Love in the Dark

The following morning, Jonathan and I made our way down to the breakfast table joining Bruce, my father, and Melody. When we sat down, my father cleared his throat and said, "Did you have a good night?"

Looking up at him I said, "Yes."

"Sounded like it," said Melody with a giggle, "Baby, why don't we have sex in the bathroom?"

My jaw dropped, and Jonathan choked on his coffee. Bruce spat out the mouthful of milk he was sipping, and it sprayed into his cup and all over his face. My father gave me a smug look and placed a kiss on Melody's cheek. I recovered first and said, "The bathroom is not the only creative place we've had sex."

My father frowned, "Really, Bethany? Do you have to continue this?"

"You seemed to want to talk about it."

"Did I?"

I glared at him, "Jonathan and I will be spending the day in the city. I'm sure you and Melody won't mind being alone today."

"Will you now?"

"Yes."

"Doing what, might I ask?"

"Furnishing my apartment."

"What apartment?"

"I'm renting a loft in the city."

"Does your mother know about this?"

I glared at him, "Yes. She knew about it. Anyways, we will try to move in as soon as we can... I don't want to be a burden to Bruce anymore than I have to be."

"You're not a burden," said Bruce, "Bethany, your mother was killed... by a clown. You're acting like I did when my parents were killed by Chill. You are more than welcome to stay here."

"Ya hear that, baby," asked my father, "Bruce is willing to take care of you. If Jonathan was as good a boyfriend as you think he is, he would offer you a spot at his place."

"My place is... no longer in existence." Jonathan was stone faced.

"What do you mean?"

"It was blown up."

My father laughed. He had a big booming laugh that came out when he thought something was particularly funny, "Blown up? What the hell do you mean, blown up?"

"He means that some psychotic freak in a clown costume, filled his house with fireworks and explosives, and set it on fire," I frowned at my father, who was suppressing giggles probably from the cartoon imagery going on in his head, "Which is all the more reason to move into the loft as fast as we can."

"I don't know if I think the city of Gotham is safe enough for my baby. Why not move to Chicago? You love Chicago."

"Jonathan has a job here, daddy."

"And what does Jonathan do for a living?"

"I'm a psychopharmacalogist and head psychiatrist at Arkham Asylum."

My father looked ill, "What?"

"I create drugs that help people with chemical imbalances in their brains to help them control disability."

"You work at Arkham?"

"Yes."

Looking at me he said, "You're dating someone who works at Arkham?"

I nodded.

"No. No, I won't tolerate it."

"What?"

"No daughter of mine will be dating a sick fuck who works at Arkham."

"Dad!"

"Do you know what they do in there," my father stood up, "They treat people like they're insane."

"They are insane."

"They perform experiments on them! There was an article in the paper not too long ago about one of the doctors performing illegal experiments on the inmates. The man was dressing up as a... a... monster and scaring them half to death!"

I looked at Jonathan who was staring hard at his cup of coffee, "Dad... did you ever think to just be happy for me?"

"No."

"Oh."

"I will not be happy with someone like him."

"Then I can't be happy with someone like her." I pointed at Melody.

"What does she have to do with this?"

"Dad... the girl is no older than I am. We could be sisters. And you're fucking her? How is that okay? How is that suppose to make me feel?"

"Love is love babe."

"Yes. I know," wrapping my arm around Jonathan's arm I said, "Love is love."

My father shook his head, "I honestly thought I raised you better."

"Did you?"

"Yes."

"You honestly call leaving me and mom raising me?"

"Bethany, don't blame me for your troubles."

"I'm not. I'm just calling you out on your bull shit parenting."

"Bethany, I will not sit here and listen to you mock me."

"Then stop trying to act like you were the better parent. Because I'm right here, and I'm saying that you weren't."

My dad sat down, and huffed. Anger boiled in me, and the only thing I could think of to do to take it out, was to stab at my french toast and chew angrily. Jonathan held my hand under the table, and we ate as fast as we could. With my plate empty of food and fruit, I took my cup and announced that I would be in my room, getting dressed. Leaving, I was followed by Bruce.

