She hadn't moved in hours.
She sat quietly on her cot, which smelled like stale urine and unwashed bodied, her eyes closed, as she counted quietly from one to one thousand and back down again.
491. 492. 493.
"Ms. Roth." The name was spat out, like the taste of it sickened the officer.
She opened one eye.
"Yes?"
"Someone payed your bail. You're...Free to go."
He sounded even less happy about this than he did about saying her name, but she stood dutifully as he opened the door and stepped out. He slammed
the grating shut again, obviously angry.
"It's bad enough we had to give you your own cell, now I find out you're pals with Grayson? We'll be watching you, Ms. Roth. Slip up again and it won't be
a cozy room with a cot you'll be getting."
She didn't respond. Just walked forward into the waiting area, trying to remember where she'd heard the name "Grayson" before.
~X~
"Ms. Roth?"
She looked up sharply, having just received her registration. In a move that didn't go unnoticed, she quickly slid it into her pocket, where it couldn't be seen.
"Yes?"
"Hi, my name is Richard Grayson- I was wondering if we could get a cup of coffee and talk?"
She leveled a glare at him that would stop the most hardened criminal in their tracks.
He felt good about this already.
"Do I know you?"
"No, Ma'am," Another glare, "Miss. But I know you. Or, about you. I saw what you did before."
Her eyes widened almost imperceptibly.
"You mean how I attacked those innocents?" She tried to keep it out of her voice, but he could tell she was hurt.
"No, I mean how you saved them."
She walked past him, stiffly. Her shoulder brushed past his and he felt it's cold through his shirt.
"I appreciate what you've done for me, but I think I'm just going to go home."
"That's a little rude, isn't it?"
He smirked to himself as she stopped short then spun on her heel.
"Excuse me?"
"Well, Ms. Roth, didn't I just get you out of jail? The least you can do is have a cup of coffee with me."
~X~
He was uncomfortable. She could tell.
Not that she particularly cared. She was the reason for it, after all.
They'd been sitting in the cafe for a while now, close to half an hour, at least, but she refused to speak unless spoken to.
It wasn't that she thought he was a bad guy- In fact, she knew that he was a very good guy- but the stress of almost being killed, then healing all those injuries,
then being imprisoned...And now the looks she was getting from the patrons and staff made her uneasy, tired and cranky.
So why would she make it easy for him? This guy who had life handed to him. Who can walk into a cafe and order a drink without being thrown out or glared at.
"So.. Ms. Roth."
"Yes?"
He sighed, running a hand through his styled black hair.
"I think I should just skip the niceties, they don't seem to be working, anyway, and just cut to the chase."
"And what exactly, Mr. Grayson, is the chase?"
"Richard."
"Richard." She conceded
"See, Ms. Roth- Raven?"
"Ms. Roth is fine."
"Right.. The thing is, I don't believe in Meta-Registration. I don't believe in you being guilty by default. There's no reason to believe that all Metas are criminals,
just like not all humans are criminals."
"Give the man a prize," she sneered, "I bet you have Meta friends, too?"
"Ms. Roth, please, just let me finish, I-"
"No, I think I'm done here."
She stood, pushing her chair back under the table afterwords.
"Wait, please, just-" he was standing, too, but she was already half-way to the door, the other people in the small building parting as she walked. "Ms. Roth!"
He was outside, searching for her darkly clad form, finally spotting a bunch of purple and gray down the road. He caught up easily, barely picking up a jog.
"Ms. Roth, please, just let me explain."
"Explain what?" she whirled on him, eyes furious. "That you don't think it's 'right'? That we're being abused and mistreated? Thanks, Dick. I appreciate it."
It took him a beat to realize that she wasn't calling him a dick, but that she had shortened his name. He almost started laughing.
"What exactly is so funny?"
"You're the first person here to call me that- Only my mentor has every used that name for me."
"Mentor?"
He grinned, his mood drastically improved. "Gonna let me explain now?"
"Fine."
"You want to go back to the cafe?"
"No. We'll go to my place."
~X~
He stared in disbelief at the apartment building she called home.
It was a wreck, and he was being polite by calling it that.
"How much does this place cost?"
She pushed her weight against the door, forcing it open with a loud creak.
"Close to a thousand."
"A month?"
"Yes."
He took stock of the room, a small kitchenette that looked broken down and grungy, a 'living area' with a filthy carpet and tattered couch and TV on an end
table against the only window in the room. Two doors, probably leading to a bathroom and bedroom.
Despite the look of the place, the entire apartment smelled like bleach.
"Cleaning up a murder?" He grinned and could have sworn she almost smiled.
"If you count "Moldicide" as murder, then yes."
"Why does this place cost so much? Does it include utilities?"
She scoffed, the closest he'd heard to a laugh yet. "No. This is the cheapest a Meta can get. They over price the apartments when renting to my kind."
"Are you making the rent?"
She didn't answer, instead putting water on the stove. The water, he noticed, was faintly yellow.
"Should you be drinking that?"
"Don't worry- I'm hardy. Would you like some tea? It's safe after boiling."
"No..Thank you."
He waited until she finished making her drink to explain what he was thinking, hoping she'd be more receptive to the idea if he didn't interrupt her.
"I'm thinking, Ms. Roth, that we should work together."
"Doing what, exactly?"
"Defending the city."
Her eyes shot to his, alarmed and...yes, he was sure of it. That was fear.
"No."
"What? But- I mean, you just saved those people! That little boy...Think of the good we could do!"
"Do you know who it was that called the Meta-Police, Richard?"
He shook his head mutely, but deep down he knew where this was going.
"The mother of the child I saved. According to her, I was trying to kill him. I 'saw easy prey and took advantage of it'. Why would I want to save this city
full of people who accuse the people who help them? Turn honest people away when looking for work? No, Dick. I think I'd much prefer to stay out of this city's war."
"In case you hadn't noticed, Ms. Roth, you're already in the war."
"I think it would be best if you left now, Mr. Grayson."
He stood, ready to say something biting until he noticed the faint traces of pain that etched her face.
Maybe he'd gone too fast.
"I'll be in touch."
The sound of the door squeaking shut wasn't nearly as much of a relief as she'd though it would be.