On the inside, Skyler was mortified. She berated herself internally for acting before thinking, and for not scoping out the situation. Her stomach churned with nerves and she swallowed loudly to hold back a gasp. This wasn't just any old pair of heroes stunned in to silence on the ground in front of her. It was Batman and Robin, the theoretical King and Prince of Gotham. They were the very last people she wanted to embarrass herself in front of, and here she was, looking like a rookie, but there was no way in hell she was going to let them see her lose her cool. Instead, she inhaled calmly and outstretched a hand to them both.

Robin, who looked slightly less imposing up-close, stared at her skeptically, an eyebrow rising up over his mask. She felt like he could read the regret in her eyes, but she hardened her face, making the commitment to stay collected as she spoke.

"My apologies, gentlemen. It seems there's been a case of mistaken identity."

The pair still looked unsure and alert, as if they were deciding whether or not she was a viable threat, so she felt the need to lighten the mood.

"What you don't trust me? That's fine. But please, you two, we're in public, get off the ground." At this fake chastisement, Robin chuckled and grabbed her hand gratefully, Batman following suit. The duo looked around, somewhat confused, and Robin was the first to speak.

"So… where's the fire?" Skyler bit her tongue to prevent laughing from the irony.

"Well, I guess I put it out." She told them simply, but they stared at her expectantly, so she continued, "The four guys that are now locked in the vault were after gold bars. The only hostage was the bank manager, but he left to call the police. One officer's wounded, the other was DOA." She stood there for a second longer, then with a nod, she headed for the door. She was sure they could handle it.

"You've done good work here, kid." Batman called after her, then began taking charge of the scene. Eventually, his footfalls told her he was headed for the vault, surely with the soft stepping Robin close behind.

Now that Batman and Robin were there to handle everything, she wanted nothing more than to leave. She hadn't slept in two days, doing her best to juggle school work, actual work, and nightly patrols. She wanted to strip off the uniform and crawl into bed, but she couldn't. The young officer still sat by the door bleeding, eyes closed tight. She couldn't sit by and wait for someone else to get him some help, it needed to be her. She knelt beside him and instinctively grabbed for his radio, only to remember the still pulsing machine in the corner.

"I almost forgot." She mumbled quietly, standing back up. She held her hand like child would mock a gun, aimed it at the machine, and as she flicked her thumb, a bolt of white lightening shot through the air, hitting its target head on.

"Bang."

In a shower of sparks, the jammer blew, putting an end to electronic hiss.

"Oh, I'm feeling the aster!" Robin said from across the room, causing her to jump, and she mentally kicked herself for using her powers so openly in front of him, and so animatedly at that.

"You're what?" she asked, trying to avoid that it had happened at all. He clearly wasn't going to let it go though, as he stood there in what she thought was awe, looking quite surprised. She was getting ready to zap him out of his stupor when she felt a tug on her arm that pulled her back to what was important. The officer stared up at her and she knelt back to his side and again grabbed the radio.

"Who are you?" she heard Robin question, but she ignored his incredulous tone and clicked on the radio.

"Ten-thirteen, officer down. I repeat officer down. Gotham Federal Bank. Send a bus." She began to stand, thinking that Robin would stay with the officer, but he gripped tight to her arm, leaving a bloody handprint like a bracelet on her wrist.

"Will you stay with me?" he asked, pleading eyes staring into hers. She didn't even have to think about it as she nodded and forced a smile. She gave his hand a comforting squeeze and used the other to clot his gunshot wound.

"What's your name?" She thought distracting him would be best.

"Blake." He told her, attempting a smile of his own, "And I'd ask you yours, but I have a feeling you wouldn't tell me anyway."

"Well where's the fun in that? Besides, it doesn't matter all that much anyway, does it?"

"Well it's not every day a civilian takes down a whole bank robbery by themselves. Not every day a civilian saves my life."

Skyler feigned hurt, "I look like a regular civilian to you?"

Chuckling, he guessed again, "Vigilante?"

"You're getting warmer", she jested.

Outside, an ambulance wailed and as it came to a stop, the siren died. The officer was pale, but looked relieved. He had lost a lot of blood, but help was here. She heard the back doors open and a stretcher being set up. The man brought her hand to his lips and placed a gentle kiss on her bloody knuckles. Then he whispered, the ghost of a single word floating from his lips. His head fell gently back, but his breathing was strong. He was unconscious. The stretcher was on its way, and that was her cue. She finally headed for the door, relief of her own setting in.

"Hey!" Robin called, but she wanted to leave, so she kept on walking. He easily caught up with her, and kept talking, but didn't try to stop her.

"I'm a part of this team, you see, and it's kind of made of people like us. We used to just be sidekicks, like me, like you. And I saw what you did in there. It was incredible. I think you should come meet them."

"I'm nobody's sidekick," she told him, increasing her speed, "And I like to work alone."

"But I think you could do great work with us!" he insisted, matching her pace.

"I do enough great work all on my own." She told him, pausing to evaluate whether or not that sounded conceited.

"You won't even meet them? What's the worst that could happen?" With this, she stopped and turned to him, getting into his face to drive the point home.

"Look, I'm flattered you want me to join you're little club, but I'm not interested. I guess you could say I don't really play well with others. So you fight your bad guys, and I'll fight mine."

A crowd was gathering outside like they always tended to do, and she used this to her advantage, slipping behind one gawking man or another. She knew Robin did his best to catch up, but he hadn't realized her plan until it was too late, and she was able to slip into anonymity in the crowd.

A tinge of guilt hit her in the stomach, telling her maybe she shouldn't have rejected him so roughly. Maybe she shouldn't have brushed him off and disappeared into the crowd, but it was too late for regrets now. And then the word the man had whispered made sense, and she shook her head, not believing she hadn't understood it before.

The word he had whispered left her dizzy. She had never considered it of herself before. He had called her a hero. A hero.

And in her mind, the only way to stay that way was to be by herself. This was how it had to be. Maybe even forever.

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