THESE VIOLENT DELIGHTS
vii. THE LINES OF FATE
❝DEATH IS INEVITABLE.❞

"DIVISION ISN'T AS DIFFICULT AS YOU THINK, ANA," Charlotte Lovejoy spoke softly, running a gentle hand through the young girl's blonde hair who glared at the math problem on her homework. Anastasia huffed in annoyance, frantically erasing her work again when it yielded no result. It made the older woman smile, pinching her daughter's cheek which caused giggles to leave her lips. "Giving up so easily? I didn't raise you to be a quitter."

"I don't like math," Anastasia complained, setting her pencil down on the dining table. Warm light illuminated the table from above them, showing off every crack in the wooden table. Light only surrounded them, casting the rest of the apartment in shadows. It caused a dreamy state to affect the scene, providing some peace for the young girl as she focused on her mother's amused expression.

A small laugh left Charlotte's lips as she shook her head. "Just wait till you get to algebra."

The sound of keys jingled in the air, followed by the ticking of a clock as it reminded them it was nine o'clock at night. The bulb above them flickered for a moment, but only Anastasia seemed to notice as particles of dust floated around the wavering light. The door swung open, forcing a smile onto the young girl's lips as her father was revealed. He stepped inside, setting his briefcase down on the ground beside the coat rack. "There are my two favorite girls," he called out, closing the door behind him as his darkened eyes focused on them. He proceeded to take off his coat, hanging it on the rack. "What have you two been up to?"

"Ana is working on her math homework," her mother replied, not looking up from the piece of paper as she reviewed the other problems that Anastasia had completed.

The lights flickered again as her father faced them, causing Anastasia to frown as she watched him approach. For a moment, the lights went out completely and she could see her father's image change. His face contorted into a snarl as blood stained his clothing, his skin, and dripped off the blade he held in his hand. A small gasp left her lips, but the light flipped back on and the scene returned to normal.

"Having trouble with math, Anastasia?" William asked, leaning down to place a gentle kiss on her forehead. He patted her cheek, giving her a warm smile before he greeted Charlotte with a kiss.

The scene played out as Anastasia had remembered it, listening to her parents talk about their unpaid bills and the eviction notice they had received from the landlord. The lights kept flickering, morphing the apartment from her childhood to a grotesque version of itself. Black mold plagued the walls and thick gray vines sprouted from the vents and outlets. The light had gone out, plunging the room in darkness. Still, Anastasia's eyes adjusted. For a moment, she glanced out the window to see lightning flash across the sky. She turned her attention back to the room. Spores floated in the air, surrounding the three as her parents argued. Despite sitting beside them, their voices felt miles away as Anastasia tried to focus on them.

We don't have enough to pay for both the rent and medicine.

We can skip a month. It'll be fine, William.

You could die, Charlotte.

Anastasia looked at her mother, truly taking the time to study the woman who she had always looked up to. Her skin had turned a sickly pale and her bones awkwardly poked out in places that it shouldn't. No longer did she have the same glow of life, reminding Anastasia of the corpses she would see on the television. Her mother's sickness was something they could no longer ignore as she inched closer and closer to death. The young girl watched as her mother began to cough, spraying blood all over the dining table. It stained the white of her notebook and seeped into the cracks of the wood. She turned to her father, hoping that he would do something to help. But even in the darkness, she could see his nonchalant expression as his lips twitched upward.

"Papa!" Anastasia gasped out, hoping to break him out of his trance. She stood beside him, tugging on the sleeve of his suit as she tried to get him to listen. "Please, you have to help Mama."

He didn't move. He didn't react to her pleas. Instead, he watched as Charlotte Lovejoy took her last breaths.

Anastasia let go of him, returning to Charlotte's side as she rubbed the woman's back to provide even an ounce of comfort. Her father continued to stare, doing nothing as he began to fade into the shadows as the darkness engulfed him. "Mama, please don't go," she pleaded, taking her mother's hand before giving it a tight squeeze. Her mother's eyes focused on her, giving her a weak smile. "I... I don't want to be without you."

