So, I saw the Joker movie, which is so fucking amazing and phenomenal, and I got really heavy muse for this story idea. I am kind of posting this as a trial to see the type of feedback it gets. But if you like dark and twisted in the way they played with the themes in Joker, I promise you are going to love the future of this book. I 100% welcome all criticism and pointers, just please keep it out of the bullying range because cyber-bullying is illegal and also because no one deserves that kind of hatefulness. There's a difference between expressing how you don't like a piece of writing versus bullying the author over their abilities and ideas. But I really hope you guys enjoy this, because I really love this idea and I want you guys to love it too.

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She tapped her pen against the open notebook to the beat of the loud and upbeat song playing in her earbuds whilst she studied. Her other hand cradled her left cheek as she fought off exhaustion. Did the clock across the room really ready 2:37 AM? She'd really been there for a grand total of six and a half hours. That was now three cups of coffee and two granola bars to help keep her awake.

"Let's take all of the hard classes first semester of your freshman year, Emma, real nice thinking," the brunette muttered to herself, "it's not like you didn't anticipate finals are going to be hell."

While finals season wasn't upon the students of Gotham University just yet, that didn't mean professors weren't trying to cram in one last exam before a hell week worse than rushing for a fraternity or sorority reigned its terror over the scholars. Currently, Emma was studying vigorously for her psychology exam she had at a bright and early 8 AM. That was five hours and twenty-three minutes from now. Damn Dr. Jonathan Crane and his need to be such a hardass. As much as Emma tried to kiss up to him, he was still the biggest dickwad of her professors.

Emma abandoned tapping her pen and began to write her name in pretty cursive over and over again on a flashcard she was supposed to be comparing and contrasting cognitive and social developments on. Emma Rose Wayne littered the flashcard and she could slowly feel herself dozing off as the pen gliding over the piece of paper. As her cheek began to slip out of the grip of her hand, she bolted back up and groaned. Emma reached up to rub the sleep out of her eyes so she could get back to finishing up this flashcard set. While the end of it seemed to close, it also seemed so far away at the same time. She just needed something to keep her awake since apparently she'd built up caffeine tolerance and her 2000's Pop Hits playlist wasn't doing the job.

She'd probably have a better time staying awake if her roommate, Naomi, had joined her for the night of studying and homework doing. Alas, Naomi insisted tonight was to be spent with her boyfriend, who was a basketball player on the college team, considering his nights were consumed with practice. Emma got an earful of a dramatic explanation about how this was his one free night before she'd never see him again until after Basketball season had ended. Just some form of human contact was all she needed. Wait. She knew who'd be up right now.

Emma picked up her phone next to her she pulled the earbuds adapter out of the headphone jack and removed the buds from her ears. Her music paused itself while she typed in her phone passcode. Once in, she opened the calling app and typed in a number she'd had memorized since she was eight years old. The eighteen year old put the phone up to her ear and smiled, hoping the person on the other line would answer her. The line rang three or four time before the noise of the line picking up sounded.

"I thought I told you not to use this line unless there was an emergency," a dark and gruff voice spoke into the phone.

"How did you know I wasn't in any danger?" Emma smirked.

"I can hear you smirking, Emma," the voice spoke again.

The girl chuckled before leaning back in her chair, "I am my father's daughter. You almost done with your patrol or are you chasing a lead?"

The voice on the other end sighed tiredly, "I'm heading back in now, not much went on tonight besides trying to round up all the Arkham escapees. What are you doing up so late? It's nearly three."

"I guess I got the night owl gene," Emma snickered, "I have a Psych exam tomorrow and I was gonna literally lose it if I didn't talk to someone. Naomi's with her boyfriend and no one else would come with me to the library for this liberating all nighter. I heard about that escape on the news, did they manage to round everyone back up?"

"For the most part," the voice responded as an engine revved in the background of the call, "After I get home it'll be back to being billionaire playboy Bruce Wayne until it hits time for Batman to kick some ass again."

"Don't keep yourself up, don't want another picture of you asleep in one of those corporate meetings to go viral again on Twitter," Emma teased as she looked up to see a man standing in the library. Was he..staring at her?

"Speak for yourself, you've got an exam in a few hours," Bruce reminded the girl.

Emma narrowed her eyes as she watched the man stare in her direction, "Yeah.." her voice trailed off before she turned to see if someone was behind her that he could be staring at."

"Everything alright?" Bruce's voice came from the phone, signalling he'd noticed the change in her voice tone.

"Uh-huh," Emma answered as she looked back at the man that was 100% staring at her, "Sorry, I'm just exhausted," she quickly lied, not wanting to concern her father.

There was an amused chuckle from the other end of the line, "Sounds like you need to catch a few z's as well, why don't you head back to your dorm?"

Emma was already gathering up her stuff as Bruce spoke, "Yeah, I am, just packing my stuff up now," she responded as she tried to shove everything back in her backpack while also not taking her gaze off the staring man. This time she noticed he had long shaggy hair that hung down to about his shoulders. However, much of it seemed to be in his face and stuck to his forehead. Either he'd just gotten out of the shower, or it was matted to his face by sweat.

"I'm nearly back to the cave, I'm gonna get off the line, you sure everything's okay? You sound off," Bruce asked, genuinely something was up with Emma.

