Although more than a few of them had been trained in the sacred mastery of the art of being discreet, none of that training was put to use as six sets of ears were pressed up against the door to the master bedroom of Wayne Manor. Dick Grayson, Tim Drake, Mollie Shu, Alex and Mickey Aberline, and even young Damian Wayne stood attentively trying to make out the voices behind the door, the voices of Bruce Wayne and Selina Kyle, who had been discussing the same issue for quite some time now. That issue was, of course, a marriage between the two, especially with the birth of their daughter, Ariel, just a little less than a year ago.
Their relationship had been a complicated thing for both of them and had become more complicated after their year and a half long engagement had been unveiled unceremoniously and accidentally at a party at Wayne Manor by a loudmouth Dick, who had been (mistakenly) trusted with the information on sworn secrecy. Alfred J. Pennyworth, the only other man with this information, had managed to keep the information to himself, because unlike Dick, he possessed a better understanding of the meaning of the word "secret" than that of 13-year old girl.
The media was more than just a bit obsessed with the lovely Selina Kyle, a Gotham City insurance investigator with a knack for being seen on the arm of some of Gotham's most wealthy and powerful men. Somehow, she had managed to sink her claws into billionaire playboy Bruce Wayne and the media wanted to know whether or not she could do the impossible and finally get him to settle down. Anything but scarce information had managed to escape the tabloids and their prying eyes and the couple, both the type to keep a low profile on things like this, liked it that way. This didn't stop Bruce from showing Selina off (and why wouldn't he be proud to have her on his arm, she was flawless, after all), but it would be on his terms, just like the first time the two debuted their new little girl to the world at a Wayne Foundation charity event. Selina had for the most part resigned herself from her "outside activities" after she'd moved into Wayne Manor to take care of Ariel and Damian, who had grown more attached to her since her arrival. Still, both of their dual lives had resigned the two to a life of privacy and so that was what they were most used to, what they most desired.
From behind the door, their audience could only hear a few words or phrases here and there as Bruce and Selina spoke in hushed tones, to the chagrin of the six people who desperately wanted to know what was going on. Were they going to be married or would they push it back again for the umpteenth time as was the usual outcome of such a debate. Moments later, any talking had come to a halt, leaving the audience a bit perturbed. Still, it seemed as though this time something had been decided and the sound of footsteps sent the group scurrying in various directions, each pretending to have been preoccupied with something else. To everyone's surprise, it was not the sound of annoyance in Bruce's voice over the fact that they'd been eavesdropping (and not very well at that) that stopped them, but Selina's sweet one, instead. As they turned to face the two, they all couldn't help but notice that neither of the two seemed the slightest bit upset, which was concluded to mean only one thing: the moment they had been waiting for had finally arrived, Bruce Wayne and Selina Kyle were going to get married. Finally.
Bruce held Selina by her waist as he spoke, breaking a silence formed out of both excitement and anticipation, "Selina and I have decided that now would be a good time for us to get married."
Selina chimed in, excitedly (and why shouldn't she get to be excited, she was getting married to the man of her dreams), "With Ariel growing so fast, we just decided that it would be appropriate that we make our relationship," she paused a bit, searching for the appropriate word, "Official."
The fact that Bruce and Selina had both made their remarks meant that it was time for everyone else to start talking, asking questions and making remarks one right after the other like a press conference.
"It's about time," Dick stated, jokingly. "I mean, what took you guys so long?"
Tim was, as usual, more practical, "What about…you know, Catwoman?"
"A Batcat wedding sounds like it'll be fun," commented Mollie with a smile on her face.
"This is so exciting," came Alex's voice. "Who are you planning to invite? Is it going to be a big wedding? Oh, of course, it is. Why wouldn't it be?"
"Is she going to be there," Damian asked, in reference to Mikayla, who was standing right next to him.
"Of course I'm gonna be there, Demon. My sister and I are going to be in the wedding, aren't we, Aunt Selina," questioned Mickey.
"Of course, I want you all to be in the wedding…and Alex, it's not going to be a huge wedding. Bruce and I just want to invite important friends and family members to the wedding. No media, no board members, nothing like that."
"Where are you going to have it," Dick questioned.
"Here, of course," Selina stated, "This place is more than big enough."
Dick smiled, "I'll be the best man, of course. I mean, who would be a more appropriate choice," he stated, full of his characteristic self-confidence. "Congrats, Selina, women would kill to be you. I mean, it's gonna be a lot of work being Mrs. Bruce Wayne, but I'm sure you can handle it."
His comment made in jest, in a characteristic tone that was supposed to inspire laughter as Dick so often did hit Selina like a ton of bricks, but she didn't show it. She couldn't show it; she wasn't the type to get unnerved, even as Bruce held her tighter to him to show that he wouldn't let her go no matter what, Selina couldn't help but find herself a bit shaken.
The date of the wedding was a month after its announcement and although Selina and Bruce had said that they wanted to make it an intimate affair, it looked much bigger than the "small" wedding that everyone had imagined. Alfred had managed to work as hard as he possibly could to get everything to Selina's liking in the short time that they had given him and judging by the look of things in Wayne Manor, everything had come together perfectly.
"Never doubt Alfred," Dick had stated matter-of-factly, "He's a lot more capable than he looks."
At the alter, eagerly awaiting his bride, Bruce had taken his place, looking handsome (as usual) in a black tuxedo. Any woman in Gotham and beyond would kill to be the one that he was waiting for; the bride of Bruce Wayne was almost as illustrious a position as Queen of England. Sitting in front of a large vanity that Bruce had gotten her as a present during the time that she moved from her Garrison Heights condo and into the manor was Selina, who for one of the first times in her life, felt anxious. Staring into the mirror in front of her in her designer wedding dress made just for her with the Swarovski crystal tiara he had presented her as a pre-wedding gift, she was afraid.
The words that Dick had said before rang in her ears. She and Bruce were from two completely different worlds and sure, she had a great deal of fun imagining herself as Mrs. Bruce Wayne but now that the time had come for her to step up, she wasn't sure that she was ready to take on such a role, whether she had deserved such an honor. The change in lifestyle was drastic for her and she was adaptable, but domesticity wasn't something she was entirely used to. Living with Bruce, he paid for mostly everything that she owned; she needn't worry about money anymore. It was a dream come true…or it had been, at first, but now something felt…wrong. She had to get out before it was too late.
