Disclaimer: I don't own "The Dark Knight"
I hardly slept that night, but the nightmare that had put a vicious plague on me for the past few days did not occupy my mind right now.
Another one had.
It happened early in the morning. After only getting a few hours of sleep, I had woken up to a strange feeling that I had. It was more...uncomfortable than painful. Slowly, I sat up from my sleeping bag, and rubbed my aching back as I looked out the window. There was a beautiful sunrise shining just a bit over the great oak trees in Ally's backyard; colorful orange, blazing red and bright yellow hues cascaded over the tops to creep through the panes of glass that showed the room we all slept in.
Putting a hand over my eyes to block the blinding sunlight, I saw the lock on Ally's door that led to her terrace was turned a different way than it usually was. She had always left it unlocked. This time it was locked.
Batman must've done that on his way out last night, making sure all of us were going to be kept as safe as possible.
I just kind of glared at it before I got up to go to the bathroom.
That was where the new nightmare happened.
...I really didn't know what to do. Really, this wasn't supposed to happen now...At least, I didn't think it wasn't supposed to happen now. But I will say this, I was scared enough to lock myself in the bathroom, and try to figure out how to deal with this.
OK, the main thing to do was to keep calm and not freak out. It was a good thing Bruce wasn't there. He probably would've taken me to the hospital or something else to feed his over-protective side.
So I sat there on the toilet seat, thinking to myself to try to keep from going insane over something that was kind of...sort of...All right, it was a big deal. I guess the thing that really scared me was that I was alone when this happened.
"Come on Sarah!"
A knock on the bathroom door sounded, along with Kayla's irriated morning mood.
...I take it back. What really scares me more is having people in the situation.
"Get outta the bathroom!" she pounded on the door again.
What could I do? This wasn't the kind of thing I wanted to share with my friends. Opening my mouth to say something, really anything that would make Kayla go away for a while, I stammered, trying to find the right words to get me out of this mess.
"There-there's one down the hallway," I said to her through the door. "Use that one."
"No way!" Kayla's stubborness lashed back, banging her fist on the door. "Nathan's always in that one! Get out!"
Oh no. There is absolutely no way I am coming out of this bathroom.
"No!" I voiced that thought loud and clear. "I'm not coming out!"
"Why the-Aagh!" Kayla was interruptted. "Celia, I hate that stupid cat of yours!"
"Leave Shadow alone," I could hear Celia's sleepy voice.
The cat must've scared Kayla again. She always was kind of jumpy in the mornings. There was a bit of silence, until I heard a new voice from the other side of the bathroom door. It was Ally.
"Sarah, you OK?" she asked in a concerned tone. "Do you want me to go get my mom? Maybe she can call your godfather."
...What? Was she out of her freaking mind or something? Why did she think that calling Bruce was a good idea?
"No!" I shouted in angered protest. "Heck no! Ally, if you call Bruce, not only will I freak out, he will freak out!"
"...Oh..."
That was all Ally said before another silence hung in the air. It had been a little while before I allowed myself to think that they had finally left me alone to sort this whole thing out myself. I didn't mean to yell at my friends. I was scared...
...Come to think of it, even if I was scared, I probably wouldn't yell at them...
A bit confused and puzzled, I started to wonder what was happening to me. Was this normal? Did other people go through this kind of thing?
A softer knock on the bathroom door came through, and I was about to yell at my friends to go away, until I heard Ally's mom.
Carol Farris was a lovely lady and one of Gotham's most famous philantropists. She was always kind and generous, and treated me like another daughter when I first met her. I loved her dearly for her motherly ways.
"Sarah, sweetheart." She always called me sweetheart. "Ally told me to come here...Did you just get your first period?"
Later that day, when Rachel came to pick me up, Mrs. Farris spent the better part of the hour talking with her in one of the parlors, explaining what had happened that morning. My friends were kind of quiet around me after they learned the reason why I wouldn't come out of Ally's bathroom. At first, they didn't know what to say. Celia let me hold Shadow as a source of comfort, but after offering him to me, she didn't say a word. Ally just had her arm around me.
Kayla, on the other hand, said something.
"How big do you think your boobs are going to get?" she had asked.
...It took both Ally and Celia to hold me back and to keep me from strangling Kayla.
Before long, I was in Rachel's apartment, sitting in the kitchen with her and drinking a much needed cup of hot chocolate. We had stopped at the store on the way to get the supplies that I needed, and when we got home, she showed me how to use them and what to do and how I should always be prepared every month. I was glad that she was there to teach me all these things. Relief washed over me, but I was still quiet.
