THIS CHAPTER WAS UPDATED AND PROOFREAD FOR TYPOS. GRAMMAR. AND PLOT/TIMELINE ISSUES AS OF 7/17/2020

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"Anslee? Of course it's you, you're the only teenager who would be here, especially around this time of day," the voice of Harvey Dent, her mother's boyfriend, spoke from behind her.

Anslee put her phone back in her pocket quickly before turning around to give Harvey a smile. The man wasn't like other guys her mother has dated in the past. For starters, this was the one guy that Anslee could stand. Harvey actually interacted with her and wanted to include her in some of the things he took Rachel to do instead of trying to pretend she didn't exist like some guys in Rachel's past.

"Hey, Harvey, didn't expect to see you down here, I thought you would have been upstairs in your office doing something important," she laughed.

"Had to run over to the courthouse to drop off a few files of mine and your mom asked me to drop off a few of hers as well, just so happened to run into you now since I just got back," he explained before the elevator dinged and the door opened. Anslee walked in, followed by the blonde man.

"My mom called me right before I got in here, she sounded stressed, anything been going on that she isn't telling me about?" She questioned as she pressed the button for the fourth floor.

"Bossman's been on her all day about Maroni and Falcone and our upcoming case," he answered.

"Falcone and Maroni? I thought Falcone has been in Arkham ever since Crane put him in there to be his little lab rat?" she asked looking over at the man, her eyebrow raised, "But what about Maroni?"

"He has been," Harvey groaned, annoyed he still had to deal with the ex-Don even while he was in the looney bin, "It's been believed that Maroni has been taking over Falcone's so called business, operations, whatever you want to call it over the last eight years."

She shook her head and rolled her eyes, "Aren't Falcone and Maroni enemies? It's ridiculous how people do the things they do, especially when it comes to these big crime bosses, they think they can just go around doing whatever they want because almost everyone in this city is too scared or corrupt to do anything about it."

Harvey put his arm around the girl's shoulder dramatically, "I know what you mean and I ask the same questions. Believe me when I say you sound exactly like your mother when you say it like that," He smirked.

Anslee snickered before the door opened, "I'm wondering if I should be worried about that or not," She spoke before stepping out of the elevator and heading towards her mother's office, Harvey on her heels. She heard a chuckle come from Harvey at her statement. Once a few feet away from Rachel's office, she stopped. Her amused smile faded when she heard controlled shouting coming from behind the closed office glass door. She heard a male, who presumably was her mother's boss, and then a female, of course the voice of Rachel.

Ans heard Harvey sigh behind her before he walked past her, "It's been like this all day, they've been at each other's throats since your mom walked in here at eight AM," he groaned, "let me take care of this, just stay out here, you can come in when he leaves."

Harvey entered the office and the shouting ceased, Anslee couldn't hear much, for Harvey was coaxing the two to calm down in a subtle voice. Thirty seconds had passed before a man walked out of Rachel's office, and Anslee took that as her cue to enter. Upon entering her mother's office, she could tell that it was tense. But nonetheless, Rachel smiled seeing her child.

"Hi mom," Ans smiled back at her as she set her backpack down in one of the chairs in Rachel's office. The teen could tell she put Rachel in a better mood, it was probably even better since Harvey was there as well.

Rachel came from around her desk, "Hey sweetheart," she spoke as she wrapped her arms around the young brunette in an embrace, "how was your day?"

"Pretty normal like always, unlike yours, you wanna dish out why you and your boss were arguing just then, Miss DA?" she asked with a smirk as she pulled away from the embrace to look Rachel in the eyes.

"Harvey here is the DA, not me, that seems to slip your mind too often," Rachel smirked, knowing Anslee only called her that to tease her, "and we were actually arguing over something different than earlier," She spoke as she glanced in Harvey's direction

"Oh?" the man raised an eyebrow, "What about?"

"There was a bank robbery today," Rachel spoke.

"Ok well there's one of those about everyday all around the city, what's so special about this one?" Anslee questioned as she set her backpack down in one of the chairs on the opposite side of Rache's side of the desk.

"This one was at Gotham National Bank, and I shouldn't be telling either of you this, but it was supposedly by this new guy running around Gotham, calls himself The Joker," Rachel explained, "Left the bank in a school bus, followed in a line of oncoming school busses, so we have no idea where he is or where we went."

