‹ Prequel: Weapon of Choice
Status: Completed!
Inside Your Eyes
A Soothing Bath
My breath was taken from my chest, "B-Bruce?"
He just stared at me. So many thoughts were going through both of our heads. This was not what I expected! Everything is messed up now! I stayed like that for a few minutes, my thoughts rambling on inside my head.
Finally I gathered the words together to speak up, "If...If you're Batman, then why!? Why didn't you hate me? You read the note, witnessed first hand the wrath of Ruse, and I...I betrayed you! I chose The Joker over you! Why am I not dead or in prison ye-" I was cut off by his lips pressing against mine. That just made me more confused Does he love me? No, no, he likes me...and this is just...what is this? I found myself pushing him away, "You aren't supposed to do that!"
A strange mix of frustration and humor filled his face, "Well, you wouldn't listen to anything else."
"That's because none of this makes sense!" I huffed, "All these years I have been taught you don't get anything unless you give something in return." For some reason the memory of The Joker saving me from my father came to mind Maybe there's an exception every once in a blue moon. I shook my head.
"You don't always have to. Sometimes things just come to us," he sat beside me, "You don't have to strive for everything."
"But I did the opposite. I hurt you. Does that mean anything to you?"
"It did. That all changed when you gave me the letter and set me free that night. You cared, which is more than other criminals ever do."
I crossed my arms and stood, "This is obviously beyond me," I turned and started walking.
"And where are you going?"
"Away, I am done with trying to figure you, or any other man in my life, out!" The only problem with my great plan was I didn't know the way out. As far as I could see there were just moist, dark walls.
"If you aren't careful you'll get lost down here."
At that point I just threw up my arms and sat on the ground I'm just going to quit trying!
"Let me take you inside," he offered his hand to help me up, "You need to relax for once."
Lately, the word 'relax' was foreign to me, "Yes. I should do that. Today has been too crazy for me to handle all at once." I stood up on my own.
I was led to an elevator which took me up to the mansion. After a few awkward comments and a shocked expression from Alfred I realized my eyes were tired, my arms still folded against my chest. I didn't want to fight or run anymore.
Alfred offered to run a warm bath. I accepted.
The water was how I liked it. Not scalding or lukewarm, but somewhere in between that helped relax my battered body. I held my breath and sank into the water. So I worked for The Joker and Bruce turned out to be Batman. I was caught in the cross-hairs before I even knew it. What to do now? My life has been turned into one of those dramatic 'Lifetime' movies. I surfaced and took a breath, "How did I even get to this point?" My mind went through all the memories of those first four years I had spent with The Joker. A tear slid down my face. I was kidnapped by him tonight. All he wanted was for things to go back to the way they were. It's strange...he never does what I expect, but why would he do that? I shrugged and looked at my reflection in the water, "Maya, you are one confused girl." The reflection just stared back at me and I slapped the water.
********************************************************************
"Master Wayne, are you sure this was the right thing to do? That girl must be on the edge of a mental breakdown by now," Alfred said in a steady but stern voice.
"It was the only way to make her understand."
"Understand what?"
"That Batman and I are both the same reason that she is safe right now. She is away from that mad clown because of one soul person. This way, she won't have to mull over choosing between Bruce or Batman."
"So, she loves you then?"
"That's just it. Showing my face was a gamble. She's not working for The Joker anymore, but she's seemed too confused for me to catch if she even has feelings for me."
"Ah, you figured this would make it a bit easier for her to fall for you?"
"I guess. I want her to feel what I feel for her."
"Of all the women you have dallied with, this has to be the strangest," he shook his head, "Have you ever figured why she was confused?"
"Obviously being brain washed by The Joker. I know there's a chance she could have feelings for him, but, as I told you before, this was a gamble."
"Just remember what sort of place she is in right now."
"I won't. I'll be with her every step of the way to keep her sane."
"This one's really done a number on you," Alfred shook his head, "I do hope you'll handle this the way you say you will."
********************************************************
I got out of the bath, somewhat feeling better. "Today really was too much for the mind to handle," I shook my head and dried my hair, "If another day like this happens, I'm not sure how long I will last."