I just sat there, holding my cup of hot chocolate in between my hands, lightly tapping the porcelain with my fingers, and looking down at the marshmallows that Rachel always put in for me. After getting her cup of coffee, she came and sat by me.
"You know," she said with a smile. "It's a good thing your godfather is out of town." She then started to laugh a little bit. "He probably would've taken you to the hospital."
All I did was smile and I tried to laugh, but I just couldn't find anything in me to even get a snicker out. I was a bit depressed. Rachel noticed this and put her hand on mine.
"What's wrong?" she asked softly.
"I'm scared," I replied after a bit of hesitation.
"Of your period? Sarah, honey, I told you, this is a natural-"
I shook my head.
"It's not that, Rachel," I explained softly.
At least, it wasn't that anymore. There was something else that worried me.
"What is it?" she asked.
"...I feel like the next few years are gonna change who I am," I stated in a quiet voice. "And that will change everything else."
Here's the backstory as to why I am being paranoid, and I'd like to point out that I was paranoid for a good reason.
Today marked my first day as a woman. Not a little girl. A young woman.
And just when all the changes have been done in my life for the past year, this one starts up, and I just know it's going to affect everyone and everything around me.
In a way, I almost didn't want to grow up. I liked being where I was before today. Even though it sometimes got on my nerves, I liked that Bruce was always there whenever I got into some sort of trouble, no matter how small the situation was.
I just...didn't want things to change between Bruce and I when we already had a good relationship.
But everyone knows that when you don't want things to happen, they sometimes happen anyway. For better or for worse, only you can decide that.
And I was going to have to make that same decision, whether I liked it or not.
"Nonononono," Kayla said to herself in a panicked voice. "This is not. Happening. To me!"
"She's got you, Kayla," Ally couldn't help but giggle from behind the book I lent her.
At this remark, Kayla quickly turned her head toward her cousin, pure vexation in her eyes
"Shut up Ally!" she shouted before turning back to the screen. "I can still beat her!"
Somehow, I seriously doubted that.
Later that night, I was surrounded by my friends on the couch in Rachel's living room playing a boxing video game on the television. Before she left on her date with Harvey Dent, Rachel said it was OK that I could invite them over as long as I remembered the following things:
Emergency phone numbers were on the fride.
There was about 40 dollars for me on the counter to order pizza.
All homework, if any, had to be done before I invited Ally, Kayla, and Celia over.
Since it was the weekend, all my friends had to go home by midnight, which meant I had to be in bed right after they leave.
No opening the door for any strangers
And, my personal favorite rule, remember that the pepper spray and taser gun were in the junk drawer in the kitchen.
All of these rules were explained to me while she was getting her make up on earlier that night. Harvey Dent was planning on taking her to go see The Moscow Ballet's production of Swan Lake down at the Gotham Theatre Arts Center. Of course, like the gentleman he appeared to have in front of Rachel, as well as everyone else in the whole city, he showed up right on time to pick her up. While Rachel left the room to go get her purse for just a second, the perplexity that I had felt once before when I was with Dent in the restaraunt the last Sunday filled the living room once more.
But this time, I had an excuse to leave. After quietly saying hello to the district attorney, I removed myself from his presence, explaining that I had a big American History test coming up next Friday that I had to study for.
I think he offered his help on my schoolwork, but I pretended like I didn't hear him.
Now here I was, sitting on the couch next to Kayla, battling with her in a video game that she claimed she was the best at, and yet I was beating her.
The prize: The last slice of pepperoni pizza.
Ally and Celia were sitting near us. Celia was watching intently, surveying the video game, while Ally was reading my copy of The Hunger Games that I let her borrow over the weekend. So far, it had been a pretty fun night.
Especially since I just beat Kayla at her video game.
"Aw crap!" Kayla thew down her controller in frustration.
"Game over!" Celia, trying hard not to laugh at Kayla's indignation, spreaded out her arms like a referree "Sarah wins."
Scowling in my direction, all I did was grin at Kayla in triumph as I took the last slice of pepperoni pizza. I waved it a little in front of her face, taunting her playfully.
"I will enjoy this victory pizza slice," I said in a mock evil tone before taking a huge bite
"You're the devil in disguise, Chante," Kayla spat reprehensibly
"Thank you," I replied with a mouthful of pizza.
Kayla had no reply to my joyous response, so she stuck her tongue out at me: A classic Kayla move. In return, I made another wisecrack while I was in a good mood. It was a comeback that Bruce always had for me whenever I stuck my tongue out at something.
