(for inyourdreams )

[gcpd]

John had been fiddling with her card for the rest of the afternoon. He really thought about it - really thought about calling her and asking her out on a date. She couldn't have had a boyfriend, right? Otherwise she wouldn't have given him her number. But then maybe she just wanted to "hang out" with no romantic connotations...or maybe he was just over thinking it. It was so unlike John to over think things. He had, after all, been called a "hot head" by the late, great Peter Foley.

But then Bane and Batman had messed everyone up. "Fuck it," he said under his breath and dialed her number on his cell phone.

Comments

[gcpd]

"You know your stuff."

[inyourdreams]

She smiled.

"I'm supposed to say something modest here, but the fact is, I do," she said. "And I'm also good."

[gcpd]

"I'll take your word for it," he said with a smile.

[inyourdreams]

She smiled back.

"So what are you good at?" she asked. "Any hidden talents?"

[gcpd]

He shrugged, looking modest. "Nothing really."

[inyourdreams]

"Oh come on, I just told you I'm like the best architect ever," she said. "You were a detective. I doubt you got that position by being good at nothing."

[gcpd]

He half smiled. "I got the position because I was a 'hot head.'"

[inyourdreams]

She huffed out a laugh.

"I would not have guessed that," she said. "So you like to ruffle some feathers? I'm kind of surprised that's rewarded in the Gotham PD."

[gcpd]

He grew quiet, thinking over what he was going to say.

"I quit because I realized that shiny piece of medal - my badge - it didn't do much. You can't make the city safe if you have to follow orders."

[inyourdreams]

Her smile fell as he got serious again.

"So how then? A cape and a cowl?" she asked, raising a brow.

[gcpd]

He shrugged. "Batman did a lot more for this city than any cop ever did," he replied.

[inyourdreams]

"I think years of keeping the city safe before the Batman ever showed up should be taken into account," she said. "Never mind all the years he just disappeared.

"From what I read, he wasn't exactly a reliable authority figure."

[gcpd]

"Before Batman, the mobs ruled the city. Falcone, Maroni...crooked cops working for them. Everyone was afraid to take them down." It was before John ever became a cop, he was still a teenage boy then, but he still knew what was going on. Boys he knew who aged out winded up dead. "Like I said, Batman did more for this city than anyone."

[inyourdreams]

"Yeah, but in between, who kept the order? Who upheld what Batman initiated, what he stood for?" she asked. "Obviously not every cop is crooked."

She indicated to him.

"I just don't think one man should be held up as the last word on how to keep law and order. For one, no one person should have to hold all that responsibility."

[gcpd]

She had a point. But Batman wasn't just a man.

[inyourdreams]

She shrugged.

"Do you really think you'll be able to do more good for the city without a badge?" she asked.

[gcpd]

"I'm just a man." He looked at her.

[inyourdreams]

"Sorry, I'm not trying to put any pressure on you," she said. "I just don't really understand I guess."

Nor was she one to talk. She wasn't exactly doing her part to lower the crime rate. But she also wasn't particularly interested in trying, like he seemed to be.

[gcpd]

She didn't know, of course. No one could know about what Wanye gave him. "It's fine."

[inyourdreams]

She sighed.

"We can't seem to stay away from heavy topics, can we?" she said, somewhat amused. She hadn't really expected getting into this level of depth in conversations tonight. Not that she really minded. Even with the subject matter, she enjoyed talking to him.

[gcpd]

He smiled a little. "Guess not."

[inyourdreams]

"Are you always this serious?" she asked as their food arrived.

[gcpd]

"I try not to be, I guess." He thanked the waitress.

[inyourdreams]

"It's okay," she said as she grabbed some fries. "Just wondering.

"Although I'm also wondering what it takes to loosen you up."

[gcpd]

"I'm loosened up." He rolled his shoulders back.