Chapter One: red

The small desk I had up against the window of the large news building seemed like the only thing that could brighten my spirits right now. A few close coworkers had come by to ask if I was alright and that I should stay home. That's the opposite of what I wanted. My apartment was just a huge reminder of the life I had with Harold and work is the life I started anew. Desperate to get some sort of work done, I resorted to talking to my manager, head of photography and pop culture.

"Don?" I asked knocking on the open door. My manager looked up without moving his head and then back at his papers.

"Jackson, what do you want?" He sternly acknowledged.

"Some work, anything." He put his pen down and looked up at me curiously.

"Work? Most people come in here to ask me for more money or less work at that." I smiled "it's your lucky day, you've finally got someone so desperate to do anything she'll work for free."

He let out a small chuckle "we both know that's not true, but your still charming miss Jackson."

"So then, got anything."

He stood up from his desk and turned to a filing cabinet "I think I've got just the right thing, Jenna was going to get this one, but since she's sick I was just going to pass it off. If you really want to go and take some pictures of stuck up buisness men be my guest." He gave me a fairly small folder with a few explanatory documents.

"Stuck up buisness men, like you Don. I'll take it."

"Good, it's always nice to have another article or two on the website, pull in those extra views we need."

I thanked him and left the room, to go and sit at my window viewing desk. After scanning the first document I came upon the well known title of Bruce Wayne. Possibly the richest and most handsome man of Gotham. That man could spin a world, I wouldn't even be suprised if he could convince the president to step off and let himself have a try at it. Not only that but Bruce was a notorious playboy. Countless one night stands have been caught on camera, not only by the news but hundreds of media sources. It'd gotten to the point where no one really cared anymore. I couldn't blame them anyways, the guy was attractive. Though after his sudden reappearance in Gotham a few years ago, we haven't seen much of the playboy Bruce. Anyway I was excited to go to the event, it was tomorrow evening too.

"What's this?" Daisy, my best friend snatched the paper from me.

"It's a job I begged for, to take pictures of an important buisness fundraiser thing between some of the larger buisness enthusiasts," I bragged. Daisy nodded in approval while sipping her coffee.

"Sounds fun, better than what I'm doing, which is writing a seven hundred word article on how crime is being portrayed in tv and music." Even that would have been better than sitting here looking out the window and feeling sorry for myself.

"Yeah I'm a lucky duck," I admitted. She stood next to me for a few awkward seconds.

"So I've heard about Harold," she said quietly.

"Please don't ask if I'm okay, I might jump out this window if you do."

She shrugged and put the file back on my desk "If your not okay then what are you?"

"Uhh, confused, unsure, and in a sick way," I revealed "I'm just so lost on which way I'm suppose to think morally."

"He was your ex-husband Harmony, how long has it been since you even talked, three years?"

"Four years, the sad thing is that the police could only find me as an available contact to identify the body."

"Don't beat yourself up over it, he's old news you stopped loving him a long time ago," she tried to convince me.

"I loved him once though."

She put down her coffee and put a comforting hand on my shoulder "Look, stop thinking about all this depressing nonsense, and maybe try and decide on an outfit for tomorrow."

"I don't need anything special, maybe just a sweater and jeans."

"Girl if you want them to smile for the camera you've got to get them to smile for you first," Daisy said.

"I'm just another face in the mass, no one will see me."

"you are way too hot to be thinking that way, tell you what I've still got another hour for lunch so why don't we head to a mall or something to get you a causual dress, can't have you going to that thing looking like a hipster teen holding a Polaroid camera." I took her dislike of my style sort of offensively. Big baggy clothes and leggings could meet no boundaries in fashion, it was the mutual ground of all different people. Everyone had a lazy day outfit, it just happened to be my life.

Daisy dragged me into the nearest mall where lots of people were moving around raiding the stores for thanksgiving deals. Only a month and a half until Christmas and until the lonely most depressing times of my life.

"Let's go to Macy's they've got to have something decent," she pondered looking at our options.

"I don't care your the one who wants to do this."

"C'mon Harmony, your such a bum, you can't keep yourself in a turtle shell forever, pop the fuck out!" She complained dragging me by my wrist. Daisy was strong, independent, and a leader. That's why she's a journalist, set on being a street reporter. Sometimes I wonder why were friends if were such polar opposites. Maybe the saying opposites attract isn't just a thing desperate people say to make it feel like their marrage is still strong.

"Look at this one, it's perfect and this color is definitely going to bring out those hues in your skin!" She held a bright yellow tight dress against me. I was stunned and almost blinded by the color, no way.

"Might as well just burn that thing, I'm not wearing that."

"Okay then, what do you want."

"Something comfortable, and black." Daisy shrugged and looked at the sea of clothes ahead of her.

"Shouldn't be too hard, that's half of the store. Does it always have to be black with you, any more and you might be mistaken for batman." I cringed at her wording, letting the memories flood back in about Harold. His stupid ass could dictate me through life and death.

"How about this one?" I spotted desperate to get away from Daisy's confidence.

"Yeah looks fine, I'm just going to poke around a little longer," she said still scanning the first rack.

