Note: Forgive us readers for missing our deadline, but we had some family matters to attended to. To make up for lost time we will try to write up another 2 chapters before next weekend, also we wrote this one longer to kill some time between now and then. Thank you reviewers, we love your support! Offer is still open people, tell us what you feel and don't hold back.

Sleepers

I dab at the blood off my face and walk into the T.V. room. I see the blurry outlines of my groupies as I make my way to the couch.

"Dahlia, your bleeding!" Adara screeched.

"So that's what this stuff is?" I tilt my head to the side, shoving the bloodied towel in her face. She jerked back and we both laugh as I continued to try and stop the bleeding. Jaiden then appeared right in front of me and put his hands on my shoulders, shoving me on the couch.

"You can never do things the safe way can you?" he murmered as he took the towel and started to doctor me up.

"Where's the fun in that?" I raised an eyebrow but it hurt so I stopped.

"Why are you letting Jaiden do this? Your supposed to be the doctor." Aidan pointed out. It was true, though. I worked as the leading doctor in the Gotham General. I mainly took on hard cases that most of the other doctors couldn't solve, I gave my boss hell. I knew he couldn't fire me because he knows I was the only one in that goddamn hospital that actually knew what I was doing. Without me there, it wouldn't be half as successful as it has been. I get picked on a lot by other doctors and nurses. They were just jealous because I looked good and know more than they ever would.

"My cut is on the top of my forehead, just below the hairline." I explain. "If I do it myself I risk reopening it and doing a crappy job closing it up. What kind of doctor would I look like if I walked into the hospital looking like that?"

"Your going to look like a doctor in a lot of pain if you don't be quiet," Jaiden warned, while carefully placing bandages on my cut.

"Funny, I was going to say the same thing-ouch!" I hiss. Jaiden just snickered as he finished his work. I hated to admit it but Jaiden was the only one I would trust to diagnose me if I ever became sick. He did try to get a medical degree but just decided that the work was worthless and dropped out, I nearly killed him.

"All done." He smirked.

I playfully glare at him, while Adara made herself comfortable beside me and forced me to spill about everything that happened. I did and Aidan and Adara were the only ones listening, Jaiden went off into the kitchen for who-knows-what.

"And you just left him there?!" she beamed

"Yup, its Joker, so I figured he would shake it off." I chuckle.

"I hope so, this town wouldn't be the same without Joker." Aidan said, slumping down on the couch wrapping an arm around Adara.

Yeah, I thought. Gotham was never noticed for anything else.. even though it's science or medical know-how is amazing. No one would ever take it seriously.

I rise from the couch and make my way to the stairs.

"Goin' to bed already? It's only midnight." Adara questioned, "Are you ok?"

"Yeah, I'm fine." I mummer. "I got work tomorrow and I know already boss-man is going to have a hissy fit over me being late."

"He makes you work more clinic hours if you show up late. You think its worth it, even though you really hate working in the clinic?" Aidan grinned.

"I think about that often, but then I think of his face every time I walk through that door, late of course, and then I realize how much it's worth it. Happy Halloween and good night." I reply as I walk up the stairs.

Once I reach my floor, I take a much needed shower, careful when washing around my wound, and dive into my bed. I muscles immediately relax as soon as I curl up into my soft bed comforter. I start to drift to sleep, when I feel someone crash land on my bed. I jump so much, that I nearly fall off.

"Relax, it's not the boogie man."

"Jaiden, the boogie man couldn't find his way out of my room even if he tried." I sigh trying to recover from my little episode.

"You got that right, why do you keep your room like this?" He asked.

"Like what, fan boy?" I joke.

He just sighs and stretches. He wasn't wearing his Joker costume anymore, instead he wore his tight fitting black muscle shirt and boxers. I guess he just got out of the shower too, because his raven colored hair was wet. He looks a me with his midnight colored eyes and says, "We were watching the news and apparently the police think that Joker hired up a new team and this tea, looks like movie monsters."

I smile, "Perfect." Exactly how I predicted.

"You thought of that already didn't you? That's why we left so suddenly after you saw the report about that statue being blown up. You knew that was Joker's distraction and you wanted the police off our trail, so you made it look like Joker hired up new people."

"It's about time you figured it out." I scoff, "And your supposed to be the honor student."

"Don't go there." He warned. "Why is it so hard for you to tell us things?" It came out more like a stern demand rather than a question.

"If I told you, then you all wouldn't have gone through with it." I state simply. "Adara is scared stiff when it comes to Joker and that's only because she doesn't want him to kill Aidan. Aidan, being the whipped bastard that he is, would have followed Babygirl in not going. I can't pull off a job like this with only two people. I need Aidan's technological know-how and Adara is so quick with her feet that she can pull out someone else's gun before they can think of doing it ."

"That's still not an excuse!" He sneered.

"Don't yell at me because what I say is not what you want to hear!" I hiss.

"If you tell us what you know, we won't have to question what you tell us to do!" He explains rather loudly.

