Chapter Rating: R
Warning: Violence, mild language and attempted non-con(non-graphic).

AN: This chapter is un-beta'd, so beware that i might have missed some spelling/grammar errors during my editing. To those who reviewed and set alerts on my story, thanks. I am having a pretty good time writing this so far and here's hoping the euphoria continues. Feedback is much appreciated!

The first time Harry saw Gotham City he fell in love with it, which was surprising considering it was the crime capital of the world. However, there was something majestic about the tall skyscrapers artfully arranged throughout the city and the modern gothic bridges that connected the bustling island city to the rest of the world. There was crime, drama and intrigue on every corner of every street and the criminals of the world had long since immigrated to the Gotham streets confidant in their rule over the everyman. However, the city was starting to fight back with the appearance of a lone caped crusader willing to do the job for a police force that couldn't or wouldn't do it for themselves. There was hope in a city that had lost it long ago and it was awe inspiring to see the meager beginnings of a city on its way to taking its streets back from the criminal underworld.

Gotham City was beautiful in all its gritty glory and Harry just somehow knew he had come home.

A week after arriving in Gotham Harry was settled for the most part. He had rented a small flat set on the top floor of an old gothic building built in the late 1800's that had a stunning view of the city skyline, especially at night. It wasn't big, but it suited his needs fine and had a bit of character; light years away from the cookie cutter floral explosion that the Dursleys had called a home. The building wasn't in the best part of the city, but then again not many places were safe in Gotham anyway.

Since arriving in Gotham Harry hadn't done too much, instead taking the time to get the small flat situated to where he felt like he had a true place to call home so far away from all he knew. After the first week though, he ventured out into the city wanting to get to know it more thoroughly with acquiring a job in mind. The whole point of the move was so that he could figure out what he wanted to do with his life and not have the pressure of the wizarding world's oppressive eyes looking over his shoulder.

Throughout the day he walked around the city, ever the tourist he saw the sights like the modern museum at the heart of the city or Gotham's landmarks such as Wayne Tower. It was by chance that he happened to ask the lobby receptionist if the company was hiring and before he knew it he was hired for a position in their mail room.

His job was to distribute the mail through the building to all of the individual departments. It was a menial job, not requiring any previous experience, but Harry liked it and the people he worked with. Money wasn't really a problem, as his inheritance from his parents and Sirius was more than enough to live on for several lifetimes, but Harry was never one to just lie about. After a childhood growing up with mounds of chores in the Dursley home and seven years as the quasi-leader of the war against Voldemort, the need was ingrained in every part of him to have a purpose in life. The last two years had kept him from doing that, but Harry was glad to now be able to live his life away from the trappings of wizarding life.

Several days after starting work at Wayne Enterprises, Harry walked through the accounting dept. and stopped his trolley just outside the manager's office to began sifting through the day's mail separating the department's mail bundle into different piles.

"Did you hear about his latest escapade?" murmured a woman from inside the office. Her voice held a gleeful excitement to it as she spoke.

"No, what did he do?" Another voice whispered back.

Harry could hear the scrape of a chair being pulled forward and the giggle of a feminine voice from inside. Looking around the floor, he wondered if he should move away and sort the mail in another location. Gossip never was his cup of tea.

"Apparently, while on his business trip to secure the new takeover, Mr. Wayne was caught in flagrante delicto in an elevator with some Spanish heiress… there even seems to be" a cough followed by a giggle " some quite incriminating photos flying about the internet."

"Wow, he really knows how to live the good life, doesn't he?" The other woman laughed.

Harry blushed at the image the conversation created in his mind. Bruce Wayne was by far the most gorgeous man Harry had ever seen. In print and on the TV he looked stunning, but in person – well, Harry even twenty feet away had bumbled around like an idiot in the man's general vicinity the first time he saw him. Harry hadn't even talked to him, let alone entered the billionaire's field of vision and he already had a serious infatuation with Bruce Wayne.

