***

Standing on the rooftop of a hotel neighboring the Gotham Museum of Natural History, I closed my eyes as I felt the warm night air whip through my hair. It felt as if my nerves were slowly tearing me apart, whether it was from what I was about to do or the fact that I would be facing Bruce and Dick again. I wasn't sure, but I knew that if I kept thinking about it too much I would drive myself insane.

"Breath." Selina said quietly never taking her eyes off of our target. The alarms were emitting loud screams into the night, the sound mixing in with the other horrifying sound of Gotham. One could only imagine what destruction Harley was causing in the museum, the knowledge that they would be here soon weighing heavier by the second. "You know that plan. Just remember, don't use your abilities in front of them."

She didn't have to elaborate, if I used my powers they would undoubtedly make the connection to who I was. There was only so much a mask could hide, and they were simply too smart to fool. They would make the connection someday, but that day would not be today.

Just as expected we watched as the familiar figures to Batman and Robin leaped off a nearby building and through one of the windows of the museum. Wordlessly Selina leaped off the ledge leaving to follow as I landed beside her on the glass ceiling of the museum.

Looking down I could see that Harley was doing exactly as she was instructed and was in the process of bringing down her mallet on glass case containing jewels as Batman stepped out from the shadows behind her. With experienced care Selina used her diamond tipped claws as she cut a circle in the glass ceiling. A hole just big enough for me to slip in through as she pulled the glass out as I tied a rope at the end of one of the metal structure of the window pane.

"Harley. Stop this now." Batman's voice echoed through the museum, causing a wide smile to spread across Harley's scarlet painted lips.

"Batsy!" She squealed as she spun around excitedly knocking down a priceless vase in the process with her mallet. Quickly I got a hold of the rope slipping through the small opening. "I was wonderin' when you'd show."

"Don't I get the same level of excitement?" Another familiar voice questioned, but I didn't dare look afraid of breaking my concentration. Grateful that even if I did give into the desire to steal a glance, they were facing away from me.

"You probably have a difficult time getting girls excited don't ya Robin?" Harley teased with a giggle, her words causing me to lose focus for a split second that caused me to slip down the rope faster than expected. Luckily Selina had taught me well as I was quickly able to regain my hold before me feet silently touched the marble floor.

I was able to successfully ignore Harley's bantering as I approached the shimmering emerald cat, although there were no barriers preventing me from reaching into the empty space I was I used a small amount of my power to disable the security system. Now that the adrenaline pumping into my veins began to take effect, I no longer felt nervous as I reached out taking the surprisingly heavy jeweled cat and slipping it into a protective pouch.

"What are you distracting us from?" I heard Batman demand as I climbed up the statue of the Egyptian goddess Bast, before leaping off and getting a hold of the center of the rope once again.

"Aw Batsy ya know me so well." Harley replied dreamy as she clutched her mallet close to her chest. "You're right I'm just the distraction."

I was already at the opening when Harley waved excitedly towards me, a small smile touched my lips as I gave them a small wave in return before slipping out of the museum the same way I came in. It was almost difficult to believe that I had done everything in the span of five minutes when it felt like an eternity.

Meeting Selina's eyes is recognized the familiar gleam of mischief at the knowledge of what came next. We had planned our little escape perfectly, and even knowing that we would be separating soon all I felt now was excitement. The consequences of what would happen if something went wrong was overshadowed by the electrifying feeling of being this carefree.

"Cat." Regardless of the fact that I knew who was under the cowl, the sound of his deep voice caused my heart to begin to beat rapidly in my chest. As I looked at Selina she smiled, sending me a wink before leaping off the building. In an instant Batman was chasing after her as they both disappeared into the night.

"You're new." He stated, and I instinctively closed my eyes at the sound of his voice as I stepped onto the edge. Not being able to resist I turned around and smiled.

"Catch me?" I questioned as flipped backwards off the ledge and into the air, taking in the exhilaration of falling before my feet touched the rooftop of the building below. The I second my feet were on solid ground I ran, jumping off the necessary buildings and landing on the next.

I didn't look back knowing he was following closely behind, hearing his footsteps only a couple of feet away as I ran in the direction of Wayne Enterprises. I couldn't help but wonder how far Selina had gotten as she made her way towards the GCPD, but our only goal was to get the two as far away as possible. To fool them.

Finally arriving on the rooftop of the building we had all agreed upon I came to a stop looking over the edge at the empty concrete street below. At this time of night all the sensible people of Gotham were safely locked away in their homes. Stepping out this late practically meant that you had a death wish. "You like playing games?"

"Do you always chase after girls this much?" I questioned instead, as I finally turned around to face him against my better judgment. Ignoring Selina's warning, the sight of him so close after so many months opening an ache inside me that I had been ignoring this whole time. But still my demeanor didn't falter as a small smile tugged at my lips.

He shrugged his confidence unwavering, as he took a calculated step forward. The moonlight illuminating half of his face, and I felt a small amount of surprise that he looked the same. But maybe it was simply due to the fact that I had changed so much. The playful shine in his eyes told me that he was enjoying this, that he liked the chase. "I've never had to."

