Mommy Fiercest

Thoughts

Sexy Scarecrow Voice

Speech

A/N: Finally the long anticipated sequel to Housekeeping!

Chapter 1: Fishing out the Enemy

Two weeks, it's been a hellish two weeks since my men were taken from me and it's been dragging me down. Without Joker's food I've barely kept anything in me and I've been running my goons ragged trying to find me whatever it is I'm craving that moment. Zach and Gerald have been lifesavers living in a van outside my apartments. I reluctantly let them set up some computer supplies in the living room so they can hack into Gotham PD files for me. Then I almost killed them for having the audacity to used Edward's shower. They ruined it. I used to be able to walk in there and smell his cologne and soaps and now it smelled clean and empty. I felt like I'd lost Edward more then I already had by that violation. Gerald was lucky that Zach could hold me back while he went into hiding but I've forgiven him and now he's back and hacking into Arkham for me.

"Just a little bit more Mystery and…got it! Well most of it, Arkham's computers have been seriously upgraded and I can't get in for more then a few minutes at a time." Gerald was sporting a black eye, which I gave to him when he showed up begging for forgiveness, and pointed at one file he was able to snag from the archives. I walked over and looked at the face of the man who was killing my husbands. Slowly but surely he was killing them and I knew that he would need to be taken care of. I took a deep breath and looked at the picture on the screen.

He was a man in his mid thirties with a serious emotion on his face. His hair was buzz cut into an almost extreme military style and was dark black. He was heavily muscled and had a look in his eye that made me think that he wasn't all there. I could look Joker in the eye when he was in his 'crazy' moods but this guy's eyes unsettled me. I clenched my jaw and rubbed my stomach softly reminding myself why I was fighting so hard to get my men so quickly. This man looked dangerous and he had somehow gotten promoted to chief of security and replaced Cash. Sure Cash had lost his arm to Killer Croc but still he'd been a damn good chief of security.

"Let's see here, wow look at this...it seems that accidents are up over 150% across the board. There have been over 30 cases of patients falling down the stairs, 45 patients hurting themselves and four suicides." Gerald trailed off and I ran my eyes down the page and blinked.

"Oh my god." I had to get my guys out of there. I remembered Crow's beaten and broken body and I could just imagine how my men looked. I clenched my fists in rage and took a calming breath. "Okay we need to get rid of this guy. It seems like no one is brave enough to admit that he could have had some hand in their injuries. I want you to try and get anything you can on the security cameras where they're holding my husbands. I don't care if it's him tying his freaking shoe I want to see how he walks, talks and acts around them." I was seeing red and blinking back tears. Gerald quickly flung himself back into hacking Arkham and Zach pulled me away from the computers.

"Mystery you need to calm down. Will some frozen yogurt help?" He had a firm grip on my arm keeping me from flailing around and hitting things.

"No some frozen yogurt won't help! Frozen yogurt won't help me find a way into Arkham or break them out. It's not going to be like 'oh hey I'm magical frozen friggin yogurt make a wish'!" I was shaking and I wanted to throw things and break them until they were little bits crushed under my boots.

"I'll go get the van, then we'll go rob a frozen yogurt shop and I'll even let you blow it up. Will that make you feel better?" Zach ran a hand through his hair and tried to look unafraid at my outburst. I just nodded silently and stuck out my lip like a dejected puppy.

I went and hooked up some of Jonathan's fear toxin canisters to my banded gloves and made sure that they would be able to fire at will. I even shoved one of Joker's knives into my boot just in case and prepared for battle. The guys…well goons were busy making me my own special weapons for me to test later this week. Something with bombs and razor cards or something and another.

All too soon I was sitting in the back of a white cargo van speeding towards the other side of town and my stomach was screaming for some frozen yogurt. I sighed and watched the scenery rush by in a blur and all too soon we were parked and idling in front of 'Tasty Yogurt' and I was tapping my foot nervously. I checked and rechecked that my outfit was on just right and Zach gave a big sigh.

"Calm down Mystery, for goodness sakes you are the wife of the dark three! Take a deep breath, grab the bomb from under the seat and we'll go." He pulled the gun from his pants and I grabbed the bomb and we were off. I tucked the small green box under my arm and stepped out onto the street. Taking a deep breath I kicked in the door and watched everyone stare at me in confusion.

