AN: Batman is not mine in any way shape or form. You probably already knew that, but I have to tell you anyway.


Furiously striding down the sidewalk I wasn't paying attention to where I was going, and was instead digging around in the completely useless purse Lyra had forced me to buy. The only things I had in there were my phone, my credit card, and the key to my penthouse. Apparently that was enough to warrant the use of a purse.

The cause of my rush was because I had overslept and was now fifteen minutes late for work, and I wasn't even halfway to the café yet.

When my hand brushed against the smooth surface of my phone I pulled it out to reveal I had several missed calls from Lyra.

Punching in her number I held the phone up to my ear, and after the first few rings the phone was answered by a rather upset blonde, "Sara is that you?"

"Yeah it's me. Look, listen, I just–"

"What is the matter with you?! I've been calling you all morning, and not once did you answer me!"

"I know, I know! I'm sorry I was just–"

"Just what?"

Before I could answer my body rammed into something that felt similar to a brick wall. Thankfully I kept my balance and didn't fall to the ground, but my phone–along with the "walls" coffee–fell to the ground.

"Oh my gosh I'm so sorry! I should have been paying attention to where I was going! Oh I'm so stupid! Don't worry though I'll get you another coffee. I work at a café you know–" and now I was rambling.

Someone in front of me chuckled, and I forced myself to stop talking. Trailing my eyes up the expensive looking suit I looked at the baby blue eyes of the stranger I rammed into.

"That is quite alright miss. I wasn't watching where I was going either." He gave me a crooked smirk.

"Well at least let me buy you another coffee."

The man shook his head, "I'm afraid I can't. I'm late as it is."

"Oh well then it doesn't matter," I picked my phone up from the ground with one hand, and latched onto his arm with the other. "I'm late for work myself. We can be late together."

Despite his protests he didn't make a single move to pull his arm from my grasp, even though I could feel the muscles under his shirt telling me how easily he could do it if he wanted to.

Looking down at my phone I realized it was still mid-call with Lyra. I brought it up to my ear, and the closer it got the louder I could hear her shouts, "Ohmygod! Sara! SARA ANSWER THE PHONE! ARE YOU IN DANGER?! SOMEONE KIDNAPPED YOU DIDNT THEY!"

"LYRA," the sound of my voice yelling her name stopped her, "could you tell any louder? I don't think China quite heard you."

The man snorted with laughter, and my own smile tugged at my lips before she was at it again, "What happened to you? One minute we were talking, and the next I hear you gasp before your no longer in the phone. I thought something terrible happened!"

"Don't be silly Lyra nothing bad happened. Well," I grimaced and looked at the man apologetically, "unless you count ramming into someone, and making them spill their coffee bad then yeah, something bad happened."

Lyra gasped, "You spilled their coffee?!"

Naturally because Lyra ran a café and was a coffee addict herself she made it sound like a crime, "Yes I spilled his coffee."

"Oh it was a he?" Leave it to Lyra to go from the unholy deed of spilling coffee to focus on the fact it was a guy, "Was he cute?"

Looking back at where the guy was trailing behind me, I could tell from the twinkle in his eyes that he most likely heard what Lyra had said, and was looking at me expectantly, "Maybe not cute," he narrowed his eyes at me, "I think handsome would better describe his looks." And it was true. His slick black hair, defined features, and baby blue eyes would make any girl want to date him.

I had a small hunch as to who he was, but I didn't say anything that would give away the fact that I know.

I sent the man a small wink before turning away to allow my blush to unfold. Me and flirting just didn't go together.

Lyra squealed on the other end of the phone, "Oh my gosh what was his name."

I opened my mouth to answer her, but I couldn't give a definite answer, "You know what I didn't ask. Hold on," pulling the phone away from my face I sent him a small smile, "I guess it would be fair to introduce myself first. I'm Sara Davis."

"It's a pleasure to meet you Sara," he sent me a charming smile that probably made most women swoon, and made my knees slightly weak. Pull yourself together Sara. "I'm Bruce."

Smart. Withholding his last name in case I don't actually know who he is, "It's wonderful to meet you Bruce. To bad it wasn't on better terms." I was referring to the coffee incident.

"That's quite alright."

"His name is Bruce."

"Oh that's a nice name."

"Yes it is, now," I looked at the streets around me, "I'm almost at the café, I'll talk to you when we get there."

"We?" I didn't answer her question as I ended the call.

"So Bruce tell me, how do you like your coffee." I looked at him expectantly.

"Black, no cream, one sugar."

I scrunched my nose at him, "Isn't that bitter?"

