"Barsad you have all the cameras in place?" I opened a file on the kitchen table and tried to keep my mind on the plan. I had some loose ends to tie up and some general chaos I was planning before the bomb went off. So much to do in 5 months.

"Yes Sir, no one goes in or out without you being able to see it. You can tap into the cameras using the internet and of course everything gets recorded and uploaded to your computer upstairs.

"Very good. Move at least 10 men into this floor, no one touches the girl, am I understood?"

"Of course Sir."

"Let's get a move on, I have things to do today." I tapped the papers on the table and left the apartment to meet my other men in the sewer, it was time to put a limit on Gotham's life. I was thrilled.

The game just started and I gladly pressed the detonation button. I watched as the field came crashing in, the screams filling the stadium.

"Today brothers, is our day of days." I walked out onto the field, my men, the bomb, and the good doctor in tow. Gotham's destiny was certain, it's people shaken, this city would crumble; I smiled cheerfully as I delivered Gotham's salvation to its teary eyed citizens.

I sat outside my door and watched the apartment for a few hours. I listened to everything; the fridge cycle, the heat running, the wind against the building. I went downstairs and looked out the big glass window, I saw a familiar bank next door; I counted 12 stories on the bank and it was taller than us but not by much. Only 10 stories.

I went to the elevator and found that you had to have an access code to work it. Trying the emergency escape I found the stairs locked. I checked the lock and found that it was pretty standard, a few tools and I could try to pick it, I would have to practice though and find some tools.

The apartment was quiet. It was past lunch but I wasn't very hungry. I decided to start dinner, I found a crockpot and put everything together for chili. Peppers, onions, beans, and meat. I found other vegetables to throw in and made cornbread muffins. Only a few hours work and I was still alone. The chili wouldn't be ready until late so I grabbed a snack and went back to my room. I needed my sketchpad if I was going to make this work.

I started by sketching the layout of the apartment, the number of rooms, the stairway; I began to measure from point to point using my stride as a measuring guide, I needed to know everything. After another hour of sketching and writing, I tore the page out and hid it under the corner of my mattress closest to the wall. I took to sitting on the couch downstairs with a book I found on the kitchen table; it was a gunsmithing book throughout the ages. It detailed guns, parts, bullets, simple mechanics and complicated physics; I was instantly enthralled. After what seemed like minutes I heard the elevator whir alerting me that someone or a bunch of someone's were on the way up.

I folded a corner of the page I was on down and closed the book; taking it to the kitchen I set it down on the table and set out some bowls and spoons. I filled my bowl and got a glass of water before balancing my cornbread and the book on top and started to walk up the stairs when I heard the door open and the sound of heavy boots hit the floor.

Why did my residence smell like chili? Where was that book I had out? Where was that damned girl.

"JADE." My voice echoed through the apartment as I walked into the kitchen. My eyes rested on the counter with the crockpot, cornbread, and empty bowls.

"What's up?" Her hair was down, it was a first. It twisted gently down to her waist as she popped her head around the corner.

"What is this?" I gestured towards the countertop, "and there was a book on this table, where is it now?" I glared at her.

"The food is for everyone, as for your book; it's upstairs."

"And why would it be there?"

"I was reading it, sorry. I can go get it for you."

"I think that would be wise, bring it to my room, do you understand?"

"Yeah." She disappeared before I had a chance to reprimand her tone. I felt like I was taking care of a young Talia again, the resilience.

Taking some food for myself I walked up the stairs to see Jade coming out of her room with my book in her hands.

"Follow me." I kept going to my door, then turned back to Jade, she had her face down but I noticed she stood a little taller today. "Hold my food." I thrust my bowl out toward her and she almost dropped it while I dug the key out of my pocket. After I turned the knob open I pocketed the key and opened the door. "Come in Jade." I walked in and motioned for her to put everything on the desk. She set it down and turned to leave.

"I didn't tell you to leave Jade." She stopped and turned at me.

"Do I need your permission to leave your room?" Her hands were on her hips indignantly.

"As a matter of fact, when I am home, that's exactly how it works."

I gave myself a small injection of painkiller and unhooked my mask quickly, I had no intention of being without it for too long. I sat at my desk and took out some more papers to go over, there were hundreds of Andrew's in the military personal record, and I was looking at age of enlistment and narrowing it down there. She stood in the middle of the room for a few minutes and when it became too much for me to bear I put down the folder and motioned for her to sit over by the bed and nightstand.

"Just sit on the side of the bed?"

"The floor, if you please." I took up the folder again in one hand and in the other retrieved the chili at the end of my desk. There was a large square pillow I had put at the head of my bed on the floor for just this.

"On the pillow?" She put her hands on her hips.

