Meow
Disclaimer: Don't own anything except Serenity Anderson
A/N: Wow, I'm so happy that you guys like this! Thanks for the reviews everyone, I love'em!
CATgrl, lol, I love that you're loving this! And Shhhhhh! I didn't hear you say anything! ;)
Anime-Ronin, I couldn't agree more, the bad guys should never taunt the night…but I wouldn't mind taunting the knight lol.
Ratdogtwo, I'm glad you can't wait for more, here ya go! Enjoy
Phil Urich, Low tech or high tech? You'll find out in three more chapters!
SerenityJc, wait no longer! Here it is!
Thanks for reviewing again and enjoy!
As always let me know what you think, and Have a nice day!
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Serenity could have kissed him.
"Batman!"
Yes, Batman had come to her rescue and she was very thankful. Tired, and in pain, but thankful. She felt a chill sweep her body and her wet cheeks, covered in tear tracks, and shuddered slightly. Was it cold out here or was it just her?
Vaguely she felt herself being dragged to stand and the only thing she could really focus on was the fact that her legs felt rubbery and her middle felt like it was on fire. Or was that her face? It was a few moments before she actually heard words being spoken that penetrated through the haze of her thoughts.
"Don't move Bat," a voice by her ear said and her brows came together as she tried to focus.
A hand was around her throat while another arm was wrapped around her waist. Her hands came up immediately to try and pry the hand away from her throat and she began to struggle.
"Quit squirming!" the voice snarled into her ear.
Turning her head slightly, Serenity saw a Joker with red and white smear marks on his chin and knew that it was the leader. The one who tried to get friendly with her.
Pure adrenaline pumped through her veins and her vision came into focus. She didn't care if it went out in a couple of minutes and she passed out, because right now she was going to put her foot to his ass!
She looked over at Batman and saw that he was hesitating, probably so she wouldn't get hurt. She locked eyes with him before a small grin formed on her face.
She had to be crazy, just had to be.
Without another thought she stomped her foot onto the Joker's as hard as she could. The arm around her waist loosened and she made her move. Moving quickly, she gripped the forearm that was by her throat and, with everything she had, flipped him over her shoulder and onto the ground in front of her.
Well, there went the last of her energy as she came crashing to the ground a couple feet away from him on her ass, but that was the break Batman needed before he was upon him.
§§
Batman finished the Jokerz and made sure they were unconscious before turning to the girl from his building. She was still lying where she had fallen and appeared to be in a daze.
Well no duh Terry, he chided himself. He got closer and knelt by her side.
There was a bruise on her temple, which appeared to be swelling, and her lip was cut and bleeding. He scanned the rest of her and let out a noise of disgust when he saw her stomach. Her shirt was ridden up and blood and joker paint was there. He felt his anger rise but pushed it down; she was okay now.
Gently and slowly he pulled down her shirt and looked around for her jacket. It had gotten pulled off in the fight and he saw it get thrown against the wall. He retrieved it quickly and put it over her. She still hadn't moved.
"Miss?" Nothing.
He swallowed before he gently touched her face and she jolted, her eyes focusing on him. He never noticed how blue her eyes were until now, but realized that this wasn't the time as tears slid freely down her cheeks.
"It's okay now Miss, you're safe," he said trying not to spook her.
He watched as her shaking hand lifted and rubbed against her cheek. She pulled back and stared at the tears that were now there along with small specks of blood and paint. She then wiped away at the rest of her face, carefully avoiding her temple, jaw and lip.
"Oh," she said quietly and put a hand to her bruised temple, which he could guess was now throbbing like a bitch.
He held out his arm, which she took after a moment's hesitation and he helped her slowly to sit up.
"Oh," she moaned and shut her eyes, squeezing them shut against the pain that exploded in her ribs.
He frowned and couldn't help but wish he could have come sooner.
He didn't know her that well besides the fact that she was at his building, but still felt guilt upon him. From what he could remember she had never done anything to anybody and pretty much kept to herself. He saw her once in a while when she helped out at blood drives and activities that were for the community. From what he could recall she was a nice person.
He waited patiently until she was ready and then finally helped her to stand on her own two feet. He watched silently as her hand came up and absently rub against her throat before moving to her ribs. He gently put his arm around her shoulders when she sagged against him slightly.
He was surprised when she looked at him and her blue eyes locked him in her gaze. He hid his bafflement when she slowly smiled at him, even though it looked more like a grimace.
"Well," she said slowly, her throat dry and hoarse, "at least now I know you're real."
His eyebrows flew up under his mask as she tried to smile through her pain and trauma. Wow, she was definitely stronger than she looked.
He saw her drop her smile and her gaze before looking up right into his eyes again. He suddenly felt trapped.
