Adriana left Arkham Asylum and noticed the storm clouds brewing in the sky. She looked down at her phone at the Uber app and noticed that there were no drivers at all in Arkham. Her next option was to search online for a cab service close by, but as she searched a Gotham police car pulled up in front of her. It parked and she saw Damien step out of the driver's side and rest his arm on the roof of the car while smiling at her.

"Hey there," he said. "Looks like it might rain."

"Damien?" Adriana said. "What are you doing here?"

"Well," he said and walked over. "I heard you were here. You look...very well."

"Thanks," Adriana said with a but of repulsion as he admired her body.

"I take it you need a ride?" he smiled and touched his very dark wavy hair that was combed straight back.

"No..I'm okay," she replied.

"Adri," he said and tilted his head. "Come on. Get in."

"No," Adriana said firmly. "My...friend is coming."

"What friend?" he said in a way that sounded like he didn't believe she even had friends. He frowned while waiting for an answer, dark brows almost covering his grey eyes.

"You don't know them," Adriana said and took a few steps away and turned so that she was facing away from him.

Can you please come pick me up? Adriana typed out the message to Sidi. She considered for a second texting Bruce but after the embarrassing encounter from that morning there was no way she could do that.

Who is this? The message came into Adriana's inbox.

It's Adriana.

Oh. Why do you need me to come? You stranded?

Sort of. Can you come?

Where?

Arkham. At the Asylum.

You going to make me drive out to Arkham? I have things to do.

Pleaseeeeee Sidi.

After a long lag in response Adriana glanced over her shoulder at Damien who was still smiling in a way that made her want to run.

Aymara is coming. She was by Grand Avenue. Be there in ten min.

THANK YOU!

Adriana turned back to Damien who was now walking closer.

"So," he said. "Ready to go?"

"No..My friend is like ten minutes away so.." Adriana shrugged.

"Okay," he replied. "I'll wait with you."

"That's really not necessary Damien. I'm fine."

"Yes.." he said in a potent voice. "You are. Your ass looks great."

"Ugh," Adriana huffed.

"Seriously..it was always great. But now it's like.." he made grabbing gestures in the air with his hands and she started to walk back to the doorway of the Asylum. "Wait!"

"Please leave me alone," she said.

"I'm just complementing you," he said. "You look different. Strong and beautiful."

She entered his thoughts and saw what he meant. He was used to a different version of her. The version of her that lacked sleep, calm, and peace. Skinny, underweight, with deep dark circles under her eyes. Frailty was how he had recalled her but now his perception was different. He was admiring her body which looked incredibly fit. Her skin was now glowing and radiant. She even walked differently.

"Ok," she shrugged. "I really don't need you to wait here though."

"I'll still wait. Things have been insane. Your heard what happened at city hall," he said as a light rain began to fall on them. "Do you want an umbrella?"

"No...I'm good," she said.

They stood silently for several minutes and finally Adriana saw a black Jeep pull up and park in front of the building.

"That's her," Adriana said and began to walk away.

"Who is she?" Damien asked.

"A friend," Adriana said vaguely and quickly got in to the car and shut the door.

The inside of the car smelled faintly of incense and Aymara was rubbing her hands to warm them. She glanced at Damien before pulling off.

"I was getting groceries," Aymara said. "So I need to get back home. My mother doesn't want me in the city too long..you know. Buildings blowing up."

"Sorry for this..inconvenience," Adriana said. "I didn't have anyone else to call."

"No problem," Aymara said. "Who was that?"

"My ex," Adriana sighed.

"Oh," Aymara said and reached forward to turn the heat up a bit. "He still wants you."

"Yeah," Adriana replied. "You could tell?"

"Well, he was looking like he was about to pounce on you."

"He won't leave me alone. I don't even know how he knew where I was here."

"Part of the gift right?" Aymara said casually.

"Huh?" Adriana asked confused.

"This...partners all crazy," Aymara went on.

"I don't get it." Adriana said. "What are you talking about?"

"Oh.." Aymara said a bit shyly. "You don't know."

"Know what?"

"Do you have other exes?"

"Of course..a few."

"Did you evee have a bad break up?"

"Yes...all of them actually," Adriana remembered. "Terrible. What does this have to do with my abilities?"

"Well..there's not way to be sure but..When working with mother we noticed. Especially in the stronger cases like yours..they almost never had good relationships. It was as if their partners became addicted to or obsessed with them."

"But.." Adriana thought of all her past relationships and how she had to move and practically change her identity every time.

"But?" Aymara said as they reached Gotham city.

"Damien isn't addicted to me. I think he secretly hates me, that's why he treated me so bad."

