i love hearing opinions anyway.. :) -Amber. oh yeah and I am not liable for any drug use lol Just my character does drugs not you people 'Just say no'

Circus Initiation

Chapter Two

I groaned, resisting the urge to bang my head on the desk I was sitting at. In the last two weeks I'd spent at Gotham General High School, (Yeah, that's really the name), I'd learned tht some crazy dude in a bat suit saved people on live TV and the cops seemed to be his backup. The Joker had the power to make his threats on TV as well. I still hadn't talked to Uncle Bruce about my brief dumpster diving experience. I hadn't had any more personal run ins with the clown, hopefully he forgot about me to care enough. I mean come on a dude that nuts wouldn't care about some dumb girl with a scar on her face. I needed to stay away from him and his knives but I wasn't going to stay shut up in my room hiding from the world. (This in particular Uncle Bruce would love for me to stay in and 'hide').

He would love to find a reason to freak it was one time I was home late and couldn't call because the battery had died..i hated phones anyway I almost never carried one. You would think I had really done something worse. I had confronted Alfred on Uncle Bruce to which he swiftly replied '"He just worries for your safety, Miss Alexandria"'..Right, safety from what? Getting mugged? I fought all the time in my old hometown I'm sure I could handle a bitchfight and I had pepper spray for dudes. I glared at the clock as the last minute of the school day ticked slowly by.

"Hey, Alex."

"Not now, Seth. I'm on a time schedule and until little cheerleader Liv stops glaring at us even then I still won't be interested. Sorry." The bell rang. I jumped up to go to my locker. I was determined to argue my case to go out for my eighteenth birthday tomorrow. I'm sure he could put on some bit boy panties for one night..I'd even let Alfred pick me up and drop me off. He couldn't say no to that. I stepped out into the afternoon sunshine and I could already see Alfred waiting for me.

"Alex!" I groaned as Seth's voice reached me. I reluctantly turned.

"Yes, Seth?" Okay, the deal with Seth was he was actually pretty cute, tall, blond, smart, and captain of the basketball team. But LIv the cheerleader from what I've seen is madly obsessed with him. Now she hates me. The whole thing was just too cliche for me so I was cutting ties before they even began. Everyone here tended to be flightly, high class and gossipy. I wanted none of it.

"I heard your birthday is tomorrow, right?"

"From who?" I hadn't told a soul but Uncle Bruce and Alfred(they already knew anyway).

"I wanted to take you out. Dancing or dinner..both?"

"Why?" So it wasn't my wittiest comeback but I've had more embarrassing conversations.. like the 'talk' with your parents at fifteen.

"Miss Alexandria..," Alfred's voice came from beside me. "Your ride is here." I could've thanked him for saving me.

"Of course. Bye, Seth." It might've been mean on my part but I really didn't want to get inbetween the baggage on that poor boy. Didn't my scar bother him, anyway? I slid into the front seat and buckled up.

"Thanks for the save, got me out of a pity date."

"Is this the part where we hug and become best girlfriends?" Alfred asked with a smile.

"Ha. Just drive, dude."

"I always enjoy your company, Miss Alexandria."

"And I you, Alfred."

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"No. Absolutely not." My smile fell over dinner that night.

"Uncle Bruce! It's one night. Alfred can-,"

"Alexandria..this city is dangerous..especially for someone who is close to my heart." I blinked. What did that mean?

"Batman will protect me."

"In a city this large..you trust the Batman?" HIs tone had become serious..too serious. Did he think Batman a joke?

"Yes?" I drug it out as a question.

"Alfred, what do you think?" He asked the butler. I spun in my chair to face him, eyebrows raised.

"I believe I could escort her to so mething trivial..a concert perhaps..laser tag." I rolled my eyes at the lame joke.

"Alright." I smiled at Bruce..his eyes said he would've let me go even without all the begging and joking. I was too excited to sleep that night it was eleven..I'd be eighteen in an hour and I got to go out that night somewhere of my choosing. I needed to go into town and buy me a pipe (yes, I smoke). I mean I wanted to celebrate the right way. What would 'pre-accident' Alex do? I smiled, changing into jeans, t-shirt, and my usual black hoodie. This was a city of crime I was sure I could find a drug dealer somewhere. My pepper spray was tightly in my hand as I walked past the first few alleys looking for bystanders. I kept my hood up as a cop car leisurly strolled by..

"Psst." I stopped dead in my tracks and looked down a smallish alcove inbetween the buildings. All I could make out in the darkness was a lit cigarette..I take that back, defintely not a cigarette. "You lookin'?" The male voice hissed. I watched the cop car turn down the road before stepping into the shadows.

"Green?" I whispered.

"I got poppables."

"What kind?" This way I wouldn't have to waste money for a pipe.

"Couple kinds."

"How about I give you two hundred dollars cash if you let me pick out a handful?" THe skinny man looked at me for a moment probably to see if I was serious or not and I was. Fifteen minutes later I was already on the way back home, with a plastic baggie full of assorted 'candies' in all shapes and colors. Tomorrow night was going to be fun indeed..

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Alfred brought me breakfast fit for a queen at noon. I dug in while he opened the curtains covering the glass wall. Light flooded the room and I blinked momentarily dazed. "Did you decide on where you wanted to go tonight?"

