Catwoman crouched on the ledge of the building, staring down at the busy streets of Gotham. She looked up at the moon, partially covered by clouds and sighed. She was sure he would come, but when he would come was another matter entirely. She didn't need genius level detective skills to know that he would come when he had time. Still, though, she was getting very impatient. She drummed her sharp nails on the ledge just as she heard the very faint rustle of a cloak and smirked.

"You wanted to see me?"

Catwoman turned with a smile on her face. "Batman, it's been too long! Sorry, but I don't have a lot of time to talk. Let's just get on with why I called you here. I understand that you are part of something called the Justice League?"

The white slits serving as Batman's eyes narrowed. He didn't seem too surprised she knew, however. It was all over the news. "Anyway, I have a favor to ask."

"What is it?" Batman asked suspiciously.

"I want my prodigy to be taken under your wing so she can get in."

The only sound for a long while was the sound of cars far below on the bright streets of Gotham. Catwoman could just see the gears turning in Batman's head. He didn't know she had a prodigy, or why she would want her to follow the side of justice rather than thievery. "And why should I do that, Selina?" He reverted to her name, too curious now to worry about her criminal name.

Selina looked down at the streets, her eyes sad. "While she is every bit as stealthy, beautiful, agile, strong, and intelligent as I am, I know for a fact she doesn't see my trade as I do. She sees things in it that are what you see. That it's wrong and I should stop. But she's never asked me to because she knows what I'll say. I've never made her come with me on thieving trips, mainly because she's so young, and I can tell she's glad for it. I don't want her to grow up learning what I've taught her and having nothing else to do with it besides do what I do. I can tell that isn't what she wants." Selina turned to face Batman. "I asked her what she thought of going to the Justice League. She asked for a few days to think it over and gave me her answer tonight, just before I left." Selina stopped speaking.

"What did she say?" Batman asked, knowing she wouldn't talk until he asked.

A sad smile touched her lips. "She said she would stay with me." Selina looked at Batman now. "She told me she has no desire to do what I do, but she felt like she was indebted to me and that to leave me would be like dishonoring herself. She told me that even if I decided to steal the president, she would stay with me." Selina paused. "I know that she does feel that way, but I also know that she wants to join you so badly it hurts her deep inside. She wants a feeling of usefulness. She wants something good to fight for. Something I won't be able to give her." Selina's voice held such sadness before she put on a mask, her face lighting up with false cheer. "So, what do you say? Will you take her?"

Batman looked at Catwoman, running everything through his mind. Finally, after five minutes, he said, "I'll have to ask her. She is right over there, you know."

"Oh, I do," said Selina with a smile. "I brought her with me. I was just waiting to see if she'd come out on her own." Selina turned to the large vent behind her and watched the black form peek around the corner. The black mass paused for a moment before stepping into the moonlight. "Batman, meet Faye."

The girl, Faye, looked no older than four. Her thick, wavy hair was short and black, shining in the moonlight to stop above her shoulders. She was built thin and light with long.

Faye looked at Batman then at Selina. "I'm sorry for not coming out, Lina."

Selina waved it off. "It's fine, Faye. Please, meet my friend Batman."

Faye looked at Batman and smiled. "Lina's told me allabout you!" Batman glanced at Catwoman, wondering how much she had told the child. Her eyes gave nothing away. Batman turned back to Faye. He could see confidence and strength in the set of her body.

"Why do you want to join the Justice League, Faye?" Selina prompted. Batman was closely watching as Faye thought.

"Selina is the closest thing I have to a mommy. I know what she does, and I don't like it, but it's not my choice. I just don't think I could steal – Er, I mean borrow things from someone for a living," Faye said, correcting herself when her mentor gave her a sharp glance. "Besides, my parents always taught me that I should respect people and never give up on them." Faye fell silent. She turned her head towards Selina who nodded. "It's alright, Faye. He can know. He won't tell anyone unless you want him to."

The little girl couldn't do it, however, so Selina told the story. "Her parents died last year. They weren't rich, really. Just right in between. Her dad worked as a lawyer and her mom a nurse in the local hospital. Her dad's specialty was defending people who he thought weren't guilty. Her mother worked in the intensive care unit. They went out to eat one Panthra at a fancy restaurant to celebrate something. After dinner, her dad had had them take a short cut through an alley at the back of the restaurant. He went around to pick up the car while they waited.

"There was a man with a gun, demanding that her mom give him her new earrings. Her dad had bought her mom some new diamond earrings for her birthday. She mom handed them over, noticing how ragged he looked. Bone skinny. She asked the man if he needed help." Faye was looking down. Her lips trembled. Selina continued. "Her dad pulled into the end of the alley. He freaked out and ran out of the car, shouting their names. The mugger freaked out and shot her mom. Her dad charged the man and tried to wrestle the gun from his hands. The gun went off and her dad was on the ground. The mugger ran off. I found her later and adopted her."

Faye looked at her mentor. "Are you sure that we can trust him?"

"Oh, definitely," Catwoman said with a broad grin. "He'll take very good care of you, or he'll have me to deal with." Faye glanced between her mentor and Batman, knowing something was going on there. "Besides, if nothing else, Panthra is a natural sleeping pill!" Catwoman added cheerfully. Batman glanced at her. "Oh, that's right! See, Faye here can put people to sleep. She can control their dreams too. She's helped me go to sleep so many times!"

