The night of the Christmas party arrived sooner than Barbara had expected or wanted. Everything about tonight seemed dreadful. It was to be held at the building belonging to the man she hated with guests she hated, celebrating a couple she hated even more.

Of course, Barbara hid her true feelings from James and Sarah, masking them behind a façade of happiness. She even apologized to them for her unenthusiastic behavior, telling them she was just so surprised and needed time to accept their engagement.

They believed her.

However, this led to Sarah becoming even pushier with her interactions with Barbara. She desperately wanted Barbara to bond with her, going as far as to take her shopping for a new dress for the party.

Barbara found these attempts annoying, causing her disdain for the woman to grow. Everything that used to be tolerable about the woman now became maddening for Barbara. She had never been particularly fond of her, but the thought of Sarah being her future stepmother was insufferable. She would now be a permanent part of Barbara's life instead of a temporary nuisance.

"What if she wants a child?" The horrifying prospect suddenly occurred to the girl.

"Did you say something, Barbara?" Sarah asked from the passenger seat of the car.

"Uh, do you want children, Sarah?" Barbara shifted in her seat.

"Hm. I don't know yet honestly." Sarah shrugged. "I have focused so much of my life on my career that it just never occurred to me. But if it happens, it happens."

"I think I'm done with raising a kid for another eighteen years." James laughed.

Barbara only hoped that to be true.

~

From the corner of the room, Barbara watched the evening unfold in front of her. She did not attempt to mingle with anyone, keeping to the shadows instead.

She could already imagine her father or Sarah coming up to her, telling her to cheer up and stop brooding. Each time she saw Sarah hover around her dad, Barbara could feel her heart ache and her teeth grit in anger. The way she clung onto him and how she looked at him was enough to make Barbara nauseous. It didn't help that her dad reciprocated these feelings, which made her tremble even more.

"I cannot believe dad would buy her that type of ring," Barbara glared at the ring sparkling in the light. By flaunting it around, Sarah mocked her with its gaudiness.

"Mom never had such a ring like that. She was humble and never showed herself off. Sarah looks like a tramp," she scoffed, turning her attention to the orchestra. "Why the fuss over their engagement anyway? People get engaged every day. Sarah's not any more special. But of course, being one of the few female detectives, she deserves only the best." The girl continued her verbal mockery, but her mental one was even more brutal and cruel.

The sudden clanging of a knife against a glass halted her thoughts. There at the center of the room was Harvey Bullock, holding up a champagne glass. "I would like to take the time to announce that our police commissioner and my close friend, James Gordon, is going to marry the lovely Sarah Essen."

Barbara could only roll her eyes while guests erupted into applause.

"I have known James for many years and I want to wish him the best! Which Sarah certainly is." The detective continued, earning chuckles from the crowd. "James, you and Sarah work great together and I know your marriage will be just as great. The department has been wanting it to happen for quite some time, so hearing you two are finally together is something we have all been waiting for. So I truly mean this when I say, to James and Sarah! May their marriage be as successful as their work ethic!"

"To James and Sarah!" The crowd cheered.

Barbara couldn't help but give a wan smile in return.

Continuing to watch the party from her corner, Barbara observed everyone with intensity. Despite watching other people, her mind kept going back to Sarah and the engagement. But then, something from across the room took her mind off that subject for a moment.

Two of her other reviled things were interacting alongside Harvey Dent. Barbara couldn't hear what they were saying as she was too far away, but it didn't seem to be making Bruce Wayne happy. Pamela extended her hand, showing it off to Bruce. His jaw tensed, but he forced a smile and nodded his head.

The emerald ring twinkled atop her gloved hand, catching Barbara's eye instantly.

She could only smirk in disbelief. "Oh, you sly creature."

"Hello, Barbara." Pamela approached looking just as beautiful as ever.

"Hello, Ms. Isley. Or should I say, Mrs. Dent?" Barbara shot the woman a wary glance.

Pamela gave a hearty laugh. "No, not yet at least. I am only engaged to Harvey."

"I see. Congratulations."

"Speaking of congratulations, I need to say that to your father and your future stepmother. You must be very happy," Pamela said.

Barbara scoffed. "Far from it."

The woman raised an eyebrow. "I did not expect that much honesty from you."

"Unlike you people, I can be honest," Barbara retorted.

Pamela laughed again. "I am so glad I didn't kill you. You really are an aggressive little thing. It is quite entertaining."

Having enough of Pamela's remarks, Barbara stormed away from the woman as quickly as possible. She was fed up with these condescending adults, knowing another second longer with one of them would make her snap. She was already on the edge of losing her cool with the engagement and she didn't need Bruce or Pamela setting her off too.

