I'm kind of sad this story isn't getting any hits- but I'm having fun with it, so I'm going to keep writing!

Terry woke u in the middle of the night, dreaming that someone had set his leg on fire. He woke up, shaking and sweating, and his leg really did feel like it was on fire. He took a few deep breaths to calm himself. It was the Gel-O-Cast, forcing the leg to heal faster than it would have unassisted, but did it have to hurt so much? He gritted his teeth and got out of bed, and limped to the bathroom, and washed his face. It was nearly five am, he'd only been asleep a few hours, but he felt wide awake. Normally at a time like this he'd go for a walk or a run, but he knew he wouldn't get far with his leg. But his room felt oppressive, he couldn't stand it anymore. He got up and got dressed and wandered out onto the streets of Gotham. He'd have to be careful, he was in no condition for a fight, even against a few lousy Jokerz.

"Terry?" A voice called softly to him as he rounded the corner. He turned, startling green eyes gazed at him, illuminated and glowing in the light from a street lamp, softening their color, making them glow.

"Claire… hi…"

"Sorry if I startled you."

"No, I just wasn't expecting to see anyone."

"Me neither," Claire smiled at him coyly, but Terry didn't fall for it.

"Gotham really isn't safe, you should be careful, walking around by yourself." He told her sharply.

Claire shrugged, her voice lost its softness, "I can take care of myself."

Terry gave her a half-smile, "I wasn't doubting that." He started to walk away.

"Terry?"

"Yeah?" He turned.

"Do you mind… if I walk with you?"
Terry hesitated, but it really wasn't safe for her to be out by herself, and maybe a little company would be nice, "okay." The two walked in silence for several blocks, Terry enjoyed it, it felt comfortable, relaxed, the pain in his leg even lessened, or he grew used to it. And he used to opportunity to observe Claire out of the corner of his eye. She was quite tall for a female, very thin, long-limbed, the muscles in her legs flexed at every step. Her build was the opposite of Dana's curves. Her long curly dark red hair was pulled back into a pony tail, revealing high-cheekbones. Her skin was fair, as though she had avoided the sun. Apart from those startling eyes, there was nothing particularly striking about her, but her eyes! Like precious gems glittering out of pale stone.

Suddenly a Joker stepped out of the shadow interrupting his thoughts, "Hey pretty boy, mind giving me a go with that hooker of yours?"

"Actually, yeah, I do mind." Terry said, instinctively stepping in front of Claire as if to protect her. "Stay back…" he hissed to her from the corner of his mouth.

"It's fine," Claire said, brushing Terry lightly aside and stepping forward. "You want a go with me big boy?" He hips swayed seductively, the Joker licked his lips, Terry stared in horror, in her narrow figure he had barely noticed her hips, but suddenly there was no denying them, it was as though her entire body had suddenly transformed. "C'mere…" She smiled and the Joker took a step forward, but before he could do anything Claire had leveled the Joker with a powerful round kick to the head, and once again Terry's vision snapped back to the tall, powerful, muscular Claire.

"Damn… and here I just wanted to play nice… maybe I need to invite some friends…" The Joker said, getting to his feet, and wiping blood of his lip. Terry cursed to himself, but Claire stood her ground, smiling.

"Do you have my back? You seem like the hero type," She grinned at Terry, arching her eyebrows.

"And you seem like the trouble type," he snarled, annoyed. Several Jokerz crested over the hill on their bikes and then roared toward them. Claire smiled as the bikes approached, they pulled up and swerved their bikes to a halt.

"Whatssamatter BillyJoe, can't take these two punks?" One of the Jokerz glanced at Terry and Claire.

"Cat's got claws," 'BillyJoe' pointed to Claire.

"Meow," Claire smiled coldly. Terry didn't like where this was going.

"Hey guys, I know this kid, I don't think we wanna fight." One of the Jokerz looked at Terry anxiously.

"What's that BeBop?" The Joker turned to his comrade.

"This is the guy that put…" his words were interrupted when Claire leveled a kick at him, knocking him off his bike. Instantly the Jokerz surrounded them, brandishing their weapons that looked like gags, but could do some serious damage. Two of them rushed at Terry but he vaulted over their shoulders and smashed their heads together, they dropped like rocks. He landed on the other side, his leg screaming in protest. He saw three Jokerz about to jump Claire, and pulled one off and punched him hard in the jaw, then kneed his solar plexus, the guy fell to the ground winded, as his companion took a hard kick to the groin, but the other guy managed to pin Claire's arms behind her back and a second Joker approached her from the front. Suddenly Claire jumped up and kicked the approaching Joker hard in the chest, knocking him to the ground and then flipped over the other guy's back. The confused Joker turned around to snatch at her but she met him with a bone cracking kick to the jaw. The beaten and bedraggled Jokerz got onto their bikes and fled.

"You were right," Terry said, "you can take care of yourself."

"Thanks," Claire smiled, "you have some nice moves yourself."

"Yeah, well…" Terry's leg was throbbing now after the fight. He was angry that this girl had forced him to fight.

"Are you hurt?"

"No, I'm fine," Terry straightened up and started to walk home.

"Look, I'm sorry about that," Claire came after him. "I… I shouldn't have asked you to fight with me like that."

"You shouldn't have started that fight at all!" Terry scolded her. "Do you think it's some kind of a game? Even if you know how to fight…" He said, his voice giving away some of his admiration.

Claire looked at him evenly, "It's not a game?" she smiled.

Her comment surprised him, "No, it's not, someone could get seriously hurt… and I don't mean the Jokerz." He looked into the distance where their bikes had vanished.

"I saw you fighting Terry, it's in your soul. You're a fighter, like me. You enjoy it, don't deny it. And don't try telling me you that you don't fight, I saw your moves, you knew exactly what you were doing."

Terry shrugged, "Gotham's a rough place, have to know how to take care of yourself. And getting into fights, even if you win them… does not count as taking care of yourself."

"You really do have a hero-complex don't you? Always have to rescue everyone, I bet the fact that I can take care of myself annoys you, you're used to playing the protector. I blame Batman."

"What?" Her comment startled him.

"Batman, male-role-model, he goes around the saving damsels in distress, gives you guys funny ideas. He's a hero, makes the men in this city think they need to be heroes to, try and compete with him."

"Uh…"

"That's what I thought," She smiled at him, "Some of us girls like to have a little fun too, y'know." She wiped imaginary dust off her coat, "Besides, for people like you and me… we just can't help it, the battle's in our blood. Male or female, doesn't matter."

"We should be getting home," Terry said, looking away from those mesmerizing green eyes.

"I knew from the moment I saw you… a fellow fighter can always tell."

"We really should get out of here, they'll come back with reinforcements."

"So, we could take them." Claire smiled at him playfully, but Terry gave her a cold look and she dropped her playful gaze, but Terry could tell she was still smiling. What was so funny?