IV- Awake
Ava was greeted by the faint scent of cigarettes as she rolled her suitcase into Pam's apartment. Following behind her, Ava was surprised when the flick of a light switch illuminated the previously dark home.
It was beautiful. The floors were a rich brown, the counters granite, and all sorts of colorful plants decorated the windowsills. In between two flower-adorned windows, a larger one framed the view of Gotham's skyline. Completing the space were various fashionable paintings and rugs, along with a green wall fountain that swished quietly in the den.
"What do you think?" asked Pam, setting her keys down on a hutch.
"I think," began Ava, walking past Pam, "that I should've been a scientist. Mel, this place is incredible!"
"Thanks," replied Pam, making her way down the hallway that held the bedrooms. "The university gave me access to their corporate housing while I work with S.T.A.R. Labs."
Ava looked at the amber and white butts in a glass ashtray on the kitchen counter.
"I didn't know you smoked."
As long as Ava had known Pam, she always remembered her hatred for anything tobacco-related. When the two used to go out and Pam saw someone smoking, they would have to endure the torture of a five-minute lecture about its effects on the body. She would go on and on, passionately condemning them until Ava pulled her away and apologized to whomever she had made her victim.
It's not right, she used to say. They're killing themselves for no reason.
Pam never exactly said why she couldn't stand smokers, but after Ava went over her house one evening, she didn't have to. Pam's father had made a practice of snuffing his cigarettes on her skin whenever he was angry, and she had the scars to prove it.
Pam spun around, and Ava caught the worry in her eye.
"I uh…I don't. Lately things have been really stressful at the lab and I picked up a pack to calm myself down." answered Pam, her gaze shifting from left to right.
"Doesn't that seem a bit counterintuitive?" mused Ava suspiciously.
"Yeah, I guess it does." Pam laughed halfheartedly, but offered no explanation. "Come on, I'll show you your room."
Ava carried her bags into the first room on the left, setting them down on the floor. It too, like the rest of the apartment, was rather nice, with mod furniture and a large mirrored closet.
"Cozy." approved Ava, taking off her jacket.
"Glad you like it. Bathroom's across the hall and my room's at the end. Come in once you're changed and we'll order the food."
"Mel?" she called quietly as her friend turned to go. Pam looked over her shoulder.
"Thanks again."
"You're always welcome, Aves."
Left to her own devices, Ava drew the curtains shut and began taking things out of her suitcases. She was meticulous in organizing everything- work apparel on the left side of the closet and everyday on the right. Everything that couldn't be hung found its way into the large silver dresser across from the bed and shoes were stacked neatly on the closet floor's shoe rack.
She changed into red plaid pants and a white t-shirt, then set about the task of putting the contents of her backpack away.
Why can't these stupid things unpack themselves? Ava wondered unhappily, unzipping the compartments. She was beginning to understand why traveling correspondents pack light.
Out came her laptop, a weathered copy of The Great Gatsby, keys, and cell phone charger. She quickly spread them out on the room's desk and rolled her eyes, aware that there was still another bag to deal with.
Her stomach put her priorities in order with an annoyed groan.
Later.
With a wicked glint in her eye, she slunk to Pam's room on her tiptoes, attempting to scare her. Pam was reading on the bed, back to her.
Lifting her legs high above white carpet, Ava suppressed a smile and closed in, only two steps away. She was just about to reach out and tap her when the redhead spoke up.
"Ava, you breathe heavier than a fat guy after a marathon."
"Really now? You couldn't have let me win this one time?" whined Ava, deflated. Petulantly, she plopped onto the bed's orange blanket. Rolling onto her stomach, she went to poke Pam with her foot, but stopped when she smelled something odd.
It wasn't smoke, that much was certain. It was gentler, but strong, like sage and cedar. An improbable recipe for perfume, Ava was left with only one conclusion.
Cologne.
"Not as long as you sound like that, Lady Vader. Ready to eat?"
"Always, but care to tell me who your mystery man is?"
Crap.
