goldingwrites

Even more so by a woman who's been chosen fairly and justly by the citizens of Gotham City, themselves.

But, unfortunately and maybe due to the circumstances, and maybe because they had their backs against a literal wall of despair, chaos and blood, the citizens also chose him that night. They also chose Vengeance to stand up for them and to make it all right.

Or as right as things can be in Gotham City.

It’s a very delicate balance that starts on this particular evening.

Dinner, a little reconstructed family having ice cream in the kitchen, your mother arguing that it's too cold for ice cream, Alfred agreeing with her. You, Bruce and your son are arguing that no, it's the perfect weather. Laughter, doing the dishes, putting the boy to bed, Bruce kissing his forehead, your mother falling asleep on the couch despite everything. You follow Alfred and Bruce in that elevator.

When you arrive, Vengeance is already there.

Bruce is suited, gone behind the black mask and the imposing armour. And his arms are slightly raised as Alfred seems to be fitting something into his suit. You frown, drawing closer and folding your arms over your chest.

"Well, I was about to ask you if you're ready, but... is your suit still not fixed?"

"It is... Alfred here just thinks we need more emergency measures, just in case something does happen."

"I mean, he has a point," you mumble as you hop onto the nearest table, using it as your temporary seat. "It could still be a trap."

"Yes, thank you very much, and Master Wayne, turn around." Alfred grabs another tiny piece of tech, carefully placing it over the suit. "I want to be able to record everything just in case, and be able to pull you out of any situation if needs be... This will only take another minute."

"Alright," it's Bruce talking; you can see it in the way his stance relaxes just a bit, his eyes still on Alfred, then back to you and finally the distance. "Jim will be there, I trust him."

"The more reason for us to be careful, if it's a trap and he's being used against you, against his will, mind you, you need to be able to also pull him out of here,” you add quickly with a slight frown.

"You should listen to her, Master Wayne."

"I have... this entire time, am I the only one who has noticed?"

"But have you thought?" You counter, and you exchange a long stare with Alfred before you chuckle at Bruce and Vengeance's expanse as he's opening, rolling his eyes.

"I have," Bruce mumbles, and you blow a kiss in his direction to appease his mood or his future pouts. You honestly don't want to argue over this issue when you would agree that he only listens to you fifty per cent of the time.

The rest of the time? He must be listening to Vengeance or any other voice in his head telling him to do as he pleases. And can you blame him? Not really, you're exactly the same in that regard, and that might be why you fell in love so deeply with each other.

Because misery loves company, right? Or something of that nature... yeah, you know it.

Just as you draw that conclusion, Alfred takes a step back, a smile on his face. 

"There, Master Wayne, all done... if anything happens, I will be able to release a small electric shock from a distance, and it should knock out anyone touching the suit."

"Anyone?" You muse out loud, and Alfred turns to you.

"Yes, a few well-rounded adults, hopefully.... It's not enough to kill them, but if they get up immediately after that... well surely, we're dealing with something not human and thus..." Alfred shrugs, turning back to Vengeance. "I think that's where my area of expertise stops, unfortunately."

"It should be enough," Bruce whispers as he inspects his suit with his own two hands. "Once again, I do not believe this is a trap, there would be no point, but-" Bruce raises one hand, stopping you or Alfred before you can protest. "I do appreciate the concern, really... and I should get going."

Bruce gives you a long stare as Alfred hands him the key to his motorcycle. You send a wink in his direction this time. You don't need to add more; he already knows he has to come back in one piece.

This isn't even an order at this point.

It's (almost) law.

***

He goes into the night, and it leaves you and Alfred monitoring the coms and the screens. You're immensely grateful when Alfred disappears to make a pot of tea, and you're still diligently following Vengeance’s motorcycle through different security and public cameras. He dashes through the night and through the light rain like a bullet, faster than light, it seems, and you grip your teacup a little bit harder when Alfred hands it to you.

"For all that it's worth," the older man says with a gentle smile. "I really do not think he is walking into a trap.... and Gordon will be there too.... Bruce doesn't put his trust blindly into people."

