I'm back! Sorry for the wait, but you might only get a chapter a month until school ends. Don't worry about me running out of ideas, though, because I havs the whole plot written out. Life just drags on until I have time to write it on paper.


Alice looked uncertain as Veronica led her through the dark hallway and into the waiting room area.

"Sit down" Veronica instructed.

So Alice did as she was told, and sat down next the the glass coffee table. Within the minute, Veronica had returned with a waiver, and a dinky fountain pen.

Alice brought the small slip of paper close to her face and squinted. She couldn't decipher any of the words. Veronica sighed "It's honestly just a formality. We're not going to do anything to permanently damage your hands. And, you can quit anytime."

This cheered Alice up a little. Enough for her to work up enough courage to ask how much the job paid.

Veronica explained the job description as Alice rushed through the papers, signing where a line was provided.

"The amount of money is based mostly on how much merchandise we can sell because of the pictures. Usually, we give the newbies fifty-five percent of the profits."

Alice's jaw dropped. That would pay much more than her last job at the public library. Veronica smirked "You should be glad that I recommended you to Niall. He seemed pleased though. If you do especially well, we might even push you up to full model status."

"Thank you." Alice mewled quietly. Veronica laughed "You don't say much do you? Then we'll get along, you and I."

And with that, Alice followed Veronica to one of the rooms in the light hallway.

First, Veronica pushed Alice in the dark room, and then turned the lights on. It was the dream of a 50's Hollywood actress manifested into reality. A vanity sat against the left wall, and the lights around the mirror flickered on and off, making soft twinkling sounds. Gold glitter and feathers were scattered on the floor, and a filing cabinet on the opposite wall was full of costumes.

Once again, Alice was dumbfounded. This job was like a dream. She pinched herself on the arm, not hard enough to bruise, but enough to let her know it was reality.

"Come on, Alice." Veronica commanded. She was rather bossy."Let's prepare your hands for your first shooting."

Veronica pulled out a small folding chair, and had Alice sit on the futon. Sitting across from each other, Veronica trimmed Alice's nails and soaked them in olive oil. It would promote nail growth, and would keep her nails glossy and smooth.

"Now," Veronica began," I need you to know how to take care of your hands and nails properly." It was then that Veronica began applying crimson nail polish from Alice's cuticles to the end of the oval-shaped nails.

Alice stared in awe as Veronica continued painting. She would dip the brush in the small glass bottle, and cover then nail in blood red polish. She did it perfectly, as if it were her mission in life to paint nails.

"...and you can not, under any circumstance use acetone on any part of your hand. It will destroy them." she finished. Looking at Alice, she say her staring worshipfully at her newly painted nails. She smiled a strained smile. "Yep, she's a daydreamer."

Alice suddenly focused her attention back on Veronica's lovely tanned skin, and black-lined eyes. Her indigo blue eyes reflected a kind of hopefulness in Alice's naive character. Maybe that's what their company needed...

"Did you say something?" Alice questioned. She didn't want to lose any information. Veronica shook her head as she blew lightly on Alice's delicate nails.

"Nothing important." she said softly. "We're going to do your first shot today, if that's alright?"

Alice nodded her head, but then asked Veronica if she could call her boyfriend to see how he was doing. Veronica pointed the the vanity.

She was able to convince Jack to make up their plans for a different day. He conceded once she told him that she ha scored a job. Veronica could be heard in the background chuckling when she said that.

Alice finished her call with a sweet "Love you!" and hung up. "Now, where do we begin?"

Veronica opened the door, and pointed to the room across the hallway. "Straight in here, my fair lady!"

Alice was so glad that Veronica was being so nice to her. Her whole life had been filled to the brim with people who wanted her to listen, but Veronica craved conversation, not ranting. It felt so good to be acknowledged. Scratch that, it felt ineffable.

She stepped through the doorway, and into a white room with a light pink canvas covering one wall of the square room. Veronica pointed to a wooden chair and table set, with a plastic bag of chips on it.

"Pick up the bag and open it. Then take a chip out, and curl your middle, ring, and pinkie fingers. It'll look more appetizing that way." Veronica commanded.

'Oh, great' Alice thought 'Back in dictator mode.' But she did as asked, and did it well. She curled her hand perfectly, which made Veronica's eyes sparkle. Before Alice knew it, she heard camera clicks coming from Veronica, but also from behind her.

Veronica tried to stop her from turning her head, but to no avail. Alice gasped when she saw what was behind her. It was Niall, taking full body photos of her.

She stood up, and backed into the pink canvas, which fell on top of her causing her to crash down onto the carpeted floors.

Alice sat there waiting to comprehend what happened. She thought that she had come in for hand modeling, not actual modeling. Then the blanket-like fabric was lifted from above her, and a hand was shoved in front of her face.

She reluctantly took it. Once she was back on her feet, she frowned slightly "Would someone like to explain what's going on? I'm not mad, just confused."

Veronica and Niall looked at each other hesitantly. Veronica nudged Niall with her elbow, and he cleared his throat.

"Well, you see, people typically model better when they are natural, and we just wanted to test you." He shifted uncomfortably, waiting for her response.

The gears switched in her mind, and she blushed. They thought she was appropriate model material. "Oh, I understand. You could've just told me."

