The day had been an utter terror for the small teen she had spent the day wrapped up like she was going to Antartica so she could get to her doctor appointment. It was April though and the rain kept the sun at Bay. So she had been dropped off where she worked at the local University. She was taking night classes there too. She stayed on as a tutor for Science since she knew what she was doing. She would likely graduate with high honors, if not the highest. It gave her extra money because her parents were always saying they didn't have enough for this or that. Linda felt guilty, she felt like she was burden, there was medicines she had to take that were expensive, ones that gave her some protection from sickness. Mr and Mrs.Friitawa did not give her an allowance, it wasn't as though the young woman could go to the mall with the friends she didn't have. She was reclusive, she kept to her books, to her work, and for the better part of a year now the little girl, she'd met outside, when she'd been on her way home from work. She was surprised as bundled up as she was, that Kit hadn't run the other way when she saw her. She had been standing outside of a baby day care. At least someone had cared enough to put her in. However the tiny girl had seemed to have other idea's. She'd wound up siting with her in the school yard, until the girl's mother came to get her. They lived in the Narrows, so there was no real heavy questions, usually you did what you were suppose to, or you got shot. You never knew who was the illigitimate daughter of who these days.

Linda had baked that morning while she'd been kept in, hiding from the sun. Mr.Friitawa off to his cozy office in Downtown Gotham. Mrs.Friitawa off to a social meeting with her group of Doctor friends. Her mother had turned eyes on her as she was getting ready for her little party. "You should marry a doctor, Linda at least life isn't boring when he's away." she had told her, than paused as though she had recalled who she was talking too. "Of course don't get your hopes up either." her mother's hand on her arm was not even felt, because Linn was numb to the tiny barbs her mother had shot her way. She had heard it so often it was a common thing for her. Mrs.Friitawa was out of the door before Linn could even say good-bye, and be careful. Now she was busy grabbing the tuperware that held the large cake for the little girl. It was a carrot cake done in kitty style. It was Ruti's colors. orange colored cream cheese, and white chocolate stripes. This was what she knew was well liked. Not that Kit wouldn't eat anything that she was brought. The girl was an expert at five at snatching hotdogs. Five fingered discounts, were not to be over looked. Linda tried, she tried to hold herself to a higher standard. Anything you do will reflect on us her mother had told her often. Than she was off to what ever meeting, or party, they didn't bother to invite Linn to because she might burn under all the lights.

She didn't take it to heart in her early teens, there was no need to do so. It did prove to her that she was flawed. That she wasn't what people thought her to be, because of the way she looked. Also, because she was so pale. She'd been called a snowman and worse. This was how children were, they saw flaws and they made fun of them to hide there own flaws. Linn did not dwell on it, she was fortunate enough to have a friend or two. That was enough. That they allowed her to tutor people obviously older than her spoke volumes of how smart she was. It was a tide sum of money too. So she squirreled it away, told her mother she was babysitting. Not because she was ashamed of her job, but because she was ashamed of her mother. Her mother might show up and make a scene of the work she was doing, and that would be worse than the fingers pointing. She was fifteen certainly, but another year would see her out on her own anyways. If her mother knew she was in the Narrows, well she'd flip her wig. She'd have alot to say to Linn and none of it would be in english. You must understand, not because she cared about her daughters well being deep down. She cared about how she was precived, and how many doctor bills, the Friitawa's would have to foot to keep her in good health.

For her birthday, Linda had put together a six cheese lasanga, a side salad that had bacon in it of course cheese and she'd picked up the expensive type of salad dressing, in the pretty bottle that Kit could keep. She made cheese bread to go with it, and of course they had cake for dessert, and Linn had thermos full of pumpkin spiced coffee. Kit was young for it, but the times she took her out with her to Starbucks, they took her's anyways. No one could tell weither Kit and Linn were sisters, or mother and daughter. Linn had developed quickly and even at fifteen was curvy. A gift her grandmother Babette told her, because it means that you will be taken seriously. Linn had wished that were true. It brought the wrong focus to her, and the wrong men. At fifteen she wasn't sure there was such thing as a right man. They were all so, either immature or only interested in physical aspects. She couldn't find a person to match her intellectually, that wasn't at least three times her age.So when she took Kit out, it was just the two of them, never anyone to tag along. Linn thought she could use a daddy figure in her life, but she refused to give the girl the wrong impression about men. If she learned anything from Linn, from that young of an age it would be to never trust men. Everything was packed up in the large wicker basket that Linn kept for picnics, she could only have under moonlight.