I went alone to the fitting rooms carrying the single black dress with me. The bright red rooms were almost as nauseating as the yellow dress. If I stayed here too long I'd definitely get a headache.

The slim fitting garmet slipped on my small frame like a glove, and looked like it too. Sure the dress was a tad bit short but the high neckline could make up for it. Overall I loved it, suprisingly I sort of felt excited to wear it, maybe looking good is a treat I needed once and a while.

"I've got fifteen minutes left Harmony, how'd you like the one you're wearing?" Daisy asked over the door.

"I'm in love with this one," I told her opening the door. She looked me up and down with a nod of approval.

"Not bad, do you mind if I leave, I've got to stop procrastinating on this article," she pleaded. I waved her off nonchalantly.

"Sure go ahead I understand."

"Are you sure because I feel sort of bad leaving you alone with the whole husband thing."

"Ex-husband, and yes I'm sure, go," I corrected quickly.

She gave me a short hug and a compassionate glare, then bounded off. After changing back into my street clothes I headed to the cash register to pay for my new obession. I liked the dress so much I might wear it more often. I stood behind a large man in the check out line who was swaying back and forth uncomfortably. He looked very nervous and was sweating all down his forehead.

"Are you alright sir?" I asked him stepping back. He looked at me with bugged out eyes "yeah I'm just fine." I smiled awkwardly and stepped back just a little more to be safe.

When he reached the short pimply teenage boy at the cash register the man immeadiantly pulled out a gun. It wasn't like I didn't see it coming, this was Gotham, what you see is what you get.

"Money, all of it, NOW!" He ordered. The teen held up his hands and started to scrambly pull cash from the machine. In the chaos the poor guy dropped a large wad of the money only fustraiting the criminal more.

"Hurry up swine!" He shoved the gun farther into his face.

I stood back in horror, patiently waiting for the crime to be over. What could I do anyways? Nothing. I was weak, useless, all I could do was take pictures. That's it! I could take a picture of the guy discreetly to use later in a police report.

I snuck the smart phone out of my back pocket and made sure it was on silent before snapping a bunch of pictures. That's when the robber had to look back at me.

"What the fuck do you think your doing?" He yelled. Shakily he snatched the phone out of my hand and threw it on the ground. To make sure the photos of his face were gone he stomped on the poor thing again, smashing it to bits.

"Give me your wallet!" He ordered. His breath was extremely close to my face making me gag. I quickly gave him the small leather wallet containing nearly no cash. Lucky for me he didn't check to see how much I had to offer him and put the wallet in his coat pocket.

"I want the ring too," he said pointing at the red jeweled ring around my middle finger. It was a present from my mother, the only happy memory I had left of her.

"I-I can't."

"Give it to me or I'll empty this clip into your pretty face."

To think this is what I got for asking him if he was alright. My life is a just a waste of good oxygen. Unwillingly I gave over my most prized possession, no doubt it would soon end up on a woman's finger elsewhere, far away from here. At least she would like it and it wouldn't be wasted on me.

"Good girl," he growled, making a chill go down my spine. Much to my liking he flipped back around to the just as horrified cashier. The money that had fallen on the floor was now on the table ready for the taking. The robber grabbed the wad of cash and put in the same pocket the ring was in, loosely.

"Put the gun on the ground and your hands in the air!" A new voice joined the conversation. Two security guards and one real police officer were pointing their tazers and pistol at the robber.

In a last attempt to get away from the scene the robber quickly grabbed me, holding my arm painfully behind my back and pointing the gun at my neck. Why me? Of all the people in the world, why me? My heart started to race, and I gave a desperate glance to the cops.

"How about you out your guns down and I don't shoot this bitch!"

The police officer turned his gun into the air and slowly lowered it to the ground, as did the security guards with their tazers.

"Good, good, no one has to get hurt," he mumbled to himself. When was he going to let me go, I just wanted to walk away from this with my goddamn dress. I didn't knowtice til now but I was still clinging tightly to the garmet.

He started to back up with me still as a hostage, making his way to the exit.

A small black object flew near my face and hit the robbers hand causing him to drop the gun. I didn't know what was going on but I took advantage of this new situation by elbowing the man with my free arm and scrambling away. I backed up against a rack of clothes, partially hidden underneith them.

"Fucking hell, it's you!" The criminal spat. This could only mean one thing, there is nothing a robber fears more than Batman. His large black self walked slowly and intimidatingly to the robber and punched him out cold with a single hit. The robber took it fully not even trying to escape.

Now if I only had my camera with me this time, of course I didn't. Not even my phone now. Batman was so intimidating and strangely comforting. It was good to know someone out there could actually give a shit about this shitty place. Even if it made no difference. Right now though all he could do was make me burst into tears. I don't know whether it was the trama of the situation I'd just been in or if it was just the reminder of my ex-husbands death, either way I was crying.

There was nothing left here for Batman to do here. So he turned around to leave, making a slight eye contact with me. It felt like he was piercing my soul, only for a moment though. Then like a shadow, he sped away, gone.

A police officer helped me up while the two others hauled up the robber and cuffed him. As they walked away with him dragging along I stopped them.

"Wait," I told them. Quickly I shoved my hand in his pocket and pulled my red jeweled ring out.