Twists of Fate - 4 - Visitors
Title: Twists of Fate - 4 - Visitors
Author: charlie_bz
Pairing/Characters: Bruce Wayne/Selina Kyle, Alfred Pennyworth, Jim Gordon, John Blake
Rating: For mature readers - Later chapters will turn quite dark.
Warnings: see above
Spoilers: Dark Knight Rises
Disclaimer: Dark Knight Rises does not belong to me.
Description: With Selina Kyle by his side, Bruce Wayne returns to Gotham to fulfill his family's legacy. After a brutal crime, he learns that Selina's ghosts can no longer be ignored and he must investigate her mysterious past.
A/N: Apologies for the extreme delay in updating this story!! Work is crazy busy right now and by the time I get home my brain is fried but I will do my best not to let another three weeks lapse before the next part. This chapter was a bear to get through and I guess I could edit it forever but then I’ll never get to the next part. Thank you for your patience! Hope you like this part which is the last before the mystery solving kicks into gear.
Previous Chapter
Visitors
As soon as she awoke at her usual six a.m., Helena sensed something was wrong, spending the morning crying for her mother and fussing at Alfred. After an hour of trying to placate her, Alfred called Isha fervently hopeful that the two would be able to communicate via telephone without their usual reliance on hand gestures or facial expressions. He managed to get his point across and Isha told him in her best English that she would be there as soon as she could find a ride. Alfred quickly responded, "Taxi. Please. Now. Please. Thank you." hoping she would understand that he would pay the cab fare if she would just get here immediately.
When Isha arrived less than a half hour later, Helena calmed down. Holding the older woman close, she fixed an angry glare at Alfred as if she blamed him for her mother's absence. Dressed in a bright blue sari, her graying black hair in a tight bun, Isha soothed Helena, speaking softly to her in Hindi.
Bruce called periodically during the day but after speaking with her father, Helena seemed to reject whatever peace Isha had instilled and acted out in a very vocal manner. Isha, unfazed by the tears and tantrums, admonished the girl to behave, gently chastising her at her rudeness to Alfred. The girl listened solemnly then hugged Alfred giving him a sweetly sincere "I'm sorry, Pop Pop" before dashing back to Isha.
After Helena woke from her nap, the afternoon promised to be a repeat of the morning. Alfred begged Isha’s forgiveness for leaving and went to the hospital
“Oh, dear,” he said when he first saw Selina. Whatever he felt about Ms. Kyle, her vividness could not be denied. Alfred knew why Bruce found her so appealing, not just her physical allure but there was life to her. Quite the opposite of what he was seeing now. “It’s a little shocking to see her like this.&rdquo
“She put up quite a fight,” Bruce said, looking tired and drawn.
“I’m not surprised,” Alfred replied with a small smile before pulling a chair to sit next to Bruce. “Any idea who did this?”
Bruce shook his head. “The homicide detective suspects me.”
“What?” Alfred exclaimed, offended that someone would consider such a ridiculous thing.
ldquo;She thinks I’m the jealous boyfriend.”
Alfred frowned, concerned that the new public persona Bruce had carefully cultivated over the last few months would be all for naught if the tabloids caught a whiff of a Wayne scandal. “What are you going to do?”
“Wait for her to wake up,” Bruce responded, his eyes on Selina. “Then we’ll work with the police to get whoever did this.”
Alfred gave him a disbelieving look. “Ms. Kyle doesn’t strike me as the sort to rely on the police to solve her problems.”
“I’ll convince her that’s the right thing to do,” Bruce said, sounding like he was trying to convince himself as well
A nurse arrived to take Selina’s vitals and change her IV bags. The young woman worked quickly and efficiently but with tender care for the patient who was oblivious to her ministrations. After she left, Bruce filled Alfred in on the details of Selina’s injuries, explaining how the hand surgeon, flown in from the west coast, had carefully set her shattered hand. As he talked, Bruce sounded detached and emotionless but Alfred knew better. Gazing at the man who was like a son to him, his concern swelled as did his irrational anger at the woman causing such distress in both father and daughter
As they sat together, Alfred chatted quietly telling Bruce about Helena’s day.
“I forgot how exhausting toddlers could be,” Alfred commented before realizing Bruce was not paying attention.
“I can’t believe I thought she’d taken Helena and left!” Bruce exclaimed. “She would never do that.”
Alfred’s silence indicated he was not convinced. He knew nothing about this woman except she had once stolen from them and then gave birth to Bruce’s daughter. His eyes went to Selina’s left hand, focusing on the metal pins protruding outside the cast.
“There was a reason we came back, Alfred.” Bruce looked at Alfred, willing him to understand. “It was for her.”
“I know, sir.” Alfred patted Bruce’s arm comfortingly, wanting him to know that, as usual, he understood the whys of everything he did. “Speaking of which, it’s getting late, sir.”
“Yeah?”
Alfred gave him a steady look. “She’s asking for her mum, she doesn’t need to wonder where you are, too.”
“I know,” Bruce agreed, looking abashed before looking back at Selina. “I just…I just can’t leave her. I don’t want her to wake up alone.”
“She won’t be alone; I’ll stay with her until the morning. Then you can bring Isha for a visit. She’s quite anxious to see her.”
Bruce nodded. “This will upset her.&rdquo
“Yes,” Alfred agreed. “I’ve noticed she’s quite fond of Ms. Kyle."
On his way out, Bruce paused by the door.
“She’s really not as bad as she likes to make you think,” he said quietly as he met Alfred’s doubting gaze
Before Alfred could respond, Bruce was out the door leaving the older man alone with his thoughts.