"Yeah," I said, grinning. "If I had a thing that nasty in my mouth, I'd stick it out too."
This made both Ally and Celia start laughing so loud, they were falling of the couch, bringing a whole new meaning to the famous text acronym ROFL. I laughed too when I saw Kayla's expression: Her mouth was open in pure shock like a catfish that had just been caught.
All of a sudden, I was getting a video chat message from my cell phone. I perked up when it played Taio Cruz's Break Your Heart as the ringtone. That can only mean one thing.
"That's Josh!" I shouted in excitement, reaching for my phone.
While my friends gathered around me as I answered, I saw Ally roll her eyes at the mention of Josh's name. Everytime Josh called and she was around, he tried to flirt with her and get her number so they can call each other. At first, I thought Josh made up the whole "Crush-On-Ally" thing just to get on her case...but he's been kind of more persistant these days in his efforts to win Ally's heart.
One of these days, it's either going to cause happiness or drama. I guess we'll just have to grow up and see.
I answered the phone, and Josh's face appeared on the screen, smiling for all to see.
"Hey Josh!" I waved excitedly.
"Hey Sarah!" Josh returned the greeting before turning to the rest of the gang. "Hey guys!"
My friends said hello and then, right on cue, Josh turned a bit of his attention to Ally. I hid my growing smile.
"Hi Ally," Josh said sheepishly.
Ally just stood there, with her arms folded across her chest, and a blank expression on her face. She was very defensive whenever Josh tried to talk to her.
"...'Sup?" Was all she said.
I shook my head a little and turned to her.
"Be nice," I whispered a bit of advice.
Kayla nudged me aside so Josh could see her more clearly.
"Hey Josh," she gave off her world-famous grin. "How's my hometown?"
"Chicago misses you, Kayla," Josh smiled at Kayla.
This made Kayla's smile, not to mention her ego, grow in appreciation. She flipped away a piece of her hair back behind her ear as if she was the most loveable girl on the earth, and pretended to inspect her nails.
"Of course," she said with an air of superiority in her voice. "It's hard not to."
Ally watched this, and made the first reaction I had seen her do since Josh called. She smacked Kayla on the arm lightly and discreetly.
"Are you flirting with him?" she asked with indignation her voice.
"Josh!" Celia waved at the phone.
"Celia!" Josh shouted, happy to see his old friend as he took a closer inspection."...Did you add another purple strand in your hair?"
It was true. Celia, to keep up with her punk style, added another purple strand to her black hair.
"You like?" she asked.
"It matches your eyes," Josh winked at her.
I looked over to Ally when I saw this wink, and she stood there for a bit, mentally digesting what was happening. Maybe Josh decided to get Ally jealous instead of desperately trying to just talk to her. I didn't know if it was a good idea, but it did prove effective.
"OK," she grumbled. "Now this is just getting ridiculous."
Keeping a bit of laughter to myself and giving a tiny wink to my friend, I turned back to Josh, trying to get the conversation ball rolling.
"How's Aunt Elaina?" I asked.
"She's doing good," Josh answered. "She's out on a date."
"Oooh!" The girls and I replied, instantly giddy with the thought of someone we know on a date.
Growing up, I never really had much contact with my Aunt Elaina. Whenever she was out with Edgar, she would always remain quiet and a bit anti-social. There were times when she would leave the house to go off on some adventure by herself, like a trip to Paris or Spain. But I do remember thinking at a young age how regal she looked in her beauty with her wavy black hair and deep green eyes.
After Edgar's death, it seemed that the chains that had been around her heart for the 13 years before were broken and she was free to be a kind and sweet woman. She showed her true colors after she felt she had been allowed to. It was nice to know that she was out dating again. I think her love for her late husband died long before he did. That would explain the quick change in her lifestyle.
"Is he hot?" Kayla asked.
Josh rolled his eyes when asked this very cliche question girls around the world ask.
"He's a wealthy patron that's sponsering my mom's exhibit," he replied.
Kayla's eyes went a little dark.
"That doesn't answer my question, you meathead!" she exclaimed.
"That's 'cause I don't care," Josh stated simply.
Dark eyes went to wide eyes on Kayla's face in surprise.
"Whoa!" Ally shouted, laughing. "Burn!"
Josh seemed happy to at least have made Ally laugh, even if it was at the expense of her cousin. I bit my lip to keep from laughing.
"First Sarah beats me at the video game that I rule supreme over," Kayla started "And now you just diss me!"
"And without a snappy comeback too!" Ally added in, still laughing.
"Kayla," Celia shook her head, controlling her giggles well. "This is not your night."
