Sorry I didn't post yesterday. I had homework as half of The Three Musketeers to read. Finished it last night. Fantastic book.

Speaking of books, special guest Mark Tw- I mean, Commissioner Gordon!

Commissioner Gordon: I'm baffled as to how I got here. Miss? Could you tell me where I am?

Oh, well, you're in my disclaimer-

I'm sure Midisclamar is a lovely city, but I have to be gettin' back to Gotham. Gotta find myself the door...

Um... You can't leave until the story starts...

*walks into wall* What's this? Some kind of forcefield? I'm such a boob for not expecting this! *shoots repeatedly at wall*

Don't do that! You're breaking the fourth wall-

*wall explodes inward*

*audience rushes in*

Erm, well... I don't own any of this! *loads shotgun* ALL RIGHT! BACK IN YOUR SEATS!

B-but... B-baffled...

Chapter 4

"We interrupt the usual Friday evening report for this breaking news from Gotham's criminal underworld." My ears perked up as I heard Vicki Vale's voice. I was still at the school - where else would I be? I was a goddamn teacher with no social life - and I had turned on the tiny class television to listen to the news as I graded some math worksheets. What was the perky reporter talking about this time?

"An unknown villain, referring to themselves only as C, has sent this message to us at Channel 7 News." Vicki cleared her throat, held up a slip of paper, and started reading. "'To the citizens of Gotham: For the past year I have been carefully biding my time after you destroyed the one thing I held close to my heart. I have decided that now is the time for action. Every night I will kidnap a loving wife or girlfriend from somewhere in the city... and I will kill them. Every night, a new victim. Unless, of course, the Batman comes forward an reveals his identity to the city at large. I will kill as many as it takes. Mark my words. -C' This note was delivered to the station earlier this evening. The GCPD is on high alert, searching for this unknown criminal. If you know anything about this, please contact the GCPD or the news immediately so we can stop this villain before they strike. Channel 7 will keep you updated as the case develops. Until then, this is Vicki Vale signing off."

A chill ran down my spine. Girlfriends and wives? That meant I was in danger. I began to breathe progressively faster and faster, convinced that I was going to die, when I realized something.

I wasn't a wife any more, was I?

That calmed me down just a fraction.

I sighed and put the worksheets in my bag. I needed to get home before dark. Even if I wasn't one of the potential targets, I didn't want to wander the streets with a murderer threatening women who more or less fit my description.

I slipped almost silently through the hallways, not wanting to be stopped by a fellow teacher. The doors were in sight, just at the end of the hall, and-

"Ms. Arthur? Could you come in here for a moment?"

I sighed and turned around, walking into the principal's office. I thought I wouldn't have to worry about being called here after I graduated, but no. One of the necessary consequences of having to reinvent yourself.

"Yes, Dr. Roberts?"

"Sit," the older woman said curtly, gesturing to an uncomfortable-looking straight-backed chair. I perched lightly on the edge, bag in my lap, ready to stand and leave the instant I could.

"It has come to our attention that you spoke with Bruce Wayne today." There was that damn royal we... That more than anything else about the woman got on my nerves.

"That is correct." What did a parent-teacher meeting have to do with anything?

"Ms. Arthur, we trust you know that Mr. Wayne is one of our most helpful benefactors, and not a man we would want to insult."

"I'm sorry, but what exactly have I done to insult him?" I was genuinely confused now. "I was under the impression that meeting with a student's parents is fairly routine."

"Perhaps," her eyes narrowed, "but in this conversation we have been informed that you hinted that his son Richard has been involved with the wrong crowd. We are certain that you also insinuated that Mr. Wayne has been a less than savory father figure."

"That was my initial suspicion," I admitted, "but only because Dick was injured and refused to tell me how he was hurt. As soon as I met Mr. Wayne I knew he cared too much about Dick to hurt him."

"Either way, we are afraid that we cannot afford to have one of our teachers accusing-"

"I did no such thing!" I said, defending myself, but she continued as if she hadn't heard.

"-accusing our parents of abuse and improper treatment. We simply cannot employ people who make such unfounded accusations. We are sorry, Ms. Arthur."

My jaw dropped. "Are you... Did you just fire me?"

She nodded gravely. "You may return on Monday to explain to your students that you will no longer be teaching here, unless you do not wish to do so." She stood and held open the door. "Good day, Ms. Arthur."

I shuffled out of the office without a word, practically numb from shock. Maybe teaching hadn't been my favorite thing to do, but I needed a job. I needed something to pay for my food, my rent, my bills. I still received small checks from the new owners of the grocery - they had started sending them when they realized what had happened to the previous owners - but they wouldn't be nearly enough to cover the necessities of life, let alone any kind of luxuries.

I walked down the street, my thoughts distracting me from my surroundings. I stared at my feet as I went, not caring about the various Gothamites I bumped into.

Damn it. What was I supposed to do now?

Update coming on Wednesday. I have the majority of this story already planned out (yay!). Once I finish, I'll post daily, assuming I remember. Just a warning, though, this has the potential to easily become the length of FotM.