_____________________________________
As soon as Bruce walked through the elevator doors, Helena ran to him, hugging his legs tightly until he lifted her. Holding her close, he pushed away his guilt for leaving her scared and wondering at her mother’s abrupt absence. She immediately asked about Selina but Bruce was prepared for her questions, giving her answers about Selina visiting a sick friend, smiling as he talked so she would know that everything was okay. Helena looked at him doubtfully but she seemed to accept his explanation. His flimsy excuses would not hold for long, Helena was a clever little girl and even at three she would understand that her mother would never not call her but Bruce refused to subject his daughter to the sight of her beaten mother unconscious in a hospital bed.
Isha met him with a worried look, eager to ask the questions that could not be asked in front of Helena. Fifteen minutes later, after securing Helena in her car seat in Selina’s Range Rover, he closed the door and assured Isha that Selina was going to be alright and he would take her to see Selina tomorrow. Isha nodded and asked no more questions that she sensed he did not know the answers. She climbed in the back seat alongside Helena.
Bruce sat in the driver’s seat then took Selina’s keys out of his pocket and, just before sliding the key into the ignition, he noticed the unfamiliar keys on the ring. Frowning, he stared at the keys realizing for the umpteenth time in the last few days that there was so much he did not know about Selina. He started the vehicle, took note of the mileage, then looked around the car seeing that, save for the area around Helena’s car seat, the vehicle looked hardly used. Alfred had purchased the SUV for Selina just after they returned to Gotham six months ago but the vehicle felt impersonal, as if it was a borrowed rental car. Nothing like Selina.
On the drive to Isha’s row house in downtown Gotham, Helena chattered happily, telling Isha her version of where her mother was. Isha nodded encouragingly, her eyes sometimes meeting Bruce’s in the rearview mirror
They soon arrived at the modest house where Isha, her daughter, Shanti and Shanti’s four children lived together. Before arriving in Gotham, Bruce had researched neighborhoods that the women would be comfortable with and this particular one had a strong Indian presence that seemed to suit the family well.
When they entered the house, Helena ran to play with Shanti’s two youngest children. Shanti’s oldest son, Sushil, rushed to Bruce, happy to see the man he idolized. He shook Bruce’s hand, telling him about school until Isha shooed him away leaving the adults alone so Bruce could explain to Shanti and Isha what had happened. As expected, they offered to help in any way possible. Isha, in particular, wanted to see Selina and stay with her. Bruce promised to take her tomorrow.
With surprising little difficulty, Bruce gathered Helena to leave. She usually playfully hid from her parents when it was time to go but, today, ran to Bruce when he called her, holding his hand tightly as she waved goodbye to Isha and her family.
“Are you hungry?” Bruce later asked as he buckled Helena in her car seat.
“Pizza!”
Bruce smiled at her. The kid had not had pizza until six months ago and could not get enough of it making Bruce wonder what pizza makers were putting in the stuff to make kids wild for it.
They ended up in a garish pizza place that’s claim to fame was not the food but the huge play area. Helena’s eyes were huge as she took in the big colorful crawling tubes that traversed the length of the restaurant. Pulling her father’s hand, she tried to lead him over but he insisted on eating first. Or trying to eat as the pizza was awful but Helena did not notice. After eating her customary five bites, she excitedly pulled him over to the play area where she promptly jumped into the ball pit.
Bruce sat down on a bench in the play area, smiling at Helena as she happily waved to him
“Gosh, there’s nothing more depressing than being at Pizza Fun! on a Tuesday night.”
He looked up to see an attractive woman smiling down at him
“My first time,” he said.
“Wow,” she replied as her hand went to her blonde hair, smoothing it away from her face. “How did you manage to hold out so long?”
“We’ve been out of town.”
Interpreting his terseness for shyness, the woman sat down next to him.
“How old is your daughter?”
“Three.”
“Ah…that’s a tough age,” she said, with a flirty smile. “I was so happy when we got past the terrible twos then you discover that the threes are even worse!”
“So, I’ve heard.”
She sighed prettily then said, “It’s tough being a single parent.”
“Oh,” Bruce replied. “I’m not single…not a single parent.”
“Sorry,” she said, more irritated than embarrassed. “I didn’t see a wedding ring.&rdquo
Her interest in talking to him waned considerably for which Bruce was exceedingly grateful. She started to rise but then she gave him a look, the one Bruce had seen many times when people tried to figure out how they knew him. Before she was able to figure him out, he rose, bid her a polite goodbye, and found Helena
“May I have ice cream?” She asked hesitantly as they looked for her coat.
“No, sweetie, you already had some earlier.”
“No, I didn’t, Daddy.” She said shaking her head, looking at him wide eyed.
He started to correct her then remembered that it was yesterday Jen had given her ice cream
“Ok.” He grinned at her as he wondered how Blake’s search for Selina’s friend was panning out. Since he had not heard anything, he could only assume Blake had no luck
Helena ate her ice cream in the car which ended up being a bad idea on his part. As he lifted her out of her car seat, he found clumps of melting ice cream on her clothes and seat. If Selina were here, she would give him that look, the look that said he let Helena get away with too much. If it had been six months ago in India, she would have smiled at him and, together, they would clean up the mess. He missed that Selina and wondered where that woman had disappeared.
After giving Helena a bath, Bruce started to take her to her room to tuck her in but Helena shook her head vigorously, tears in her eyes. He squatted down in front of her, the signal for her to crawl on his back for a piggyback ride. She clung to his neck until he tickled her toes making her squeal with laughter. After tossing her playfully on the big bed in the master bedroom, he lay down beside her. She scooted up close then asked again why mommy did not call. No cell phone reception, he explained which the three year seemed to accept. She soon fell asleep and even though Bruce was exhausted, he lay awake thinking about Selina’s keys and all the other clues he missed, hoping she would wake soon.
