Deep sleep…
Deep, peaceful sleep…
Deep, peaceful, WONDERFUL-.
BEEP!!!
BEEP!!!
BEEP!!!
Groaning as her sweet dream shattered like glass, Julia Waters reached blindly on her nightstand for the perpetrator.
Smacking the button with more force than necessary, she sat up in bed and stretched.
Back popping and neck cracking, the tension drained out of her muscles like water out of a faucet.
Running a hand through her waist-length dark chocolate hair, she yawned as the alarm clock blinked the time mockingly.
6:25 AM.
Slightly grumpy, Julia slid out of her warm bed and onto the freezing wood floor.
The closet was already open, boxes spilling out into her bedroom as she reached in for clothes.
Retrieving a pair of jeans and a yellow t-shirt, she proceeded to dig for her lucky shoes.
Once they were in hand, the twenty six year old woman walked out into the apartment.
"Hi, sweetheart."
Her grandfather, an elderly gentleman with shocking white hair and sun-weathered skin, gave a kiss on the cheek.
"Sleep well?"
"Guess so…I'm awake…"
A hearty laugh filled the air, and green eyes twinkled as she smiled in return.
"Coffee?"
"Already waiting for you."
"Thanks, grandpa. You're the best."
Hugging him, Julia went into the bathroom to change out of her over-sized 'I'm an Angel' t-shirt.
Stripping, she fixed her bra, which had gone askew during the night, and pulled on her shirt first.
On the front, it read 'Don't Worry BEE Happy' over a cartoon drawing of a smiling bumblebee.
Tugging on the jeans and tying the laces of faded gold Convers, Julia sped through her morning routine.
Brush her teeth, comb her hair, floss, deodorant, perfume…
Walking out of the bathroom, she felt fresh as a daisy.
Peering into the living room, Julia checked to see if the coast was clear.
Deeming it safe, she stepped onto the carpet...
And was bowled over by the happiest Great Dane this side of Gotham.
"TINY! STOP SLOBBERING!"
But Julia was laughing too hard to be taken seriously, and Tiny continued to lick her face enthusiastically.
"Tiny, down!" Grandpa Mike ordered, pulling once on the huge canine's collar.
Immediately obeying, he sat on the carpet, tail wagging as he looked to them for approval.
Tiny was large, even by Great Dane standards, with large teeth and powerful jaws, but he was still the sweetest puppy-dog Julia had ever met.
"Aw, come here."
Hugging Tiny around the neck, she ruffled his fur and stood up, accepting a towel to clean her face.
As they migrated to the kitchen, he followed happily, claws clicking merrily on the tiles as Julia took a mug of prepared coffee.
"Any good news today?"
"Not so far." Grandpa Mike admitted, settling in a chair with the newspaper.
"There's less and less every day." Julia sympathized, taking a sip of her hot drink.
"…How about the comics?"
Chuckling fondly, he handed over the comic strip section.
Grandpa Mike would be lying if he said he didn't envy his granddaughters innocence.
Pouring a bowl of Froot Loops, the brunette shoveled it in as she followed Garfield's day.
"It's six forty-five."
Taking the hint, Julia gulped down her cream-laden coffee and finished off her cereal before standing.
"Can't keep the kids waiting."
Kissing her grandfather's cheek in goodbye, she donned her father's slightly-tattered Marine jacket and reached for the door.
Before she could even put her hand on the doorknob, Tiny was there, leash in mouth and strange blue eyes standing out against black fur.
"Alright, alright. You can come."
Clicking the leash on and grabbing her purse, Julia opened the door and stepped out into the hall.
"Bye, grandpa!"
"Bye, sweetie!"
Locking it firmly behind her, the brunette walked down the hall, being tugged along by Tiny as they neared the dilapidated elevator.
"Be a good boy." Julia warned as pressed the 'down' button.
Lowering his ears and tail as a sign of obedience, Tiny trotted into the small space with his mistress.
Foot tapping as she waited for the elevator to reach the lobby, emerald eyes flickered to the Great Dane every now and then.
A ding signaled the rickety apparatus was done, and she slipped out, waving to the old man at the front desk.
The streets were as busy as always, though Julia was wondering why anyone would WILLINGLY be up this early in the morning.
Knowing the way to the child care center Julia volunteered at in the mornings, Tiny pulled her along purposefully.
Not fighting it, the brunette checked their surroundings more closely as the sun began to rise.
Even with a giant dog like a Great Dane, no one was safe at any time in Gotham…
Her 'Girl Power' ring tone went off, and Julia flipped open her phone with ease.
"Hello?"
"Hey, Jules! It's Rachel."
"Hey, Rach. What's up?"
"How is that evidence for the Zsaz case?"
"All ready for the court." Jules assured.
"What would I do without you?"
"Probably have very empty prisons."
The child care center came into view, and Jules smiled as Tiny became more eager.
"Don't worry about it. You know no one touches my lab without me finding out VERY quickly."
"That's why you're the best."
"And don't you forget it."
At the front door, she opened it and let Tiny in as the little children shrieked in delight.
"I'll see you at my lab, alright?"
"Alright, see you then."
Closing her phone, she smiled at the happy four year olds clambering all over Tiny.
"Hey, guys! Ready for some fun?"
Long hair pulled into a loose bun and lab coat covering her outfit, Jules carefully put a slide in her microscope.
Stainless steel shining in the light, she glanced at the far corner, where a pile of blankets had been piled to make a bed for Tiny.
Massive head on his paws, the Great Dane stared at the lone door to this sanctuary as his owner worked.
He knew everyone that came through that door, and if Jules didn't like them, he'd be sure to show them out.
Smiling at her voluntary security guard, the brunette turned back to the sample of dust she was analyzing.
'Fine grains, slight luster…'
Jotting down notes in a tilted scrawl, Jules turned to grab one of the books of her shelf to the right.
'Soil samples, soil samples…'
Skimming through, she perked as someone knocked on the large steel door.
Tiny lifted his mighty head, sniffed the air, and wagged his tail before giving a bark.
His signal that it was a friend.
"Come in!"
Rachel Dawes stepped in, looking tired as she held a jumbo-sized plastic cup of pure caffeine.
Also known as Sunshine Caf.
"OOOH, is it my birthday?" Jules wondered excitedly, bouncing over to accept the drink.
"Unfortunately not."
Sipping at the unpolluted adrenaline rush, the brunette studied her friend's face and lowered her drink.
"He got away?"
"Crane had everyone convinced Zsaz was insane." Rachel admitted.
"I know your evidence was compelling, but they didn't even consider it."
"Sorry, Rach…I can only prove he committed the act, not his mental state…"
"There's nothing more you could have done, any more ANYONE could have done." Rachel assured.
"You did great, Jules."
"Yeah…We'll get them next time." Jules stated, smile returning to her face.
"That's what you said last time."
"Well, we have to get them eventually!"
Her optimism seemed to light up the room, and she almost hopped to her table once more.
"I mean, if we work together, there's nothing we can't do!"
Giving a soft laugh at her friend's childish manner, Rachel nodded, looking towards the picture hanging on the wall.
It was of Bruce and them as children, all smiling and laughing together…
"Yeah…I suppose you're right…"
Jules' eyes followed her, and the same lonely sadness filled her green eyes…
'We're just missing a part of our trio…'