To My Hope (Edward Nashton x Vigilante!Reader)

Blowing Up

The news of Wayne Manor's terrible fire was plastered on TVs as soon as you get to the diner, deciding to give Bruce some space. He texts you soon after, letting you know that Alfred's in hospital, and to meet him on the roof when the next signal came up in the air. He attaches an image of his floor spray painted with a mind map of the whole case, and you stare at it for a few moments in interest, before responding.

- That'll be a lovely surprise for Alfred when he gets home -

Bruce likes the message a moment after, and you put your phone back in your pocket, going to look back up at the diner TV. A man staring at you intently from right beside you makes you jump, and he watches in curiosity as you recognise his face. It's Edward, his green eyes partially hidden behind his glasses, the nerdy but unreadable look on his face as you smile slightly.

"Oh, hi, Edward. Didn't see you there."

"Oh, I..." his bashfulness returns, snapping him out of his stare as he looks down at the table, searching for the right words. "It's just... I feel like I know you. F-from before, I mean. I don't... never mind."

You nod slowly, turning your attention back to the diner TV. "Awful, isn't it? The butler's really hurt, apparently. He could have died, with everything blowing up like that."

"It wasn't meant for him," Edward responds quietly. "It was for Bruce... Wayne."

Your gaze flicks back to him at the odd change of voice, and Edward catches on, looking back down at the table nervously.

"That's what they, um, said, didn't they?"

"Yeah," you agree in slight confusion. "I'll be glad when this whole thing is over. It's so... it's just too much. Everything's blowing up, really, isn't it? Still, at least The Batman can help deal with things."

Edward takes in your words with a small frown. "Yes. And Hope."

"And Hope," you repeat, biting back a smile. "Poor girl."

"I know," Edward breathes, "she's been waiting so long, and all she's gotten are letters..."

"Um... that's not really what I meant," you say, confused again. "I meant that they've got a lot to deal with because of the murders and Hope being harassed."

"H- Harassed?!"

Edward's voice suddenly raises, and you flinch as a couple of other people in the diner look up at him in questioning. Edward's eyes widen in realisation, and he flushes in nervousness, quickly getting up and nodding briefly at you before rushing out of the diner.

What the hell was that about?

Your phone vibrates, and you answer Bruce's call with a bewildered frown on your face.

"Meet me on the roof. I want you to meet Selina."

He ends the call before you can answer, and you roll your eyes, getting up and paying before going back to your apartment to get changed into Hope's suit. The skies of Gotham are ironically peaceful, peach shades mixed with warm blues, and The Batman stands at the edge, watching it as you come up and approach him.

"How's Alfred?"

"Stabilising," is Batman's reply. "He'll be alright."

The door of the elevator behind the two of you draws your attention, and a young woman all in black steps out, pulling off her mask.

"Cat burglar pulling another score?"

"What?"

"Wasn't sure I'd see you again. You know who this is," Batman adds, glancing in your direction. Selina's eyes focus on you, lips twitching up into a tired smile.

"Yeah, you're Hope, right?" she says in interest. "Selina. Nice to see another pretty girl take control for a change."

You smile back, nodding. "Sorry about your friend. He's kept me updated."

She shakes her head in disgust at the mention of it. "I mean, how could they do that to her? That piece of shit cop Kenzie..."

You can't help tuning out to their conversation as you think about the letters you've kept from The Riddler back at your apartment, the photo album with all the candid shots of you from around the city. You imagine the beautiful thoughts of you helping people, making a change... and a future serial killer watching it all giddily, snapping photos in dark corners, tainting the beauty of it all until that dark corner spread throughout the entire experiences.

"-Because he's my father!"

You look up from where you're gazing out at the sky, eyes round.

"Who?"

"Falcone," Selina says, voice lower now. "My mother worked at the 44 Below. Just like Anni."

Your phone vibrates again as she talks, and you sigh, answering it and moving away from them with a quick apology before you answer the call.

"Hope? It's Gordon."

"How'd you get my-"

"With a lot of hard work. Look, I need you to come to the station. I need to show you something, okay?"

"I've got to go," you tell Batman and Selina. "Sorry. Gordon's asking."

"What for?" The Batman asks, and you shrug.

"Not sure yet. But I'll meet you after."

"Hey- hang on," Selina says, going over to you and taking your phone, adding a new contact. "Call me. You know, if you're interested."

You look up at her dark eyes with a raised brow. "Interested?"

"Yeah."

You nod with a smile before leaving, heading to Gordon's office in the GCPD building. He waits impatiently for you, a video up on his computer.

"You've seen the video The Riddler's made about Bruce Wayne, haven't you?"

"No, no yet-"

"I'll send you the link. But I need to show you the one about Hope."

"About what?!"

Gordon shakes his head, pressing the play icon in the middle of the screen, and the all too familiar, ominous voice of the Riddler plays with the slideshow of similar shots to the ones in the photo album and news reports of your past successes.

"Hope. The one source of light in such a cesspool of a city. She came out of nowhere to help the scum who didn't need it, and the weak who did. Amongst all the chaos and confusion in Gotham, an angel is amongst you doing the work that everyone is so undeserving of. There's only one way that all will be as it should."

The video cuts to The Riddler then, his face at an odd angle on the screen, eyes blown wide in emotion and twisted happiness.

"Soon, My Hope and I will be one, and when that time comes, the day of judgement be upon you all... Goodbye, My Hope. Soon... so very soon."

The video stops, the triangular play icon reappearing on the computer screen, and you stare at it numbly, your breaths trembling between your lips.

"What does he mean, 'soon'?" you whisper in questioning, as Gordon forwards the videos to your phone.

"Nothing good," Gordon responds. "Maybe it's when we find him. All of this will end in us finding out where he's hiding. I promise you, Hope, I won't let him do anything."

"How can you promise that, Jim? At some point, I'm gonna have to face him."

"You've faced worse than this," he insists. "I believe in you. You'll be alright."

But you're not so sure. Everything's truly blowing up, and there's no way to stop it.