A/N: I do love reviews! Hope you guys like this one :) And thank you to the new readers who have put this story on their favorites and have reviewed. I really appreciate it.
Sylvia awoke with a stinging headache and a throbbing in her ears. She moved her head to the side to see Gordon sitting in a chair next to the bed. He looked like he was praying. He had his palms together and his head against them. She knew differently though. He was exhausted. It was most likely late and he had stayed with her. Gordon probably was the one who retrieved her from the site, too. Oh god her apartment. Just the thought was enough to make her headache sting all the more.
"You're awake," said a guttural voice from the other side of her bed. Sylvia turned to the other side and saw a dark figure in the corner of the room. With the dim lighting he almost blended in with the shadow. Only the white from his eyes gave him away.
Sylvia had never met the batman in person so his presence was a bit overwhelming considering that she had been hoping for this moment for many months…and here she was without a camera. It wasn't until she tried to speak that he moved. Her throat was soar and she sounded squeaky. Gordon got to the water first, pouring a cup full for her and holding it her mouth for her. She sipped slowly before pulling away.
"Jeez, Gordon my head hurts, my arms are not broken," she said taking the cup from him. He smiled down at her before rolling his eyes.
"And she's back," he muttered before taking his seat, sighing.
Silence followed and Sylvia looked at the two expectantly.
"So what do you guys want to know," she asked taking another sip from her water.
"You are very lucky to be alive," the batman said from her left side. Gordon nodding his agreement on her right.
"I am well aware of that," she said, "I was there when my apartment exploded."
"What happened?," he asked before adding, "From the beginning."
Sylvia sighed before going into a step by step story. She started from when she entered her apartment and the strange feelings she kept having, the strange messages that were left, her packing to live with Marcus, Gordon's call, the pay phone call, and finally the explosion.
"Do you remember the phone number," the batman asked.
"No, I'm sorry I was too busy fearing for my life," she answered. Although the statement itself was sarcastic, she sounded sincere. She even sounded angry at herself for not thinking faster on her feet. Gordon put his hand on her shoulder in comfort and it helped considerably.
"Well, for all the Joker knows you're dead at the moment," Gordon said pausing before continuing faster, "and we're going to keep it that way. You will be going into protective custody-"
"Whoa," Sylvia interrupted, "wait a second. Nice try Gordon but I don't think so. The Mayor what is he doing? He will most likely be speaking at Commissioner Loeb's memorial. He was threatened too right? So? Has he agreed to go into hiding?"
Gordon looked down using his hand to rub his nose in agitation.
"At the moment, he is still speaking," he answered regretfully.
"Then I'm still going to cover it and that is that," she said crossing her arms in front of her. A clear signal that she was not backing down from her decision.
Gordon sighed and looked like he was ready to put up the fight but Sylvia knew better.
"Gordon go home. You're exhausted and you're going to have to be sharp for later today's festivities," she said before adding stubbornly, "I'll see you there."
Gordon stared at her still wondering if she was being brave or stupid. He decided not to decide just yet. He sighed and looked at the batman who seemed to be doing the same thing he had been doing. He seemed to come up with the same decision.
Batman looked at him and nodded. Gordon looked back at the young reporter and grabbed his jacket to leave. She was well looked after here. At least he hoped. He closed the door behind him and began his walk to the hospital's main exit.
Batman remained in the room. He didn't understand why himself but he wanted to assure himself that she was fine.
"You know," Sylvia began, "as a reporter, I have been trying to meet you for months. I tried to get Gordon to hook it up but he's not a very good source. He's one stubborn guy."
"Kind of like you," he said.
"Yeah but mine is for a good reason," she replied.
"So is his," he answered with no emotion in his voice or face.
Sylvia stared at him and smiled.
"Wow," she said simply before clasping her hands together in her lap. "I suppose you're right, but what reason could he have, may I ask?"
"What is your reason for putting your life on the line for a city full of people you don't even know?" he shot back quickly.
An angry fire erupted in Sylvia's eyes but it quickly dimmed and a smile graced her face.
"I could ask you the same thing," she said looking into his brown eyes. She looked away finding them eerily familiar before continuing, "But if you must know…I was born and raised here in Gotham. Everyday was a plan. I'd get up, go to school, study really hard after school, got good grades and all for just a job with The Gotham Times. For the fame. Every article I wrote won some sort of recognition and later some awards. In my little world I was famous. People know my name, they all know who I am. And for what? To have some people admire me and others hate me. Be the female version of Bruce Wayne except without the money." Suddenly she began to laugh really hard.
She looked at the batman who just stared at her. This made her laugh harder.
"I'm sorry," she said through her laughter, "I just never thought I would ever be unhappy with my life, let alone talking my problems with a man who dresses up like a bat and fights crime every night and probably has more problems than I do."
She continued to laugh until she felt a hand land on her shoulder. The only other person in the room was the batman. This fact made her shift from laughter to hysterical sobs. Strong Kevlar clad arms hesitantly embraced her and she began to cry into his chest.
