Love in the Dark

I laid in bed for the rest of the week. The police still had my mother's body, using it as evidence against the Joker, as if they didn't have a room filled enough. Bruce allowed Jonathan to stay with me, thinking that it would be better for my well being. Every morning, the two would come in and try to get me to eat breakfast, which I would nibble at, but I never had a big enough appetite to finish. They would then take turns sitting with me, Bruce usually went first while Jonathan went to Arkham to continue his therapy and his work. Then Jonathan will come while Bruce went to Gotham to oversee business stuff. Occasionally Commissioner Gordon and Lucius Fox would come and check up on me. When I needed to be bathed, Jonathan would take me to the bathroom and shower with me. It was never sexual, but it was nice having him with me. Near the end of the week, I started to come out of my depressed self.

"She's really gone," I said, looking at Jonathan as he settled down next to me.

Jonathan frowned, "Yes."

"I... I don't know what to do."

"About what?"

"Everything in Chicago... my home.... I should probably tell my dad."

"Bruce took the liberty of telling him earlier this week. He's flying back."

I nodded, "Oh."

Placing a kiss on my temple Jonathan sighed, "We'll get you through this, Bethany. I promise."

I nodded. I reached up to kiss him, and made the kiss deep. I rolled on top of Jonathan, straddling his waist. I ran my hands up his chest. But he stopped me, "Bethany, no... this isn't the right place-"

"Please? I need something to do... something the distract me."

"Is that all I am to you now? A distraction?"

"No. But I need one right now."

Jonathan smiled, "Well, it's a good thing I'm good at that."

~

In the morning, I woke up to no Jonathan in the bed next to me, and my sheet wrapped around me. Getting up, I got dressed and left my room for the first time since my mother died. Going down stairs, I found Bruce and Jonathan sitting at the table, Bruce reading the newspaper while Jonathan read a science magazine. They both had their finished breakfast plates in front of them and a tray of food waiting in between them to be taken up to me. They were both sipping from their coffees, when Alfred came up behind me.

"Good morning, Miss Elwood." Alfred said.

"Good morning, Alfred."

The two men at the table looked up from their papers and smiled. Alfred placed his hand on my back and lead me to the table, "Your breakfast is waiting."

"Thanks." I sat down awkwardly at the table and took the plate and cup of coffee off of the tray allowing Alfred to take it back to the kitchen. Setting everything down, I sipped from the coffee.

"How are you this morning," asked Bruce.

"I'm okay."

"Did you sleep well," asked Jonathan.

I nodded, "Yeah." I took another sip and said, "So is this a morning routine for you guys?"

Bruce smiled, "Yeah... I guess it is."

"It's cute," I said, "You look like my parents when they were still together."

Jonathan frowned, "Your father is coming today."

"Is he?"

"Yes."

I nodded, "When?"

"Any minute."

"Okay."

Bruce set his paper down, "Bethany... are you sure you want to move into the loft? You can wait, stay here for a while-"

"No. Staying here is out of the question," I said, "I love it here, Bruce, I really do... but I don't think I'll be able to walk in here with out breaking down. Like... I know it will be years before I'm able to go in the...." I stopped for the sensation of crying to pass, "I won't be able to go into the parlor...."

Jonathan got up and came over to me, setting his hand on my shoulder, "Bethany is right. Being in this house will only prolong the healing. Bethany is the kind of person to fall into routine in order to heal."

"Because that worked so well last time." Bruce snapped.

"Hey," I said, "I was doing fine."

Bruce frowned, "When do you want to move?"

"I need furnishing... dishes... all that stuff."

"We can go shopping today," said Bruce.

"What about my father?"

"Oh right."

"We'll go tomorrow," said Jonathan.

I looked up and nodded, then the doorbell rang. Alfred could be heard walking to the door and then we heard a loud booming voice, my father's voice. Alfred came in and introduced my father, and he came in. He was wearing khakis, dress shoes, a polo shirt, and his skin was tan. His black hair was peppered with gray, and he had a woman no older than Bruce with him. She wore a figure hugging royal blue dress that cut off mid thighs, and was short sleeved. Her blond hair was done in perfect curls, much like mine but she had to work at hers, and it fell down her back. A pearl necklace graced her neck and a giant diamond ring was on a finger, thankfully not on her left hand. Her shoes were white, and her skin was equally as tan as my fathers.

"Bethany," my father said with a smile and his arms open, "Baby."

Getting up, I walked over to him and hugged him, "Hey, daddy."

"How's my baby girl?"

"Not good."

"Yes... times must be hard."

I pulled away and took a step back. Turning to the blond I said, "I'm sorry, I don't think I know you."

She laughed and smiled, "Oh, I'm Melody."

"Mel is my girlfriend." My father said it like it was natural for a man over fifty to have a girlfriend as young as his daughter.

"Nice to meet you Melody," I said, smiling.

"No, nice to meet you Bethany. Your father talks about you all of the time."

"Does he?"

"Yes."

I smiled and went back to the table, the two of them following. Turning to Jonathan I said, "Dad, I want you to meet Jonathan Crane... my boyfriend."