"I know... I mean, he told me his big secret, and I haven't told anyone."

You take a small sip of the tea, it has just hit the perfect temperature, and it's enough to make you smile. "It might be selfish, but I wish I could do... more?"

"Oh, trust me, you're doing plenty."

Alfred reassures you with one hand on your shoulder, and you can only nod. As the next second, Bruce... no, Vengeance's voice comes through the comms.

"I'm here. Can you hear me?" He whispers.

Alfred leans over the console, pressing one button. "Yes, sir, we can hear you."

Just as Alfred says that, you can make out a few sounds.

A door opens, footsteps, and you watch as Alfred presses a few more buttons, and there, on the screen, in black and white, you see the rooftop. Vengeance in one corner, the mayor of Gotham City coming closer, and Lieutenant Gordon following suit behind her. There's no audio, but thanks to Vengeance's mic, you can hear absolutely everything.

And Bela Reál sounds positively furious.

"What on God's green earth do you think you're doing? Hmm? You do NOT call the shots, you cannot appoint yourself judge, jury and executioner! You just can NOT!"

"... Good evening to you too, Miss Reál, Jim."

"Good to see you, Batsy. I thought we lost you for a second."

"Oh, I'm sorry, am I interrupting something? Would you like me to go get you some drinks for your charming little reunion?"

There's a silence next, nothing but the sound of rain, the familiar tap-tap of the rain taking over everything. Bela does have a point.

"You're expecting an apology, perhaps?" Vengeance asks, and she scoffs.

"I know better. You don't apologise; you act, then you think about all the citizens you put in harm’s way with your little stunt."

"They needed hope, they needed a sign that not everything was lost."

"I know what hope means, you prick! They need justice, and Domino and his gang need to be arrested. What exactly are you doing about it? You're a masked man, too! How are you better than him?" Just as Bela's voice is laced with anger, an anger more than justified and that you can somewhat understand, as you can see on the screen that she is pointing at Vengeance.

"I don't mindlessly kill, I don't kill innocents, I don't profit from their misery...."

"For now... you're helping us, now, maybe one day you'll snap too, maybe one day we'll regret not putting you behind bars with the rest of them."

"Perhaps, Miss Mayor, but we are living this day, today, so unless you or Lieutenant Gordon over there plans on making an arrest... I suggest you explain why you summoned me here tonight."

"Oh, you are a fucking prick, I should just have you arrested right now!"

"Bela, please!"

Jim speaks up, and you cannot help but nod as he steps between Vengeance and the mayor, raising both hands. He looks at both of them, stares them down for a few seconds and when he sighs audibly? You sigh with him, and you're happy to see Bela relax her stance a little bit. Even if you think her frustration is one hundred per cent justified.

You would be sick to your stomach if Domino and some other mask vigilantes were always two or three steps ahead of you.

Really, it would make you sick.

"Now," Jim starts again, slower this time, turning to Vengeance. "Tell us your plan. And possibly who Domino is, because I know you and you wouldn't have gone for something this big or this showy if you didn't already have some idea who Domino is...."

Jim has a point, and you suddenly understand why Bruce trusts him so much. For a full minute, there is a long silence on the rooftop; you seriously wonder if Bruce is going to tell them about Dimitri.

How would you react then? Knowing someone that close to you is actually betraying you, and constantly at that.

How do you get over such a betrayal? You have absolutely no clue, and it seems that when Vengeance speaks again, he has made a decision.

"Let me emphasise first that what I am about to share must stay between all three of us. If this information leaks, I'll know it came from either of you. And I already know I can trust you, Jim, so..."

Both men turn to Bela, and she's the one audibly sighing next. Because, to some level, her pride's gotta be hurt.

"People are dead!" She replies. "If I need to be sworn to secrecy, so be it!"

"Fine. The short answer is yes, I know who Domino is and-"

"Perfect, let's go put him behind bars!"