Pam had forgotten to change the sheets before she left, too busy trying to get thoughts of Jason out of her head. Student-teacher dating carried severe penalties at Gotham University, and she didn't want to undo seven years of studying because of a scent on her bed. No one was supposed to know about him, and after today, she never wanted anyone to.
There were only two ways out of it- lie or own up.
"What are you talking about?" she asked innocently.
Lie.
"I'm talking about the cologne in your sheets, Mel!" laughed Ava, sitting up.
"H-he's no one, just a friend." Pam felt a tightening in her chest and took a deep breath, trying to ward off images of what had taken place there just a few hours ago.
You're so sexy when you smoke, came the specter's voice as it crawled beneath the blankets and onto her skin.
Shivering, she shook it away and wrung her hands, hoping Ava would get the hint and drop it. She didn't.
"Friend?" drawled Ava, rolling her eyes. "I'm your friend, but I certainly won't be leaving a perfume trail when I leave."
Rising annoyance now replaced her sadness, and Pam tried not to let it show. She wasn't angry with Ava, but with herself for not throwing the ashtray he got her in the trash or pawning that cheap necklace he bought her four days after he forgot her birthday.
Or punching him in the face.
All she knew was that she needed to keep her mind off of him, and the probing questions of her friend, although good-natured, weren't helping.
"Seriously, Aves, let it go."
"Okay, okay...sorry." apologized Ava, shrugging. She knew that voice; it was the same tense one she heard on the phone. Clearly whoever this guy was, Pam wasn't too keen on talking about him.
"It's fine, really." said Pam, returning to normal. "How do spring rolls and lo mein sound to you?"
"Delicious." answered Ava, picking up her phone and taking the menu from Pam. Half an hour later, sitting cross legged on a teal armchair, she filled her mouth with a savory bite of lo mein.
"This may be the best Chinese food I've ever had."
"Didn't I tell you it was amazing?" replied Pam, taking a bite out of a saucy spring roll.
Ava fetched her laptop from her bedroom and opened it, getting a head start on tomorrow's tasks. Even though she only had to write one article per week, not knowing the dates of important press events would cause her more stress.
"Aves, it's Sunday. I'm pretty sure your boss won't expect you to submit anything tonight."
"No, he definitely won't," agreed Ava. "But I should check and see when this week's press conferences are."
"Or you could just relax and ask me." offered Pam, mouth full.
"And how would you know?" queried Ava, tempted to laugh.
"Because the election's all over the news silly. Everyone knows Harvey's got one tomorrow at City Hall. "
"Tomorrow? Why didn't you tell me?" squealed Ava, almost spitting out her food.
"You never asked." came the overly-simple reply. "It was supposed to be today, but got canceled because he jumped into some hostage situation at a deli downtown.
"What? How'd that happen?"
"You know Harv. He can't stay away from anything that might get him killed. Remember when he tried fight Rob Dawson after Rob got mad at you for rejecting his prom invite?"
Rob, the hulking, brutish captain of the wrestling team, asked her to the dance in the tackiest fashion possible, and literally followed her to each of her classes after she said no. Harvey saw how much Rob scared her and challenged him, even though Rob was much larger. He ended up with a shiny black eye and a bruised shoulder, but Ava appreciated the gesture.
Always white knighting, she thought, shaking her head.
"I do; he got destroyed. Care to tell me what time the conference will be, oh Knowledgeable One?" questioned Ava.
"Sure," beamed Pam, enjoying Ava's annoyance. "the news said it'd be at nine tomorrow."
Ava looked at the computer's clock: 10:30 PM
"Well," she said, springing out of the chair and putting her carton in the fridge. "I'd love to stick around, but apparently I have a press conference to prep for. Night, Mel."
"Night." waved Pam, going back to work on her thesis.
Ava took a few minutes to scribble some questions into a notebook and got ready to sleep. After planning her outfit and setting her alarm, she snuggled into her new bed, exhausted.
Harvey Dent was not having a good morning. He got up late, had no coffee and the governor was breathing down his neck about his plan for the city's crime rate. And on top of it all, he had to deal with the press.
Yawning, he listened distractedly to the chatter of the woman at his side as he made his way through a cramped, portrait covered hallway. The unsettling eyes of age old politicians tracked him as he walked by.
