Long chapter! Also trigger warning for some blood later in the chapter. Due to some computer trouble, the next chapter might be a little later than I want!

The bank was a cinch. None of the guards were wearing earplugs, so turning them into his puppets and having them dance their way into the bank vault and giving him enough money to last him the next 10 years was easy. Despite his first successful heist in a while, his mind was other places. And crimes usually cleared his head, help the songs flow. But it wasn't it. Words came mindlessly from previous songs used in other robberies, and the money wasn't bringing him joy either.

'You're mine!'

What had even jarred him to say that? He realized that maybe he could be a little possessive, but that...was weird. Even for him. He had been spending a lot of time with her, and her power nearly matched his own, not to mention she was lovely, and intelligent and-

Nope. Nope. Nope. Nope. She was his student, his protege. He was merely being protective. Like a friend is protective of another.

"Really? Just a bank? I was thinking more along the lines of robbing the Opera House," someone called from behind.

"Oh wow, that's oh so clever," Music Meister said, turning to face the Green Arrow," You've come to face me alone, Robin Hood? Or is the Bat on his way to safe you? Like the first time we met?"

"This time I'm prepared," Green Arrow responded, tapping his ear. Earplugs. Dammit. But they were no match for the guards' guns. The Music Meister smirked.

"If it's a fight you want, it's a fight you'll get," the Music Meister said as the other raised his bow and arrow. "I take back what I said, listen to me, take up your arms, aim and fire at our vigilante friend!"

The guards dropped the bags of money, and reached to their holsters. The Green Arrow quickly fired two arrows. Both hit the guards, freezing one completely, while the other left one arm uncovered. Since it was the one with the gun, he attempted to shoot him, but missed all six shots. The Green Arrow refocused his attention on the Music Meister, but he was no longer in his sight. There was a light tap from behind him. As he turned, he quickly slid another arrow into place. The Music Meister swung his baton, just missing the other's jaw by centimeters as Arrow stepped back. He swiftly dropped to a squat,swinging his leg around to try and knock the other man over. The Green Arrow jumped, but not high enough, and crashed down. Music Meister jumped back up, grabbed a bag of money, and sprinted to the door. But suddenly he felt huge pain in his back, his face on the ground, and the wind knocked out of glanced to the side of him to see a punching glove attached to an arrow shaft. He could hear the Green Arrow walking toward him, and slipped a gloved hand into his pocket.

"Look's like I'm taking you in," Arrow smirked, coming to stand next to him. All of a sudden, Music Meister flung his hand at him, and five pellets landed at his feet, exploding and releasing a huge cloud of smoke. Arrow coughed, and blinked through watering the padding of feet he could hear, the Music Meister was out the door. The redhead leapt down the six steps to the curb, and leapt onto his new music-themed motorcycle- this one more sleek and less eighth note looking- and sped off. Escape was in his grasp. Out of nowhere an arrow whizzed by his cheek, and implanted on the ground. He swiveled his head around to see the Green Arrow chasing him up on the rooftops, but he was falling behind. But another arrow was already on route to him. Music Meister ducked his head, feeling the arrow pass over his shoulder.

"Looks like your aim's off!" he yelled, turning a tight corner into an intersection, and began weaving between cars. "Oh, and keep your bird! I'm not interested. Except to settle a score!"

Music Meister turned again, this time into an alley. He pressed a button on his bike, and a trap door opened to reveal a secret passage. He sped down it, and the door sealed with a hiss. He snaked through the channels to the the tunnel underneath the music hall, where he left the bike and bag of money, but shoved a thing of bills in his jacket, and made his way up a flight upstairs to backstage.

"Meister?"

Johanna had woken up, and despite how soft the bed was, got up and started looking for him. Her head was pounding and the lights were only slowly becoming more tolerable. Fortunately, her eyes weren't blurry enough to keep her from moving. She regretted that third mimosa. Drinking stars or not, that was a bad idea. Never again. The organ began to play, low and soft. So, that's where he was! Clinging to the wall lightly, she made her way to the stage. She entered to his left from his seat on the piano. He looked coat of his suit was dirty and torn, and his hat had been discarded somewhere, and his knees were scuffed and ripped. He seemed tired, but his glasses hid his eyes. The only markers were that he was slumped slightly, and he was usually vibrant in his playing-this seemed like he was on auto.

"Hey, are you okay?"

Meister jumped, and turned to Johanna. He looked surprised-he expected that she would've woken up earlier and left.

"You're still here."