"Shut up!" Kayla snapped at Celia.
I scooted back a little, away from Kayla. Seriously, it looked like there was fire in her eyes, and one more comment that threatened to deflate her ego would probably prove bad for the rest of us.
"Geez," I mummbled to myself. "And I thought I was the one who was supposed to get PMS tonight."
"Anyway," Josh returned to our conversation. "I called 'cause I thought you could use my help."
Raising an eyebrow in confusion, I tried to think of what it was that I needed help in. I doubted he was going to teach me self-defense moves, so I just gave up trying to figure out what it was.
"With what?" I asked.
"That new TV show Haley Kingston is using to bash you," Josh explained in a tone that sounded like he thought I didn't know about it. "Gotham Gossip?"
At the mention of that television show that was created by some demon spawn (aka: Haley), I prayed silently to all that was good and wonderful in this world that my worst fears did not become a reality.
"Don't tell me it's gone national," I begged Josh.
Josh chewed the inside of his cheek, trying to see how he could best answer.
"Not exactly..." he started.
"Then how do you know about the show when you live in Chicago?" I asked, even more confused.
A wince on my cousins face told me that I wasn't going to like the answer.
"...It's on the internet," he replied carefully.
...He had to be kidding me here.
Celia had brought her laptop over so she could work on a video project she had for school, so she took it out of her backpack that was beside the couch and logged onto the internet. I scooted over to where she sat, telling Josh to hold on for a second as we surveyed the damage. I kept thinking to myself that maybe a lot of people don't watch this show, let alone a few video clips on the internet.
On a popular video sharing website, there it was: A short, one minute video clip of one of the most embarassing moments of my life ever to be caught on camera. It showed every bit of what occured that night, including my chocolate covered self.
...I'm still finding clumps of dry pudding in my hair brush a week after this crap happened.
"That was a lot of pudding..." Josh said, still wincing.
I shook my head in disbelief, trying to control an angry face I could start to feel showing up.
"I can't believe it's on the internet," I said in a tight voice.
"Look how many hits this got on here!" Kayla inspected the website closely. "It's a featured video!"
Ally rolled her eyes and smacked her cousin on the back of her head.
"Ow!" Kayla shouted, rubbing her scalp.
"Not helping, Kayla!" Ally said through gritted teeth.
"An episode is actually on right now," Josh updated us. "Who's that guy you bumped into?"
"What guy?" I asked. "I didn't..."
Wait a second...Don't tell me she...
"Oh no," I said in realization.
I heard Ally sigh in a bit of distress. Obviously, she was just about as tired of this television show as I was.
"I'll turn on the TV," she said in a bored tone.
After flipping through a few channels, Ally was able to find the public access channel that aired Gotham Gossip. JJ, the host of Haley's heinous talk show, was standing there on the stage with her plump figure, and a sickeningly sweet smile that made me want to puke. There was something about that smile that made me feel unsettled and a little angry.
JJ showed the clip of me bumping into Tyler Jamestown, and therefore making a complete idiot of myself. The film editors of the show made absolutely sure they got a look of surprise on my face before I collided into my pending crush. I gotta tell you, it did not make me look pretty.
"She really should watch where she's going," JJ said to her television audience in that sweet voice that made me want to hate even Minnie Mouse. "Maybe the chocolate pudding messed up her senses a teeny-tiny bit."
OK. That's it. I've had it.
"You've gotta be kidding me!" I shouted in disbelief.
Kayla had been watching with us from behind the couch, her arms leaning against the back cushions. Slowly, with a look in her eyes we all should have noticed at first, she stood up straight.
"Ladies," she announced in a calm voice. "I'll be right back."
I don't think we noticed Kayla say this, or her leaving the room for that matter. We were all still pre-occupied with what Haley had done lately.
"How did she even get a camera man that close?" Ally asked in both puzzled and angered tones. "They're not allowed on school grounds!"
According to the official student handbook at Gotham City Private, to protect the students and their families, cameras that were handled by the media were not allowed within 20 yards of the building unless given special permission by Miss Rose, our Headmistress or if it was an emergency. Anything put into the media involving one of the students without that permission risked the prestigious reputation Gotham City Private had and lost the security of anonymity each and every student was promised.
I still couldn't belive it though. It did interest me on how Haley got a camera that close. There weren't any cameramen to be found when I bumped into Tyler. I'm sure of it...
...Of course...There were other ways to get footage without being seen with a big 20 pound camera resting on your shoulders...
"Bruce said he'd have this taken care of," I said in distress.
Ally looked at me like I was crazy.