"Alright boys and girls this is a stickup! Now here I've got a nice bomb for all your enjoyment and this," I held up the remote detonator in my hand. "Will let me set it off if any of you try to play hero or leave. So sit down, put all your valuables at the edge of your table and pray I don't kill you all." I set the bomb down on an empty table as people began screaming and crying. Zach began ordering yogurt for me, a lot of yogurt, and I grabbed a to-go bag and started collecting whatever money and valuables people presented to me.

"You're a monster!" One woman spat at me as she clutched a screaming toddler to her chest. The mommy in me tugged at my heart and I quickly pushed it away, I had to be a rogue not mommy right now.

"Oh I'm worse then a monster, I'm Mystery." I hissed at the woman and her eyes grew wide before quickly turning to comfort her child. We were just about to leave when one man stood up to try and play hero, I hated it when people did that.

"I don't believe that you will set that bomb off!" He was shaking and his face was turning a nice shade of mottled red. I nodded at Zach and he grabbed the loot bag and ran for the van as I walked over to the man.

"Oh don't you? One little click and…'Boom'!" I waved my arms around in emphasis making several women and men scream and duck under their tables.

"You are just some low level punk bitch who think she can take over because of the Rogue shortage!" This guy was obviously trying to stall me so I shot my wrist out and gave him a lung full of fear toxin. His eyes about bugged out of his skull as he began clawing at his face and screaming. I just gave a cocky smirk and waltzed to the doors before giving a mock bow.

"Oh and just so you all don't get any ideas about calling the cops." I held up the detonator and clicked it making the box open up and the timer on the bomb click to life. It began counting down from 60 and I waited until it was at 30 before speaking again. "So enjoy your yogurt and you can all thank your 'hero' for this little present!" I giggled and ran to the van diving inside and slamming the door shut behind me.

"Did you just arm the bomb?" Zach's eyes were wide as he put the van in gear.

"Yep so we'd better hurry I say we've got like 20 seconds before it goes boom." I peeked out the window at Zach gunned it and I heard the bags of loot and yogurt slide around the floor of the van. He made it to the end of the block; most of the patrons had managed to escape by then, before the building exploded in a shower of green fire. My signature trademarks were multi-colored explosions so I had to keep things fresh from time to time. I sighed and reclined in the seat rubbing my stomach absently, how long until I was showing enough for people to tell I was a pregnant rogue?

"Geeze Mystery next time give me more freaking notice. I know you wanna keep everything under five minutes to keep the cops and bat off our tail but damn." Zach seemed to think I was totally crazy and had started acting like he was more then just a goon. I sighed and knew that I couldn't gas him because he was my personal body guard. I grabbed a container of yogurt and dug in while he drove me back home and acted like nothing out of the ordinary had happened.

"Relax Zach we got what we wanted and we have a little bit of cash to throw around. Let's just hope that Gerald has some more information for me when we get home." Zach glared at me from the driver's seat as I sucked down the mint yogurt and kicked my feet like a child. Once we were home he grabbed the bags and stormed inside like I'd pissed him off or something. I sighed and slowly got out of the van and waltzed into the apartments still eating the minty frozen goodness. Zach was at the kitchen table counting the cash and Gerald had a pint of coffee flavored yogurt. My mouth was watering but I was strongly urged by my nurse to not drink any coffee while pregnant. Something about female rogues and coffee not mixing during pregnancy. I sighed and walked over to see how far he'd gotten.

"Heard you blew the place up…yet again. And once again you'll be on the news and they'll say something bad about you then we'll have to buy yet another TV because you'll throw something at it to make it explode. Pretty soon there's not going to be a frozen desert place left in Gotham. And we'll be raiding another appliance store for yet another four TV's to keep you stocked up." He chuckled and pulled up what he'd gotten so far.

"Hey I left those two places in the narrows free; they gave everything up without a fuss. Actually gift bagged the stuff for me." I had a big smile on my face knowing that at least in some parts of Gotham I was revered enough to not have to throw my weight around.

