OKAY, THIS CHAPTER IS KIND OF A FILLER!

Yeah, I know that you probably want to get to some more action, but I'm trying to stick as tightly as I can to the movies; therefore, we have to go by their timeline. And I must admit, a certain Chris Nolan did not make this very easy...

But that's alright, I'm doing my best. The next chapter should be a little longer with a little more Baty action, maybe. ;o)

ALSO: Alfred made an appearance in this chapter!

Disclaimer: I DO NOT OWN BRUCE WAYNE OR GOTHAM OR BATMAN. Though I wish I did because honestly.

crusades

CHAPTER TWO: THE ZODIAC

"So, you sing?" the man across the table asked, sipping his J&B and playing with his many rings. In the dark light of the night-club, I could not see the color of his eyes clearly. They must be dark, I decided.

"I wouldn't be here if I couldn't sing," I picked up the beer bottle and sucked up the last of the liquid.

The man, called Miles, smiled, showing a golden tooth on his right side. I wondered who he had pissed off to get that one. "You're very pretty, Monica. And you said you got to Gotham only a little while ago?"

I nodded. "three weeks. My sister and I."

A janitor passed our small table with a mop and bumped into Miles, who shot expletives at him. "Idiot," he said. He turned back to me. "And where did you move from?"

"A small town in the mountains of Asia. You wouldn't know if I told you."

Miles chuckled. "Fine, we'll play your game. You're hired, Monica, starting tomorrow night. You'll need to be here by three for sound check and we have a list of songs you'll be singing. I think you'll like the work. The people," he pulled out a cigarette and lit it, taking a drag. "Maybe me, even."

My face tensed. "Maybe," I said. "Maybe." But I seriously doubt it, I thought. My sister and I had not had the conversation yet, the one talking about how things might go if we were to really find someone that we loved in this city-we didn't much have to.

I was uninterested in anything that didn't have to do with my singing and my future-and fun, for what it was worth; Lalun was uninterested in anything that didn't make her money to pay the bills. My dear sister was still without work and I had just been hired.

Standing up and shaking hands, Miles showed me to the door. As I stepped outside the framer, he grabbed my arm, pulling me back. My muscles tensed. "I'll see you tomorrow, Monica. Three O'clock," his voice was friendly enough, but there was something demonistic in the back of his eyes that made me pull my arm away and smile, wryly.

"Yeah," I nodded, shoving my hands into my jean pockets. "I'll see you tomorrow." As I turned away I felt the first drop of rain. Dammit, I thought. I was wearing nothing but a back V-neck and jeans and our apartment was almost six blocks away from my new workplace. I prayed that Miles wasn't still watching and wouldn't try to take me home-I wanted to be alone now, with my thoughts. Even in the rain.

Keeping my head down, I headed in the direction of our small apartment. In the threes week that we had been here, it had not exactly become more "homie". We bought sheets for our one and found some chairs that someone was throwing out and brought them back. Lalun said it made her feel disgusting, taking someone else's trash. I reminded her that we had no money for anything else.

As I considered this as I walked, I remembered suddenly that my sister had requested that I stop at the market and buy milk and eggs. How desperately typical of me to forget, I reprimanded myself. Thankfully, the market was only a block away, and by the time I got there, the rain had stopped.

I got glances from people who had umbrellas and hoods but ignored them. I was soaking wet as I entered the store and a wave of shock hit my body. Never having been in a store such as this, there was just so much. Did people eat this much in the city? I found myself wondering. Back when I was a child, we were lucky to have hard bread and goat cheese.

Trying to follow the signs, I found the milk in the cold aisle section. But there was so much of this too. These were unexpected feelings inside of me, the careless one; right now I had to deal with something that my sister was far better at.

I must have been staring terribly hard at the different types of milk, because an older man came up next to me and smiled. "Having a hard time, dear?" he said, a soothingly familiar British accent that took me back to my travels of Europe with my mother and sister.

"Yes," I nodded. "I... I don't-I mean, I've never seen so many-"

The man just chuckled. "It's okay, Miss. Now, what type of milk are you use to drinking?"

Pausing to think for a moment, I said the first thing that came to my mind. "The kind... from a... cow or a..goat."

This made the man hoot with laughter. He shook his head and opened the glass door, pulling out the small half-gallon that said Vitamin D. He handed it to me. "I think you'll find this appealing, Miss."

Holding the cold plastic in my hand, I found myself saved-I was utterly thankful. "Thank you, sir. This.. well, thank you so much. I'm Monica." I held out my other hand; he took it.

"Alfred," he said. Then he asked: "You're accent is very particular; you're not from around Gotham, are you dear?"

I shook my head. "My sister and I... we moved here only three weeks ago."

"Well," he said, not trying to get anymore out of me. "It's nice to meet you, Monica, and I hope you enjoy your milk."

Grinning, I said: "I will, thank you Alfred."

"Took you long enough," were the first words that came from my sisters mouth when I came through the door. She glanced at the back in my hand as I made my way to the refrigerator, which had been our landlords, but he allowed us to have it. We now had a blow up bed, a couch, a refrigerator and a microwave.

As I opened it and put the milk inside, my sister made a stance behind me. "Where are the eggs?"

I could have swore that the sound of true pure hell ripped through my mind at that very point. "Dammit, Lalun!" I turned to face her quickly. "I am trying so hard! I got a job today; what have you done? Laid on your ass! You say you want to do everything you can to get us money, but you have been on one interview all week!" I made a sarcastic laugh and didn't wait for her reply, moving to our own room to change out of my wet clothes.

"I don't know what your issue is, all I asked you to do was get milk and eggs! Why is that so hard for you?" she shot back.

Glaring at her, I was almost speechless that things had come to this. We fought all the time at home; we had different morals, different values, but we hadn't fought like this, with venom in every word. "You're so stupid sometimes, Lalun," I said to her. "You're so fucking dense. If you want to eggs so bad, then go out there get and get them yourself."

With that she stormed out of the room. I slipped on a large white t-shirt and sweatpants. Still reeling, I went straight for the milk and drank from the bottle. The cool liquid felt good going down my throat.

That was one of the only good things about it. It tasted dreadfully different than what I was use to and I couldn't take anymore. A voice inside my head said I'd get use to that too, but I didn't want to, not right now.

Going back into our room, I went through some of my mother's books and got out an old favorite. With a smile I went back into the living room, plopped onto the sofa and started reading. I didn't stop until I fell asleep.