"Since when does Haley Kingston do what your godfather says?" she asked me. "She probably got her dad to pull some strings."
"Hey guys," Josh interuppted. "Where did Kayla go?"
We all looked around and noticed that the resident trouble-maker of our group had vanished and we didn't even realize it until now. If Kayla had left the room without anyone else with her, it could only mean one thing:
She was about to get some sort of revenge.
"Oh great," Ally sounded like a mother whose energetic child got loose in the toy store again.
"I'll go get her," Celia got up from her seat and went to go get Kayla.
"Sarah, listen," Josh started again as I sighed in annoyance. "Don't worry about what she says, OK? Not everyone in Gotham falls for this kind of crap."
"Tell that to the world," I looked away a bit, feeling a little embarassed that my life could be viewed from everyone from here to Texas to China.
A few seconds later, Celia returned with Kayla trailing behind her and holding Kayla's cell phone. I swear, Kayla and that stupid cell phone! It was like giving a toddler a gun to play with! Who knew what kind of stunt she was going to pull? Why don't we just lock it in a safe already?
"Oh come on!" Kayla shouted in protest. "I had a good name to call her too!" She then pointed at Celia, then me, then Ally when she said this. "You all know she deserves it."
"What was the name?"Ally asked, out of curiousity.
Before she said it out loud, Kayla glanced at me, then decided to whisper the name she was going to call Haley Kingston in her cousin's ear. I furrowed my eyebrows in confusion. What was she going to call her that made me think I couldn't handle the name?
Apparently, Ally couldn't handle it either. She pulled back a second later, a look of disgust on her face pointed directly at Kayla.
"Ewww!" she exclaimed, her face scrunching up as if she smelled rotten fish "Kayla! That's sick!"
"I don't even wanna know..." I made a face, my mind thinking up the worse.
"Where do you learn that kind of stuff?"
"Wow," Kayla folded her arms, and stood there like it was no big deal. "You sound like your mom."
Ally usually was a very patient person...except for when it comes to shopping and going to parties and...OK, I take it back. She's a very impatient person, but she tolerates a lot of things. She tolerates her brother leaving the toilet seat up in the bathroom; Kayla borrowing her clothes without permission; she'll even tolerate someone who is wearing the exact same outfit she was wearing.
But the one thing she doesn't tolerate for a second was someone telling her that she sounded like her mom.
I mean, don't get me wrong, Ally loves her mom to death. However, the last thing any girl wants to hear at the age of 13 was that she was turning into her mother or a mother like figure.
"You take that back!" Ally shouted.
The next thing I know, Ally had tackled her cousin to the ground, and they were rolling on the floor wrestling each other behind the couch, screaming out insults that I couldn't even make out.
"Josh, I gotta go!" I said to Josh before quickly hanging up my phone.
Springing out of my seat, I rushed to where my friends physically fought each other.
"You guys!" I tried grabbing a hold of them "Knock it off! You're gonna break something!"
While I was desperately trying to get my friends to stop fighting, Celia caught something on the television that made her face pale white.
"Guys..." she said in a soft voice.
I didn't hear her. Ally and Kayla yelling at each other deafened her mousey-tone.
"Ally," I grabbed hold of Ally's arm. "Let go of Kayla's hair!"
"Guys..." Celia tried again, her tone a little louder.
"Ow!" I pulled my hand back. "Kayla, you bit me!"
"Guys!" Celia practically screamed. "Somthing's happened!"
The terror that was heard in Celia's quivering yell stopped Ally and Kayla's fighting instantly and my attempt to get them to stop. When I saw Celia...I swear, I had never seen her so scared before. At least, not since last night, when she told us her ghost story about The Man With The Bleeding Smile.
"What is it, Celia?" I asked gently, making my way over to the other side of the couch.
Celia said nothing. She just stood there and pointed at the television. It only took me a few seconds to realize that Mike Engel, Gotham City's leading anchorman, had interruptd Gotham Gossip with a breaking news bulletin.
Someone was murdered, along with four other people.
I mean, a lot of people unfortunetly get killed every day, but you have to be someone of great importance or, in Gotham's case, a notorious criminal to get on a breaking news report.
In this case, it was a criminal who met his untimely death. A mob boss, actually, who went by the name Gambol.
The bodies were found in Thomasina Arms, a place infamous for the heads of crime families to meet up and do their dirty business. Bruce always told me to never go over to that part of the city. It was very dangerous.
Four of the bodies were stabbed: Two of which were stabbed in the heart, instantly killing them, the other two stabbed repeatedly after a gruesome fight that involved the sharp end of a billiard stick broken in half.