For a brief moment, the light above them flickered to life. If Anastasia had blinked, she would have missed it.

"Ana, my love," her mother began, bringing Anastasia's hand to her lips to place a gentle kiss against it. Tears lined the woman's eyes, creating droplets against her dark eyelashes. Her lips were crimson, caused by the sickness as she coughed blood. "You are stronger than you think, my brave girl. Do not let him win. Bring him to justice. Do you understand?"

She nodded, squeezing her mother's frail hand. "I understand."

Anastasia shot up in bed, panting as she tried to cling to the fading image of her mother. Her dreams had always been strange, but she never had one that felt so real. She could still feel her mother's hand in hers, making a heavy sigh leave her lips as she blinked the tears away. The sound of a door opening made her freeze, causing her to look up as the bathroom door opened to reveal Bruce. He was dressed, buttoning up his white shirt. It made a sigh of relief leave her lips, grateful she hadn't come face to face with her father's bloodstained expression. The stress was starting to get to her, Anastasia could feel it chewing its way inside her. It would only be a matter of time till it would push her over the edge.

Bruce frowned when he noticed she was awake, approaching her with slow steps. "Sorry, darling," he said softly, quickly taking note of her anxious demeanor. He placed a gentle hand on her shoulder, feeling how warm her skin was. In comparison, Anastasia felt how cold Bruce's hands were. He leaned down, placing a gentle kiss against her hairline. "I didn't mean to wake you."

"You didn't," Anastasia reassured, avoiding his gaze. It always felt as if Bruce knew all her secrets while she knew next to nothing about him. Even after all the years they had spent together, he would always remain a mystery that she couldn't figure out.

"Bad dream?" He asked, placing a gentle hand against her jaw to make her look at him. She let out a heavy breath, meeting his blue eyes. Despite the cooler color, his eyes remained warm as his eyebrows furrowed in concern. Bruce cared too much, Anastasia realized. She didn't want to make him worry, so she brushed him off.

"What time is it?"

"Five," Bruce answered, recognizing her avoidance of his question. But, he didn't push. Bruce never pushed. It was what Anastasia liked most about him. He always allowed her to come to him whenever she wanted. And, somehow, he was always there when she truly needed him ━━ even if he had made a habit of being late. "It's too early for you, Ana. You've barely slept three hours."

"Where are you going?" She immediately asked, noticing that he had his shoes on as well. Bruce rarely slept, something Anastasia had grown accustomed to. But, if he was going to dote on her health, then she had the right to do the same. "Shouldn't you be sleeping too?"

"I'm only running some errands," Bruce chuckled, giving her a smile as he reached for a box sitting on the nightstand. Anastasia hadn't noticed it, watching as he held it out for her. "I got something for you."

Anastasia took the box, taking off the cover to reveal a shiny new phone with a lavender finish. She smiled, looking over it to realize it wasn't the same phone she had before. It still had the small Wayne Tech logo near the bottom of the back, but it was a model she didn't recognize. She turned it on, noticing it was set up the same way as her old phone when a lockscreen of her and Bruce popped up. It was taken two years ago on their trip to Seattle. It had been for a business trip since Lovejoy Corp had opened a branch of new hotels on the West Coast.

"I had I.T. restore all your information from the backup on your computer," Bruce informed, giving her a nod. It was sweet that he had grown through the trouble. She would have put it off or had one of her assistants run to the store to get a new phone. "Nothing should be missing. And, it's the latest model that Wayne Tech has to offer. It hasn't even been released for the public yet."

"Thank you," Anastasia said, looking through the phone to assure that everything was indeed still there. All of her pictures were there, making her smile as she scrolled through hundreds of photos she had taken with Bruce, Alfred, and everyone else in her close knit circle. Her text messages, emails, and every document on the phone was still present. It was as if she had never lost her phone in the first place. Though, she did like this new phone better since it seemed to run faster than her old one.

