FIVE YEARS LATER

I was slammed into the brick wall as the large man held me up by the neck. He growled at me and I just smiled back. The man was at least two feet taller than me yet had to look up slightly due to the height he had me at.

I was investigating disappearances. Young girls around my age had been going missing in the area. The gang that controls the area had to know at least something if they weren't responsible themselves.

Growing bored of his futile attempts to choke me I spat on his face. He pulled me off the wall slightly only to slam me back into it.

"Wow, you got a great job. You get to slam teenage girls into walls while trying to kill them. Lucky you." The point was to get a response. This guy worked for a big gang in downtown Metropolis. He was big, just a muscle guy. Even he should have some information for me. Believe it or not, this is the easy way. Guys like him are prone to spilling their guts right before they think they're gonna kill someone.

"Shame getting rid of a pretty girl like you." His grip tightened around my throat. Not tight enough to kill me, yet. But like that'd work anyway. "Trust me when I say I'm doing you a favour."

"In what way?" I struggled, my breath suddenly getting short.

"Boss is selling girls like you to some sicko who keeps them in display cases." Is that so? I flipped open the pocket knife I'd been holding in my hand the whole time.

I was just about to free myself when a rope suddenly hooked around his neck, pulling him backwards and freeing me.

"Run, I got this." I glared at the boy who just freed me. I had everything under control.

"You got this? I was interrogating him!" I yelled at him. The large man knocked him over and lunged at me. In one swift movement I sliced his throat and he fell to the ground clutching it as all the blood rushed out.

"I had this, you didn't need to interfere." He didn't seem to pleased with my response.

"People usually say thankyou." I wiped my knife off on the man's shirt.

"So you do this on regular basis?"

"Do you do this on a regular basis. You were lucky I stepped in to help, he was about to crush your neck." I rolled my eyes at this kid. Why can't people just leave me alone.

"One:" I held my arm up making it visible as I slid the knife down my arm. He widened his eyes as it miraculously healed itself. "Two: Go save someone else."

"Do you at least want help with the body?" I raised an eyebrow.

"It'll look more suspicious if we do. At the moment it looks like a thug who got what was coming to him. They'll call it a public service." I walked way casually. "Chill, kid."

"Who are you?"

"I'm Batbrat." I kept walking.

"Like Batman?" Uuugh. Why must he keep following me? "What's with the outfit? Doesn't really scream batman, except for the black. You look like a darker blue and black Robin."

"Do you ever shut up." He was about to answer when we heard a scream from down the street.

"Race you there!" He took off running towards the screaming victim. Most likely a teenage girl who shouldn't be out this late. Yeah that sounds hypocritical but I'm out here right now to protect them.

When we got to the alley the screams came from we found a girl about my age, pushed against the wall with a knife against her throat.

"Don't ya know who am!" She screamed at him. "Mah father will have your head if he found out about this. I'll tell him to kill ya slowly!"

"That's big talk for a girl I watched go into a foster home earlier today." She gulped and I rolled my eyes. Why threaten him with a male? Girls can kick ass too.

"Put her down and I think about making this quick." I announced drawing his attention to us, because unfortunately that other guy's still here.

"You two better scram before I beat your asses." I raised an eyebrow at him.

"Scram? Who says that. Have you been watching Lady and the Tramp mate?" I heard a snicker from behind me.

"Seriously are you sure your not meant to be Robin?" Are you serious right now? Right now? I pulled a gun out aiming for the thugs leg. I shot him and looked back at this guy.

"What's your name?" The thugs screaming was ignored by both of us.

"What, you like me that much you want a name?" I glared.

"I wanna know what I'll have to tell them when they're making your tombstone." The thug's screaming was suddenly silenced. We looked over to him to find a small knife sticking out of his neck.

"I know he woulda bled ta death soon but he was bein' too loud." I like her...

"It's, fine. They'll call it self defence. Don't worry." I turned back to him. "So, your name?"

"Not tellin'."

"Alright, go home." I walked over to the girl I kinda rescued. "How about instead of that Foster home you crash at mine for the night."

"Nah, I'm good. Go save someone else." I crossed my arms at her. "Seriously, don't worry."

-later-

"I'm home!" I announced as I walked through the door. Roy was sitting on the couch wearing a mask so I quickly slid mine on. "What is it?"

"Your boyfriend's at the window." I walked towards the window. "Who is he by the way?"

"He's dead."

"Okay, I'll stop following you. I swear!" I giggled a bit as he swung from side to side. I was currently holding him out the window by his foot. I lifted him into the apartment and he collapsed to the floor.

"C'mon, I'll take you home." I walked him out of the apartment and out onto the streets. He lead me through the now quiet streets and I got sick of the silence.

"So what's your name?" I asked which for some reason surprised him.

"Hunter. What's yours? Or are you gonna say Batbrat again?" I nodded and he sighed annoyed. "You're pretty hot."

"Flattery won't work." I was so glad it was dark out here so he couldn't see me blushing.

"Wasn't trying to flatter you, I was being honest." He stopped out the front of an apartment building.

"Well, go on." He stared at me confused.

"What, you're gonna follow me in?" Pretty much, yeah.

"If word gets out about where I live I wanna know where I have to go to find you and beat the crap out of you." He gulped a little.

"I seriously swear I won't tell."

"And I'm seriously coming in." I crossed my arms. He opened the door, letting me in as I followed him into the building. We took the elevator up to the second last floor.

"Well there you go, you can leave now." I raised an eyebrow at him. I wasn't leaving. "Fine C'mon."

His apartment basically took up the entire floor. Well I'm guessing it belonged to his parents or something.

"Now can you go." he whispered to me. I guess he wasn't meant to be out.

"Fine, I see how it is." I joked, heading towards the elevator.

Before I could reach it however, I was spun around and pulled towards him. If that hadn't shocked me enough he then pressed his lips against mine. My eyes widened in shock, a shock that didn't cease. When I finally understood the situation I slapped him away.

"What the h-" he quickly covered my mouthed as he shushed me.

"Sorry." He flinched, probably half expecting my to hit him away.

"Um, goodnight." I walked into the elevator, letting myself smile as the doors closed.