__________________________________
Four Years Earlier
The train to Florence was to depart in an hour and Selina was nowhere to be found. Bruce had woken to an empty room which was not entirely unusual since Selina sometimes felt the need for an early morning run. He ordered breakfast and when she did not show after a few hours, called her. Then called repeatedly as the time when he wanted to get to the train station approached. He wasn’t worried. He was irritated
While the last few months with Selina had been anything but boring, there were times, like today, when he questioned the reasons they were together. His eye fell on the bed, remembering one of the reasons why. The prior month, Bruce had spent recovering from knee and back surgery. Selina had made the recuperation particularly interesting, finding fun in him being laid up in bed
Selina finally arrived looking vaguely like something the cat dragged in and not at all like she’d been out for a run but Bruce ignored her wan appearance in favor of his irritation at her almost causing them to miss their train.
“I’m not going,” she said, looking very guilty.
“If you think Alfred is going to lecture you about stealing from us, he won’t. We probably won’t even speak.” He had explained the whys of what they were doing in Florence. She had looked at him oddly then shrugged as if she wasn’t even going to try to understand the mysterious relationship between Alfred and him.
“No,” Selina said, looking him straight in the eye. “I think this is where we need to part ways.”
“Why?” Up until yesterday, everything had been good. Sure, they had their ups and downs, sometimes their personalities clashed spectacularly but they had managed to keep the deep stuff out which they both sensed their relationship might not survive.
“It’s just better this way,” she said, watching him zip up their bags. “We’ve had our fun together. Why ruin a good thing?”
“What did I do to piss you off?” He stepped close to her, looking down at her face trying to remember when she first seemed…different.
“It’s just…” She trailed off, shrugging helplessly. “I’m not mad at you. It’s just that…I’m…really tired.”
He stared at her trying to understand what she was not telling him. Never let it be said that he would figure out Selina Kyle but they had plans and whatever was going through her head would have to wait.
“Well, sleep on the train because we have to go,” he said as he grabbed their bags and headed out the door. When he reached the foyer of their small Swiss hotel, he realized she was not behind him. He hailed a taxi, handed their luggage to the driver, turned to go after her but then she appeared at the door her huge dark sunglasses covering her eyes
The train was crowded and they were late so they could not find seats together which seemed to suit Selina fine. Without a word to him, she sank into the first available seat and did not seem to care that she was squished between two other passengers. Bruce found a seat in another compartment amidst a group of German tourists who did not get the hint that he was not interested in polite chitchat
In Milan, they changed trains.
“What is it?” Bruce asked as soon as they sat down in an empty compartment. Selina’s uncharacteristic silence was worrying him.
“I can’t say it,” she said as she looked nervously at the young family that entered the no longer empty compartment. “It’s embarrassing,” she whispered.
Embarrassing? He did not think Selina got embarrassed over anything. Nothing seemed to faze her except whatever it was that was causing this reaction. He studied her as she looked out the window, her brow scrunched in concern. As they neared Florence, he started to get an inclination of what the problem was and then felt the seeds of something that could be called panic settle over him. He was not sure he was ready for what he thought she was going to tell him.
By the time they reached their hotel room in Florence, Bruce had his response to her announcement firmly in mind. It was a good plan, he decided, with kind, gracious words designed to let her know, as gently as possible, that while he liked her a lot and liked being with her, he just did not feel the same way.
As soon as the door closed behind him and they were truly alone, Selina came to life
“I can’t believe it!” She exclaimed as she paced the floor. She did not spare a glance at the sumptuous surroundings or look out at the dazzling view. “It’s not like I haven’t done things to prevent this from happening but…” She looked at him accusingly. “Leave it to you to get past my barriers.”
Bruce sat down on the bed, now almost positive she was about to spring the L word on him. He did not want her to say those words because that would change everything, and while everything had been so very good between them, he was not even close to being on that level with her
“I guess it’s karma…All the times I felt so superior at people this happened to...” She shook her head ruefully before she looked back at him.
He braced himself for her uncomfortable emotional declaration and was wholly unprepared for:
“I’m pregnant.”
He stared at her. Stunned. She stared back, her eyes wide with horror at the voiced word.
“Wait,” he said, trying to process her words. “What?”
She resumed her pacing. “I mean how could this happen? Now? In this day and age? It shouldn’t happen, that’s what!”
Bruce continued to stare at her, she had said the one thing he had not considered in all his imaginings of what could be wrong with her. He forced himself to focus on what she was saying.
“…my mistake,” she continued, still pacing. “This is my fault and I’ll take care of it.”
“I thought…” he began, intending to remind her of the oh-so-brief conversation they had months ago when she assured him that everything was taken care of in the contraception department.
“Yeah, well I thought so, too.” She sat down on the bed next to him. “I don’t know why I’m telling you since I am not going to have a baby.” She glanced at him quickly. “What do you think?”
“I don’t know,” he said and put an arm around her wanting her to know that he felt exactly as she did.
The next afternoon they went to the café on the Arno and Bruce almost chased Alfred down needing him more than ever but he remembered that he and Selina were definitely not going to have a baby and why put Alfred through all that. After Alfred rushed off, Bruce looked at Selina who was staring into the distance deep in thought
“Let’s get the first train out of here,” he said before he gave in to the compulsion to find Alfred and the man talked Bruce out of doing what they were considering.