But it was how Gambol was killed and how the bodies were found that confused and frightened me.
Obviously, the reports weren't official. They were still showing live footage of the bodys being carted out on gurneys in black body bags, but a rumor was stated that Gambol died due to a knife slicing his face from a corner of his lip to the end of his ear and that near the bodies were a few joker cards.
I know what you're thinking: People usually don't die from a cut on the face. But Gambol's face was sliced. He probably could've lived through that too and only require major stitches and a possible facial reconstructive surgery, but...The knife could've damaged a critical nerve connecting to the brain...
...Or he could have just died from fear.
Pure fear.
The sound of running feet broke my concentration on how Gambol and his men were murdered, and I turned to find a bit of purple hair disappearing around the corner and into the hallway of Rachel's apartment.
"Ci?" I stood up from the couch and followed her quickly.
Ally and Kayla followed me to the bathroom where I could see Celia's shadow from the light in there through the crack underneath the door. Something scared Celia, and I mean scared the crap out of her. It frightened her enough to lock herself in the bathroom.
"Is she OK?" Ally asked, concerned.
"Hang on," I said before, knocking on the door, worry in my voice. "Celia what's wrong?"
Celia didn't reply. I knocked a few more times, asking her if she was all right, and still she didn't answer. Pressing my ear to the door, I listened carefully.
A faint sob reached my ears. She was crying? Why was she crying?
I turned to Ally and Kayla, who looked just as worried as I did. But I had to stay calm for myself, Ally, Kayla, and especially Celia.
"Can you guys go call Celia's mom?" I asked softly.
They didn't say anything. Ally and Kayla quickly and quietly left the hallway to go call Mrs. Henderson in another room. I dug into my pocket and took out a hairpin. Ever since last year, when I was locked away in my room in Edgar's mansion, I always carried a hairpin with me and used it to pick a lock. It got me out before, and now I was using it to make sure that one of my best friends was okay.
After working the pin in the lock for about 30 seconds, I heard the soft click in the gears that told me I unlocked the door successfully.
"Celia?" I carefully called out when I slowly opened the bathroom door.
To give her a bit of privacy, not allowing the others to see her, I locked the bathroom door behind me, and looked at Celia.
I had never seen her like this before.
She was sitting on the floor, hugging her knees to her chest while her hands were clasped together on top, hiding her mouth to keep the occasional sob from sounding out. Black streaks from her eye make up flowed down her cheeks, the chemicals mixing with the tears, and making her brown eyes a little bloodshot from the mascara that would get in her eyes and the crying.
At first, I didn't know what to do, but I quickly got on my knees, and tried to make Celia look at me.
"What is it?" I asked softly.
Celia wouldn't answer me. She just kept breathing, her breaths shaking with the inhaling and exhaling of air. Pretty soon, she was shivering slightly, but I knew it was too warm for her to be shaking. Nevertheless, I put a comforting arm around her.
"What's wrong?" I asked again.
"...He did it..." Was all Celia said in a whisper that seemed to belong in darkness.
I couldn't understand a word she was saying. She was speaking in a way that made her belong in a psychiatric ward. But I did know that whatever happened to Gambol and his men that night triggered her fear. I was going to do whatever was possible to find out what she was talking about.
Despite the fact that I was mad at him for lying to me and ditching me when he was supposed to teach me self-defense, I tried to think of what Bruce would do if he was here. Part of him would probably try to figure out what was going on right this second, just like I was, but I know that if he saw Celia like this, he'd take care of her first. He always looked out for my friends, even if they didn't know it.
Channeling my godfather, I took a look at Celia's face and saw it was quite a mess with all the make up and tear stains on her face. I got up and found a wash cloth in one of the drawers and ran it through some cold water.
"I know it was him..." I kept hearing her say to herself. "...He did it..."
At this point, it registered in my brain that Celia could possibly know who was behind the murders of Gambol and his men. But I focused on trying to comfort her before I asked anymore questions.
After squeezing the excess water out of the washcloth, I returned to Celia, crouching next to her, and gently lifting her face so I could get a better view. She didn't turn away from me and hide again. Instead she just stared at the wall, like she was stuck in some other world where she could hear no one.
I started gently wiping her face with the washcloth. Most of the black eye make-up came off, but it took another washcloth to get the rest off. I took my time, saying nothing like Celia. We were quiet, but it was OK. Nothing needed to be said right now.
When I was finishing wiping her cheeks, I saw Celia's face without make up for the first time. It looked like a tiny ghost child's face: Pale, younger looking, and wide-eyed. The only thing that helped me remember that this was 13-year-old Celia were the purple streaks in her hair.
