The Darkest of Knights

"You couldn't get me into politics evenn if you tried." Karmy shrugged and rested her head on her knees. "I say that the generator should not exists at all or whatevers." she yawned. POlotics were boring.

Not enough time, Batman turned around in the chair as if he wasn't there, he didn't even bother getting up. He just sat there. "What th- hey who turned my computer on?!" The manager yelled slamming the door and storming in. He cussed the employees under his breath and marched over to the chair and turned it around revealing Batman, his legs crossed and his head resting on his knuckles, his arm propped up on the chair's armrest. "Good afternoon manager." Batman smiled. "B-.. B-..." He stuttered and walked backward until he hit the wall, a huge contrast to Batman's relaxed position. "I'm sure you've heard of the explosions this afternoon, we found a wire and traced it back to you." Batman said getting up. "Robin, finish the computer while I have a talk with misterrrr-uhhh.."
"Bob..?"
"Bob. Mister Bob."
"Look I swear I didn't-.."
"I know you didn't. So who did?"

"I saw Alice give you something when she rescued you from The Joker's trap...what was it?" Barbara asked looking out the window for the sake of looking outside. Snow built up on the windows. It was getting colder. By the hour. By the minute.

Karmy, again, stood up from under the UV light and walked over to the window, her bag was laying on the table there. "It was a piece of the generator she found when they were disabling it." after having portaling away from the warehouse, Karmy had realized that she still had the heart in her hand, so she placed it in her special pocket. Now she reached in and pulled it out. "See, it's shaped like a heart." she leaned against the window and showed Barbara. "It comes apart and can be put back together. She's supposed to have this half and I the other.." walking over to Alice, she placed the half on her bedside table.

"Okay Bob. Anyone suspicious come in here to order a red wire, 35ft?"
"Lots of people."
"Who?"
"Asians."
"Try me again and I break your fingers."
"Hell Batman, I dunno! Gimmie a break!"
"I'll give you several breaks."
"No man, don't, c'mon.."
"Anyone in the last week purchase red wires, 35ft?"
"Yeah, lots of people."
"Anyone you remember?"
"We've got security tapes if you want to look at those."
"Where do we find them?"
"Office, two doors down."
"Robin, do you have a name yet?"

(Yeah, Mame forgot his name too so we'll just go with GG :I..)

Batman turned to Robin, grabbed Bob the Manager and showed the man's face on the screen, "Know this man Bob?" Batman interrogated. "GG, he's a hobo I think. Use to make weapons for Riddler I think." Bob confessed. "And you knew this? Why didn't you stop him from making his purchase?" Batman inquired. "Cause, I dunno! Its not my business!" Bob explained.
"Yeah well its your business now. Where can we find him?"
"Somewhere in the warehouse district, I don't know where he lives, I swear!"
Batman let the man go. "Robin, let's move."

Alice sat up using her elbows. "Damn, that smarts." Alice slurred her eyes closed tightly. "Alice! You should be asleep!" Barbara shot up from her seat to aide her. "Yeah I should stop stuffing my suit to make my bust look bigger too, but that's not gonna happen either." Alice mumbled.

It had taken a few hours, nothing fancy, a lot of sneaking and stealing. Mame had managed to get herself a megaphone (Oh the fun she’d have), and a burger from a lunch box in the employee locker room. She crawled and squeezed and pulled her way through all the snuggest places, just to make sure she was out of sight, eventually working her way to a platform that held one of the larger spot lights.

Mame was just awesome like that, no one had seen her, no one had even the slightest inkling she was there. She bitterly thought perhaps she should thank that liar Slade for her stealthy infiltration of the air port. Although she couldn’t really say it was all her skill, everyone who was delayed due to the ‘terrorist attack’ on Gotham, was too busy watching the news or sleeping in the multitude of lobbies littered throughout the airport.