By the time they arrived in Munich, they had convinced each other that they were not the kind of people to have a baby. They hardly knew each other and Bruce was, in Selina’s words, a little fucked up
“Mind you, I’m not saying I’m a picture of mental health but between us, we’re the last people who should be bringing a kid into the world.” He took exception to the fucked up remark and they fought a good part of the night until they realized having a baby together would not be so terrible
The next day, they changed their minds again. A wailing infant and a food-throwing toddler who pitched an ear-shattering tantrum on the floor of the restaurant mocked their decision
“I never ever thought I would have a kid. Ever,” Selina said after the appointment was made.
Bruce had thought about it, had entertained fantasies about married life with Rachel at Wayne Manor with Rachel and him fulfilling the role his parents had left behind. His imaginings had been clouded with perfection. No, this was not how he imagined becoming a father. Certainly not with a former jewel thief who was still a mystery to him and whom he did not fully trust
Then, in the middle of the night, Selina turned to him and calmly said that as a kid who heard her mother say, on numerous occasions, that her life would be better if only she’d had an abortion, she didn’t think she could go through with it
For the second time in a matter of days, her words stunned him. Bruce could not imagine hearing something like that from a parent and he couldn’t help thinking of the child subjected to such damaging words. Selina gave him a don’t-you-dare-feel-sorry-for-me look and in her eyes, he could see the tough kid putting on a brave face masking her mass of hurts. It was the truest thing she had offered him in months.
“I don’t expect anything from you,” she said quietly. “I don’t want to trap you...” Again was the word that went unspoken but hovered in the air.
“Alfred always warned me about this sort of thing happening. I should’ve listened more closely.” He tried for a light tone, wanting her to know that he did not blame her and that they were both culpable.
She nodded her head in agreement, her eyes wide with indecision and anxiety
From Munich, they travelled east, slowly making their way through Austria then to Hungary. For months they existed this way, travelling from country to country and if they were trying to outrun her ever expanding bump, they didn’t own up to it. Bruce was hard pressed to figure out who was the most appalled at the situation. Of the two, Selina was the most calm. At least until Kiev when, at seven months, the reality of the coming baby seemed to finally hit her.
“I have no business doing this!” She cried, angry at the tears rolling down her face. “Fucking hormones!”
“Selina,” Bruce said. “I think it’s going to be ok.” And for the first time, he believed it.
“Really?” She asked, desperate to believe him
“I think we both know what is going to happen,” he said quietly, his hand on her belly.
“That’s what scares me.” Selina replied, putting her hand over his.
As he looked at the woman lying next to him, her dark eyes shining with fear and hope, he realized he would not want to be in this situation with anyone else
______________________________________
After a restless night, Bruce woke with Helena’s feet in his face. He rearranged her before putting his arm around her, pulling her close. She slept deeply, not rousing at the movement. Waiting for her to wake, he remained thus until six o’clock rolled around and she woke asking about her mother. He reminded her of the reason for Selina’s absence telling her mommy would be home soon then distracted her with talk of pancakes.
He spent the day driving all over town. First, Bruce dropped off Helena with Shanti as he took Isha to the hospital. He and Alfred watched helplessly as Isha tearfully fretted over Selina, smoothing her hair over the bandages, stroking her uninjured hand. Her eyes lifted and met Bruce’s. The question very clear in her eyes: What was he going to do about this? With a slight shake of his head, he told her things were different here and they would wait for the police. She frowned then told Bruce she would stay until he returned later in the night after Helena went to bed.
Dr. Rathburn arrived to brief him on Selina’s progress. He assured Bruce that Selina would wake soon as they were reducing the sedatives. Bruce was torn, wanting to be there when she woke but knowing that Helena needed him more than her unconscious mother did, he told Isha to call the moment anything changed.
After picking up Helena, he took her to Wayne Enterprises. They took his private elevator to his office in a nondescript part of the building. Wanting to escape scrutiny, he had chosen an office in an underused and insignificant area. Helena fell asleep on his couch while he worked to salvage the business deal that was supposed to be finalized in DC before he unexpectedly left
By the time he returned to the hospital at eight, he was exhausted. The prior two nights of uneasy rest were taking its toll, he was out of practice for sleepless nights.
He called a taxi for Isha and as soon as she left, sank in the chair by Selina’s side and fell asleep. Waking only when a nurse arrived to replenish Selina’s meds. When he looked up, the nurse smiled at him before returning to her work.
Rubbing his eyes, he almost went back to sleep but then he noticed something very wrong about the nurse. At her ankle, he saw the distinct outline of a holstered gun. As she prepared to inject something into Selina’s IV, he sprang up, knocking the syringe out of her hand. The woman whirled around, deftly delivering a surprisingly powerful punch to his face. Undaunted, he grabbed her, meaning to throw her to the floor but she skillfully fought back. Her eyes showed her surprise as she recognized a trained fighter when she met one then her eyes narrowed in irritation. It was obvious she was not expecting any resistance from Bruce, thinking this hit was going to be easy money
In the blink of an eye, a blade was in her hand and before he knew what was happening, she slashed his arm. When he reacted, she kicked him in the abdomen then she reached for her gun. Bruce grabbed her hand, yanking her off balance then kicked her knee sending her crashing into the IV stand. A nurse arrived, horrified, Bruce yelled at her to call security. The woman rose from the floor, gun in hand. Bruce swatted it away, the Glock sliding across the floor under the bed. Unmindful of the pain in his arm, he managed to subdue her, pinning her to the floor. The woman, however, had no intention of getting caught and after feigning surrender; she head butted him then punched his throat causing him to release her. Springing up, she quickly looked for her gun but the commotion of hospital security nearing made her change her mind.
Before making her escape, she turned to Bruce and said, “She’s not worth it, Mr. Wayne."
