The yellow-tinted water dripped-dropped from the old pipes, splashing to the floor, it's sound echoing off the walls. And the soft lime-green moss covering the ground, that had continued to grow and flourish over time in this humid and wet environment, had broken up bits and pieces of tile and concrete. The green permanently etched between the dirty cracks of the floor connecting to the ivy that grew up the walls and the ceiling. The room was quite tall, but not as wide. There was a small portion cut out of the ground, shaped into a circle, that led back out into the ocean of Gotham Bay. In one corner there was a removable wooden panel in the wall, barely visible, and in the other was a dusty full sized mattress with two figures laying atop it surrounded by three salt-water crocodiles. One young, and two adults.

One of the figures, the now warm, and relaxed Killer Croc, thought about going to sleep himself, just for a little while, but decided it would be too risky. So he stayed awake, often glancing to the many dark tunnel entrances to see if anyone lurked in the shadows of their depths.

No one was, like always. He was just being paranoid, but with good reason.

Suddenly the young woman's eyes slowly fluttered open to the blinding light. And the abominable stench of raw sewage and fresh saltwater wafted into her nostrils, stinging the inside of her nose. She could even swear she'd heard a growl.

Where was she...?

When her eyes adjusted to the bright light and she was finally able to see her surroundings, she realized that she was in the sewers.

But why was she in the sewers...?

She suddenly felt someone's large and taut muscles flex around her body. She wasn't alone. So she slowly and cautiously craned her neck up and looked to see who it was exactly that was holding onto her, and when her eyes rested upon his face, she tried her best to stifle a gasp.

It was a giant crocodile-man.

He bared his long sharp teeth and growled viciously, peering down at her, expecting her to scream, to runaway, or to insult him. Expecting her to do something. But she didn't. She just laid there, still in his arms, shocked and continued to gaze up into his large yellow eyes.

"Y-You...?" She whispered. Unable to comprehend what had apparently happened to her.

The way she was staring and the tone of her voice made him think she was going to slap him.

"Y-You?" She repeated again. Shaking her head and pointing. "Who are you...? What...are you?"

He looked back down. Hadn't she said she'd known who he was earlier? "Uh, the names Killer Croc. Remember?"

She closed her mouth and opened it again as if she were thinking about what to say next. "Remember...? Remember what?"

He grunted, mouth gaping open in surprise. "Back in that alleyway. Your wounds. Your little speech about me...remember any if that?"

"Alleyway? My wounds?" As if she just noticed she was even injured, she hissed in pain and looked down at her leg. "What happened to me?" Her eyes widened. "W-Who am I?"

He stopped in his tracks and peered back down at her confused features. "You don't...remember anything?"

"No."

Shit.

Amnesia.

"I..." He began, shifting his weight, "I found you beaten and bleeding to death in an alleyway downtown. I brought you here and tended to your wounds, waiting for you to wake up." He tried to explain.

"So you...saved me?"

"Yes..."

Suddenly, without any warning, she threw her long slender arms around his shoulders, and hugged him tightly. "Then...thank you for saving my life...Killer Croc."

He tensed, his mouth gaping back open in surprise. He didn't know why he did it, nor did he know why she let him, but he wrapped his own arms around her body, and hugged her back as gently as he could, thinking he'd break her. As he did so, he leant down and took in her sweet scent. It was clean yet earthy, like the soft, rich soil with a hint of blossoms. The smell of cherries following close behind.

She suddenly pulled away, for no particular reason, and leant back to get another look at his face.

"I don't remember anything. But I apparently knew you before. So that means we're friends, right?"

"Uh..." He hesitated, looking at her hopeful smile. And he couldn't bare to tell her that 1.) No they hadn't actually known each other before. And 2.) Before he had decided to save her, he had actually planned to kill and eat her. So Croc nodded then pushed her gently away, back onto the mattress instead of in his lap. She caught herself, supporting her body up with her arms and leant back against the wall. Once she was settled, she hissed in pain again, looking back down at her injured yet bandaged leg. "And thank you for also taking care of my wounds."

It took him a while to respond, considering the next two words he was about to say had never even left his mouth before. "...You're welcome..."

When she heard another low grow, and noticed it hadn't come from Killer Croc, she looked up, catching sight of the three regular crocodiles that surrounded them, staring intently at her.

She gasped, whimpering as she grabbed Killer Croc's arm, burrowing her head in his tense and scaly shoulder - also much to his surprise.

Croc rolled his eyes. "They won't hurt you." He stated, shooing the huge reptiles away with a wave of his large, clawed hand.

She sniffled once, then twice, peering back up at him. "T-They won't?"

"Nah." He shook his head. "Not unless I tell them to."

She whimpered again, sliding as far away from him as possible back into the corner. "Y-You won't tell them to hurt me, will you? We're friends, like you said, right?"

He thought for a minute, not really sure how he should respond. So far she hadn't did anything or said anything he'd expected her too.

"No. And yes. I'll...protect you from them."

