Wow, over 40 chapters and I still have to say it? Alrighty then; I don't own Batman or any DC Comics characters. I am only borrowing said characters and will do my best to keep them in character. If I don't succeed, oh well. It's my story and if you don't like it, you know where the back button is.

If you DO have a problem with this story, I have a question for you: If you don't like it, how the hell did you get all the way to this chapter? Did you read over thirty chapters of something you disliked, JUST so you could say how much you disliked it? Really?

Just to be clear, I am in no shape or form promoting Atheism and/or any other relifion.

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"Where the hell were you? Do you know how worried I was? You said you were going to your friend's house, but when I called over there her mother said you weren't there!"

"Okay, first of all, calling like that implies you don't trust me, and two, relax, we just went out for a bit."

"A bit? ABIT? You were gone for three hours!"

"We just went for a walk, don't freak."

"Young lady, do not talk to me like that! Honestly, Rebecca, I don't know what's happened to you lately. You talk back, you don't do as you're told, you are constantly going against my wishes—I think you need to stop seeing that friend of yours; she's obviously a bad influence."

"Who, Angie? We've been friends for forever; she's not any kind of influence."

"I'm worried honey, I'm afraid that she's corrupting you—."

"Why, because she's an Atheist?"

". .. . I didn't realize she'd lost her faith, but now it all makes sense."

"Oh my god, do you even hear yourself when you talk?"

"Rebecca Thompson, you are hereby forbidden from seeing that devil child ever again."

"Eh? You've got to be kidding!"

"She's obviously under the devil's influence, and she'll drag you down to hell with her if I don't do something!"

"Mom, shut up, okay? She's probably right anyway, there's probably not even a hell for me to get pulled into. In fact, I can see why she doesn't believe." A pause, then, "Religion is bullshit."

The sound of flesh hitting flesh made the room go quiet. Becca glared at her mother, holding her cheek. She shoved past the older woman and rushed up the stairs and into her room. She pulled out a duffel bag, threw it on the bed, and began throwing clothes and day to day items in it. She zipped it up, grabbed the wad of cash she kept under her bed, and headed downstairs.

"Where the hell are you going? Rebecca, do not walk away from me! I am talking to you!"

Becca turned around and glared at her. "And I am done listening," she spat before storming out the door.

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"Are you sure about this?"

"Just get in, Ang; we're taking an early break. You can come back, but I'm not."

Angie threw her bag in and got in the car. "No way, you're stuck with me."
Becca grinned. "BFF's?"

Angie grinned back. "You know it, bitch."

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"So, this is Gotham. Not bad. Is that a mansion?"

"Wayne manor. Bruce Wayne lives there. He's a billionaire, and he owns most of the businesses here."

"Huh," Becca huffed. "I hate the guy already."

"There's even a rumor that he goes out at night and fights crime, though nobody believes it."

Becca jerked her thumb towards a billboard with Wayne's face on it. "Pff, that pretty boy? Please, he'd probably break a nail."

"Touché," then, "Hey! Breaking a nail is seriously painful!"

"Oh, don't be such a sissy."

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"I can't stay here, not with her," Becca groaned. "Can't you get us out again?"

Mabel shook her head. "I'm lucky enough nobody caught me last time, I don't think I could pull the same stunt again, especially when it was found out you were missing from the clinic."

Becca groaned again. "Man, if I don't get the hell out, it ain't gonna be pretty."

It wasn't. Not only did Becca's mother confront her, she managed to belittle her in front of everyone Becca knew.

Becca fought the urge to punch her mother, wishing someone else would do it for her. 'God, she makes me feel like a stupid kid,' she thought angrily.

Becca's torment didn't end there, oh no. That week she also found out Angie had been recommitted to the asylum. That day, during lunch she took her tray and bashed Angie in the face, then kneed her in the stomach. Angie fought back, though, and soon guards had to pull them apart.

"I'm gonna kill you, bitch!" Becca snarled. Angie kept her gaze on the floor and wiped away a trickle of blood from her mouth. She was escorted to the infirmary while Becca was put in solitary confinement.

Mabel patched her up, but the nurse didn't speak to her. Nobody would really talk to Angie except for Edward.

"It's silly to think I'd be forgiven," she confided in him later, when they'd made their escape. Becca had been kicking up such a fuss that they'd been able to slip out almost undetected.

"When I was little, I used to pray every night," she continued. "That Daddy would get better, and that Mom would come back to us. That I wouldn't be seen as a shallow bitch. Though I kind of was, so that one was understandable. After our fight, I prayed that Becca and I could be friends again, some day." She curled closed to Edward. "After a while, I remembered why I'd stopped praying in the first place; nobody was listening."

For once, Edward had absolutely nothing to say.

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A/N: meant to have this up a week ago, but I caught my Dad's cold and haven't really been feeling well.