The youth had struggled hard with her duffle bag, it had weighed her down like an anchor despite the fact it couldn’t weigh more than a few pounds, it was what was inside it. The knowledge that her true self was trapped inside, screaming for her to put it on, to run around that airport slaying and slaughtering anyone stupid enough to encroach on her chosen area, this was between her and Batman (and Robin), no one had the right to be there when things got started. But now that she was on the roof, shivering and gnawing ravenously at her bottom lip, there was nothing stopping her from putting on her costume. And put it on she did.

Mame didn’t seem to mind being naked in cold weather or in public really, no one else was on the roof so why should she care? It was a hasty passionate struggle, limbs sliding through sleeves and socks, shoes and gloves. The whole get up made her squirm and wriggle with the pleasure of it all, she was her again! She was free! It was almost as exhilarating as when she escaped Arkham Island! The sensations were so intense to her dulled brain she collapsed, writhing and mewling as she lay out on the snow covered platform, literally seizing from the pleasure of just being her again.

That had taken more time then the whole infiltration part, and once she was done she was frozen, panting in the afterglow of her self induced high. Mame got up slowly, almost as if her body ached from the mini fit she had thrown, she huffed a bit and her euphoric expression hardened as she stood and began to shred the clothes that GG had given her. She needed to put up a symbol on the grill of the spot light before she pointed it into the city and waited for The Bat. A crow bar had been stolen along with the megaphone and burger; people would surely be coming up to the platform after she turned the damn thing on. She was deadly with just her hands; a long metal weapon was downright unfair for whoever was unlucky enough to confront her.

(( GG is an enigma! Why do you think the Riddler likes him so much?! Ginger hobo ftw!))

"I'm just not gonna comment on that one at all.." Karmy pulled up the chair from the corner and into the space between the two beds. "I'm pretty sure that you and I need just as much sleep, Babs." she plopped down on the soft hospital chair and leaned back. "How ya feelin buddy?" she asked nonchalantly, even though she was tearing herself up on the inside at the sight of her best friend in such a state.

"Oh hey, I feel great y'know? Just one of those days, those type of days you just feel that a shovel has been driven into your back, y'know? One of those days." Alice rested her head and continued to indistinctly mumble to herself. Barbara assumed she just became a tad bit more bitter after hearing the news that she will never have the chance to walk again.

A slight thump echoed through GG's warehouse. Obviously it has to be those damn squirrels, that or the Batman.. But it has to be those damn squirrels!

"Oh yeah, I've had days like those, lacking the shovel of course." Karmy leaned forward and rested her head in her hands on the edge of Alice's bed. "Here, Al. You forgot this in my hands." she handed back Alices piece of the heart. "I don't want you to lose this.."

"Yeah well I don't need it anymore, what's the point?" Alice swatted Karmy's hand away from her and let her head drop on the bed. "No point." She continued to mumble to herself. Barbara had never seen Alice so depressed, talking to herself wasn't something she did and it sent bad vibes down her spine. She couldn't even look at Alice anymore.

KArmy felt like she had been shot in the heart, again, when Alice swatted her away, not to mention it was her busted hand so she whimpered in pain. She withdrew her hand quickly and held it close to her, both pieces of the broken heart clenched tightly in her bandaged hand, their pointed ends digging harshly into her wound. "Y.. you give up on friends?" she asked in a small voice.

"Look, just.. Go away." Alice voice cracked, her head still down not looking at anyone. "Karmy, let's give her some time." Barbara suggested grabbing her shoulders and leading her out the door.

"No.." KArmy muttered and slipped herself out of Barbara's grip. Like Alice herself said many years ago, Karmy was just like her, meaning that she was incredibly stubborn. She opened the door and walked back over to her seat, slumping down heavily. Crossing her arms and legs, she said "I'm not leaving your side." and then fell silent.

"If you don't leave me alone I'm going to strangle you to death." Alice mumbled, her head still face down. Crying.

"Made a promise not to kill me already, Al." Karmy said, remaining in her statue like position. She stayed quiet for a few minutes, her heart aching at the sound of her friend's agony, almost unbearable, but she didn't move to help her, not yet. "Bet I can make you smile before one of us falls asleep."

