Gotham Girls #1: Romance With Robin (Batman)

Chapter Six - Friends With Batarangs

“Miss Daniels, how are things going?” Alfred asked me, smiling in the doorway; what it felt like everyone was doing. For a second, the thought that they all had to act nice around me fluttered through my head, but I just shook it away.

“I’m alright. A little bored,” I replied, rubbing my arm awkwardly.

Alfred was smiling, as if he had an idea about how I felt.

“Come with me,” he said, still smiling. He motioned his finger from me to himself, ordering me to follow him. Being bored, as well as the kind person I was, I agreed and fell in behind.

**

“Where are we going?” I inquired, studying the walls that I was passing during the walk.

“Master Drake insists I show you the Batcave. Seeing how you know about their ‘alter egos’ already,” Alfred replied, his expression almost unchanging.

“W-what? The B-Batcave?” I stuttered, my body jolting forward slightly. Alfred merely nodded, causing me to get light-headed. I was too excited; I would get to actually see what the Batcave looked like!

**

As I entered, I froze. Everything was just like how I had seen it! The first thing I noticed was that the Batmobile was missing, but then I realised that they must have taken it when attending to whatever ‘business’ he had.

“Master Wayne, Miss Daniel’s is in the Batcave. Just thought you might like to know,” I heard Alfred say into his watch. In response, even though I couldn’t understand what he was saying, I could tell Bruce was a little upset. I heard my name said a few times and knew automatically that it was about me, but didn’t want to interrupt. That might have made the situation even worse.

When Alfred returned, the first thing that he did was apologise for getting me into trouble.

“It was merely at the request of Master Drake, Miss Daniels,” he said, bowing slightly. As I was being led out, I felt a little bad. Alfred had gotten in trouble because of me. I kept my head down and tried to avoid making eye contact at all costs, but that didn’t work for long.

“Miss Daniels, are you alright?” Alfred asked, hands behind his back. I looked up and nodded, then back down at the ground. Alfred said nothing.

We continued to walk until we got back to the kitchen.

“Once again, my apologies,” he reinstated, again bowing slightly.

“It’s alright, Alfred. And I’m sorry for getting you into trouble,” I replied, bowing my head then snapping it back up.

Once we were in the kitchen, Alfred offered me lunch, which I kindly accepted, seeing as I had more of a hissy-fit than any food in the last meal.

**

When I had finished eating, we both left and I wandered back up to my bedroom. The thoughts of my family drifted in and out of my head, like I had been drugged. I knew I was supposed to be sad about it, so why wasn’t I?

I sat in my room, thinking about how I felt. I was focusing more and the sandwiches other food that I had eaten, instead of thinking about my family, and how torn apart I was... Well, should have been.

Lying on the bed, I didn’t know what to think about. My family’s passing? My food? Suddenly the thought of Robin popped into my head and I almost fell off of my bed. Hyperventilating, I started feeling light-headed and sick in the stomach. It had never happened to me before. The worst I did was just roll around on the bed like a puppy.

Suddenly, I found myself laughing like a maniac, unable to control myself. Thoughts of things that made me skin crawl flashed through my head without my consent. Then as I tried to stand up, I saw something absolutely horrific in the mirror. My face.

Despite the redness from laughing, my face was coloured just like the Joker.

**

"Hey, Alfred, where's Em?" I heard a boy's voice ask. I sat in a room that I didn't even know it's use and just held my legs, hoping no one would find me.

"She should be in her room, Master Drake," Alfred replied poshly as he always did.

"No, I checked her room and she's not there. Uh, I'm sure... she'll, um, turn up," he started to mumble, trying to act like he didn't care, though it was obvious he was a little worried.

"Have you checked the rest of the house? She has to be somewhere," I heard Bruce suggest as I listened to the sound of his footsteps walking past.

"Uh, I'll do that," Tim replied. His footsteps were quick, but more along the pace of a jog. I listened as he walked past the doors, soon coming to the room I was in. He tried calling my name, but I didn't respond. He couldn't see me like this! He would think that I was some sort of Joker-like danger!

"Emerald? Emerald? Where are you?" he called, opening the door to the room I was sitting in. I tried wiggling to the corner of the room, but I was too late. He saw me.

"Emerald! Why are you in here? We were going to watch TV," Tim told me. I stared down at my knees, making sure he couldn't see my face.

"Hey, is everything alright?" he asked, again lifting my chin, then jumping back in shock. He was dressed as Robin, his muscular physique complimented by his outfit.

I stood up and almost screamed at him, lowering my head again. I shook my head and leant against the wall, my gaze still down.

"What happened?" he whispered, walking forward slightly.

"I don't know, okay? If I did, I would have said, "'Oh, this happened, so now, I look disgusting as hell!"' so, I'm sorry, but I can't help you... I can't help anyone..." I replied. Great. Now the sadness was kicking in. 

I tried to refrain from crying, seeing as I had already cried countless times, but the tears just seemed to come on their own. I was forced to laugh for some reason, not knowing why.

When I stopped laughing and doubled over in pain, Robin walked up slow and put his arms around  me, embracing me.

"Shh, it'll be alright..." he whispered in my ear.

I was starting to get the feeling that Dick was right.