He just stared at me. So many thoughts were going through both of our heads. This was not what I expected! Everything is messed up now! I stayed like that for a few minutes, my thoughts rambling on inside my head.
Finally I gathered the words together to speak up, "If...If you're Batman, then why!? Why didn't you hate me? You read the note, witnessed first hand the wrath of Ruse, and I...I betrayed you! I chose The Joker over you! Why am I not dead or in prison ye-" I was cut off by his lips pressing against mine. That just made me more confused Does he love me? No, no, he likes me...and this is just...what is this? I found myself pushing him away, "You aren't supposed to do that!"
A strange mix of frustration and humor filled his face, "Well, you wouldn't listen to anything else."
"That's because none of this makes sense!" I huffed, "All these years I have been taught you don't get anything unless you give something in return." For some reason the memory of The Joker saving me from my father came to mind Maybe there's an exception every once in a blue moon. I shook my head.
"You don't always have to. Sometimes things just come to us," he sat beside me, "You don't have to strive for everything."
"But I did the opposite. I hurt you. Does that mean anything to you?"
"It did. That all changed when you gave me the letter and set me free that night. You cared, which is more than other criminals ever do."
I crossed my arms and stood, "This is obviously beyond me," I turned and started walking.
"And where are you going?"
"Away, I am done with trying to figure you, or any other man in my life, out!" The only problem with my great plan was I didn't know the way out. As far as I could see there were just moist, dark walls.
"If you aren't careful you'll get lost down here."
At that point I just threw up my arms and sat on the ground I'm just going to quit trying!
"Let me take you inside," he offered his hand to help me up, "You need to relax for once."
Lately, the word 'relax' was foreign to me, "Yes. I should do that. Today has been too crazy for me to handle all at once." I stood up on my own.
I was led to an elevator which took me up to the mansion. After a few awkward comments and a shocked expression from Alfred I realized my eyes were tired, my arms still folded against my chest. I didn't want to fight or run anymore.
Alfred offered to run a warm bath. I accepted.
The water was how I liked it. Not scalding or lukewarm, but somewhere in between that helped relax my battered body. I held my breath and sank into the water. So I worked for The Joker and Bruce turned out to be Batman. I was caught in the cross-hairs before I even knew it. What to do now? My life has been turned into one of those dramatic 'Lifetime' movies. I surfaced and took a breath, "How did I even get to this point?" My mind went through all the memories of those first four years I had spent with The Joker. A tear slid down my face. I was kidnapped by him tonight. All he wanted was for things to go back to the way they were. It's strange...he never does what I expect, but why would he do that? I shrugged and looked at my reflection in the water, "Maya, you are one confused girl." The reflection just stared back at me and I slapped the water.
********************************************************************
"Master Wayne, are you sure this was the right thing to do? That girl must be on the edge of a mental breakdown by now," Alfred said in a steady but stern voice.
"It was the only way to make her understand."
"Understand what?"
"That Batman and I are both the same reason that she is safe right now. She is away from that mad clown because of one soul person. This way, she won't have to mull over choosing between Bruce or Batman."
"So, she loves you then?"
"That's just it. Showing my face was a gamble. She's not working for The Joker anymore, but she's seemed too confused for me to catch if she even has feelings for me."
"Ah, you figured this would make it a bit easier for her to fall for you?"
"I guess. I want her to feel what I feel for her."
"Of all the women you have dallied with, this has to be the strangest," he shook his head, "Have you ever figured why she was confused?"
"Obviously being brain washed by The Joker. I know there's a chance she could have feelings for him, but, as I told you before, this was a gamble."
"Just remember what sort of place she is in right now."
"I won't. I'll be with her every step of the way to keep her sane."
"This one's really done a number on you," Alfred shook his head, "I do hope you'll handle this the way you say you will."
********************************************************
I got out of the bath, somewhat feeling better. "Today really was too much for the mind to handle," I shook my head and dried my hair, "If another day like this happens, I'm not sure how long I will last."