"And I still won’t tell you who he is, unfortunately. That TV message was bait, he takes it, and I beat him at his own game, and he will take the bait, suggest something as grand and as decadent as everything else he's done in Gotham City. And... knowing what I know, I can intervene and make sure he doesn't hurt anyone else ever again."

"That sounds plausible. Do you need backup?"

"Eventually, yes, I will. Is there a secure line I can contact you at?"'

"We can make on-"

"I'm sorry, is that your big plan? To take down the latest Gotham terror, someone who has robbed, stolen, hurt and killed no less than a hundred citizens. Not to mention dedicated and committed police officers? Hoping he takes the fucking bait?"

"Look, Bela, it sucks that we have to wait, but this is a plan, men like that do get cocky over time, and he'll make a mistake, we have to tr-"

"Trust who? Trust him? Fine!"

Tap-tap…

The sounds of Bela's heels click against the rooftop as she draws closer. She comes close, she comes so close, she plants herself in front of Vengeance, probably staring him down. And you believe that she is powerful enough to do so; you have absolutely no doubt about it.

"You want me to trust you?"'

"Yes, ideally."

"Then answer me this, if you can't tell me who Domino is... who are you then?"

Oh, there it is, the one-million-dollar question, especially considering that to some level, she already knows him and she already trusts him.

How would she react if she knew who he was, if she knew he was just Bruce Wayne? Would she be mad? Even more upset? Or grateful she has an ally in her corner?

You unfortunately cannot answer that one question, even if you did try your best to guess.

"I can't tell you that, but you can trust me."

She sighs, she sighs and takes a few steps back, pointing at Vengeance.

"Circumstances and desperation are going to make me trust you... But make no mistake, once Domino is behind bars and Gotham is safer... I'm coming for you with everything that I have."

And you hear it as she walks away; it's not a threat.

At all.

It's a fact.

***

You are already in bed when Bruce comes back from his little rendez-vous. You're wearing one of his pressed shirts and also his boxers, head resting on the pillow as you look outside via the floor-to-ceiling windows. The bedside lamp is on, its soft glow making Gotham City look even more eerie and quiet.

It's not.

It's just an illusion, some trick of the light that can only happen at a specific hour of the day. You know it, you've seen it, and it's all shattered when that door is pushed open, Bruce barging in.

"That was a waste of time," he declares just as you sit up, pushing your curls to one side of your face and your eyes landing on him.

He is out of the suit, in nothing but loose black pants, all of his scars on display, the black around his eyes running down his chin. He looks more like Bruce than he does Vengeance.

Yet, you see the annoyance on his face.

"Can you really blame her? She thought you were dead."

"But I am not, I'm very much alive," Bruce counters, vivid blue eyes on you the next second. "And so is Vengeance; it has to account for something," Bruce mumbles. He groans next, opening the ensuite bathroom door, and you sigh when he starts watching his face. You come into the doorway, arms folded over your chest.

When he looks at his own reflection, your eyes meet in the mirror, you're calmer than he is. He is too close to the eye of the storm, too close to tipping over the edge, and he cannot see the bigger picture.

"It does, but she firmly believes that justice should be done in the open and fairly. It is why she was elected and... is that so wrong?"

"No. But it's not what's needed right now. At all." Bruce is still so vehement with his reply. He sighs, abandoning the now dirty clothes in the sink. He turns to face you properly next, gripping the marble of the sink tightly. "Please, tell me you see it."

"I do. And I see you too. Vengeance as well. And the scars all over your skin... I've had your blood on my hands, Bruce; it's not something I will ever forget."

"Some sacrifices have to be made for change."

"True. But we both know what you are doing is not sustainable. Once Domino is behind bars, you have to think of something long-term. And an escape plan. If not for my sake, for yours at least..."

"... You really think she can cage Vengeance?" Bruce whispers the question, a vicious smile passes on his face, for one second, two even.

It doesn't surprise you, no, you know this man in and out, you know who you love and at this very moment in the relationship, nothing Bruce can do can really surprise you.

At all, in fact.