"That exact one." I started to eat the chili with my right hand while reading the files I had in front of me. She still had not moved. "Jade, I won't say it again." I wiped my mouth and put the spoon down in the bowl. "Go sit down." I rested my hand with the files on my knee and stared at her.

"I'm not a dog Bane." She crossed her arms but looked down uncomfortably.

"I did not ask what you were or were not. Go. Sit. Down." I gave her a much more menacing glace and she walked slowly to the pillow and sat down on her knees on it with her back to the bed.

"I don't really appreciate being treated like this you know." She kept her head down, her voice was soft but there was no anger in her tone, only sadness.

I continued to eat and read until I was done with my bowl. I set everything down and went to brush my teeth, I walked past Jade and into my bathroom.

I looked at myself in the mirror, feeling my mouth and the scars that littered it. I felt the pain creeping back and I quickly finished up and returned to my desk and the mask that awaited me.

"Jade you can take my bowl and go now." I adjusted my mask and turned to see she had fallen asleep against my nightstand. I had only been reading for about 10 minutes how tired was this girl? I sat down in my chair and retrieved my tablet to review the cameras. I saw her dancing and reading, cooking, drawing, and something else. I smiled as I watched her take even strides from all the doors to the elevator and staircase. I chuckled when I recognized that she was measuring the apartment, she was sketching it and taking measurements. I would have to keep an eye on the cameras when I was away from now on to ensure she didn't get too far in her endeavor.

I leafed through the names some more and narrowed it down to 4 boys who were about the right age. I would have Barsad look into them more and help me narrow them down. I glanced up again to see Jade's face had contorted itself into a grimace; she looked as if she was on the verge of tears when she turned the other way and started to fall over.

I felt as if my body was being thrown off a cliff, when I snapped awake and put my hands out to catch myself. I had fallen asleep and I had been snapped awake by falling over onto the floor, my hands and the edge of the pillow caught my fall but I couldn't feel my heartbeat for a moment.

I lay there with my eyes closed and took a few deep breaths. I started to push myself up when I realized how tired I was. I relaxed and let my body lie there for a few moments, I never got much sleep so the few peaceful moments my body felt I let it take. I opened my eyes to watch Bane, his mask was back on and he was pining maps to the walls and making sure he had enough lights over them, though he never turned any of them on.

"If you wish to sleep on my floor then you may stay, otherwise the door is open for a short time and if you would like to leave then I suggest you go now." He didn't turn when he spoke.

"Would you like me to close the door on my way out?" I walked quickly to the smooth frame.

"Yes, I will be home tomorrow Jade. I will speak with you in the morning, get some sleep."

"Bane I," I had my hand on the doorknob, would he care?

"Yes?" He stopped what he was doing and turned to look at me.

"I don't sleep well at night, I haven't slept well in ages. Do you have anything to help?" I looked down at the floor sheepishly. His fist was almost in my chest and I held my hand out, a single white tablet fell into my hand. "Just this then?"

"Take it with a glass of water, it should take effect in about 10 minutes, make sure you're lying down or you may hurt yourself. I will try to rouse you at a decent time but with that pill you may be asleep longer. We will speak more tomorrow, go on." He waved me away and I closed the door quietly.

I brushed my teeth and guzzled a glass of water before taking the pill. I made sure my door was closed before taking my shorts off, I would have to ask Bane for some more clothes, if we were talking tomorrow then I would have to remember to bring it up. I took out my copy of A Midsummer Nights Dream and opened the hard back cover and peeled the paper away from the inside; I took out Andrew's picture and stared at it for a few minutes. I turned off all the other lights except my small bedside lamp, I lie in bed tracing his smile against his face. I felt my head begin to get heavy and realized the pill I took was probably kicking in. I tucked the picture back inside the book and pressed the paper closed as best I could before turning off the small lamp and falling into a dreamless sleep.

After about 45 minutes I walked to her door to check on her. The pill should have knocked her out cold, I hope I was not wrong in the 10 minutes I gave her. The lights in the apartment were off, a soft glow came from under the balcony, I heard the men in whispered voices in their rooms. I opened her door quietly and saw she had fallen asleep in bed and was in a heavy slumber, the hall light fell on a book next to her bed, padding quietly over to her lamp I picked up a volume of William Shakespeare, I had read much of the bard over the years. Flipping through the hardback I wondered why the back cover was so worn; the rest of the book was almost pristine. I turned the book over and peeled back the paper, taking out the picture inside I turned it over. It was a picture of Jade and some boy. I smiled quietly and took the picture with me. I wonder how long it would take for her to notice. I wonder where she would go first.

"Thank you Andrew."

I left her room quietly, leaving the door open on the way out.

