"Some poor souls more that are whining
six shots in the back thanks for the attack"

ROOFTOPS IN THE RAIN ARE A LOT LESS FUN THAN THEY SOUND.

Rosalind shivered slightly, pulling her jacket tighter around herself as she stood next to Bruce, now dressed in civilian clothes once again. He glanced down at her, the bottom half of his face was covered and the black makeup made his blue eyes stand out even in the dim light.

"You don't have to stay, Rosie." He told her, taking binoculars out of his backpack. "You've helped me more than enough tonight. I can call you a cab or-"

"Of course I'm staying you idiot," She huffed. "I'm not letting you do this alone. You know I worry. Besides, I'm too invested in this now. It's just bloody cold in the rain."

He paused for a moment before shrugging off his own jacket. Rosalind began to protest as he draped it over her shoulders. But he ignored her and turned away to look through the binoculars at Selina's apartment across from them.

"God I hope no one sees this," Rosalind mumbled. "You look so creepy right now."

Although she couldn't see as well without the binoculars, Rosalind had a good view of the apartment. The windows were big enough to make out the faint figures of a girl. Selina burst in a moment later and embraced her. The two spoke quickly in hushed tones. From their body language Rosalind could tell they were scared. But of what... that was still to be determined.

They watched in a hushed silence as Selina made her way into the other room. She took off her wig and the shoes that Rosalind was still jealous of. It wasn't until she started to change her clothes did Rosalind smack the binoculars away from Bruce's face.

"Don't be a fucking perv!" She snapped at him.

"I wasn't!" He replied.

"Then don't watch her change!"

"You were too."

By the time they looked back Selina had changed into a black suit and was climbing out the window. She expertly slid down the fire escape and sauntered off into the alley below.

"Let's move," Bruce said, nudging her shoulder.

They were off once more. Rosalind held tight as they followed Selina's motorcycle. She stopped at the mayor's house.

The Bat was back. Rosalind made to follow him but he stopped her with a hand on her shoulder. He shook his head.

"Wait at the bike," He told her. "It's too much of a risk for you to sneak in there."

"And it's not a risk for you?" She scoffed. "What about the club?"

"It's easier to explain to the press why Rosalind Pennyworth was at a nightclub than why she's breaking and entering a recent murder scene." he replied. "Wait here. Stay alert."

She watched him leave, the cape practically billowing behind him. She couldn't help but smirk at the sight. She had been telling him for the longest time that the cape was too much. But he never listened.

She was lucky they had parked the motorcycle in a spot safe from the rain. She was still wearing his jacket and she nestled into it, hiding from the cold chill of the night air. Her hair was wet from the rain so she had put it up messily, strands sticking to her neck and face. Her phone buzzed in her pocket.

DAD
Getting some work done?

Rosalind winced. She knew that her father was never very keen on Bruce's vigilante antics in the first place. If he knew she was getting wrapped up in this mess he would probably blow a gasket. But what he didn't know can't hurt him.

ROSALIND
I should be

DAD
Should? Uh oh

ROSALIND
Decided to go out
tonight instead

DAD
Well you deserve some fun.
Are you with friends? I hope
you're not alone this late at night.

ROSALIND
Not alone don't worry
Helping out a friend

DAD
Have a good time
Be careful x

She put her phone back in her pocket with a frown. She didn't like lying to her father. But right now, it was necessary. The sound of footsteps behind her made her turn around quickly. She saw Batman and Selina walking towards her and relaxed. She gave Selina an apologetic smile.

"Hello," She said. "Sorry for earlier."

"It's... fine." Selina replied, looking at her quizzically. She glanced between her and the Batman. "You two are the strangest pair of partners I've ever seen."

"Thanks," Rosalind replied. "You know, I wasn't kidding about the shoes. Where'd you get them?"

She saw Selina smile before putting on the motorcycle helmet.

By the time they had gotten back to Selina's apartment, it had stopped raining. There was still a chill in the night air and Rosalind's wet hair certainly wasn't helping. She shivered a bit, shoving her hands deeper into the pockets of Bruce's jacket that she still wore.

The door was open when they reached it. Rosalind stayed behind the two, keeping watch down the stairs just in case they were attacked from behind. The door creaked open slowly. The lights and TV were still on as they cautiously entered the apartment. Then, Selina began to rush through it.

"Anni!" She called, sounding desperate as she searched in the other rooms. "Baby?! Anni? Anni!"

Rosalind closed the door behind her and looked around the apartment. The table was overturned, broken glass on the floor. There had been a struggle.

Something rubbed against her leg, making her jump. She looked down to see a cat rubbing up against her. Rosalind knelt down to pet it. She had always loved animals. And for some reason, they all seemed to like her back. The amount of times as a child she had brought home some creature that had followed her was too many to count (much to her fathers misfortune). Before she knew it, two more cats were at her side. Copper was not going to be happy about this. She pet as many as she could and suddenly felt eyes on her. She glanced up to see Batman watching her. Even with the mask, she could tell he was raising his eyebrow at her.

