"Not fit to live in the city?" Melissa asked.

"You are a defenseless woman. Practically a damsel in distress. Your lack of basic instinct demands that you be rescued by someone more capable than yourself," He told her.

Melissa's hand wished she had a hot cup of tea or a hot skillet to bash his head in. Screw having saved his life, he thought she was defenseless!

He seemed to know what she was thinking because he sighed and shook his head.

"Don't go acting all self-righteous and indignant," He muttered. "It's unbecoming of you."

"How would you know?" Melissa demanded. "You've been in my presence all of five minutes, maybe."

"The car ride the other day doesn't count then, I suppose."

"You were unconscious," Melissa snapped.

"And neither does looking at that profile of yours online?"

Melissa paled.

"What profile?" She asked. Please, please God, please don't let it be that damned da-

"I believe it's called Facebook, although I did see your dating profile," He saw the agonizing embarrassment on her face and smirked. "Don't worry, it didn't help me find you. You are in no way going to be stalked by any undesirable men that find you on that website, though I would recommend changing your Facebook settings."

Dammit. Melissa knew that damned profile her mother set up for her was going to come back to bite her in the ass. She was going to delete that thing as soon as possible.

"I'll consider it," Melissa snapped.

"You should," He told her. Ducard looked around the room and sighed in distaste. "Is there any particular reason for the towels and the duct-tape?" He asked.

Melissa stared at him in confusion. "Don't you remember what happened the other night?"

"The other night?" He asked.

"Everybody was going crazy. There was this...hallucinatory gas," Melissa explained.

"And you used the towels and tape to keep it out," He muttered. "I'm guessing other citizens of Gotham managed to do the same. A shame."

"A shame?" Melissa asked. She glared at him, her hands turning into fists. "People were ripping each other apart, kids were out there, and you're calling it a shame that some of us managed to keep that gas out of our homes?"

"Yes."

"What kind of monster are you?"

"I'm the one that vaporized your water, creating the gas that you managed to protect yourself from."

"Wh-what?"

He could feel her staring at him before she sat down at the other end of the small dining table and took up her fork. He ate a bite of the microwavable meal she had given him and surmised it wasn't terrible before looking up at her.

"Does it bother you, Melissa?" He finally said. She jumped slightly.

"Hmm? Oh, um, what? Does what bother me?" She asked, looking down at her own microwavable slop.

"Does it bother you that you are sitting here, eating dinner with the man that caused your city so much horror and death?" Ra's asked. He watched as she chewed slowly.

"A lit- okay, that's a lie," Melissa said quietly. She tucked her hair behind her ears. "It does. A lot."

"I assumed as much," He said. "Tell me, Melissa, what do you think was my reasoning?"

"Behind the mass-terror and murder?" Melissa asked. "I have no clue."

"Would you like to?"

"Wouldn't anybody?"

Ra's took the bottle of cheap wine from the middle of the table and poured them both a glass. Melissa grabbed the bottle from his hands and filled her glass almost to the brim.

"I feel like I'm gonna need this," She muttered, taking a sip. She set her glass down before making eye contact with him. "Why did you do it?"

"Gotham's time has come."

"Oh, Jesus," Melissa muttered. She took up her cup again and took a large gulp of wine.

"You believe I am crazy," Ra's said.

"Who wouldn't? Gotham's time has come?" Melissa asked. "An entire city full of people with dreams and families and full of people who can still love and you think the entire city is doomed?"

"There may be those few good people left, Melissa," Ra's said slowly, making sure she fully understood the words he was about to say. "Make no mistake. I do understand that. However, Gotham City is infected by men who act as monsters do-"

"And the monsters have condemned an entire city in your eyes?" Melissa asked, her tone losing its hostility and gaining a curious undertone. Interesting. "How is that-"

"Possible?" Ra's interrupted. "These monsters that parade around as men have spread injustice and suffering. It has corrupt those who should be incorruptible. Gotham City is beyond saving. That is why I do what I do," He confessed. "My name is not Henri Ducard. It is Ra's al Ghul. I am the leader of an organization called the League of Shadows. We are centuries-old and we have destroyed all cities that have outlived their existence. Like Gotham. Gotham is plagued, and it is beyond saving. You know that, don't you, Melissa?" He said, taking a drink of his wine. She fidgeted in her seat. He let a small smile grace his face. "Yes, you do. I can see it in your eyes. You live in the most infected area of the city; The Narrows. You know it every time you hear a gun fired, or hear someone scream, or a child cry."

"But should those crying children be subjected to the punishment of those that cause them to cry?" Melissa asked quietly, her voice breaking. He'd caught her, and both of them knew it.

"It is unfortunate, Melissa," He said quietly. He left his chair and stood behind her, placing his hands on her shoulders in a comforting way. "That there should be collateral damage. It is unfortunate, but it is necessary. Perhaps one day you will see that," He took his hands from her shoulders and turned to walk into the living room. "I'll sleep on the couch," He called back to her. "Where do you keep your blankets?" She unfroze and stood, walking towards a closet in the hall and pulling out a few blankets and pillows. She silently handed them to him.

"Goodnight," She muttered, walking into her bedroom and quietly closing the door.

Their wine glasses were left on the kitchen table.

A/N:

So...there's chapter 3!

Stitcher: Oh no, he's definitely not leaving :)

xSiriuslyPadfoot: Haha, yay! I'm happy you like it so much! I hope you like this one as well :)