Barbara looked from the doorway of the hospital room, shaking her head. "Karmy just let Alice rest. Before the orderlies come and yell at us again." She pleaded. Alice was quiet. Breathing heavily.

"Hey, if I want to be there for my best friend, then no fat ass bus boys playing nurse are gonna stop me!" Karmy stated. "Besides, one: I have a bed in this room too, still sick after all. And two: I'd like to see them try anything." she huffed.

"Fine, you're digging your own grave Karmy." Barbara sighed walking out and closing the door. Alice looked up at Karmy. Eyes bloodshot red, and face pale white. "Don't you listen to anyone?" Alice tried her hardest trying to push her away. "I told you to leave. Go find that cop and f*ck him. Get a beer. In that order."

"Pft, shouldn't you know by now that I rarely listen to nobody?" Karmy asked, not budging an inch. Alice's words burned her worse than, well, when Alice had set her on fire, but she decided right then and there, that she would never let Alice see her hurt. She was not going to give up on her, even if it meant she was shot down in the process. "I'll find him and screw him whenever I damn well please." she smiled, almost too sweetly.

"Yeah just leave me alone." Alice demanded of her. "Please leave me alone. This is your last chance." Alice told her, "Before I have to hurt you."

"You don't have to hurt me, Al, you just want to. And don't worry, I'm leaving. Don't wanna be the reason for you to break the promise you made." Karmy shrugged, still smiling. She stood up and stretched. "Gonna go for a walk before Dr. Leslie comes back, I doubt she'll be pleased to see I'm out from under the UV light again." before she headed towards the door, Karmy set the broken heart piece down, out of Alice's reach. "Bye, Alice!" she smiled and waved as cheerfully as she could, then walked out. As soon as the door click shut behind her, Karmy suddenly felt very dizzy. Everything was a rush and blur as she walked aimlessly down the hospital corridors, heading for nowhere. Her eye's came back into focus just long enough for her to see the bright red sign of the Exit sign hanging in front of her. Pushing forward, a chill washed over her as she stepped out into the cold air and collapsed against the hospital walls, proceeding to burst into tears.

Barbara wrapped her arm around Karmy's shoulder. "Don't know how long you were going to take that." Barbra admitted, "Wanted to drag you out to avoid the hurt but decided it was best you'd learn for yourself." She sighed depressively. "C'mon I'll get you some tea." She offered.

Inside the hospital room, Alice eyed the piece of heart. Eyes swollen. She reached for it.

Karmy's body shuddered from the grief and cold as she wept in Barbara's arms. Even though she felt safe, being hugged by Barbara, it just wasn't the same. She felt very alone, distraught in the fact that Alice would more or likely never be there again for her like she used to be. Alice had always been there for her, always there to give her a hug when she needed it or to simply talk some sense into her. She was there we Karmy was at her lowest and darkest. Now, Karmy knew things would never be the same. She had seen it in Alice's eyes. Eye's that would never look upon her with kindness or caring again. Karmy suddenly felt sick to her stomach as a suddenly realization came to her. In all her photos that she had taken over the years, the albums upon albums of pictures and memories of her friends;

She didn't have a single photo of Alice smiling.

Barbara lead Karmy into a local coffee shop and ordered some tea for the both of them. "Ever think you'll switch from coffee to tea?" Barbara asked half sarcastically, half curious.

Alice no doubt felt like an idiot. She risked her life and lost the ability to use her legs to save Karmy and all her friends. Was she going to be this way for the rest of her life? She knew she needed to be tough to survive this, but would she have the courage to face this life? She kept trying to grab the heart piece with failed attempts. It was useless. How was Barbara able to live through that episode of her life? How could she have possibly laughed or smiled? She had Dick with her, she even had sex with him when she was still crippled. He was there for her. Now. Every night. Misrible. So sad, can't even get drunk. Another swipe at the heart and another fail. Alice couldn't even cry anymore, she gave up. Good night Gotham City. Good night Karmy Anderson. Good night Barbara Gordon. Good night.