"Yes it is," thankfully he was just amused by my observation. "and what about you?"

"Me? Oh no I don't like coffee all that much."

Bruce started chuckling and I looked at him with a confused smile, "What?"

"Nothing it's just–you work at a café, yet you don't like coffee."

"Cafés sell more than just coffee you know."

He consented, "That is true, they do sell other things."

By now we had finally made it to the café, and when I stepped in I waved to a few of our regular customers before Lyra finally noticed me. "Finally! I thought you had gotten lost or something!"

I gave her a deadpan look, "I walk here everyday."

She shrugged, "You never know." Lyra finally seemed to notice Bruce was standing right behind, and I could see her chest constrict from her sudden loss of breath. "You–You–Bruce–"

I decided to try and end her painful stuttering, "Oh you know Bruce?"

She gave me a funny look, "Everybody in Gotham knows who he is."

Understanding blossomed over my features, and I gave Bruce a satisfied smile, "So you're Bruce Wayne huh? I thought so, but I wasn't sure."

"You've been pulling Bruce Wayne down the city streets, and you didn't think to tell me."

By now we had the whole cafés attention, and when they realized Bruce Wayne was there a flurry of whispers and not-so-subtle looks were being passed around.

"I told you I ran into Bruce. Oh that reminds me," I looked at him, "I need to get your coffee."

I finally released his arm and went to go make his bitter coffee, when Lyra latched onto my own arm, "Um we need to talk first."

I looked into her eyes and saw fear and determination looking back at me. "Why what's wrong?"

"Just," she stopped and looked around the café uneasily. Lyra obviously didn't want to speak while so many people were able to listen in. Whatever she wanted to talk about was obviously grating on her nerves.

"Alright everybody!" I loudly clapped my hands together, and when I got everybody's attention I continued, "It seems something important has come up,many I need all of you to leave so we can close the café."

The people were looking at each other with confusion, wondering if I was actually serious.

"Come on people, let's get moving."

Still nobody moved.

"Get off your scrawny asses people and let's move! Go, go, go, go!" I walked towards the nearest table and pushed the occupants from their chairs.

Not wanting to get pushed out of their own chairs, people scrambled out of their seats and made for the door. Some grabbing their coffee's and some leaving them behind in their haste.

When the last person was out the door I shut it behind them, locked it, and flipped the sign to closed. "Alright Lyra," I turned to look at her with my hands in my hips, "what did you need?"

She sent one last uneasy glance at Bruce–who I hadn't realized was still there–before she tore into me, "Why didn't you tell me you were in league with the Joker?!"

I gaped stupidly before stuttering out, "What are you talking about?"

"Don't play dumb with me Sara, I saw everything!"

"What–saw what?" What the hell could she have seen that would make her think I was in league with the Joker of all people.

"You didn't think I'd see it did you?" Lyra shook her head, "You know I've got cameras set up around here, and every once in awhile I'll check the footage, and do you know what I saw on their from a few nights ago?"

Thinking back, I tried to remember the night she was talking about when I remembered the Joker breaking into the café, and confronting me back in the kitchen. I groaned loudly and shoved my face into my hands, "No Lyra that wasn't–I'm not–," I growled in frustration, "You saw the entire tape right?" She nodded. "Then what gave you the idea I was working for him?"

"Because you didn't turn him into the cops!" she cried. "You helped him get away!"

That was a pretty good reason to suspect, "Lyra trust me, please, I'm not in any shape or form working for the Joker okay?" She still seemed skeptical so I confessed, "Do you know how hard it is for me to sleep at night, thinking he's going to waltz into my apartment and slice my throat while I'm sleeping?"

"You're…not sleeping?"

I sighed, and brought my hands up to wipe just below my eyes. I used magic to hide the dark bags that were slowly forming underneath, but they didn't need to know that, "It's amazing how much a little foundation can cover up."

Lyra gasped and walked closer to get a better look at my face. Bruce trailed behind her, but he kept a suspicious eye on me.

"Why didn't you say anything?"

"Why would I? There's not much you can do about it anyway."

"Maybe not, but you could have told someone at least. Besides why are you so scared he'll come looking for you?"

Digging around my purse once more I looked for the joker card he had left behind, "You said you watched the video right? Then did you see what he was doing in the kitchen after I left?"

She shook her head and admitted, "I was focused on the camera that was showing what happened here in the front."

"Well the Joker," I finally found it next to my credit card, "left this behind." I held it up between two fingers, and held it out for her to take.

She looked at it with frightened eyes and read the message aloud, "'See you soon -J.' Oh my god Sara why didn't you say something?!" Lyra threw her arms around my neck and threatened to choke me with how tight her hug was.