Mr. Wayne had been there the first day that Harry worked, but had left for a business trip to Spain that same day and had yet to get back. But, he was supposed to be back the next day and Harry would have to deal with his infatuation soon, as he was the one to deliver the mail to the man's executive assistant every day. Harry was bound to run into him at some point and that had Harry nervous.

Harry had dated over the years here and there, mainly Ginny, but a few other men and women as well. However, his experience for the most part was fairly lacking, especially with someone like the billionaire. Mr. Wayne had a commanding aura about him that just drew Harry in like a bee to honey. He had a strong and determined outlook to the world and if Harry wasn't mistaken, he had a very dominant personality. Even more, he seemed to truly care about his employees and their welfare, which was uncommon for such a large corporation, making Harry like him just a little more.

Sure, he seemed to have a very public and indiscreet personal life, but Harry knew first hand that not everything reported about a person was true or even based in reality. So, he really couldn't hold the man's reputation against him.

"Do you ever think he'll settle down with some lucky lady one day?" The first woman asked skeptically. "I think he'll be a confirmed bachelor for life… he seems too caught up in chasing every willing floozy he can get his hands on."

"Oh I don't know. Every once in a while I see this look in his eyes during our interdepartmental meetings… he kind of gets this far away look. Its not your usual "hopelessly in love – can't get you off my mind" kind of look, it's more a lost and yearning one… I think someone someday is going to be a match for him and he'll find that same kind of love his parents had."

"I didn't know you had been here that long?"

"Hmmm, oh yes, feels like I've been here forever." She chuckled. "I only started working here shortly before they were killed, but the way they looked at each other like they were their whole world… well; I can only hope that I find that kind of love someday."

Smiling, Harry finished sorting the mail and knocked on the open door to deliver it.

Walking home later that evening, Harry kept a steady pace with both hands in his pocket; one was gripping his wand and the other a collapsible baton. For the last few minutes he had the feeling he was being followed, but every time he looked behind himself, there was no one there. He could hear the soft clap of a pair of boots behind him hitting the pavement in an even stride to match his. Harry was fairly sure it was some local thug following what he thought was an easy target and Harry was more than willing to prove the person wrong if he had to.

Years before he had begun training for his purpose in the final part of the war, training in both magical and muggle methods to defend and engage an enemy. The magical aspect had taken him years beyond the usual Hogwarts curriculum into advanced courses such as Defense Against the Dark Arts, Transfiguration, Charms, Medi-wizardry. And the muggle methods had taught him strategic planning, hand-to-hand combat and martial arts. The Order had wanted to give Harry the best chance he had to defeat Voldemort and their efforts had proved more than useful.

Behind him, Harry heard the addition of another person's tread on the pavement and decided to hurry up his pace to try and get to his apartment building before they decided to attack. Turning his head slightly to look at the two behind him, he saw two men leering at him.

Muggles, well that ruled out using his wand. Ignoring the leers, Harry hurried up his pace even more. If he wasn't so secure in his masculinity he'd probably take offense at how often he got leered at and propositioned by men. It was the pretty face and the youthful looks that he had never quite grown out of. He had a bit of an androgynous look about him, startling eyes, pouty lips, long black lashes, slim hips… he knew what those men saw and what they'd like to do to him.

Just as he passed the alley before his building, a pair of hands appeared from the alley's shadows and pulled him in. In a fast spin, Harry whipped out his baton with a metallic schlink and gave a vicious hit to the man's neck with the baton, causing his attacker to stumble back with a choked cry as he gripped his throat trying to get air to flow back into his body. The sound of running feet came from behind Harry and he twisted to the side just as a crowbar was swung towards his chest, the metal scraping the top layer of skin and a few drops of blood beaded to the surface.

Taking a few steps back, Harry eyed the now three men that blocked the alley exit.

"Let me go and I won't hurt you." Harry stated firmly as he held his body in a loose stance, ready for another attack.

One of the men laughed, as the other two gave leering grins at him. "I don't think you in any place to be making ultimatums, pretty boy… just toss the stick aside and I'll make it an almost painless experience. We'll have our fun, take your valuables and let you on your way."