"Harvey, did you even hear me? I said 'Don't forget; Wednesday's our dinner with Bruce.'"
Bruce Wayne, he snorted silently.
Rachel made it a point of introducing Harvey to all of her friends over dinner, a custom that often resulted in either awkward silence as he was scrutinized by Gotham's high society or forced laughter over a topic too dull for jokes. He had endured four meet and greets in the last two months, but this one seemed more important than the others. And why shouldn't it be? He was only going to meet Gotham's prince.
No, it was definitely not his day.
Harvey swung his head to Rachel, his girlfriend, and managed a weak smirk. The nasal whine of her words grated a bit on his strained nerves.
"Don't worry, Rach, I didn't forget." was his terse answer.
"Just making sure." assured Rachel. "Did you remember to call Judge Surrillo before you left the office?"
Harvey saw the door to the press room in front of him and closed his eyes, patience waning with each step. He didn't like dealing with the throngs of reporters. They were aggressive and callous, picking every part of his brain for the answers they wanted. They reminded him of his father, and though he outwardly seemed to thrive in the attention, Harvey often found himself counting the minutes until he could leave the event.
His need of a jolt was apparent and Rachel's questions only intensified his desire for caffeine.
"Do you really think I'd blow the most important call I had to make this morning?"
Rachel was quiet.
He opened the door and looked at the thin navy curtain that separated him from the sea of sharks outside. A current of activity was sweeping him forward, inch by inch until he reached the lit podium just beyond the drape's edge.
Sighing, he shrugged his shoulders and let the waves of last-minute procedure engulf his thoughts. Someone handed him a cue card, and his campaign advisor gave him advice on what to say if any dicey questions were asked.
Harvey feigned interest, pretending to be awake. He had one foot behind the curtain and one foot in the light, but stopped when he saw Rachel's frown out the corner of his eye.
"You know I love you, Rach. It's just been rough today."
"I know." she agreed, pecking his cheek. "Now go get 'em."
Strolling to the podium, he waved to the hungry predators who stared at him eagerly. He grinned as the crowd hushed and glued his feet to the floor.
"Good morning everyone. "
Ava shifted uncomfortably in her seat, trying to balance her notebook and voice recorder on her lap. She tugged at her tawny skirt and looked around, aware of the looks it had earned her. Apparently, there was an unspoken rule that named black as the only color one could wear to a press conference.
For the last half hour, she raptly listened to Harvey speak about his hatred for the injustice in Gotham and his plan to make the city a safer place.
Yet, as much as she hated political rhetoric, she had to admit, he was convincing; the way he lit up when he spoke of putting the guilty away, the way he appealed to the public: it was clear that he was sincere.
And to her dismay, just as attractive as she found him before. He still had the same strong face, the same grey eyes that made her-
Focus! she scolded silently, bringing her attention to where it should be.
"We will be taking questions at this time." announced Allan Cypes, Harvey's tight-lipped representative.
Immediately, the once-bored horde of reporters roared to life, standing and waving their notepads about. The mass was frenzied and chaotic, swelling as it threatened to spill onto the stage. Ava jumped up too, wincing as the noise level went from zero to a hundred in a split second. She mimicked the actions of those around her and took to yelling at Cypes, ignoring how she ridiculous she felt.
"Over here!" shouted Ava, muscling past a reporter. But the tide of black drowned her out and she was quickly pushed back to her original spot.
Cypes scanned and pointed to a bottle blonde on the far left, clamor turning to silence. Ava huffed in frustration and sat down.
Of course he'd pick her. she snorted, narrowing her eyes at the woman. Her shirt's first and second buttons were undone.
"Tiffany Samson, Gotham Herald. What are your thoughts on the GCPD's efforts to take down the city's mob?"
"While I think the police are doing everything they can, it's impossible for them to wipe out organized crime on their own. They need legislative help, and that's what I'm going to give them." answered a composed Harvey.
The crowd activated again, and Cypes chose an older man in the middle of the room.
Really?
She was the only person wearing a color other than black. It was impossible to miss her, or so she thought.
