From the moment Skylar left Roy's office everything happened like a blur to her. She hopped on to a cab, rushed home and started gathering her belongings. Since she moved in here just about four months ago she didn't have much stuff, making it easier for her to gather.
In about half an hour she was ready. All of her clothes were stuffed in one huge suitcase and two duffel bags. She had to boxes for her books and accessories. After packing them she took out the money she had been saving for the last few months.
She had about fifteen grand. Since she was leaving unnoticed she decided to pay her share of next month's rent along with this month in order to not leave Ashley and Crystal in a tough place.
Obviously the girls were rather surprised with Skylar's sudden move. She had explained that she had gotten a call from her parents, it was a family emergency and that she needed to move back to Central City. Since she put it like that the girls couldn't argue and wished her the best of luck.
When she had gotten out of the apartment she came face to face with the same men from earlier, the guy who approached her in the coffee shop. "Miss Jones, allow me to help," he said, grabbing the suitcase and the boxes.
Within an hour from Bruce Wayne's phone call, Skylar was in a car being driven out of the Metropolis city limits. Up until that point, the adrenalin kept her from thinking clearly, she was only action motivated.
But now that she had a moment to breathe, more like a couple of hours, concerns came flying to her mind. She didn't think this through. What was she going to say to her parents? What about her school?
She was still a student at Metropolis University. What about her tuition, would she be able to get her transfer, would Gotham University even accept her?
What if Roy didn't care about what Bruce told him on the phone and decided to go after her parents anyway? He worked for Steven Mandragora, what if he wasn't afraid of Bruce Wayne? What on earth Bruce even told him on the phone anyway?
What if she made a mistake, an impulsive decision and she messed everything up even further?
As thoughts crept in Skylar's mind and time passed by she drifted to sleep. It was around 7 pm when they left Metropolis and the drive took about five hours.
Around midnight the driver woke her up by gently shaking her shoulder. " Miss Jones, we have arrived," he said. Skylar nodded, sitting up and getting her bags. The guy got her suitcase and boxes and walked to the building.
She didn't know where they were going but she followed him. They got on to the elevator and started going up. They got off on the twenty-fifth floor and started walking again. "Um, excuse me, where are we?" Skylar asked the guy.
" The place Mr.Wayne has prepared for you, it's one of the plaza's he owns, he's rented one of the condos here for you," the men explained. Skylar followed the man in shock. This place was luxurious, one of those places where rich people lived mostly.
The idea that Bruce Wayne went this far for her really made Skylar wonder. In truth, he had so much money the amount of money he had spent for Skylar was nothing to him but it still made her wonder, why would he go in all that trouble?
They stopped in front of a door, with the door number W2556, and the guy put up a card to the lock and the door opened. He left Skylar's belongings inside the entrance, muttered a goodnight and left.
Skylar went inside, closed the door walked in. In the immediate entrance was a small closet with mirrors on front. Upon walking was a living room with the kitchen attached to its right side. On the left, beyond the couches and the TV, was a small but cute balcony.
On the left were a bedroom and a medium-sized bathroom. " Fuck," Skylar whispered as she eyed the apartment. She was going to live here? Bruce Wayne went to all of this trouble and got her an apartment like this?
With a huff, Skylar got to work. She started to unpack. First her clothes, then her make-up and accessories. After that, she organized her books on the empty bookshelf that was in the living room.
It was around three am when she got finished so she threw herself to the big comfy looking bed she was eyeing the whole night and immediately fell asleep.
Skylar woke up around noon. She hopped on to the shower and took a long relaxing bath. After that, she got ready and went out. If she were to live in Gotham now it wouldn't do her any harm to discover the city.
Gotham was a big city, just like Metropolis, and the first thing she did once she got settled into her dorm room three years ago was to go out to the city, blindfolded in a way and discovered it.
She went out of the building and started walking. The first thing on her mind was to find a market so she could buy some hygiene products and some stuff for the house. She could do a more extensive shop once she got to know the area. After that, she wanted to find a coffee shop and a book shop.
The search got her to spend all day walking and exploring. Eventually, after finding the spots on her mental list and walking around she realized she got lost. So she took out her phone and opened the GPS, trying to find her way back. That way she could learn the city better.
When she got back to her new apartment it was around 7 pm. First, she put all of the things she bought to the bathroom and the kitchen. She hopped on to the couch and opened the news.
