It was a cold night. But she could take cold. She had done so for the past eighteen years of her life, even if she was without her leather jacket at the moment. No, it was something else that was making her shiver.
Gotham City glittered in the dark below her feet. It was in ruins and yet it managed to appear a beautiful sight, as if it wasn't actually dying inside. But Selina knew better. The horrors of this city, the morbid tales it told every day and every night-they won't ever let believe Gotham was ever anything but hell.
And now, she could escape. Into the ruins she would fall, and it would all be over. No more suffering, no more pain-the end…
With one foot hovering over the edge, slowly she leaned forward. It was a dark alleyway down there, how long would it take for someone to find her? "Selina!"
However, Selina didn't dare turn. She didn't think she would have it in her to go through with it if she did. Instead, she closed her eyes.
A warm hand closed around her wrist and held her back. He pulled her off. She didn't fight it; she had no stamina for it. But once she opened her eyes, she saw him, Bruce Wayne, who had abandoned her, anger, hurt, betrayal, despair, every emotion that had haunted her since that freak had shot her, it all rose inside of her like a raging monster trying to get out.
She wrenched her hand out of his grip.
"Selina! You-," Bruce began only to be cut short as Selina's knuckles collided with his jaw. He stumbled back, clutching his bleeding face. She tried to strike again, but this time he dodged her movements. "Selina-I know-you're-mad- but just listen to me!" he called out beseechingly.
When she finally calmed down enough to glare murderously at him, he said, "You have every right to call me out, I promised you but I didn't stay. But, Selina, it's not-"
"I trusted you, Bruce," she snarled,"I trusted you to not leave me like every other crappy person in my life! You knew that!"
"I know what it looks like, Selina-and I'm sorry- but it isn't like that, please! I had to stay, I would've had you here too if there were proper doctors here. Jeremiah is out there because of me, I had to stay."
She could see the guilt on his face but she didn't care. "Do you even realize what I've been through the last three months?"she hissed at him, nearing him dangerously.
"Selina-I'm-"
"My legs wouldn't move for weeks! I couldn't do anything but sit around and stare at that stupid hospital room! He shot me because of you, Bruce! And what did you do? Leave me when I needed you the most!"
She paused, breathing heavily; she was still sore from the surgery. Bruce took this as an opportunity to draw closer to her and whispered, "I do care about you, Selina. I'm sorry I put you through all this."
Selina looked up at his pleading face. They were inches apart now; the last time this happened, he had kissed her. His face told her he was thinking along the same lines.
They didn't speak for several moments. Finally, she sighed deeply and gently brushed his fresh bruise (he winced),"Don't think you're forgiven, I'm still mad at you. You deserve that, though. I will kill you next time you even think of doing this to me."
Relief seemed to sweep over Bruce as he reached in and tightly embraced her. Despite herself, she returned the pressure. His warmth comforted her and when he let go, she missed it already.
She pulled at his shoulder, "Give me your coat, I'm freezing." He smiled at her and obliged, and as she wrapped herself in his overcoat, the weight in her chest seemed to ease just as the chill in her bones started to dissipate. At least she could keep Bruce on his toes now, she thought spiritedly, as she walked alongside him down the building stairs and up to car waiting for them in the street.