"I promise, dad, I'm fine," she assured as she slung her backpack over her shoulder while she gripped her pepper spray in her free hand, "Look, I'm about to leave the library, I'll text you when I make it back to the dorm."

"Stay safe, call me or Alfred in you need anything," Bruce insisted.

"I will," Emma spoke as she began to walk towards the doors of the library. The only thing she hated about this was that fact that her back was turned to the man that was staring at her.

"Be safe, love you, Emma," Bruce sighed.

"Night, love you," the eighteen year old responded before she pulled the phone away from her ear and glanced over her shoulder to see if the strange man had been following her. Relief washed over her when she saw the man was no longer where he was standing, but he was completely out of sight.

Maybe she was being paranoid. That was another thing that came with Wayne attached to you as your last name. You were always going to get those people that weren't your biggest fan because they didn't like what someone who came before you did. Thomas Wayne was Emma's someone. She never quite knew what happened because Bruce never liked to talk about it, and she never could bring herself to ask Alfred either. It all seemed like too much for them, and she didn't want to intrude on something they weren't comfortable speaking about. Or maybe they were scared about what Emma might come to think of Thomas Wayne. As far as she knew, he was a great man who did as much as he could to help anyone who needed it. Deep down, she knew there was so much more to her deceased grandfather and she figured she'd find out about it when the time was right. If the time ever was going to be right. Right now, her concern was making sure the creep who was watching her wasn't following her.

Emma made her way down the street towards her dorm in the chilly fall night. It was that part of the season where it was still fall, but they were just on the brink of winter. And if anyone knew anything about Gotham, it's that it was always incredibly cold that time of year. The streets were nearly empty except for the few cars that would pass by every once in awhile. Emma tried to walk as fast as her legs would take her in the cold weather, but she could feel her muscles becoming stiff from the cold. Every few seconds she would glance over her shoulder to make sure no one was behind her. Was her hand going numb from gripping the pepper spray? Did that bush next to her just rustle in an unusual way?

No, that had to be the wind. But wait. It wasn't really that windy.

Was that cracking sound someone's car exhaust or a gunshot in the distance?

There's a strange figure walking in the opposite direction on the opposite side of the street. He had something in his hands. Oh wait, it's just a pizza box from the local late night pizzeria on campus.

Emma rolled her eyes for being so paranoid with herself. She honestly was probably overreacting. Besides, her dorm was literally in sight and probably just a two or three minute long walk from where she was. The brunette released her grip on her pepper spray, and turned her head over her shoulder for another check to make sure no one was following her. This time, she felt her heart skip a beat. It was the man from the library. But how was he so close to her? He wasn't there 30 seconds ago when she'd last checked behind her.

The student sped up her pace as she neared her dorm. Just a few hundred feet and she'd be there. She glanced over her shoulder once more. He was tall, but not incredibly tall. He was wearing a pair of washed out jeans that were baggy on him.

Another glance. He wore a long sleeve shirt underneath a dark beige jacket.

One more glance. His was incredibly slender, barely any meat on his bones.

Emma was now in a light jog as she made her way back to the dorm. Her grip on her pepper spray returned and her lungs stung from breathing in the cold air whilst she jogged. Was he speeding up his pace too? She didn't even wanna look.

She ran up the entryway to the building after nearly sprinting across the street. Once she made it to the front glass door of the building, she reached for the handle and went to yank it open. To her dismay, she found the door wouldn't budge. Her breath hitched before it hit her that it was almost 3 AM. The doors to the building locked at midnight and after that you had to use your student ID to scan in and enter the building.

Emma fidgeted in her pocket for her phone, but before she pulled it out, she glanced behind her again to see this man had now only been maybe 5 yards from her. Emma let out a distressed cry as she pulled her phone out, her hands shaking as she pulled her ID out of her phone wallet. She quickly put the ID up to the scanner and waited for the light to turn green so she could enter. As soon as it turned, Emma yanked the door open and bolted inside the building. In her attempt to escape the man that was following her, she ran into someone she recognized to be an RA in the building.

"Hey, woah, what's up with you? You take speed at a party or something?" the boy asked.

"No!" Emma breathed out, trying to catch her breath from running in that cold air, "That man! At the door, he followed me from the library!" she pointed to the door.

The RA frowned and walked a few steps forward so he could look outside. He turned back to Emma looking confused.

"There's no man out there, the front of the building is empty...are you sure you aren't on something?"

"No I'm not on anything! I swear to god there was a man following me home from the library, he was literally six feet from me when I walked into the building!" she argued back, hoping he'd believe her.

"Whatever you say...just head up to your floor and get some rest, you look like hell," the boy commented before he continued to walk on to wherever he was going.

Emma frowned and glanced back outside. There was nothing. No one there. But there was also no way that she imagined that.

Completely defeated, Emma turned towards the elevators so she could go up to her floor and get some hard earned rest before that damned exam tomorrow.

Little did she know, a long haired man in ragged and worn clothing watched her from the darkness, taking in her appearance. The way she moved. Her little ticks. The way her face contorted to one of terror when she realized he was following her. Maybe that chair she was sitting in for so long still smelled like her. Maybe she left some eraser shavings behind for him to collect and store.

She was going to be a fun little toy to play with and ultimately destroy.

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Please Please Please Please let me know what you think! Love y'all!