Linn had a bike, an old beach cruiser painted in a off orange color and it had a basket on the front and one on the back. Her dad, he told her to call him dad. Had put a light on it so she could go out. Don't forget the curfew he was always warning her. Linn could only go out after dark anways. So she stuffed things into her bag, the panda bag she carried everything in. Her own medication for the blinding headache's she sometimes got, they were still with her two years after her burns. Her eye site had only come back tentively, and Linda's eyes now were so light sensitive she wore sunglasses at night time. She had never needed glasses before the incident with the sun. Now they were a constant reminder of the cruelty of others. Her hand rested on the bike handles, and once she got her balance with the things she had, she was off. Velvet peeking from the purse in the front basket. There was a couple of brightly colored boxes, in her basket as well. Wrapped up for a birthday. Large colorful ribbons ; green, orange and white were around the packages. She'd gone all out. Not because Kit was spoiled, but because she lived with a woman who took care of her like she was a pet. Not a little girl, who wanted to be a little girl. Once Linn had met her outside the ABC's -123's school, she'd felt an instant connection to her, because the little girl was all alone even with the woman who cared for her.

She started to show up at her school on rainy days, just to hang out. She was young enough to not be concidered a stalker, and old enough to be trustworthy with the children. She often helped out in there, when she didn't have to tutor. The school teacher was someone who was just glad the kids had another distraction than her. So welcomed the help. She had lied and said she was related to Kit. Being albino she could have been related to anyone. Here they were almost a year later, and Linn was in a hurry to see her, since she'd be the first person to really see her for her birthday. It was going to be late/early pending on who you asked. Linda, stashed her bike in one of the sheds, that was empty, she could put a lock on. Than catching the basket over her arm, and the presents in her arms, her purse dangling off her arm. She took the quick way up. The side of the building. Linn had been bed ridden for some time after her accident she had taken up fencing to get herself back in shape, to tone her muscles. Not that she could be concidered fat by any stretch of the imagination. She crept quietly so not to wake to woman, whom Kit lived with, not that Linn was sure she was even home, or for that matter concious.

"Mon cheri, you should non be awake still at zis hour." her accent was soft but full on french. Kit always seemed to understand, so she didn't try to correct her english after speaking to the girl. Her full lips curved up in a warm smile. "I could not get away soon mah cheri." she said as she set the basket down. "I had to clean zee the kitchen before I left, but I did bring you dinner, and some presents, and ohh, a cake too!" Linn slinked through the window like a cat, into the girls room. Her hair a windblown mess from the ride over the bridge, but she was happy. Her pale cheeks held some color, and she held the large tuperware cake holder out to Kit first. "You will like zis I think." she explained. Shoving the hood of her hoodie back she settled on the floor admist the crayons, and the paper. "Do you like it ?" she asked, as she began to set the small boxs aside. One was jewelry a tiger head on a leather thong. One was a small silver ring set with her birthstone, that was the most expensive of the gifts. There was new jeans in another box, and a black hoody with orange and white striped sleeves, with a tiger prowling on the back. Linn knew the girl's fascination with large tigers. She hoped some day Kit would want to be a vet, or an animal care giver.

Linda had always believed the little girl when she said that the woman wasn't her mother but she was only fifteen herself, there wasn't alot she could do. She could hang around and be a mommy or play to be a mommy, but she really wasn't. It always seemed that the law failed Linda. From an early age, it had. A smack on the wrist to those people who had almost killed her, a refusal to concider allowing Kit to come stay with her. Later in life, if would be against her again too. Still, she tried, tried to do right. A person grew tired of trying to do the right thing when nothing but being beaten down would follow. She took to just hanging around, sneaking out in the middle of the night, to see her. They were both noctural, Linda perfered sleeping through the day anyways, and not being torrmented by the sun in that manner. It kept her from doing so many things, she envied people who could play outside, who had color, she had been scorned in school because she did'nt hve to go out to do physical education, she'd been teased because she was a book worm, because she was smart. Than people became uncomfortable with her when she came back to school, she had been blind at first, she read brail now because of it. They had either felt guilt, or disgust, because the stayed out of her way. Oh there was the occassional person, who tripped her, or attempted to, they found she had better balance, and better control of that cane than they thought she did.

Now life seemed to be looking up for her, she had a fairly good paying job. She could slip out and see Kit, and soon enough she'd be able to afford her own apartment. She could get her grandmother to sign for her. So she could move into the place. She had hopes for things to get better. For herself and for Kit, because the old woman who was tending to her was not in any condition to be careing for her. Linda, could at least give her more time, and more care. She wouldn't be eatting raw macaroni, or stealing hotdogs to have to be fed, that she did to feed herself was one thing. Linn's aim was to make sure she didn't have to do that. She always felt better worrying about someone else and not having to face her own problems, which were numerous at her age. Far to numerous for her own good. Still Linn hid those from the world, and she focused on the up and up. If you didn't laugh you'd soon be crying, was the old saying. Of course, Kit gave something in return that Linn didn't have, acceptance. She didn't care that Linn looked like a little lab mouse, or that she might squeek if poked while working. That she wasn't colorful like others. She only wanted Linn for who she was, which touched her.

