Disclaimer:

Disclaimer: I do not own Batman or any related characters (except for Robin, who is my own original character, Gotham People Magazine, and said magazine's workers, the Menia) Prada, Dolce & Gabbana, or The Fresh Prince of Bel- Air, or Matt Damon (not that he's copyrighted or anything). Remember to read, review, and enjoy!

To: rgrayson

From: mikesmith

Subject: Interview

Robin,

You told me that you wanted an interview and I'm giving you an interview. Don't screw this up. Our biggest issue of the year is coming out: Gotham's Sexiest People. You lucky little screw up get what is being considered one of the best interviews of the issue: the one on the elusive Bruce Wayne.

This may not have been what you were asking for when you said that you wanted to do an interview, but it's what you're getting. In the attachment there's a list of the standard interview questions that we want you to ask. Branch off of the questions if you must, but don't go too deep into his personality and beliefs. Our readers don't want to know the deep stuff; they want their celebrities at face value, especially those like Mr. Wayne.

Your interview is today at three. Be there early if at all possible. In fact, try to be as early as you can possibly be.

Mike Smith

--

Robin stared at the e-mail before snorting. Of course she would get the lovely job of interviewing the man whom women everywhere were calling 'The Bachelor of the Year'. She couldn't say that she wasn't grateful, though. Up until now, she only did short little paragraphs for the magazine that hadn't even covered a page. At the most, she only got a couple of inches (pictures included). This was sure to get at least a two-page spread, if not more. He was considered as hot as Matt Damon, as far as far as Gotham women were concerned. He was their sexiest man.

"What did your boss want this time," one of her roommates, Hailey Bosnick, asked.

Robin turned around and shrugged before saying, "He wants me to do an interview with Bruce Wayne."

"Really! That's great," she took a small sip of her coffee. "I mean, isn't it great? With an opportunity like this, you can really put your journalism skills to good use, probing Wayne's brain for anything that could be considered relevant and interesting. This could be a real hard-hitting story!"

She couldn't keep the smile off of her face. Hailey was the type of girl who always liked to look on the bright side of things. The girl didn't really seem to realize that there was a huge difference between hard-hitting and Bruce Wayne.

"Not really. Smith said that my job was to take him at face value and to only write about the things that women want to know. That does not include his views on… anything. I think that it will more of be based around what his favorite food is or something."

"Oh, come on, this will be fine. Hey, maybe it will even be a little bit fun! Who knows, maybe you'll come out scoring a date with the man."

There she went again with that happy, over-optimistic viewpoint.

"I don't think that I'd want to be taken out on a date with him. He'd probably invite another girl or two along for the ride."

Hailey giggled, but didn't deny anything. If one thing was known for certain about Bruce Wayne, it was that he nearly always had two girls hanging off of his arms at social functions. Instead, she said, "While you're there, look at his butt."

"Why," Robin asked.

"I hear that it's nice."

Robin let out a short laugh, "Like buns of steel nice?"

She shrugged, "I don't know, I'm just telling you what I've heard."

Robin made her way around the too small kitchen area and grabbed a mug to pour some coffee. "I'd much rather be interviewing Batman."

"Every journalist in the city would love an interview with Batman. It's just not going to happen."

Robin raised an eyebrow, "What happened to all that optimism?"

"I'm optimistic, not a dreamer of the impossible." As Robin's jaw dropped, Hailey danced out of the room, saying, "By the way, your parents called. They would like to speak to you sometime this year."

Robin didn't reply. It was hard finding time to talk to her parents, but not nearly as hard as it was to want to talk to her parents. Just as she didn't understand them, they didn't understand her. Circus people. Sometimes it was hard to believe that her parents were tights wearing, elephant people. Okay, so they weren't elephant people. They were acrobats, but it all amounted to the same thing. No one at her college would take her seriously if she told them that her parents worked in the Circus. They would laugh at her and say that it was no wonder that she wanted to get away from it all.

And then there was the other side of the spectrum. Her parents had always expected her to take after them. They never presumed to think that she would want to be anything other than part of their act. But she had bigger dreams than those of the circus. She wanted to be a major journalist and she was well on her way to making it happen. It was really too bad that her brother got sucked into the business. But he was still only ten; he would have years to get out of it if he wanted to.

Their differences were one of the things that came between her and her parents. She always found the time to talk to Dick, though. He needed some normal influence in his life.

The phone rang. She hoped that someone else would get it. If there was one thing that she absolutely despised, it was having to answer the phone. No one was answering. Hailey must have gone out. Where were those other two roommates of hers? They should have answered the phone.

With no other choice, she entered the living room and picked up the phone. "Hello. Robin speaking."

"Robin. It's Mike. We have a problem."

"Oh?" She picked up the Gotham Times paper and took a look at the cover. On it was a picture of the new CEO of Wayne Enterprises, Lucius Fox. The article itself went on to tell how Fox was beginning to change Wayne Enterprises, employing more of a workforce and beginning a charity fund.

"Your meeting time has been changed to one."

"Oh." Robin dropped the magazine and glared at the phone. "You do realize that it takes me almost two hours to get to the other side of the city through the transit system."

"Yes."

"And then to get to the actual Wayne estate will take-"

"You won't be going to the Wayne estate. There's nothing left of it."

She had forgotten that little detail. Of course there was no more estate since Wayne apparently had a psychotic drunk moment and burned the entire place down. "Then where is the interview being conducted?"

"The Menia."

"The Menia?"

Mike let out an exasperated sigh, "It's a hotel. Huge, mostly for rich people."

"I know what it is, I've just never been there."

"But do you know where it is?"

"Erm… let me grab a pencil," she said, opening the drawers of a coffee table and taking out a notepad and a pencil. "Okay, feel free to give me the directions any time."

