Love in the Dark

In the morning I awoke to the sound of someone knocking on my door. Sliding out of bed, I answered it to find Bruce on the other side. He carried with him a tray of breakfast food, two plates of each. I looked at him and frowned, "What are you trying to do?"

"Do you want breakfast? I thought we could sit out on the terrace and enjoy the morning."

"Bruce," I sighed, "I'm in my pajamas."

"There's coffee."

I looked from him down to the thermal coffee pitcher, then back to him. The bastard knew my weakness. Letting him in I made a mental note to talk to my mother about talking about me to other people. Bruce went over to the terrace and opened the door, expertly balancing the tray on one hand to do so. He stepped out as I grabbed my robe and followed him. I put it on as I exited out into the morning air, the breeze off of the water surrounding the islands made it tolerably cool. I looked to my left and found a table under a small roof where Bruce was setting up our morning meal. I walked over and sat down in a chair and he sat down in the one across from me.

"Your coffee," he said handing me a cup.

"Thanks," taking a sip I said, "So where were you last night?"

"Excuse me?"

"I um... went looking for you, but you weren't to be found."

Bruce looked at me, then smiled, "Why were you looking for me?"

"I was thinking about what you said...."

"What did I say?"

I looked down at my cup of coffee and I blushed, "We were stupid when we said all of those things.... And I... missed you too."

Bruce smiled wider, "Aw, now see? It wasn't that hard to say."

"Shut up."

"So are you ready to be friends again?"

Looking over at him, I gave him a warning look, "Take it slow."

Bruce nodded, "Okay."

Taking one of the plates off of the tray I looked down and smiled, "Alfred hasn't lost his touch, has he?" The plate held one pancake. On it were two eggs sunny side up, and a strip of bacon. The way they were placed made a face on the flat cake, and I giggled, "He used to make these all of the time."

"Yeah, I figure he sees you being here as a chance to do these again."

"You don't eat them?"

Bruce smiled, "Not all of the time."

Picking up the strip of bacon, I bit part of it, chewing it, and looked down the hill at the city. Sun gleamed off of the glass panes and the water and I smiled at it's beauty. Taking another sip from my coffee I turned to look at Bruce, "So tell me more about this Batman."

"What do you want to know about him?"

"What does he do?"

"He protects the city."

"How?"

"He... just does."

"Have you seen him?"

"No."

"Hm."

"Not many have."

"He likes his secrets."

"Doesn't everyone?"

"Good point."

Bruce took a bite out of his bacon, then said, "Would you um... like to join me for a drink tonight?"

"I thought you said it wasn't a good idea for me to go out at night."

"I said it wasn't a good idea to go out alone."

I looked at him, glaring at his cheeky smile, then said, "Okay. But as long as it's not a date."

Bruce gave a small laugh, "Right. Not a date."

~

I spent the rest of the day exploring Wayne Manor, some with Bruce, some without. Apparently there were parts of the house even he had never been to. I found it kind of funny that he lived here his whole life and never even once set foot in some of these rooms. "Never had the need to," was his answer when I asked. When the house was finished, I went outside to explore the gardens. Nothing much had changed, and I was happy about that. Although, as I rounded the corner of the green house, I noticed that someone had reapplied the wood over the old well. Bruce had fallen down it once when we were younger....

That evening, I dressed in a pair of black skinny jeans and a red shirt. The jeans came up to my natural waist line and the shirt was tucked in. I wore plain black flats on my feet. My long brown hair was pinned close to my head, my bangs sweeping over my forehead. My make up was done, plane but with brilliantly red lips. I grabbed my purse and met Bruce downstairs. He took one look at me and his eyes were the size of saucers.

"Wow," he said, "You look fantastic!"

I blushed, "Thank you."

"Are you ready?"

"Yeah."

Bruce smiled, "Alright then."

He held out his arm and I took it, wrapping my arm around his. We walked down the front stairs and to a black Lamborghini. I smiled at the car, thinking, Only Bruce. He opened my side of the car for me and helped me in, lowering the butterfly doors. Getting in on his side, he drove off going down the winding pathway that lead from his house to the city. I smiled as I watched the city build up around us. Going over a bridge we entered the main part of the city, where Bruce found a hotel and pulled up.

"Good evening, Mr. Wayne," said a valet boy.

Bruce nodded as he walked around the side of the car and opened the door for me. Thank God he did so, because I couldn't figure it out for the life of me. Camera's snapped shots of us as we walked to the door, and I mentally yelled at Bruce for picking such a public place for our little outing. Bruce lead me to the bar and sat me down at one of the stools. The bartender came over and gave Bruce a drink, probably something that he had regularly. Bruce smiled and said, "My friend would like a cherry margarita."

"Actually the friend would just like an orange soda cocktail."

The bartender gave me a look, "A what?"

"A kiddie cocktail made with orange."

"Oh."

I smiled sweetly at him, "It's alright, I have to remember not many people here are from my neck of the woods."

"And where would that be, love?"

"Chicago."

"Ah."

"Yeah."

The bartender walked away and Bruce looked at me, "A kiddie cocktail?"

"Yeah, I don't drink much."

"Do you ever?"

"Yes, but only for special occasions."

"Like what?"

"A first date, an anniversary, a wedding, etcetera."

"Ah."

"What about you, what are you drinking?"

"Ginger ale."

I laughed, "Do you ever drink?"

"Privately. But never when I'm out... can't afford to."

"Can't have the public thinking the only heir to the Wayne empire is a drunkie, eh?"

Bruce laughed ,"No, can't have that."

Later that night, we were both laughing, loudly. I felt a little weird, laughing loudly in a public setting, but Bruce said he owned the place, so it was alright. By ten that night, Bruce was tired of the place so we left. The valet boy brought the car around for us, "Have a nice evening, Mr. Wayne."

We went to another bar, the one that our parents had been fond of going to back when his were alive, and back when my father was married to my mother. I actually had a few drinks there, a simple dry martini, nothing too fancy for me. After the one drink, we left, but was greeted by a man in a suit. He had black hair, or maybe it was just dark. He wore glasses in front of a pair of stunningly blue eyes. He had high cheek bones and a strong jaw. He smiled, not showing his teeth, "Good evening, Mr. Wayne."

"Crane."

"Who is your guest?"

"None of your business."

"You know," he twitched, his hair flying out of his face, "Such an attitude might suggest that you're hiding something from me, because you suspect me of something."

"Is that so?"

Crane smiled then turned to me, "Dr. Jonathan Crane, head psychiatrist at Arkham Asylum." He held out his hand and I shook it.

"Nice to meet you, Dr. Crane, Bethany Elwood."

"Nice to meet you, Miss Elwood."

"Bethany, please."

"Bethany."

We smiled at each other, this time he showed his teeth, "Well, if you'll excuse me, I'll be on my way."

We stepped aside as he walked by, slipping a card into my hand as he went. I gripped it, as he looked over his back and gave me one last smile. Bruce's car was pulled around, and we got in. I looked at the card I held in my hand, and it held his name, number, and email. I smiled as I realized what just happened. He gave me his number to save him from asking for mine. I put it in my purse and gazed out of the window as we drove back in silence.