It was also what would result into her having Linn in her corner for the rest of her days. Since she was more than happy to take the time off to go into school, and talk to the principal or her teachers in the years to come. Yet at fifteen she was still very much a girl as well. She never did the things girls her age did, she didn't crush on boys, she didn't feel like she needed to shop all the time, didn't need to rebel against her parents. Sure she was out at Ungodly hours, but she was burned by the light of the day so it was to be expeected. The slender woman, knew precisely how to get up into the building without making to much noise. Even if it would be a good five years before she found her way into Selina's care. Her and Kit both, since they were desperately trying to make there way in the world, without having to resort to other means, that neither were cut out for. Linn could like have gotten a job working in a resturant as a cook, if she didn't have a driving passion for working in the lab. She enjoyed creating things, she liked to work with her hands, and her brain. That was the only problem with a job in that line of work. Doctoring was far more appealng to the albino, it was giving back in some small way.

Rainy days gave Linda a sort of freedom, that it terrified her to take, if she miss caculated and the sun came out she would be stuck where ever she was. She loved getting out though, so it was something she risked often, well off and on. It was also known if Linn caught her stealing, she'd go behind her pay the hotdog vendor, if the man seemed understanding. The little girl was living almost in poverty in the Narrows, her clothes were ill fitting, and her shoes were bad. Linn had begun taking care of that first, she realized she couldn't give the woman money to do it, because she just spent it on herself. Linn wanted the little girl to have something, Birthdays, Christmas's and Thanksgivings. She'd even brought her home with her to the large apartment she lived in with her Parents when they weren't there. Her Parents often spent holidays out of Gotham, oh your skin condition you can't go. We transfered funds into your account. It was in many ways just telling her here live ever how you want, just leave us alone. They were bribing Linda to not be around them. She had been wounded by that and damaged from it. So it had already run its mental course with the small woman, so she did what she could so Kit didn't go through that, since at that age, she'd always wanted a family, but doubted any man would want her.

"Of course I remembered Kitling." she said as she dropped into the room and held her arms out for hugs. At Kits age shows of affection were important. She feared the little girl had gained her distrust of men. "Your birthday only comes once a year, and your not going to be five ever again." she said as she nuzzled her nose into the little girls hair. She swung her around when she nuzzled her and craddled her close to her. "Yes, well you'll like what I brought, I brought food and cake too. I worked all night on it, so I hope you like it ." she said in her softly accented voice. She settled the little girl down, and brought out the colorful birthday plates she'd gotten, there were cartoon plates, she took a panda and gave Kit a tiger. She laughed when she ran her finger along the cream cheese, and squinted at her playfully. "Hey now, miss...eat dinner first, than you can have you kitty cake." she giggled. "And careful to not knock the tail off." she said as she pushed her hair back behind her ears.

"I made enough so the rest can go in your fridge and you can have it later." she said as she brushed a hand through Kit's fly away hair. Than settled herself down onto the floor. "Tomarrow, its suppose to be continued rainy, so I can take you to the movies, maybe we can go see something fun. " she said in offering. Anyone who saw them out together, since Linda hated for her to be left alone, would find, Linn holding her hand while she did shopping she needed to do. Linda, never put her in a shopping basket, because of what she'd gathered happened. She always kept her hand in the little girls, they could drag a basket along.

If there was anything one would have to understand about Linda Friitawa at fifteen the world was still very much a magical place for her if not deadly. She knew that she couldn't do somethings that other people took for granted, but the one thing she would never take for granted was the truthfulness of children. There was a truth in every lie and a lie in every truth, she thought Stepehen King had actually said that but either way, what actually mattered was that she confided in her to begin with. Linn didn't share that with Kit because having only happened recently to her it was rather horrific and Linn didn't want to cause her girl any undue stress as it was. She rather have cheerful topics. the fact that she had gone through several painful surgeries and had suffered blindness was not topics for a five year old. Linn knew she would have bit, them she'd probly stop a foot too and growl at them, like an adoreable little kitty child. Linn knew that the old woman, one Erica Calhoun formerly of New York. Linda had to wonder if the woman thought Kit was just a cat, and not an actual little girl. It was truely hard to say.