"I think that every wild animal can be tamed, if it's not with a cage, there are other methods," you slowly say, and you frown slightly when Bruce rolls his eyes. "But I don't want it to happen to you, you're better than that, you're smarter than that. At least, I want you to be."

"I am."

"So, act like it. She didn't attack your honour or something like that, you want the same thing ultimately, and you can do things in the open, Bruce." You say softly as you draw closer.

He sighs deeply, so deeply his scared chest rises and falls, and he's the one folding his arms over his chest next. You chuckle at that, gently tracing a vein on his forearm next. Blue eyes stare down at you as he questions you with his eyes only.

"You have done so much… The orphanage, the charity, all of that- it's some good, too, it helps build a better foundation. You have to keep going in that direction too."

"I know, but I'm not ready to toss the mask away just yet."

"And I'm not asking you to. I just want you to consider it sometimes, and when you're ready… Prepare for it, okay?"

You whisper the last part of your sentence, cupping his face. Delicately, as if Bruce were fine China, you cup his jaw. Because you know the truth he keeps to himself. That mask he daunts, that armour he wears to go into the night... that's not his secret identity, no, that's who he truly is, raw, pure and vengeful.

Bruce Wayne is the mask, Bruce Wayne is the one going out in broad daylight and facing the harsh sun.

And you know, sometimes it's easier for him to be Vengeance than Bruce.

Like tonight.

"Okay..."

"Now... I see that look on your face… You need to let it out."

You pull at his jaw so his forehead is pressed against yours. Your lips brush one another, and Bruce closes his eyes. He opens them to stare intently, his control slipping, you can feel it, you can see it.

"I don't think it's a good idea."

"Bruce... I can handle it, you, it's okay..." You wrap your arms around his neck next, licking the corner of his mouth. "You can use me." 

…

You are not expecting such a reaction from Bruce.

The moment you utter those simple words, the moment you give him your permission, his lips are over yours. Bruce kisses you hard, wasting no time stealing your oxygen as his hands fall onto your hips. He replaces everything: logic, dread, doubt, with him, and soon enough you're kissing hungrily like two people who haven't kissed in a decade.

You're not, you see each other daily, and yet, you know Bruce is currently burdened with his negative thoughts and the pressure of being just the right amount of enough for Gotham City.

It is not an easy task.

So, what if he bites your neck the very next second? What if he leaves some mark around there? You don't care, he's the only one who should do so, and you have given him the right to do so. 

You gasp when firm and strong hands spin you around, and you cannot help but moan as your upper body is pressed against the edge of the massive sink. You turn your head to the side, just to meet the blue of Bruce's eyes, just to make sure he is there. But it's a little bit hazy, and Bruce is not even looking at you. He's still so fast and still so intent on getting his fill.

He shoves his boxers off your hips roughly, and you make another sound, low from your throat. You choke on his name as two fingers are pushed inside of you, and if you weren't absolutely turned on and pent up before, well, you are now. Because as he presses inside, as he moves his fingers slow and deep, Bruce finally looks at you, leaning down, draping his large chest over your back to lick the corner of your mouth.

"All I can think of when I am annoyed now is burying myself deep inside of you," Bruce confesses, his mouth very close to his. "You did this to me."

Are you supposed to apologise? Feel sorry for him? Maybe, you can't help it right now, not when you hear the distinct sound of fabric shuffling, you cannot help the smile that crosses your face as Bruce lowers his pants.

"Oh, my god..." You moan loudly when you and Bruce are joined together, finally one. And you barely have any time to catch your breath before Bruce starts moving.

Fast, and messy, his grip on your hips almost punitive and yet you wouldn't have it any other way. Yet, you take it moaning, your toes curling so much that at some point you're not even touching the ground. You don't know if you are here, you don't know if you are present, the only thing that matters is Bruce. Behind you, breathing hard, touching you, in you, moving, bringing you closer to that edge and making you gasp and moan because it feels so good.

He's rough with it, especially when he pulls you up so you are standing straight, pressing you flush against his chest as his hips still move.