"I just woke- you're bleeding!" she gasped.

"What...?"

"Your cheek! And your shoulder." He looked over at his shoulder to see a large rust color stain blooming on his right shoulder, and gingerly touched his cheek, only to pull away and find his fingertips stained.

In his escape he must not have felt the arrows cut him. Johanna was at his side in an instant. She gently touched his cheek, her other hand pulling a handkerchief from her pocket. She pressed it to the wound, applying light pressure. He hissed.

"A handkerchief? You carry around handkerchiefs," he joked, wincing from the pain from both the cheek and the shoulder as the remnants of adrenaline wore off.

"Call me old fashioned," she replied, removing the cloth for a second, then bringing it back to dab at the wound," It doesn't look deep. What the hell were you doing?"

"You know, robbing banks, antagonizing the good guy- the usual," he replied. She frowned and moved to the wound on his shoulder.

"Take off your shirt."

"Woah there! Aren't we moving a little fast? You could've taken me to dinner first..."

She smacked him on the arm. "I need to look at your shoulder." He smirked, and gently moved his arm to unfasten the buttons. He winced, pain travelling up and down his arm as he undid the

coat. He audibly gasped as he removed the coat, and moved to the plain white button-up.

"Here," she said, undoing the buttons for him, and he could tell she was blushing. "You take it off though. Do you have a first aid kit?"

He nodded, pointed to the small box on the wall -stage right- and peeled the shirt off with a wince. It came off his bloody shoulder with a slick, disgusting sound, and fell to the floor. From what he could see, it wasn't that deep. Maybe a few stitches, but it wasn't the first time he'd had to stitch himself up. She came back over and sat next to him, placing the kit on her lap. From it, she pulled a roll of gauze, a thing of antiseptic, and a large square bandage. She wet a corner of her handkerchief with the antiseptic.

"This is going to sting a little," she warned, and pressed it to his cheek, wiping away the dried blood. He winced, but held his tongue. Soon it was off his cheek, and he felt her gingerly press the bandage into place. She got up and stood at his side,pressing the antiseptic cloth on his shoulder. He hissed, and she pulled away her hand. He murmured a quiet apology, and she started wiping the wound clean . Johanna put the cloth on the seat, and grabbed the gauze, and began wrapping it up, going in a diagonal over his chest and around, leaning in close every time. Music Meister felt his heart race, and tried to convince himself that it was the blood loss. The silence became unbearable for him, and he decided to break it.

"Xavier," he said with a heavy breath. She paused, confused.

"What?"

"That's...my name. Xavier. It's my best kept secret."

"Then I promise not to tell," she replied and he could hear the smile on her face. She tied the gauze in a firm knot over the wound.

"It's...really late, Johanna. You should go home," he said as she packed the kit away.

"Only if you accompany me there. It's late, no taxis are out, and you're still bleeding. Nor to mention you robbed a bank a few minutes ago, and they'll come here," she replied.

"Are you letting me hide at your place?"

"Are you going to say no?"

"Let me put on a shirt."

A few minutes later they were slowly making thier way to her apartment building. He was leaning on her slightly, his head a little fuzzy from the blood loss. She was improving but felt her impending headache. She was definitely taking off the next day. Or that day, as it was almost three in the morning. The normally short walk seemed to last forever; from the poor health of the two and the threat of potentially getting jumped by either a thug or a good guy. Eventually they made it to the building, entered, and slowly climbed the three flights to her floor. The elevator had broken down the week before, and they hadn't been able to fix it yet. When they entered the apartment, she kicked the door shut with her foot, and both collapsed on the couch.

"Never again. Next time I'm just going to go to sleep after a date," she said, running her hands over her face. "I feel like crap."

"Same," he responded, sinking into the couch. They looked at each other, and just started laughing. For no reason.

"Oh my god," Music Meister said breathlessly between laughs. He fell back against the couch, and Johanna dropped onto his side. She leaned into him, sighing. He froze, tensing up. She felt

that, and moved.

"Oh, um, sorry," she said,"I'm just exhausted."

"No, it's fine. Just caught me off guard," he said. She smiled, and fell back to her previous position. Soon enough, she was asleep, curled up at his side. And he had no idea what to do.

He carefully draped his arm over her sleeping form, praying she wouldn't wake up. She didn't, and continued sleeping. Listening to the sound of her breathing, he was slowly lulled to sleep.

Just as he faded off, he realized something that he had denied earlier.

He realized that he just might be falling for his protege.