"Alfred and I picked up your car too," Bruce added, digging out her car keys from his pocket to hold it out. She stared at the butterfly keychain, taking it from him as she looked it over. Her keychains never changed. She had switched cars multiple times over the years, finally being happy with the custom-built car that Lucius and Bruce had designed.

She smiled, setting down the keys on her bedside table. "What would I ever do without you?"

Bruce returned the smile, bending down to place a kiss against her lips. His one hand against her jaw kept her close while his other sank into the bed to support his weight. It was as if Anastasia had completely forgotten about her nightmare, focusing completely on Bruce. His hands were still cold, but she enjoyed the sensation against her burning skin. Her back was against the mattress, feeling him readjust his position to where he hovered over her. Still, he did his best to avoid putting his full weight on her. Though, Anastasia definitely would not have minded.

"I haven't brushed my teeth," Anastasia reminded him, pulling away as gave him a sheepish smile. He still hovered over her, chuckling at her words as if he expected nothing else.

"I don't care about that," Bruce teased, placing one more kiss against her lips before he pulled back. He sighed, taking a glance at the watch around his wrist. "I need to go, Ana."

Anastasia scoffed playfully, rolling her eyes at his words as she held his hand. She tugged him toward herself. She held him close, noticing the twitch of his lips as he tried not to smile. "You can't just kiss me like that then tell me you have to leave."

"I'll make it up to you," Bruce promised, gently pulling out of Anastasia's grasp. She didn't attempt to hold on, knowing that Bruce had places to be ━━ even if it was five o'clock in the morning. "But, uh... let's go on a date."

"A date?"

"Yeah," Bruce said, grabbing his suit jacket that was placed around the chair at the vanity table. He shrugged it on, readjusting it to make sure it fitted him correctly. "We've been so busy lately and a night to ourselves might do us some good."

"I agree, I would love to go on a date," Anastasia smiled, realizing that a night out with Bruce may be the kind of stress relief that she needed. It had been too long since she had an evening not devoted to work. She frowned, realizing the date since Harvey's words from the night before. "Though, it can't be tonight. It's the Mayoral debate, remember? We both need to be there to support Harvey."

"Tomorrow, then?" Bruce suggested, grabbing his own keys and phone off the nightstand on his side of the bed. She couldn't help but notice the dark circles underneath his eyes as he stood beside the light.

For a brief moment, the light flickered and Anastasia watched as Bruce's face sank. It contorted into something horrific, bones bent in ways unnatural. It's not real, she quickly reminded herself as she looked away from him. She took a deep breath, staring at the embroidered bedding and focused on its pattern. The lights flickered for a few more moments, Bruce's voice a distant echo. Then, the light had settled. His voice loud and clear, mentioning the last time they had a night out. She met his eyes, forcing a smile to her lips.

"We'll go to your favorite restaurant, watch a movie, and maybe, go to the Fall Festival they have set up?" Bruce continued, unaware of Anastasia's change in mood.

She nodded her head, forcing a smile. "Sounds like..." Her voice struggled to come out, making her clear her throat as she faced him again. "Sounds like the perfect night, Bruce."

He nodded, coming back toward her to give her one last kiss. "Go back to sleep, alright? It's still too early. I'll see you later."

"See you later, my love."

But, Anastasia had no plans to go back to sleep. Once she was sure Bruce had left, she had gotten ready for the day and left the manor at around half past seven. Surprisingly, she didn't see Alfred so she could only assume he was still asleep. Her plan was to go to the medical examiner and obtain the original documents of her parents' death certificates ━━ especially her mother's.

She drove to the address sloppily written on a sticky note, noticing how most of Gotham was still asleep. The city was known to stay alive, even well into the night. But, the early mornings were known to be the quietest as citizens and criminals alike slept. She parked in the small lot of the examiner's office, noticing how the sign said it was a family-owned business. Private autopsies were common in the world of the wealthy, Anastasia assumed. After all, both of her parents had their autopsies done by a private practice rather than at the hospital. The Franklin family ran this practice, a name that Anastasia had heard once or twice before a long time ago. There was only one other car in the parking lot, but the sign said that they were open so Anastasia headed inside.