Next Chapter
Author: charlie_bz
Pairing/Characters: Bruce Wayne/Selina Kyle, Alfred Pennyworth, Jim Gordon, John Blake
Rating: For mature readers - Later chapters will turn quite dark.
Warnings: see above
Spoilers: Dark Knight Rises
Disclaimer: Dark Knight Rises does not belong to me.
Description: With Selina Kyle by his side, Bruce Wayne returns to Gotham to fulfill his family's legacy. After a brutal crime, he learns that Selina's ghosts can no longer be ignored and he must investigate her mysterious past.
A/N: Apologies for the extreme delay in updating this story!! Work is crazy busy right now and by the time I get home my brain is fried but I will do my best not to let another three weeks lapse before the next part. This chapter was a bear to get through and I guess I could edit it forever but then I’ll never get to the next part. Thank you for your patience! Hope you like this part which is the last before the mystery solving kicks into gear.
Previous Chapter
Visitors
As soon as she awoke at her usual six a.m., Helena sensed something was wrong, spending the morning crying for her mother and fussing at Alfred. After an hour of trying to placate her, Alfred called Isha fervently hopeful that the two would be able to communicate via telephone without their usual reliance on hand gestures or facial expressions. He managed to get his point across and Isha told him in her best English that she would be there as soon as she could find a ride. Alfred quickly responded, "Taxi. Please. Now. Please. Thank you." hoping she would understand that he would pay the cab fare if she would just get here immediately.
When Isha arrived less than a half hour later, Helena calmed down. Holding the older woman close, she fixed an angry glare at Alfred as if she blamed him for her mother's absence. Dressed in a bright blue sari, her graying black hair in a tight bun, Isha soothed Helena, speaking softly to her in Hindi.
Bruce called periodically during the day but after speaking with her father, Helena seemed to reject whatever peace Isha had instilled and acted out in a very vocal manner. Isha, unfazed by the tears and tantrums, admonished the girl to behave, gently chastising her at her rudeness to Alfred. The girl listened solemnly then hugged Alfred giving him a sweetly sincere "I'm sorry, Pop Pop" before dashing back to Isha.
After Helena woke from her nap, the afternoon promised to be a repeat of the morning. Alfred begged Isha’s forgiveness for leaving and went to the hospital
“Oh, dear,” he said when he first saw Selina. Whatever he felt about Ms. Kyle, her vividness could not be denied. Alfred knew why Bruce found her so appealing, not just her physical allure but there was life to her. Quite the opposite of what he was seeing now. “It’s a little shocking to see her like this.&rdquo
“She put up quite a fight,” Bruce said, looking tired and drawn.
“I’m not surprised,” Alfred replied with a small smile before pulling a chair to sit next to Bruce. “Any idea who did this?”
Bruce shook his head. “The homicide detective suspects me.”
“What?” Alfred exclaimed, offended that someone would consider such a ridiculous thing.
ldquo;She thinks I’m the jealous boyfriend.”
Alfred frowned, concerned that the new public persona Bruce had carefully cultivated over the last few months would be all for naught if the tabloids caught a whiff of a Wayne scandal. “What are you going to do?”
“Wait for her to wake up,” Bruce responded, his eyes on Selina. “Then we’ll work with the police to get whoever did this.”
Alfred gave him a disbelieving look. “Ms. Kyle doesn’t strike me as the sort to rely on the police to solve her problems.”
“I’ll convince her that’s the right thing to do,” Bruce said, sounding like he was trying to convince himself as well
A nurse arrived to take Selina’s vitals and change her IV bags. The young woman worked quickly and efficiently but with tender care for the patient who was oblivious to her ministrations. After she left, Bruce filled Alfred in on the details of Selina’s injuries, explaining how the hand surgeon, flown in from the west coast, had carefully set her shattered hand. As he talked, Bruce sounded detached and emotionless but Alfred knew better. Gazing at the man who was like a son to him, his concern swelled as did his irrational anger at the woman causing such distress in both father and daughter
As they sat together, Alfred chatted quietly telling Bruce about Helena’s day.
“I forgot how exhausting toddlers could be,” Alfred commented before realizing Bruce was not paying attention.
“I can’t believe I thought she’d taken Helena and left!” Bruce exclaimed. “She would never do that.”
Alfred’s silence indicated he was not convinced. He knew nothing about this woman except she had once stolen from them and then gave birth to Bruce’s daughter. His eyes went to Selina’s left hand, focusing on the metal pins protruding outside the cast.
“There was a reason we came back, Alfred.” Bruce looked at Alfred, willing him to understand. “It was for her.”
“I know, sir.” Alfred patted Bruce’s arm comfortingly, wanting him to know that, as usual, he understood the whys of everything he did. “Speaking of which, it’s getting late, sir.”
“Yeah?”
Alfred gave him a steady look. “She’s asking for her mum, she doesn’t need to wonder where you are, too.”
“I know,” Bruce agreed, looking abashed before looking back at Selina. “I just…I just can’t leave her. I don’t want her to wake up alone.”
“She won’t be alone; I’ll stay with her until the morning. Then you can bring Isha for a visit. She’s quite anxious to see her.”
Bruce nodded. “This will upset her.&rdquo
“Yes,” Alfred agreed. “I’ve noticed she’s quite fond of Ms. Kyle."
On his way out, Bruce paused by the door.
“She’s really not as bad as she likes to make you think,” he said quietly as he met Alfred’s doubting gaze
Before Alfred could respond, Bruce was out the door leaving the older man alone with his thoughts.
