A Life Less Ordinary

Isla woke with the sun shining down on her face. She stretched her arms over her head and yawned. Sometime during the remainder of the night, they had made love again-and again. Bane was still asleep, his heavy body draped over most of hers. She looked down at him and felt complete happiness. After their last round, he was forced to don the mask, before falling asleep. His breathing was the familiar mechanical, but light, and listening to it, Isla found herself drifting back to sleep.

In her subconscious state, she heard the door to her room open. It was Bane’s shifting weight that woke her. She sat up, body shaking slightly.

Victor stood in the foyer of her room. Bane stood between them, clad only in his boxers.

“Bane…I didn’t-”

“You didn’t what, Victor?” Bane rolled his head from side to side, popping his neck. “Barging into my Lady’s room, either there is an emergency…” he flexed his massive arms. “Or you weren’t expecting to find me here.” He spoke slowly.

Victor’s face was a mask as he watched Bane, until his eyes flickered in her direction-which didn’t go unnoticed.

“So you weren’t expecting me.” Bane’s voice sounded slightly amused.

Before Victor could utter a response, Bane’s hand was around his throat. Isla let out a muffled scream, her hands flying to her mouth. Victor’s face turned a dark red as his airway was slowly being crushed.

“Let me make this…quite clear.” His voice was pure malice. “The only reason I don’t kill you right now, is for the debt I owe you for saving her life. Consider us even.” He spat, releasing his throat with a brutal shove. Victor fell against the door frame, gasping. Bane stared down at him, brooding.

“I will deal with you later.” He said. Victor wisely left without a word.

Bane stood staring at the door for a moment, willing himself to calm down.

“Bane…” He closed his eyes briefly. Her voice was soothing. She could see the muscles across his back relax as she spoke. He turned to her. She sat against the headboard, wrapped in the sheets, her hair tousled. His Venus.

“I’m ok..” she said quietly. It was as if she could read his mind. He made his way back to her and sat down on the edge of the bed.

“Last night you pulled the gun out on me and cried out his name. Has he done this before?” he asked quietly, rubbing her exposed leg. She nodded slightly, unable to meet his gaze.

“I want to know every detail of the account.” he said.

She shook her head. “Bane, it doesn’t matter. I-”

“Of course it matters!” he snapped. Isla jumped at the anger in his voice. He pressed a hand to her face. “I am sorry.” he said. Isla placed her hand over his and nuzzled the palm of his hand.

“It’s alright.” She said.

He sat unmoving as she told him about her encounters with Victor. When she was done, he sat hunched over, resting his elbows on his knees and staring intently at the wooden floor. Isla was beginning to feel uneasy when he broke the silence.

“I broke my promise to you.” he said quietly.

Her brow furrowed. “What? No you didn’t…”

He nodded his head slowly. “Yes. I did. I swore to you that no one would touch you as long as I am breathing, and I failed you.”

Isla threw a leg over his lap and straddled him. Her arms snaked around his neck and she lightly stroked his neck. “The only way you would have failed me was if you hadn’t come back.” she leaned forward and pressed her forehead to his mask-covered one. “You are a good man.”

He gave a chuckle. “Isla, people have called me many things, but I don’t think good is one of them.” They stared at one another until her stomach growled loudly.

“Come.” He slapped her butt. “Get dressed. You need to eat.”



They exited the elevator into the lobby, hand-in-hand. The talking and carrying on all but stopped, everyone’s eyes were on them. Isla slowed her steps, feeling suddenly very nervous. Bane looked down at her and gave her hand a reassuring squeeze.

“You are safe..” he said quietly, leading her through the crowd and into the kitchen. Two men stood arguing in some foreign language. They stopped when Bane cleared his throat.

“Sortez!” He said. The men nodded their heads and left without a word.

Isla walked over to the refrigerator and withdrew eggs and a mix of vegetables. Bane sat at the counter and watched her as she scrambled the eggs in a large bowl.

“I see Barsad gave you a quick lesson in gun wielding.” he said. Isla laughed as she washed the vegetables.

“I fear that he was not impressed with me.” she said. “I could have shot you last night, you know.” Bane’s eyes crinkled behind his mask.

“I fear not, my love. A gun will not fire so long as the safety is still engaged-as it was last night.”

“That is the first thing I taught her.” Barsad walked in. Bane pulled a stool out for him. Isla poured two cups of coffee and handed them to the two men.

“Why can’t you just wake me gently? Instead you just show up breathing over me like some pervert.” Barsad choked on his coffee. Bane glanced at him.

“Glad you made it back safely, Barsad.” she said, chopping some spinach.

“So what happened with Victor?” Barsad asked. Isla and Bane glanced at each other.

Barsad looked at them.

“Did I miss something?” He asked.

“You did indeed.” Bane said, and filled him in on the details.

The conversation was broken when Isla laid spinach and mushroom omelets before them. Bane removed his mask and the two began to devour the food.

