Elizabeth stumbled in to her apartment slightly tipsy and feeling on top of the world. She tossed her bag and graduation hat onto the chest that held all her winter wear. Flipping on the living room light she kicked off her shoes and sank onto the overly plush chair she had since her first year of college. Her muscles were just melting into the surface when there was a knock on the door. Sighing she stood and slowly made her way to door. There was another knock. "I'm coming!"

She opened the door, a tall girl with a gorgeous body and bright green eyes. "Hey I have a delivery for a Miss Howard."

"That's me," Elizabeth said giving the delivery girl a once over, this girl was definitely in the wrong profession. She could get a modeling job if she wanted to or just be arm candy for a rich guy and live off him. The girl handed over her clipboard and Elizabeth signed it and exchanged it for a medium sized yet light brown package. Without saying a word the delivery person turned and left.

Elizabeth went back inside and grabbed a pair of scissors; she glanced briefly at the clock and then did a double take. According to her microwave it was eleven o'clock at night. No proper delivery company would be out that late, even in Gotham. Dropping the package she ran back to the door and swung it open and rushed down the hall. The girl was nowhere to be seen she glimpsed out the large windows by the stair case. Outside the girl was getting into a nondescript black van that had another equally beautiful girl driving and getting a better look at them she recognized them from the news. Query and Echo. The Riddler's henchgirls.

Shaking slightly she went back to her apartment and locked the door with both of the locks. She picked the package off the floor, sat down on the edge of her chair and stared at it. It was light, she shook it lightly, nothing rattled; it didn't seem dangerous but then why would it be, the Riddler had no reason to hurt her. Did he? No. Taking the scissors she cut through the packaging tape and slowly opened the lid. All that was inside was Styrofoam peanuts. Elizabeth stuck her hand in slowly searching for something else.

"Ow!" She withdrew her hand quickly, a single drop of blood formed at the end of her finger, she licked it away and dumped out the box. Amidst all peanuts was a letter and a black rose. Elizabeth picked up the letter first.

Greetings Elizabeth,

What a lovely name Elizabeth Howard, you should have told me back at Arkham it would have made my job of finding you so much easier. But find you I did. We have unfinished business you and I, my last riddle I was not able to ask you.

I am a queen, beautiful and covered with a sweet fragrance; guarded by five guardsmen, two of them clean-shaven, two of them unshaven, and the last one half-shaven.

What am I?

I await your answer Elizabeth. Oh, and congratulations on graduating from the University, this should arrive on the same day if Query does her job right. I have included a little gift a dear botanist friend worked up for me. You said you collected dead flowers and this one should please you greatly.

Sincerely,

Edward

On the back of the letter was his signature question mark drawn in the same felt pen as the rest of the letter. Elizabeth looked down at the rose it was a beautiful black colour she picked it up carefully, avoiding the thorns. In the light it shone a deep green; she stared at it for several minutes, entranced by its beauty. Brushing the peanuts off her she walked into her kitchen and removed an elegant vase made for single flowers from a cabinet. She filled it with water and a tad of plant food and carefully placed the flower inside. Then she went into her bedroom and made room for the flower on her windowsill. She looked down at the gift and shrugged. She would go to the police tomorrow.

Elizabeth never went to the police in the morning or the day after. Three days after the package had arrived she received a visit from Bruce Wayne.

"Mr. Wayne! What are you doing here!?"

The multi-billionaire smiled at her. "Just stopping by to congratulate you on graduating, I was going to come to the ceremony but business called me away."

"Oh, you didn't have to. I'm indebted to you for helping me so much."

"It was nothing…actually congratulating you wasn't the only reason I came by, may I step in?" Elizabeth stepped aside and gestured him in to her humble abode.

"Take a seat wherever you want, would like something to drink? Water?"

"No, thank you." Mr. Wayne sat down on her favorite chair and gestured for her to sit as well. Elizabeth sat curious and concerned, about the serious look on his face.

"The scientists at Wayne industries examined the last DNA sample you sent us and we ran an experimental test on it…Miss Howard we were able to rid the cells of the wolf DNA."

"What!? You mean…Oh my god…I…I'd…did it really work!? "

"Yes. We believe we can increase the strength and we are working on a serum that would affect your entire body. I hope we can change you back to normal."

"But how long will that take?"

"They've already started running more tests, I have all my top scientists on it, they're estimating about two weeks."

Elizabeth sighed, "That's wonderful! Thank you so much Mr. Wayne! All you've done for me, I…" She trailed off tears welling in her eyes. "I just can't thank you enough."

"There's no need to thank me." He stood and patted her on the back. "If you ever need anything please feel free to call me. When the serum is ready I'll come and pick you up." Elizabeth smiled. Bruce turned to leave and Elizabeth burst out laughing.

"What?"

"On your pants, haha, peanuts, haha, sorry I thought I cleaned them up, haha!" Bruce looked down at his pants, his buttocks was covered in light green Styrofoam peanuts.

"Oh! Haha." He picked them off and Elizabeth held out the garbage for them.