There was a young girl with midnight black hair seated at the front desk, looking up when she heard the door open. She couldn't have been older than eighteen. Her pale blue eyes followed Anastasia. Her skin was almost white, seeming even paler underneath the fluorescent lights. For the lack of better words, she looked like a ghost. She didn't smile, looking bored as she turned off her phone. "How can I help you?"

"Hi, my name is Anastasia Lovejoy," Anastasia started, pulling out the file she needed from her tote bag. She set the file on the counter, opening it to show the girl the death certificates inside. "I have these certificates for my parents and I just found out that they're copies. I don't have the originals and I... I believe they've been altered?"

The young girl hummed, looking over the pale blue document. She held it up to the light for a moment, noticing the words VOID imprinted into the paper. "Well, they are copies," she commented, frowning as she got a closer look at them. "If these were altered, someone did a really good job of it because I can't see anything wrong with them."

"Well, uh, they had their autopsies done here," Anastasia pointed out, tapping her long red nails against the counter. "I was wondering if you had the original examination documents so I can take a look and verify?"

The dark-haired girl could only stare, making Anastasia feel nervous. Was she giving off too much suspicion? It wasn't as if she was doing anything wrong. After all, it only seemed as if she wanted to get all her documents in order. "Okay, let me go get my dad," she said. "He's with a body right now, so he'll probably have you wait for a little bit before he's ready."

"Okay, it's no problem at all," Anastasia said, watching as the young girl disappeared into the back hallway. She looked around the counter, noticing the name tag that said Olivia Franklin. She also noticed a math textbook and notebook on the counter too.

Anastasia took the certificates, putting them back into her file before she took a seat at one of the couches. While she waited, she went through her notifications. Responding to emails was what took a majority of her time, most of them being from their P.R. team that Regina had reached out to. It was difficult to work with Regina. She cared about Wayne Enterprises as one of the Chairwomen, but she had always shown a clear disdain for Anastasia. Still, Regina was doing her best to protect their reputation as the media tore it apart. Anastasia waited for another ten minutes before an older man came into the lobby, moving slowly as he used a cane to walk.

He offered her a nervous smile. His badge told her that his name was Rupert Franklin. "Mrs. Wayne, what a surprise to see someone like you here," he greeted, giving her a nod as Anastasia stood. "Come into my office with me, we can talk there."

She followed him, sparing Olivia a glance who had gone back to scrolling on her phone as she ignored her homework. Dr. Franklin was a slow walker, causing Anastasia to slow her footsteps. Her heels clicked against the clean tile, making her notice that she could almost see her reflection in it. He opened the door to his office, leading her inside.

His office was small yet quaint with multiple knick knacks that lined the shelves, especially tiny intricate ships in clear bottles. His three degrees were hung on the wall, along with multiple awards he had won. Slowly, he took a seat in his red leather chair, setting his cane against the desk. "My daughter tells me you wanted to see the original examinations for your parents?"

"Yes, I think the copies I own have been altered by someone," Anastasia pointed out, handing the file to Dr. Franklin. He opened it, taking the documents into his hands with surprisingly steady hands. He readjusted the circle glasses he wore, looking closely at the documents.

"It doesn't look like anything to me, Mrs. Wayne," he said, shaking his head as he lowered the documents. His features had morphed into an expression she could describe as sadness. He sighed, clicking his tongue. "You know, I was good friends with your father, William, and Thomas Wayne. I... I had personally done the autopsies for both of them."

"It must have been difficult to see friends in such a way," Anastasia whispered, not realizing the man had been friends with her father. It seemed as if her father had more connections than he let on.

Bruce's parents, Thomas and Martha, had died when he was only eight ━━ close to twenty years ago. And, it was long before the Lovejoys had come into wealth. But, somehow her father had known them and Falcone. They had all been friends. But, not her mother. Charlotte Lovejoy was nowhere to be found in the pictures and she had died almost a year before Thomas and Martha. It confused Anastasia, considering her own timeline of events no longer made any sense in her mind. All she wanted was the clear truth, something that was devoid of lies and made sense.