"...He killed them," Celia said in her soft voice again.
For a moment, I stared at my friend in concern, before dropping the washcloth to my lap, and sighed. Even though I had an idea of what she was talking about, I was still confused.
"Who did?" I asked.
"...That's his calling card," Celia babbling whispers returned.
I know she must've been scared, but I was getting tired. The last thing I wanted for Celia was for her to end up in a strait jacket because of her catatonic mutterings. Firmly grasping her shoulders, I shook her a little, trying to knock some of reality back into her.
"Celia," I said, worried for her. "You're not making any sense. Who are you talking about?"
My tone seemed to bring back the Celia I knew and loved to the real world, because her eyes shifted a little before closing a moment, and opened again before looking at me. Recognition fell on her face as she realized where she was and who was with her. I kept staring at her, wondering if she was still here with me before she remembered what I had asked her.
Taking a deep breath, she began her story.
"...A few months ago..." she started slowly and quietly "Do you remember there were 4 neighborhood bosses that were murdered in an alley down the street from my house?"
After a few seconds, I nodded. Celia had come to the Penthouse one day, all worked up about a few murders that happened near the safety of her home. Bruce had already been working on the case, but that was all I knew about it. I had asked her if she was going to be all right and that if she felt safe. She said that everything was fine and back to normal, and that her dad had changed the locks on the house and bought a gun in order to protect his family.
She didn't tell me now, but she did later, and that was when I realized that Celia's calmness had been a masquerade. Later that same week, she found out what happened to the neighborhood bosses, and she told me that she lost sleep over it in fear.
"They had smiles sliced into their faces..." she continued her story. "From their lips-" She placed a finger to a corner of her lips before tracing it to where her cheek met her ear. "-To here...Just like what happened to Gambol...I mean, I know he's part of the mob, but..."
Celia stopped, trying to supress an incoming sob, but found that she couldn't. A moment later, she was letting herself cry more than she allowed herself to in the beginning. I put my arm around her, holding her head, almost rocking her as she cried on my shoulder, kind of like what Bruce did for me when I was upset.
"No one deserves that kind of torture," she finished, still sobbing uncontrollably.
I thought about what she said for a few moments before coming to the conclusion that Celia was right. Despite the fact that Gambol was part of the mob, the only thing he and his men deserved was to be sent to prison for their crimes. He didn't deserve to have his face sliced open. Just like those neighborhood bosses didn't deserve it a few months ago.
But the more I thought, the more I realized that I hadn't known about how those bosses were killed until now. I should've known from the moment it happened. Bruce told me he was working on the case. He told me everything else, except for the cause of death that was similar to Gambol's. Why didn't he tell me then?
I also realized that these killings must have gone on for months...
"Celia..." I said, a bit of fear growing in my voice. "What are you saying?"
"...There were joker cards next to the bodies..." Celia continued through her sobs.
Feeling the color drain from my face, the thought I had in my head was proven true.
"What?" I asked in disbelief, letting go of Celia to look at me.
These murders had been going on for months. Someone was trying to send a message to the mob and to the people of Gotham. How could I have not known about this?
But I noticed the look Celia was giving me. She wasn't finished telling me whatever it was that needed to be said.
And it needed to be said. Celia did know who was behind Gambol's murder and the murder of those neighborhood bosses.
However, we could only call him by the only name we had at the time.
"That's the Man With The Bleeding Smile, Sarah..." Celia told me, in a voice clear as day, but also as dark as night.
I stared at Celia, with an open mouth and the look of fear slowly growing in my eyes. She started crying again, but this time, I could tell it was from relief that she unloaded her burden of knowing this horrible truth alone for a while. I was amazed at how well she kept this to herself, and went on towards life like nothing was wrong. I felt that I could even trust her with Bruce's secret of being Batman, but I couldn't tell her.
Telling someone the truth about my godfather being Batman was a decision made by my godfather, not me. And if Celia, or anyone of my friends, knew, they risked being the danger that I always forget I live in everyday.
Celia continued to cry, and the only thing I could do was pull her in my arms again, comforting her once more.
"It's OK..." I said, not thinking of anything else to say.
"No," Celia shook her head, tears streaming down her eyes "...It's not OK..."
What could I do? I had to do something. I was the only one within miles who was capable of saying something and making a difference. But Bruce and Alfred were gone, and they told me it would be a while before I could get a hold of them. Tomorrow night I could, but I didn't know if that would be too late before someone else was murdered.