"The address is 4569 Cheseney Circle. It's near the Gallery Mall."

"Like I have the money to shop at the Gallery," Robin said with an eye-roll. The place was full of nothing but designers like Prada and Dolce & Gabbana.

"But you know where that's at, right?" Mike was beginning to sound more than a little frustrated.

"Yeah. So it's in that area?"

"Right down the street."

"Okay. Thanks for telling me," she said, sticking the address in her pocket. "And by the way, you are so lucky that I didn't have class today. What would you have done if I had?"

"Easy. I would have found someone else to do it for you. There are many reporters who would be willing to take your place."

"Nice to know that I'm replaceable. I'll get you the interview ASAP."

"Erm… go get 'em tiger?"

She rolled her eyes before hanging up, "You are so awkward."

--

The Menia was known for being the five-star hotel to top all five-star hotels. It was probably just nerves, but when she got to the building, suddenly she wasn't feeling so well. The place was just huge! It took up the entire block that it was on. She wondered why she had never been here before. Well, it was clear that she couldn't afford to stay there, but still.

The place had to have at least five doormen. They were all helping people in or out, offering smiles and greetings. None of them were young; it was clear that the place only wanted seasoned veterans working their doors. One of the men was giving her a strange look. Taking a deep breath, she walked inside. That only made her feel even worse.

The ceiling was so high she felt like it wasn't even there. It was done in a strange glass pattern that allowed light to pass through at certain areas, like pieces of artwork that they wanted highlighted and chairs and tables. Columns rose into the air. Her slightly worn sneakers made squeaky sounds on the marble floor. Suddenly, she realized that she was severely underdressed in her dress pants and sweater. She could have at least put some nice shoes and jewelry on. And she hadn't really had time to do anything to her hair. Instead, she tied it up in a messy ponytail and ran out the door. At least she had had enough time for a shower.

Hesitantly, she went up to the front desk. The blonde woman with a slightly bird-like nose was looking at her in disdain. She was dressed in an expensive looking suit. Robin guessed Armani, but she didn't know her designers and it could have been anyone.

"Can I… help you," the snooty woman said. Although she asked if she could help, what Robin heard was, 'Can I assist you out the front door you piece of street scum?'

"Um, yes," she fumbled for her purse and dug around in it before grabbing her reporter badge and her card. "I'm here for an interview with Bruce Wayne."

The woman's look didn't soften any, "And?"

"Well, could you call him and tell him that I've arrived?"

Robin fidgeted under the woman's scrutiny. Finally she said, "We do not appreciate… your type in here." Robin's eyebrows rose. Her type? "A standard rule of ours is that our guests maintain a sense of decorum."

"Really," Robin said, feigning surprise, "I guess I didn't get the rule book. Do you know where I can get one before I go to see a paying guest? One that is helping with your wage?" She hadn't really meant to sound threatening, especially when she was threatening the woman with Wayne's power, a man she didn't even know. But people like this ticked her off and if there was one thing that Robin wasn't, it was someone who stood down from a challenge.

The woman twitched for a few moments before picking up the phone, "I'll call right away." It sounded as though she didn't expect him to be in.

"There's no need for that, I'll take her up."

The woman glanced up from her dialing and behind Robin's shoulder, beginning to turn a slight shade of pink. At the sound of the voice, Robin whipped around. Before her stood an older man, actually he seemed more like a gentleman than anything, with white hair and a small smile on his face. He motioned to an elevator, and she was quick to follow him on.

"I'm Alfred," the man told her. "Mr. Wayne's butler."

Of course Mr. Wayne had a butler. And it just seemed to complete the image she had of the rich by him being an English butler. It seemed almost like something out of "The Fresh Prince of Bel-Air". Except, this guy seemed to have a bit more manners than those of Geoffrey.

Robin shuffled her bag and purse from one arm to another and stuck out her hand, "Robin Grayson, Gotham People reporter."

He looked at her, "A very prestigious magazine."

Robin snorted, making Alfred give her a strange look. She quickly tried to cover it up by saying, "Yes, it is." She didn't sound too convincing. "Anyway, is Mr. Wayne ready for my interview?"

"Actually, he's out at the moment. You seem to be a few hours early."

Robin felt her throat constrict slightly, "Wasn't the interview scheduled at one?"

"I believe that we scheduled it at three, if I'm correct."

Slowly, she could feel her face beginning to flush before groaning, "I'm so sorry! I can go and walk around for a couple hours before the interview is scheduled to start and-"

"That won't be necessary." He smiled at her as if trying to will away all of her embarrassment, "Mr. Wayne went out before he could eat his lunch. Have you happened to have eaten yet?"

And that was how Mr. Bruce Wayne found her: eating his lunch, drinking his tea, and talking to his butler. To say that he was surprised would be the least. Robin herself was quite embarrassed and quickly stood up and held out her hand.

"I'm Robin Grayson from the Gotham People Magazine, here for your interview."

He leaned against one wall and studied her, making her cheeks flame. He grinned and suddenly she felt her legs turning to goo. No wonder that women found him so sexy, despite his playboy qualities. He was completely melt-worthy.

"You're early."

Suddenly realizing that she was gaping at him, she shut her mouth. He smiled at her again… dare she say flirtatiously?… before walking back through the doorframe and into the larger part of the penthouse suite. "I'll be a few moments. Make yourself at home. Wait, you already have."

Robin gulped. Although Alfred, the absolutely wonderful butler, had told her that it was okay that she come up, she hadn't wondered what he would think. If she wasn't mistaken, he actually sounded kind of angry about it.

"Excuse me, Miss Grayson," Alfred stood from his seat and followed Bruce. She was left wide-eyed and wondering what was going on.

A/N: So what did you think of this first chapter? Was Robin an all right as an OC? Anyway, remember to review!