You feel yourself shivering, like you're having an out-of-body experience, as Bruce licks the shell of your ear as he cups your chest through the shirt you borrowed. He is still moving within you, and the bathroom is filling up with sounds of hard breathing, your desperate moans and his low groans. Because it's messy and uncoordinated, and if it weren't for Bruce's strong hold on your hips, you would have already collapsed back into the sink.

"You're not supposed to like any of this."

That voice, that menacing voice, as Bruce is breathing hard and heavy in your ear. You know that voice, it isn't Bruce's voice, no, it's Vengeance. You would recognise that voice from a mile away, and it doesn't even scare you that the man you love is using it in this particular instance. You suppose that Bruce's self-control is slowly slipping away as he pounds into you, and isn't it kind of the way it should be?

You moan at the next particular hard thrust, your body jolting forward as you almost escape the embrace... Almost, you're still pressed flush against Bruce's chest, like there's no way to escape.

(And fuck, you love it here).

Why would you ever escape this place, you think, in a haze, as Bruce or correction, He talks again.

"You should tell me to stop, push me away, make me come to... fuck... my senses."

"Isn't that... aah... exactly what I'm doing?" You ask, as something deep within you tightens, maybe because Bruce is trying to make sense of something that doesn't make sense, because when you push your hips back the next second, to meet him, you feel more than you see the smirk that lingers on your partner's face for more than necessary.

Or maybe it's the way Bruce pulls your hair the very next second, just so he can smash your lips together and give you a kiss so filthy, this one should probably be for the history books.

It's what you are doing, and you smile into the kiss, you even bite his lower lip as Bruce shatters on the spot. It's sticky, warm, and because he doesn't want to be alone in that mess, one of Bruce's hands ventures down your front and... 

"Oh, fuck, Bruce..."

Your release hits you the very next second, as Bruce still moves, slower, behind you and within you. You relax against him, more than that, you melt against him, very glad for his strength so he can hold you as you try to breathe. It's one of your most intense orgasms. It's like coming back to the surface after being under the water for too long, it's that refreshing afternoon cup of water after a long trek in the sun...

"Fuuuuck..." You almost fall onto the sink as Bruce finally stops and releases you in every sense of the term, but thankfully, his hand is right there. You breathe in and out and turn your head to him. He doesn't fare much better, his face completely flushed, redder than you have ever seen it.

"Are you-"

"I am okay," you answer before he can even ask. "More than okay, but I'm gonna need a long shower, and so do you."

"Yeah, yeah, I do... just come here."

Bruce helps you to your feet, and you smile, a softer, gentler expression as he cups your face slowly. The kiss he gives you this time is much more tender, and it makes you chuckle. Is that his way of apologising?

"I love you, you know? So much…" Bruce whispers, forehead pressed to yours. "And I love that you are always here, no matter what, no questions asked."

"Of course, it's kinda my job." Your hands find Bruce's shoulders as you grip tight. "Making sure you're both okay."

And the laugh he gives you in response is almost enough to make you forget the madness outside... almost.

Just like Bruce, you are starting to resent waiting.

Waiting for the rain to stop, waiting for a response from Domino, waiting for him to make up his mind and give Vengeance an official response. It's all very boring, it all depends on men, their whims and their decisions.

And as a mother?

You just don't think it's fair.

***

The next day starts slowly.

In bed with Bruce, he is awake, he simply refuses to open his eyes, and he seems very happy to just bury his face into your chest and to inhale deeply. You chuckle, you pull him even closer, and you start idly playing with his hair, thinking.

"So," you mumble, your voice still laced with some sleep. "If we do go to Italy, do I need to learn how to speak the language?" You ask, and you watch, and you feel as Bruce laughs the next second. He looks up, face still pressed into the fabric of your shirt, startling blue eyes focused on you.

"I mean, you can learn if you want to, but we'll get a tour guide, someone local, to show us around and translate for us."

"Hmm... sometimes I forget how rich you are," you reply with a smirk, tracing his face.