"You can control someone's dreams?" Batman asked, thinking of the numerous possibilities that had. "How does it work?"

"It has different methods," Faye said. "Sometimes all I have to do is hum to them or sing and they fall asleep. Other times, when I'm using it on someone that I don't care for, it comes out in a glittery pile of dust from my fingers. I've cried the dust before, too, but it's thicker then. But that's only happened once before. When my dad was dieing."

"And controlling their dreams?"

Faye messed with her fingers. "I've only ever done that on nightmares for Lina. I've never forced her to dream anything. I just. . . change them so she's not as scared." Faye sounded nervous all of a sudden. "But, sometimes I can't control it and I go into their dreams on accident. But I'm working on it! I kind of just fall asleep because I've never purposefully entered her dreams. It's like I can sense it. I can feel the dark on it and I'm sort of pulled to it. I just sort of will the dream to do as I say." Faye added with a grin, "I've gotten a lot better at it."

By the time Batman and Catwoman were done talking, Faye was falling asleep because she was so bored. They had sent her away so they could talk privately over an hour ago. She began to drum her fingers on the cement roof, idly scratching patterns in the grey dust. She sighed and puffed her bangs out of her eyes. What could they possibly be talking about? Faye glanced over to see Catwoman holding a small computer, showing Batman something on the screen. Faye snorted. Of course. Her practice tapes.

Faye had wondered why Catwoman was filming her training, but she simply said it was for future reference. She had come in and video taped her stretches and her gymnastics routine. Faye's thoughts strayed to a dream of Selina's she had accidentally walked in on. It was Selina and Batman, both wearing their costumes but walking on a beach. The Dark Knight looked out of place set against an orange sunset and crystalline blue waters, but Selina looked so happy that Faye found her lips turning up in a smile. She knew her mentor had a big thing for Batman. Looking at him, though, he seemed to cold and serious for Lina's perky personality.

Finally, Batman and Catwoman walked back over, Selina's mouth stretching in a broad grin. Faye hastily stood up. "Well?" she asked, feeling anxious. Batman was quiet for a moment before he spoke. "You can come with me."

"Yes!" Faye laughed, launching herself at a laughing Selina. "Oh, thank you, thank you, thank you!"

"You should really be thanking Batman," Selina pointed out, placing her hands on Faye's shoulders to push her back. "After all, he could've said no."

Blushing in a very adorable fashion, Faye walked back over to Batman. He looked down at the little girl as she quickly snatched his gloved hand, squeezing it tightly in her little hands. "Thank you!"

The fact that his face didn't change further proved her point that he didn't like being close to people. Faye didn't mind, though, because she used to have a grandpa who acted all tough on the outside, but he had very nice moments where he was so sweet. "If I'm going to let you stay with me, I'm going to need to know who you are."

Faye nodded and removed her mask, revealing the upper half of her face. Large almond shaped eyes stared up at Batman. They were rimmed with thick, dark lashes and a very pretty color of dark blue with grey flecks. She held out her hand. "Faye Hope Evans." Batman shook her hand politely

Faye glanced at Selina. "So, am I living with him now?"

"You'll be staying with Batman from now on," Selina said. "Next week, you'll be living in his home."

Faye thought for a moment, twisting her fingers some more. She looked at Batman, shy smile on her lips. "If I'm going to be living with you. . . shouldn't I know who you are?" Batman's eyes narrowed. "It's alright if that's a no. I know that your secret identity is important to you. I know that you just met me, too, so it's okay. I'll try to stay out of your way so I don't see anything I'm not supposed to." Faye spoke quickly, trying to assure him that she wouldn't be a nuisance to him.

"We'll see how everything goes." said Batman. Faye smiled. This was as best as she'd hoped for, after all.

Faye went to put her mask back on, slipping it over her eyes and sighing in relief. For some reason, with it on, she felt so much more confident. She looked at Selina. "Could I talk to you for a second? Alone?"

"Sure, kid," Selina said, putting a hand on Faye's shoulder and leading her away before turning to look at her. Batman watched the girl whose past was so like his own. He saw the determined look in her eye and recognized it as something within himself. Sure, she may want to do good for the world. But Batman knew that more than anything, she wanted to avenge her parent's deaths. He knew that the pain of losing them would stab her for years and years to come. That she would always have it hanging over her head. He knew how she had felt. Helpless. Useless. She had watched, horrified as her parents died before her and she couldn't do anything. Batman knew by just looking at her that she never wanted to feel helpless again. And she was so young – barely four years old! And yet she seemed so grown up. Again, Batman was reminded of himself. He had been forced to grow up when he was young as well.

"Ah, come on, kid," Selina laughed. "I'll still be able to see you! It's not like I'm running out on you!" Selina brushed the hair off Faye's forehead. "Unless there is something else. . . .?"

Faye looked down. "I feel like I'm leaving you. Like I'll never see you again."

Selina smiled and felt tears prick at the back of her eyes as she pulled the girl to her, hugging her close. "I will never leave you, got that?" Selina whispered fiercely "Never. I'll always have you and you'll always have me. We're a team." Faye nodded. "Sneak out anytime you wanna come see me," Selina said. "Just try not to sneak out unless absolutely necessary. Batman's being very generous here." Faye nodded her understanding and smiled up at her mom.