When I woke up I noticed my head felt like someone had hit me with a brick. I closed my eyes and took a few deep breaths but that only seemed to make it worse. I opened my eyes just a little bit but closed them promptly, I knew Bane was waiting for me but he would just have to wait. I was going to roll over when my eyes shot open despite the pain. My door was open, I never slept with an open door if I could help it. I crawled out of bed with my eyes closed and met the edge of the door with my finger tips, I looked up and met eyes with Bane, I tried to give him my best 'I hate you' look while I closed my door, but I had to close my eyes due to the pain. I felt his hand on my head it was searing hot, almost uncomfortable. He picked me up and put me back in bed and closed the door behind him.

"Thanks for nothing." My voice didn't carry at all and I closed my eyes and let my mind kick me back to sleep.

I heard her wake up but the groan let me know she had one of the more common side effects of the drug I had given her; an incredible migraine. I walked down the hall and saw her lying on the floor, her eyes tight shut, her arm reaching to close the last bit of light in her room; the windows had been blacked out.

Still, it amused me that despite what had to be the worst pain imaginable, she still got up to close her door. I smiled as I poured a large pitcher of water and walked it into her bedroom, setting it on her desk. I closed her door and sat and watched her sleep. I turned on the small light on her desk and pulled a few of her books out and began reading the book I had found her picture in. The pages were worn and dog eared from continuous reading. Some of the pages held small stains or pen marks for notes. Somewhere in the 3rd act she began to toss and turn. I poured her some water into her cup and nudged her gently.

"Someone so young does not need to sleep for so long." She turned to face the wall and scooted closer to it.

"If I am to stay here until I am either killed or die by natural causes, the amount I sleep I do or do not get is of no relevance." Her voice was muffled by the comforter that Barsad had put on her bed and it sounded as if she was clearly still in some pain.

"I have some water for you to drink." I put the cup down on the desk letting her know it was there.

"You can leave it on the desk, thank you."

"Does it hurt?"

"You sound like you knew that this was going to happen, it even sounds as if you are amused that I am in this much pain." She rolled over under the blanket but didn't pull it down. "By the way, I sleep with my door closed."

"I may open your door if I choose"

"Then I'll sleep in the closet." Her voice snapped but a quick intake of breath told me she did so with extreme effort.

"Does an open door scare you?" I let the amusement in my voice carry into the room as I leaned back in her chair. Her pain was slightly amusing to me and I wanted it to see how long she could keep her composure.

"Yeah, kind of, so don't do it again." She slid the blanket down and glared at me as best she could before pulling the blanket slowly back over her eyes.

"And what makes you believe you can give orders to me?"

"Don't open my door or you will find me in the closet. It isn't a demand or an order, it's a fact." She tossed the blanket lightly down her body but she stopped at her waist. "And now I have to ask you to get out."

I laughed through my mask and stared at her as she sat up. "I think not. You are going downstairs today. So let's get dressed and you need to get something to eat."

"I can't get dressed while you are in here."

"You have your own bathroom, change in there."

"I'm only wearing boxers, you're sitting on my shorts." She pulled the blanket closer to her chest.

"You forget little one, I put you back this morning, and I have already seen you." Her faced dashed down and turned a brilliant shade of red. I laughed as I tossed her shorts to her. "You have no right to ask for anything here. If I ask you if you would like something, then is the time to say it, any other time and I am merely indulging you dear."

She didn't speak as she put her shorts on under her blanket causing me to smile even more. After she was dressed she tossed the blanket down more and sat up on her knees rubbing at her face.

"Why do you sleep on the floor? It is tactically unsound to take such a position."

She brushed her hair and teeth, drank the water I poured and poured herself another, then opened a foil package and began to eat something on her way out the door.

"Do not ignore me Jade." I was at her elbow turning her quickly to face me. She pulled her elbow but I just gripped her harder. She huffed but turned square on and continued to eat whatever was in the foil package. "Do you want me to be upset with you?" I squeezed her arm even harder, I knew she had to be feeling a pretty hefty pressure. She stopped eating and gave me her full face, something was in her eyes, something firey and angry. I held her arm harder and her face turned slowly into an angry grimace, the lines deepening as the pressure continued.

"I'm not going to give you the pleasure, so break it or let me go." Her voice was quiet but calm.

"What if I do break it?"

"Then I have a broken arm and that will make living with me very difficult." She continued to stare at me with no sign of asking for me to let go. I threw her down and she pushed out at my legs, I walked back a step and watched her raise to a knee and try to punch at mine.

Stepping forward I reached for her neck but to my surprise she shot her head back and I grabbed nothing but air. Her face contorted in an angry sneer, the cowardly girl who I had seen for the last few days was not there. My surprise must have shown because she stopped and instantly her expression changed, the fire in her eyes gone, dampened by years of careful hiding.

I looked at her with disbelief as she began to pick up pieces of her breakfast and hurry downstairs to throw them away. I touched her picture in my pocket and smiled at the thought of corrupting something so volatile.