"Gary Evers, The Times. Do you think that you can stop the Maroni crime family if you're elected?"
"If I am elected, I will go after the Maronis, no matter what. Their era of preying on the citizens of Gotham is over, I promise you that. It's time for a new day in this city."
Ava heard the conviction in his voice and shivered. His absolution was at once refreshing and frightening. Blüdhaven's politicians were nowhere near this dynamic; most times, their rehearsed lines were as stale as the plastic grins they kept on their faces until the photographers left.
The reporters were on their feet again, and Ava pushed a little harder this time, raising her voice land shoving a woman to her left. Determined, she waded to a less crowded area and signaled with her notebook.
Cypes's searching eyes saw the brown flash of her suit and nodded in her direction.
Ava's heart thudded wildly with excited fear and her words suddenly fled. Although she had prepared, public speaking was not one of her strong suits and she didn't want to make a fool of herself at her first conference.
Nervously, she introduced herself, careful of each letter she had to say.
"A-Ava Madden, Blüd Sun." she managed, doing her best not to trip over her words. Harvey's gaze snapped to her, and she saw the recognition on his face. "What's been your biggest challenge in running so far?"
He paused for the first time in the last hour, the surprise rendering him silent.
It's me, nodded Ava to his silent question.
Clearing his throat, Harvey answered, a slight smile gracing his lips. Ava felt her stomach flutter a bit and suppressed the emotion, scolding herself for acting like a schoolgirl. It had been almost six years since she had last seen him and she still hadn't mastered the art of aloofness. Ava broke eye contact and gazed at her wrinkled notebook.
Six years too long for a crush. she concluded definitively. And while the logic was concrete, she couldn't stop that girly bit of excitement from surging.
"I would say the largest obstacle I've faced so far is getting the people of Gotham to believe in themselves again as a force for change." Ava watched interestedly as Cypes glared in Harvey's direction, evidently not happy with his response.
"No more questions; we're done here." said Cypes abruptly, quickly guiding Harvey behind the curtain as more 'over heres' were thrown his way.
Harvey took another look at Ava, smiling toothily before he ducked behind the curtain.
She waved at him and let out a sigh of relief as he disappeared. She had made it through the press conference without her nerves acting up, which is all she could've asked for. Most of the journalists were still battering Harvey's staff with inquiries, but she was doing her best to slip out of the hall unnoticed. Offering soft 'excuse me's' to the reporters she nudged, Ava eked a path to the door and pushed through, happy to escape the crowded room.
It wasn't that she didn't want to see Harvey, but Ava felt that same shy manner she had in high school creeping up.
Why does he still have that stupid smile? she grumbled, walking as quickly as she could without drawing undue attention.
Hurrying along the long marble corridor that led to 37th Street, Ava pulled out her phone.
"Are you on your way?" she demanded.
"I'm about five minutes away. You sound worried, everything okay?"
"Yeah I'm fine, just a little nervous."
"What's wrong, Aves, Harvey bat his eyes at you?" Pam's laugh sounded in her ear.
"No," answered Ava, doing her best to sound upset. "It's just-"
"Ava!" called another voice.
Damn.
She turned around and felt the annoying flutter return as Harvey came towards her. Instinctively, she ran a hand through her hair and attempted her most causally welcoming smile.
"Mel," she started, her tone markedly more pleasant. "I'll call you back."
"He's walking over isn't he?"
"Mhm."
Swallowing a lump in her throat, she straightened up and walked to him, pushing fear out of her mind.
"Harv, it's great to see you!"
He caught her in a hug, and Ava's breath stopped.
Keep it together. She exhaled.
"You too. What are you doing here?" Loosening a bit, she wrapped her arms around him and squeezed, enjoying his touch a little too much.
"Believe it or not, I'm covering your campaign for the Sun back home."
He pulled away, and Ava pouted, but covered it up with a smile.
"Are you serious? I'm honored."
"Turns out Blüdhaven misses you." she said, laughing.
"I guess so. Do you still live there?"
"Yeah. I moved to Harem Cove last year."