_____________________________________
As soon as Bruce walked through the elevator doors, Helena ran to him, hugging his legs tightly until he lifted her. Holding her close, he pushed away his guilt for leaving her scared and wondering at her mother’s abrupt absence. She immediately asked about Selina but Bruce was prepared for her questions, giving her answers about Selina visiting a sick friend, smiling as he talked so she would know that everything was okay. Helena looked at him doubtfully but she seemed to accept his explanation. His flimsy excuses would not hold for long, Helena was a clever little girl and even at three she would understand that her mother would never not call her but Bruce refused to subject his daughter to the sight of her beaten mother unconscious in a hospital bed.
Isha met him with a worried look, eager to ask the questions that could not be asked in front of Helena. Fifteen minutes later, after securing Helena in her car seat in Selina’s Range Rover, he closed the door and assured Isha that Selina was going to be alright and he would take her to see Selina tomorrow. Isha nodded and asked no more questions that she sensed he did not know the answers. She climbed in the back seat alongside Helena.
Bruce sat in the driver’s seat then took Selina’s keys out of his pocket and, just before sliding the key into the ignition, he noticed the unfamiliar keys on the ring. Frowning, he stared at the keys realizing for the umpteenth time in the last few days that there was so much he did not know about Selina. He started the vehicle, took note of the mileage, then looked around the car seeing that, save for the area around Helena’s car seat, the vehicle looked hardly used. Alfred had purchased the SUV for Selina just after they returned to Gotham six months ago but the vehicle felt impersonal, as if it was a borrowed rental car. Nothing like Selina.
On the drive to Isha’s row house in downtown Gotham, Helena chattered happily, telling Isha her version of where her mother was. Isha nodded encouragingly, her eyes sometimes meeting Bruce’s in the rearview mirror
They soon arrived at the modest house where Isha, her daughter, Shanti and Shanti’s four children lived together. Before arriving in Gotham, Bruce had researched neighborhoods that the women would be comfortable with and this particular one had a strong Indian presence that seemed to suit the family well.
When they entered the house, Helena ran to play with Shanti’s two youngest children. Shanti’s oldest son, Sushil, rushed to Bruce, happy to see the man he idolized. He shook Bruce’s hand, telling him about school until Isha shooed him away leaving the adults alone so Bruce could explain to Shanti and Isha what had happened. As expected, they offered to help in any way possible. Isha, in particular, wanted to see Selina and stay with her. Bruce promised to take her tomorrow.
With surprising little difficulty, Bruce gathered Helena to leave. She usually playfully hid from her parents when it was time to go but, today, ran to Bruce when he called her, holding his hand tightly as she waved goodbye to Isha and her family.
“Are you hungry?” Bruce later asked as he buckled Helena in her car seat.
“Pizza!”
Bruce smiled at her. The kid had not had pizza until six months ago and could not get enough of it making Bruce wonder what pizza makers were putting in the stuff to make kids wild for it.
They ended up in a garish pizza place that’s claim to fame was not the food but the huge play area. Helena’s eyes were huge as she took in the big colorful crawling tubes that traversed the length of the restaurant. Pulling her father’s hand, she tried to lead him over but he insisted on eating first. Or trying to eat as the pizza was awful but Helena did not notice. After eating her customary five bites, she excitedly pulled him over to the play area where she promptly jumped into the ball pit.
Bruce sat down on a bench in the play area, smiling at Helena as she happily waved to him
“Gosh, there’s nothing more depressing than being at Pizza Fun! on a Tuesday night.”
He looked up to see an attractive woman smiling down at him
“My first time,” he said.
“Wow,” she replied as her hand went to her blonde hair, smoothing it away from her face. “How did you manage to hold out so long?”
“We’ve been out of town.”
Interpreting his terseness for shyness, the woman sat down next to him.
“How old is your daughter?”
“Three.”
“Ah…that’s a tough age,” she said, with a flirty smile. “I was so happy when we got past the terrible twos then you discover that the threes are even worse!”
“So, I’ve heard.”
She sighed prettily then said, “It’s tough being a single parent.”
“Oh,” Bruce replied. “I’m not single…not a single parent.”
“Sorry,” she said, more irritated than embarrassed. “I didn’t see a wedding ring.&rdquo
Her interest in talking to him waned considerably for which Bruce was exceedingly grateful. She started to rise but then she gave him a look, the one Bruce had seen many times when people tried to figure out how they knew him. Before she was able to figure him out, he rose, bid her a polite goodbye, and found Helena
“May I have ice cream?” She asked hesitantly as they looked for her coat.
“No, sweetie, you already had some earlier.”
“No, I didn’t, Daddy.” She said shaking her head, looking at him wide eyed.
He started to correct her then remembered that it was yesterday Jen had given her ice cream
“Ok.” He grinned at her as he wondered how Blake’s search for Selina’s friend was panning out. Since he had not heard anything, he could only assume Blake had no luck
Helena ate her ice cream in the car which ended up being a bad idea on his part. As he lifted her out of her car seat, he found clumps of melting ice cream on her clothes and seat. If Selina were here, she would give him that look, the look that said he let Helena get away with too much. If it had been six months ago in India, she would have smiled at him and, together, they would clean up the mess. He missed that Selina and wondered where that woman had disappeared.
After giving Helena a bath, Bruce started to take her to her room to tuck her in but Helena shook her head vigorously, tears in her eyes. He squatted down in front of her, the signal for her to crawl on his back for a piggyback ride. She clung to his neck until he tickled her toes making her squeal with laughter. After tossing her playfully on the big bed in the master bedroom, he lay down beside her. She scooted up close then asked again why mommy did not call. No cell phone reception, he explained which the three year seemed to accept. She soon fell asleep and even though Bruce was exhausted, he lay awake thinking about Selina’s keys and all the other clues he missed, hoping she would wake soon.