"Yea but that's because you're a sexy female rogue and the owners want you to keep coming back. It's actually good for their businesses to say that you robbed them. Gets their sales up or something like that." He mumbled into his yogurt and pulled up a security feed showing Bolton screaming at someone behind a glass wall. "He removed the bars and put in an electrified glass wall in all the rogue cells. He's limiting their food to an almost starvation level and drugging them to the point of sending them into comas. His current screaming match is with Riddler. Boss man accidentally gave a riddle about you up in therapy and now he's trying to get more info on you. Probably to come down here and drag you kicking and screaming to Arkham himself. Dude thinks he's some kind of hero or vigilante."

"My Edward is being starved, drugged, beaten and god knows what else?" My frozen yogurt was melting from the heat of my fury and I felt something shift uncomfortably against my soul. I quickly took a calming breath and felt it relax and fade back deep down in me. I wasn't sure if I had upset Crow or one of the babies but I wasn't taking any chances and I rubbed my stomach gently as I looked down. "I'm sorry babies' mommy's just got a little homicidal rage going on. But she's better now so don't worry she still loves you." I cooed making both Zach and Gerald exchange a glance before going back to work.

"Anyways I'm still working on getting more information on this guy but the new security is tight, like Batman tight. I can't go too deep before it alerts on my presence and I have to hide it." He sighed and clicked a few keys logging out quickly. "Anything in particular that you want outside of Arkham files?"

"Can you get me anything on the life of Bolton outside of Arkham? Maybe I can see what I'm up against in a non threatening setting while not playing Mystery." I shrugged as Gerald choked on his yogurt.

"Mystery that's suicide!"

"He doesn't know who I am remember, if I'm just some woman on the street he'll probably just ignore me and keep walking." I shrugged and licked the container clean as I'd finished my frozen yummies.

"Let's just put that on the back burner for now. We're still waiting on the tech guys to finish your bomb cards or razor cards or whatever it is they're doing for you. Once you've got weapons of your own I'll feel a lot better about letting you outside." Zach walked over and wrapped his arm over my shoulder making something inside of me rage like the fires of hell. My eye twitched and less then a second later I'd punched him so hard he was bleeding all over my nice clean floors.

"Who the flying fuck said you could touch me! I'm your boss' wife and your boss until he's out. Stop trying to sneak in on me while he's gone!" I screamed and threw the empty container at him for emphasis. He held his bleeding nose for a moment before rushing to the kitchen sink for some towels and Gerald paled and rubbed his bruised eye.

"Calm down Mystery I'm sure he didn't mean anything by it." Gerald held his hands up in mock surrender. "He just forgot his place that's all; don't kill him for being an idiot."

"Would Riddler have let him live after that?" I snapped and Gerald shut up very quickly and poked at his yogurt. I sighed and rubbed my forehead before taking a shaky breath. "I'm just really missing my men and I'm afraid that by the time I do get in there to save them it'll be too late."

"It's alright Mystery, I'd be freaking out too if I had an old lady who got stolen from me by the Bat. Just please, get some rest you haven't slept in a few days and we're both worried about the tots." He motioned to my stomach without meeting my gaze. I nodded and padded to Jonathan's room before sparing a glance to Zach. He wouldn't face me and was clutching the sink white knuckled. I kicked the door shut behind me and locked it before collapsing onto the bed and in the pile of pillows.

I ripped my mask off and tossed it carelessly on the nightstand before wrapping my arms around myself and holding back my tears. I was literally in pain from not being able to touch either Jonathan or Scarecrow. It felt like a huge part of my soul was missing and just gaping into a chasm of blackness.

I took a shuddering breath and lay on my back just stroking my stomach and staring at the ceiling. With my other hand I stroked the bruise from Crow that was rapidly fading above my heart. What did it mean when it was gone? Would he be gone? He said he put part of himself inside me was he using it to heal? I had so many questions and no one to answer them. I closed my eyes and I could almost feel Crow's claws ghosting across the skin of my neck in a gentle caress. I sighed sadly and opened my eyes knowing I was still alone. I needed rest; I needed to stay strong and tomorrow I would go out and see how my weapons were coming. Then I would plan, I would watch this Lyle Bolton until I could get his schedule down and then see how to make him hurt. And he would hurt. There will be blood when I was finished with him and hopefully it will be his and not mine.