" The infamous criminal buddies, Harley Quinn and Poison Ivy have been reported to escape from Arkham Asylum last night. The pair, immediately upon breaking free, decided to attack one of the warehouses located outside of Gotham City limits, which is known to produce 40% of the country's chemical and technological advancement. The vigilante, Batman, has been reported to be seen there, capturing the two and turning them over to the Gotham City Police Department. We'll connect to Commissioner Gordon shortly for a statement,"
Skylar sighed loudly as she watched the news. It seemed like Gotham was no less active than Metropolis, but hey, at least the city had Batman, right?
To spend the time Skylar got her computer and searched up Gotham University and specifically the admissions. She knew there was no way they'd accept her in the middle of a semester.
Back in Metropolis, she was a Business major along with a minor in International Relations. Both fields really excited her and getting to work in one of them would be a dream come true. She liked to follow the news and being a Business student, she had kept a close eye on the biggest companies in the country, like Wayne Enterprises, Queen Industries, and Lexcorp. Which is why the last 30 hours or so was so fascinating to her. The man she always read about was now saved on her phone.
The Gotham State University had both programs and it seemed like they had many great alumni which only made Skylar more anxious on whether she'd be able to transfer. She had a decent GPA but was it enough for there?
In defeat, she found the consolation in food and ordered pizza after a quick google search. As she was waiting for it she continued her search on the school and listened to the other news.
About twenty minutes later the doorbell rang. Skylar jumped from the couch, leaving her laptop on the counter behind the couch and grabbed her wallet. She rushed to the door, dreaming of pizza.
She was shocked that when she opened the door she, once again, came face to face with Bruce Wayne. " Mr. Wayne?" she asked surprised. Bruce faintly smiled. " I'm sorry, were you expecting someone else?" he asked back.
Skylar shrugged. " Oh, well, I thought you were the pizza," she replied. " Oh, no, I'm afraid I'm not the pizza, but I hope I'm still welcome," he said jokingly. She gulped. "Of course! I'm just surprised to see you here, I thought you were a busy man,"
Bruce softly shrugged. " I am, but I made you a promise. I just wanted to see how you were settling in," he answered. Then he looked at Skylar and upped his brows. "May I come in? I don't mind talking to you like this but I believe we'd both be more comfortable inside,"
Blood rushed to Skylar's cheeks with his sentence. " Sure, of course, sorry," she mumbled as she stepped aside, allowing him to get in. Bruce quickly looked around the apartment. " Seems like you have already settled in pretty well," he commented.
Skylar nodded as she closed the door then followed her. "Yes, this is a beautiful place, thank you again Mr.Wayne, I don't know how I'll ever repay you," she mumbled. Bruce tilted his head, not responding.
" I've also wanted to inform you that you do not need to worry about your parents. I have friends in Central City and they will be watched 24/7 from now on, from a reasonable distance, of course, to avoid them learning about everything,"
He really did that? He really called up his 'friends' whomever they were and got her parents a protection detail?
" Wow, uhm, that's amazing, oh, well, thank you so much," she sighed. " It seems like all I do lately is to thank you Mr.Wayne," Skylar murmured. Bruce smiled in response. "My pleasure, Miss Jones,"
Then Bruce's eyes drifted off to the laptop standing on the counter and he saw that she was on the Gotham University's page. He walked over there and read the page. " You are thinking of studying in GU?" he asked.
Skylar shifted uncomfortably in her place. " Yes, more like transferring. I was a senior back in Metropolis University, but I don't think no university would accept new admissions in the middle of the semester," she muttered. "I'll probably wait for the next one, or the upcoming fall semester, I'll probably have the tuition by then,"
Bruce turned to her. "What's your major?" he asked. " Business and I also minored in International Relations," she answered. " Pretty," Bruce commented. Skylar thought whether he said that to her academic career or to her while looking at him.
She caught his gaze shifting from her to behind her shoulder, the window and outside. He coughed. " I'm glad to see everything is okay with you, you can always call me if there's a problem Miss Jones, I need to go now," he said.
" Oh, okay," Skylar murmured and the pair walked to the door. "I know I say this a lot, but thanks again for everything Mr.Wayne," she said. Bruce only smiled and he left. Skylar closed the door after her left. Once she did her eyes spotted the image in the sky.
It was a bat-shaped figure reflected in the sky. " Huh, this must be the infamous Bat-signal I've heard about," she said to herself.
Then the doorbell rang again, forcing her out of the zone she was in. "Coming!" Skylar shouted, grabbing her purse and rushing to do the door again. After paying and getting her pizza she hopped on to the couch and grabbed her laptop.
She still had many missing pieces and if Bruce Wayne wouldn't answer them perhaps the internet would. So Skylar did something that would on normal terms embarrass and cringe herself, she opened up a new tab and typed in 'Bruce Wayne' as she ate her pizza.
