A Necessary Evil

“You must be tough!” He patted my arms as I lifted them. “You won't survive if you are weak.” I nodded. “Block as I throw the punches.” I nodded again. I was tired we've been doing this for a couple of hours now. I put my arms up and when he threw the first punch I dodged it, then the second he barley missed me, the third one he hit me. Not hard. We were training he never hit me like he was actually fighting. “We'll stop for today you need your food.” We sat down together. He handed me a ham and cheese sandwich and gave the other to himself.

“Will I ever be as strong as you?” I chewed my first bite. “I want you to try.” He rubbed my head causing me to have hair that looked like bed head. “I will! I want to be like you!” The side of his mouth raised up to a small smile. “Kiddo that's sounds hard.” What I didn't understand by that was that he didn't want me to be like him. I couldn't ever be like him. He was broken in a different way than I was. I know that now.

I woke up to roaring waters. I sat up in the bed and looked around. There was no one there. I swung my legs to the floor. I knew I couldn't get up I still hurt like crazy and I was weak. I look down to where my wound was to find it was fixed. I pulled out my phone from my back pocket. 8 missed calls. I rub my eyes. I dial in the number for the voice mail. “Hey babe call me I got some news.” Second missed call. “I'm just calling again. Is everything okay?” Third message. “I'm home and you're not this place is a wreck. Where are you? Call me.” Fourth missed call. “Emlyn! I'm worried. Where are you? You need to call me.” Fifth missed call. “If you don't call soon I'm going to go out and find you.” Sixth missed call. “Emlyn, babe I hope everything is okay.” Seventh missed call. “That's it! Something happened I'm going to go find you!” Eighth missed call. “Miss Stone I do believe. I wanna talk now.”

The Mayor? “What does he want?” I call John's number first but it goes straight to voice mail. “Hey babe. I'm okay. We had a break in last night or least I think but I'm okay. I'm at a friends.” I hang up and dial the mayor's number. “Hello?” I clear my throat. “This is Miss Stone.”
“Ah yes.”
“You said you wanted to talk.”
“Yes but not over the phone.”
“Why?”
“Because I need to be face to face.”
“Can you at least tell me what you want to talk about.”
“No.”
“Be here next Monday at 8 am. That's the only time you'll have this opportunity.”

Just like that he hung up. Odd. I try to stand up but fall back to the bed. I look around the wet, bad smelling sewer. No one else is here, that I can see. All the sudden I hear a massive amount of noise. I hear screaming and yelling. Bane comes into view. He's holding two guys by the throats. He throws them to the ground and comes over to me. He puts his arm out. “Can you stand?” I shake my head. “Use my arm for support.” I nod as I stand up. He slowly takes me over to the two guys. “These are the men who broke into your apartment.” I cover my mouth. “Tell her why you broke in and injured her.” They nodded apparently scared out of their wits.

“We're petty thieves! We do this every week!” Instantly I cringe. These people could have killed me just for useless items that I never had before I was twenty. Bane leans me against the wall. He grabs both of them. Without saying anything he tightens his grip until they fall limp. He drops both of them in the water and walks back to me. “Are you alright?” I nod. I'm strangely relieved. I know that some part of me shouldn't be but I am.

“I have other things to do so I will need you to leave. I don't want you caught up in this.” I nod then hug him. The last time I hugged him was when I was young. “You're brave like I wanted you to be.” He gently pats me back and gives me a hug. “I'll have one of my guys help you out.” I nodded. One of his guys climbed out first then helped me up. I slowly walked back to the apartment.

I opened the door to find John picking up the mess. “John? I called you.” He looked up surprised. “That's my line. Where were you?! What happened?!” He gave me a tight hug. “Ow!” I yelped. “What happened.” I put my hand over my wound. “Some guys broke in last night, they knocked the book shelf onto me and the bowling statue got me.” He rubbed my shoulders. “Are you alright? Did you go to the hospital?”

“Yeah I did.” He let out a sigh and kissed me. “I was so worried.” I smiled as he leaned his forehead on mine. “I know you left a lot of voice mails.” He laughed. “I'll help you clean up.” He shook his head. “No you are going to go get some rest. I'm going to finish cleaning up and come sleep with you.” I smile. “I would like that.” I slowly make my way into the room. I change into one of his shirts and lay down in bed. I lay there until he comes in. He quickly changes into his black pajama pants and lays in by me.

I turn over to face him. He puts his hand on my face. “Our engagement night shouldn't have been like it was last night.” I smile. “No not really.” He moved a loose strand of hair. “What do you want to do today to make up for it?” I kiss him. “Sleep. I just want to sleep.” He smiles and gets under the covers and gently pulls me close. “Sounds great.” I nuzzle my face in his neck and close my eyes.