~Arkham Asylum Patient Room 4513 Jonathan Crane A.K.A Scarecrow~

I could barely open my eyes after this last session with Bolton. After Edward's slip up in therapy he's been cracking down on us trying to make us talk about V. I licked my bloody lips and hoped that they would come take me to the medical wing soon. I took a deep breath and nearly screamed as I felt my ribs shift within my chest. Speak of the devil here he comes now. I tried to shift into a sitting position as he came closer; I couldn't let him see me broken.

"Well, well Scarecrow. I honestly don't know how you can be so clumsy but seeing as how you refuse to eat it's a no brainer why you keep falling down the stairs." He had a sadistic smile on his face and stood in front of my cell at attention as if he were just having a friendly chat with me. "Now if you'd just tell me what you know about this new little Rogue running around Gotham maybe I'd take you off of suicide watch."

"W-what are you talking about? I-I am not suicidal, I show no signs of wishing to end my own life." Speaking hurt, breathing hurt and keeping V out of my head was killing me.

"Come now Crane, you haven't eaten in almost a week and you're skin and bones. If that's not a suicide attempt then I'm the queen of England." His grin was back as the medical staff arrived to once again chain me up. I would at least get to eat and bathe while I was there but what would happen between my cell and there? Bolton was good at keeping the accidents out of the camera's view and somehow I feel like he's going to kill me. I need to get out, if he finds out I'm married with babies on the way…oh god what will he do to V?

~Arkham Asylum Patient Room 4217 Edward Nigma A.K.A The Riddler~

I am an idiot. How could I have let it slip that I knew the identity of the new Rogue. My beautiful mysterious V and my riddle babies are now in jeopardy because I let out a riddle in my drug induced state. I swear that Bolton had my drugs changed just to try and squeeze information out of me. Sometimes my genius is too much for me to keep in check. I blinked trying to clear the spots from my vision as my mind grew foggy and I wiped some blood from my nose. The new drugs they put me on made my head so fuzzy and I would bleed out randomly and I was forgetting. At least I think it's the drugs doing this to me. I can barely focus on anything and my mind keeps going blank when I try to picture V's face. I stare blankly at the ceiling before shifting and gasping for air. I was in the middle of a brawl in the men's yard this morning. Wasn't I? I looked down at the bandage on my leg and shake my head. It was broken why don't I have a cast. I should ask for medical to come and check on me again.

"Well hello Mr. Nigma how are you doing today?" Bolton appeared in front of my cell, how long has he been there? I blinked slowly and eased myself into a sitting position on my cot wincing as my stomach muscles screamed at me. When had I eaten last? "Oh don't get up on my account. Just here to see if you have a riddle or two you'd like to throw my way?" He was grinning like a shark and I had a memory flash behind my eyes of him stomping on me in the stairwell. But why would he do that…oh my head was killing me. I grabbed my head in pain and shook for a moment. Why am I not able to remember?

"I-I…" My voice gave out and I tasted blood on my tongue. "I think I need m-medical attention Mr. Bolton."

"Oh of course you do Mr. Nigma, they'll be here shortly. I do wish you'd be more careful on the yard in the future. A man of your physical stature shouldn't be fighting. I see the new drugs are working well. Tell me, do you have anyone back home waiting on you? Someone who might want to play hero and rescue you?" He leaned closer to the glass of my cell and I blinked slowly trying to think. I opened my mouth and shut it a few times as my memories were a jumbled mess. I was just thinking about her, but who was she? I wiped some more blood from my nose and winced at the pain I was in.

"I-I don't know." I saw a ring on my finger but I can't remember any more. Why can't I remember. I just knew her name damn it! I had it on the tip of my tongue and now…

"Relax Mr. Nigma don't fret the new cocktail of drugs they have you on just have some minor side effects." He was cleaning his nails as if we were having a friendly conversation. "Mainly memory loss, loss of cognitive function, some random bleeding and hallucinations. I'll make sure that the medical staff comes to check you out, and test to make sure you're not being over dosed." He flashed that shark grin again and walked off. My eyes shot around my cell as I began to panic. I couldn't think of a riddle, I couldn't remember why I needed to get out so badly. I started to hyperventilate until I saw the small carving in the side of my sink. 'Remember your riddle queen and puzzle babies!' I blinked. I was married and had children. I felt hope swell in my chest but for the life of me I couldn't put a face to the names. I hung my head in my hands and began to cry.