Okay, so I"m uploading another chapter today, since the last one was so short. Hope you all like it!

Three Years Later

"Mommy, is it supposed to look like this?" I heard Spencer ask questioningly. I turned around from the kitchen table where I was putting all of my things into a bag. Spencer was standing in the middle of the living room with his shoes on the wrong feet. I laughed and quickly walked over to him.

"Not quite. You got 'em on the wrong feet, buddy," I said as I knelt to fix his shoes. He sighed dramatically.

"I's so hard," he said, frustrated.

"You'll be able to tie your shoes by yourself soon, Spence," I said. "Okay, you ready to go to Janie's?"

"Yay! Aunt Janie! Are we gonna go see the big fishys again?" Spencer asked.

"I don't know, if it's okay with Aunt Janie maybe," I said. Jane watched Spencer on Wednesdays because I had classes all day. It was October of 2013. Jane and I had both made it into Troy University with full scholarships. We lived close to campus in apartments near each other. Spencer was three now and Jane had taken him to the zoo last week. He had loved the dolphins and it was all he talked about.

I grabbed his backpack and my own bag, took his hand and ushered him out the door of the apartment. When we stepped outside I was taken aback by the intense beauty of my home. It was insanely hot out, but that's just how I liked it. There wasn't a cloud in the light blue sky. Palm trees lined the quiet roadways, while seagulls chirped noisily overhead. The surrounding apartments and beach houses were all pastel, summery colors. I loved living in a vacation site.

We walked the few short blocks to Jane's house where I dropped off Spencer, then headed to the campus. Everything I needed to survive was all in one close proximity, so I didn't see the need to spend money on a car. Besides, Jane had one that we used for rare long trips.

I glanced at my phone to check the time as I hurried to my building. I was so distracted in my rush to get to class that I didn't see the person coming straight at me.

"Oof!" we both said in unison as we collided. Apparently he had been distracted too. All of the books and binders I had been holding tumbled to the ground. "I'm so sorry!" we said together again.

"That was totally my fault. I wasn't looking," I said mortified as I knelt to pick up my things.

"No, it was my fault. I wasn't paying attention," said the man apologetically. He got on one knee to help me get my things.

"Thanks," I said as I took a book from him, looking at him for the first time. My mouth literally dropped open slightly as I took in the man across from me. I stared in awe. Then I noticed that he was gawking in the same way.

"Hi," he sighed as a lopsided smile appeared on his lips.

"Hi," I breathed. He was gorgeous, adorable, hot. He had shaggy, light brown hair. His eyes were a dark, chocolatey brown. His smile showed off perfectly strait white teeth. We both stood slowly, still gazing at each other. I now saw that he was a lot taller than me. Perfect. He had a lanky frame and wore a green t-shirt and cargo shorts. He sort of resembled Shaggy from Scooby-Doo. Shaggy had always been my favorite.

"I'm really sorry about that," he said still smiling goofily.

"Oh, don't worry about it," I said, a smile playing on my own lips.

"So, are you a student here?" he asked.

"Yeah."

"What's your major?"

"Oh, um, psychology." I said. I don't know why I was embarrassed about that, but I blushed anyway.

"Cool, so you can like, know what people are thinking," he said.

I laughed. "Something like that." We couldn't stop smiling at each other. It wasn't awkward or anything, we were just amazed by one another.

"I'm Nick," he said.

"Marissa," I answered.

"I know this is gonna seem weird, but are you doing anything right now?" Nick asked hopefully.

"Well, I'm going to class right now, but I have a break in an hour," I said trying not to sound uninterested.

"Okay. Can I meet you here in an hour then?"

"Yeah, I'd like that"

"Okay, cool."

"Cool." I smiled again and walked past him to get to my class. I couldn't resist the urge to turn around and get a last look at him. I laughed when I saw that he was still watching me. He smiled again too, and then turned to leave.

"Seriously! You cut your thumb in half on a power-saw?" I asked incredulously. Nick and I were sitting in a coffee shop near campus. Can I just reiterate how totally cute this guy was?

"Yeah, it was pretty stupid. It bled like a bitch though! I had to call 911 and everything," Nick said, probably trying to impress me with some gross manly story. And it was working.

"That's actually pretty hot," I said. Might as well let him know I was into him. "That you're a carpenter and everything. I can't stand men who sit behind a desk." I might as well also let him know that I don't date businessmen.

"Oh God, I could never sit behind a desk all day! That would be so boring!" Nick agreed. I was really starting to like this guy.

"You're so lucky you've lived on a beach all your life. I love it here. I wish I would have come down here sooner," I said truthfully.

"Where did you live before college?" Nick asked. Shit. I shouldn't have brought up former living arrangements. I had totally forgotten all about the Joker while I was talking to Nick. It just felt so natural to be with Nick that I didn't even think about avoiding people to keep them safe. I couldn't do this. Being with Nick could only endanger him.

"Oh, you know…North," I said. He looked slightly confused. And in that moment the thought of losing him was so painful that I couldn't control what came out of my mouth next. "Sorry. I'm from Gotham. And I didn't want to say right away because I went through a lot of bad experiences up there and my immediate reaction is to deny where I'm from because I kind of try to block those experiences from my memory. Oh God, now I'm rambling and you think I'm insane!" I laughed nervously. To my complete and utter relief Nick laughed too.

"Oh! Don't worry about it. Everyone has something in their past that they try to forget," Nick said. "And uh…I don't think you're insane either. The way you panicked there was actually kinda funny." He added and started laughing.

"Ugh! You suck! Laughing at my embarrassment!" I said as I playfully shoved him.

"Okay, okay! It was really cute too," Nick said. I smiled at this. Sitting there at that little table in the coffee shop was one of the best moments of my life. I could just relax and talk to someone like I was a normal person. There was no Joker, no lying about who I was, I was just having a good time with a really cute guy.

Nick and I got pretty serious after that first date. I eventually told him about Spencer and he took that a lot better than I thought he would. He actually really liked hanging out together, all three of us. His personality was just so goofy that he was sort of like a big kid himself. Things were so perfect and happy that I never dreamed that anything could possibly go wrong.

Yay! Marissa has a new boyfriend! My mental image of Nick is this guy who played Shaggy in Scooby-Doo! The Mystery Begins. Just so that you all know I do not have a crush on a cartoon or anything. :)