"Boyfriend, eh?" My father smiled and held out his hand, "Well, Jonathan, I'm Charles Elwood. Nice to meet you."

Jonathan smiled and shook my father's hand, "Pleasure is mine, Mr. Elwood."

"Now, now, since you're dating my daughter, call me Charles."

Jonathan smiled, "Charles."

My dad turned to Bruce and smiled, "Bruce, my boy! Haven't seen you in years! How are you?"

Bruce stood up and shook my father's hands, "Well, we've been better."

"Right, right, or course. You look so much like Tom."

Bruce smiled, "Thanks."

"So, what's up?" My dad smiled.

"Dad... mom died."

"Oh right, Margaret."

"Did you forget why you were coming," I asked.

"No, no, just thought I'd catch up first."

I frowned.

"Come on, Bethany, it's not like she's going anywhere.... We've got all of the time in the world to take care of her-"

"She was my mother," I said, "The person I spent every day with my whole life," tears filled my eyes, "She was the one who taught me everything I know. She was the one who cared for me. And now she's gone. And you're acting like it's no big deal? Just because you're no longer married to her, doesn't mean you don't have to give a damn!"

"Bethany I-"

"No, dad. I will not stand here and have you walk all over her like you did when she was alive."

"Well, technically I'm not walking." My father smiled at his joke, and Melody laughed.

I looked at them and frowned, "Fuck you."

"Bethany," my father was shocked, "Do you kiss your mother with that mouth?"

The tears slipped down my face, "Calling you was a mistake," I said.

My father stopped smiling, "Bethany, I'm sorry."

"No you're not."

"Baby, I am. You're my daughter... I hate to see you cry."

"Didn't stop you when you left."

My father frowned, "Now look who's not being fair."

"I can be like this all I want. My only parent was murdered."

"I'm your parent."

"No you're not... you gave that up when you left us."

"Bethany."

I looked away from him, and walked out of the room. Jonathan came with me and followed me into the library. I sat on the piano bench and ran my fingers over the keys. Jonathan sat next to me, not touching me. I shuddered as I took in air, and sniffed. My fingers came down on a dark chord, one that was deep and filled the room with it's ominous sound. I moved on from there, playing the dark melancholy sound that came from my finger tips. It wasn't anything special, mixtures of popular themes of darkness, some just came out of me because I though it sounded cool. Jonathan let me play, listening to my sorrow flow out of me and into the air in music. When my crying stopped, he placed his hand on my leg and sat in silence. When I could no longer think of anything to play, he turned me to him.

"Bethany," he said, "Bruce and I will take care of your mother.... Your father can go home if he wants. Tomorrow you and I will go and look for a bed, a couch, whatever you want, have it delivered to your apartment, and move in as fast as you can. I want you as far away from this place and that man as fast as you possibly can.... This environment isn't good for you."

I looked at him and said, "Jonathan... did I ever tell you that you're too good for me?"

"No."

"You're too good for me."

He smiled, "No, Beth... it's the other way around. You're too good for me." Cupping my face in his hands he said, "You are everything I would ever ask for in a relationship and more."

I smiled, "Kiss me."

Jonathan leaned in and kissed me passionately. I moaned into it as he sucked in my lower lip and bit tenderly at it. My tongue entered his mouth and wrestled with his as we made the kiss deeper than it probably should have been. We would have continued, had we not heard a high pitched giggle from the doorway. Pulling apart, we saw Melody.

"You two are too cute," she said, "Sitting in the library, kissing like that."

"Can we help you," asked Jonathan.

"I was just wondering who was playing the piano, and so I came here, but I guess I was too late."

"I guess," I said.

"Sorry, for interrupting."

"Good bye then," said Jonathan.

"Oh, but I was going to sit in here."

"Really?"

"Yeah."

Turning to him I said, "We can move."

Jonathan smiled, "We can indeed."

"You guys could also get a room." Melody giggled.

We glared at her but she didn't seem to mind. Sitting down in a chair, we were soon joined by my father, and Bruce. Jonathan and I excused ourselves, and headed up to my room, where Jonathan lead me over to the bathroom. "What are you planning," I asked.

"Do you want to take a shower?"

"No."

Pulling me into him he slowly started to undress me and said, "How about a nice, hot, bubble bath?"

His fingers gently slid up my sides, tickling me, and I I sighed, "Uh... I don't know."

"I could take the soap, and wash you all over..." he pressed his forehead to mine as he continued to take my shirt off, "I will make sure you are all clean, wash your hair...."

I shuddered, "Jonathan."

"We could just sit in the tub, our bodies wet, and pressed together."

I shuddered again, moaning I leaned up to kiss him. He smiled as he broke the kiss to take off my shirt, and I took off his. Our arms wrapped around our waists as we held each other close. It never failed with Jonathan... we could never stay away from each other. Getting into the tub, I smiled as I straddled him, his hard member in between my legs. I rode him softly at first, getting him to moan, but he retaliated by sucking on my skin in places that only he knew could get me to moan for him. Little did we know, my father was standing outside my bathroom door, listening to everything we did.