A/N: Hey there! Chapter Three is finally done! This one's a little longer, and I hope you'll enjoy!

Before we go on, I'd like to mention something really quick. In my story, right now, Dr. Crane is kind of experimenting with his formula, and it doesn't always need an antidote. AND when it does, in my story, the antidote won't make you immune to it for now.

Disclamer: The BATMAN UNIVERSE belongs to DC Comics. Not me….sadly.

Alice pushed open the office doors, and a burst of cool air met her. She smiled. She loved working at the Gossip, even if things got hectic a lot. That was why she had a four day weekend. Tomorrow would be Friday, and she would be free.

"Alice!" Annie called from the front desk. She smiled at her, and Alice walked over to her.

"Have I missed anything big today?" Alice inquired.

"Nothing huge. Mr. Fitzgerald wanted you to come to his office when you came in though."

"Oh…thanks, Annie."

Alice walked to her boss's office quietly, avoiding bumping into anyone and starting up a conversation. She knocked timidly, and a booming voice answered.

"Come in! Come in!"

Alice opened the door and stepped inside. If he had found out that she had lied, it could be possible that she was fired.

"You wanted to see me, Mr. Fitzgerald?" Alice asked quietly. When he heard her, Mr. Fitzgerald looked up at her and smiled.

"Ah, Alice! Get your car fixed then? Come, sit." Alice smiled, and nodded. What a relief to know that he didn't know. "I have an assignment for you Alice, and I think you're going to like it." He smiled broadly. "This will be great for the magazine!" He finished, to no one in particular.

"Yes?" Alice asked, unsure. Some of Mr. Fitzgerald's assignments to her were exciting to him, and yes, important to the magazine, but boring to her nonetheless.

"A certain man is back in town. Apparently he just got back yesterday." Mr. Fitzgerald got up and walked to the window. "He's been gone for seven years. Everyone thought he was dead!" This wasn't adding up in Alice's mind at all.

"Mr. Fitzgerald, what are you talking about?"

"Alice! Haven't you seen the newspaper today?" He inquired, digging under a mountain of documents for today's paper. He tossed it at Alice and she began reading it. Her eyes grew wide.

"You mean Bruce Wayne…is…is back?" Her eyes continued to skim over the page. Mr. Fitzgerald nodded with a large grin set upon his face.

"Yes. Now, as you can imagine, he's up to his ears in interviews, so we'll have a spot in-"

"Wait, you mean you want me to interview Bruce Wayne?"

"Well of course! I told you you'd love this assignment!"

They went over the finer details of the interview for a good fifteen minutes. They would have the interview at the beginning of next month. She would meet him at Wayne Manor (Wayne Manor!) and it would take off from there.

"Thank you, again, so much!" Alice sputtered. She backed up towards the door in a sort of bow and repeated her thanks. Mr. Fitzgerald waved her off with a broad smile.

The door closed with a click behind Alice. All was silent for a moment as she started thinking of the interview. Off she went, hurrying down the hallway and around the corner.

Until she ran straight into the mail cart, and lost her footing. Alice fell with an oomph onto the ground. The file that Mr. Fitzgerald had given her flew out of her grasp and the contents fluttered down to the floor around her. It was the second time she had fallen on her butt in two days. Annoyed, Alice watched as the mail cart wheeled right on past her.

"Sorry Miss Huntley!" Mark, the mail boy, called out. Just as she was about to call out to the little jerk, strong hands lifted her up from behind.

"You alright?" The man's voice asked in concern. Alice straightened her skirt and steadied herself when she was firmly on her feet.

"Yeah, Mark's just being a jerk, as usual." She smiled, meeting his green-eyed gaze.

"No surprise there." Daniel retorted. He bent down and collected the papers from the floor and handed her the complete file. "So, you come into work late, go straight to Mr. Fitzgerald's office, and you're hurry to get somewhere. Not in trouble, I hope?" He grinned, with a mischievous sparkle in his eyes. Alice grinned.

"No- none at all! My uh…car broke down last night, so I had to get it fixed. And, Mr. Fitzgerald wanted to give me details about a pretty big interview!" She waggled the folder around in the air.

"I see! So, who's it with?"

"Bruce Wayne." Alice beamed at him. Daniel laughed.

"Well good for you! Maybe you can get some dirty details out of him, eh?" He grinned and Alice giggled. The silence grew between them as Alice stared into Daniels bright green eyes.

"Well, I think I should get back to work…" Alice said shyly as she tore her gaze away from Daniel. He nodded and went back to his desk. Alice turned to go back to work, catching a sly grin from Annie at the front desk.

xxxx

Most of the staff at The Gossip took their lunch during the same hour. That was now, and Alice and Annie ate their meals in silence, savoring their food.

"Did you catch the news this morning, Chris?" Ruby, one of the Gossip's photographers, asked, picking her way though her salad. He shook his head, and Ruby continued. "Someone got a video of this woman running around downtown by the park, screaming. Nobody saw who it was, but she looked pretty scared. Said she was screaming something about a scarecrow."

Alice froze completely, paralyzed by Ruby's words. Was that…her? No, it couldn't…

"Someone said something was chasing her on a horse, but nobody saw that." She finished.

"This town is crazy." Chris commented with a thoughtful frown. He and Ruby collected their things and left the lunchroom to return to work. Alice still sat stock still, and watched them leave.

"Hello-o? Earth to Alice?" Annie waved her hand around, trying to get Alice's attention. "Anyone there?" She prodded. Alice looked at her and blinked.

"Oh, yeah. Sorry. I just spaced for a second there. Where you saying something?" She smiled, trying not to give herself away. Annie rolled her eyes and resumed talking.

"Hey, I was going to tell you something on the phone this morning, but you cut me off."

"I had to get ready for work!" Alice protested.

"I know, I know! Anyway," She leaned in close to her, "Daniel asked about you this morning." She teased. "When you didn't come in on time." Now Alice rolled her eyes.

"Oh, please, Annie. I was late. I'm never late! Of course someone's gonna ask where I am! It means nothing." Alice argued before taking a drink of her water.

"Alice, do you see the way he looks at you? He obviously- Oh, hi, Daniel!" Annie sputtered, quickly changing the subject as the man himself approached. Alice's eyes grew wide with surprise. She spun around and hastily greeted Daniel.

Their conversation didn't last long, but it was long enough for Annie to give Alice a sly smile, like a good friend would. Soon lunch was over, and it was time for all three to go back to work.

A/N: Alright! I'm glad I could make this chapter longer, I know the other two have been kinda short. I hope this chapter isn't too 'all good', ya know, I hope there was enough going on in it, and I hope it wasn't too boring! Thanks again for reading! R&R!