"Bethy," he said catching me in the hall way, "Bethy, are you okay?"

"I don't want him here, Bruce. I can't-"

"Where do you want him?"

"Out of my life." I looked up at him, and tears filled my eyes, "God dammit! I'm fucking sick of crying!"

Bruce pulled me into a hug and we stood in the hallway. He rubbed my back and cooed to me, trying to comfort me the best that he could. Jonathan could be heard stopping just outside the archway, but I didn't care. I needed to be held, and Bruce was the first one here. When I felt like it was time to stop crying, I pulled away, and excused myself, running up the stairs and to my bedroom, slamming the door shut so no one would disturb me.

~

"Oh my God, it's a water bed," I exclaimed, "I didn't fucking know they still made these." Smiling I plopped down on one and let the water wave under me.

Jonathan smiled, "I'm not letting you get a water bed."

"I never said I wanted one. I was just excited that they had one." I moved a little bit, disturbing the water, then I frowned.

"What?"

"I can't get up."

Jonathan laughed and helped me out of the bed. People in the department store looked at us, all knowing who Jonathan was, and who I was. Women came up to me to tell me how sorry they were to hear that my mother had died. More came up to make a crude remark to Jonathan about his line of work, or about me. But we ignored them, continuing around the bend of mattresses to find the right one. I felt like the princess and the pea. I found something wrong with each mattress I laid on, but then Jonathan found one that I couldn't refuse.

"Oh my God... what is this?"

"A Tempera-pedic."

"I love it!"

"Don't you?"

"Ugh, this is perfect. I could fall asleep right now!"

Jonathan smiled, "Well, lets get it."

"Okay."

We went to the clerk, telling him which bed we wanted. It wasn't until he asked if we were newly weds did I realize that Jonathan and I were picking out things for our new home. Jonathan was moving in. I thought about that concept, me living with Jonathan after knowing him for not even a week, and I was surprisingly okay with that. With the mattress bought, the table on it's way over, with chairs, a couch, and dinning dishes, Jonathan and I were ready to leave Wayne Manor and into the loft. We arrived at the house and I went up to my room to pack all of my things. Going down stairs with my suitcase, I found Jonathan with his already. Bruce was in the hallway.

"You guys just going to leave?"

"Yeah," I smiled at him, "Everything is all set. We're moving in today."

"Congratulations."

"Thanks," I smiled, "I'm going to quickly put these in the car."

Jonathan nodded, "I'll be right out."

I ran out to the car and placed my bags in the back seat, then came back inside to find Jonathan and Bruce in a heated conversation, I hid behind the door frame, and could still hear them.

"I'm perfectly capable of living with someone else, Mr. Wayne," said Jonathan, "I've gone through intensive therapy."

"I don't care. There's always the threat of a relapse."

"I would never hurt Bethany," Jonathan moved so his face was in Bruce's, "I love her. I would never want anything to happen to her."

"We'll see. I'm watching you Crane. One wrong move, and I'm taking her. One wrong thing, and she's coming back here, and she'll never see you again."

"Is that right?"

"That's right."

I sighed and said, "Alright, I'm good." I smiled and came into the house.

My father, Melody, and Alfred joined the three of us, I hugged Alfred and thanked him for everything, and he said not to mention it. I nodded at my father and Melody, letting them know that I knew they were there. I hugged Bruce good bye, and got in the car with Jonathan. He drove away from the house, his brow furrowed in anger. I knew not to ask, so I sat in silence. When we got to the apartment building, we made our way up and found that everything was in place. Jonathan set his bag down, grabbing mine and setting them on the couch. He then turned to me and smiled, "This is nice."

"I thought it was the perfect fit for me."

"It is."

I smiled at him, and let him kiss me, moving me to the bed which was in the corner of the room where the floor to ceiling windows couldn't see it. Smart moving men. Setting me down on the bed, Jonathan and I kicked off our move in day the right way.