Above the Skyline

I rolled over onto my back, curling my toes and stretching my arms out. My body hurt and I could feel the bruised bones and muscles on my back and torso protesting at me angrily. I wish I could have stayed in bed, but at nearly ten in the morning, I knew there was work to be done. I stood up and let the blankets fall around me, the immediate morning chill wafting around me.

The room was relatively empty. I was never one for decorating and having fancy chairs that cost thousands of dollars. Maybe that was just my frugality speaking, but it wasn’t who I am. I would rather have spent my money on defense.

I pulled on a worn jumper and made my way downstairs, smelling the sweet aroma of coffee and bacon coming from the kitchen. It didn’t take me long to wind down the staircases of Payne Manor. It was huge enough as it was, even with all the renovations my parents had decided to do. They were the ones who loved extravagance, not me.

Once I arrived in the kitchen, I saw the dark short hair of Madeleine. Styled so it was straight but bubbled at the back of her head. As she turned, I saw her crystal blue eyes fringed with those thick, dark eyelashes. She was so beautiful, with the faint dabbling of freckles across her nose and her cheeks just below her eyes. Her perfectly arched eyebrows turned upwards in surprise. I approached her and wrapped my arms around her waist, drawing her closer to me until we stood chest to chest. “Good morning.”

“You’re up late, Master Payne. Sleep well?”

I shrugged. “Adequately, I suppose. And we’re alone, Madeleine. Call me Liam like you always did.”

“Madeleine lifted her head and pressed her lips against mine, smiling against my lips. “You were out late, Liam. Is everything alright?”

I tapped my finger against the tip of her elvish looking nose. “Everything’s fine, love. Don’t worry yourself over it, alright? It’s nothing I can’t handle.”

Madeleine cleared her throat and disentangled herself from my arms. When I turned around, I saw my parents standing in the doorway of the kitchen. My mother’s graceful and beautiful smile peered back at me as I walked towards her. “Morning, mum.”

“Good morning, Liam darling. You missed dinner last night, is everything alright?”

I nodded. “Just some things I had to take care of with some friends last night. I couldn’t get out of it. I’m sorry.”

My mother and my father both nodded as they turned to leave the kitchen. I sighed in relief.

It would have been a terrible and highly scandalous ordeal if the Liam Payne, heir of Payne Manor as well as Payne Enterprises, was caught in a relationship with their house maid. The horror would be everywhere, the tabloids, my parents’ minds. Everything would be ruined if people knew about Madeleine and I. We had to keep it secret, meeting at night when my parents and everyone else was sleeping.

She would sneak from her quarters on the first floor to my room in the third floor. Our late night escapades made everything better, but lately, I’d been out and I knew Madeleine was feeling neglected. It killed me to leave her hanging in midair while I practiced my confidential actions at night. It wasn’t something I told anyone about except for Lucius Fox. He supported my actions for the most part until someone was hurt. And if that someone was me, well, he wasn’t too upset about it.

I wrapped my arms around Madeleine again and breathed in the sweet scent of her perfume. “I missed you last night.”

She wrapped her arms tightly around my neck and I winced, sucking in a painful gasp. “I missed you too. Are you going to tell me why there are bruises on the back of your neck, Liam?”

“No,” I said more sharply than I intended. “Sorry, Madeleine. But if I tell you, you might get hurt and I don’t want you to get hurt. I care about you too much for you to get involved in this.”

As a look of hurt washed across Madeleine’s face, my mobile started ringing in the pocket of my pajama bottoms. I pulled out and saw Lucius’ name on the screen. I sighed and answered it. “Isn’t it a little early for this?”

“No, it isn’t. There’s something urgent we need to discuss about your late night escapades as Batman, Mr. Payne.” Lucius’ voice came harsh and slightly angry and I knew he heard about last night.

I sighed and pinched the bridge of my nose. “I’ll be there in twenty.”

“Make it ten, Mr. Payne.”

I nodded. “You got it.”

I slipped the mobile back into my pocket and kissed Madeleine quickly. “I’ll see you at lunch, Madeleine. I promise.”

She smiled but I could tell she didn’t have much faith in my promises. “I love you.”

“I love you too,” I called over my shoulder as I sprinted up the stair case.


The automatic doors opened as I walked through Payne Enterprises. I was greeted by the receptionist with a friendly and flirtatious smile. I winked at her like I always did and stepped into the elevator, hitting the button for the bottom floor. It didn’t take long for the elevator to drop down along with the pit of my stomach. I’d always disliked that dropping feeling you got whenever you fell. Probably had something to do with that damned well.

The doors opened quickly and I made my way across the basement level to the door with the eye scanner, hitting a button and opening my eyes wide. The scanner flashed red and soon the door opened. Lucius was standing in front of the wall of screens, his arms folded across his chest.

“Mr. Payne, I have been supportive of your ventures as Batman, but I don’t think I can any longer. You severely injured three people last night and they’re being put in the psychiatric ward in the hospital for mental damage.” Lucius turned towards me and the freckles on his nose seemed to stand out even more. His dark skin seemed to turn lighter with anger and I found myself straighten up defensively. “Why did you hurt those men, Mr. Payne?”

“They were attacking a woman in the streets,” I muttered, staring at the wall of screens behind him. “They deserved what they had coming and it’s not like I killed them.”

“But they’re in the psychiatric ward because they’re talking about a giant bat attacking them all and carrying the woman off into the night. Do you know what will happen if they find out that you are the Batman, Mr. Payne? They’ll take you to jail and your parents will suffer the consequences of raising a vigilante son. Think of your parents. Think of Ms. D’Amato, if you must.”

I drew back, taking a step away from him. “You know about Madeleine?”

Lucius nodded. “I know a lot of things, Liam. And if you must know, Madeleine and I have a good relationship. She’s like a daughter to me and I will not have you put her life in risk by prancing around in that suit at night. Straighten up, Mr. Payne.”

“Don’t tell Madeleine, please. Lucius, please don’t,” I said desperately. “I’ll hang up the suit if I have to.”

“Then do it. Don’t just spew empty words at me,” Lucius demanded. He turned to face the screen. “I’ll be shutting everything down this afternoon.”

I nodded. “I’m sorry, Lucius.”

“Apologize to Madeleine, Liam. She needs that more than me.”