"Sarah, I'm scared," Celia whispered through another sob.
From the beginning, I was a bad liar, and my friends could always see that. The only lie they believed as a truth was that I didn't know who Batman was, and they don't even ask me that question. Ally asked once, but that was before I knew.
I thought about telling Celia that there was nothing to be afraid of and that everything was going to be OK, just like Bruce would always tell me. Bruce would take care of this. He would.
But this time, I didn't lie about what I was feeling to Celia.
Instead, I told her the truth.
"...Me too, Ci," I softly replied as I stroked her hair.
Another moment of silence passed. My dear friend's sobs had quieted until they diminished into nothing, their exsistence only awake by the tear stains on her cheeks. I still sat on the bathroom floor next to her, stroking Celia's black hair, untangling certain knots from time to time in reverence.
A quiet intake of breath told me that more words were going to pass from Celia's lips.
"C-Can you do something for me?" she stuttered. "Please?"
She really didn't have to ask. I'd take a bullet for my friends in a heartbeat.
"Whatever it is, Celia," I said firmly. "Ask me and I'll do it."
I wasn't prepared for what Celia was about to ask. I thought it would be to see if she could spend the night here to be safe, or for me to tell Gordon about what she knows.
"Can you tell Batman what's going on?" she asked. "Can you tell him what I know?"
Surprised, I looked at my friend dumbfounded. I hadn't expected that.
My closest friends always knew that calling upon the Batman for help these days, after a solemn oath that the Dark Knight and I would never make contact to each other for my own safety.
I know Batman is Bruce, and I could always tell Bruce.
But Celia asked me to tell Batman, and that made the task seem impossible.
"Ci..." I tried to think of an excuse.
"Please?" Celia asked desperately.
I made a promise not to contact Batman...So why did I hesitate to say no?
"I can't..." I shook my head. "He can't...How do I even..."
"Please?" she asked once more.
I then realized that I couldn't say "no" to Celia anymore. To deny her would be impossible. Especially when she was desperate and when she told me she was afraid. And she was my friend. So I promised her all that I was able.
"I'll do my best," I said.
I tried my best to smile, as did Celia, but I think she was still shaken up a bit from that night's news broadcast.
Trying to comprehend what I just promised, I realized that I promised to contact Batman and pass along the information I had been given, but instead was going to give it to Bruce.
I know it was the same thing, but it felt like lying to me.
I wanted to promise her something else, but all I could give was the same comfort Bruce would give me.
"Everything will be all right," I whispered. "...I promise."
Me: *Trying to sneak out of the chapter early*
Bruce Wayne: *Grabs me by the back of the collar, holding me a few inches off the air by it*
Me: "Dude! Watch it! I just bought this! The fabric's very delicate!"
Bruce Wayne: "And where do you think you're off to that can't be explained to your readers and reviewers?"
Me: "Nowhere! Absolutely nowhere! None of your freakin' business!"
Bruce Wayne: "Yeah...Not buying it."
Me: "Fine, I'm working on the rough draft of the next chapter."
Bruce Wayne: "You don't get an eyebrow wax, new clothes, a haircut, and new jewelry when you write a new chapter!"
Me: *folds arms defensively* "I work hard. I deserve nice things and I deserve to be pretty."
Bruce Wayne: "You do realize that you've only got 86 days left to get this story at least 3/4's of the way done. You're gonna be working your butt off for a long time until July 20th. You know what that means?"
Me: "You nagging in my ear about getting a chapter done, sending a bat or two in my room, and keeping me up all night to get some work done?"
Bruce Wayne: "There's one more thing...No kissing guys until you prove you're working on this."
Me: "What? Crap no, Wayne! I can't help it if I get kissed by a guy. Now let go! I've got a date and you're stretching out the lace shirt!"
Bruce Wayne: *lets go* "Fine, but he better not be another jerk. And he better treat you with respect. I don't want another incident like the last guy."
Me: "Yeesh, this is what I get for having a playboy billionaire slash masked vigilante as a muse." *to the readers* "Anyway, other than dating, I've also been working long hours on my job, so life got in the way, as well as weird guys who seem to be creeps. I swear, it's like I'm dating the inmates of Arkham Asylum. Plus, computer has been down for a while, so I really couldn't get to this chapter until recently. So, anyway, I thank you all for your patience, your love, your reviews, and your opinions. I love you all, and I am working on the next chapter...*runs off* Right after I get some hot fireman to kiss me!"
Bruce Wayne: *runs after me* "Hey! I said no kissing! You get back here! *to the reviewers* If you guys review, I'll go easy on her."