Batman felt completely out of his element as he held this woman. To his relief however it didn't take more than 5 minutes for her to catch herself. She wiped the tears off her face and pulled away from him. Her cheeks were red from embarrassment. It was silent for a moment before Sylvia forced herself to speak.
"I'm sorry...I'm not completely unhappy don't get me wrong. I am really happy with my job. I just don't like what I've become per say. I mean…running out of my apartment tonight all I could think about was my camera and recording equipment. Did I get all of it out?" She whispered the last question to herself. Half wondering if she had, the other half just stating it. "Then there's the part of me that's trying to stay alive and brave and with people around me contradicting my sincerity…it really pisses me off."
Silence followed again but this time Sylvia didn't have to break it.
"It's the masks we wear," he said.
Sylvia thought about the statement and what he meant by it. She supposed she was wearing a mask much like him. Maybe not in the literal sense but metaphorically speaking. When she looked back up to agree with him he was gone. She looked around the room searching for him but there was no evidence suggesting that he was ever there. She laid back down onto her hospital bed and tucked herself in. She quickly dozed off.
/\\/\\/\\/\\/\\/\\/\\/\\/\\/\\/\\/\\/\\/\\/\\/\\/\\/\\/\\/\\/\\/\\/\\/\\/\\/\\/\\/\\/\\/\\/\\/\\/\\
Marcus and Sylvia arrived quickly to the memorial parade in honor of Commissioner Loeb. Neither Sylvia nor Marcus were ever on speaking terms with the late Commissioner but they knew they had to cover it. Gordon was walking around the peripheral of the parade making sure the area was secure. Sylvia was taking pictures from the back of the parade while Marcus was taking pictures in the front. People peered over at her occasionally most with smiles. She would smile politely back and continue on. She had never received so many smiles. Most people despised her especially the cops.
Sylvia paused in her picture taking to look over at Gordon who was looking up at all the SWAT team members that were present above. Sylvia looked up at them and began to take pictures of them. Some even posed. She laughed to herself and continued taking pictures of their surroundings.
The parade in front of her had finally stopped at the platform that was set up for the Mayor's speech. Sylvia ran to the front of the parade and found Marcus squatting near the left side of the stage taking pictures of the Mayor standing at the podium. It was a great view from where they were standing to see the whole place. The Honor Guard stood across the way standing at attention. One had his hat a little lower than the others. Sylvia took pictures of them while keeping an ear on the Mayor's speech.
"…we must remember that vigilance is the price of safety," the Mayor wrapped up with and took a step back from the podium as the Honor Guard stepped forward.
Sylvia raised her camera to get pictures. Focusing on one in particular. Through just the human eye you couldn't see much about him but through her camera she saw some sort of distortion on the edges of his lips. She took a few pictures as they shot their guns. The one she focused on rose his head and the little sun there was shone on his face. That was when she saw they were scars he had and they were covered in flesh-colored make up.
The Joker looked straight at her and smiled in surprise. Marcus stood next to her still snapping pictures. He hadn't noticed what she had. The Joker turned back down. That snapped Sylvia out of her world and she broke into a run straight at him.
"Get down," she yelled but she wasn't loud enough. She continued to run until the whole guard as one turned to the Mayor and shot. She turned toward the podium to see Gordon shove the Mayor to the ground…and the bullet plunge into his back.
"Gordon!" she screamed but it was swallowed by the other screams that erupted from the crowd around. She shifted her direction to the stage and saw Stephens checking for a pulse. He looked down at the body at a loss. "No!" she yelled refusing to believe what she was seeing.
Sylvia jumped onto the stage and kneeled down next to Gordon putting his head onto her lap.
"Gordon," she said shaking his shoulders, "Damn it Jim wake up…c'mon Gordon!" No response came. Mournful tears reluctantly filled her eyes as she stared down at the lifeless body before her.
Stephens tried to move her away but she held her grip on Gordon; the only real decent man in all of Gotham…and he was gone. It wasn't until Marcus came to help that she was forced to let go.
"No let go of me," she yelled trying to push the two men off of her. "Gordon!"
She continuously yelled his name one last attempt to wake him from his sleep, but she received no response. It was her life that was supposed to be taken not his…an innocence. Marcus held her in a tight embrace away from the stage. He held onto her as he led her to the van they had brought to the parade. She climbed into the passenger seat and Marcus got into the driver seat.
"I'm going to drop you off at my apartment and then drive the van back to work. I'll take a cab back," Marcus said driving away from the sight of the parade.
"I have to go back to work," came a monotonous remark. Marcus had to make sure it was Sylvia that replied and who was in his car.
She looked shaken but she had determination set in her eyes. It amazed him how strong she could be but then he wondered how long it would last.
"C'mon Sylvia. I've got to take you home," he said but Sylvia reached out and griped his wrist with all her strength making him look at her.
She had a pleading look on her face and the tears were back with vengeance. All she could do was mouth "please" and Marcus was driving the two of them back to work.