"Y-You promise?"

He paused for a moment then nodded. "Yes...I, uh, promise."

"Where are we exactly? What city are we in?" She asked, relaxing a little before edging forward to sit back beside him.

"We're underground in the New Gotham Sewers in Gotham City, New Jersey."

"Oh." She looked around again before turning back to him. "Why? Why did you save me? Were we close friends? Are we related?"

"I..." He began, but didn't finish. He didn't even know why himself.

"Yes?" She encouraged him to continue as he stopped but as she did, he frowned, shaking his head quickly with a snarl.

"What is this?! 20 Questions?! Stop asking me stuff! It's very frustrating!"

She gulped and whimpered, taking a few scoots back. "Sorry. I didn't mean-"

"I know. Just...Shush, will ya?"

She nodded, keeping her lips sealed.

He sighed before getting up off of the mattress and pacing around. "I...Just did." He turned back around seeing the tears in her eyes. She wanted a better explanation, but was too scared to ask.

He sighed. "Yes, we were...close. No we are not related in any way." Croc half-lied.

"Oh." She calmed down, and smiled again.

Slowly getting up, but still weary of the crocodiles in front of her. She walked towards him. The movement caused Killer Croc to turn back around, peering over at her, amused by her fear of the large reptiles. "I said: They ain't gonna hurt ya."

"How do I know you're not lying?"

He chuckled darkly. "You don't."

She frowned, looking back and forth between her four main threats before sighing loudly. "You're right. I don't. I'll just have to...trust you. Besides. You said we were close friends? I shouldn't doubt you. That's...rude."

She shuffled the rest of the way over to him, keeping eye contact with the animals as she moved.

"And even though I don't remember you. You remember me. It must be awful for a friend not to be able to remember you. So I'm sorry that I don't."

He turned back around, gazing over at her pale and pretty face. "It's, uh, fine. I understand. You've lost your memory. Do you not remember anything? Your birthday? Your family, parents? Siblings?"

She shook her head. "No. Nothing. But since you know me, you can tell me, right?"

"Uh..." He panicked on the inside. He'd have to make something up. "Yeah, sure." He nodded before continuing. "Your name is...Valentina. You're..." He eyed her up and down, mentally guessing her age. "You're 21 years old. And you are...an only child. You're parents passed not too long ago...and you live here with me."

"I live here?" She asked incredulously, taking the information and letting it soak in.

He nodded. "Yes...You have no job. You were...attacked by someone or a group of people a couple of hours ago and left in that alleyway where I found you."

"Oh." "Uh, ok. So what's my last name?"

He panicked again, though she couldn't tell. "Your last name is..." What was something plain, yet popular he could use? "Henderson." He stated bluntly. "Your full name is Valentina Henderson. You have no middle name because your parents never gave you one. They...didn't see the use in having one."

"Oh. Then what's your name? Your real name?"

He hesitated before answering. "Waylon. Waylon Jones."

She smiled. "I like it. It fits you. Though it...doesn't ring any bells."

"That's ok."

Out of nowhere, she jumped slightly as if something exciting had just occurred to her. "Do I have a husband, a boyfriend? Any children?"

"Uh, no. No children. No husband..."

"Oh." She looked down sadly, a tear streaming down her rosy cheek before more waterfalled from her bright green eyes. "That's a little disappointing..."

For some reason he just couldn't stand to see her cry. Why!? Why did he feel this way!? She was just some woman! Some stupid, normal girl he'd found on the streets!

He sighed and shook his head, knowing he'd probably regret this."Uh, at least, not yet anyway."

She looked back up, hopeful yet confused. "Huh? What do you mean?"

"I'm, uh, your boyfriend."

Her eyes widened, eyebrows raised. "You are...?"

He nodded. "Yes."

He didn't look. He expected her to insult him, to yell at him in rage and disgust. Call him a liar, puke and runaway. But she didn't. He didn't hear anything. So he braced himself for some sort of impact and turned around, looking back down at her.

But she wasn't doing any of those things, she wasn't even frowning. Quite the opposite really. She was smiling, and walking closer to him, stopping just inches away.

"So that's why you saved me? Because we were together."

He nodded after a moment of hesitation.

She chuckled lightly. "I thought I felt something around you. I could sense you were special. I didn't know what it meant though. I didn't know if it meant your...um, condition, or if we were close friends, or together. But now I know why."

Her smiled widened. "Saving my life...that's really romantic."

He raised his eyebrows, or where'd they be, anyway. His brow bone arching.

And again, without any warning, she closed in the remainder of space between them and threw her long toned arms around his thick neck, kissing his green, scaly cheek. "I can tell you'd be a good boyfriend. Saving my life was a really romantic, and heart warming thing. Again, thank you. Thank you very much."

Shocked, he stood there, her body still clinging to him. After a minute or two, he finally lifted his large arms and gently snaked them back around her waist, pulling her into the pre-offered hug.

"You're welcome...Valentina."