"It's only you who questions what I say. Adara and Aidan trust my judgment and don't ask questions because they know I'll explain later." I glare.

"That maybe true but still, we don't need to in the dark about everything. What if you were wrong? What if Joker had something else planned and decided to blow up the bank? What if-" WHAM! I smack him the head with a pillow.

"First: I don't know the mind of God, so how the hell do you expect me to know Joker's? Second: Never ask me "what if"s. There is always a chance of things going horribly wrong, and we could all die because of it, but that's the risk I want to take. Besides I didn't hear you complain once when I said 'lets rob a bank'."

"Being bored is no excuse to gamble with our lives and don't try to turn this around on me." He glared trying to take the pillow from me.

"I'm sorry but when did I need an excuse to give to you?" I smack him across his head again."I think of the best way to get in and out of situations like that, and all you guys do is follow it. That's all you have to know and all you will ever need to know. Being bored gives me time to think up all the possible things that could happen, gambling with live is just a bonus."

"If we all died and you lived, you wouldn't really care would you?" He asked with those night eyes piercing into mine.

"I would..." I hesitate, "But I sometimes I ask myself the opposite question."

"Opposite?" He stared.

"Just drop it, it's nothing. Look, all you need to know is what I tell you to do and I hope your smart enough to do it and eventually, after things have settled down, I might explain myself."

"Dahlia, what do you mean the oppo-"

"Get out, Jaiden. I'm tired and I got work in the morning." I say monotoned, pulling the covers over my head. I feel him get up off the bed and hear him tread to the door.

"I've gotten into some serious trouble with you over the past few years," He started, hovering at the door,"but this is different. Before Joker wasn't in the picture and I knew the worse thing that would happen would be one of us getting arrested. Now the worse thing would be one of us, or all of us, would die. I don't want to die just yet Dahlia, and I know you don't want to either. Before you told us everything, and now you hardly don't say anything. I hate not knowing things, especially if its about doing something dangerous."

"Get used to it."I scowl through the covers. I hear him mutter something but I couldn't catch it. I was so tired, dealing with the stress of the robbery and Joker took a lot out of me and Jaiden didn't help make things better. His words still rang through my head, before you told us everything, and now you hardly don't say anything. I hate not knowing things...

I love being around my friends and going out with them. I can't tell them much because I don't know what I'm definitely going to do yet. If I'm going to pull off a job like robbery then I explore every possible move that other people would pull in order to stop us and counter it. They know I'm famous for taking huge risks and gambling with lives. Like one time, Aidan, Adara, and I stole someone's car and the owner came outside and had a gun aimed for Aidan. I being the smooth talker that I was told the guy to go ahead and shoot Aidan. The phrase was more like "Shoot, it's not like we won't still drive off with your car." I knew the guy wouldn't shoot, he was too innocent looking and too scared. Turns out the gun wasn't even loaded and Aidan got out of there looking as pale as a ghost, but unharmed. Adara trusts me completely and I knew I took advantage of that (She was too busy being grateful that Aidan was ok to yell at me for doing what I did).

I love living on the high though. Being able to lose control and going completly insane was the main reason for doing what I do. It makes me feel unchained from everything. I wanted Joker to try and shoot me in the car, I even dared him. One thing Jaiden is wrong about is that I don't care if I died... I think it would feel like I feel now.

...you wouldn't really care would you?

No... that's not it.

If we all died and you lived, you wouldn't really care would you?

It's more like, If I died you all would be relived, isn't it?

I've gotten into some serious trouble with you over the past few years...

Just trust me!

Before you told us everything, and now you hardly don't say anything...

Would you even really listen?

Opposite?

THIS IS MY CURSE, THE WANTING, THIS IS MY CURSE, TIME, THIS IS MY CURSE, THE NEEDING, THIS IS MY CURSE, THERE IS LOVE BURNING TO FIND YOU, WILL YOU WAIT FOR ME? STILL I WANT... AND STILL I ACHE,... BUT STILL I WAIT,... TO SEE YOU AGAIN!

I slam my fist on the off button on the radio alarm. 8:30, great. I tossed and turned all night and now I got one hell of a headache. I fumble into my bathroom and look at my cut. A nice little bruise has formed around where the bandage was. I swallow 6 aspirin, 2 never really cut it for me, and started to dress for work. After I quickly wash my face and brush my teeth, I slip on a pair of my black skinny jeans and a purple and black stripped V neck top. I pull my hair back into a sloppy ponytail and make my way back to my room. There, I grab a pair of dark purple converses and my favorite necklace, a little silver bat with a black gem filling the inside of it on a silver chain. It was beautiful, even though it looked like I supported Batman.

No one was even up yet, so I quietly went through the house and down to the cars. We each had our own car, and Jaiden was able to get two cheep ones for the robbery. Those two were destroyed by Aidan and Jaiden sometime last night. Within minuets I'm at the hospital. The smell of peroxide and death greet me at the entrance as I walk through the automatic sliding doors. I walk passed a bunch of people full of either sickness or pains.