"Please, Dr. Franklin, if I could only have your original notes from Charlotte and William's autopsies?" Anastasia continued, giving the man a warm smile. "It is all I need to alleviate my suspicions. I want to make sure that I truly know how my parents died."

"Well, the certificates say that your mother was killed during complications during brain surgery and your father was killed by blood loss, having been a victim of a vicious attack. For him, the body was almost unrecognizable." His words were harsh, making Anastasia frown as she tried to ignore the mental image that came to mind. "And, I doubt I have the original documents. We typically purge information after five years. For your mother, it has been close to two decades since her death."

"Can you please just check?" Anastasa asked, letting out a heavy sigh as annoyance began to take a toll. It felt as if the doctor was running circles around her and all she wanted was to reach the finish line. "Something doesn't feel right here, Dr. Franklin. And, perhaps, it is only paranoia. But, it would give me peace of mind if I knew there wasn't some conspiracy behind my parents' death."

He sighed, nodding his head. There was a permanent frown upon his features, blending in with the wrinkles of his skin. His hair was almost white with streaks of midnight black, something that his daughter had an abundance of. A thin layer of sweat glistened against his skin as he reached for a bottle of water at the corner of his desk, taking a few sips before putting it back. "I... I don't see anything out of the ordinary..." He said, clearing his throat as he blinked at the computer. He turned on the projector, showing the files to Anastasia. "Now, this isn't a sight for the squeamish."

Her eyes flickered to the examination notes of Dr. Franklin, noticing pages of sloppy notes written in a handwriting that was difficult to comprehend. When it got to the photographs, Anastasia did not tear her eyes away as she looked at the gore. Her mother didn't look as thin as she remembered, being covered in more bruises than normal. Her neck was covered in purple and blue, making Anastasia frown. But, she didn't say a word when she noticed the surgery scars that were visible from underneath her hair. Her father's images were hard to look at, noticing how his limbs barely remained attached to his body. It made her feel sick, but she forced herself to look as Dr. Franklin explained the deaths.

Eventually, he turned the projector off. "Death is difficult, Anastasia," he began, noticing her blank expression. He sighed, shaking his head. "We all want there to be some miracle that would save our loved ones. Perhaps, even God, himself, to come and revive the deceased. But, we can not change death. It is inevitable."

Anastasia didn't say a word, staring at the wall where the images were previously displayed. She tried to focus on her breathing, but she could feel the pressure growing within her chest and her throat closed up. It felt as if she was being choked, being forced to face her conflicting memories.

"I've had many people like you come here," Dr. Franklin continued, clicking his tongue as he took hold of his cane. She could hear his words, but it was difficult for her to comprehend. "They want to believe that there could still be a chance that their loved one is alive━━"

"I didn't think he was still alive," Anastasia interrupted, facing the doctor with cold eyes. "I only wanted to make sure my father wasn't the one who murdered my mother."

"Well, your mother wasn't murdered so you do not need to worry about that," Dr. Franklin said, forcing a smile to his lips as he clasped his hands together. He looked over the notes, frowning for a moment. "It says here that Thomas Wayne was your mother's surgeon."

"Thomas Wayne?" She repeated, frowning at the information. It didn't seem... right. For so long, she thought it was a coincidence that she and Bruce had aligned on the same path. But, now, it seemed as if their stories had been intertwined long before they knew each other. A dry laugh left her lips as bit her lip, shaking her head. "It's so out of place for my now husband's late father to be the one who operated on my mother."

"I would say it's fate."

She looked back at him, pausing when she noticed the trickle of blood that streamed down his left nostril. "Uh, Doctor?" She drew his attention, pointing at his nose. He frowned, waiting for her to continue. "Your nose is bleeding."

He stood abruptly, grabbing his cane. "Please excuse me."