"I'm sorry, I dumped a present I received a few days ago on my chair, I thought I'd gotten all of them up."

"No, no, it is okay, who did you get a present from?"

Elizabeth's smiled faded slightly, "Just an acquaintance. I only met him once; I'm surprised he even cared enough to send a gift."

"Oh, what did you get?"

"One second I'll show you." Elizabeth ducked into her room and grabbed the rose, which was still as fresh as it was three days ago. She came back out smiling brightly. "Isn't it beautiful?"

"Yeah," Bruce said leaning in to get a closer look at it. His inner Batman frowned, this was most definitely one of Poison Ivy's creations; no other flora nut would have been able to make such a unique flower. Batman didn't know how Elizabeth knew anyone that Ivy would give away one of her flowers for or why she wouldn't go to the police when the flower arrived but he would have to keep an eye on her, she might be in danger. He straightened, "you're very lucky, that is indeed a unique flower. I'll see you again soon."

"Bye Mr. Wayne." Once the door shut behind the billionaire, Elizabeth returned the flower to her room. She removed her wig, contacts, and all her clothes, and stared into the full length mirror on the wall taking in every scar and genetic mutation. Sighing she rubbed the scars on her body. Without a doubt she would send all those Maroni bastards to jail.

Elizabeth stepped nervously into the elevator that would bring her up to the lab. Bruce Wayne smiled down at her and she smiled back. For the past week and a half she had been nervously sitting around her apartment, eating way too much, and superstitiously checking herself every time she undressed trying to imagine her body would look like "back to normal". The doors slid open and she was greeted by a pair of very nice looking doctors.

"Good Afternoon Miss Howard I'm Dr. Dysart." A tall female African American doctor held out her hand. Elizabeth shook it. The other doctor introduced himself as Dr. Jyuugatsu; he was very polite and quite cute for an older Asian man. Dr. Dysart led Elizabeth into a side room and had her change into a lose pair of white sweat pants and a white tank top. After she had changed the Doctor brought her into the lab and showed her where they had made the serum and how it was going to be delivered.

"Now you're probably going to experience some pain so we're going to strap your arms and legs down so you don't hurt anyone."

"Okay," Elizabeth hopped onto the medical table and let Dr. Dysart strap her down. Dr. Jyuugatsu came over with two assistants each holding a large long needle. Dr. Dysart cleaned the four areas that she would be injected. Elizabeth closed her eyes but she still felt the cold metal against her skin.

"3…2…1!" All four needles slid into her skin and dumped their contents into her blood stream. Elizabeth bit down on the cloth in her mouth, her muscles tensed and her back arched off the table as she tried to avoid the pain. Suddenly the pain stopped, the needles left her skin and bandages were placed over the punctures.

"All done!" Dr. Dysart said unstrapping her.

Elizabeth spat the cloth out of her mouth, "Really?"

"Really, but you're going to have wait here for a few hours to make sure you don't have any reactions to it."

"Okay, cool." Elizabeth sat up and jumped off the bed, "whoa…"

"What's wrong?"

"Nothing just a little head rush." She sat back down and waited for her head to clear, but the dizziness didn't go away. "Gah!" Her body was on fire, but not just her skin but her muscles and bones too. Everything was a blur of pain. She clawed at her skin trying to make the pain stop to drive it out but it only increased.

"Miss Howard!" Elizabeth heard Dr. Jyuugatsu call out to her but she couldn't say anything. Someone touched her arm forcing her back onto the bed and then she thought no more.

The door of the Rogues ward slammed opened causing all the interned to jump in surprise. Dr. Gullenrow rushed down the hall to the Joker's empty cell.

"Bring her this way, gentlemen. Quickly now before she breaks free." Everyone turned their head to the entrance; the guards were swearing and fighting with a small figure that was violently being dragged towards the cell.

"Fucking bitch!" The smaller guard yelled as the person bite him hard on the arm.

"Quickly!" Dr. Gullenrow called.

"You want to fucking deal with her doc?! Gah!" The guards slammed the girl against the Scarecrow's cell and he jumped up in shock. The girl's face was covered in blood and distorted so much that she looked like an animal. She kept struggling but the guards were pinning her with all their weight. Jonathan approached the glass curiously not only was her face bloodied but her clothes were as well. He stared into her golden eyes in them he saw not rage or bloodlust but pain and fear. Very interesting. They shoved a needle into her neck and her eyes rolled back into her head. Suddenly they wrenched the girl away and forced her arms into a straightjacket, she was still struggling as much as her drugged state allowed. Which wasn't much.

With her arms now contained the lifted her up by her feet and carried her to the cell. They went to dump her on the bed when Dr. Gullenrow cried out to "Set her down gently". She moaned and curled up when they set her down, it was almost pitiful to see. Dr. Gullenrow locked the door and sighed.

"Are you sure it's alright to leave her, Doc," asked the guard who she had bitten, "Shouldn't we put her in solitary?"

"No, solitary isn't what she deserves or needs," he looked into the cell sadly, "What happened to you Miss Howard?"