Bruce came to my rescue and pried her arms from around my neck, "Sara," I looked into his kind blue eyes. The suspicion was gone, only to be replaced by worry, "you should have called the cops."

I snorted, "What are they gonna do about it? Put me in some sort of protection program?" I scoffed, "As if that would work. He probably has people in the police working for him, and they could just tell him my location."

Lyra looked close to tears, " There has to be something we can do."

I shook my head sadly, "I really don't think there's anything we can do. If the Joker is set on seeing me again then he probably will."

"Then why don't you come and live with me?" Lyra and I looked at Bruce in surprise, "My penthouse is one of the safest places in Gotham."

"See?" Lyra pointed at Bruce as if he was the answer to all of my problems, "You can live with Bruce."

But I shook my head, "I'm sorry Bruce, but I'll have to decline. If he really is going to see me again then I don't want to put you in any danger." Walking behind the counter I turned on the coffee machine, and watched the slow trickle of black coffee fall into the pot.

"Sara we can't just do nothing." Lyra joined followed me over to the rack where my apron was hung up.

"Lyra can we please just drop it?" I reached around to tie the apron, but someone beat me to it. Looking over my shoulder I saw Bruce was the culprit, "Thank you."

"Lyra's right Sara, you need to tell someone about this and get some help."

"I told you guys didn't I?" I snorted, "Didn't do much help." I walked over to the stacks of foam coffee cups, grabbed a lid, and poured some of the coffee I had made into the cup, "I'm serious you guys just drop it." Ripping open a packet of sugar I poured it into the coffee and stirred it before pushing on the lid and setting it onto the counter, "Here's your coffee Bruce."

He grabbed the cup, but I could tell he wasn't in any mod to drink it.

"Maybe we can get Batman to help you."

A strangled snort escaped me, and it took a conscious effort on my part not to look at Bruce, "Batman? And how do you suppose we get a hold of him? Hm?" It was kind of funny how we were talking about getting Batman when he was standing right next to us. How Bruce doesn't crack up laughing when people talk about his other half, I'll never know.

"We could erm, you know…"

"If you're thinking about walking around the Narrows in the dead of night to find some trouble then you can stop right there." Lyra stopped talking and I knew that's exactly what she was about to propose, "Lyra we can't just walk around and wait to get either mugged, raped, or killed. For all we know Batman would be busy on the other side of the city. We could get in some serious trouble. Like we won't see the light of the neck to morning trouble."

Bruce nodded along with what I was saying, "Sara is right. You can't just walk around the Narrows, it's too dangerous."

"Not to mention the Joker could find us first," I mumbled it, but they heard me anyway.

"Then what about that Ghost character?"

Word spread around Gotham that there was another vigilante character running around the streets. Every account told by the people I had saved said I appeared out of nowhere, and after I either killed or knocked out their attacker I would just disappear. The newspapers took that piece of information and called me The Ghost. It was nice to have a name for that side of me, but now everybody knows that I'm not afraid to kill someone, and most want me to be sent to Arkham or Black Gate while others think I'm doing the streets of Gotham a favor by getting rid of the offenders for good.

"We have a better chance of finding Batman then the Ghost." Lyra seemed to deflate at the truth in my statement. "Look you guys your concern is touching, but I'm afraid I'm on my own on this. Besides I can take care of myself."

"But your having trouble sleeping–"

"Lyra just because I know I can take care of myself doesn't mean I'm not afraid." Why wouldn't I be afraid? The Joker could easily kill me without a second thought, and the only way to keep him from doing that would be to reveal that I'm the Ghost. Nothing good could come out of that.

"Well then how about I ease your mind for part of tomorrow night?"

I gave Bruce a funny look so he elaborated, "I'm throwing a fundraiser tomorrow night. I'd like for you to come. Lyra can come too of course." He added the last sentence as a second thought, but she didn't seem to notice.

"Oh my gosh of course we'll come!"

"Well actually–"

"You better stop talking right now Sara before I tape your mouth shut." My mouth snapped closed and I narrowed my eyes at her. "Good," she looked at Bruce, "We would be delighted to come."

I could see the amusement in his eyes, and i knew that he knew I was going to decline his invitation. "I hope to see you there," and with that he strode out of the café into the bust streets of Gotham.

"Oh!" I looked at Lyra, "We need to go dress shopping."

An unhappy groan made its way passed my lips, but I allowed her to drag me out of the store because I knew she was right and we needed to go out and some fancy thousand dollar dress. Well…I was going to buy the dress while Lyra looked for whatever she wanted.