She was surprised that she hadn't said anything stupid yet.
"Aves," he began, using her nickname. "that's a dangerous area."
"Harvey," countered Ava, rolling her eyes as his face twisted with concern. "the Cove's cleaned up a lot since you left. Besides, I'm going to be living out here for the next few months."
"That's good to hear, really it is. How's Aunt Vivian?"
Harvey always considered Ava's aunt his own, to the point where he spent most of the holidays with her and Pam.
"She's doing well. I'll tell her you said 'hi' when I talk to her. How'd you get over here anyway? Isn't there a Harvey Dent entourage?" she asked, quirking an eyebrow.
"I wouldn't call it an entourage, but I told Cypes I was going to the bathroom." came his bemused admission.
"Awesome. Do you want me to hide behind that plant over there if they come looking for you?" joked Ava, pointing to a well-groomed ficus a little ways off.
"That wouldn't do me any good. They'd still find me here in the middle of the lobby."
"Not if you hid with me." suggested Ava, blushing.
There it is.
It was a bold thing to say, and as soon as it left her mouth, she wanted to take it back. She expected him to awkwardly end the conversation after that, but all he did was laugh at what he understood to be a straightforward joke.
"That just might work." said Harvey, pleased.
"What will?" chimed a woman that Ava hadn't noticed nearing them. She wore a white Oxford, black pants and slight frown to match.
Typical in a place like this.
Harvey's jaw tensed subtly, but he slid an arm around the woman and pulled her to his side.
"Aves, this is my girlfriend, Rachel." he introduced, leaning into Rachel for a quick kiss. "Rach, this is Ava Madden. We grew up together in Blüdhaven, and she's a reporter for the newspaper there."
Ava did her best to hide the shock at the word 'girlfriend' and extended her hand to Rachel, who gave her a discreet once over.
"Nice to meet you."
"You too. Are you covering the election?" asked Rachel coolly.
"As a matter of fact, I am." replied Ava, noticing the tightness with which Rachel was holding Harvey's hand. Resisting the urge to roll her eyes, she continued. "I'll be around for a while."
"Good to know. Here's my number." stated Rachel, handing her a business card. "If you want to schedule any interviews with Harvey, call me."
"Thanks, I definitely will."
To anyone watching, the three would appear to be having a marginally pleasant conversation. But Ava sensed both the tension between Harvey and Rachel and the rather cold shoulder Rachel was giving her.
What, he can't make his own appointments? she thought with annoyance.
"Are you free Wednesday? asked a hopeful Harvey, a little too eager.
Ava saw the hint of anger on Rachel's face as he spoke, but answered the question anyway.
"I think so, why?"
"We're having dinner with a friend that night and I figured some extra dirt might make you stand out when you write your article."
"I'm not sure." hesitated Ava for the sake of social convention." I don't want to intrude on any plans you might have made."
"You won't be." stated Rachel bluntly. Her words were sharp, but they were dull enough to keep Harvey from detecting the edge in her voice. "A reporter will hardly be an intrusion."
Ava glared at her, but bit her tongue and let out a fake chuckle.
"Well in that case, I'd love to. Harv, will you let me know the time and place tomorrow?"
"Sure," he said, not daring to look at the woman on his arm.
Ava's phone rang, the chipper ringtone slicing the tension in the air.
Finally.
"I'd love to stick around, but my ride's here." explained a grateful Ava, turning to leave. "Nice seeing you again Harv, nice meeting you Rachel. I'll see you both on Wednesday."
Practically running away from the gauche couple, Ava dashed down the whitewashed City Hall steps into Pam's getaway car. Setting her stuff under her feet, she noted her friend's relaxed state and frowned.
"How was it?" quizzed Pam excitedly.
Too confused to manage anything else, Ava gave her the shortest answer she could. The last ten minutes had baffled her, and she was trying to process it all.
"Apparently, I have a date on Wednesday."
A/N: There it is, Chapter 4. It took a little while to write because I saw The Dark Knight Rises and couldn't get it out of my head.
For those of you wondering, Rachel will play a pretty big role in future chapters so look out.
~L.L.
