Love in the Dark

Something inside me seemed to click into place. I found myself kissing him back, and then saddened when he pulled away. I looked into his eyes and became very confused. I leaned against my chair, suddenly ashamed of myself. My eyes watered again, and my breathing climbed.

"What's wrong," Bruce asked.

"No," I shook my head, "No... that wasn't good."

"What do you mean?"

The tears slipped down my face and I said, "Scarecrow will not like that I kissed you. He... he will punish me again."

Bruce frowned, "Punish you? How?"

I hiccuped and wiped my eyes, "He was too rough."

Bruce's frown turned to anger, "He raped you?"

I was silent, but my crying answered the question for him.

"Why did he punish you the first time?"

I was silent for a moment then said, "I don't... I don't remember."

Bruce leaned over the table and took my hands in his, "Try, Raven.... Try and remember."

I thought about it, then said, "I think.... I think it was because I told him that I was with someone else."

"With someone else? Like you slept with someone else?"

I hiccuped again and nodded, "Yes... but I was sorry. I love Scarecrow." Turning to look up at him I began to plead, "I love him... I do! I was sorry, and I promised that I would never do it again, but.... But I kissed you, and he'll find out, and he'll be angry with me. He'll tie me to the bed again, and-"

"Tie you to the bed?"

I didn't answer.

"Did he do anything else to you while you were tied to the bed?"

I was quiet for a moment, letting the wave of hiccups pass, then said, "He was nice to me... when he wasn't being rough. He would feed me. He fed me his food, and I ate it." Wiping my eyes I sniffed and added, "He's a good cook."

Bruce nodded. He squeezed my hand and said, "What would you say if I told you that I wasn't going to let Scarecrow hurt you anymore?"

I shook my head, "No. He never hurt me... only when I didn't love him. Scarecrow loves me."

Bruce nodded, "Do you love him?"

I nodded, "Yes. I love Scarecrow very much."

Bruce's face fell into a frown, "Do you love anyone else?"

I thought about it, and looked down shyly.

"Raven?"

I nodded, "I think there is someone."

"Who?"

I shook my head, "I don't remember."

Bruce leaned across the table, "Bethany.... Try and remember."

I frowned, "I'm not Bethany.... I'm Raven."

"Bethany... listen to me. Please! Snap out of this."

"I'm not Bethany. I'm Raven."

"Bethy, please!"

I became angry and yelled, "I'm not Bethany! I'm Raven!"

Bruce slapped me, "You're lying! Bethy, listen to me. Crane drugged you. You're under the influence. You need to snap out of this. Please come back to me, Bethany."

I let tears silently slip down my face, "I'm not-"

"Raven."

I looked at him, "What?"

"You are not Raven. You are Bethany."

I shook my head, "No I'm not-"

"Raven. You are not Raven."

I shook my head and said, "No! I'm not Raven, I-"

I stopped and gasped, looking up at Bruce. My eyes filled with even more tears as what I had said sank in. I gasped again, blinking the droplets of water down my face and I looked into Bruce's eyes and said, "I-I'm not.... I'm not Raven?"

He sighed and said, "No.... No you're not Raven."

I frowned, "Who... who am I?"

"Bethany Elwood."

I frowned, "Bethany Elwood?"

He nodded, "Yes."

My eyes widened as I looked into his eyes, and I gasped, "Bruce?"

He nodded, tears forming in his eyes, "Yes." He nodded, "Yes."

I shook my head, "No.... No I'm not Raven." I looked around, looking at the walls of the interrogation room, my eyes landing back on his, "Wh- What am I doing here? Bruce?"

He let a choked laugh escape his lips as he leaned further across the table, pulling me forward so he could kiss me. He pressed his lips harshly against mine, as he desperately kissed me. I was shocked for a moment, then kissed back, missing him. I felt like I had woken up from a terrible nightmare that I could barely remember. Pulling apart I started to sob.

"Bruce, oh my God.... I.... I don't know what happened. I was with Jonathan, and I told him.... I told him about us," I let a sob escape and my shoulders shook with each breath I took, "I told him, and... he... he-"

Bruce made his way around the table and wrapped his arms around me, letting me cry into his chest, "It's okay, Bethany.... It's okay. You're safe. You're safe. I've got you.... I'm not letting you go. I've got you."

I sobbed into him, my tears soaking into his expensive shirt, and I felt safe in his arms. The door to the room could be heard opening and closing. I didn't care who it was, but I felt Bruce turn to look.

"Gordon."

"How is she?"

"She's okay."

The other man was silent for a moment, then said, "Will... will she?" It sounded like he was crying.

"Yes."

Gordon sighed, "What are we going to do now?"

"I'm taking her home with me.... Fox will be able to reach me there.... We can set up everything we need. Will charges be pressed?"

"No.... No, I'll make sure of it."

"Thank you."

"I'll get a key."

The door opened and closed again, and Bruce pulled me away. He knelt down in between the table and me and said, "We're going to go home, okay?"

I nodded and looked down at my hands and saw the cuffs, "What did I do?"

Bruce frowned, "Nothing, Bethy.... You didn't do anything."

Gordon entered the room, coming over to the chair and undid the cuffs around my wrists. Bruce took my hand and helped me to the door. Gordon quickly lead us through all of the discharge papers that were filled out according to procedure, then Bruce lead me out to his car. Opening the door, he helped me into the car seat and then he drove off to Wayne Manor.

He carried me up the stair case and into the master bedroom. Setting me down on the sheets I let go of him to find myself shaking. I sighed, realizing what was happening. I looked at Bruce questioningly, "Wh-Why is this happening again?"

"We believe Crane was drugging the food he was giving you."

I groaned, "That bastard."

Bruce got under the covers with me and held me close to him, "It's okay, Bethy.... I've got you."

I turned in his arms to look at him, and placed a kiss on his lips, "Bruce.... I'm so sorry I didn't listen to you."

He shook his head, "It's okay."

"I'm so sorry."

He kissed my forehead, "It's okay."

"I love you Bruce."

He looked at me and said, "I love you too, Bethany."

I placed a kiss on his lips, but turned around to run into the bathroom, barely making it to the toilet before I threw up. Bruce came in to hold my hair out of the way. It was then that I noticed that they were in high ponytails, and I frowned. I hated ponytails.

When I felt like I had control over my stomach, I sat down and leaned against the wall. Bruce picked me up and carried me back to his bed and went and found a trashcan placing it next to my side. Alfred came in with a cool rag and placed it on my forehead.

He smiled, "It's good to see you again, Miss. Elwood."

I smiled weakly at him, "Yeah.... It's nice to see you too Alfred."

There was a knock on the door and Alfred went to see who it was. Bruce stayed with me until Alfred came back with Lucian Fox. Bruce placed a kiss on my forehead and left me for a moment to talk to him. The two went out into the hallway and I turned over falling asleep.