Anastasia watched him hobble out of the room, hearing him disappear down the hallway. She waited for a few moments, looking around the man's office again. Out of curiosity, Anastasia stood and walked to his side of the computer. In the doctor's rush, he had forgotten to lock his computer. She clicked through her parents' autopsies again, quickly sending herself the emails from the computer. Her phone vibrated in her pocket. However, Anastasia kept looking as her eyes scanned through the doctor's other files. She peeked at Thomas and Martha Wayne's autopsies as well, being informed that they had died due to the gunshots inflicted upon them. Bleeding out seemed painful, making Anastasia wince.

Poor Bruce. She couldn't help but think, knowing her husband had witnessed the murder of his parents at such a young age. He never admitted how much their deaths had truly affected him. She sent herself the Waynes' autopsies too, deciding they may be useful.

Next, she did a broad search on her parents' names in the doctor's files. She found the autopsies that Dr. Franklin had shown her, but there were other files. She clicked on them, but a prompt popped up that requested for her to put in a password.

She tapped her fingers against the table, frowning. Hacking wasn't Anastasia's forte, nor did she know Dr. Franklin good enough to crack his password. So, she decided to email herself the password-protected files and hoped the information would remain when she opened it on her own computer. Fortunately, Wayne Enterprises had a vast employee count in their I.T. department to help Anastasia out. She destroyed any evidence that would show if she did anything on his computer, clearing out the doctor's sent and trash folder. If she wasn't CEO of Lovejoy Corp and Wayne Enterprises, she could have considered a career in I.T. with her skills. Well, limited skills. She still needed to find someone to crack the password.

Anastasia returned to her seat, smiling to herself as glanced at the time on her phone. It had only been about six minutes or so since Dr. Franklin had disappeared. She didn't need anything else from him, so she grabbed her purse and her file before exiting the office.

But, the moment she stepped out, the world faded into darkness as all the lights in the building went out.

A soft breath left her lips as the hairs on the back of her neck stood, making her lean against the wall as she waited for vision to adjust to the darkness. The air tasted stale as she walked down the hall, trying to remember which direction the exit was in.

"Someone help me!"

Screams were heard coming down the hall, making Anastasia pause as she frowned. "Jesus Christ, Ana. You must be losing your mind," She muttered to herself, closing her eyes as she placed a hand against her head. This felt as if it was more than stress, considering she was starting to have hallucinations. She opened her eyes, walking toward the screaming. Her eyes began to make out the walls and objects in the hall, making it easier for her to move. "It's not real. It's... It can't be real."

It wasn't long till Anastasia located the screams, pushing open one of the examination rooms. There was light in the room, flickering rapidly as it illuimated Olivia, the receptionist, and Dr. Franklin. Blood marred the white floors, coming from the stab wounds that Dr. Franklin repeatedly inflicted upon himself.

In and out.

In and out.

The scalpel disappeared into his skin before reappearing a dark red as his blood dripped off it. His daughter tried her best to pry the blade away from him, but her struggles were futile as he continued to stab himself in the chest. Anastasia noticed the filmy grain over his eyes as he stared at seemingly nothing, not reacting to the pain. Anastasia dropped her purse, rushing toward the two to help.

"Dad, please stop!" Olivia screamed, sobbing as she tried took hold of her father's hand to keep him from stabbing himself again. Anastasia held onto his arm, using all her strength to keep the blade away from his skin. Upon closer inspection, Anastasia could see how dilated his eyes had become as he growled at them.

"What's wrong with him?" Anastasia cried out, trying to grab the scalpel from his hands but the older man was too quick. It was so strange to see someone who previously used a cane to stand be so formidable.

He turned the blade to his daughter, trying to sink it deep into her abdomen. But, Anastasia pushed him hard. His head hit the examination table, rendering him unconscious as the blade fell out of his hands. She sighed a breath of relief, taking a glance at Olivia who stared at her father with wide eyes.

"You alright?" She asked.

Her eyes snapped to Anastasia, narrowing as she glared. "What the fuck did you do to him?"

