Clean Slate

Chapter One: Everything

Selina Kyle stood far away from Wayne Manor, underneath a tree, watching the funeral. She watched as the few who knew Batman's true identity, bury Bruce Wayne. She had thought for sure that he made some great escape at the last minute. But it had been days and there was no sign of him. She couldn't help but miss him. He was the only one who understood everything about her. And he was the only one with the clean slate, which now, she would never have.

The small funeral party began to disperse and Selina turned away. She slowly made her way back to her apartment. In the uprising she had lost everything to other prisoners and looters, including her former roommate. Her apartment was almost bare now, having only a few chairs, a table and her bed. She had decided to give up thieving in an attempt for her own clean slate. When she got home, she threw her keys on the ground, kicked off her shoes, and pulled her long brown hair out of the bun and let it lay loose around her shoulders. She went into the kitchen, poured herself a cup of coffee, and went back into her room where someone was waiting for her.

Bruce Wayne was nonchalantly sitting on her bed twirling a pearl necklace around his fingers. Selina stumbled back slightly and dropped her coffee cup on the ground where it shattered at her feet. "Bruce…" she whispered. She was at a loss for words.

Bruce smiled and got up off the bed and walked toward her. "I never got to give these back," he said as he reached forward to clasp it around her neck. "It really does look great on you." He smiled at her shocked expression.

"How…" she asked, "I saw you blow up!" Bruce laughed quietly and smiled back at her.

"You didn't think I left the auto pilot broken did you?" he said and laughed. Selina was still shocked. She stood and stared at him. She had decided that he was dead only a few hours ago, thinking his window for return had closed, and accepted it. But here he was, standing before her, not only alive, but apparently unscathed. She was silent for a long time as she stared at him, trying to take it in. "What's wrong?" Bruce asked, starting to worry about how long her silence lasted.

"Nothing," Selina said as she pushed her hair behind her ears, "I'm just so shocked…" Tears started welling up in her eyes. She was mortified by this and tried to look away but Bruce found her eyes.

"Hey," he said and took her face in his hands, "It's okay. I'm okay."

"I know," she said and pushed the tears back, "I know, I'm being stupid." Bruce looked into her eyes and Selina felt uncomfortable and looked away. "Why are you here anyway? Does anyone else know you're alive?"

"Alfred will," he said, "Blake will, Fox probably does. But no, no one else."

"Then why me?" she asked, "I wasn't exactly your closest friend or anything."

"You're the only one who gets it," he said and he came closer to her. "And I had to bring you this." He held out a flash drive, "I promised you a clean slate. And looks like I'm going to need one now too."

"You're not going to go back?" she asked as she eyed the flash drive.

"I can't," he said, "They think Batman is dead. No matter how much I would like to."

"Why would you like to?" Selina said as she snatched the flash drive from him, "You have literally given them everything now. You died for them. You don't owe them anything."

"I know," he said, "That's why I'm not going back. That's why I'm here, to start over. With you."

Before she could respond he had leaned down and kissed her. She dropped the flash drive and wrapped her arms around his neck. He pulled her closer and kissed her harder. Selina pulled away slightly and smiled up at him.

"I'm glad you're not dead," she whispered. Bruce laughed quietly before pulling her back into him for another kiss.

XXX

Bruce ran his fingers lightly over Selina's bare back and she smiled. She rolled over to face him and he smiled back at her. "So what's next for the Batman?" she asked as she put her hand on his chest. Bruce laughed and took her hand in his.

"The Batman is retired forever," he said, "My plan, which I hope you will join me on, is to use the clean slate and move far away to start a whole new life."

"Move somewhere like where?" she asked, "Somewhere exotic."

"I was thinking somewhere like Italy," Bruce said and kissed her hand. "We can delete Selina Kyle and Bruce Wayne forever and then move to a small town in Italy."

"Sounds perfect," she said and smiled, "What about Alfred? Are you going to see him before this?"

"No," Bruce said and looked down, "I let him down…maybe I'll see him someday but for now, I think it's best we keep our distance from everyone, especially Gotham."

"So when do you want to start these new lives of ours?" Selina asked.

"As soon as possible," he said and kissed her forehead, "But we can stay here for a little while longer." Selina smiled as he leaned down to kiss her again.

Tomorrow, Bruce Wayne and Selina Kyle would officially be gone forever.