"He doesn't hate you, no. We don't know why the partners turn this way," Aymara said.

"So what does this mean? I'll always have shitty abusive relationships?"

"Well.." Aymara said, and Adriana was surprised at how little she reacted to being told that the relationships were abusive. "Some had good relationships..quite rare. I'm sorry I brought this up."

"No, I want to know," Adriana said. "Were they all abused? All my exes hit me at some point..except Damien but he did something disgusting. Seriously..I'm going to be alone and miserable forever?"

"I'm sorry they hit you," Aymara said. "Some..were happy. In great relationships. But it seems they were all married young.."

"Okay.." Adriana thought out loud. "What are you saying?"

"It seems if they found someone at a young age and were just with the one person it worked out. I don't know, girl. Maybe it has something to do with comparison. Comparing someone like you to everyone else they have been with. It must not be the same. It must be something they aren't willing to let go of."

"Well...they all did lash out on me when I tried to end the relationships," Adriana said.

"They didn't want to lose you," Harri said. "A few of the ones that were married or in just one relationship were able to end the relationships peacefully..but I only know of two of those."

"So what does all this mean? I have to start all over again from being 16 and a virgin?" Adriana laughed. "I'm destined to be single then."

"No, no, not you," Aymara laughed as she turned onto Adriana's street. "Just the partners you chose. It would be best if they had nothing to compare you too..then they wouldn't become obsessed with not losing you."

"So..I'm doomed," Adriana said. "Ugh. Whatever. I'm okay with being single anyway."

"Maybe it will be okay of you find someone you will never want to leave."

"But why do they turn all crazy? I never even thought about this until now..I just thought maybe all guys are crazy."

"You will be fine..you just have to chose carefully," Aymara said. "But I don't know much about these things. I could be wrong. Come over tomorrow and talk to mother..she knows more than me for real."

"Okay, I will," Adriana said as they parked. "What time?"

"We're not busy tomorrow," Aymara said. "Come for breakfast."

"Got it."

.

.

.

Adriana soaked in the bathtub that night, pondering the thought of being single forever. The soggy useless business card and dead cell phone she had found at Arkham Asylum seemed to be a better topic for thought. She wanted purpose and desperately wanted to achieve something. Maybe things would be better this way. She wanted to be like Bruce..a vigilante. Someone with something to fight for and live for. Bruce would never support such a thing, so maybe she had to do it on her own. But how? Who would she be? Was she getting ahead of herself? Maybe she was too weak and inexperienced for such a thing but she felt so strong and knowledgeable. She had flown a damned helicopter!

Deep in her thoughts she answered her phone without even checking the called ID.

"Hello?" she said.

"Hello, beautiful," she heard Damien's voice and resisted the urge to let out an annoyed sigh.

"Yes?" she asked.

"Can't stop thinking about you," he said. "God, you look so good."

"Damien..I'm kind of busy."

"With what?"

She was quiet, knowing she didn't have to answer him and was also feeling too relaxed in the tub to try to scramble and come up with a lie.

"I was just thinking," he said. "Remembering everything. How great we were together."

"Damien, we were terrible together."

"No..it was amazing," he said factually.

"Hmm," she thought aloud.

"Humm again," he said. "Sounds so sexy."

"No, I was just thinking.."

"Thinking what?" he sounded a bit excited.

"Well..was I different? From other women you've been with?"

He was quiet for a while and she looked at the phone to make sure the call was still connected.

"Well, yeah," he said finally.

"How?"

"I mean..." he said searching for words. "Best sex by far."

She resisted laughter as she remembered their sex life. Brief encounters that were never satisfying for her at all. Laughter swallowed, she asked him to tell her more.

"It's hard to explain," he said sounding as if he was thinking deeply.

"Try, please," she said in a sweet barely seductive voice as manipulation to get him to talk.

"Okay," he took a breath. "It was just..you're so...When I was with you it was hypnotic. I felt like my mind was was clear and sharp and at the same time..delirious. You had me under a fucking trance every time. It seemed like afterwards..maybe this is crazy but..I felt like I was almost gifted like you. I couldn't hear thoughts but I just kinda felt how others were thinking..nothing surprised me. Lasted for days."

"Are you serious?"

"Yes," he said. "Damn..I'm yearning for it now. Fucking addictive. I love you-"

He continued to talk and she moved the phone away from her ear. Addictive?

"Damien..I have to go," she said quickly.

"Wait," he said. "Adri, I wish you would just give me another chance. I know I messed up but I want to do it right this time. Please-"

"I'm...seeing someone," she lied.

"What?" he sounded surprised.

"Yeah..it's new but..you know," she said. "Anyways I have to go, I'm sorry."