__________________________________
Four Years Earlier
The train to Florence was to depart in an hour and Selina was nowhere to be found. Bruce had woken to an empty room which was not entirely unusual since Selina sometimes felt the need for an early morning run. He ordered breakfast and when she did not show after a few hours, called her. Then called repeatedly as the time when he wanted to get to the train station approached. He wasn’t worried. He was irritated
While the last few months with Selina had been anything but boring, there were times, like today, when he questioned the reasons they were together. His eye fell on the bed, remembering one of the reasons why. The prior month, Bruce had spent recovering from knee and back surgery. Selina had made the recuperation particularly interesting, finding fun in him being laid up in bed
Selina finally arrived looking vaguely like something the cat dragged in and not at all like she’d been out for a run but Bruce ignored her wan appearance in favor of his irritation at her almost causing them to miss their train.
“I’m not going,” she said, looking very guilty.
“If you think Alfred is going to lecture you about stealing from us, he won’t. We probably won’t even speak.” He had explained the whys of what they were doing in Florence. She had looked at him oddly then shrugged as if she wasn’t even going to try to understand the mysterious relationship between Alfred and him.
“No,” Selina said, looking him straight in the eye. “I think this is where we need to part ways.”
“Why?” Up until yesterday, everything had been good. Sure, they had their ups and downs, sometimes their personalities clashed spectacularly but they had managed to keep the deep stuff out which they both sensed their relationship might not survive.
“It’s just better this way,” she said, watching him zip up their bags. “We’ve had our fun together. Why ruin a good thing?”
“What did I do to piss you off?” He stepped close to her, looking down at her face trying to remember when she first seemed…different.
“It’s just…” She trailed off, shrugging helplessly. “I’m not mad at you. It’s just that…I’m…really tired.”
He stared at her trying to understand what she was not telling him. Never let it be said that he would figure out Selina Kyle but they had plans and whatever was going through her head would have to wait.
“Well, sleep on the train because we have to go,” he said as he grabbed their bags and headed out the door. When he reached the foyer of their small Swiss hotel, he realized she was not behind him. He hailed a taxi, handed their luggage to the driver, turned to go after her but then she appeared at the door her huge dark sunglasses covering her eyes
The train was crowded and they were late so they could not find seats together which seemed to suit Selina fine. Without a word to him, she sank into the first available seat and did not seem to care that she was squished between two other passengers. Bruce found a seat in another compartment amidst a group of German tourists who did not get the hint that he was not interested in polite chitchat
In Milan, they changed trains.
“What is it?” Bruce asked as soon as they sat down in an empty compartment. Selina’s uncharacteristic silence was worrying him.
“I can’t say it,” she said as she looked nervously at the young family that entered the no longer empty compartment. “It’s embarrassing,” she whispered.
Embarrassing? He did not think Selina got embarrassed over anything. Nothing seemed to faze her except whatever it was that was causing this reaction. He studied her as she looked out the window, her brow scrunched in concern. As they neared Florence, he started to get an inclination of what the problem was and then felt the seeds of something that could be called panic settle over him. He was not sure he was ready for what he thought she was going to tell him.
By the time they reached their hotel room in Florence, Bruce had his response to her announcement firmly in mind. It was a good plan, he decided, with kind, gracious words designed to let her know, as gently as possible, that while he liked her a lot and liked being with her, he just did not feel the same way.
As soon as the door closed behind him and they were truly alone, Selina came to life
“I can’t believe it!” She exclaimed as she paced the floor. She did not spare a glance at the sumptuous surroundings or look out at the dazzling view. “It’s not like I haven’t done things to prevent this from happening but…” She looked at him accusingly. “Leave it to you to get past my barriers.”
Bruce sat down on the bed, now almost positive she was about to spring the L word on him. He did not want her to say those words because that would change everything, and while everything had been so very good between them, he was not even close to being on that level with her
“I guess it’s karma…All the times I felt so superior at people this happened to...” She shook her head ruefully before she looked back at him.
He braced himself for her uncomfortable emotional declaration and was wholly unprepared for:
“I’m pregnant.”
He stared at her. Stunned. She stared back, her eyes wide with horror at the voiced word.
“Wait,” he said, trying to process her words. “What?”
She resumed her pacing. “I mean how could this happen? Now? In this day and age? It shouldn’t happen, that’s what!”
Bruce continued to stare at her, she had said the one thing he had not considered in all his imaginings of what could be wrong with her. He forced himself to focus on what she was saying.
“…my mistake,” she continued, still pacing. “This is my fault and I’ll take care of it.”
“I thought…” he began, intending to remind her of the oh-so-brief conversation they had months ago when she assured him that everything was taken care of in the contraception department.
“Yeah, well I thought so, too.” She sat down on the bed next to him. “I don’t know why I’m telling you since I am not going to have a baby.” She glanced at him quickly. “What do you think?”
“I don’t know,” he said and put an arm around her wanting her to know that he felt exactly as she did.
The next afternoon they went to the café on the Arno and Bruce almost chased Alfred down needing him more than ever but he remembered that he and Selina were definitely not going to have a baby and why put Alfred through all that. After Alfred rushed off, Bruce looked at Selina who was staring into the distance deep in thought
“Let’s get the first train out of here,” he said before he gave in to the compulsion to find Alfred and the man talked Bruce out of doing what they were considering.
