𝐓𝐇𝐄 𝐁𝐀𝐓𝐌𝐀𝐍

𝐂𝐇𝐀𝐏𝐓𝐄𝐑 𝟏- 𝐀𝐂𝐇𝐈𝐋𝐋𝐄𝐒

SONG: Nervous Habits by Narrow Head

Clara was opening her car door when she felt a sharp pain radiate throughout her ankle. She looked down, "What the hell?" she whispered fearfully.

Below her was a hand with a knife reaching out from under her car. The knife had sliced her heel. "Dammit!" she cried out and did her best to run further back into the parking garage. Then the man with the knife crawled out from underneath her car and began running after her.

"What the fuck do you want from me?" Clara yelled out, realizing there was no where to run considering her heel. "Give me your purse. I know you've got money on you." the man growled, lurching forward and grabbing her arm tightly.

"Okay! Just let go of me!" Clara tore her arm from the man's grasp and reached to her shoulder to grab her purse. He held the knife up against her throat as she slowly removed her purse from her shoulder.

Thankfully, justice was on her side.

Cautiously, Clara put her hand into her purse and acted like she was getting her wallet, but kneed the man in the groin, pushing him off of her before hitting him in the head with her purse. "Someone help me! Fuck!" she shouted as the man stumbled to the ground. Her ankle was throbbing.

"You nasty bitch!" the man yelled in frustration as he got up and charged at Clara. With his full force he knocked her to the ground and put his hands around her throat. Gasping for air, she punched him several times, but it only made his grip tighten. Suddenly the dim lights in the parking garage flickered and went out, and Clara was sure this would be her final moment.

Almost at the verge of blacking out, Clara could see a shadow above the man who was on top of her, and the shadow grabbed the thief, ripping him off of her. Clara managed to roll to her side and lean on one arm as she panicked for air.

Before her was a tall man in an all black suit and mask, mercilessly beating the man who had been choking her. He definitely wasn't pulling his punches, and the man laid in his own blood as the man pounded his fists into him over and over.

Breathing heavily over the unconscious criminal, the man got up and began walking over to Clara. She could only see the lower half of his face and the whites of his eyes until the lights flickered on again.

"So you're the Batman?" Clara asked hoarsely to the figure towering over her. He squatted down and said nothing, but gently grabbed her leg to examine her ankle. His tired green eyes looked upon her intently. "I promise I'm not usually this helpless, but he cut my fucking heel." she grimaced, grabbing her leg. "You've lost a lot of blood." came the Batman's deep voice. "Yeah, I need to drive to the hospital." Clara replied, pushing his hand off of her ankle and trying to stand up.

He was quiet and his face was expressionless, but his eyes spoke for him.

He stood up and grabbed her shoulders, trying to steady her. "I've got it." she smiled painfully and caught herself, before trying to limp forward on her left leg. "Can I carry you?" he asked, looking slightly concerned. "No it's okay, thank you." she said genuinely, picking her purse up off the ground.

Batman watched her silently for a moment, frustrated. "There's no time for your stubbornness." he growled, picking her up in his arms. Embarrassed, Clara, put her arms around his neck and just said, "Thank you."

So the Batman took Clara and let her down gently on his motorcycle and drove her to Gotham City Saints Hospital. Neither said a word during the ride, but he drove quickly throughout the city, watching her through his side mirror.

Once at the hospital, he helped her walk in to the front. "She needs help, now." Batman said to the nurse at the desk, and people silently stared at the vigilante. "Okay, SOMEONE GET ME A WHEELCHAIR!" the nurse turned and shouted behind her.

Within seconds someone came to take Clara back, and sat her down. "Hey, thank you." she said to Batman, studying him. Saying nothing, he nodded and observed her one last time before leaving.

"What's your name sweetheart?" the nurse asked her. "Clara." she replied, and Batman pondered this.

Minutes later, Batman stood on a balcony against the street facing the hospital, and looked into Clara's window curiously. He watched her squeeze her fist as she got stitches, and saw no one but medical workers enter the room. She didn't even check her phone. Once the doctor cleared her, she was escorted outside. Here she managed to hail a taxi, stubbornly limping.

That night Batman stayed in the shadows, watching the woman and ensuring she got back to her car safely, and she did. As usual, he journaled the night's events, unable to take his mind off of her-

Clara.