"Are you alright?" Dana asked, not that she cared. Terry's mood had been so unpredictable recently, but today he was in a darker mood than ever. She hadn't heard him speak more than two words, and most of his responses were some variation on a guttural grunt. "Terry, I need to talk to you."

He looked at her, his light eyes looked sunken under heavy bags, "What's up?"

Dana took a deep breath and braced herself, she had practiced this speech a thousand times, but as she looked into his eyes, she couldn't bring herself to say what she wanted to say, instead she blurted out, "are you cheating on me with Claire?"

Terry's eyes flew open, "What? Is that what you think?"

"No… I don't… I just…" She quivered under the harsh gaze he gave her.

"I don't have time for this," he stood and strode away.

"Terry, I'm sorry!" She called after him, but he didn't look back.

XxX XxX XxX XxX XxX XxX XxX XxX

"Dana thinks I'm cheating on her with Claire,"

"Well, are you?" Max's voice was cold.

"Claire is Stalker's daughter," Terry said in a low, soft voice.

"What?"

"He found me last night, he told me."

"Stalker did?"

"He saved my life," he lifted his shirt to reveal the discolored bruises all across his abdomen, Max winced.

"Do you think Claire has something to do with those vigilantes who have been attacking Gotham?"

"I don't know," Terry lied, to implicate Claire would mean incriminating himself.

"So, what are you going to do?"

"I have no idea," Terry admitted. He still had so many questions that needed answering. Who was out to get him? Did she have something to do with Claire? Claire had begun insisting they only go after Jokerz, as if she knew that somehow they were being used in the plots against Batman. Did she know? How did Stalker know to come last night? Did he have something to do with the attacks? If he did, they why did he save Batman? He felt a headache, lack of sleep combined with his injuries made him feel weak. Claire, was no where to be found that day in school, did she know Stalker- no her father- was looking for her? Or had she found her mother? Following her mother? Was her mother the woman? Terry felt dizzy suddenly, and had to sit down.

"Terry? Terry?" Max was yelling at him.

"Sorry… I…I have to find Claire."

"Max? Have you seen Terry? I said some stuff… I wanted to apologize…"

"Terry? He just took off… I think he wasn't feeling well…"

XxX XxX XxX XxX XxX XxX XxX XxX

"You think Stalker and this woman are connected?"

"More than connected, I think they're Claire's parents,"

"Who's Claire?"

"Uh…" Terry froze, he had never mentioned Claire to Bruce. Too afraid he might learn the truth, "Stalker's daughter,"

"And how do you know who Stalker's daughter is? The searches we did last night turned up nothing…" Terry looked away, Bruce looked at him coldly. "She's our vigilante isn't she?" Terry nooded, "And I can only guess at who her accomplice might be."

"Bruce… I…"

"Just go, we need to find Claire, perhaps we can find her mother. Stop her, before she kills Batman." The way Bruce was looking at him, Terry could read the unspoken words- if he's not already dead.

XxX XxX XxX XxX XxX XxX XxX XxX

Batman slipped open the window to Claire's apartment and flicked on his night vision, the room was in pitch black. With his enhanced vision he saw the room had been ransacked, furniture was broken and overturned, there was a ripped sheet. But something felt off, he ran his finger along the edge of a dislodged couch, there was a thick layer of dust. No one had been here for some time.

"She's not here," he whispered, just in case.

"Sure this is her apartment?"

"Yeah, she told me the number once." He straightened up just as something metal clanked him in the head and swept him from his feet. He fell but rolled to the side. A metal pole, which was on fire at both ends was being whirled through the dark air. As Batman the flames circle, he leapt to his feet. He stumbled backwards over the furniture slightly, but righted himself. The flame passed in front of the attacker's face, it was Claire.

"I vowed to help you Batman, don't make me kill you." She said.

"That's why you've been attacking Jokerz," Batman dove out of the way, and fired a batarang at her, but she knocked it from the air, and advanced on him.

"Who told you that?"

"A little birdie," Batman responded sarcastically and launched into the air, he meant to come down behind her, but she was too quick, her weapon reached for him, but he grabbed it and used it to get close enough to kick her chest, she staggered backwards, but did not loose her grip, rather it seemed to strengthen and she was able to swing it hard. It was a heavier piece of metal than it seemed at first glance as she whirled it like a baton. Batman suddenly had new appreciation for this girl's strength. How had he never noticed before? Had she held back?

"You're father is looking for you,"

"Of course he is, but I have unfinished business in Gotham."

"Your mother?"

The fire-baton slowed for a moment, "How did you know?" Then quickly regained its speed, "Oh, of course, my father must have told you. And I'm sure he also told you that my mother is trying to kill you."

"And you've been helping me, why?"

"Do I need a reason?" The baton slowed slightly, the whoosh of its speed became like a metronome.

"Not really," Batman did a back flip and flipped his belt to invisible.

"Hiding are we?"

"No, I just don't want to fight you." Batman worried that if they fought, she might recognize him. Not that he was in any condition to fight, another fact he didn't want her knowing.

"Of course you don't… you know I'm helping you."

"I'm here because your father told me to find you,"

"Why would you help him?" She growled.

"I'm returning a favor," Would Batman have helped Stalker if Stalker hadn't saved his life last night? If Stalker hadn't saved him, of course, he wouldn't even be around to ask that question.

"I see- so you're not here to tell me that vigilantism is your game? And that a little girl shouldn't be mixed up in it?"

"You're Stalker's daughter, I'm sure you're more than capable of fending for yourself,"

From below, Batman could here her laughter, "You think he is the one who gives me my strength. You really have no idea what my mother's capable of do you?"

"Are you going to tell me?"

"You do realize she's going after you to a prove a point,"

"To who?"

"To Stalker of course, to prove that while he cannot kill you, she can. I'm sure she's very frustrated that thus far she has been unable to do so. And if she was stopped last night by Stalker, well, there's probably going to be hell to pay."

"And let me guess, you think I'll be paying it?"

"Most likely, unless…"

"Unless what?"

"If you asked real nicely, I might be able to assist you."

"What do you want in return?"

"You tell my father you never found me,"

"He probably already knows, he probably followed me here."

"Then we should go and meet him." Claire stepped into the light near the window, the flames from her pole vanished. "Stalker!" She cried out, then lept from the window. Batman swooped in to catch her, only to realize she had used the metal stick as a vaulting pole. Just like her father. Batman followed her across the rooftops as the sun sank in the sky.

Two chapters in one day- Go me!