By the time they arrived in Munich, they had convinced each other that they were not the kind of people to have a baby. They hardly knew each other and Bruce was, in Selina’s words, a little fucked up
“Mind you, I’m not saying I’m a picture of mental health but between us, we’re the last people who should be bringing a kid into the world.” He took exception to the fucked up remark and they fought a good part of the night until they realized having a baby together would not be so terrible
The next day, they changed their minds again. A wailing infant and a food-throwing toddler who pitched an ear-shattering tantrum on the floor of the restaurant mocked their decision
“I never ever thought I would have a kid. Ever,” Selina said after the appointment was made.
Bruce had thought about it, had entertained fantasies about married life with Rachel at Wayne Manor with Rachel and him fulfilling the role his parents had left behind. His imaginings had been clouded with perfection. No, this was not how he imagined becoming a father. Certainly not with a former jewel thief who was still a mystery to him and whom he did not fully trust
Then, in the middle of the night, Selina turned to him and calmly said that as a kid who heard her mother say, on numerous occasions, that her life would be better if only she’d had an abortion, she didn’t think she could go through with it
For the second time in a matter of days, her words stunned him. Bruce could not imagine hearing something like that from a parent and he couldn’t help thinking of the child subjected to such damaging words. Selina gave him a don’t-you-dare-feel-sorry-for-me look and in her eyes, he could see the tough kid putting on a brave face masking her mass of hurts. It was the truest thing she had offered him in months.
“I don’t expect anything from you,” she said quietly. “I don’t want to trap you...” Again was the word that went unspoken but hovered in the air.
“Alfred always warned me about this sort of thing happening. I should’ve listened more closely.” He tried for a light tone, wanting her to know that he did not blame her and that they were both culpable.
She nodded her head in agreement, her eyes wide with indecision and anxiety
From Munich, they travelled east, slowly making their way through Austria then to Hungary. For months they existed this way, travelling from country to country and if they were trying to outrun her ever expanding bump, they didn’t own up to it. Bruce was hard pressed to figure out who was the most appalled at the situation. Of the two, Selina was the most calm. At least until Kiev when, at seven months, the reality of the coming baby seemed to finally hit her.
“I have no business doing this!” She cried, angry at the tears rolling down her face. “Fucking hormones!”
“Selina,” Bruce said. “I think it’s going to be ok.” And for the first time, he believed it.
“Really?” She asked, desperate to believe him
“I think we both know what is going to happen,” he said quietly, his hand on her belly.
“That’s what scares me.” Selina replied, putting her hand over his.
As he looked at the woman lying next to him, her dark eyes shining with fear and hope, he realized he would not want to be in this situation with anyone else
______________________________________
After a restless night, Bruce woke with Helena’s feet in his face. He rearranged her before putting his arm around her, pulling her close. She slept deeply, not rousing at the movement. Waiting for her to wake, he remained thus until six o’clock rolled around and she woke asking about her mother. He reminded her of the reason for Selina’s absence telling her mommy would be home soon then distracted her with talk of pancakes.
He spent the day driving all over town. First, Bruce dropped off Helena with Shanti as he took Isha to the hospital. He and Alfred watched helplessly as Isha tearfully fretted over Selina, smoothing her hair over the bandages, stroking her uninjured hand. Her eyes lifted and met Bruce’s. The question very clear in her eyes: What was he going to do about this? With a slight shake of his head, he told her things were different here and they would wait for the police. She frowned then told Bruce she would stay until he returned later in the night after Helena went to bed.
Dr. Rathburn arrived to brief him on Selina’s progress. He assured Bruce that Selina would wake soon as they were reducing the sedatives. Bruce was torn, wanting to be there when she woke but knowing that Helena needed him more than her unconscious mother did, he told Isha to call the moment anything changed.
After picking up Helena, he took her to Wayne Enterprises. They took his private elevator to his office in a nondescript part of the building. Wanting to escape scrutiny, he had chosen an office in an underused and insignificant area. Helena fell asleep on his couch while he worked to salvage the business deal that was supposed to be finalized in DC before he unexpectedly left
By the time he returned to the hospital at eight, he was exhausted. The prior two nights of uneasy rest were taking its toll, he was out of practice for sleepless nights.
He called a taxi for Isha and as soon as she left, sank in the chair by Selina’s side and fell asleep. Waking only when a nurse arrived to replenish Selina’s meds. When he looked up, the nurse smiled at him before returning to her work.
Rubbing his eyes, he almost went back to sleep but then he noticed something very wrong about the nurse. At her ankle, he saw the distinct outline of a holstered gun. As she prepared to inject something into Selina’s IV, he sprang up, knocking the syringe out of her hand. The woman whirled around, deftly delivering a surprisingly powerful punch to his face. Undaunted, he grabbed her, meaning to throw her to the floor but she skillfully fought back. Her eyes showed her surprise as she recognized a trained fighter when she met one then her eyes narrowed in irritation. It was obvious she was not expecting any resistance from Bruce, thinking this hit was going to be easy money
In the blink of an eye, a blade was in her hand and before he knew what was happening, she slashed his arm. When he reacted, she kicked him in the abdomen then she reached for her gun. Bruce grabbed her hand, yanking her off balance then kicked her knee sending her crashing into the IV stand. A nurse arrived, horrified, Bruce yelled at her to call security. The woman rose from the floor, gun in hand. Bruce swatted it away, the Glock sliding across the floor under the bed. Unmindful of the pain in his arm, he managed to subdue her, pinning her to the floor. The woman, however, had no intention of getting caught and after feigning surrender; she head butted him then punched his throat causing him to release her. Springing up, she quickly looked for her gun but the commotion of hospital security nearing made her change her mind.
Before making her escape, she turned to Bruce and said, “She’s not worth it, Mr. Wayne."
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