Isla leaned against the table, picking at her food.

“So she tried to shoot you?” Barsad asked.

Bane grunted. “Hell hath no fury…”

Isla had barely begun to dig into her food, before the two men were finished. Bane stood, donning the mask once more and wrapped a colossal arm around her waist.

“The men gather for next orders. And the doctor wants to know where to set up his lab.”

“Help him set up on the third floor. That is where the conference room is, I believe. Today, you are in charge, brother. I plan on being very absent for the remainder of the day.” Bane said, nuzzling her neck. Barsad gulped down the rest of his coffee, gave Isla a wink and left.



“Your men aren’t going to miss you today?” Isla asked, lowering herself into the giant cast iron tub. Bane stood before the mirror, chin up, shaving very carefully with a straight razor.

“Dearest, If they miss me, then I am not doing my job.” he replied. She watched him intently as he slid the razor up his throat and swished the blade into the water of the sink.

“Who is this doctor?” She asked, laying her head back.

Bane paused, looking at her in the mirror. Her long hair was piled messily on top of her head, wisps of it falling in her face and around her bare shoulders. She made the breath catch in his throat.

“Dr. Jason Woodrue.” He splashed water on his face and turned to face her. “I brought him here to help me.” He stepped out of his boxers and into the steaming waters of the bath. Isla rested her back against his chest.

She lifted her hand out of the water, watching the droplets fall from her fingertips. “Help you do what?” she asked. He snaked his arms around her waist and buried his face in her hair, breathing in her familiar eucalyptus scent.

“Bane?” She turned her head to look at him. “Help you do what?”

“He will be helping me come off of the Venom.” he said quietly.

Isla was unsure of how the information made her feel. “Why would you do that?”

“I have heard rumor…” he traced his fingers lightly down her arms. “that there is more to life than what I have experienced…” he said. Isla rested her head against his shoulder.

“What would your men do?” she asked.

“I am not concerned with them. My thoughts turn to you.” he replied, kissing her shoulder.

“Will they not revolt?”

“I do not follow.” he said. Isla turned around to face him.

“If you come off of your Venom, your men will think you weak. If they think you weak, they will turn on you and kill you.” she said, her face a mask of worry.

Bane laughed heartily and stroked her face. “Dearest, who told you such things?”

“Barsad did.” Bane’s smile faded.

“Why would he tell you such things?” he asked.

“He told me that they were looking for any signs of weakness and that if they found it they would move to overthrow you.”

“Do not worry yourself over such trivial things.” he said. Isla rubbed his chest.

“I don’t see losing you as trivial…” she said. He leaned forward and kissed her neck softly.

“Why didn’t you tell me that there was no more League of Shadows?” she asked. Bane looked at her.

“I see Barsad has told you quite a bit.”

“He wouldn’t actually. He told me to ask you.” She shifted her weight, each leg on either side of him.
Bane was immediately aroused. “I will tell you all you wish to know-” He slipped his hands under her butt and lowered her onto his lap. “After sex.”



They lay tangled in the sheets. Isla on her stomach, resting her head on his chest as he trailed his fingers lightly up and down her back.

“Who is Ra’s al Guhl?” she asked quietly.

Bane tensed slightly beneath her. “Where did you hear that name?” He already knew the answer. “Ah yes, Barsad. Ever informative.”

“Not really. He wouldn’t give me any details. But he was surprised that you hadn’t told me.” she said.

“Ra’s al Guhl was the man who pulled me from the depths of Peña Dura. As repayment for saving his daughter-”

“His daughter was thrown into the pit?”

“She was born in the pit.”

“He allowed her to be born in the pit??” Isla asked incredulously, looking up at him.

“He did not know, but that is a story for another time. In the years that followed my release from the pit, Ra’s al Ghul welcomed me into the League of Shadows to train as one of their own. Talia-his daughter-became quite attached to me.” Isla immediately felt a spark of jelousy.

“She let emotion cloud her mind and made poor decisions. And as result, I was excommunicated.” he continued.

“Why were you excommunicated for her stupid decisions?”

“Because I loved her.” Isla’s head popped up at the remark. “As one would love a sibling.” he reassured her. “Talia misunderstood my feelings and desired us to be married. She voiced such desires to her father, who did not approve. After begging and pleading failed, she realized that he would not be swayed and decided to leave the League. Ra’s al Guhl held me at fault for losing his daughter a second time, and therefore had me excommunicated. And so I left with her, watching over her until the day she died.” his voice trailed off sadly as he recalled the last time he saw her.

Isla listened attentively. “How did she die?” she asked.

Bane inhaled deep and exhaled slowly. “I do not know. But I know this-” he propped himself up on his elbow and stared down at her. “I love you. And it is for the love that I have for you, that I have chosen to discontinue the Venom. Woodrue is the one who created it, therefore he is the one who can counteract it. There is no future for us behind that mask.” He gently brushed her hair out of her face. “And I would see us far from this place.”