"More breaking news this hour," The newscaster on the TV said, drawing their attention away from each other. "As the city is rocked by a second high-profile murder in as many nights. And this time, the killer has come forward to claim credit online-"

"Jesus," A distressed Selina reentered the room. "What are they gonna do to her? She's just a kid."

"God Selina, I'm so sorry," Rosalind said, standing and picking up one of the cats. She absentmindedly cradled it as if it were a child. Selina just sighed and shook her head.

"...Shit they took my phone." She began to look through her ruined belongings.

"-His victim, the head of the Gotham City PD, Commissioner Pete Savage," The newscaster on the TV continued. "Was found dead earlier tonight inside the police athletic league facilities in the Tricorner area. The killer posted the following message on social media, and we have to warn you, the video is very disturbing."

They stood around the TV as the screen changed to a video that looked like it was taken on a cell phone. A question mark looked like it was drawn onto fabric flashed on the screen as heavy breathing was heard in the background.

"Hello people of Gotham," A distorted male voice said. The camera panned up to reveal a man in a green mask and glasses. "This is the Riddler speaking. On Halloween night, I killed your mayor because he was not who he pretended to be. But I am not done. Here is another..."

He flipped the camera around to reveal a man in a twisted trap. There was a cage around his head and tubes wrapped around his upper body. He stared into the camera with wide, terrified eyes as he whimpered and panted in fear. The duct tape covering his mouth read "no more lies" like the mayor's did.

"Jesus Christ," Rosalind muttered.

"Here is another..." The Riddler brought the camera closer to reveal rats inside the trap. "Who will soon be losing face."

"It's like a fucking Saw trap," Rosalind said to no one in particular.

She held the cat in her arms closer to her chest for comfort. Her gears in her brain was starting to turn.

"I will kill again," The Riddler continued to narrate the grotesque scene. "And again, and again until our day of judgment when the truth about our city will finally be unmasked. Goodbye!"

The Riddler's head came into the frame as if he was taking a selfie with the poor man. Rosalind's breath caught in her throat and she surged forward, grabbing the remote from the counter and pausing the TV. She looked closer.

"It's the lost silence." She said.

"The what?" Selina turned to her.

"The lost silence," Rosalind repeated before she started to ramble. "From... from my book. My second book, Silence Is Golden. The- the killer used these insane traps to torture his victims and one of them was this but it was lost which is why I called it the lost silence and- I only ever described it in one chapter. But... thats it to a tee. Except I used a snake instead of rats. Don't know which is better."

"This isn't the first time he's used things from your books," Batman said.

"Maybe he's a fan," Selina said sarcastically. "But that is weird. Really weird."

She eyed Rosalind warily as she pressed play on the TV again. The news report continued and the Riddler's video switched to a picture of the deceased.

"Commissioner Savage served a distinguished thirty year career on the GCPD," The newscaster said.

"Holy shit I've seen that guy too," Selina pointed at the photo. "At the club."

"The Iceberg Lounge?" Batman asked.

"44 Below," Selina shook her head.

Batman looked at Rosalind as if he expected her to know what that is. They exchanged looks and she shrugged.

"...What is that?" He asked.

"The club within the club," Selina explained. "The real club. It's a mob hangout."

"Is that where you work?" He asked. She ignored him. "Selina?"

"...No," She admitted. "I just work the bar upstairs. And if we're talking about jobs why are you running around with a writer?"

"How do you know about this real club?" He asked, ignoring her question.

Selina glanced at Rosalind, hoping for an answer out of her but she stayed silent, focusing her attention on the cat in her arms.

"I see 'em come in." She said simply.

"Who?" He asked.

"A lot of guys that shouldn't be there I can tell you that," She replied. "Your basic upstanding citizen types."

"You're gonna help me on this," He said. "For your friend."

Rosalind frowned at that. It seemed he had no problem asking this complete stranger for help but was at the same time so hesitant to let her stick around.

A loud meow brought her out of her thoughts. The cats that were not currently in Rosalind's arms had made their way over to the Bat, sniffing at his feet and winding between his legs. He looked down at them then back up at Selina.

"...You got a lot of cats." he said.

Rosalind couldn't help but chuckle. He was never a big of a fan of animals as she was. Rosalind was honestly surprised at how much he and Copper got along.

"I got a thing about strays," Selina shrugged before looking at Rosalind who had the cat in her arms nuzzling up against her. "Looks like strays got a thing for you too, girl."

"I'm honestly more of a dog person," She smiled as the cat nuzzled her cheek. "But these guys are real sweet."

"You're not safe here," Batman told Selina as he turned to leave. Rosalind gently put the cat down and followed after him.

"I can take care of myself," Selina called after him. "You're lucky you got her to take care of you though."

Rosalind sent Selina a glance over her shoulder only to be met with a wink before the door closed behind her.

The drive back to Rosalind's apartment was quiet. He was Bruce once more, the cape and cowl stored safely away. She preferred him like this, his whole face on display where she could read him more clearly. She had known him for so long she knew what the most miniscule of facial expressions meant. Right now, he was deep in thought.

He walked her back to her apartment, saying they should check to make sure things didn't end up like Selina's place. But things were fine. Normal.