"Devon, you're late!" Nurse Brandy sneered through a clinched jaw. She was a woman I hated the most out of this hospital. I don't know how she survived the meteor hitting the Earth, but she did and now I have to deal with her. She was a foot shorter than what I was, but she was three times louder and she always had something to say.

"Funny, I've worked in this hell-hole for 3 years and still you haven't noticed that I always do this?" I smirk. They all call me Devon here. I had a 9 year old patient when I first started working and she didn't live long enough for me to make a correct diagnosis. Needless to say, everyone blamed me and they have never let me forget it. I truly didn't care, Devon was a sweet little girl and I'm proud to carry on her name.

"One of these days De-"

"Huh, I'm sorry I thought you called me Devon again Brandy, and after your sever delayed reaction to my tardiness, I'd say there's something wrong with that noggin of yours. Maybe it's Alzheimer's!" I smile, strutting passed her and hitting the up button on the elevator.

"Still a disgraceful little brat." She frowned with tight lips. The doors open and I step inside.

"Don't be jealous of my youth it's not very healthy. Can we say 'retirement', Brandy?" I chuckle before the doors close.

The elevator stops at my floor and I walk down through the long white hallway. Nurses and other doctors stop me to comment on me being late. After a long lecture from Henshaw, a male nurse that seems to stalk every move I make, I escape to my office. It was big office, holding a wrap around desk with a new dell computer, roller chair, a low table and a small couch in the corner. I had ceiling to floor windows that faced behind me if I sat at my desk. I plop down on my chair and prop my feet up on the table and that is when I see my very red faced boss making a bee line towards my office.

He bursts through the glass door and screeches, "THIS IS THE 17th TIME THIS MONTH DEVON!" Yeah, even he called me Devon.

"Wow, not only can you march but you can count too! That takes skill." I smirk.

"It's 10 o'clock right now and you were supposed to be here by 6!"

"Oops." I shrug.

"Cut the crap. You working 10 more clinic hours this week and not another word."

"Ah, let's strike a deal Greg. You know I hate the clinic." I frown

"That's Administrator Hutchinson to you, Devon!" he corrected. He was always short tempered and I loved it.

"That's Doctor Xander to you, Administrator!" I mock, I found it funny that he thought his authority would make me respect him.

"I'm still not convinced that's your real last name, but that's not the point. You show up late, you put more hours in the clinic. That's the rule Devon, and I thought by know you would follow it." He sighed shaking his head.

"Well your an idiot. If you really thought that rule would help, it would by now and I wouldn't come in late. Besides if you really needed me then you have my pager number."

"You never answer it! You do your job well, Dahlia but don't think that makes you better than anyone else I employ. How do you think it looks to the Board if let a doctor come in late all the time?."

"It's not thinking I'm better than everyone else, I know I'm better than everyone else. How's this, I put 3 more hours in the clinic and I'll actually be here tomorrow, on time."

"You'll do 6 more hours, show up on time tomorrow and you'll put on your smock. You may hate it but it makes you look like an actual doctor." He commanded.

"I'll do 4 hours, put on that disgusting white coat, and think about it." I smirk

"Fine, but show up tomorrow and be on time! Next time your late your fired." He smiled and then stormed out of the room.

I sigh as I grab the white coat off the back of my chair. I hated this thing, it smelled like the hospital only I had to wear it everywhere. I didn't have any cases that truly interested me, so I figured I'd go ahead and finish my clinic hours. I saunter slowly to the public offices in the west wing. I saw a woman there with her son. As soon as my foot gets through the door the mother goes ballistic, screeching about how she had someone in her family died of leukemia and rips the kid's shirt off to reveal what appears to be a red rash all over his chest. How the fuck are those two subjects even related? This bored me to tears, turns out the family got a new red couch and kid takes a nap on he after he took a bath. I prescribed a wash cloth with water to get rid of the 'rash'. The next few hours where the most torturous of my life. I really hate dumb people and you bet you can find them in the clinic. I was debating whether or not to jam the pen I had in my eye, when Henshaw told me I was needed in my office.

"Oh thank God!" I mutter as I sprinted to my office. There was a man there standing at the window, he was wearing a doctors coat, so I guess he was new guy. Great, another new idiot to train.

"Something we need to actually discuss in person? Wow, this must be serious." Sarcasm almost dripped off my words.

"Don't take life so seriously, its nice to take the time to smile." he said not turning around to face me, it almost sounded like he neeed a drink of water his voice was so raspy.

"Smiling is for people that care enough to put on a fake one. Me, I just refuse to follow the crowd. If all your goin' to do is say things I can find in a fortune cookie then save me time and order me Chinese. I'm leaving-"

"Are you really as good as they say you are?" His question surprised me.

"I don't like to brag, but you easily read on my door that I'm the head doc around here. I didn't just sleep my way to the top I use my mind too." I snort.

He laughed, "Yeah, I think you'll do." He turned around and I was greeted by black eyes and red smile.

"Idiot," I mutter to myself as something struck the back of my head.

...This is me unconscious...