"You should know, Miss, you've been living in this very cosy and expensive house for weeks, totally free of charge, I may add." Bruce jokingly says as he uses his hands to push his weight off of you. He starts climbing back up next, and sensing where this is going, you roll your eyes.

"Oh, I would disagree, Mister Wayne, I have been paying rent... not just with money."

"Hmm, very true..." Bruce smirks, his face only inches from yours now. "Maybe... I should collect the next month's rent early.... just in case."

"Oh yeah, just in case."

You're still full on smiling when Bruce kisses you.

It is totally impractical and stupid, but you cannot care right now, or the next second when you wrap your arms around his neck and pull him even closer.

This is perfect.

Like this, it's so easy to forget the rest, and it's like you're trapped in your own little corner of paradise. Maybe you don't need to actually travel, right here and right now, you're so far away from everything and everyone else, you fucking love it.

But.

Sadly.

And unfortunately, all good things must come to an end, as if on cue, there's a knock on the door.

"Master Wayne! There's been a development!" 

Both you and Bruce freeze hearing Alfred's voice through the door. And when you move the next second, it's in sync, you get off the bed, you toss Bruce his shirt that was on the floor, while he hands you some pants. Both fully dressed, you turn to the door, and you know something is very wrong when you see the expression on Alfred's face.

That's the man who was completely calm and collected when you both went to rescue Bruce from a building on fire. And yet, now? Alfred looked... afraid, uncertain, like he’s seen a literal ghost, and maybe it’s that, more than anything, that tells you everything that you need to know.

Bruce must sense it too. He extends one hand, and it rests on Alfred's shoulders as he asks. "What's wrong? What happened?"

"It's the... the mayor, Sir, Miss Real, she's..."

"Is she dead?" You whisper, covering your own mouth with your two hands as soon as the question breaches the realm of reality.

"No." Alfred nods negatively. "She’s alive… she's been kidnapped."

"...How dare he?" Bruce whispers, in anger, already heading down to Vengeance's lair. 

You too squeeze Alfred's shoulder before you follow Bruce, still barefoot, down that elevator. It's early, so early it's still the middle of the night, so early none of this feels real.

It is, it is especially his in the semi-darkness of the cave, and the screens are so bright and blaring the same information over and over again. It's all of Gotham’s news stations, not that there are that many but...

…

"Breaking news and a shocking development in the track of the now infamous Domino. We have just learned that Gotham City mayor, Miss Bella Real, has been kidnapped from her property early in the day... the following video has been sent to all the news outlets. Please, viewer discretion is advised as the images that will follow are extremely sensitive."

Just as the journalist warns the viewers, you suddenly wish that Bruce were closer to you. Just so you could squeeze his hand and feel the pressure of his own palm against yours. Not that you're not used to seeing blood or anything like that, for that matter.

Fuck, you're a woman, you've given birth, you've probably seen and shed enough blood for a life or two.

No, it's for the reassurance, because your little moment of peace is over. Completely over. 

The screen fades to black for a second or two, and then your eyes zero in on Bela Real, just as the camera reveals in which predicament she finds herself.

"That's..." You lose your voice the very next second.

"That bastard," Bruce mumbles, already heading in another direction.

You cannot move that freely, however. Because the sight on screen is just horrendous. Bela Real has been strung up on a cross, and she's still wearing the same clothes that she wore to meet Vengeance on that rooftop. But as the camera zooms in on her face, you can see the bruises forming on her skin, how her left eye is swollen, bottom lip broken, and there's all that blood, fresh all over her forehead and some dried in the crook of her neck...

The black woman is breathing hard and heavy, looking ahead.

She's surrounded. By men. Most of them are in bright orange suits, not only the prison uniform but also the Arkham uniform, which would explain where all those escapees went that night. They didn't just disappear into the winds, no.

And there's a sign, hung around Bela's neck, a white sign with black letters that read: I DO NOT PLAY. I WIN.

A clear message from Domino to Vengeance...

