Love in the Dark

It has been a week. A semi-long no bad dream week. I was relieved to be able to sleep without having a nightmare about Jonathan relapsing. I fell asleep fast and woke up well rested. Jonathan was having luck with his dreams as well, always telling me all of the nasty things we did in bed in his dreams. I often shake my head and roll my eyes at him, earning me a playful pinch and a kiss. Life with Jonathan was steadily improving and we have become that happy-go-lucky couple that you see in movies. It probably sickened others, but it made us all that much happier.

Jonathan still cooks for me. I complain every time he enters the kitchen that he should let me cook the meal, but he insists on doing it. Apparently it gives him something to do in the house seeing that I don't have a job. I gave this a fair bit of thought and decided that since I clean all day I should be the one cooking the food, but Jonathan insists on helping out in the house. He even cleans the entire kitchen when he's finished. All I have to do is sit there and eat his amazing food. I know one of the other reasons why I give Jonathan full use of the kitchen is because I know I can not compete in the cooking department. He just... has this flair in the kitchen that I can not match!

I have been seeing a therapist at Arkham. We've met only three times, every other day just like Jonathan, and I already feel better. Her name is Sara Brightman - no relation to the opera singer - and she is amazing. I have a feeling that Jonathan is a little hurt that I didn't ask for him as my therapist, but I just had this feeling that if I did there wouldn't be much talking happening. The couch would be used a lot however.

Sex with Jonathan is still amazing. That is a department that has not slackened at all. In fact it has gotten better... if that is possible. I enjoyed sleeping with Jonathan, he is very skilled in bed.

Tonight I'm dining with Bruce at Wayne Manor. I'm very excited because I haven't seen Bruce since the failed dinner attempt, and I haven't seen Alfred since I left. I kissed Jonathan good bye, rather passionately, before I left to get in the black car that was waiting for me outside. I slid into the backseat and waved good bye to Jonathan before turning to the driver, "Hello Alfred!"

"Good evening Miss Elwood. How have you been?"

"Fantastic. And you?"

"You know how it is, Master Wayne is a handful."

"I'll bet he is. Running around with all of those models and what not."

"Hmm... he has been lacking a social life hasn't he?"

"Yes."

"Perhaps you could help him with that?"

"Sure! Jonathan and I would love to take him out."

"How are things between you and Dr. Crane?"

"Great. We're getting over the bumps in the road and we're having a great time being with each other."

"Good to hear."

The rest of the ride was just idle chat. When Alfred pulled up to the great manor I was left with the usual sense of speechlessness that was associated with the sight of the manor looming over the town on the giant hill. Parking in the driveway, I got out of the car and walked with Alfred up to the front door. Opening it for me he told me that I could probably find Bruce in the parlor room. I stopped for a moment, not sure if I wanted to go in. I hadn't entered the room since my mother had died. I didn't want Bruce to think that I was a baby, so opening the door I paused as the ghost image of my mother bleeding out on the floor came back to me, but I forced the tears to stay back and walked further into the room, smiling at Bruce as he walked towards me.

"Bethy," he said, "It's good to see you."

Hugging Bruce I said, "It's good to see you as well."

Pulling away he looked down at me with his brilliant eyes and smiled, "I've missed you."

I laughed, "I live not ten minutes away from you."

He frowned, "I miss you living here."

"Bruce, you know I can't do that."

"But it still doesn't stop me from wanting you."

I gave him a sly smile, "You want me?"

Smiling he answered, "Oh, so much." Pulling me into him he whispered, "I keep thinking about the time in my sauna...." Leaning down he whispered, "I can't get you out of my mind."

I frowned, "I can't help but feel like you're being serious now."

"I'm as serious as a heart attack."

Pushing away from him I held my arms around me, "Bruce you know I'm with Jonathan."

"How is that going by the way?"

"Great."

"No more bad dreams?"

"No."

"Good."

"I'm seeing a psychiatrist."

"Is it helping?"

"Yes."

Bruce smiled, "I'm glad."

I smiled back, "So what's for dinner? I'm starving!"

Bruce laughed, "We're having Salisbury Stake."

"My favorite!"

"Alfred thought it was fitting."

"He's my favorite."

Together we walked out of the room and down to the dinning room where Alfred was just coming out with the food, "I should have known you two would be early."

I smiled, "Well of course! I love your cooking, Alfred."

He smiled, "Thank you."

Sitting down, I looked at the plate of food and picked up my fork to take a bite. As I moved to cut into the piece, I noticed that my hand was shaking, Bruce noticed it too, "Are you okay?" He asked.

"Um... Yeah I think I'm fine," I said, "Maybe I'm just really hungry."

Bruce watched me as I ate, my hands shaking madly. As I put the first bite of steak in my mouth I became ill. Getting up from the table, I ran out of the room and threw up into a trashcan. Bruce came to me and held me as I collapsed into him, both of us sitting on the floor. I continued to shake, a sheet of sweat covering my skin. I clung to Bruce as I experienced this new wave of sickness and I felt pain.

"Bethy, what's wrong?"

"I-I don't know." Tears fell down my face.

Alfred came over quickly with a wet towel, "What happened?"

Bruce shook his head.

"Lets get her to a bed, shall we?"

Together they moved me into a bedroom and Alfred set the towel on my forehead. More tears fell down my face and mixed into my hair. Bruce stayed with me while Alfred called the doctor, also calling Lucius, and Jonathan. The latter two came first, almost at the same time, Jonathan leaning over me, taking Bruce's place. Lucius watched me for a moment, then turned to Bruce and whispered something. Bruce's eyes widened and he looked at me.

I looked from them to Jonathan and said, "What's going on?"

He shrugged and placed a kiss on my lips, "I don't know, baby. I don't know."

"It hurts."

"What does?"

"Everything."

Lucius came up and said, "I think I might have a theory-"

The doctor burst through the door with Alfred at that time, saying, "Alrighty, lets take a look at her."

He did an examination and went to talk to the men before talking to me. I looked at the ceiling, wincing in pain as my body shivered. The group all turned to look at me and the doctor said, "I'll need to take a blood sample," he said, "To run a tox screen."

"Tox screen?" I was confused.

"You're showing signs of withdrawal."

"What?"

Jonathan came over to me and held my hand, "You just showing signs, Bethany.... We're not accusing you of taking any drugs."

"But why is my body doing this?"

No one answered. Jonathan wiped my forehead with a dry cloth removing the sweat. He held my hand as I clutched his, my body shaking violently. The doctor came over and said, "I can't give you anything to help with the symptoms, the only advice I have is to ride this out. I'll be able to tell you more once the tox screen comes back."

Bruce and Jonathan thanked the doctor and Alfred walked him out. Curling onto my side I cried as the pain increased, "Fuck."

Jonathan held me close to him as he sat on the bed talking to Bruce. I didn't bother focusing on their words... they were talking about what to do with me, which should have concerned me, but it didn't. Somehow, being in pain mattered more than listening to idle chat about alleviating my pain.