"I didn't do anything," She defended, confused herself why Dr. Franklin had tried to kill himself and his daughter. It didn't make sense and she still felt as if it was all a hallucination. But, if it was all in her mind, the image would have faded already and she would have snapped back to reality.

"I'm calling the police," Olivia spat out, kneeling beside her father as she brushed his gray hair out of his face. His skin was covered in sweat and his clothes soaked with blood. But, the scalpel could only go so deep into his skin. He wouldn't bleed out before the paramedics arrived. "He needs to go to the hospital."

Anastasia nodded, agreeing with the young girl. She bent down, opening one of Dr. Franklin's eyes. His gray eyes were pure black from how dilated his pupils had become. Dr. Franklin still breathed. Anastasia looked around the room, especially at the open door that led into the hallway. The lights were on now, but flickered every so often. She couldn't shake the feeling that they were being watched. She returned to Dr. Franklin, looking over his wounds to ensure he wouldn't bleed out.

"They'll be here in a few minutes," Olivia said, bending down to place pressure on some of the wounds to stop the slow stream of blood. She sniffled, whispering softly to her father in a language that Anastasia couldn't understand.

"I should go..." Anastasia whispered, knowing it wouldn't be a good look if she was caught here when the police arrived. She seemed to be involved in more than enough crimes to last a lifetime.

"Don't you dare," Olivia gritted out, narrowing her cold eyes at the woman. "I told the cops you were involved. It ain't a coincidence that my father tried to kill himself after talking to you."

"I didn't do anything," Anastasia said again, letting out a heavy sigh.

Olivia scoffed. "The police will be the judge of that."

Anastasia didn't argue with the girl, knowing that there was no point in leaving since the GCPD will pick her up at Wayne Manor or Tower as easily as they would here. She knew she was innocent, considering she hadn't done anything wrong. If anything, Dr. Franklin seemed to have a psychotic break. It was hardly something Anastasia could be blamed for. Her eyes flickered to the cameras in the corner of the room that had recorded the whole thing. She decided it would be in her best interest to take her chances with the police.

♡

ORIGINALLY, this chapter was close to 10,000 words but I decided to cut it in half! So, thankfully, the next chapter is completely written but it still needs to be edited. I predict it'll take me another week or two to get it ready to publish. I feel like this chapter wasn't relevant to the Telltale game, but it was important to Anastasia as a character! I am still trying to build her backstory and everything that is going around her character. It's a bit crazy, so I want to build it up before springing it out there! I hope this chapter was still enjoyable though! I really liked writing it! Anastasia has become one of my favorite characters and I haven't been this passionate about a book for a long time.

I wanted to go for a more horror vibe, but I swear scary vibes are super difficult to write. I will need a lot more practice and study before I can write horror. But, I am hoping to see more flashbacks soon so we can get more of William since he will play a huge role!

Next chapter, we'll be at the GCPD and we'll see Falcone for the last time! If you've played the game, you know what is about to go down. I originally wasn't planning on having that scene in the book, but reworking the timeline helped me find a place for it! So, the next chapter will be dedicated to it! After the debate (which takes place at the end of episode 2), the story will begin to focus more on Anastasia and getting that story built up. There will be a lot of Ana and Batman teaming up, so I am super excited to write all of that! I am not too sure what to 100% yet, but I got major plot points planned. So, all I need to do is fill in the blanks.

I do have another Batman fic planned (not Identity Crisis, even though I should be working on that one too), but this one takes place during the Arkham games! I feel as if that book will be very dark since it's a different Batman who is more serious than the one you see in this book. I love how I adore Bruce in every version, but I swear I am in love with that man.

ALSO, I have been listening to Doin' Time by Lana Del Rey on repeat for this chapter, so I swear Anastasia feels more evil in this chapter than she actually is. I swear she's not a villain, but the "Evil, I've come to tell you that she's evil, most definitely" part had me thinking of an villain AU for Ana.

AMARA.
[ PUBLISH DATE ━━ 06.06.2022 ]