Just as quickly as before, the face of the journalist appears once again on the screen; she is talking, saying something, and so are Alfred and Bruce. But you can't hear it because there's a strong sense of nausea in your mouth.

It's dry, it's wet, it smells awful, and there's that ringing in your ears.

That biiiiip that doesn't want to go away and that resembles one of the many machines Bruce was hooked onto when he was in the hospital.

You need to...

You need to...

If you could just…

It's a miracle you don't collapse to the floor, really. You start to, suddenly the world isn't as straight as it should be... but thankfully, Bruce is right there, one firm hand on your hip and the other one cupping your jaw.

"Hey, look at me, just breathe in and breathe out."

"But she... we have to..."

"I know, but you're in shock, and you need to breathe." You can only nod and follow Bruce's orders because just right now, your voice sounded more shaky than it's ever been. And you don’t like the sound of that, it takes you a full minute for your heartbeat to stop beating like you are near a fire and another one, so you don't feel like you're going to empty the contents of your stomach on the floor.

Once Bruce seems satisfied, he lets you stand on your own, and you nod before he takes a very small step back.

"Bruce. You've seen her, she can't stay like that, we have to find her."

"I know, and we will," Bruce assures you, intense stare on you as he nods too. He does, turning back to Alfred, who is typing away on a computer, most likely trying to track down Bela Real's location.

"Do we have anything? Anything at all?"

"No, sir, it's the perfect video… It reveals absolutely nothing.... I suggest we tap into the police radio very soon and see where their investigation is at."

"Yes, let's do that now," Bruce agrees and moves, heading towards what appears to be a transistor and a radio, while you're still thinking.

"We know it's Benjamin, can't we just...?" You don't finish your sentence, you cannot, there's a phone ringing.

Yes, very loudly at that, a driiiing driiing that doesn't sound like a smartphone, and you turn around to see the old device on a wall.

"What? Who has this number?" You hear yourself ask.

"Only one person in Gotham City has that number," Alfred replies as Bruce races to said phone. "It's Jim Gordon, of course, and he's been told to only use it once in his lifetime... As a last resort, if you will."

You nod because you fully understand, and that alone indicates how much trust and faith Bruce has placed in Jim Gordon. The only thing he hasn't done is reveal who he really is, but you suppose that you and Alfred are very privileged in that regard. For now, you watch as Bruce picks up the phone and presses it up against his ear.

"You called? What is it?"

There's a blank in the conversation, and you draw closer, hoping to hear more. It's not the case, unfortunately, and instead, you just see Bruce frowning and clenching the phone in his hand even tighter.

And tighter and tighter....

"So, you really have no idea where she is? At all?"

...

"Yes, my people and I are looking into her, her security and safety are a priority to us too. In the meantime, I need to know what will happen next... regarding Gotham."

...

"I see. I suppose it makes the most sense. And regarding the lockdown?"

....

"No, Jim. I would strongly advise against that. That's just giving him what he wants, exactly what he wants... but I understand, your hands are tied."

...

"Yes, keep looking, light up the signal if you need back up."

Jim is still talking, that much is true, but Bruce doesn't seem to be the least bit interested. The conversation is over in every sense of the term when he hangs up, loudly at that. You watch as he clenches his jaw; he'll probably break a tooth or two at this rate…

"... How..." You pause to swallow air because it seems that you forgot to breathe for a few seconds. "How bad is it?"

"Bad. Worse than what I thought." He reaches for your right hand before you even need to ask, already squeezing it. "The entire police department is on a lookout, they sent a team to her place already, but nothing came out. The place is still tidy and neat... there's no sign of forced entry or anything of the sort, it's like she... vanished out of thin air." Bruce whispers, probably quoting back Jim's words.

There's some unrest and anger in his deep blue eyes, you know that, that part... that is one hundred per cent Him, no doubt about it.

"They are doing what they can. The leading theory is that she's still in Gotham; she'd be no use to Domino otherwise, right?" 

"Right..." You whisper back.

"What about the city?" Alfred asks, to your left, all of a sudden, he almost startles you as you didn't hear or see him approach.