About an hour and a half later, her research got her nowhere. The only thing she could find on him was the business deals he made along with some donations and his nightlife and the women he had been spotted with. The infamous parties he hosted from time to time.
She watched some interviews of him, talking about a donation he made in Africa for the starving people there, another on United Nations and World Wide Fund for Nature. He seemed so charming on there and Skylar couldn't help but blush.
Then she found an article, titled 'Unkown truths about Wayne Enterprises CEO, Bruce Wayne'. It was on a forum so Skylar didn't know it was legit or not but she clicked on it anyway. It talked about his parents, how they died, and Bruce's childhood. It wasn't a long article and she didn't know whether to believe it or not but she couldn't help but feel sad for him.
Maybe that's why he helped her, if it was true, maybe he helped him because maybe helping those in need as a way of his coping mechanism?
Then Skylar startled with the loud coming from the TV. Her attention drifted to the screen. A woman appeared. " This is just in! After today's events of Harley Quinn and Poison Ivy, it seems like Joker didn't appreciate his girlfriend being handled by the Bat. He has set up a bomb in the Gotham National Bank, along with the security guards as hostages. And look! Batman is here!" the woman on the TV said.
The camera's angle quickly shifted from the woman to the sky. Skylar caught a dark blur jumping from the building they were showing. He landed on the roof of the bank and soon disappeared.
" Idiots, if you announce it the Joker will know he's arrived, there goes the element of surprise," Skylar muttered. But her attention was still on the screen, wanting to know how it happened. Sure, she was a newcomer in Gotham but she knew of Joker, he had attacked Metropolis a few times.
As they were waiting the woman started talking about Joker and Batman and Skylar looked outside of the window. She wondered where the bank was and whether she was closed to it. After a quick search, she found out her new apartment was actually in the middle of the city so she was fairly close to there.
The truth was being from Central City, studying in Metropolis and now being in Gotham City, stuff like this didn't scare her anymore. She was used to it. Ever since she was sixteen the thought of villains and heroes stopped being a big thing since they were part of their daily lives now.
Sure, the first time Flash appeared and his enemies started villainizing the city she was afraid and her parents didn't let her go to school for a week but eventually, everyone got used to it. Now she was watching these news as if they were movies. It seemed like every new day a new villain emerged and tried to destroy a city and the heroes always saved the day.
" Wait, something's happening! I think something exploded," the woman on the TV announced. Shortly after the wall behind her exploded. Someone flew out of it. Then the dark blur appeared beside the man. The two started fighting.
" You've seen it here first people, a showdown between Batman and Joker!" the women said and the camera focused on the two of them. This was the first time Skylar had seen Batman this up close.
Sure she had seen the pictures and other stuff but this was the first time she had seen him in proper action. She was watching the whole thing fascinated. Then Batman threw a punch followed by a kick and sent him to the floor. Before he could get up Batman got on top of him, neutralizing him.
Quickly after the police siren's appeared and Batman got up, throwing the Joker toward the authorities. When the police got close to him he picked something up from his belt, shooting it to the sky, disappearing into the night.
Shortly after that Skylar went to bed thinking about two things in general. How will her life be now and Bruce Wayne.
The next morning Skylar woke up to a phone call. It was another unknown number and looked like it was a corporate number. "Hello?" she picked it up, wondering who would call her.
" Skylar Jones?" the man on the phone asked. "Yes, that's me," she answered. " I am calling from the Gotham University Admissions, your transference from Metropolis University has just been accepted," the man said.
Skylar furrowed her brows in confusion. " My transfer?" she asked. " Yes, it was issued this morning," the man answered. When did that happen? Who did it? " If I understand correctly you're majoring in Business alongside a minor of International Relations, unfortunately since this is in the middle of the semester we're unable to count your credits for this semester. Which means you have to take them in the next semester. But if you'd like you can join some of the courses we have voluntarily. We'll shortly send you an email alongside your student information and you can access the university website with it alongside the necessary information regarding your classes,"
" Okay," Skylar answered, not knowing what else to say. " Good day Miss Jones, we are looking forward to having you at the Gotham University," the man said and ended the call afterward. She was left sitting in her bound, still sleepy and wondering how the hell it happened.
Was it Bruce who did this? He had seen what she was looking yesterday night, but would he still do that after everything he had done for her?
Frustrated Skylar typed his name in Google and the first thing that came up this time was a new article posted an hour ago. It was about the fifty thousand dollar donation he had done to Gotham University Foundation.