Synopsis: When Murders of criminals are popping up all over Gotham, it's up to Batman and Falcon to put a stop to it. But how is a young runaway linked to all these crimes? Plus, its Rachael's first day back from school after summer vacation, and something isn't quite right....not to mention all sorts of awkwardness between her and Vic being in the same apartment. Why can't she just hace a normal day for once?

The young blue-eyed girl huddled in the corner of the small, dank apartment. She craddeled her bleeding curly blond head and her eyes stared down at the limp dead body at her feet. Those same eyes, now filled with terror, once held a wide eyed innocence less than an hour ago.

But it wasn't simply that she was wide-eyed. Her eyes had held a blissful ignorance and trust and the lilt of her voice had an expectancy that things would turn out okay and that those she talked to were basicly good: This had led to the old mans death.

And now the old man lay in front of her his head twisted at an unnatural angle on his shoulders and his frightened grey eyes had grown dull and void. His over muscular body lay with limbs astrue and lifeless. A bit of blood trickled from his neck and dirtied his already dirtied once white wife beater and his matted grissily beard. And those voidless grey eyes stared up at theyoung girl. at their killer.

The blue-eyes of the girl brimmed with tears and she beagan to rock back in forth silently, holding her knees close to her chest. She began to sob softly and mutter.

She hadn't meant to kill him. She mumbled . She hadn't meant to kill him. He had come asking for it. She looked oncemore into the voidless eyes, and felt the need to scream, but nothing came out. She knew she should likely try to get out of their before someone found her, but it was all she could do to just rock back and forth and cry.

"Rachael.....Rachael?"

".......Pick up the phone already!!"

From under the thick covers of a large wrought-iron four post bed cam a groan and a girl no older than 17 with short, thick brown hair and brown, dark eyes that were squeezed shut as if to barr out consciousness. "I'm not here." She mumbled, turning over and pulling her pillow over her head.

"I know your there. Pick up the phone!" The answering machine screeched. Get up out of that bed and pick up."

"It's too early." Rachael yawned in return, ignoring the fact that she was having a conversation ith her answering machine.

"It's one o' clock in the afternoon. You haven't been answering your com-link for hours. Answer this phone or I swear I'll send Wally over there togive you a wake up call. Don't think I wo--BEEP" the answering machine cut the lecturing voice off.

Rachael sighed and sat up in bed in her white tank top and army green pj bottoms and arched her back to stretch. She gave another yawn. "three. two. one--"

The phone rang again anf Rachael picked it up as she threw her legs over the side of the bed. "I loath you. No fair. Your watching me with survielance cameras."

"LIFES no fair, kiddo. Get over it." The older voice of Barbara Gordon quipped back. "Listen kid, we need to talk--"

"Listen, Barb. If this is about me letting Victor McCloud crash at my place while he's , you should already know I've recieved 'the talk' from Alfred, Bruce, Dr. Tompkins, and Selena. Trust me, they were all equally either disturbing or uncomfortable or both. AND you should also already know that he's sleep on the couch. It's not like we're sharing a bed." She had gotten used to explaing that last part to people as it was.

"Actualy I was calling to talk to you about start back at school tomarrow an--.....SELINA gave you the 'talk'?" Babs asked in disbelief, trying to hold back a laugh.

"It involved a lengthy speech of watching where his hands go and all sorts of 'fun' things to look out for when dating a former theif. It was creepy, yet informative, and still the last 'girl talk' I ever plan on having with the former feline pilferer."

"Selina?!" It was getting even harder not to laugh. "I didn't get a chance to listen in on that one, Rach, but I feel for ya. I'm pretty much sue you've had all the sex-talks you can handle for one week, though--"

"Use protection tho', kid!" Another voice sang out on the other side of the line.

"Dinah!" Babs scolding look could almost be heard over the phone.

"What Babs?! Hey, I just don't want to see Rach' get knocked up. Irish men are like fertility kings. It's as if thay have supersperm." Dinah prattled.

"And you would know?"

"...Not from personal experience....But I know someone who--."

"Dinah, I am NOT having sex with Vic." Rachael pointed out, her face turning a bright crimson.

"Suuuure. Not yey. But you can't shack up with a guy and remain vituous too long." Dinah pointed out before a crashing sound was heard on the line. "Hey!!"

"Dinah! Stay out of this. Go....go bar hopping with Helena while I find some case for you. And tell Helena to quit giving you sugar!"

"But--"

"Out!"

Mumbling was heard on the phone and a door slammed.

Rachael rubbed her forhead and sighed. Dinah was a great friend. But Rachael and babs both tended to be a bit more....conservative than their friend.