"Well.... the deputy, Benjamin Garcia, is going to step up and be acting mayor until the situation is resolved, a good thing according to Jim, because the guy is level-headed."

"Oh, I bet," you coldly say, as the only people who know about Domino's identity are in this room right now.

"There's going to be a press conference this afternoon; Benjamin will announce that he is reopening the city, and he will offer a cash reward for the safe return of the mayor, apparently."

"A cash reward he will be able to collect himself, I'm certain," Alfred points out while you nod.

"Bruce, we... we have to be at that conference. We have to get close, ask him where she is, and yes, when I say ask him, I mean make him talk. By any means necessary." You barely recognise your voice as Bruce's icy blue stare meets yours.

"I... I agree, but he's got the advantage once again; not only will the place be crawling with police officers, but we don't know how many of them are actually Domino's men.... and if I kidnap him in broad daylight..."

"Then who knows what will happen to Miss Real," Alfred concludes.

There's another silence, a silence that's eating you up, the kind of silence you used to hate at the club. You let go of Bruce's hand, you pace thinking, and then you stop in front of him again.

"Maybe Vengeance can't get close."

"Who do you suggest instead? Good old Bruce Wayne... that won't be suspicious." Bruce rolls his eyes, and you flick his forehead in response because he just doesn't get it.

"No... I was about to suggest that I get close to him instead." You let your sentence hang in the air.

Bruce considers it, you see the no forming on his face, in his mind, but before he even opens his mouth, you raise your hand in response.

"Think about it, Benjamin is a man first and foremost, and now that he thinks he has the upper hand, if a pretty girl happens to be there to make sure he can relax after the press conference...."

"Not only is it a terrible idea, but he has seen you too."

"Please, he won't remember me, and I have tons of wigs, make-up and whatnot to disguise myself, my customers at the club wouldn't have been able to recognise me in the streets. And Benjamin won't either."

"I..." Bruce wants to object, he looks at Alfred next, and the older man shrugs.

"She could get close, men are weak little things."

"Exactly!"

"And what?" Bruce objects. "What if he doesn't believe you?"

"Oh, he will. I'll just... pretend someone booked me for him, that I don't know the details, that I'm just... the entertainment.... Which if it were true, I wouldn't know all the details either."

"Again, sir, she has a good point."

Bruce throws a murderous glare at Alfred, and the older man sighs in response before he returns to the computers. Bruce turns to you next, gripping your shoulders.

"Bruce, we don't have much time. I can't help. I have to, I refuse to do nothing and ... and go to another funeral. Nope, not if I can't help it."

"I know, and I understand... but I'm supposed to protect you. All of you, from what's outside, from the chaos, from the madness that is my world. You're not supposed to be in the middle." He whispers the last part as he draws even closer, your chest pressed against his the next second.

You smile, cupping his face.

"And I love you for that, and it's admirable what you do, but you're wrong about one thing."

"What?"

"This isn't your world. It's our world, our chaos, our madness... okay?"

When Bruce smiles in return, you know you have convinced him, you know he will let you do this, get close to Benjamin and get him in a vulnerable position. Bruce presses your forehead to his the next second, squeezing your shoulders even harder.

"When this is all over, I am taking you away for a week or two, okay?"

"Yeah, I'd like that very much."

He seals it with a kiss before he turns to Alfred next.

****

Oddly enough, it’s not raining as you approach the police station. It’s in front of the giant building that the press conference will be held, and as your heels click against the pavement, you slowly start to make out the flashes, the vans of the news channels, and the journalists present. Not just then, but civilians too; there is a row of chairs in front of a large podium, and it’s been divided: journalists on one side, civilians on the other.

You manage to snag a seat in the front row on the civilians' side, making sure you will be facing Benjamin when he appears. As you sit down, you unbutton the first three buttons of your trench coat and cross your legs in a way that makes them look longer. The brand-new heels help as well, and you know that, between that, the make-up and the dark cherry red wig on your hair, you will attract his attention.

You have to, at any cost.