The room had suddenly grown warm, making the girl thirsty. However, she didn't feel like drinking water or soda.

No, she wanted something much stronger.

Making sure no one was watching, Barbara snuck an opened bottle of alcohol and quietly left the inside for the observation deck.

~

"Look at you, Barbara. Abusing alcohol? What must your father think?" Barbara laughed at herself. "You really have lost all sense of control." She took a swig of the bottle, instantly spitting it out and coughing at the taste.

"I wouldn't drink that if I were you. It never leaves a good taste." A familiar voice called from the side.

Barbara's eyes widened and her heart sped up. She kept her body turned away towards the city below, not attempting to turn and face him.

"You cut your hair," Richard observed, remaining frozen in place.

"No, it's pinned up. My father would never let me cut it," Barbara replied coolly.

Richard cocked his head. "Your father... he's getting married, isn't he?"

She clutched the bottle tighter. "Yes."

"It's fitting you would wear a white dress then."

"What are you doing here, Richard?" Barbara continued staring straight ahead, trying to resist the urge to look back.

"I know you don't want to see me and I'll leave as soon as I finish telling you-"

"Telling me what?" She grimaced.

"I have been wanting to see you- to warn you. But I could never leave the manor until tonight. You should leave Gotham before things get dangerous." He took a step closer. "You are not safe here, Barbara. You've gotten too involved in this. Pamela and Bruce will never stop seeing you as a threat and that makes you a target."

Barbara straightened up over the railing, shutting her eyes. "I already know this information. Why are you telling me this?"

"Because I want to protect you."

Finally turning to face the boy, she saw that he was now right behind her. "How can I trust you? After all you've done... you're no better than the rest of them."

"Because I'm just like you." Despite his mouth being just inches from hers, she could not feel his breath on her lips. "I know what it feels like to be alone. I know that better than anyone." His pale hand reached out towards her red hair, causing Barbara to involuntarily flinch under his touch. "I will do my absolute best to make sure no harm comes to you."

Barbara remained still as his fingers started to loosen her pinned-up hair, taking each bobby pin out one-by-one. "Why?" Her voice quavered.

Richard's gaze flickered down to her own, startling her with its intensity. "You have no one, but me."

Her voice hitched in her throat, leaving her speechless. "I-I-" She wanted to protest and tell him she still had her dad. But the music and laughter from inside was a harsh reminder that was no longer true. Richard was right. She was truly all alone now.

"You'll stay with me then?" He wrapped his cold hand around the back of her neck. "I don't want to be alone."

She slowly nodded her head.

"And what I am... It doesn't frighten you?" His stare was unflinching, unblinking. It would have been unnerving if not for his soft and reassuring tone. "What I do? What I've done?"

"No." She had always thought Richard to be good-looking, but right now under the full moon, Barbara realized just how striking he really was. Just as everyone else had whenever they looked at Bruce or Pamela. Although to her, his beauty was so much more overwhelming. To her, it made him look like an angel. "I don't care what you are. All I know is that I want you to be with me. That- That I want you."

"I want you too." Richard smiled as he pressed his lips against hers.

When Barbara eventually looked back at this moment, she only wished that it was built on self-preservation rather than solitude. That it was part of this master plan where she manipulated Richard into an alliance like she originally wanted, gaining a tool to use against Pamela and ultimately Bruce. As much as she would have liked to be this genius mastermind, it was her human weakness that drove her to this moment. It was her desperation and fear that prevailed over any logic and reason. But most of all, it was loneliness that compelled her to return his kiss.

Snow started to quietly fall over them, covering their clothes and hair in flakes of white.

"There's something I must ask from you though." Richard suddenly drew back, running his fingers through Barbara's tresses.

"What?" She whispered, already missing the taste of his lips.

"I need blood to survive." His hands snaked their way down towards her arms. "And it is yours I want."

"Then my blood shall be your nourishment," she said breathlessly, staring at him with complete desire and infatuation.

Taking her arm with his claw, Richard turned it over so her vein was visible to him. He had just pressed his nail against the crook of her elbow when Barbara suddenly tensed up.

"I won't become like you... will I?"

"No. But it's going to hurt," he warned, never taking his hungry eyes off the web of green veins.

Nodding for him to proceed, Barbara turned her head away as he sliced her skin with his nail. She grimaced, feeling her blood begin to spurt out. But as soon as it did, Richard brought his mouth to the wound. Barbara gasped at the sensation, turning to see the boy drinking from her cut. He gripped her arm tighter with his claws as he sucked on it. She looked on with fascination and horror, oblivious to the winged shadow cast down on them.

The shadow of a bat.