Linda had always told her when she was sniffly about her slipping back out the window to leave, that she wished she was going with her. She promised she couldn't take her home with her now, but she promised soon, soon she'd take the little girl home with her. She loved her, it was simple as that. So she would be back for her when she properly could. When her parents were on holiday elsewhere, Linn brought her to her parents home. She tried her best to keep her girl happy. She glanced to where she sat on the floor. Like Linn her little girl was nocturnal and prefered to be up and about on the hours the moon was at there fullest. Linda, sometimes though it was rare would take her to the Rooftops of the Narrows and through the city, before returning her home. She thought she needed to get out more. She knew all about the little girl's hotdog stealing in fact she knew that the girl wasn't as silly as she pretended to be. She could put her kitty like speed to use, and snitch hot dogs fast. Most of the old carnnies who ran the booths, would let her steal, because she was a tossled little girl, with large blue eyes, and looked underfeed at the best of times.

She knew that Kit was happiest when she was there and visiting, Linn was still able to play childish games without rolling her eyes or the adult boredom that followed. When they played make believe is wasn't just make believe for Linn, it became real for the time they were playing it. So if they were pirates, Linn was for that hour or so a pirate. If they were playing dress up, she was a lady, if it was tea, she conducted the tea party with politeness, and by the book. Kit didn't want Linn to fall for a boy for fear that she'd forget her, and leave. Linn would never leave her, but Linn didn't stiffle her either, she gave freedom willingly because she'd expected that in return. Linn was older of them but she was also someone her girl was idolizing so she had to be careful of the example she set. She had lost alot of childhood when she was burned up. They say childhood ends the minute that you realize you are not immortal, and for her that had happened in school. The little albino only wanted to see to it no one else suffered the way she did. It was why she was studying medicine, because she was sure she could make a difference, and genetics meant she could fix imperfection in the very essences of people.

It would be years before Kit would ever meet anyone that Linn would bring home, any man let alone a woman. Though Selina counted too. Though Kit likely would meet Jack too, who was like a big brother to Linn, she called him that, her big brother. She didn't think he was older than her, but he was meaner, which was saying a whole lot. For years it would be just her and Kit. Linn had never introduced the little girl to her parents because she felt her parents didn't deserve the little girls friendship. They were cold and they were supportive, but they were not kind and loving, which was all Linn had ever wanted from them. They had never even visited her when she'd been through the agonizing surgeries that left her in tears, because they had to patch her up, with dura-skin a substanced used on burn patient as an alternative to a skin graft. There was not enough skin on the little girls body anywhere to graft as much of her that was burned. The plastic surgeries that followed hand made sure her skin was smooth and flawless. Her eyes not so much, she'd been badly burned, and her eyes had been damaged to the point she needed glasses. Her optics doctor had warned her there was a chance her eyes would just get worse and worse. She had known that anyways.

"Yes, thats a truth in a way, but we celebrate the day itself as you day of birth." she said "Its more of a tribute to the fact, that hey I came in the world on this day, this many moons ago and I am not going anyware else so rawr." she giggled when Kit nuzzled her, and she swung her around. She didn't know what was brought but she was always happy to eat anything Linda fixed, Linn had always been very good at cooking, for what ever reason the gods had seen fit to grace her with the gift of meal preperation, it was something she shared selflessly as much as she gave her friendship in the same manner. If a person would have meet Linda Friitawa at that point in her life, they'd have never thought she was a villain in training. She was just too nice, it would be a number of things down the path of life that would shove her in that direction, not the least of it being meeting one Jonathan Crane, who was as much a part of her future as Kit was. A young man Linn would see numerous times in the library and think was cute, because of his unortxidox appearance. "Well yes you know as well as I do that I brought you some of your favorites." she said as she laughed at the little girl wanting cake first, it was after all the thing to be had at birthdays. In her future family, cake would become a daily staple for them. "Yes, you can have cake first." she said.

"I will check my funds and get back to you on Starbucks." she said as she ruffled Kit's hair affectionately again as she practically settled into her lap. Linn blinked sleepily herself. But handed Kit the cake knife. "Cut carefully, and don't nick yourself dear." she warned softly. Linn was use to being dangled on by her girl, and she nodded to the cake. "I'll take a piece too." she tolf her as she made a face about not putting the left overs in the fridge. "Well, were going to have to find somewhere to hide it than, the food and the cake, so you have it all to yourself if you don't want to share." she said as she tapped a long finger to her lips. "How about if we look around for a mini fridge we can keep up on the roof top, under the slate part, so you can sneak up there to get your food. No one will know, and we can ask Poppy for the fridge." she said. It was rare Linn asked Poppy for stuff, but in this case it might be needed, since the old woman couldn't be trusted.