A Life Less Ordinary

As it turned out, Fat Lady’s name was actually Judy. Isla found this out as she paid for two more nights in the room.

“How are you doing?” Judy asked.

Isla opened the door with her back and smiled. “I’m going to be ok. Just going to rest up, then I’ll be on my way.” she replied.

Judy smiled. “Call if you need anything.” Isla nodded and made her way back to her room, shopping bags in hand.

Bane had allowed her to go into the nearest town to pick up necessities. He had given her quite a chunk of cash for her to buy whatever she needed. And she had spent it all.

She felt as if she were walking through a crazy dream and she was sure she had had a nervous breakdown…probably in the trunk of her car. Either that or the quickest case of Stockholm Syndrome the world had ever seen. But she had made a decision, and she was going to follow it through until she couldn’t any more. However crazy it seemed. She had been secretly dreaming of starting over new somewhere far away. Maybe this was God’s obscure way of opening a window.

She unlocked the door and stepped into the room. “Bane?” she asked. Setting the bags down, she heard a noise coming from the bathroom. The door was open.

“I’m back…” she said poking her head in. Bane was in the shower. She could see his body through the clear shower curtain. His back was to her. Isla gasped and backed away momentarily, then quietly peeked around the corner. She watched as he let the water wash over his face. He leaned forward, pressing his hands against the wall. She couldn’t help but admire his very muscular, and scarred back. He turned around so the water was rinsing his chest. Again, her eyes traveled down his chest, to the V of his hips. Suddenly very hot, she tore her gaze away and walked back outside to retrieve the remaining bags.



She welcomed the frigid air. Her breath came out in a cloud as she exhaled, staring up at the darkening sky. She grabbed the last of the bags and hurried back into the room.

Bane looked up as he exited the bathroom, towel around his waist.

“You ‘re back…” he said. Isla turned her back to him quickly and set the bags down.

“You sound surprised.” she remarked.

“I am. That doesn’t happen often.” He said.

“Noted.” she reached into one of the bags and handed him a black t-shirt and a pair of dark blue jeans, glancing up at him.

“What’s this?” He asked.

“Clothes that we normal people wear. You should try it.” she replied. He smiled down at her, causing her stomach to flip.

“Your mask is already conspicuous enough, without the whole militant look.” she said turning back to the bags. Bane laughed. She wasn’t entirely sure, but he didn’t seem like the kind of man who laughed often. But she liked it much more than his threats.

“You seem to have it all figured out.” He said, pulling the shirt down over his head. “It’s a bit tight…” he said, flexing his arms.

“How are you feeling?” she asked, glancing over her shoulder. The shirt looked as though it had been painted onto his chest.

“Fine.” he said, walking into the bathroom and closing the door behind him.

“Did you get any sleep?” she asked, walking up to the door. He opened the door, mask in hand, fully dressed and entirely too close to her.

“I did.” he said, looking down at her. “Did you get everything you needed?”

She nodded and looked up at him. “I did, thank you.”

He found himself stealing glances at her more and more. She was nearly an entire foot shorter than him, with long, black hair braided and hanging over her right shoulder. Her bangs fell side swiped over her left eye, with little wisps falling around her face. Her eyes were hazel, just as his had been before the venom. Her skin had a light bronze tint to it and light freckles dotted across her small nose that pointed up slightly at the end. And then there were her light, pink lips. The top lip was fuller than the bottom, giving the impression that she was pouting.

He had to suppress the urge to lean down and kiss them. And the fact that she would most likely slap him, helped. It had been much too long since he had last felt any kind of desire for anything other than pure chaos. He took a deep breath and exhaled through his nose, one last time.

“Did you pay for the room?” he asked, his voice huskier than usual. She nodded.

“For two more nights, like you asked.” she replied.

He smiled again. “As you suggested, nurse Sloan.” He stepped around her and sat at the table.

“You need to rest as much as possible before we drive. Broken ribs aren’t fun, especially on a long ass road trip to God-knows-where.” she sat down on the edge of the bed and kicked her shoes off.

He sighed and stretched the mask over the back of his head, then lowered it over his face. The medicine immediately misted and he took a deep breath, leaning his head back and closing his eyes. Isla stared at him.

“Does it hurt?” she asked.

He took another deep breath before opening his eyes and meeting her gaze.

“Yes. But I’ve grown used to it.” he said, his voice once again mechanical.

“I’m going to order some Chinese…would you like anything?” she asked. Bane continued to stare at her, then his eyes crinkled at the corners, giving that tale-tell sign of a smile. He shook his head slowly.

“I’m ok for now. But I think I will rest a bit.” The sudden flow of Venom through his system caused him to feel lightheaded. He stood and walked past her to the opposite end of the bed and laid down on top of the blankets, his back to her. Isla leaned back and grabbed the phone.

“I’ll order enough for you too. You are eventually going to need to eat something.” she said, dialing the number.



Bane laid in silence, unable to sleep. He could hear the TV as Isla watched some horror movie while eating her dinner. He could feel her suddenly jump just as someone in the movie screamed. He felt so out of place, like there were things he needed to be doing. He needed to be on his way to Canada to meet up with any of his men who managed to escape from Gotham alive, if any. He needed to be preparing his men for whatever new mission awaited them. He needed to prepare their new compound for habitation. But all he could think of was being alone in a hotel room with Isla. He wanted to get to know her, which seemed very unlike him.

He never cared for anyone except for Talia. He had watched her grow as a child all those years ago in Peña Dura. He had helped her escape. And she had returned to him, a grown woman, and pulled him out of the depths of his hell. After that day, he had vowed to always be there for her. Even when he was excommunicated by Ra’s al Ghul, she had followed him. But his feelings for her were like those for a sibling. She had been beautiful, but he had known her since she was an infant and romantic feelings never evolved between the two. For all he knew, she was dead.

He had been with women in the past, but never romantically. They were only there to sate his needs for physical release. Isla peeked his interest in more ways than one.
She was a new experience for him entirely.

Yes, something in him had changed, or was in the process of changing since that fateful day in Gotham. He had been broken.