Copper greeted them happily when they entered. Well, happily until he caught a whiff of cat and haughtily trotted away with a huff.

"You want something to eat?" She asked Bruce, making her way to the kitchen. "Or drink? And don't you dare say coffee at this hour."

"I wasn't going to," He replied, following after her. "I know you don't have any anyways. You don't drink coffee."

"Here's something we both drink then."

Rosalind grabbed two glasses before opening her liquor cabinet. She poured them both a glass of whiskey. She handed it to him and hopped up to sit on the counter across from him. They drank in silence for a moment.

It was strange to see him like this. The black makeup was smudged around his eyes still, his hair soaked and matted from the rain and the mask. He was so... different when he was the Batman. But she knew that when you peeled away the layers, you would get the Bruce she knew. The same kid she grew up with was always there underneath. In a way, he had never really changed.

"We should talk about..." Bruce frowned. "The similarities. Between the killings and your books."

"Are you accusing me of something?" She asked. He shook his head.

"Of course not," He said. "I know you'd never... It was a coincidence at first. But now it's getting too specific. I don't like how similar they are."

"Me neither," Rosalind nodded. "You think I should sue the guy for copyright?"

"This isn't a joke, Rosie," Bruce said, putting his glass down. "It isn't a good thing if he knows who you are, the connections you have. I don't want this guy to even think about you. Maybe... maybe you shouldn't stay here tonight. Alfred wanted you to stay longer anyway-"

"Bruce," She cut him off by holding up a hand. "I'm staying here. I'll be fine. You know I can handle things."

"I never said you couldn't," Bruce blinked at her.

"You asked me for my help tonight, and I gave it to you," She said. "If you were that worried about my safety, you wouldn't of asked."

"Of course I'm worried," Bruce scoffed. "I'm always worried. But now I actually have a reason to be. And if you weren't so worried about me you would of said no tonight."

They stared at each other for a moment. They were both right, but too stubborn to admit it the other was. They both worried, that was a fact. But for very different reasons.

"Stay home," He said. "But if there's any trouble at all-"

"Call you," Rosalind finished for him.

Bruce nodded and walked over to put his empty glass in the sink next to her. He looked up at her, she was about an inch taller than him sitting on the counter. He thought for a moment.

"Thank you, Rosie," he said. "For your help."

"I'm sorry what was that?" She cupped a hand around her ear. "Did I just hear Bruce Wayne say thank you?"

"No," He shook his head. "Definitely not."

"No, no," She said. "Say it again. I wanna hear it."

"No."

The corners of his mouth twitched, suppressing a smile. She laughed and downed the rest of her drink in one gulp before leaning her head back against the cabinets behind her.

"I will help you, y'know," She said, glancing down at him as he was still looking up at her. "If you need it. I hate to admit that I kind of enjoyed myself. It's like living one of my books. As... morbid as that sounds now."

"A bit concerning if you wanna live through one of your horror stories." Bruce said.

"I mean it though," Rosalind said. "If you need help again, I'm here. Even if it's not Bat stuff. I'm here for you."

Silence washed over them again. Rosalind closed her eyes, fatigue from the long night getting the better of her. He stared up at her, thinking. Then, almost silently, he turned away. She opened her eyes to see him pause in the kitchen doorway.

"Get some rest, Rosie." he said, shrugging his jacket that he had lent her back on.

"You didn't answer me," She said softly. "Can I help again?"

He glanced at her over his shoulder. His expression was soft, blue eyes taking her in. He blinked before walking out of the kitchen.

"Maybe."

She heard the door open and close a moment later. Rosalind sighed and slid off the counter before making her way to her bedroom. Copper trotted after her, keeping a bit of a distance from the cat smell.

On the shelf above her bed was the very first copy of each of her books. She stared up at them with a frown. Divinity and Silence Is Golden seemed to stare back at her. Her books were dark and gruesome, that was for sure. But there were lots of common horror tropes.

Yet, the ones she had seen so far were so specific. And for the Riddler to take such an obscure part of a single chapter of one of her books was too strange to be a coincidence. She looked at the three remaining books on the shelf. The Demons Of Coney Island, Black Friday, and Sliced. The contents of each of those books were more graphic than the last.

She was proud of her work, she really was. She prided herself on the fucked up things she could think to write about. But this was something she never could have come up with.

Rosalind didn't want to think about any other inspiration the Riddle may of took from them.

From her.

JILLIAN SPEAKS!

Okay so we can all agree that in that last part in the kitchen Bruce looks like this right?

Also we finally see the Riddler! Paul Dano my beloved. I absolutely cannot wait for him and Rosalind to meet because it's gonna be a mix of horrifying and hilarious.

Apologies for the late update. I'm in my last few weeks of the semester which means finals. Once it's summer I'll probably have time to write more when I'm not busy with my internship. We'll see!

As always, leave any question, comments, concerns, etc that you have. I'm so amazed at the quick success of this book. 4K reads in less than a month? Wack. You're all so sweet and your comments make my day. Feel free to check out my other works! My Moon Knight fic is being worked on as we speak!

Until next time, love ya!