The Aster {Book 1 & 2} (Batman/Joker/Robin/Batgirl story)

2.25. Daughter to Father

I roll over and open my eyes. He's still asleep beside me, his chest rising and falling slowly, peacefully. I slide my hands across the sheets and tuck a stray strand of hair off his face.

His hand is lying across the pillow by my face, I twist myself to get a glimpse at his gold watch.

Ugh. I should really get up. Evelyn will be waking up wanting a feed soon.

Sighing I grudgingly sit up and glance around the room for my clothes. Or any clothes if it comes to that. My panties are on the floor by the bed, there's no sign of my bra whatsoever.

Oh well.

I put the panties and a skimpy black robe lying across the end of the bed on and head out to find some breakfast.

There's nobody in the meeting room, thank god. I don't really want to have any of the Joker's henchman see me coming out of the bedroom where we spent the night together.

For god's sake. Who am I kidding? They probably already know. Like they know about the two other nights he spent in here. Let's face it, you only care now because... well... because.

I don't look out of the window. It's a habit I'm gonna have to force myself to get out of. From now on, I'm not the person Wayne Tower means anything to. I can't be.

Bing.

Jesus! I almost jump out of my skin. Someone's in the elevator. A henchman I guess.

I don't really want to slick around to say hi so shrugging I start towards the kitchen. A voice stops me in my tracks.

"Uhhh...did anyone order pizza?"

I spin around.

There's a boy standing in the elevator. He's holding a stack of cardboard pizza boxes and he's got an electric blue baseball cap pulled down low over his eyes.

We see each other at the same time.

Johnny.

I stumble backwards, my legs feel like they're gonna give out.

Johnny's face stays perfectly deadpan, for a second I don't know if he's recognised me or not. But he has, of course he has.

They've found me.

"Did you order pizza, miss?" He tries again, snapping me out of the trance.

I shake my head. I think I'm gonna be sick.

"Well somebody has," he sighs, waving the boxes in my face. Like this is the most casual meeting in the whole world.

"M-maybe it was one... one of my friend's friends," I finally find my voice. Barely.

"And pizza for how many would that be?"

He catches my eye. Now I understand what he wants.

"Umm..." I struggle to stop my mind going blank. "Five I guess. Myself, my son, my friend and two of his friends."

He smiles, a wide, cheesy smile and hands over five boxes. My hands are shaking so bad I can barely hold them. I have to pull myself together. I have to, I don't know if anybody is watching or not.

"Don't you need paying or something?" I try my best to sound normal but it isn't really working.

"No need, whoever it was paid over the phone," he calls, pressing a the close button on the control panel in the elevator. I avoid looking at him as the door slides shut, it seems to take forever.

I don't move until the numbers on the dial above the door start going down.

I reel away and dump the pizza boxes on the table. There's got to be something in these, some sort of note, weapon, instructions, anything. Something that's going to tell me what's going to happen.