"There's a first time for everything." I replied before stepping off the ledge again, taking a hold of the water drain pipe trusting that everything was in place as I unclipped one of the bags that was  attached to the belt around my waist, before pushing be feet awaiting the brick wall and getting a hold of the fire escape ramp on a neighboring building. Not hearing the shattering of breaking jewels a smile formed on my lips as I looked down to where the newly blooming Dahlias were growing through the cracked pavement before I climbed up the building's fire escape. 

Not wasting another second I continued making my way through the rooftops, never having been more grateful for Selina's instance of memorizing every building and rooftop in the city. My heart was pounding erratically in my chest not only from the excitement of the chase, but also the exhaustion that was beginning to set in. If it weren't for the adrenaline that was pumping wildly in my veins I was sure I would have collapsed. 

"You're persistent." I said breathlessly coming to a stop ready to end this, knowing that he wouldn't simply give up. He was too stubborn to let me go without what he has been chasing me for all night. I knew him perfectly, and I couldn't ignore the slight irritation I felt that he seemed to have not known me at all. Because even with the mask I still knew all of his features and the way he moved, he clearly didn't recognize the same in me.

"You know I'll stop chasing after you if you just give me that cat." He stated as his eyes trailed towards the black pouch that was hanging off of my hip."

"That's what you're after?" I mocked as I unclipped the black bag hanging off my hip holding it up in the air between us. "Sorry to have wasted your time Bird Boy, you can have it."

Tossing the bag to his feet I watched as he slowly picked it up, removing the stuffed cat from inside. He looked up at me with a small smile tugging at his lips as he held the stuffed toy out between us. "How?"

"See you around Boy Wonder." I said taking one last look at him before leaping off the edge of the building knowing that he wouldn't follow. He and Batman had bigger problems then Selina and I to deal with tonight.

Because this was Gotham. There were always bigger and more frightening threats in lurking in the darkness that consumed this city.

***

Now that I was standing outside of the building I now called home, I allowed myself to release a shaky breath, the adrenaline slowly leaving my system. The realization of what I just did slowly setting in. And surprisingly I felt excited. A couple of months ago I would have never imagined myself doing what I just accomplished, in fact I would have been terrified at the thought. Now I felt alive. And I didn't want to lose that feeling.

Didn't want to be the girl I was before.

Once inside I found that the rest of girls gathered in what had become a living room. Considering that this building was once an animal shelter many of the rooms had to be remodeled, what was our living room was more of a grand hall decorated in antique furniture. 

"Ya did it Sparky!" Harley exclaimed as she held up our stolen object with pride. Selina's eye never straying from the shimmering emerald cat, wanting to make sure that Harley's reckless handling of it didn't result in a disaster. "I mean, isn't it glorious?"

"It brings tears to my eyes." I replied not being able to hide the smile that came to my lips. As odd as it seemed Harley, although a hand full, always brought a sense of joy to this place. Regardless of how down the rest of us felt Harley had a way of bringing us out of whatever darkness had touched us.

"Now where we gunna put it? Here?" She questioned excitedly as she placed it near one of the antique lamps before shaking her head in disgust. "Nah, here."

Selina stepped closer to me as we both watched as Harley animatedly ran across the room placing the priceless artifact on different places around the room. "Any problems with your Robin?"

"None at all." I replied never taking my eyes off of Harley who was running around the room, while Ivy occasionally gave her suggestions which she immediately dismissed. Feeling Selina's eyes on me I turned towards her to find that she seemed to be studying me.

"Him not recognizing you is a good thing." She reminded me quietly, a reminder that I shouldn't have needed. Yet, was necessary. Selina didn't need to scold me because I was already doing that myself. 

I met her eyes firmly determined to show her that I felt no regrets or lingering feelings. He seemed to have move on easily enough and so could I. "I know."

"No. No. No. Here." Harley declared gleefully as she stepped back eyes the emerald cat shinning brightly on top of the coffee maker. It was clearly not an ideal place for it, but we all knew better than to argue with Harley. With a bright red lipped smile she turned towards Ivy who simply looked bored. "How does it feel to be little thief Ives?"

"I'm no thief." Ivy replied dryly, a statement that we have heard many times before. Regardless of how she how she has been villainized within Gotham, Poison Ivy's only purpose was to protect the environment even is she tended to take extreme measures to do so. The only person who was able to persuade Ivy to come out of her habitat was Harley, who as just barely able to persuade her to help.

"But ya helped Red." Harley pointed out as she wrapped her arms around Ivy. I looked at the girls fondly many of the thoughts that plagued my mind since I left Wayne Manor I pushed down and pretended they no longer existed. I knew that I couldn't fully except this new life I was creating for myself, if I didn't let go of what me life once was. And this new life with the Siren's who fully believed in me was the life I wanted.

 Because I would never again let anyone dictate the way I lived my life. 

***