"So why are they up your ass about it?" Anslee questioned.

Harvey merely smirked while Rachel gave the girl a look scolding her for her language, "Because, that's technically the mob bank of Gotham."

"Why should that matter to you guys aside from it being a robbery? Unless he's part of the crooked cops and whoever else in the city. And why is he acting like it's your fault he targeted Gotham National?" Ans asked.

"He isn't part of the corruption," Rachel quickly snapped, though she didn't sound too confident in the statement, "And I don't know why he was grilling me about it but I had half a mind to smack him when he told me I needed to figure it out or clear my desk."

"Hey, leave the physical stuff to me, I'll take care of him for you, Rachel, don't worry about it. He's just upset because we're all doing his job better than he is," Harvey smirked. Anslee snickered up at the man before looking back at Rachel.

"I'm sure it will all be fine and he's only being so unreasonable because he's upset," Anslee gave Rachel a reassuring look, "It'll all blow over after the weekend."

"Thank you, Ans, I appreciate it," Rachel smiled softly before wrapping her arms around the girl again. Anslee smiled once more before turning her head to look at Harvey.

"You guys have anything planned for tonight?" she asked with a slight smirk.

"Well your mom and I were gonna head out of here in about a half hour and grab dinner, nothing too fancy for a Friday night, you're more than welcome to come along if you'd like, Ans," Harvey offered.

"Yeah, why don't you come with us, you can talk to me about the scholarship thing you were telling me about earlier," Rachel agreed.

"Scholarship? You got a scholarship, Anslee? Way to go, kiddo," Harvey smiled at the seventeen-year-old.

"I didn't get one just yet, it's an opportunity I have to apply for one that could give me a full ride to college if I get in where I want to," She smiled at Harvey, "and we can talk about it later, alright?" she asked, eyeing Rachel.

"No, come on, we have to talk about this before you bring it up with your father, you're coming with us," Rachel stated as she looked at the brunette seriously.

Anslee caved before giving in, "Fine, but can I at least take the car and drop my stuff off at home and change my clothes before we go and I'll meet you and Harvey there?" she asked with a hopeful glint in her eyes that Rachel would let her drive her mother's car.

"I would, but Harvey offered to take me to work today, and you took the train to school, no car here besides Harvey's," Rachel confirmed.

"What if she takes my car back to your guys' place and then she can come back and pick us up and we'll go," Harvey offered as he began to pull his car keys out of his suit pocket. Rachel gave him a crazy look before Anslee protested.

"As fun as that sounds, I'm not using your gas in your car, which I love your car, even ask my mom, but what if I just walk home really quick, I'll grab my mom's car and meet you guys there, that way if you two want to go do something after we eat, I can take mom's car back home," Anslee offered.

Rachel thought for a second before looking over at Harvey, looking for him to give a bit of input on the proposed plan.

"I don't see why it's a problem, she's seventeen and perfectly capable of handling herself, Rach," he nodded, looking between the two girls in the room.

Rachel sighed, "Alright, fine, but you are only to take the car to and from home, no pit stops, got it, Ans?" Rachel spoke as she gazed at her teenager.

"Yeah of course, keys are sitting on the counter right?" Anslee asked as she headed for the door, turning to look back at the two for a second.

Rachel nodded, "Yes, on the counter, and Anslee, please be careful on your way home, you know how dangerous those streets can be and you know how much you look like prey to some of those people out there."

"Mom, I promise I'll be ok, I have my phone on me and I have you and Harvey on speed dial just in case anything happens," Anslee assured her mother, finding it annoying whenever Rachel lectured her on it every time she even left the house or somewhere that was safe.

"Alright," Rachel settled, "I love you and be careful," She spoke once more, she was always scared to let her own child, let alone her only child, out on the streets alone.

"Love you too, I'll see you in a bit," Anslee smiled before leaving the room and shutting the door behind her.

"Rachel, calm down, she's smart and knows where trouble is and how to stay away from it," Harvey assured Rachel as he came up behind her and placed his hands on the back of her shoulders, gently massaging them.

"I know she is, but you know how it can be out there, I don't want her getting mugged or raped, especially because we still don't have all those criminals put back in Arkham after Crane freed everyone. There are still some really vicious people out there for blood." Rachel explained worriedly as she reached up and placed her hands on his.

"She'll be fine," Harvey spoke, placing a kiss on his lover's temple.