Niall shrugged.

Veronica brought her hands together to produce a clapping sound. "Well, since we got all that figured out, let's get Alice dressed. It may be a later night than planned."

It was then that Alice was tugged out of the room and back into the 50's Hollywood room.

Veronica pulled out an accordion-like screen, and placed it subtending the corner's inverted angle. "You're gonna get dressed behind this curtain." Alice walked slowly, and so awkwardly that Veronica put a hand on her shoulder.

"Chill out, Alice. No boys allowed in this room. So go quick, I have to dress for this photo shoot as well." Veronica viciously assured.

So Alice slipped on the garment. It was white with a small gold ribbon off to the side. Not to mention, completely sleeveless, no clear plastic straps even. But the dress' tube top seemed to stay in place, so Alice left the screen.

Alice then sat again on the futon, and her dress billowed around her. Then, she put on the strappy gold heels that came with the dress. Luckily, she didn't think that she would have walk that far in them.

Veronica walked from behind the sakura blossom screen, and Alice immediately felt self-conscious.

Veronica was sporting an off-the-shoulder long sleeved gold dress that reached the floor. It wasn't until she moved her leg, that Alice realized that the dress had a long slit up the right side that reached her mid-thigh. On her feet were sleek, black peep-toe heels. Once she saw Alice, she giggled. "Alice, you look fantastic! Let me help you with your hair and make-up."

Veronica decided with a small braid that could be pinned back with a bobby-pin. The rest of her glossy locks would be free to tumble down her back.

"Let's go!" she whispered excitingly.

Once they found Niall, he was holding his camera and tripod. They all began walking down the hallway, but not to the same room they had been in previously. Alice wondered if she would be able to make it in heels. Where were they going?

Niall opened the door to the building, and allowed the lovely ladies to go first. They stepped out into the brisk Gotham air, and Alice wished that she brought a jacket with her. Her exposed skin broke out in goosebumps, so she started rubbing her arms to create friction heat.

Niall apologized "Sorry, but giving you a jacket would ruin the image." Alice nodded, completely understanding the situation. She lowered her hands, trying to show that the cold didn't bother her, when it truth, it chilled her to the bone.

Then, Niall began leading them all over town to find the best way to capture their dazzling outerwear. At first, he let them interact with each other on the asphalt street glistening silver with rain. The shots looked very natural and relaxed for the models knowing there was a camera capturing their every move. After a few practice shots, Niall led Alice to an old brick building and had her press her back against it, and her face in profile to show off her aquiline nose. Veronica walked over to where they were and sighed at Alice's natural beauty.

It was a kind of beauty that was not well known. Impossible to describe, but a beauty that anyone could agree on, because it just existed without alterations.

After the body shots, Niall took them to a bridge with lights pipelined over the cables like a gingerbread house. The bridge overlooked an inky river, and the lights reflected in it like fairy lights. Both ladies stood on the bridge, simply walking. The last trip they took was to a highrise. By then, it was sell past midnight, and them moon was barely covered by clouds. The ladies stood there looking up at the moon.

Alice was noticeably tired by this point, and couldn't refrain from yawning. Veronica patter Alice's back and whispered "This was fun." Veronica's dirty blonde updo was nearly destroyed by this point.

They made their way back to the studio, and lazily undressed out of their night-on-the-town clothes. When Alice redressed into her 'secretary' clothes, she realized that being professional was not one of this company's priorities. She would continue to dress nice, but not fancy, unless they requested it.

Pulling on her warm coat, Alice exhaled happily. After being in the cold for so long, she had gotten used to it. But it still felt absolutely wonderful to pull on a woolen coat, and be enveloped in the glowing heat.

Saying goodbye to her new friends, Alice walked outside and looked straight up at the midnight sky. She was positively convinced that this was the job for her.


As she left the building, Veronica and Niall sighed dejectedly.

Veronica shook her head and rubbed her temples with her thumb. She slowly sat down on the waiting room couch, and allowed her tense body to sink into it. "I just don't understand why someone would target her? She seems like a girl who wouldn't allow herself to get involved with an obsessive stalker."

Niall shrugged his shoulders and let his hands relax against his thighs. He sat down close to Veronica and with a swift movement, he pulled her onto his lap. She struggled playfully to get out of his grasp, but she eventually melted against him comfortably.

She twisted her head around to look at Niall's face, and then he surprised her with a sweet kiss. At first, she was shocked, but then she placed her hand on his cheek, and kissed back.

After they had run out of breath, the two separated and Niall suggested "Maybe the stalker doesn't have a reason. Compulsive, perhaps?"

She turned back around sharply and frowned "That's such a lame excuse. Even the Flash could make up a better excuse."

Niall laughed " Veronica, don't get worked up. Let's go get a midnight snack."

Veronica stood back up "Okay, but only if you call me by my real name. We're alone now."

Laughing once more, Niall put on his green coat, and held out Veronica's jean jacket for her. " Fine,..."


Longer chapter than usual, eh?

Well, don't expect too much.

And, if Veronica's real name isn't Veronica, who could she be? I hope that I dropped enough hints...

Niall doesn't seem quite right either, does he?

If you guess it right, then I'll just have to ask Batman to give up his World's Greatest Detective title!