"There is this little place I found farther into Gotham..but it's call Blue Noon. It's a club kinda place..but for teens." I sighed the last part at the raised I got. "No buzzy beverages." I'd be bringing my own fun."

"I'll look into it." He left me to eat. So I had hours and hours until tonight..what should I do until then? Maybe it was a good day to start putting foundation on my whole face again. I'd gotten used to stares. The corner of my right eye and right side of my mouth was in a slight, permanent frown. I smiled at myself. It did look a little strange one side of me smiling, the other slightly frowning like creepy opera masks. No, it's my birthday I refuse to be depressed! I popped a little white candy to help pass the time. I was sitting in the downstairs TV room after lunch almost sober when Alfred walked in with a stack of books to put away on the shelves.

"Blue Noon is Master Wayne approved." I smiled. I didn't do fancy with clothes, I'd rather put on black leggings than a dress at least not in this freezing weather here. So I chose the leggings, black ankle boots, white band tee, and my trusty jacket. My silver charm bracelet adorned my wrist, a matching necklace and my silver dangling heart earrings. I''d apply the rest of my makeup in the car. I didn't want Uncle Bruce taking one look at me and changing his mind. Will my cell phone and pills in my jacket pocket, I headed down the stairs and I stopped for a moment, watching my uncle shrug on a suit jacket. I knew he was my family and all but I wondered why he never settled down with a nice girl and had a well brought up family of his own. He noticed me staring.

"Lookin' sharp, Bruce." I smiled and closed the distance between us. For once, his smile touched his eyes. He was handsome for a dude in his thirties or forties.

"I have a dinner conference. You look nice as well." Was that seriously all he could come up with? "You covered...your..," He trailed off awkwardly, looking at my scar. My cheeks flushed but before I could say a witty comeback, he chuckled. "I know..moving has been hard on both of us but I'm here if you ever want to talk about anything." I smiled, adjusting his tie straighter.

"You're gonna make me cry. Thanks." He gave me a nod.

"Master Wayne, I need to speak with you in private." Alfred said from the library doorway. "Alex, would you mind waiting in the hallway?"

"Um..sure." I paused at his directness. Usually I was 'Miss Alexandria' I took a few steps towards the hallway when the library door clicked shut. I tiptoed to the library door, hearing Alfred speaking quietly inside.

"Officer Gordon says he's been progressing in tracking the targets whereabouts. There were rumors that they both were meeting with the Scarecrow..seperately..the man with the sack on his head." That sounded familiar..the man the Joker knifed in the chest on the sidewalk that night..

"And what did they find out? Any reason to break out of the hospital? To come back after all they've done?" Uncle Bruce's tone went hard. "Was there any connection to Alex?" I perked up at hearing my name.

"Not that we can find yet, sir." Alfred replied. I hurried to the hallway, popping a few pills as I went to pretend I'd been casually waiting there. It made me wonder thought what or who could be possibly connected to me?

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"Are you going alone?" Alfred asked when I finished applying my makeup, eyeliner darker and eyes sparkly.

"No," I lied. "I'm meeting a couple of girls from school. I have both of you on speed dial." I smiled.

"Well, you look lovely."

"Thanks." The line was long and I stood there huddling in my jacket and tapping the toe of my boot for at least twenty minutes. Come on, I thought as my brain started to go fuzzy.

"Alex?" I spun a 360 in line coming face to face with Seth. "Happy Birthday."

"Thanks." I muttered.

"Want to jump the line with me?' I didn't see hateful Liv cracking her gum and glaring at me over her fake eyelashes.

"What do you mean 'jump the line'?" He shrugged as though it were no big deal but at the same couldn't wait to brag about it.

"My older brother owns the place." He took my hand and I let him drag me to the front..the bouncer checking people didn't even give us a second glance as we slipped past him and into Blue Noon. Wow..they meant blue. It was like being underwater all of the dark blues, greens, and grays blending with the lights for an ocean effect. I loved it and not just because I was high on pills.

"Come on." He led me to a dark corner and handed me a cup..I definetely vodka. "It's safe, I swear." I dug in my pocket to take out a piece of my candy. I held it and the drink to him.

"You first." He grinned and popped the pill, taking a swig and raised an eyebrow at me. Good enough for me...I finished the shot then let him lead me out to the dance floor. This place might have been a teen's place but the behind the counter booze already had my vote.

Two hours three shots and another pill later I was in heaven..dancing and sweating out my stress..helpless to the beat as I swayed in front of Seth. To my extremem annoyance Seth kept putting his hands where they didn't belong.

"Bathroom!" I yelled over the music and instead made a beeline for the back door. I needed a few lungfulls of fresh air. The door shut behind me, the music dulling immediately. I stripped off my jacket and the cold air hit my upper body. I leaned against the brick wall for a few minutes, staring up at the sky, it was very cloudy...so many clouds. The back door opened.

"There you are!" Seth beamed at me drunkenly. "Feelin okay?"

"Yeah," I smiled. "I'm feeling great."

"Do you want to dance some more? Or we could go back to my place. My parents are in Europe doing business with-," I tuned him out automatically. That bragging of his was getting old and I shot out towards him. The next thing I knew I was kissing Seth, the only warmth was between our bodies. It was literally the only way I could think of to get him to shut his mouth.

"Well, isn't this just beautifulll?" I knew that voice!