Scars & Hearts: The Batman Fanfiction

Chapter Nine

She felt uneasy.

The hair on the back of her neck prickled, and her eyes were a little sharper than usual as she hurried home from the hospital.

She'd worked an afternoon shift, and finally after eight hours of patient visits and observing a rather miraculous act of surgery, she finally clocked out a quarter till three in the morning.

The streets were quiet, something rare in Gotham City.

Her eyes traveled to the sky where, just as she'd suspected, a large projection of a bat was visible despite the cloudy overcast.

There was something about the symbol that brought Anya a moment of ease. Still, she sped through the streets, then up the rusty stairs that creaked and moaned, to her apartment. She fumbled with her keys, unceremoniously. She entered and closed her apartment door, locking it with lightning speed.

Anya let out a breath of air she hadn't known she was holding in.

Her apartment was dark. Just as she was about to reach for the living room lights, she saw it.

She felt it really.

The unmistakable breeze of a cool night. Her fire escape window was open, curtains flowing in the breeze.

She grabbed the thing nearest to her, a statue of a poodle with a graduation cap on, a gift from one of her undergraduate professors.

Her pulse quickened as she crossed the living room, slamming the window shut, drawing the curtains.

Maybe she'd forgotten to close it before her shift? She knew this wasn't true, but she could hope.

Her face was to the window when it happened.

Suddenly the lights were on, and she yelped, turning around to catch the intruder in action, poodle in hand.

"Jesus Christ, are you crazy?" She shrieked.

Hand still on the light switch stood the Batman: a most unexpected (unwelcomed in the future after this incident) guest.

"I could have hurt you!" She said, pointedly showing the poodle.

He gave the "Weapon" a look that told her it wasn't much of a defense tool.

Anya huffed. "What are you doing here?" She set the poodle down on the window ledge.

"You're an employee at Gotham General." He wasn't asking, it was a fact.

"Yes, I am." She answered anyway.

"There was an incident at the hospital."

"What?" Anya shook her head. "I just came from the hospital. There's no way."

The Batman shook his head. "Top floor. Offices. I just came back. Whole floor was ransacked."

Anya's eyes widened, an expression of anger on her face. "And they didn't bother telling us?"

"Thieves were in and out, quick. Nothing to worry about." His voice was assuring, clearly meant to put her at ease, though she was far from it.

Anya walked over to the couch and sat slowly, shocked by the information she was receiving.

It occurred to her then: Why exactly was she receiving it?

"Why are you telling me this?" She asked, shaking her head in disbelief.

"I have questions."

"Surely you can ask one of the administrators. I wouldn't know anything about this. Dr. Shorts is a wonderful man, I'm sure he'll talk to you."

"He has."

"And?"

"He wasn't very forthcoming with me."

***

Bruce recalled the reluctancy the man spoke with. He didn't trust the Batman, and truly, could Bruce blame him? Though Commissioner Gordon had given the Batman his stamp of approval, in confidence, of course, having a vigilante in your hospital, questioning you about your office being burglarized, could be a pretty surreal moment.

"You think he'll be forthcoming with me?" Anya asked.

"It's worth a shot."

"What makes you think Dr. Shorts even likes me? I'm a resident, if whatever was stolen was worth stealing, I doubt he'll tell me what it was."

Bruce found it hard to believe anyone could not like Anya. He'd seen Anya and Dr. Shorts interact, even if Dr. Shorts wanted to keep some level of secrecy, he found it hard to believe he would not at least partially answer Anya's inquiries about the burglarized files.

"Intuition," he simply responded.

Anya plopped back on the couch cushion. She bit her lip.

"I could lose my residency.... my life's work if I get caught spying for you. What makes you think I'd do this?"

She leveled Bruce with a gaze.

He answered honestly. "I know that you want Gotham to change, and I know you know that these men are part of the reason it can't. And I know you know my honest intentions."

"So confident in my moral compass."

"I am."

Anya pursed her lips. She opened her mouth, then closed it, then opened it again, until finally: "Okay. To hell with it, I guess I can always go to dental school if this doesn't work out. How are we gonna do this?"

Bruce reached into a small leather pouch tethered to his utility belt. He pulled out a small case. He stepped closer to where Anya sat on the couch until he was hovering over her.

"Here," He handed over the case. "You'll wear these." Anya opened it to reveal two small circular lenses. "They'll allow me to see what you see." Bruce handed her an earpiece from the same pouch. "And this will allow me to speak to you."

Anya took the objects, hesitantly. 

"This isn't a very well thought out plan," she said, looking up at the man. "What if Dr. Shorts knows nothing? I doubt he does. He's a very helpful man. He would have told you anything he knew."

"It's an investigation. Snooping around dead ends just to make sure they're dead ends, that's the main part of my job."

"This is crazy." Anya sighed, then muttered, mainly to herself: "And yet here I am, doing it."

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Author's Note: We're about to break 1k reads!! I'm so excited. I've never written anything that's gotten this much attention. My fanfiction writing skills are still a little rusty. I use most of my writing skills for research papers and lab reports, LOL. I want to thank everyone who's added this story to your library. With that being said: make sure you add this story to your library and vote for the chapters!!!! New chapter will be up very soon. - C