"Thank you," she said softly but dripping with sincerity. He watched, as it seemed she was going to say more but got choked up and then decided against it.
"Anytime," he said gently, "let's get you home," to which she nodded her head. He didn't usually help anyone home, but figured he could bend the rules this one time…they weren't too far from their building anyway.
He began to lead her out of the alley when a groan sounded. They both turned to see one of the Jokers twitch, the one who had blood on him. Batman rolled his eyes and started to walk again but stopped when he saw her eyes staring at the fallen Jokerz. Her bottom lip began to tremble and her eyes filled with tears once more.
He opened his mouth about to say something when she dove out of his guiding arms and lunged at the red-mouthed joker.
"BASTARD," she screamed enraged pouncing on his lack form and starting to beat him with her fists.
"I HATE YOU!" she yelled tears streaming down her face, "TAKE EVERYTHING FROM ME! I HATE YOU, I HATE YOU,"
Snapping out of his stupor and shock he rushed over and, as gently as he could, pried her off of the Joker. Her words turned into sobs,
"I hate you, I hate you," she wept covering her face with her hands.
Batman stood unsure of what to do before gently wrapping his arms around her. He was uncertain of what just happened but knew enough that she was going though some sort of trauma. And she would be until she finally released everything that had been pent up in her…which he guessed would be now.
Serenity cried. She cried for the years that she accepted the fact that her mother and brother died, she cried for the pain of not being able to do anything, and lastly cried for herself. Without thinking she buried her face in his neck as sobs shook her body and she clung to him like a child.
If he felt uncomfortable before he felt it ten times worse now, along with his guilt. This poor girl sounded like somebody ripped her heart from her body. After a couple long moments she stopped, now only sniffling a few times.
Slowly she picked her head up and awkwardly disentangled herself from him. He saw a light blush form on her cheeks but than again couldn't be sure if it was from her crying jag or the cold.
Right, he had to get her home.
"Let's get you home," he stated and she nodded letting him help her out of the alley. She told him where she lived and he pretended to not know where it was. Thank goodness it was only a couple blocks away because she refused to be carried home.
After a few minutes of uneasy silence she spoke up.
"That was awkward," she said looking down at the ground and let out a deep breath, ignoring the pain in her chest. When he didn't say anything, she tried again,
"Sorry about that crying jag," to which he nodded his head to show that he heard her. Well, at least it was acknowledgement.
She still felt like she should try and ease the silence, it was gnawing at her. She turned to him with a weak smile,
"Ever have one of those days where nothing seemed to go right?" and she saw a flicker of something flash over his face before it was gone.
Boy did he ever, the thing with Dana, falling asleep in English again AND math class, his mom telling him he wasn't spending enough time with Matt, then Wayne being pissed at him for something or other.
"Bad day huh?" He questioned to which she started to laugh and looked up at him with a warm grin.
"Something like that," she waited a beat, "so what about you?"
He didn't look at her, "What about me?"
She shrugged her shoulders ignoring the pain, "Have a good day? Cause I know rescuing some helpless chick in an alley wasn't at the top of your 'things to do' list."
He looked at her for a moment deciding how to answer that, if he was going to answer that at all. He decided to oblige her.
"It wasn't on the top of my list but I got to say that you not some helpless chick," he said with no visible smile but she heard it in his voice. She shrugged the comment off, but laughed again,
"Well, at least I broke the ones nose." After a second, "and I did nail one in the groin pretty good," To which he nodded with a grimace and a short laugh, which shocked her.
The silence that followed was a peaceful silence that lasted for the rest of the way back to the apartment building. They stopped out front.
..:Where are you:..Wayne's voice spoke up.
"I'm coming now," Batman answered back out loud.
..:Hurry up:..
He almost rolled his eyes. When he focused back on the girl he saw that she was looking anxious. Crap, what now?
"Look I just wanted to say," she trailed off and she shook her head muttering, "this is so embarrassing," before looking up at him again. She hesitantly reached out with the arm that wasn't wrapped around her middle, and touched his arm.
"I just really wanted to thank you again for…saving…me," she shifted on her feet before shrugging, "if you ever, I don't know, need help or anything, or-or need to talk to somebody…or something…than I'm here," she finished lamely.
He watched with amusement as a blush came across her features again and she rolled her eyes at herself. But the thing that surprised him was the fact that she seemed totally sincere.
"Trust me that sounded better in my head," she said with a smile. And for that moment, despite the bruises, he thought she was pretty.
"Thanks, I'll keep that in mind," he said before he made his exit.
Serenity watched, as he seemed to meld back into the darkness once more and left her. She let out a sigh and walked painfully back to her place but not before she muttered to herself,
"What a day…"