"Yeah, that sounds like a winning argument." Griping the baton, Harry eyed the alley, looking for any other way out. There was a window about six and a half feet of the ground towards the back of the alley, but it was too small and too high to get to quickly. At 5'6" Harry would barely be able to grip the windows ledge without a boost of some kind.

"Well, with that tight little ass things'll be snug… can't win'em all, pretty boy." The man licked his lips as he shared a look with the other two and took a step closer. "Now, do you want to do this the easy way or the hard way? It is gonna' happen, so choose a lot of pain or a little. Makes no different to us."

"Since I know you'd sooner kill me than let me go after seeing your faces, I think I'll go with no pain at all, thanks." Harry gritted out just as he saw a black shadow sail down from the roof across the street.

The three men charged Harry, the leader taking a swing towards Harry's head as he closed in. Dropping into a crouch, Harry swung a leg outwards catching the man's ankle and sending him toppling over, cracking his head soundly against the concrete. Another landed a punch to Harry's upper chest making him fall backwards into a controlled roll. Jumping to his feet he sent his baton flying towards the two men catching one on the head as the black shadow reached them and flung one of the men against a nearby wall with a growl. The shadow then spun the other man around and landed three consecutive punches to the man's stomach and a solid kick to the side of the man's head. The attacker crumpled to the ground below in unconsciousness.

Just as his rescuer turned to him, Harry saw the man who had hit the wall running towards the shadow with his crowbar held high. "Watch out!"

In two quick steps, Harry threw his leg up in a high kick, the boot connected to the attacker's jaw with a crunch and the man flew back a few feet to land in a heap near one of the other unconscious attackers.

Taking a breath, Harry looked around at the three unconscious men and grinned, that had kind been fun. He hadn't had a good workout like that in a while. Looking up at the man standing a few feet away in a black Kevlar suit and a mask, Harry cocked his head to the side in interest.

"You know when they talked about a bat man in the papers, I figured it was figurative not literal."

"You shouldn't be out here alone after dark." The Batman said in a growly voice, ignoring Harry's statement.

The low growl sent a shiver down Harry's spine in awareness. That voice could be bottled as pure sex appeal and the body attached to it wasn't half bad either. Not that Harry could see any of it, but the Kevlar suit over it was no doubt molded to the man's tall muscular body like a glove. The broad shoulders and the powerful legs… the height! He had to be at least 6'2". Harry had always had a thing for tall guys; there was just something about a tall man towering over him that got him hard in a second.

"Thanks for the help and the advice, but I think I can handle a couple of thugs." Chuckling, Harry collapsed the baton and shoved it into his pocket, flinching slightly as he moved, his ribs had taken a hard hit. "So, have plans for these three or do you practice catch and release?"

Batman's lips twitched slightly before he spoke. "I'll deliver them to the precinct to be arrested."

"Ah… well, have fun with that then." Smiling, Harry made his way towards the alley's opening, stopping at the sound of Batman speaking.

"Wait, I'll escort you home." Batman quickly bound the three mens' hands and feet with a couple of flexicuffs and then walked to Harry.

"That's quite chivalrous of you, Batman, but I really don't need an escort. My buildings right over there and besides, like I said I can take care of myself." Harry walked out of the alley and across the street to the entrance of his building ignoring the feeling of the man's gaze on him.

Unlocking the apartment building's front entrance and walking inside, Harry caught Batman's eyes; he grinned and winked at him before closing the door. The man certainly knew how to captivate an audience. Laughing, Harry took the stairs two at a time, reaching the fifth floor a minute later and entered his flat. On impulse he walked to the window facing the street and watched a big black all-terrain vehicle rumbled to a stop beside the alley. Batman quickly tossed the three men into the back of it and then paused before looking up towards Harry's apartment window. They looked at each other for a few moments before Batman rounded the vehicle and got inside.

Closing the curtains with a soft smile, Harry heard the black behemoth rumble away into the night.

To be continued…